(Reuters) – Here’s what you need to know about the Ukraine crisis right now:
HEADLINES
* Russia attacked Ukrainian oil and gas facilities, sparking huge explosions, and some Russian forces entered the second city Kharkiv. A blast was heard after air raid siren in the capital Kyiv, where President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukrainian forces were resisting a Russian advance.
* Zelenskiy said the night had been brutal, with shelling of civilian infrastructure and attacks on everything, including ambulances.
* Western allies announced sweeping sanctions against Russia, including barring some key banks from the SWIFT payments system. The move will inflict a crippling economic blow to Moscow but also hurt Western companies and banks.
* At least 198 Ukrainians, including three children, have been killed in Russia’s invasion, the head of the Ukrainian Health Ministry was quoted as saying. A United Nations relief agency said at least 64 civilians had been killed among 240 civilian casualties, but that the real numbers were likely “considerably higher”.
* Russian forces blew up a natural gas pipeline in Kharkiv, while Russian-backed separatists said Ukraine had blown up an oil terminal in the breakaway Luhansk province. Russia continues to supply Europe with gas via Ukraine.
* Refugees continued to pour across Ukraine’s western borders, with around 100,000 reaching Poland in two days.
* Ukraine denied that it was refusing to negotiate a ceasefire with Russia but said it was not ready to accept ultimatums or unacceptable conditions.
* A Ukrainian road-maintenance company said it was removing all road signs to hinder invading Russian forces: “Let us help them get straight to hell.”
* In a sea of blue and yellow flags and banners, protesters around the world expressed support for the people of Ukraine and called on governments to do more to help Kyiv, punish Russia and avoid a broader conflict.
* Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich said he was giving stewardship of Chelsea to the London soccer club’s foundation.
QUOTES
– “We have withstood and are successfully repelling enemy attacks. The fighting goes on,” Zelenskiy said in a video message from the streets of Kyiv.
– “We will hold Russia to account and collectively ensure that this war is a strategic failure for Putin,” the leaders of the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, Britain, Canada and the United States wrote.
Source : Reuters