The UN general assembly voted overwhelmingly to deplore Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and called for the immediate withdrawal of its forces, with 141 of the 193 member states voted for the resolution, 35 abstaining and five – Russia, Belarus, Syria, North Korea and Eritrea – voting against.
Authorities in the strategically important southern city of Kherson on the Black Sea have denied Russia’s claims that its forces have captured what would be their first large city of the invasion, saying only the port and train station have fallen.
Russian paratroopers landed in Ukraine’s second city, Kharkiv, at 3am, security chiefs said, following several days of bombardment that has killed or wounded dozens of civilians. Four more people died on Wednesday, local authorities said, adding the city was still under their control.
The capital, Kyiv, has come under more heavy shelling as Russian forces step up their offensive and move forces closer towards the capital in an apparent attempt to encircle it.
The strategically important Sea of Azov port city of Mariupol is also reportedly surrounded by Russian troops. “We cannot even take the wounded from the streets, from apartments, since the shelling does not stop,” its mayor said.
A second round of talks is reportedly to get under way on Thursday. A Russian negotiator said a ceasefire is on the agenda, but Ukraine has said Moscow’s demands are unacceptable and Russia must stop bombing Ukrainian cities before any progress can be expected.
More than 350 Ukrainian civilians have been killed and more than 2,000 injured, according to Ukraine’s emergency service. Hundreds of structures including transport facilities, hospitals, kindergartens and homes have been destroyed, it said.
Ukraine claimed nearly 7,000 Russian troops had been killed in the first six days of Moscow’s invasion and the Kremlin would not take his country with bombs and airstrikes. Russia aimed to “erase Ukraine, its history and its people”, he said.
Russia’s defence ministry said 498 Russian soldiers had died in Ukraine since the start of its campaign, its first statement on casualties.
The World Health Organization’s representative in Ukraine, Jarno Hubicht, said the situation was “moving closer to a humanitarian crisis”, with healthcare being moved to the shelters and basements and some supplies running out.
The UN has said 836,000 people have fled since the conflict began, including many students and migrant workers from Africa and the Middle East who had been living in Ukraine. More than 450,000 have crossed the border into Poland.
The European Commission proposed granting temporary protection to refugees from the Ukraine conflict, including a residence permit and access to employment and social welfare.
British prime minister Boris Johnson said he believed the actions of Russian president Vladimir Putin towards Ukraine already qualified as a war crime.
Joe Biden used his State of the Union address on Tuesday night to warn Putin that he cannot divide the west and that dictators should “pay a price for their aggression”.
China said it would not join US and EU financial sanctions on Russia, the country’s bank regulator announced, saying it was opposed to them and they did not work.
Germany logistics giant DHL joined a long list of multinationals severing ties with Russia, including Boeing, sports firm Nike, car makers Ford and Jaguar Land Rover and Apple.
The rouble plunged to a new low in Moscow of 110 to the dollar and the stock market remained closed as Russia’s financial system staggered under sanctions.
EU diplomats approved new sanctions against Belarus for its supporting role, targeting several key industries.
Russia’s largest lender, Sberbank, said it was leaving the European market as its subsidiaries faced large cash outflows and threats to the safety of employees.
