‘Some reduction’ in bombardment of Kyiv, says UK – as it happened – The Guardian

It is 1.30am in Ukraine. Here’s the latest:

• Moscow’s lead negotiator in talks with Ukraine, Vladimir Medinsky, said Russia’s promise to “drastically reduce” military operations did not represent a ceasefire. In an interview with the Russian state-owned Tass news agency, Medinsky said there was still “a long way to go” to reach a mutual agreement with Ukraine.
• Following Russia’s announcement, two senior US officials said the US is seeing Russia beginning to withdraw some of its forces from the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, in what it believes is a “major” change in Russian strategy. Another US official said any movement of Russian forces from around Kyiv would constitute a “redeployment, not a withdrawal”.

• Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu said Moscow’s “main goal” in Ukraine was now the “liberation” of the Donbas region. In a sign that Moscow may be switching to more limited objectives after facing fierce Ukrainian resistance in the first month of the war, Shoigu claimed the “main tasks of the first stage of the operation have been completed”.

• A Russian airstrike hit a government building in the southern Ukrainian port city of Mykolaiv on Tuesday, destroying a large portion of the structure and leaving people trapped under debris. At least seven people were killed and 22 injured, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, told the Danish parliament in a video address.

• The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called on Russia and Ukraine to reach a clear agreement for the safe evacuation of civilians from the besieged city of Mariupol and other frontline places as vital supplies run out. “Time is running out” for people in Mariupol, it warned, adding that there was still a lack of “concrete agreements” for the safe passage and evacuations of civilians in the southern Ukrainian city.

• A Ukrainian soldier who told a Russian warship to “go fuck yourself” while defending an island has been awarded for his services, local authorities said. Roman Hrybov was serving on Snake Island – known as Zmiinyi Island in Ukrainian – when it came under Russian air and sea bombardment on 24 February. Ukraine’s defence ministry said Hrybov had been released from Russian captivity and was now home in Cherkasy.

• A £38m superyacht owned by an unnamed Russian businessman has been detained in Canary Wharf in London as part of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The vessel, known as Phi, is subject to the first detention of a superyacht in UK waters, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said, and its owner was “deliberately well hidden”.

• In his latest address, posted on Telegram, Zelenskiy said that Ukraine wouldn’t be reducing its defensive efforts despite Russian promises to ease off some parts of the country.“We can say the signals we are receiving from the talks are positive but they do not drown out the explosions of Russian shells,” he said.

• According the UK Ministry of Defence’s latest update, “it is almost certain that the Russian offensive has failed in its objective to encircle Kyiv”. The assessment mirrors that of the Pentagon. “Russia has failed in its objective of capturing Kyiv,” a Pentagon spokesman said earlier. “It does not mean that the threat to Kyiv is over.”

– Leonie Chao-Fong, Joanna Walters, Maanvi Singh

This blog is now closed but you can stay up to date with the all the latest developments by following our new liveblog in the link below.

Russia-Ukraine war latest news: Russian troop withdrawal designed to ‘mislead’, says Ukrainian military – live

Before we close this blog and begin a new one, here is a comprehensive run down of the past 24 hours.

• Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the talks had been “positive but they do not drown out the explosions of Russian shells”, adding that Ukraine had no intention of reducing its military efforts. Joe Biden said: “I don’t read anything into it until I see what their actions are.” The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said he had not seen anything indicating that talks were progressing in a “constructive way” and suggested Russian indications of a pullback could be an attempt by Moscow to “deceive people and deflect attention”. “What Russia says, and what Russia does, and we’re focused on the latter.”

• Zelenskiy said Ukrainians are “not naive people” and he saw “no reason to trust the words of certain representatives of a state that continues to fight for our destruction”. He also called for sanctions to be strengthened. “They must be effective. Not just for headlines in the media that sanctions have been imposed, but for real peace. Real.”

• In Ukraine’s latest intelligence report as of 10pm local time, its military claimed Russian troops continue to withdraw from Kyiv and Chernihiv but the movement is merely “a rotation of individual units” and aims to “mislead the military leadership” of Ukraine.

• China’s ambassador to the UN addressed the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, describing a “worrying account of the situation on ground” and called for the protection of civilian lives and respect for international humanitarian law. Dai Bing said increasing sanctions on Russia will “give rise to new humanitarian problems” including hitting global energy, food, economic, trade and financial markets.

• Moscow’s lead negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, said Russia’s promise to “drastically reduce” military operations does not represent a ceasefire. In an interview with the Russian state-owned Tass news agency, Medinsky said there is still “a long way to go” to reach a mutual agreement with Ukraine.

• Following Russia’s announcement, two senior US officials said the US was seeing Russia beginning to withdraw some of its forces from the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, in what it believes is a “major” change in Russian strategy. Another US official said any movement of Russian forces from around Kyiv would constitute a “redeployment, not a withdrawal”.

• The UK has also seen signs of “some reduction” in Russian bombardment around Kyiv, Downing Street said. But it insisted the UK will judge tentative steps towards a possible peace deal by actions rather than words. “We don’t want to see anything less than a complete withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukrainian territory,” the PM’s spokesperson said. The UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in its latest updated that “it is almost certain that the Russian offensive has failed in its objective to encircle Kyiv”.

• Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu said Moscow’s “main goal” in Ukraine was now the “liberation” of the Donbas region. In a sign that Moscow may be switching to more limited objectives after facing fierce Ukrainian resistance in the first month of the war, Shoigu claimed the “main tasks of the first stage of the operation have been completed”.

• A Russian airstrike hit a government building in the southern Ukrainian port city of Mykolaiv on Tuesday, destroying a large portion of the structure and leaving people trapped under debris. At least 12 people were killed and 33 injured, Ukraine’s emergencies agency said.
  

• The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called on Russia and Ukraine to reach a clear agreement for the safe evacuation of civilians from the besieged city of Mariupol and other frontline places as vital supplies run out. “Time is running out” for people in Mariupol, it warned, adding that there was still a lack of “concrete agreements” for the safe passage and evacuations of civilians in the southern Ukrainian city.

• A Ukrainian soldier who told a Russian warship to “go fuck yourself” while defending an island has been awarded for his services, local authorities said. Roman Hrybov was serving on Snake Island – known as Zmiinyi Island in Ukrainian – when it came under Russian air and sea bombardment on 24 February. Ukraine’s defence ministry said Hrybov was released from Russian captivity and is now home in Cherkasy.

• A £38m superyacht owned by an unnamed Russian businessman has been detained in Canary Wharf in London as part of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The vessel, known as Phi, is subject to the first detention of a superyacht in UK waters, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said, and its owner was “We can say the signals we are receiving from the talks are positive but they do not drown out the explosions of Russian shells,” he said.

• Americans may be ‘singled out’ by Russian forces in Ukraine, the US state department said in its latest travel advisory. “There are continued reports of US citizens being singled out and detained by the Russian military in Ukraine and when evacuating by land through Russia-occupied territory or to Russia or Belarus,” it said.

The US state department has warned American citizens not to travel to Ukraine or Russia in its latest travel advisory. “There are continued reports of US citizens being singled out and detained by the Russian military in Ukraine and when evacuating by land through Russia-occupied territory or to Russia or Belarus,” it said. The US embassy has limited ability to assist US citizens in Russia, it noted.

China’s ambassador to the UN has addressed the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, describing a “worrying account of the situation on ground” and called for the protection of civilian lives and respect for international humanitarian law.

Dai Bing told the latest UN Security Council, according to a statement released by China’s permanent mission to the UN:

The conflict situation in Ukraine is persisting. Effectively protecting civilian lives and meeting their humanitarian needs is a must. China calls for respect for international humanitarian law to avoid civilian casualties to the maximum extent, protect civilian facilities, provide safe passage for evacuation and humanitarian access, and ensure a continuous supply of basic necessities, such as food, drinking water, and medicines. Protection of vulnerable groups such as women and children must be strengthened.”

Increasing sanctions on Russia will “give rise to new humanitarian problems”, Bing added.

We must also be cognisant that the ever-escalating, sweeping, indiscriminate sanctions have hit global energy, food, economic, trade and financial markets, and will continue to do so, affecting the lives and livelihoods of the general public, and giving rise to new humanitarian problems.”

Addressing global food security, Bing called for an “enhanced international coordination” to stabilise food supply and food prices and a “refrain from unjustified export restrictions”.

Sanctions and economic blockades will only artificially exacerbate food shortages and price distortions, further disrupt food production and food supply chain across the world, push up food prices, and put such burdens on developing countries as they do not deserve. We call for enhanced international coordination to stabilise food supply and food prices, refrain from unjustified export restrictions, keep the market working in a stable manner, and ensure global food security.

Finally, Bing cautioned that further damage is on its way if the crisis continues and escalates, describing such an event as being “not in the interest of any party”.

The most conclusive way towards a ceasefire to end hostilities is dialogue and negotiation. The international community should encourage and support continued direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine until a positive outcome is achieved and peace is restored. Security is indivisible and seeking absolute security by pitting one bloc against another is precisely the most assured way to achieve insecurity. The United States, Nato and EU should also engage in dialogue with Russia, accommodate the legitimate security concerns of all parties, and build a balanced, effective and sustainable regional security architecture through dialogue and negotiation.”

Here are some of the latest photos to come out of Ukraine on Tuesday.

A man walks with his dog near an apartment building damaged by shelling from fighting on the outskirts of Mariupol, Ukraine. Photograph: Alexei Alexandrov/AP

A military facility seen destroyed by shelling in the city of Brovary, outside Kyiv. Photograph: Joseph Galanakis/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock

A solider on the outskirts of Kyiv in a defensive trench preparing for a possible attack by Russian troops. Photograph: Joseph Galanakis/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock

Emergency personnel work at the site of the regional government headquarters of Mykolaiv, Ukraine, following a deadly Russian attack on Tuesday. Photograph: Petros Giannakouris/AP

Julia, 34, cries next to her daughter Veronika, 6, while talking to a group of journalists in Brovary, on the outskirts of Kyiv. Photograph: Rodrigo Abd/AP

Firefighters work to put out a fire after missiles struck a fuel storage facility on the western Ukrainian city of Lutsk, on Tuesday. Photograph: State Emergency Service of Ukraine/UPI/REX/Shutterstock

A Russian hotel owner has taken in Ukrainians fleeing the fighting, saying it was partly the shame he feels over Russia’s invasion that persuaded him and his family to take in 34 Ukrainians so far, and counting.

Mikhail Golubtsov, a Russian former construction engineer, left his home country in 2014 over Moscow’s “unacceptable” annexation of Crimea, and now runs a modest but cosy hotel in the green hills of central Serbia.

Most of Golubtsov’s hotel rooms are now taken up by Ukrainian refugees, who can stay at the hotel free of charge, for as long as they need.

“The first seven people arrived because a friend gave them the address, … now they are simply arriving,” he told Reuters.

“At first (after the invasion started), I was in shock and I was so ashamed. For some time I could not speak Russian, but when guests arrive and they speak Russian to me, I speak Russian as well. I think the only thing I can do now is to help Ukrainians somehow.”

Reuters (@Reuters)

Russian hotel owner Mikhail Golubtsov, who owns a cozy inn in central Serbia, says it was partly the shame he feels over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that persuaded him and his family to take in Ukrainians fleeing the war https://t.co/1AlBaGUQBL pic.twitter.com/V870NpFJQW

March 30, 2022

Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskiy will address Australia’s parliament on Thursday evening by video, according to parliament records cited by Reuters.

Employment minister Stuart Robert told parliament on Thursday morning that Zelenskiy would make an address via video link at 5.30pm (7.30am GMT).

Australia has supplied defence equipment and humanitarian supplies to Ukraine, as well as imposing a ban on exports of alumina and aluminium ores, including bauxite, to Russia.

It has also imposed a total of 476 sanctions on 443 individuals, including businessmen close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and 33 entities, including most of Russia*s banking sector and all entities responsible for the country’s sovereign debt.

The war in Ukraine will have a global impact “beyond anything we’ve seen since World War Two” and damage global food security because many of the Ukrainian farmers who produce a significant amount of the world’s wheat are now fighting Russians, the UN’s food chief has warned.

David Beasley, executive director of the UN World Food Program, told the UN Security Council that already high food prices are skyrocketing.

His agency was feeding 125 million people around the world before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Beasley said it has had to start cutting their rations because of rising food, fuel and shipping costs, the Associated Press reports.

He pointed to war-torn Yemen where 8 million people just had their food allotment cut 50%, “and now we’re looking at going to zero rations.”

The war in Ukraine is turning “the breadbasket of the world to breadlines” for millions of its people, while devastating countries like Egypt that normally gets 85% of its grain from Ukraine and Lebanon that got 81% in 2020, Beasley said.

Ukraine and Russia produce 30% of the world’s wheat supply, 20% of its corn and 75%-80% of the sunflower seed oil. The World Food Program buys 50% of its grain from Ukraine, he said.

The war is going to increase the agency’s monthly expenses by $71 million because of rising food, fuel and shipping costs, he said. That will total $850 million for a year and mean that there will be “4 million less people we’ll be able to reach.”

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has said it is greatly concerned that Russian and Ukrainian authorities are yet to meet many of their core obligations under international humanitarian law or reach consensus on key issues.

In a statement shared with the Guardian via email, a spokesperson said:

Over the last five weeks, the ICRC has been speaking with Russian and Ukrainian authorities about their obligations under international humanitarian law (IHL) and what practical steps must be taken to limit the suffering of civilians and those who no longer participate in hostilities, including the wounded, sick, and prisoners of war (POWs).

To the ICRC’s great concern, the parties are yet to meet many of their core obligations under IHL or reach consensus on key issues that only they can concretely deliver.”

Specifically, the ICRC said it made detailed proposals regarding the safe passage and evacuations for civilians in Mariupol, but still “lack the concrete agreements needed to move forward”.

People talk with a Red Cross worker next to an apartment building in Mariupol, Ukraine. Photograph: Evgeniy Maloletka/AP

Today, civilians are taking the life-and-death decision to flee when there is no ceasefire or other agreements in place that would allow them to leave safely.

Time is running out for civilians in Mariupol and in other frontline areas who have now gone for weeks with no humanitarian assistance. The militaries on the ground need to give civilians and humanitarian organisations security guarantees and practical agreements to allow aid in and for those who wish to evacuate safely.”

The ICRC added that the parties must inform of any POWs—and other people deprived of their liberty—whom they hold and allow the ICRC to visit them.

The parties need to follow through on concrete proposals for the dignified treatment of the dead so they can be identified, families informed, and bodies returned.

The belligerents are obligated under international humanitarian law to protect civilians, to limit military operations to exclusively military objectives and to take precautionary measures.”

According to the statement, the ICRC’s president travelled first to Kyiv and then Moscow to meet with authorities where his meetings with authorities in Moscow “triggered deep anger for some”.

“We want to be clear that these diplomatic meetings with all sides are anchored in international humanitarian law and passionate advocacy for the best interest of civilians trapped in conflict,” the statement added.

Former US president Donald Trump has called on Russian president Vladimir Putin to release any damaging information he has about the Biden family and Hunter Biden’s dealings with oligarchs in eastern Europe.

“I would think Putin would know the answer to that,” Trump said in an interview with Just the News, referring to Hunter Biden’s potential dealings in Russia. “I think he should release it. I think we should know that answer.”

Trump cited a 2020 Senate report that disclosed Russian oligarch Yelena Baturina, then the wife of Moscow’s mayor, provided $3.5 million a decade ago to a company co-founded by President Joe Biden’s son and unanswered questions about why the money was given.

“How is it that the mayor of Moscow, his wife gave the Biden family three and a half million dollars? I think Putin now would be willing to probably give that answer,” Trump said. “I’m sure he knows.”

A grand jury has been investigating Hunter Biden’s business dealings for possible tax violations, foreign lobbying issues and money laundering but he has denied any wrongdoing.

There needs to be full peace across Ukraine for any final agreement with Russia to come into force, the head of the Ukrainian delegation said following talks with Moscow in Istanbul on Tuesday.

David Arakhamia told reporters that all troops must retreat from Ukraine and allow the 3.5 million refugees who fled the war to come back home. He added that there was enough material in Ukraine’s proposals to warrant a meeting between Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Vladimir Putin.

Watch the video of Arakhamia’s remarks below.

Full peace is needed to agree treaty with Russia, says Ukrainian negotiator – video

Ukraine’s general staff of the armed forces has just released its latest intelligence report as of 10pm local time, claiming Russian troops continue to withdraw from the territory of Kyiv and Chernihiv in the Ukraine’s north but the movement is merely “a rotation of individual units” and aims to “mislead the military leadership” of Ukraine.

The report reads:

According to some indications, the Russian enemy is regrouping units to focus its main efforts on the east.

At the same time, the so-called ‘withdrawal of troops’ is probably a rotation of individual units and aims to mislead the military leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and create a misconception about the occupiers’ refusal to plan to encircle the city of Kyiv.”

Ukrainian infantry and artillery units on the outskirts of Kyiv. Photograph: Joseph Galanakis/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock

US President Joe Biden’s deputy national security adviser for economics, Daleep Singh, will travel to New Delhi and meet government officials to discuss Russia’s war against Ukraine and develop an economic framework for the Indo-Pacific, the White House said on Tuesday.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is also planning to visit India, one of the biggest buyers of Russian commodities.

New Delhi has called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine but has refused to explicitly condemn Moscow’s actions. India has also abstained from voting on multiple UN resolutions on the war.

“Singh will consult closely with counterparts on the consequences of Russia’s unjustified war against Ukraine and mitigating its impact on the global economy,” the White House said in a statement.

Last week, Biden said only India among the Quad group of countries was “somewhat shaky” in acting against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

The South Asian nation has tried to balance its ties with Russia and the west but unlike other members of the Quad countries – United States, Japan, Australia – it has not imposed sanctions on Russia.

Earlier today, the US president said it remains to be seen if Russia will follow through on its pledge to scale down its military operations in northern Ukraine, saying Washington and its allies will maintain sanctions and continue providing aid to Ukraine in the meantime.

“I don’t read anything into it until we see what their actions are,” Biden said of Russia at a White House press conference.

Watch Biden’s remarks in the video below.

‘We’ll see’ if Russia de-escalates military activity in Ukraine, says Biden – video

Guardian reporter based in Kyiv, Shaun Walker, brings us this analysis piece, asking: Why is Abramovich playing peacemaker after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?

Sanctioned billionaire Roman Abramovich is not officially part of the Russian delegation, but has apparently played a major role behind the scenes, jetting between Moscow, Kyiv and Istanbul since Russia invaded Ukraine.

Further questions about what role Abramovich was playing, and why, were raised on Monday, when the Wall Street Journal and investigative outlet Bellingcat claimed Abramovich and a Ukrainian MP were among three people to fall ill with symptoms consistent with chemical poisoning, during a round of negotiations in Kyiv in early March.

A source confirmed to the Guardian that Abramovich had fallen ill after the meeting, and had lost his sight for several hours. He soon recovered and was able to take part in later rounds of negotiations.

Aside from the poisoning claims, the emergence of the publicity-shy oligarch at the heart of peace negotiations has also surprised many.

Read the full story below.

Why is Abramovich playing peacemaker after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?

At least 12 people were killed and 33 wounded on Tuesday when a Russian missile hit a regional government building in the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv, emergency officials have said.

A Russian airstrike hit a nine-storey government building before 9am local time on Tuesday, destroying a large portion of the structure and leaving people trapped under debris.

“The bodies of 12 people have been recovered from the site of the destruction and 33 people have been injured,” Ukraine’s emergencies agency said in a statement on Telegram.

Zelenskiy also provided an update as to the situation in Mykolaiv after a Russian airstrike hit a government building on Tuesday, destroying a large portion of the structure and leaving people trapped under debris.

During the day the rescue operation was ongoing in Mykolaiv. The debris of the building of the regional administration destroyed by Russian missile strikes was dismantled.

The Russian troops hit Mykolaiv very insidiously. At a time when people came to their workplaces in the morning. Thank God, most of those in the building managed to evacuate when they heard an air alarm.

This one more act of the Russian so-called denazification of Mykolaiv took place in the morning after the anniversary of [the] liberation of the city from Nazi invaders. Mykolaiv residents remember the day of March 28, 1944. And they see who the Russian troops trying to capture their city now look like.”

A destroyed part of a Ukrainian government administration building is seen in Mykolaiv, Ukraine. Photograph: LOUAI-BARAKAT/SIPA/REX/Shutterstock

The building of the regional administration was destroyed by Russian missile strikes. Photograph: LOUAI-BARAKAT/SIPA/REX/Shutterstock

In a photo provided by the Ukrainian Military Defence, the destruction of the city’s main administrative building by a Russian airstrike is seen. Photograph: Ukrainian Military Defense/ZUMA Press Wire Service/REX/Shutterstock