Washington/Lviv, Ukraine, March 8
US President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced a ban on Russian oil and other energy imports, a significant move in stepping up the international pressure on President Vladimir Putin to halt his devastating assault on Ukraine.
"Russia may continue to grind out its advance at a horrible price, but this much is already clear: Ukraine will never be a victory for Putin. Putin may be able to take a city, but he'll never be able to hold the country," Biden told reporters at the White House.
On the ground in Ukraine, the Kyiv government accused Russian forces of shelling a humanitarian corridor that Moscow had promised to open to let residents flee the besieged port of Mariupol.
The civilian death toll in the conflict mounted. And with the war in its 13th day, the number of refugees who have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries surged past 2 million.
Western sanctions imposed over the invasion have already cut off Russia from international trade and financial markets.
Russia is the world's biggest exporter of oil and natural gas, and until now its energy exports had been exempted from the international sanctions.
"We're banning all imports of Russian oil and gas energy," Biden said. "That means Russian oil will no longer be acceptable in US ports and the American people will deal another powerful blow to Putin's war machine."
The United States is not a leading buyer of Russian oil, but Biden has been working with allies in Europe, who are far more dependent on Russian oil, to isolate Russia's energy-heavy economy and Putin.
Britain announced shortly before Biden's remarks that it would phase out the import of Russian oil and oil products by the end of 2022.
Dead child
In Mariupol, hundreds of thousands of people have been sheltering under bombardment without water or power for more than a week. Many tried to leave on Tuesday along a safe corridor but Ukraine said they came under Russian fire.
"Ceasefire violated! Russian forces are now shelling the humanitarian corridor from Zaporizhzhia to Mariupol," Ukraine's foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko wrote on Twitter.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said a child had died of dehydration in Mariupol because water was cut off. The claim could not be independently verified.
Russia opened a separate corridor allowing residents out of the eastern city of Sumy on Tuesday, the first successful evacuation under such a safe route.
Buses left Sumy for Poltava further west, only hours after a Russian air strike which regional officials said had hit a residential area and killed 21 people.
The Russian defence ministry said 723 people had been evacuated through the Sumy-Poltava corridor, including 576 Indian nationals, in a first convoy.
Residents were also leaving the town of Irpin, a frontline Kyiv suburb.
The United Nations human rights office said it had verified 1,335 civilian casualties in Ukraine, including 474 killed and 861 injured, since the invasion kicked off on Feb. 24. But the true toll was likely to be higher, it said.
There were allegations of hundreds of civilian casualties in Volnovakha, Mariupol and other urban areas from bombing and shelling of residential areas, it said.
Moscow denies targeting civilians. It describes its actions as a "special operation" to disarm Ukraine and unseat leaders it calls neo-Nazis. Ukraine and its Western allies call this a baseless pretext to invade a country of 44 million people. Reuters
.
21:00 08 Mar
The European Parliament is set to approve on Wednesday a report urging the EU to ban golden passport schemes by 2025 and immediately stop the issuance of visas and passports to rich Russians in exchange for investments. Read full story
20:56 08 Mar
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday his government would set out a new energy supply strategy as the Russian invasion of Ukraine and subsequent rally in energy prices accelerate the need for new energy sources and greater self-reliance. Read full story
20:53 08 Mar
Luxury carmaker Ferrari said on Tuesday it would suspend exports to Russia due to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. “Given the ongoing situation Ferrari has taken the decision to suspend the production of vehicles for the Russian market until further notice,” the Italian company said in a statement. Read story
19:14 08 Mar
US President Joe Biden to ban Russia oil imports, toughening toll on Russian economy in retaliation for invasion of Ukraine, reports AP.
18:26 08 Mar
Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov has released new estimates of casualties and damage from the Russian war, saying Russian military actions have killed 38 children and wounded more than 70. Read story here
16:38 08 Mar
Buses packed with people fleeing the Russian invasion in Ukraine left two embattled cities along safe corridors Tuesday, while officials said the exodus of refugees from the country reached 2 million. Read more here
11:19 08 Mar
The Russian Embassy in India on Tuesday said that in order to conduct a humanitarian operation, from 10 am (Moscow time) on March 8, the Russian Federation will declare ceasefire and is ready to provide humanitarian corridors.
08:55 08 Mar
#IndiainUNSC
— India at UN, NY (@IndiaUNNewYork) March 7, 2022
📺Watch: Permanent Representative @AmbTSTirumurti speak at the #UNSC Briefing on the Humanitarian Situation in #Ukraine ⤵️@MEAIndia @IndiainUkraine @IndEmbMoscow pic.twitter.com/oXoRsNGS9x
08:54 08 Mar
In his latest address to the nation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that he's still in Kiev and not hiding as Russia's war on his country has continued for the 13th day.In the video posted on his Facebook page late Monday night, Zelensky shows the views of the city from his office in the heart of the capital city. Read full story
Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.
Most Read In 24 Hours
Don't Miss
View All
Top News
Excise policy case: Arvind Kejriwal, Kavitha to remain in jail as Delhi court extends their judicial custody till May 7
They were produced before the court through video conference...
Misleading advertisements: Supreme Court turns heat on IMA; poses questions on alleged unethical conduct of its members
A Bench led by Justice Hima Kohli expands scope of hearing a...
Why is Prime Minister Narendra Modi building on ‘M’ factor, is low voter turnout in Phase 1 the reason?
Attacking the Congress using the ‘M’—manifesto, ‘mangalsutra...
Country's biggest leader given up morality, does not walk on path of truth: Priyanka Gandhi on PM
Alleges that attempts are on to weaken the opposition by sup...
BJP leader Vijay Sampla’s nephew Robin Sampla joins AAP
He is eyeing a ticket from Jalandhar West seat, from where S...
