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Russia-Ukraine crisis: Update
The EU is preparing to freeze the assets of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and foreign minister Sergei Lavrov as part of the third round of sanctions against Russia, the Financial Times reports.
Russia bans UK airlines from its airspace. The move came after the UK decided to ban Russia's national airline Aeroflot from landing in UK following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Russian forces have taken control of Hostomel airfield near Kyiv and landed paratroopers in the area, Russia’s Interfax news agency is reporting.
Russia’s defense ministry said the Russian military “eliminated” more than 200 people from Ukraine’s special units during the capture of the strategic aerodrome.
Ukraine's President Zelensky calls on European citizens to protest and ask their governments to intervene to stop Russia's assault. The government calls on citizens to make Molotov cocktails and defend the city.
At least 194 Ukrainians, including 57 civilians, have been killed across the country, says the UK.
And Russia has lost 450 personnel, according to UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.
China’s President Xi Jinping told Vladimir Putin that China supports Russia in efforts to resolve the Ukraine crisis via dialogue, Chinese state media is reporting.
According to the Chinese media readout, Putin outlined the reasons for Russia launching the “special military operation”, and told Xi that NATO and the United States had “long ignored Russia’s reasonable security concerns”.
He also told Xi on the call that Russia was ready to hold “high-level” talks with Ukraine.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden said Washington will intervene if Putin moves into NATO countries, stressing that if his Russian counterpart is not stopped now, he will be emboldened. The countries on NATO’s eastern flank, especially the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, all have received the first batches of US military troops and equipment.