Russia-Ukraine War News Live Updates, Russia Ukraine Crisis Latest Update Live: Without providing any evidence, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova had earlier claimed that Ukraine was running chemical and biological weapons labs with the support of US.
Russia Ukraine Conflict News Updates: The Biden administration on Wednesday said that Russia might seek to use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine as the White House rejected Russian claims of illegal chemical weapons development in the country it has invaded, reported AP. Without providing any evidence, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova had earlier claimed that Ukraine was running chemical and biological weapons labs with the support of US. White House press secretary Jen Psaki called Russia’s claim “preposterous” and said it could be part of an attempt by Russia to lay the groundwork for itself using such weapons of mass destruction against Ukraine, as per AP.
“This is all an obvious ploy by Russia to try to justify its further premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified attack on Ukraine,” Psaki tweeted Wednesday, further adding, “Now that Russia has made these false claims, and China has seemingly endorsed this propaganda, we should all be on the lookout for Russia to possibly use chemical or biological weapons in Ukraine, or to create a false flag operation using them.”
On the other hand, the Ukrainian government and Ukraine’s state-run nuclear company Energoatom warned on Wednesday that radioactive substances could be released from Ukraine’s infamous Chernobyl nuclear power plant because it cannot cool spent nuclear fuel after the power connection was knocked out by Russian attackers.
Here are the latest updates from Russia-Ukraine War:
Live Updates
Russia Ukraine War News Live Updates:
Over 400 Ukrainians protesters detained by Russian National Guard, Ukraine says
Members of Russia’s National Guard have detained more than 400 people in Ukraine’s Kherson oblast who protested against the occupation of their hometowns by Russian forces, Ukraine’s military high command said on Wednesday. “Due to the furious resistance of the residents of Kherson, the occupiers are attempting to introduce an administrative-police regime,” it said in a statement. Reuters
Kremlin says United States has declared economic war on Russia
The Kremlin said on Wednesday that the United States had declared economic war on Russia and that Moscow would think seriously about what to do after U.S. President Joe Biden imposed a ban on Russian oil and other energy imports.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia had been, is and would be a reliable energy supplier and pointed out that energy flows continued. – Reuters
Russia has never threatened NATO, foreign ministry says
Russia has never threatened NATO and does not threaten the Western military alliance now, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday, adding that her country still must react to NATO’s “confrontational course”. She told a news briefing that NATO’s build-up of military forces on its eastern flank, following what Russia calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine, was “provocative in its nature” and was not helping to safeguard security in Europe. Reuters
Ukraine declares cease-fire on evacuation path
Russia says it prefers to achieve Ukraine goals via talks
Russia will achieve its goal of ensuring Ukraine’s neutral status and would prefer to do that through talks, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday. Moscow’s aims do not include overthrowing the Kyiv government and it hopes to achieve more significant progress in the next round of talks with Ukraine, Zakharova told a briefing, adding that Russia’s military operation was going strictly in line with its plan. Reuters
Putin signs law on using rainy-day fund to buy OFZ bonds, stocks – RIA
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has signed a law on using the country’s rainy-day National Wealth Fund to buy OFZ government bonds and stocks, the RIA news agency reported on Wednesday. Putin also signed a series of laws enabling a new “capital amnesty” designed to encourage people to return money or financial instruments to Russia without facing tax or other penalties, RIA reported. Reuters
IAEA has unexpectedly lost connection with the Chernobyl systems
Yacht linked to Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich leaves Barcelona
A superyacht linked to Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich left Barcelona on Tuesday where it had been undergoing repairs in a local shipyard, ship-tracking data showed. The 140-metre (460-foot) Solaris, which sails under a Bermuda flag according to monitoring site Marine Traffic, left Spanish company MB92’s Barcelona shipyard just after 5 p.m. (1600 GMT) on Tuesday, according to the same site. Reuters
Ukraine bans exports of several grains, sugar, salt, meat
Ukraine’s government has banned exports of rye, barley, buckwheat, millet, sugar, salt, and meat until the end of this year, according to a cabinet resolution published on Wednesday. Reuters
Evacuation from Ukraine’s Sumy to continue on Wednesday-regional governor
A humanitarian corridor out of the besieged Ukrainian city of Sumy will continue to function on Wednesday, regional governor Dmytro Zhyvytskyy said.About 5,000 people rode buses out of the northeastern city on Tuesday after Moscow and Kyiv agreed on the corridor, he said, and about 1,000 cars were also able to leave, moving towards the city of Poltava.The Sumy-Poltava corridor was the only one that functioned on Tuesday. Reuters
Harris’s trip to Poland, Romania will focus on next steps against Russia
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will collaborate with Poland and Romania on next steps to respond to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and reassure them of Washington’s support during her meetings with leaders of both countries starting Thursday.The countries have been increasingly anxious about Russia’s aggression in the region and are NATO’s easternmost members. They share a border with Ukraine, where thousands of refugees are flooding in.Harris will focus on ways NATO members can implement the economic sanctions put in place and how they can stay aligned and move forward together, senior administration officials said.She will also engage with Ukrainian refugees in Poland, discuss continuing humanitarian and security assistance to Ukraine and the region, they said. Reuters