Evacuations from Sumy, Irpin under way
- Ukrainian officials say civilians are being evacuated from the besieged areas of Irpin, near the capital, Kyiv, and northeastern Sumy.
- Russia has declared another ceasefire and says a string of humanitarian corridors have been opened.
- Moscow says evacuees will be allowed to travel to safer places in Ukraine after Kyiv rejected an earlier plan to funnel civilians to Russia and Belarus.
- UN refugee chief says the number of people fleeing Russia’s offensive has reached two million.
- Moscow threatens to close a major gas pipeline to Germany as Western powers weigh a ban on Russian oil.
- British oil giant Shell to stop buying Russian crude and withdraw from involvement in the country’s hydrocarbons.
Ukrainians defy heartbreak to win bittersweet Paralympic golds
Despite grappling with heartbreak following Russia’s invasion of their homeland, Ukraine’s team at the Winter Paralympics has won six gold medals.The team’s success has put it in second place in the gold medal table, behind hosts China.
Kuleba urges companies to boycott Russia
Ukraine’s foreign minister has urged international companies to boycott Russia in an open letter.
“Ukraine requests the ethically and socially responsible global businesses to stop or suspend operations with or in Russia, therefore refusing to finance its violence, murders, and crimes against humanity,” Dmytro Kuleba tweeted.
A widening corporate backlash to Moscow’s offensive has already seen a range of firms, including Apple, IKEA and Nike, suspend operations in Russia.
‘We are refugees’: Russians flee rising authoritarianism
Russians, disheartened by the war in Ukraine, fearful of the pressure from sanctions, and concerned by the muzzling of critical voices, have been fleeing their country in recent days.Their options are limited – with a near-complete shutdown of European airspace to all flights inbound and outbound from Russia, only a handful of exit corridors remain.
