Ukraine and Russia: What you need to know now

Feb 26 (Reuters) – Here’s what you need to know about the Ukraine crisis right now:

Addresses

* The Russian Interfax news agency said that Russian forces had captured the southeastern city of Melitopol, while Moscow launched coordinated missile and artillery attacks on several cities, including the capital, Kiev. Read more

Russian President Vladimir Putin has urged the Ukrainian military to overthrow the country’s leadership and negotiate peace. Read more

* Spokesman for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on social media that Ukraine and Russia are discussing where and when to hold talks.

Russia vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution on Friday that would regret Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, while China abstained from the vote. Read more

China is in a diplomatic struggle to limit backlash while siding with a partner with whom it has become increasingly close vis-à-vis the West. Read more

* President Joe Biden instructed the US State Department to release $350 million in military aid to Ukraine, and asked Congress to approve $6.4 billion in aid to address the humanitarian and security crisis. Read more

– The White House said that the United States, in a rare move, will impose sanctions on Putin and his Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The European Union and Canada are doing the same. Read more

* Canada, the United States, Britain and the European Union said they could work to exclude Russia from the SWIFT system for global interbank payments. Read more

* Ukraine says more than 1,000 Russian soldiers have been killed. Russia has not released casualty figures. The United Nations said 25 civilians were killed and 102 wounded. Read more

* NATO allies will provide more weapons to Ukraine and deploy more forces in the eastern part of the alliance. Read more

The conflict could drive up to five million people abroad, UN agencies said, adding that at least 100,000 people have been uprooted and running out of fuel, cash and medical supplies. Read more

quotes

“We will not throw weapons, we will defend our state,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, facing the worst European security crisis in decades.

Editing by Robert Percell and William Mallard

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