Russia-Ukraine crisis: Russia, Belarus agree on 'joint steps' for mutual support in face of sanctions

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke on Friday with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and discussed Kuleba's trilateral meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, the State Department said.

"They shared their concerns that Russia is escalating its disinformation campaigns to deceive the world, including at the United Nations," the State Department said in a statement. - Reuters.

. Russia has blocked the social network after its parent company, Meta, said it would relax its hate speech policy, allowing calls for violence against Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian troops fighting in Ukraine.

(The Kyiv Independent)

. Russians are blocking Ukraine from the Chernobyl plant, which is currently cut from power and disconnected from the International Atomic Energy Agency’s monitoring systems, according to The Kyiv Independent . Other reports state that Russia might be organising a terrorist attack on the plant.

. Calling Russia's nuclear rhetoric "reckless,"Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of NATO said that the alliance will not send troops or jets in Ukraine. "Such a move would likely trigger a full-fledged Russia-NATO war," he said.

. Two Ukrainian soldiers were killed and six injured as Russia shot missiles at a military air base in Lutsk of western Ukraine.

(The Kyiv Independent)

. Rescuers work among remains of buildings damaged by an airstrike, asRussia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Dnipro, Ukraine, in this handout picture released March 11, 2022. Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. ( Reuters Photo)

. Foreign Ministers of Russia and the Ukraine -- Sergey Lavrov and Dmitry Kuleba--who held their first round of talks in Turkey have discussed the possibility of a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky to end their conflict which has now rumbled into its fifteenth day.

The surge in high-level diplomacy follows feelers from Zelensky to consider Russian demands., which include recognition of Crimea as a Russian territory and the status of the breakaway Donetsk and Luhansk republics, which have been recognised by Moscow as sovereign states.

After his meeting hosted by the Turkish Foreign Minister---at the resort city of Antalya, the Russian Foreign Minister elaborated on Russian demands to end the war. Lavrov stressed that Moscow wants Ukraine to remain neutral. In return Moscow is ready to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine, European countries, and Russia itself. Lavrov pointed out that Moscow wants friendly relations with Ukraine--a country that should not work to ban Russian language and culture. ( IANS )

. A woman and children rest at a charity foundation's shelter as they flee fromRussia's invasion of Ukraine, in Odessa, Ukraine. ( Reuters Photo)

. A woman fromUkrainestands at the border with her fiance from the United States as she waits to ask for asylum in Mexico. ( AP Photo)

. Three air strikes early on Friday in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro killed at least one person, state emergency services said, adding that the strikes were close to a kindergarten and an apartment building. (Reuters)

. Increased fuel prices are displayed at a filling station as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, in Long Stratton. ( Reuters Photo)

. Hardeep, an MBBS student who was stranded in Sumy, said, "bombardment occurred even on the day we left, not in our area but in the city. GoI, Red Cross, & Indian Embassy helped us a lot & built a green corridor to safely evacuate us. I'm thankful to PM Modi Ji." ( ANI )

. Russia's embassy in the United States demanded on Friday that Washington stop the "extremist activities" of Facebook owner Meta Platforms, which has temporarily lifted a ban on calls for violence against the Russian military and leadership.

Meta Platforms will allow Facebook and Instagram users in some countries to call for violence against Russians and Russian soldiers in the context of the Ukraine invasion, according to internal emails seen by Reuters on Thursday, in a temporary change to its hate speech policy.

"Meta's aggressive and criminal policy leading to incitement of hatred and hostility towards Russians is outrageous," the Russian embassy said in a statement. "The company's actions are yet another evidence of the information war without rules declared on our country."

The embassy said it wanted the USauthorities to "stop the extremist activities of Meta and take measures to bring the perpetrators to justice" ( Reuters )

. Flowers are seen through a broken window at the Russia House restaurant and lounge in Washington, DC. Since the Russian invasion began, lines have stretched down the street outside a Ukrainian-owned cafe in a trendy part of Washington. Blocks away, at the city's long-popular Russia House restaurant, five windows have been smashed in and owners are thinking they may not reopen. With the war an ocean away, restaurants have become something of a culinary frontline for Americans to channel support for Kyiv by queuing for a seat and a pastry -- while hoping to inflict a bit of pain on Moscow, if only by proxy. ( AFP Photo)

. Reacting to Russia's allegations that biological weapons were made in Ukrainian laboratories, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that "no chemical or any other weapons of mass destruction were developed" in his country.

In his latest video address posted on Facebook on Friday morning, Zelensky said: "I am the President of an adequate country, an adequate nation. And the father of two children. And no chemical or any other weapons of mass destruction were developed on my land.

"The whole world knows that. You know that. And if Russia do something like that against us, it will get the most severe sanctions response." ( IANS )

. The United Nations Security Council will convene on Friday at Russia's request, diplomats said, to discuss Moscow's claims, presented without evidence, of US biological activities in Ukraine.

The United States has dismissed Russian claims as 'laughable,' warning Moscow may be preparing to use chemical or biological weapons. - Reuters.

. Satellite images taken on Thursday show a large Russian military convoy, last seen northwest of Kyiv near Antonov airport, has largely dispersed and redeployed, a private US company said on Thursday.

Maxar Technologies said images show armored units maneuvering in and through the surrounding towns close to the airport. It said images also show convoy elements further north have repositioned near Lubyanka with towed artillery howitzers in firing positions nearby. - Reuters.

. Meta Platforms will allow Facebook and Instagram users in some countries to call for violence against Russians and Russian soldiers in the context of the Ukraine invasion, according to internal emails seen by Reuters on Thursday, in a temporary change to its hate speech policy.

Russia-Ukraine crisis: Russia, Belarus agree on 'joint steps' for mutual support in face of sanctions

Blinken, Ukraine foreign minister discuss concerns over Russian actions

Russia, Belarus agree on 'joint steps' for mutual support in face of sanctions

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