- Ukraine says more than 5,500 people were evacuated from front-line cities on Sunday.
- Ukraine and Russia will hold a new round of talks by videoconference on Monday, officials say.
- The ICRC warns residents of Mariupol face a “worst-case scenario” unless Russia and Ukraine reach an agreement to ensure humanitarian access.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy again urges NATO to impose a no-fly zone.
Here are the latest updates:
Blinken, Ukraine’s Kuleba talk on efforts to stop war
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, have discussed during a call the diplomatic efforts to stop Russia’s invasion of its neighbour, the State Department says in a statement.
“Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Kuleba discussed ongoing diplomatic efforts to stop Putin’s war of choice,” said spokesperson Ned Price.
“The Secretary reiterated the United States’ steadfast solidarity with Ukraine in defence against the Kremlin’s continued brutal aggression.”
Biden speaks with France’s Macron: White House
US President Joe Biden and France’s Emmanuel Macron have underscored in a telephone call their commitment to holding Russia accountable for the invasion of Ukraine, the White House said in a statement.
Zelenskyy hopes for meeting with Putin
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the main task of his delegation at talks with their Russian counterparts was to arrange a meeting between himself and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Representatives of our countries are holding daily talks via video conference,” he said, describing the task of the Ukrainian delegation as a “difficult path”.
Zelenskyy also said a humanitarian convoy to Mariupol was blocked by Russia who “disrupted the movement of aid and buses”, adding the convoy will make another attempt to move on Monday.
Zelenskyy renews call for no-fly zone
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged NATO to impose a no-fly zone over his country or see its member states attacked by Russia.
“If you don’t close our sky, it is only a matter of time before Russian rockets fall on your territory, on NATO territory,” Zelenskyy said in a video address.
Chechen leader Kadyrov says he travelled to Ukraine
Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Russia’s Chechnya region, has said that he travelled into Ukraine to meet Chechen troops attacking Kyiv, the Reuters news agency has reported.
Reuters said it could not independently verify whether he was in Ukraine or had travelled there during the conflict.
Chechen state television channel Grozny posted a video on its Telegram social media channel that showed Kadyrov in a darkened room discussing with Chechen troops a military operation they said took place 7km (4 miles) from the Ukrainian capital, Reuters reported.
Bermuda revokes licences for Russian-operated planes
Bermuda’s aviation regulator has said it is suspending certification of all Russian-operated aircraft registered in the British overseas territory due to international sanctions over the war in Ukraine, in a move expected to affect more than 700 planes.
The regulator said it was unable to confidently approve the planes as airworthy due to the effect of sanctions on its ability to conduct safety oversight.
Manufacturers are no longer providing parts to Russian airlines as part of the sanctions.
US condemns attack on base near Polish border
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has condemned a Russian attack on a large Ukrainian base near the border with NATO member Poland, which killed 35 people and wounded 134, according to a local official.
“We condemn the Russian Federation’s missile attack on the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security in Yavoriv, close to Ukraine’s border with Poland,” Blinken wrote on Twitter. “The brutality must stop.”
We condemn the Russian Federation’s missile attack on the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security in Yavoriv, close to Ukraine’s border with Poland. The brutality must stop.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) March 13, 2022
Russia-Ukraine war military dispatch: March 13
- Russian air raids hit a Ukrainian military training base near Lviv.
- Ukrainian officials have said there was an increase in civilian evacuations.
- Russian troops have cracked down on protesters in the Russian-controlled southern city of Kherson, Ukraine.
- A US journalist was killed by Russian troops near Kyiv.
Here is a round-up of all the key military developments from Sunday – day 18 of the Russian invasion.
Russian default no longer ‘improbable’
Russia may default on its debts in the wake of unprecedented sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, but that would not trigger a global financial crisis, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has said.
Georgieva told CBS’s “Face the Nation” programme that sanctions imposed by the United States and other democracies were already having a “severe” effect on the Russian economy and would trigger a deep recession there this year.
The sanctions were limiting Russia’s ability to access its resources and service its debts, which meant a default was no longer viewed as “improbable,” the IMF official said.
Asked if such a default could trigger a financial crisis around the world, she said, “For now, no.”
Zelenskyy urges software giants to stop supporting their products in Russia
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on US software firms Microsoft and Oracle, and German business software group SAP to halt support services for their products in Russia.
“Stop supporting your products in Russia, stop the war!,” he wrote on Twitter.
Now can be no ‘half’ decisions or ‘halftones’! There is only black and white, good or evil! You are either for peace or support the bloody Russian aggressor to kill Ukrainian children and women. @Microsoft @Oracle @SAP, stop supporting your products in Russia, stop the war!
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 13, 2022
‘Never heard of that’: China responds to reports Russia sought military help
The spokesperson for China’s embassy in Washington has responded to media reports that Moscow had asked Beijing for military equipment since launching its invasion of Ukraine by saying, “I’ve never heard of that.”
The spokesperson, Liu Pengyu, said China’s priority was to prevent the tense situation in Ukraine from getting out of control.
“The current situation in Ukraine is indeed disconcerting,” he said in an emailed response to an inquiry from the Reuters news agency.
“The high priority now is to prevent the tense situation from escalating or even getting out of control.”
Ukraine, Russia to resume talks
Ukraine and Russia will hold a new round of talks on Monday, officials have said.
Talks would resume by videoconference, Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to Zelenskyy and part of the negotiating team, has said.
His statement on Twitter confirmed an earlier statement by Dmitry Peskov, the spokesperson for the Russian presidency.
Ukraine says thousands evacuated from front-line cities
Ukraine was able to evacuate more than 5,550 people from front-line cities on Sunday via nine humanitarian corridors, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk has said.
She said 3,950 people were evacuated from towns and cities in the Kyiv region.
Fatigued staff ‘stop safety-related repairs’ at Chernobyl
Staff operating radioactive waste facilities at the Chernobyl nuclear plant have stopped carrying out safety-related repairs due to exhaustion, as they have not been relieved since Russia seized the site last month, Ukraine has told the UN nuclear watchdog.
“The Ukrainian regulator informed the IAEA that staff at [Chernobyl] were no longer carrying out repair and maintenance of safety-related equipment, in part due to their physical and psychological fatigue after working non-stop for nearly three weeks,” the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement.
ICRC issues stark Mariupol warning
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has warned that residents of the besieged port city of Mariupol face a “worst-case scenario” unless Russia and Ukraine reach an agreement to ensure their immediate safety and access to humanitarian aid.
Ukrainian authorities say the city has been subject to relentless bombardment since Russian troops surrounded it on March 2. Read the full story here.
Welcome to Al Jazeera’s continuing coverage of the Ukraine-Russia crisis.
Read all the updates from Sunday, March 13 here.
Ukraine says more than 5,500 people were evacuated from front-line cities on Sunday. Ukraine and Russia will hold a new round of talks by videoconference on Monday, officials say. The ICRC warns residents of Mariupol face a “worst-case scenario” unless Russia and Ukraine reach an agreement to ensure humanitarian access. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy again urges NATO to impose a no-fly zone. Here are the latest updates: 2 mins ago (00:58 GMT) Blinken, Ukraine’s Kuleba talk on efforts to stop war US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, have discussed during a call the diplomatic efforts to stop Russia’s invasion of its neighbour, the State Department says in a statement. “Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Kuleba discussed ongoing diplomatic efforts to stop Putin’s war of choice,” said spokesperson Ned Price. “The Secretary reiterated the United States’ steadfast solidarity with Ukraine in defence against the Kremlin’s continued brutal aggression.” 26 mins ago (00:35 GMT) Biden speaks with France’s Macron: White House US President Joe Biden and France’s Emmanuel Macron have underscored in a telephone call their commitment to holding Russia accountable for the invasion of Ukraine, the White House said in a statement. 50 mins ago (00:11 GMT) Zelenskyy hopes for meeting with Putin Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the main task of his delegation at talks with their Russian counterparts was to arrange a meeting between himself and Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Representatives of our countries are holding daily talks via video conference,” he said, describing the task of the Ukrainian delegation as a “difficult path”. Zelenskyy also said a humanitarian convoy to Mariupol was blocked by Russia who “disrupted the movement of aid and buses”, adding the convoy will make another attempt to move on Monday. People help a woman cross a destroyed bridge during an evacuation in Irpin outside Kyiv [Marko Djurica/Reuters] 2 hours ago (22:35 GMT) Zelenskyy renews call for no-fly zone Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged NATO to impose a no-fly zone over his country or see its member states attacked by Russia. “If you don’t close our sky, it is only a matter of time before Russian rockets fall on your territory, on NATO territory,” Zelenskyy said in a video address. 3 hours ago (22:27 GMT) Chechen leader Kadyrov says he travelled to Ukraine Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Russia’s Chechnya region, has said that he travelled into Ukraine to meet Chechen troops attacking Kyiv, the Reuters news agency has reported. Reuters said it could not independently verify whether he was in Ukraine or had travelled there during the conflict. Chechen state television channel Grozny posted a video on its Telegram social media channel that showed Kadyrov in a darkened room discussing with Chechen troops a military operation they said took place 7km (4 miles) from the Ukrainian capital, Reuters reported. Kadyrov is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin [Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via Reuters] 3 hours ago (22:21 GMT) Bermuda revokes licences for Russian-operated planes Bermuda’s aviation regulator has said it is suspending certification of all Russian-operated aircraft registered in the British overseas territory due to international sanctions over the war in Ukraine, in a move expected to affect more than 700 planes. The regulator said it was unable to confidently approve the planes as airworthy due to the effect of sanctions on its ability to conduct safety oversight. Manufacturers are no longer providing parts to Russian airlines as part of the sanctions. 3 hours ago (22:14 GMT) US condemns attack on base near Polish border Secretary of State Antony Blinken has condemned a Russian attack on a large Ukrainian base near the border with NATO member Poland, which killed 35 people and wounded 134, according to a local official. “We condemn the Russian Federation’s missile attack on the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security in Yavoriv, close to Ukraine’s border with Poland,” Blinken wrote on Twitter. “The brutality must stop.” We condemn the Russian Federation’s missile attack on the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security in Yavoriv, close to Ukraine’s border with Poland. The brutality must stop. — Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) March 13, 2022 3 hours ago (22:05 GMT) Russia-Ukraine war military dispatch: March 13 Russian air raids hit a Ukrainian military training base near Lviv. Ukrainian officials have said there was an increase in civilian evacuations. Russian troops have cracked down on protesters in the Russian-controlled southern city of Kherson, Ukraine. A US journalist was killed by Russian troops near Kyiv. Here is a round-up of all the key military developments from Sunday – day 18 of the Russian invasion. 3 hours ago (21:46 GMT) Russian default no longer ‘improbable’ Russia may default on its debts in the wake of unprecedented sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, but that would not trigger a global financial crisis, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has said. Georgieva told CBS’s “Face the Nation” programme that sanctions imposed by the United States and other democracies were already having a “severe” effect on the Russian economy and would trigger a deep recession there this year. The sanctions were limiting Russia’s ability to access its resources and service its debts, which meant a default was no longer viewed as “improbable,” the IMF official said. Asked if such a default could trigger a financial crisis around the world, she said, “For now, no.” 3 hours ago (21:41 GMT) Zelenskyy urges software giants to stop supporting their products in Russia Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on US software firms Microsoft and Oracle, and German business software group SAP to halt support services for their products in Russia. “Stop supporting your products in Russia, stop the war!,” he wrote on Twitter. Now can be no ‘half’ decisions or ‘halftones’! There is only black and white, good or evil! You are either for peace or support the bloody Russian aggressor to kill Ukrainian children and women. @Microsoft @Oracle @SAP, stop supporting your products in Russia, stop the war! — Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 13, 2022 3 hours ago (21:31 GMT) ‘Never heard of that’: China responds to reports Russia sought military help The spokesperson for China’s embassy in Washington has responded to media reports that Moscow had asked Beijing for military equipment since launching its invasion of Ukraine by saying, “I’ve never heard of that.” The spokesperson, Liu Pengyu, said China’s priority was to prevent the tense situation in Ukraine from getting out of control. “The current situation in Ukraine is indeed disconcerting,” he said in an emailed response to an inquiry from the Reuters news agency. “The high priority now is to prevent the tense situation from escalating or even getting out of control.” 4 hours ago (21:25 GMT) Ukraine, Russia to resume talks Ukraine and Russia will hold a new round of talks on Monday, officials have said. Talks would resume by videoconference, Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to Zelenskyy and part of the negotiating team, has said. His statement on Twitter confirmed an earlier statement by Dmitry Peskov, the spokesperson for the Russian presidency. 4 hours ago (20:49 GMT) Ukraine says thousands evacuated from front-line cities Ukraine was able to evacuate more than 5,550 people from front-line cities on Sunday via nine humanitarian corridors, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk has said. She said 3,950 people were evacuated from towns and cities in the Kyiv region. 4 hours ago (20:43 GMT) Fatigued staff ‘stop safety-related repairs’ at Chernobyl Staff operating radioactive waste facilities at the Chernobyl nuclear plant have stopped carrying out safety-related repairs due to exhaustion, as they have not been relieved since Russia seized the site last month, Ukraine has told the UN nuclear watchdog. “The Ukrainian regulator informed the IAEA that staff at [Chernobyl] were no longer carrying out repair and maintenance of safety-related equipment, in part due to their physical and psychological fatigue after working non-stop for nearly three weeks,” the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement. Russian forces seized control of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in late February [File: Gleb Garanich/Reuters] 4 hours ago (20:37 GMT) ICRC issues stark Mariupol warning The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has warned that residents of the besieged port city of Mariupol face a “worst-case scenario” unless Russia and Ukraine reach an agreement to ensure their immediate safety and access to humanitarian aid. Ukrainian authorities say the city has been subject to relentless bombardment since Russian troops surrounded it on March 2. Read the full story here. Welcome to Al Jazeera’s continuing coverage of the Ukraine-Russia crisis. Read all the updates from Sunday, March 13 here.