Russian forces pushed deeper into Ukraine in two days of war with the sound of explosions in the capital city that the country’s government under siege called “horrific rocket attacks.” At most, the number of “heroes” have been killed on Thursday alone, Ukraine has said.
READ MORE: Dialogue, diplomacy is the best option to end the Russia-Ukraine crisis: India
These are our top 10 news updates on this critical report:
- Two blasts of sound occurred in the center of Kyiv early on Friday, the news agency AFP informed early Friday morning. The Ukrainian army confirmed that Russia attacked civilian areas in Kyiv but that the country’s air defense systems stopped “two dangerous gifts” on the verified Facebook page.
- “Horrific Russian rocket strikes on Kyiv,” Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter following the sound of explosions that were heard throughout Kyiv’s capital just before dawn. “Last time Similar conditions hit Kyiv was 1941 when Kyiv was attacked 1941 in 1941 by Nazi Germany. Ukraine was defeated by that evil and will be able to beat this one.”
- This invasion by Ukraine has resulted in severe economic sanctions against Russia. In a speech in the White House, US President Joe Biden stated that four banks, including the two largest, Sberbank & VTB — are likely to be hit through Western sanctions. Additionally, export restrictions applied to sensitive components could “cut the flow of more than half of Russia’s imports of high-tech.” Biden said the consequences will be harsh and have long-lasting adverse effects on the Russian economy. Biden declared.
- The US President has confirmed that, as of currently, there was no intention to directly impose sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is widely believed to have amassed an enormous hidden fortune over his tenure of two decades as a president.
- The Western coalition has decided against the highly debated decision to remove Russia from the SWIFT international payment system, despite the pleas of Ukraine. The plan that would have effectively crippled the country’s banking system was not possible because the Western coalition was unable to agree on a solution on the issue, Vice President Biden stated.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his displeasure with the western alliance’s efforts against Moscow. In a video message in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that the country is “left to itself” to take on Russia. “We are left on our own to defend our nation,” Zelensky said.
- President Biden has announced on Thursday his administration United States will have consultations with India about the current crisis in Ukraine. India has a long and long-standing friendship with Russia. In the same way, the strategic partnership between the US has been growing at a rapid pace in the past 10 years and a half.
- Prime Secretary Narendra Modi spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin late Thursday, asking for an “immediate end to violence.” The meeting came just moments after Ukraine’s urgent plea to India to intervene.
- The Russian Defence Ministry said its first day of the Ukraine invasion had met all its objectives, and it destroyed 83 of the land-based Ukrainian targets. Ukraine’s military announced that it eliminated four Russian tanks in the vicinity of Kharkiv and killed 50 soldiers near a town in the Luhansk area, and destroyed six Russian warplanes flying in the east. Russia did not deny reports that its armored vehicles or aircraft were damaged. Russian-backed separatists claimed they had taken down two Ukrainian planes.
- Russia began its war on air, land, and water on Thursday after an official declaration of war by president Vladimir Putin. A reported 100,000 people fled their homes as blasts and gunfire erupted in major cities. The US and Ukrainian officials have said Russia wants to seize Kyiv and take over the Ukrainian government.
