LAST UPDATE | 7 Mar 2022

KYIV HAS REJECTED Moscow’s offer of humanitarian corridors to Russia and Belarus, as the twelfth day of the invasion of Ukraine continues. 

Earlier today, Russia said it would open humanitarian corridors to allow the evacuation of civilians and listed evacuation routes from the capital Kyiv as well as Mariupol, Kharkiv and Sumy.

However, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said the proposed corridors lead to Russia or Belarus. 

“This is not an acceptable option,” she said, adding that civilians “aren’t going to go to Belarus and then take a plane to Russia”.

Here are the main points you need to know today:

• Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak warned that a ban on Russian oil imports would have “catastrophic” consequences, as the West considered further sanctions over Ukraine. The White House said tonight no decision had been made on whether to ban Russian oil. 
• Kyiv rejected Moscow’s offer of humanitarian corridors from four Ukrainian cities which would lead to Russia and Belarus.
• A fresh attempt yesterday by Ukraine’s besieged port city of Mariupol to evacuate its civilians failed again as Moscow and Kyiv traded blame for ceasefire breaches.
• Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Russian forces they will face “a day of judgement” for the “deliberate murder” inflicted on his country.
• He accused Russian forces of mining roads that were chosen to bring both food and medicine to Mariupol.
• The US has said that almost all Russian forces that were stationed on the Ukrainian border have been committed to the invasion.
• Zelenskyy is also set to address the House of Commons in the UK tomorrow.
• City authorities said Russian forces killed the mayor of Gostomel, a town near the Ukrainian capital Kyiv that is home to a strategic airport.
• A third round of talks with representatives from Russia and Ukraine has ended.
• The European Union has said that it will be examining the membership bid sent in by Ukraine last week
• Gardaí have arrested a man after a truck rammed into the front gates of the Russian Embassy in Dublin.
• An Irish Government-funded online portal opened today on the Irish Red Cross’ site for people who want to register and offer accommodation to Ukrainian refugees who arrive in Ireland.
• The Health Minister has said that all Ukrainian refugees arriving in Ireland will be given medical cards.
• The Taoiseach said that 1,800 Ukrainians have arrived in Ireland so far, and called on Irish people to “do everything we possibly can” to support refugees arriving here
• Emmanuel Macron’s office denied claims by Russian officials that the French President had asked Russian leader Vladimir Putin to open humanitarian corridors towards Russia and Belarus for Ukrainians.
• Ankara announced that the foreign ministers of Ukraine, Russia and Turkey will meet in southern Turkey on Thursday.
• Irish medical student Racheal Diyaolu, who was trapped in Sumy, is now travelling across Ukraine to Poland after being picked up by two Scottish volunteers.
• The Government is expected to move to cut excise on petrol and diesel in the next week or two. 
• Fianna Fáil politicians Timmy Dooley and Billy Kelleher travelled to Lviv yesterday to hold talks with political leaders in the city. 
• Russia declined to attend a hearing at the UN’s top court today at which Ukraine is asking for an immediate order to halt the conflict. Ukraine, one of the world’s top wheat producers, set export restrictions on a number of key agricultural products, including wheat, poultry meat and eggs.
• Russia detained more than 5,000 people protesting President Vladimir Putin’s attack on Ukraine in dozens of cities yesterday.
• The UN said more than 1.5 million people have now fled Ukraine since the invasion began, the fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II.
• Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the friendship between Beijing and Moscow is “rock-solid” as he offered Beijing’s help in mediating peace.
• Keir Starmer called for the UK’s parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) to look into the decision to grant Russian-born media mogul Lord Evgeny Lebedev a peerage.
• In its latest update, the UK’s Ministry of Defence suggested Russia was deliberately targeting Ukraine’s communications facilities.
• Global crude oil prices spiked to their highest levels since 2008 this morning, heightening pressure on the Government to move to cut excise duty on petrol and diesel as the US look to put an embargo on imports of Russian oil. 
• TikTok blocked its Russian users from posting new videos in response to the government’s crackdown on what people and media outlets can say about the war in Ukraine.

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