Ukraine: Russian strikes hit energy installations — live updates | News | DW

• Western allies to dam Russian entry to SWIFT
• Russians assault gasoline pipeline and oil tanks
• Curfew imposed in Kyiv till Monday
• UN Safety Council to fulfill once more on Sunday 

This text was final up to date at 05:01 UTC

Ukraine comes underneath heavy bombardment 

Ukraine’s nuclear authority mentioned a radioactive waste web site outdoors Kyiv was hit by Russian missiles in a single day.

There was no rapid proof of a radioactive leak, the Ukraine State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate mentioned on Fb.

“The hit was on the fence. The constructing and containers are intact,” the service informed Interfax.

The service mentioned that when it was secure, inspectors would correctly assess the injury.

Russian forces pounded a number of cities in a single day. Within the city of Vasylkiv, on the outskirts of Kyiv, the bombardment set an oil depot ablaze.

“The enemy needs to destroy all the things,” the city’s mayor, Natalia Balasinovich, mentioned in a social media publish.

Authorities have warned residents to shut their home windows as a result of the burning depot is emitting smoke and poisonous fumes.

The State Service of Particular Communications mentioned a pure gasoline pipeline was additionally blown up in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest metropolis.

Ukraine’s State Emergency Service mentioned a nine-story residential constructing within the japanese metropolis was additionally hit by “enemy artillery.”

One particular person died, and 80 others needed to be rescued. Many of the constructing’s residents had been sheltering within the basement.

Macron tells Lukashenko to kick Russia out

French President Emmanuel Macron urged Belarusian chief Alexander Lukashenko to order Russian troops to go away his nation. 

In a phonecall, Macron informed Lukashenko that fraternity between the folks of Belarus and Ukraine ought to lead Belarus to “refuse to be a vassal and an confederate to Russia within the battle towards Ukraine,” his workplace mentioned in an announcement. 

Russia used Belarus as a springboard for a part of its assault on Ukraine.

In the meantime, Belarusian opposition chief in exile Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya expressed solidarity with Ukraine, telling DW that most individuals in her residence nation “do not help this battle.”

Trump condemns Russia invasion

In an about-turn, former US President Donald Trump has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Talking on the CPAC conservative gathering in Florida, he known as Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “a courageous man” and praised him for “hanging in.”

“The Russian assault on Ukraine is appalling, it is an outrage and an atrocity that ought to by no means have been allowed to happen,” Trump mentioned, including that it could by no means have occurred had he been president.

The remarks are in sharp distinction to his phrases earlier within the week when he known as Russian President Vladimir Putin “genius” and informed donors at his Mar-a-Lago Membership that Putin’s strikes have been “fairly sensible.”

On Saturday he once more lauded Putin as “sensible”

Ukraine envoy praises German determination to ship arms

The Ukrainian ambassador to Berlin has welcomed Germany’s determination to provide weapons to Ukraine.

“We’re glad that Germany has lastly made this 180-degree flip,” Ambassador Andrij Melnyk informed Germany’s dpa information company, calling it a historic step.

The German authorities mentioned Saturday it could present Ukrainian forces with 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 “Stinger” surface-to-air missiles. Berlin had lengthy held again on sending such weapons on account of its long-standing coverage of not exporting arms to battle zones. 

“I’ve all the time mentioned to my German buddies and to the German authorities that they will be unable to bear the horrible photos of the battle in Ukraine for lengthy with out reacting,” Melnyk mentioned.

“The duty now could be to get the German weapons techniques to the Ukrainian defenders as quickly as doable.”

He additionally known as for Germany to play a number one position in placing collectively “a complete financial rescue plan” for Ukraine.

Russia restricts social media entry

Moscow has restricted entry to sure social media platforms to try to preserve info of the scenario in Ukraine from the Russian public, the newest British protection intelligence replace suggests.

The replace from the Ministry of Protection additionally mentioned Russian forces have been “not making the progress that they had deliberate.”

In keeping with web monitoring group NetBlock, Twitter was closely restricted and, in some cases, even blocked in Russia on Saturday. 

On Friday, Russia’s media regulator Roskomnadzor mentioned it could partly limit Meta platforms Fb and Instagram.

Many movies and pictures of the invasion went viral on social media.

In the meantime, the hacktivist collective, Nameless, claimed it hacked a number of Russian state TV channels and was broadcasting “the truth of what’s occurring in Ukraine.”

The collective additionally claimed duty for hacking the Kremlin, Ministry of Protection, and different authorities web sites.

Large explosions as gas provides hit

There have been a number of studies of two huge explosions in several elements of Ukraine as Russian forces seemingly goal very important gas provides. 

An oil depot in Vasylkil on Kyiv’s outskirts was struck, and authorities have issued warnings about hazardous fumes.

The State Particular Communications Service of Ukraine mentioned a fireplace there was burning uncontrolled.

A gasoline pipeline can be mentioned to be on fireplace in Kharkiv, the second-largest metropolis in Ukraine. Town was the scene of heavy combating on Saturday.

SpaceX Starlink energetic in Ukraine

Billionaire Elon Musk says SpaceX has activated its Starlink satellite tv for pc broadband service in Ukraine.

Web connectivity within the nation has been affected by the Russian invasion.

Starlink beams indicators for high-speed web from area however is not but out there worldwide.

Musk wrote on Twitter that his firm was sending web terminals to Ukraine to make use of the service, although it was unclear what number of.

He was responding to Ukraine’s vice prime minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, who tweeted, “@elonmusk, whilst you attempt to colonize Mars Russia attempt to occupy Ukraine! Whereas your rockets efficiently land from area. Russian rockets assault Ukrainian civil folks!”

Struggle for Kyiv intensifies 

Air raid sirens could possibly be heard as night time fell in Kyiv.

A curfew is in place within the metropolis till Monday. Residents have been looking for shelter in subway stations.

Small numbers of Russian troops have been reportedly inside Kyiv, however Britain and the US mentioned the majority of Russian forces have been nonetheless 30 kilometers (19 miles) from town’s heart as of Saturday afternoon.

The Reuters information company cited witnesses inside Kyiv as reporting occasional blasts and gunfire within the metropolis.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s workplace mentioned an explosion hit an oil depot south of the capital early on Sunday. 

Some Russian banks to be minimize off from SWIFT

The EU, US, UK and Canada have pledged to minimize off various Russian banks from the SWIFT interbank funds system.

The allies additionally agreed to position restrictions on the Russian Central Financial institution’s worldwide reserves.

Ursula von der Leyen mentioned the sanctions would hurt Russia’s skill to commerce with many of the world

“All of those measures will considerably hurt Putin’s skill to finance his battle and they’re going to have a severely eroding affect on his economic system,” European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen mentioned.

She mentioned Western leaders would proceed imposing prices on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

“Putin launched into a path aiming to destroy Ukraine however what he’s additionally doing in actual fact is destroying the way forward for his personal,” she added. 

Abstract of occasions in Ukraine-Russia disaster on Saturday

EU overseas ministers mentioned they deliberate to convene a digital gathering on Sunday to debate additional help for Ukraine and punitive measures in direction of Russia.

In a transfer that marks a significant change after all for Germany, the Bundeswehr will ship 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger-class surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine amid the continuing Russian invasion, the federal government introduced.

Kyiv is underneath curfew till Monday. The mayor, Vitali Klitschko, ordered residents to remain indoors, warning that individuals outdoors could be thought of “members of sabotage and reconnaissance teams.”

Filippo Grandi, the UN’s excessive commissioner for refugees, mentioned on Twitter that the variety of Ukrainians who’ve already fled to neighboring nations was now greater than 150,000.

Demonstrators in cities throughout the globe have expressed solidarity with Ukraine, with many expressing anger at Russia’s determination to invade its neighbor.

The Russian proprietor of Chelsea FC, Roman Abramovich, mentioned he’s handing over the membership to the trustees of its charitable basis.

lo/nm (AP, AFP, Reuters, dpa)