Belarusian ambassador to UK arrives at Foreign Office
Maxim Yermalovich, the ambassador to the UK from Russia-ally Belarus, has arrived at the Foreign Office after being summoned over the Ukrainian invasion.
More sanctions needed on Russia, PM admits
More sanctions are needed to hit Russia, including targeting Vladimir Putin’s inner circle, Boris Johnson has agreed with the leaders of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF).
The JEF is a UK-led group comprising Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Latvia and the UK which works together to deliver forces at high readiness, across a range of roles.
A No 10 said the Prime Minister spoke to the leaders today.
The Prime Minister said he believed the Ukrainian people would continue to fight and had done so gallantly in the recent hours and days.
“The leaders agreed that more sanctions were needed, including focusing on President Putin’s inner circle, building on the measures that had already been agreed.”
Mr Johnson said more support must be given to Ukraine “as a matter of the greatest urgency”.
Latest update from MoD
The Ministry of Defense has given an update on its latest intelligence on the conflict in Ukraine.
The MoD said Russia has made “limited progress” today and Ukraine “retains control of key cities” – though forces have arrived in the suburbs of Kyiv.
They added: “Russian strikes and exchange of artillery fire continued throughout the night and into the morning.
“At approximately 4.30am air raid sirens were heard across Lviv in western Ukraine. We continue to see no evidence of strikes in Lviv.”
Vladimir Putin’s regime was accused on Friday of war crimes after a reported attack on a kindergarten and orphanage, writes Nicholas Cecil,
Ukraine’s foreign secretary Dmytro Kuleba tweeted: “Today’s Russian attacks on a kindergarten and an orphanage are war crimes and violations of the Rome Statute.
“Together with the General Prosecutor’s Office we are collecting this and other facts, which we will immediately send to the Hague. Responsibility is inevitable.”
PM to host leaders’ meeting on Tuesday
The Prime Minister is set to host a meeting of the leaders of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia (the ‘V4’) in London on Tuesday to discuss the situation in Ukraine and the UK’s support for security in the region, writes Rachel Burford,
Russian military claims to have captured strategic airport
The Russian military says it has seized a strategic airport outside the Ukrainian capital, claiming it has cut Kyiv off from the west.
Volodymyr Zelensky: Time to come to the negotiating table
The Ukrainian President has once again appealed to Vladimir Putin to enter negotiations with the government.
He said: “I would like to address the president of the Russian Federation once again.
“Fighting is ongoing across all of Ukraine’s territory. Let’s sit down at the negotiating table to stop the killing of people.”
He also said that he is the “number one” target for Russia amid reports a list of influential figures has been drawn up by the state.
Manchester United end sponsorship deal with Russian airline Aeroflot after invasion of Ukraine
Manchester United have ended their sponsorship deal with airline Aeroflot following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
A United spokesperson said on Friday: “In light of events in Ukraine, we have withdrawn Aeroflot’s sponsorship rights.
“We share the concerns of our fans around the world and extend our sympathies to those affected.”
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