Russia-Ukraine Crisis Highlights: 870,000 people who fled Ukraine have returned, says border force

Ukraine pleaded for more weapons from the West to help it end the siege of Mariupol and fend off an expected Russian offensive in the east, as more reports emerged of rape and brutality against Ukrainian civilians by Russian forces. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a televised address late on Monday that Russia could resort to chemical weapons as it amassed troops in the eastern Donbas region for a new assault on the port of Mariupol, where thousands are believed to have died under a near-seven week siege. Stay tuned for more updates

400 bodies buried in Ukraine's Severodonetsk since start of war: governor

Around 400 civilians have been buried in the town of Severodonetsk near the frontline in easternUkrainesince the start of the Russian invasion, the governor of the Lugansk region said on Tuesday.

"In Severodonetsk, pits are dug with a tractor and graves are systematised in the register... During the 48 days of the war about 400 burials," Sergiy Gaiday said, referring to civilians.

Ukraine says over 870,000 who fled war have returned

Ukraine's border force said Tuesday that more than 870,000 people who fled abroad since the start of the war have returned to the country, including a growing number of women and children.

Spokesman Andriy Demchenko said that currently 25,000 to 30,000 Ukrainians are returning each day.

Zelensky accuses Russian troops of 'hundreds of rapes'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday said investigators had received reports of "hundreds of cases of rape" in areas previously occupied by Russian troops, including sexual assaults of small children.

Russian troops have been accused of widespread atrocities across the country, particularly in areas around Kyiv from which they have now withdrawn. Moscow denies the allegations.

Ukraine's 'inconsistency' slowing down peace talks with Russia: Putin

Russia's aim in Ukraine is to reach all goals, minimise losses: Putin

Russia won't hide anything about its operation in Ukraine: Putin

Russia's special military operation in Ukraine going as planned: Putin

What's happening in Ukraine is tragic: Putin

403 bodies of those killed by Russians found so far in Bucha, says Mayor

Six people found shot dead in basement outside Kyiv: Ukraine prosecutor

Russia has enough funds to service its debt, finance ministry says

Russia has enough funds to service its debt in time and to redeem all its debt obligations, the finance ministry said on Tuesday.

Facing waves of sanctions over what it calls "a special military operation" inUkraine, Russia could face its first sovereign external default in over a century after it made arrangements to make an international bond repayment in roubles, even though the payment was due in dollars.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Moscow's military operation in Ukraine would undoubtedly achieve what he said were its "noble" objectives.

Speaking at an awards ceremony at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Russian Far East, Putin was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies that said Moscow had no other choice but to launch a military operation to protectRussiaand that a clash with Ukraine's anti-Russian forces had been inevitable.

"Its goals are absolutely clear and noble," Putin said ofRussia's military campaign.

Putin said the main objective of Moscow's military intervention in Ukraine was to save people in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, where Russian-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian forces since 2014.

"On the one hand, we are helping and saving people, and on the other, we are simply taking measures to ensure the security ofRussiaitself," Putin said. "It's clear that we didn't have a choice. It was the right decision." [ReutersReported]

A man walks past the Kharkiv Regional Institute of the National Academy of Public Administration building which was destroyed during Russian shelling, asRussia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Kharkiv.[Reports Reuters]

Nokia confirms to stop business in Russia over Ukraine invasion

"We just simply do not see any possibilities to continue in the country under the current circumstances," Chief Executive Pekka Lundmark said in an interview. He added Nokia would continue to support customers during the exit process, and it was not possible to say at this stage how long the withdrawal would take.

Nokia is applying for the relevant licences to support customers in compliance with current sanctions, Reuters reported citing the company statement

Ukraine deputy PM says 9 humanitarian corridors agreed for Tuesday

Ukraine Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said nine humanitarian corridors had been agreed for Tuesday to evacuate civilians, including from the besieged city of Mariupol by private cars.

Vereshchuk said in a statement that five of the nine evacuation corridors were from Ukraine's Luhansk region in the east of the country, which Ukrainian officials have said is under heavy shelling.[Reuters reported]

More than 10,000 civilians dead in Mariupol, says Mayor

Six weeks of brutal Russian siege have left more than 10,000 civilians dead in the southern port city of Mariupol and corpses “carpeted through the streets,” the mayor of that cut-off city said, as the West warned that a Russian convoy and other troops and weapons were on the move for a suspected planned Russian assault in Ukraine's east.

Mariupol has been the site of some of the heaviest attacks and civilian suffering in the 6-week-old war, but the land, sea and air assaults by Russian forces fighting to capture it have increasingly limited information on circumstances inside the city.

UK says fighting in eastern Ukraine to intensify over the next 2-3 weeks

Fighting in eastern Ukraine will intensify over the next two to three weeks as Russia continues to refocus its efforts there, the UK's Ministry of Defence tweeted in a regular bulletin on Tuesday.

Russian attacks remain focused on Ukrainian positions near Donetsk andLuhansk with further fighting around Kherson and Mykolaiv and a renewed push towards Kramatorsk, British military intelligence said.(Reuters)

US has not yet made determination on potential sanctions or waivers to India under CATSAA law: Blinken

The US has not yet made any decision on potential sanctions or waivers to India under CATSAA law for its purchase of the S-400 missile defence system from Russia, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said.

The US administration is required under its domestic law, Countering America's Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) to impose sanctions on any country that has significant transactions with Iran, North Korea or Russia.(PTI)

India probably buys less oil from Russia in month that what Europe does in afternoon: Jaishankar

"I noticed you refer to oil purchases. If you are looking at energy purchases from Russia, I would suggest that your attention should be focused on Europe. We do buy some energy, which is necessary for our energy security. But I suspect looking at the figures, probably our total purchases for the month would be less than what Europe does in an afternoon," Jaishankar told a reporter when asked about India's oil purchase from Russia.

Read more

Tens of thousands likely killed in Mariupol, says Zelenskyy

Ukraine on Monday said tens of thousands of people have likely been killed in Russia's assault on the southeastern city of Mariupol while the country's rights ombudswoman accused Russian forces in the region of torture and executions.

Read More

Not in India's interest to increase Russian energy imports, Biden to PM Modi

President Joe Biden on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to increase his country’s reliance on Russian oil and gas, officials said, part of a global effort by the United States to maintain economic pressure on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

Read More

Ukraine braces for new Russian offensive as Moscow dismisses rape allegations

Ukrainepleaded for more weapons from the West to help it end the siege of Mariupol and fend off an expected Russian offensive in the east, as more reports emerged of rape and brutality against Ukrainian civilians by Russian forces.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a televised address late on Monday that Russia could resort to chemical weapons as it amassed troops in the eastern Donbas region for a new assault on the port of Mariupol, where thousands are believed to have died under a near-seven week siege.