All information in Central European Time (CET).
14:35 | NATO calls on China to “defend the international order”
NATO leaders called on China to uphold the international order and the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, and refrain from “supporting Russia’s war effort in any way” in Ukraine and helping Moscow circumvent the sanctions. At their extraordinary summit in Brussels on the war in Ukraine, the allied leaders also agreed Thursday to establish four new international battalions in Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Romania, according to the joint statement they agreed to. EFE
14:30 | The US agrees to receive a maximum of 100,000 refugees
The United States announced Thursday that it is willing to take in a maximum of 100,000 Ukrainian refugees and other nationalities who have fled Ukraine after the Russian invasion, and that it will deliver an additional $1 billion in humanitarian aid to the country. Washington’s priority will be to welcome those Ukrainians “who have relatives in the United States,” explained an official US source when making the announcement during President Joe Biden’s visit to Brussels, who is participating this Thursday in two NATO summits, the G7 and the European Union (EU). EFE
14:27 | The United States announces more sanctions against the US
The United States announced sanctions on Thursday against the Duma (lower house of the Russian Parliament) and against 400 figures and companies close to President Vladimir Putin, including 328 legislators and 48 Russian defense companies. EFE
13:09 | Zelensky calls for ‘unrestricted’ military aid
Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky on Thursday asked members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) for “unrestricted military aid” so that his country can confront the Russian army, which kyiv is now fighting “in unequal conditions.” . “To save the people and our cities, Ukraine needs unrestricted military aid. Just as Russia uses its entire arsenal against us without restriction,” Zelensky said in a video message to the heads of state and government of the Atlantic Alliance, gathered at an extraordinary summit in Brussels, and published on their Telegram account. “The Ukrainian army has been resisting for a month in unequal conditions! I have been repeating the same thing for a month,” he said. The president reiterated his requests for fighter planes and tanks, especially to “unblock” Mariupol, Berdyansk or Melitopol, cities in southern Ukraine besieged or occupied by the Russian army. AFP
12:38 | Number of Ukrainian refugees exceeds 3.6 million: UNHCR
Tens of thousands of Ukrainians continue to leave their country every day as a result of the Russian invasion, and today, the day of a month of war, this flow reached 3.67 million, according to statistics from the UN Agency for Refugees (UNHCR). Poland continues to receive more than half of this exodus (2.17 million), while hundreds of thousands have left Ukraine across the border of other neighboring countries such as Romania, Moldova, Hungary, Russia, Slovakia and to a lesser extent Belarus. EFE
12:24 | Zelensky accuses Russia of using phosphorus bombs in Ukraine
The President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelenski, accused Russia on Thursday before the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) of using phosphorus bombs in its attacks on targets on Ukrainian territory, a month after the start of hostilities in that country. “This morning (…) there were two phosphorous bombs. Adults and children have been killed again,” Zelensky said in a videoconference message during a NATO summit in Brussels. AFP
11:28 | Extraordinary NATO summit begins
NATO leaders began an extraordinary summit on Thursday to assess how they can give more support to Ukraine to defend itself from the Russian invasion, and give their support to a new reinforcement in the east of the Alliance with four new battalions in Bulgaria. , Romania, Hungary and Slovakia. The heads of state and government of the 30 allies are meeting in Brussels to show unity in the face of the aggression ordered by the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, in a meeting in which the Ukrainian, Volodímir Zelenski, will also participate by videoconference. EFE
11:18 | China accuses NATO of “disinformation”
China on Thursday called NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg’s claims that Beijing offers Russia “political support” “disinformation” and accused him of spreading “lies” about invading Ukraine. Beijing, a close economic and diplomatic partner of Moscow, has so far expressed neither support nor disapproval of the Russian invasion and has called for restraint from all sides. But Western countries are urging the Asian giant to make its opposition clear. AFP
11:04 | Japan refineries stop importing Russian crude
The two main oil refineries in Japan, Idemitsu and Eneos, announced today that they will stop importing crude oil from Russia once their current contracts expire, due to the current context of sanctions and pressure on Moscow. EFE
10:56 | UK announces more sanctions against people and companies linked to Russia
The British government announced on Thursday a new series of sanctions against 59 Russian and six Belarusian individuals and companies, due to the invasion of Ukraine. Among the companies are the Russian diamond giant Alrosa or the private group of military services Wagner. AFP
10:36 | Johnson: Putin ‘crossed the red line’ into barbarism
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin “has already crossed the red line into barbarism” in the war in Ukraine. Johnson declared the previous thing to the arrival of him to the summit of leaders of the NATO that is celebrated today in Brussels. EFE
10:05 | More than half of Ukrainian children are displaced by war
More than half of the children in Ukraine had to leave their homes to flee insecurity and fighting caused by the invasion of the Russian army on February 24, Unicef said on Thursday. AFP
9:26 | Four dead reported near Luhansk
At least four people were killed, including two children, and six others were wounded in a Russian attack in the town of Rubijné, near Lugansk, in eastern Ukraine, the region’s governor, Serguii Gaidai, said on Thursday. The governor added that the balance of victims ran the risk of “increasing a lot”. AFP
9:16 | Ukraine claims to have destroyed Russian ship
The Ukrainian navy claims to have destroyed a Russian troop landing ship docked in the port of Berdyansk, in the south of the country, and controlled by the Russian army on Thursday. A statement from the Ukrainian navy maintains that it is the landing ship “Orsk” of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Navy. Two loud explosions were heard near the city of Berdyansk at 0640 local time. EFE
9:04 | Ukraine increases pressure on Russian forces northeast of kyiv, London says
The Ukrainian army “is increasing pressure on Russian forces northeast of kyiv”, which “are facing problems of supply and morale”, according to the latest analysis by the British Ministry of Defense. According to this report, “Ukrainian forces are successfully counterattacking Russian positions in cities outside the capital and have likely retaken Makariv and Moschun.” EFE
8:44 | Russia claims to have taken control of Izium
Russia assured this Thursday that its forces have taken full control of the town of Izium, in the Ukrainian region of Kharkov, where intense fighting has been recorded in recent days. The spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, Igor Konashénkov, stated in the first morning military report that “by the morning of March 24, the detachments of the Russian Armed Forces took full control of the city of Izium, in the Kharkov region “. EFE
8:17 | NATO: Chemical attack would change “nature of conflict” in Ukraine
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned Thursday that a Russian chemical attack in Ukraine would “greatly change the nature” of the war being waged there and could also affect neighboring allied countries, without wanting to speculate on whether this would motivate an Alliance defense reaction. He said that Vladimir Putin made a “serious mistake” by invading Ukraine. EFE