All foreign leased aircraft still in Russia after the termination of Western leasing contracts have been entered into the Russian aircraft register and will remain in Russia, Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said on Thursday.
The imposition of sanctions by Western powers in response to Russia's military campaign in Ukraine forced Western leasing firms to terminate leasing contracts with Russian airlines for more than 500 aircraft. More than 400 of these are still in Russia. - Reuters.
Dressed in a bullet proof jacket, the head of Ukraine's football association on Thursday received a rapturous ovation from the FIFA Congress for his vow that his country would beat Russia in their military battle.
Andriy Pavelko spoke in a video from a square in Kyiv, as he could not fly to Doha, telling of the suffering following Russia's invasion.
The military assault means a World Cup playoff between Ukraine and Scotland has been suspended at least until June.
For more than a month, Ukraine has been resisting Russia's "military aggression", he said.
"We regularly receive the sad news of the death of football's representatives, killed by the aggressor's bullets and shells."
"Football has taken a back seat because every day children and adults die in our country." - AFP.
The southern city of Mariupol and a "corridor" between two eastern towns, Izyum and Volnovakha, are becoming the key battlefronts in Ukraine, an interior ministry adviser said on Thursday.
"(Russia) is withdrawing forces in the Kyiv region, but it's too early to say that the same is happening in the Chernihiv region," adviser Vadym Denysenko said.
Russia said on Tuesday it would scale down operations in the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions. NATO's chief said on Thursday this was a regrouping rather than a withdrawal. - Reuters.
Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday it will be expanding its list of EU figures banned from entering the country in response to sanctions imposed on Moscow over its military actions in Ukraine.
"The restrictions apply to the top leadership of the European Union including a number of European commissioners and heads of EU military structures as well as the vast majority of members of the European Parliament promoting anti-Russian policies," the ministry said in a statement. - AFP.
Germany's economy minister says Europe should impose additional sanctions on Russia to prevent what he described as a “barbaric” war in Ukraine.
Robert Habeck said he discussed what further measures could be taken with his French counterpart during a bilateral meeting in Berlin on Thursday.
“The last package (of sanctions) doesn't need to be the final one, it should not be the final one,” he told reporters, adding that he and French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire had “identified additional points that could be included in a (sanctions) package.”
Habeck declined to elaborate on what those points might be.
Speaking ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement on new rules requiring countries to pay for Russia's natural gas sales in rubles, Habeck insisted that contracts would be adhered to. These stipulate payment in euros or dollars. - AP.