Russia-Ukraine talks due as battle for Kharkiv rages – Live news | Russia-Ukraine crisis News
Ukraine’s military says Russian forces are ‘continuing shelling in all directions’ as Kyiv-Moscow prepare for talks on Belarus border.
- Talks between Ukraine and Russia are due to begin on Monday morning near the Belarusian border, reports TASS news agency.
- Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tells British Prime Minister Boris Johnson that the next 24 hours are “crucial” for Ukraine.
- Ukraine military says Sunday was a “difficult time” for its troops and that Russian forces “continue shelling in almost all directions”.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin has put Russia’s nuclear forces on high alert.
- Kharkiv governor says Ukrainian troops have full control of the country’s second-largest city after street fighting with Russian forces.
- More than 360,000 people have fled Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s assault, the UN says.
Here are all the latest updates:
Satellite images show new military activity
US company Maxar Technologies has released a series of new satellite images that appear to show a large deployment of Russian ground forces, including tanks moving in the direction of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, from approximately 64km (40 miles) away.
Bolsonaro won’t condemn Putin, says Brazil will remain neutral
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has declined to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, while departing from his government’s official stance at the United Nations to say Brazil would remain neutral.
Bolsonaro, a far-right populist, recently snubbed US entreaties not to visit Putin in Moscow ahead of the invasion, and angered Western allies by saying he was “in solidarity with Russia,” without elaborating.
At a press conference, Bolsonaro said Brazil will remain neutral in the conflict, noting Russia and Ukraine were “practically brother nations”.
“We will not take sides, we will continue being neutral, and help with whatever is possible,” Bolsonaro said. “A big part of Ukraine’s population speaks Russian.”
Next 24 hours crucial for Ukraine: Zelenskyy tells UK’s Johnson
Zelensyy told UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson by telephone that the next 24 hours are crucial for Ukraine, a Downing Street spokesperson has said.
Johnson said the UK and its allies would do everything possible to guarantee that defensive aid reached Ukraine, the spokesperson said in a statement.
Ukrainian military says Sunday was difficult for its forces
The general staff of Ukraine’s armed forces described Sunday as “a difficult time” for the military, saying Russian troops “continue shelling in almost all directions”.
In an English-language post on Facebook, the general staff said defence force members in the Vasylkiv military air base south west of Kyiv were resisting artillery strikes and Russian attacks.
Russia-Ukraine talks to begin on Monday morning, says TASS
Talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations will begin in the morning on Monday, a source has told Russian news agency TASS.
“It is not a postponement. The meeting will begin in the morning. The reason is the Ukrainian delegation’s logistics,” the source said.
Ukrainian and Russian officials are due to meet for talks at a venue on the Belarusian border with Ukraine, Zelenskyy’s office said earlier.
Welcome to Al Jazeera’s continuing coverage of the Ukraine-Russia crisis.
Read all the updates from Saturday, February 27, here.
