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Lviv mayor reports further strike after rockets hit outskirts of western Ukrainian city

LVIV, Ukraine, March 26 (Reuters) - The mayor of Lviv said another rocket had hit the city in western Ukraine on Saturday, not long after two rockets struck its outskirts in what…

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Russian oligarchs welcome in Turkey, foreign minister says

March 26 (Reuters) - Russian oligarchs are welcome in Turkey but must abide by international law in order to do any business, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Saturday. Turkey has…

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UPDATE – Biden labels Putin a ‘butcher’ after meeting Ukrainian refugees

WARSAW, March 26 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden said on Saturday that Russia's invasion of Ukraine threatened to unravel global security, and that the world's democracies must prepare for a long…

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Biden says he is not sure that Russia has changed strategy in Ukraine

WARSAW, March 26 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with top Ukrainian government officials in Warsaw on Saturday during his visit to Poland to show support for the NATO alliance's eastern…

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Mutinous Russian troops ran over their own commander, say western officials

Western officials have said they believe a Russian commander was run over by mutinous forces during the fighting in Ukraine, in a sign of what they described as the “morale…

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US now planning for possible Russian strikes on NATO territory

En route to Poland on Air Force One, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan held a briefing with reporters. Asked whether Russia would attempt to bomb convoys carrying supplies to…

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Ukraine says Russia’s war kills 136 children so far

LVIV, March 26 (Reuters) - The war in Ukraine has killed 136 children in the 31 days since the start of the Russian invasion, Ukraine's office of the prosecutor general said on Saturday…

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EU leaders struggle to find short-term fix for energy crunch

BRUSSELS, March 25 (Reuters) - EU leaders failed on Friday to agree a short-term solution to the energy market crunch made worse by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but did offer a compromise…

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HSBC steps up scrutiny of Russian clients worldwide as sanctions ratchet up

HSBC is shunning prospective Russian clients and declining credit to some existing ones, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, as the bank seeks to shield itself from…

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Zelenskiy says dealing Russian forces ‘powerful blows’

MARIUPOL/LVIV, Ukraine, March 26 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy pushed for further talks with Russia as Moscow signalled it was scaling back its ambitions to focus on territory claimed by Russian-backed…

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Russia signals scaled-back war aims, Ukrainians advance near Kyiv

BUCHA/LVIV, Ukraine, March 25 (Reuters) - Moscow signalled on Friday it was scaling back its ambitions in Ukraine to focus on territory claimed by Russian-backed separatists as Ukrainian forces went on the offensive to recapture…

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In Poland, Biden visits U.S. troops on NATO eastern flank

ZESZOW, Poland, March 25 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday got a firsthand look at international efforts to help some of the millions of Ukrainian war refugees in Poland, and…

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Putin says Russian culture being ‘cancelled’ like J.K. Rowling

DUBLIN, March 25 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin on Friday accused the West of trying to cancel Russia's rich musical and literary culture, including composers Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Sergei Rachmaninov, in the…

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Pope Francis leads world’s Catholic bishops in consecrating Russia and Ukraine to the Madonna

Vatican News - Pope Francis presided over the annual “24 Hours for the Lord” Lenten penitential service in St. Peter’s Basilica on Friday evening. Toward the end of the liturgy,…

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The Ukrainian crisis roundup

March 25 (Reuters) - Ukrainian troops are recapturing towns east of Kyiv and Russian forces who had been trying to seize the capital are falling back on overextended supply lines, Britain said,…

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UPDATED: Biden seals LNG deal to help EU face energy crunch amid ‘Russia’s brutal war’

BRUSSELS, March 25 (Reuters) - The United States will supply the European Union with more liquefied natural gas (LNG) to help curb its reliance on Russian fossil fuels, U.S. President Joe Biden said on Friday, as EU leaders met to deal with…

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Ukraine has re-occupied towns 35km east of Kyiv, Russia running out of precision munitions

LONDON, March 25 (Reuters) - Ukraine has re-occupied towns and defensive positions up to 35 kilometres east of Kyiv, helped by Russian forces falling back on overextended supply lines, Britain's defence ministry…

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U.N. General Assembly again overwhelmingly isolates Russia over Ukraine

Almost three-quarters of the U.N. General Assembly demanded aid access and civilian protection in Ukraine on Thursday evening, and criticized Russia for creating a "dire" humanitarian situation after Moscow invaded…

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Ukraine and Russia need peace, says Zelenskiy as Biden heads to Poland

LVIV/MARIUPOL, Ukraine, March 25 (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday that Ukrainians "need to achieve peace" and halt Russian bombardment that has forced millions to flee to countries like Poland,…

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West unites behind Ukraine entering second month of Russian assault

BRUSSELS, March 24 (Reuters) - NATO offered Kyiv new military assistance and assigned more troops to its eastern flank on Thursday as London and Washington imposed fresh sanctions on Moscow in a…

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G7 leaders tell Russia not to use biological, chemical, nuclear weapons

BERLIN, March 24 (Reuters) - Leaders of the Group of Seven industrialized nations warned Russia not to use biological, chemical or nuclear weapons in its war with Ukraine, they said in statement…

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Europe won’t pay for energy supplies in Russian roubles – Slovenia PM

BRUSSELS, March 24 (Reuters) - Slovenia Prime Minister Janez Jansa said on Thursday that Europe would not pay Russia in roubles after Moscow demanded that "unfriendly" countries settle oil and gas bills…

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The Ukrainian crisis roundup

March 24 (Reuters) - Western leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday will agree to strengthen their forces in Eastern Europe and increase military aid to Ukraine as the Russian assault on its…

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UPDATED: NATO says concerned Russia may be preparing pretext for chemical attack

BRUSSELS, March 24 (Reuters) - Russia may be trying to create a pretext for the use of chemical weapons in Ukraine by accusing the United States and its allies of preparing such…

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UPDATED: Unprecedented trio of NATO, G7 and EU summits in one day

BRUSSELS, March 24 (Reuters) - Western nations will warn Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday that his country will pay "ruinous" costs for invading Ukraine, during an unprecedented one-day trio of NATO,…

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Russian death toll could be as high as 15,000 – NATO

Between 7,000 and 15,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in four weeks of war in Ukraine, NATO estimates. By way of comparison, Russia lost about 15,000 troops over 10 years…

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Russian diplomat: If NATO threatens us we have the right to press the nuclear button

The Russian deputy ambassador to the UN says Russia retains the right to use nuclear weapons if the country is "provoked" by NATO. Dmitry Polyanskiy, one of Russia's top diplomats…

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On invasion milestone, Ukraine urges solidarity as Western leaders gather

LVIV/KHARKIV, Ukraine/ BRUSSELS, March 24 (Reuters) - Ukraine's leader called for solidarity on Thursday, a month since Russia's invasion began, warning he would see who sells out at summits in Europe where…

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The Ukrainian crisis roundup

March 23 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden flies to Europe for an emergency NATO summit on Ukraine, where invading Russian troops are stalled, cities are under bombardment and the besieged port…

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UPDATED: Biden cites a “real threat” of Russians using chemical weapons in Ukraine

WASHINGTON, March 23 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that Russia's potential use of chemical weapons against Ukraine was a real threat. “I think it’s a real threat,” Biden…

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Dmitry Medvedev warns of nuclear dystopia due to United States

LONDON, March 23 (Reuters) - One of President Vladimir Putin's closest allies warned the United States on Wednesday that the world could spiral towards a nuclear dystopia if Washington pressed on with…

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Ukraine prosecutor’s office says 121 children killed in war

LVIV, March 23 (Reuters) - The war in Ukraine has killed 121 children so far, the office of the prosecutor general said on Wednesday in a message on the Telegram app, adding…

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Kremlin: Russia would only use nuclear weapons if its existence were threatened

(Reuters) - Russia's security policy dictates that the country would only use nuclear weapons if its very existence were threatened, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told CNN in an interview. The comment, nearly…

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Ukraine says ‘confrontational’ Russia talks moving forward as West plans more sanctions

LVIV/KYIV, Ukraine, March 23 (Reuters) - Talks between Ukraine and Russia are confrontational but moving forward, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday, as the West plans to announce more sanctions against the…

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Ukraine military tells residents to brace for indiscriminate Russian shelling

Ukraine's military said on Tuesday residents should brace for more indiscriminate Russian shelling of critical infrastructure, as U.S. President Joe Biden issued one of his strongest warnings yet that Moscow…

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Biden says Russia is considering using chemical, biological weapons in Ukraine

MARIUPOL/LVIV/KYIV, Ukraine, March 22 (Reuters) - Ukraine's military said on Tuesday residents should brace for more indiscriminate Russian shelling of critical infrastructure, as U.S. President Joe Biden issued one of his strongest…

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Russia may not stop with Ukraine – NATO looks to its weakest link

Hours after Russian missiles first struck Ukrainian cities on Feb. 24, German naval commander Terje Schmitt-Eliassen received notice to sail five warships under his command to the former Soviet Republic…

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The Ukrainian crisis roundup

March 21 (Reuters) - Ukraine defied a Russian demand that its forces lay down arms before dawn on Monday in Mariupol, where hundreds of thousands of civilians have been trapped in a…

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UPDATED: EU sees high risk of child trafficking as 3.3 million Ukrainians flee to Europe

March 21 (Reuters) - The European Union's migration commissioner warned on Monday that Ukrainian children were in danger of being trafficked as they flee their country from the Russian invasion. Ylva Johansson…

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UPDATED: Ukraine’s Odesa accuses Russia of attacking city outskirts for the first time

LVIV, Ukraine, March 21 (Reuters) - Authorities in Odesa accused Russian forces of carrying out a strike on residential buildings in the outskirts of the Ukrainian city early on Monday, the first…

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UPDATED: Ukraine and Russia hold more peace talks

LVIV, Ukraine, March 21 (Reuters) - Russian and Ukrainian peace negotiators held a 90-minute video call on Monday and working groups will continue to meet throughout the day, a member of the…

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UPDATED: At least eight killed by shelling in Kyiv’s Podil district – authorities, Kyiv mayor announces curfew

March 20 (Reuters) - Shelling hit residential houses and a shopping district in Kyiv's Podil district late on Sunday, killing at least eight people, according to Ukraine's Prosecutor General. "According to the…

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UPDATED: Ukraine says situation in Mariupol ‘very difficult’, rejects surrender ultimatum

LVIV, Ukraine, March 21 (Reuters) - Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Monday that Ukraine had "of course" rejected a Russian ultimatum for people in Mariupol to surrender and the situation…

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Ukraine refuses to surrender Mariupol, Zelenskiy presses Israel for weapons

LVIV, Ukraine, March 21 (Reuters) - Ukraine on Monday rejected Russian calls to surrender the port city of Mariupol, where residents are besieged with little food, water and power in a humanitarian…

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Ukraine’s Zelenskiy condemns ‘terror’ in besieged Mariupol as fighting rages

LVIV, Ukraine, March 20 (Reuters) - Russian and Ukrainian forces fought for control of Mariupol on Sunday, local authorities said, while President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia's siege of the southern port city…

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Pope says ‘slaughters and atrocities’ committed daily in Ukraine

VATICAN CITY, March 20 (Reuters) - Pope Francis, continuing his implicit criticism of Russia, on Sunday called the conflict in Ukraine an unjustified "senseless massacre" and urged leaders to stop…

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Turkey says Russia and Ukraine nearing agreement on ‘critical’ issues

ISTANBUL, March 20 (Reuters) - Turkey's foreign minister said in an interview published on Sunday that Russia and Ukraine were nearing agreement on "critical" issues and he was hopeful for a ceasefire if…

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UPDATED: Ukraine front lines not shifting as Russia loses momentum, Ukrainian official says

LVIV, Ukraine, March 20 (Reuters) - The front lines between Ukrainian and Russian forces are “practically frozen” as Russia does not have enough combat strength to advance further, presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych…

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UPDATED: UNHCR says 10 million have fled Ukraine, At least 902 civilians killed in Ukraine since conflict began – U.N.

ZURICH, March 20 (Reuters) - At least 902 civilians have been killed and 1,459 injured in Ukraine as of midnight local time on March 19, the U.N. human rights office (OHCHR) said…

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EU boosting stockpile of iodine pills and nuclear protective gear

Brussels has accelerated plans designed to improve the EU’s health response in case of a nuclear incident following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, according to EU officials. The European commission is…

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Zelenskiy says Russia wages ‘terror’, Mariupol says thousands deported

LVIV/ODESA, Ukraine, March 20 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia's siege of the port city of Mariupol was "a terror that will be remembered for centuries to come", while local…

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Ukraine has evacuated 190,000 civilians from battle zones, says deputy PM

LVIV, Ukraine, March 19 (Reuters) - Ukraine has evacuated 190,000 civilians from frontline areas via humanitarian corridors since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said in…

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Ukraine’s Zelenskiy tells Russia to hold peace talks now or suffer for generations

LVIV/ODESSA, Ukraine, March 19 (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on Saturday for comprehensive peace talks with Moscow to stop its invasion of Ukraine, saying it would otherwise take Russia "several generations"…

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Russia uses hypersonic missiles in strike on Ukraine arms depot

LONDON, March 19 (Reuters) - Russia said on Saturday it had used hypersonic Kinzhal (Dagger) missiles to destroy a large weapons depot in Ukraine's western Ivano-Frankivsk region. Russia's Interfax news agency said…

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Meaningful talks needed to stop Russia in Ukraine, Zelenskiy says

KYIV/LVIV, Ukraine, March 19 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on Saturday for comprehensive peace talks with Moscow to stop its invasion of his homeland, warning it would otherwise take Russia…

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Putin vows Russia will prevail in Ukraine but glitch hinders TV

LONDON (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin justified the invasion of Ukraine before a packed soccer stadium on Friday but coverage of his speech on state television was unexpectedly interrupted by what the…

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Russia ‘tightening noose’ on Mariupol; Biden tells China not to fuel assault

KYIV/LVIV, Ukraine, March 18 (Reuters) - Russia said its forces were "tightening the noose" around the besieged Ukrainian port of Mariupol on Friday and concern grew over mass civilian casualties as the…

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