A week after launching its invasion of Ukraine, Russia said its forces took control the first sizable city today, seizing Kherson, in the south, as fighting raged around the country and Western nations tightened an economic noose around Russia.
Russian military claims to have taken control of Ukraine’s Kherson. “The Russian divisions of the armed forces have taken the regional centre of Kherson under full control,” defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in televised remarks.
Russian Army paratroopers landed in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-most populous city. The Ukrainian Army said that there were clashes as soon as Russia’s airborne troops landed. Kharkiv, a largely Russian-speaking city near the Russian border, has a population of around 1.4 million.
Indian Air Force Vice-Chief Air Marshal Sandeep Singh says that three C-17 aircraft have departed to evacuate stranded citizens. Mr Singh said that evacuation operations will run round the clock till all Indians are brought back.
In his State of the Union address, Joe Biden warned ‘dictator’ Vladimir Putin of diplomatic and economic isolation for invading Ukraine. Biden also spoke to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy about how the US and its allies are working to hold Russia accountable.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began last Thursday, has resulted in several sanctions, trade restrictions and financial penalties. Apple and Nike have both announced plans to halt product sales in Russia.
With inputs from NDTV
High crude prices may spur fuel blending 