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Ukraine Crisis: Over 50% of Russian troops just 30 km away from Kyiv, says US

The US official said advancing Russian forces were roughly 30 kilometers outside Kyiv as of Saturday (February 26), and that an unspecified number of Russian military "reconnaissance elements" had entered the capital.

Image credit: IANS
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New Delhi: A senior US defense official on Saturday (February 26) said the United States estimates that more than 50 per cent of Russian combat power arrayed along Ukraine's borders has entered Ukraine. That is up from a US estimate Friday (February 25) that one-third of the Russian force had been committed to the fight.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal US assessments, would not say how many Russian troops that amounts to inside Ukraine, but the US had estimated the total Russian force arrayed near Ukraine at more than 150,000.

The official said advancing Russian forces were roughly 30 kilometers outside Kyiv as of Saturday (February 26), and that an unspecified number of Russian military "reconnaissance elements" had entered the capital.

Meanwhile, Russia, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, on Saturday (February 26) used its veto power to block a resolution condemning its aggression against Ukraine while the US slapped individual sanctions on Vladimir Putin and his top officials.

The US, which prepared the resolution with Albania, said it knew the resolution was inevitable but the West wanted Moscow to know the state of its isolation.

Meanwhile, India, of which Russia is a strong ally, was joined by China and UAE in abstaining from the said resolution and sought for an immediate cessation of violence as well as the safe evacuation of Indian stranded in Ukraine.

However, the vote on Friday was 11 in favour, with Russia voting no and China, India and the United Arab Emirates abstaining, which showed significantly but not total opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of his country's smaller and militarily weaker neighbour.

Thank You for Staying tuned for the latest updates on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

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26 February 2022
22:40 IST

Russian troops have destroyed a concrete dam built in Ukraine`s Kherson Region in 2014 to cut off water to Crimea, the RIA news agency quoted the governor of Russian-annexed Crimea Sergei Aksyonov as saying on Saturday.

Ukraine cut off the fresh water supply to Crimea by damming a canal that had supplied 85% of the peninsula`s needs before Moscow annexed Crimea in 2014.

The Soviet-era canal was built to channel water from the River Dnieper to arid areas of Ukraine`s Kherson region and Crimea. (Reuters)
 

22:09 IST

A senior US defense official says  that more than 50 per cent of Russian combat power arrayed along Ukraine's borders has entered Ukraine. That is up from a US estimate Friday that one-third of the Russian force had been committed to the fight.

The official said advancing Russian forces were roughly 30 kilometers outside Kyiv as of Saturday (February 26), and that an unspecified number of Russian military "reconnaissance elements" had entered the capital. (PTI)

22:06 IST

Second flight carrying Indian nationals leave for Delhi.
 

21:17 IST
20:27 IST
20:05 IST

United Kingdom's Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force deployed to bolster NATO's eastern front, tweets UK Ministry of Defence
 

20:04 IST

Highly appreciate India’s independent and balanced position at the voting in the UNSC on February 25. In the spirit of the special and privileged strategic partnership, Russia is committed to maintain close dialogue with India on the situation around Ukraine: Russian Embassy in India

19:46 IST

Jharkhand government sets up control room for students stranded in Ukraine.

19:45 IST

BMC to provide free services to all the students returning from Ukraine today. 

19:09 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ukraine President briefed the PM in detail about the ongoing conflict situation in Ukraine. PM expressed his deep anguish about the loss of life and property due to the ongoing conflict: PMO

19:09 IST

US Department of Defense to provide an additional $350 million in immediate military assistance to Ukraine to help defend itself from Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war: US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken

17:43 IST

Embassy of India in Hungary issues advisory for Indians to be evacuated from Ukraine via Hungary.
 

16:48 IST

Batches of Indian students enter Hungary from the Ukrainian side at Zahony crossing, travelling onward to Budapest for return to India by Air India flight today.

 
16:47 IST

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urges Germany, Hungary to support cutting Russia from SWIFT.  (AFP)

16:42 IST

Russian forces continue to advance on Kyiv with the bulk now situated 30km from centre of the city. 

15:47 IST

Poland will not play their 2022 World Cup play-off with Russia in Moscow on March 24 due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the president of the Polish football federation said on Saturday (February 26).  (AFP)

14:50 IST

The Indian government is working day and night to evacuate everyone and our mission is not complete till we have evacuated the last person. Remember this day 26th Feb in your life...," Rahul Shrivastava, Indian Ambassador in Romania.

14:25 IST

Poland and other countries are supplying Ukraine with weapons. EU and other organisations have imposed sanctions on Russia: Ambassador of Poland to India, Adam Burakowski.

14:24 IST

Lit candles, flowers placed outside the Ukraine Embassy in memory of those who have lost their lives.

14:21 IST

We will put forward a UN General Assembly resolution to demand immediate withdrawal of Russian forces: Ugo Astuto, EU Ambassador to India.

14:21 IST

A residential building in Kyiv, Ukraine was struck by a missile earlier today. An adviser to the Interior Minister said that no one was killed.

13:39 IST

The first flight to Mumbai with 219 Indians evacuated from Ukraine has taken off from Romania, says EAM Dr S Jaishankar.

13:26 IST

The state govt will provide air tickets to students returning to Kerala via Delhi, Mumbai on evacuation flights from Ukraine, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

13:14 IST

Indian nationals not vaccinated or possessing COVID-19 negative reports will be exempted from uploading documents on Air Suvidha before departure on humanitarian grounds and can enter the airport.

13:05 IST

Ukraine President spoke with France President Emmanuel Macron, tweets, "Weapons and equipment from our partners are on the way to Ukraine. The anti-war coalition is working."

13:00 IST

German envoy to India condemns Russian military action in Ukraine.

12:55 IST

India stands by its commitment to protecting its citizens. As Ukraine's airspace is closed, we are using land routes and working with other countries to extricate our citizens, MoS MEA Meenakshi Lekhi.

12:50 IST

Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport has blocked a special corridor for Indians arriving from Ukraine later today.

All the passengers will have to undergo RT-PCR testing at the airport and if anyone's tested positive they shall be clinically managed as per the protocols.

12:35 IST

Stranded students from Ukraine arrive at Bucharest Airport in Romania.

"Indian embassy in Ukraine and Romania are evacuating us from Ukraine to move us back to India. Since the time we landed here, the Indian embassy in Romania has been taking care of everything," a student said.

12:04 IST

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar: Around 1,200 to 2,000 people from Maharashtra are stranded in Ukraine. We are working closely with the Centre to bring back everyone safely. 

11:38 IST

Ukraine's Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba shares a picture of Kyiv, asks the world to "isolate Russia."

11:31 IST

We have got information about 188 people from Uttarakhand stranded in Ukraine. MEA is working on necessary arrangements to get them out: Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar to ANI.

The general helpline number in Uttarakhand is 112.

11:17 IST

Around 1200-2000 people from Maharashtra are stranded in Ukraine. We are working closely with the Centre to bring back everyone safely: Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar

10:54 IST

US to release up to USD 600 million in security assistance to Ukraine.

09:53 IST

A special flight of Air India AI-1943 lands at Bucharest in Romania for the evacuation of stranded Indians.

09:37 IST

Meta Platforms Inc said it is barring Russian state media from running ads or monetizing on its platform anywhere in the world.

09:29 IST

Avoid unnecessary movement, exercise caution, be aware of your surroundings and recent developments: Indian embassy in Ukraine to Indians.

09:23 IST

Situation at border checkpoints sensitive: says advisory by Indian embassy in Ukraine

09:05 IST

Working with our missions in neighbouring countries for evacuation of Indians: Indian embassy in Ukraine

09:04 IST

Ukraine said Russian warships shelled a Moldovan-flagged chemical tanker and a Panamanian-flagged cargo ship due to load grain near Odessa port in the Black Sea on Friday. (GMT)

08:45 IST

Indian Embassy in Ukraine issues advisory asking Indian citizens not to move to any of the border posts without prior coordination with GoI.

08:35 IST

Will take this matter to the General Assembly, where Russian veto doesn't apply & the nations of the world will continue to hold Russia accountable, said a joint statement by 50 countries.

08:34 IST

Will continue to impose severe consequences on Russia for its war against Ukraine, said the US.

08:24 IST

The United States on Saturday imposed sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and some of his top officials in response to the assault on Ukraine.

08:21 IST

 The Ukrainian military on Saturday said that it repelled an attack by the Russian troops on an army base located on the main avenue in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

08:13 IST

India called for all member states to honour principles of international law & UN Charter, as these provide a constructive way forward.

07:56 IST

By abstaining, India retained the option of reaching out to relevant sides in an effort to bridge the gap and find the middle ground with an aim to foster dialogue and diplomacy, ANI reported quoting sources.

07:38 IST

An Air India plane departed from the Mumbai airport on Saturday morning for the Romanian capital Bucharest to evacuate Indians stranded in Ukraine

07:26 IST

Explosions have been seen and heard in parts of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, reported CNN.

07:21 IST

The Russian Defense Ministry has said the Russian Armed Forces have disabled 118 military infrastructure facilities in Ukraine.

This includes 13 command posts and communication centres, 14 S-300 and Osa anti-aircraft missile systems, and 36 radar stations.

07:20 IST

Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to send a Russian delegation to the Belarusian capital of Minsk for negotiations with Ukraine, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

07:19 IST

Moscow on Friday said it was partially limiting access to Meta Platforms Inc`s Facebook, accusing it of "censoring" Russian media.

07:10 IST

50 countries have issued a joint statement saying Russia abused its veto power by blocking a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning the Russian war on Ukraine, CNN reported.

 

07:06 IST

Canada, the United States, Britain and the European Union on Friday said they could act to exclude Russia from the SWIFT global interbank payments system.

07:01 IST

Loud explosions were reported from the west and south of Kyiv early Saturday morning, CNN reported

07:00 IST

Ukraine's military on Friday said it has shot down a Russian military transport plane with paratroopers on board near Vasylkiv, a city 40 kilometres south of Kyiv.