Russian-Ukrainian War

Russia stands accused of “terrible” war crimes, as western leaders condemned the killings of unarmed civilians in Bucha and the surrounding areas of Kyiv in alleged atrocities that prompted fresh demands for tougher action against Moscow.

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said the Kremlin-ordered attack on his country amounted to genocide, after local officials reported scores of civilians had been killed in the towns of Bucha, Irpin and Hostomel near the capital.

Slavutych, a northern town close to the Chernobyl nuclear site, was taken by Russian forces but stun grenades and overhead fire failed to disperse unarmed protesters on its main square on Saturday.

The crowd demanded the release of mayor Yuri Fomichev, who had been taken prisoner by the Russian troops.

Attempts by Russian troops to intimidate the growing protest failed and on Saturday afternoon Fomichev was let go by his captors.

Russia has warned of a breach of its relations with Washington and summoned the US ambassador in Moscow for an official protest over Joe Biden’s labelling of Vladimir Putin as a war criminal, as the US president held talks with European allies on efforts to stop the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked her, appealing to anyone working for what he calls Russia's propaganda system to resign. Any journalist working in what he calls the fourth branch of power risks sanctions and an international tribunal for "justifying war crimes", he warns.

Abramovich had been attempting to unload the London side but The Times reports the UK government has sanctioned seven high-profile oligarchs, including Abramovich who is worth an estimated $17 billion.

“Chelsea have been given a special licence to continue with football related activities but the sale effectively bars the sale of the club,” reporter Steven Swinford tweeted.

Under the restrictions, Chelsea cannot sell tickets to games - with only season ticket holders allowed to attend - nor merchandise.

US Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu Erin McKee announced the sanctions to the PNG media this morning adding that NATO and its friends are united more than ever.

“The United States and our allies, partners and friends are taking action to hold Russia accountable.

“The US, United Kingdom, European Union, Japan and Canada have removed selected Russian Banks from the ‘swift messaging system” and have imposed restrictive measures on the Russian central Bank.

How many Ukrainians escaping the Russian war machine have entered European countries so far?

Poland

Ukraine’s close ally, with which it shares a 310-mile border, had received 1,204,403 refugees by Tuesday, the UNHCR said.

The government has announced plans to set up an 8bn złoty (£1.34bn) fund for people fleeing Ukraine, including the provision of a one-off payment of 300 złoty (£50) for each refugee.

Hungary

The pull-out of iconic western brands from Russia is gathering momentum, with Starbucks, Coca-Cola and Pepsi joining McDonald’s in pausing operations in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

NATO has rejected Ukraine’s appeal for a no-fly zone, prompting fierce criticism from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy who said the move greenlighted Russia’s bombing campaign of his country.

Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary-general of NATO, announced the decision following an urgent meeting of the 30-member alliance in Brussels.

He said helping Ukraine protect its skies from Russian missiles and warplanes would require NATO forces to shoot down Russian aircraft, a move that could result in a “full-fledged war in Europe involving many more countries”.

Russia has completely blocked access to Facebook in retaliation for the platform placing restrictions on state-owned media.

The Russian state communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, later said it had also restricted access to Twitter.