LAST UPDATE | 8 Mar 2022

IT’S DAY 13 of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

Humanitarian corridors were due to open in Ukraine today for civilians to leave besieged cities today. However, Kyiv has insisted the move was a Russian publicity stunt and people would not be able to flee.

Russia’s offer to evacuate people was condemned because most of the routes led into Russia or its ally Belarus, and while invading forces continued their attack. 

Ukraine’s military has also claimed that Russian general Vitaly Gerasimov was killed in fighting near Kharkiv.

Here are the main points you need to know today:

• Russia had planned to open humanitarian corridors in Ukraine for civilians to flee besieged cities today, but Kyiv has insisted the move is a publicity stunt and people would not be able to escape. Moscow this evening announced a humanitarian ceasefire in Ukraine for the morning to carry out the evacuation of the civilian population, Russian news agencies reported.
• The US said it would ban Russian oil imports and the UK said it would phase them out this year, over Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The EU is discussing how to do the same, but it will take more time due to greater dependency on Russian oil. 
• Poland to hand its Mig-29 fighter jets to the US, the foreign ministry said in a statement, under a reported scheme that would see the planes given to Ukraine.
• However, a US official has said that the US Government were not informed about the fighter jet announcement.
• An air strike has killed at least nine people, including two children, in the Ukrainian city of Sumy, where a humanitarian corridor was to be set up today, according to authorities.
• Ukraine’s military has claimed Russian general Vitaly Gerasimov has been killed in fighting near Kharkiv.
• The Irish government will carry out checks to ensure that people offering to house Ukrainian refugees are safe from harm. 
• Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has said he “regrets the UK’s approach” to refugee policy following reports that UK ministers were concerned about Ireland’s, as 2,000 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in Ireland.
• Invoking Churchill, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told British MPs that Ukraine “will fight to the end. On the sea and in the air, we will fight for our land whatever the cost.” 
• Large American multinationals like McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and Starbucks have said that they will be suspending their operations in Russia.
• The Irish Ambassador to Russia has been summoned to Moscow’s foreign ministry following an incident at the Russian embassy yesterday. 
• More than two million people have fled Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion less than two weeks ago, the United Nations has said. 
• Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he is not sending conscripts or reservists to fight and that “professional” soldiers fulfilling “fixed objectives” are leading the war in Ukraine.
• The Russian central bank has suspended the sale of foreign currency until 9 September amid unprecedented economic sanctions on the country.
• Taoiseach Micheál Martin updated the Cabinet on Ukraine and Ireland’s planned response for humanitarian support.
• A British doctor has been training Ukrainian medics on how to perform warzone surgery over Zoom.
• A look at how the letter ‘Z’ grew to become a symbol of support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.