A 40-mile long convoy nears Kyiv as Russia attacks civilian targets, the U.S. expels Russian diplomats, Australia pledges $70 million to Ukraine, Canada orders 2 Russian planes from airspace and the latest major updates on Ukraine.
A 40-mile-long Russian convoy advances on Kyiv
An armored convoy of tanks and troops stretching some 40-miles long is making its way toward Ukraine’s capital city of Kyiv and is now only 16 miles away, satellite photos show, the BBC reported.
Multiple civilian targets hit
Overnight, in the center of the northeastern city of Kharkiv, Russia bombed civilian targets, including an opera house, concert hall, and government offices in freedom square, killing at least ten and injuring 35, according to local authorities.
“This is the price of freedom,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said. “This is terror against Ukraine. There were no military targets in the square – nor are they in those residential districts of Kharkiv which come under rocket artillery fire.”
U.S. expels 12 Russian diplomats from United Nations for espionage, No. 2 diplomat from D.C.
CBS reported the United States expelled 12 Russian diplomats from Russia’s Mission to the United Nations on Monday for engaging in “espionage activities” that it deemed harmful to U.S. national security.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the action by the U.S. has been “in the works for months.”
In another move, following the expulsion of the No. 2 U.S. diplomat from Russia earlier this month, the United States has made a tit-for-tat move ousting Russia’s second-ranking diplomat from Washington, the New York Post reported.
Australia pledges $70 million for military equipment and weapons for Ukraine
On Monday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison pledged $70 million toward purchasing military and equipment for Ukraine to help its armed forces resist the Russian invasion.
Mr. Morrison said Australia would help provide “lethal aid” funding to assist Ukraine in bolstering weapons shipments into the country as part of a coordinated effort by the West, ABC reported.
In addition, the Australian government is also pledging approximately $35 million toward humanitarian support for international organizations that are responding to the fleeing Ukrainians who are seeking asylum in neighboring regions.
Canada orders two Russian planes claiming to be “humanitarian” flights planes out of its airspace
On Monday, Canada ordered two Russian flights out of its airspace, which identified themselves as “humanitarian” flights, as they violated a ban on Russian aircraft, according to Canada’s air-traffic control service.
At least one of the Russian planes had departed from a U.S. airport.
“Under normal circumstances, Canada’s air-traffic control service does not have the authority to deny airspace access to an aircraft declaring itself a humanitarian flight,” the National Post said.
However, starting on Sunday, as part of the severe sanction imposed on Moscow in response to the Ukraine invasion, Canada banned Russian planes from entering its airspace. All air-traffic control units have been ordered to deny all identifiable Russian airplanes access to Canada’s airspace.
International criminal court plans to investigate potential war crimes in Ukraine,
The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court plans to open an investigation into potential war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine. The announcement came after peace talks in Belarus on Monday.
Prosecutor Karim Khan said in a statement the probe would investigate alleged crimes committed before the Russian invasion, adding that “given the expansion of the conflict in recent days, it is my intention that this investigation will also encompass any new alleged crimes falling within the jurisdiction of my office that any party commits to the conflict on any part of the territory of Ukraine,” CBS reported
More Ukraine updates:
• Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signs application to the European Union.
• Switzerland abandons its historic armed neutrality to support Ukraine
• One of the world’s largest shipping container lines suspends all trade with Russia.
• Visa, Mastercard block Russian financial institutions after sanctions
• Snake Island border guards who said F-you to Russian warship initially presumed dead, captured by Russians, Ukrainian Navy says
• Finland to debate joining NATO despite the threat from neighboring Russia of ‘military consequences’
