A recap of 1News' live updates as the Russian invasion of Ukraine reached its fifth day.
What you need to know:
- New Zealand is providing $2 million as an initial contribution to help deliver humanitarian support to Ukraine.
- The EU has put further restrictions on Russia, including shutting its airspace to the country and blocking more than half of Russia's central bank reserves under its sanctions. It is also buying and sending $752 million worth of weapons to Ukraine.
- Ukraine has announced that a delegation would meet with Russian officials for talks at the Belarus border. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reportedly won’t be part of that delegation.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian nuclear forces to be put on high alert in response to what he calls “aggressive statements” by leading NATO powers.
- Click here to recap the morning updates.
- Kharkiv’s regional governor says the city, Ukraine’s second-largest, remains in Ukrainian control after it fought Russian troops. Meanwhile, Russian forces drew closer to its capital Kyiv.
9.55pm: This is the end of the live update for the night, join Breakfast and the 1News website and app from 6am on Tuesday for all the overnight developments.
9.20pm: Russia is interested in coming to an agreement that is in the interests of both sides at talks with Ukraine, Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky claimed on Monday, as officials prepare to meet near the border.
Medinsky said talks were expected to begin at 10pm NZ time.
Ukraine had agreed to talks with Russia “without preconditions”, the office of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said yesterday.
Zelenskiy did not sound hopeful of success, but said, “Let them try so that later not a single citizen of Ukraine has any doubt that I, as president, tried to stop the war”.
9.05: British MP tells BBC Breakfast Russia’s invasion isn’t going to plan.
"The UK has announced a ban on transactions involving Russia's Central Bank, in the latest move to cut Moscow's financial institutions off from western markets."
8.40pm: The UK Ministry of Defence has given an update on the conflict from their latest intelligence.
8.15pm: Curfew in Kharkiv reportedly begins at 3pm today “due to a large number of sabotage groups.”
7.55pm: Today has largely been dominated by news about Russia's economic woes due to crippling sanctions, with action being taken to try and ease the pain.
Some military analysts have concluded that Russia is pausing to re-think its strategy, after progress has been halted by fierce Ukraine opposition.
7.30pm: Watch 1News' latest report on Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The global superpower hasn’t swept through the country like many thought. (Source: 1News)
7.20pm: It's now 8.20am in Russia's capital, Kyiv,. BBC reports residents can now leave underground shelters as a weekend-long curfew is lifted.
7.05pm: Safe Travel NZ advises New Zealanders who remain in Ukraine to shelter in place until it is safe to depart.
"Be alert and aware of your surroundings at all times and always prioritise your immediate safety. When it is safe to do so, you should depart Ukraine."
6.55pm: US Embassy in Kyiv urges US citizens to depart the country using private transport.
6.25pm: Russia bans foreign clients from selling their securities, effective immediately.
5.40pm: From the Associated Press
Australia will provide lethal military equipment to Ukraine to help resist the Russian invasion.
Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the move on Monday but gave no details on what it may be sending.
Australia's pledge to provide lethal aid to Ukraine follows an earlier offer on Friday of non-lethal military equipment, medical supplies and a $3 million contribution to a NATO trust fund for support of the besieged country.
Australia has imposed sanctions on more than 350 Russian individuals, including President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.
5.20pm: As war rages in Ukraine, the rouble at one stage lost over 40 per cent of its value, exceeding the worst day of the 1998 collapse.
4.50pm: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the war in Ukraine was discussed at today’s Cabinet meeting.
Economic sanctions on Russia are being looked at but nothing has been decided yet.
“We are looking for options that enable us to move as quickly as possible,” Ardern said.
New Zealand will not be providing military hardware to Ukraine like Australia is doing.
4.30pm: Auckland Mayor Phill Goff announces the Auckland Harbour Bridge, Sky Tower and Museum will light up in solidarity for Ukraine from Monday to Wednesday this week.
4.10pm: The Washington Post reports Belarus is preparing to send soldiers into Ukraine in support of the Russian invasion. This could happen as soon as Tuesday.
3.40pm: Google Maps disables live traffic feature in Ukraine. CNN reported Google made the change to help keep Ukrainians safe by blocking two features in Ukraine that provides real time information for users.
3pm: Ukraine's giant Mriya aircraft was damaged, reportedly destroyed, during a Russian bombardment. The plane has a cult following among enthusiasts.
2.30pm: Russian forces are still trying to advance more forces towards Kyiv by any means necessary.
2pm: As war wages in Ukraine, Belarusians are casting ballots in a constitutional referendum that allows the country’s authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, to stay in power until 2035.
The revised main law also sheds Belarus’ neutral status, opening the way for stronger military cooperation with Russia, the Associated Press reports.
Russia deployed forces to Belarusian territory under the pretext of military drills and then sent them rolling into Ukraine as part of the invasion that began on Thursday.
1.30pm: Reuters reports the Russian rouble plunges nearly 20 per cent versus the dollar. Meanwhile, the Euro sank more than 1 per cent after Western nations announced a harsh set of sanctions to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
The rouble is coming as low as 104 per dollar, a more than a 19 per cent tumble.
The Australian dollar slid 0.98 per cent to US$0.71625, while New Zealand’s lost 1.10 per cent to US$0.66630.
Meanwhile, the Euro is down 1.15 per cent to US$1.1140 in early Asian trading. Reuters reports the currency is on track for its biggest one-day decline in nearly two years.
The Yen climbed 0.36 per cent to 115.06 per US dollar.
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