LAST UPDATE | 4 Mar 2022
HERE ARE THE latest developments as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues for a ninth day.
Good morning, Hayley Halpin here. To kick things off here’s a quick update on the latest from the situation at the nuclear power plant that caught fire in Ukraine overnight:
Here’s a quick updates on the other latest developments in Ukraine:
Russian forces yesterday took the Black Sea port of Kherson, the first major city to fall after a string of setbacks for Moscow.
British Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has said the international community needs to “come down hard on Putin” after Russian forces shelled the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
He told Times Radio:
“It is clearly reckless, irresponsible and not only the fact they were shooting, bombarding that particular site, but when the Ukrainian emergency authorities were trying to put out the fire, the shelling continued.
“It must stop.
“We support the Ukrainians in dealing with the security situation there but also I think come down hard on Vladimir Putin.
“That’s why the Prime Minister has called for an emergency United Nations security council meeting in New York so the entire international community can address this, because of course it is a much wider threat, given the nuclear implications.
“It is an affront to the world at large.”
As noted below, Russian forces have this morning entered the site of a Ukrainian nuclear power plant that caught fire overnight during clashes.
The Ukrainian nuclear inspectorate said this morning:
“The territory of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant is occupied by the armed forces of the Russian Federation.”
The statement said plant staff were continuing to operate the reactor and supply power according to normal safety rules.
Russia’s media watchdog has restricted access to the BBC and other independent media websites, tightening controls over the internet in the country.
Access to websites of the BBC, the independent news website Meduza, German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, and the Russian-language website of the US-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Svoboda, are now “limited” by Roskomnadzor following a request from prosecutors.
The agency said that in each case, the prosecutors’ request was filed on 24 February, the day Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his attack on Ukraine.
Russian troops are continuing to pressure the port city of Mariupol east of Kherson, which is without water or electricity in the depths of winter.
However, in its latest update the UK Ministry of Defence has said the city currently remains under Ukrainian control, “but has likely been encircled by Russian forces”.
It said the city’s civilian infrastructure has been subject to “intense Russian strikes”.
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 04 March 2022
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) March 4, 2022
Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/vHxz2SoCNW
🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/zzFeOi729Y
Russian lawmakers have approved legislation providing up to 15 years in jail for any publication of fake news about the Russian armed forces.
The bill, adopted after a third reading, sets out jail terms of varying lengths and fines against people who publish “knowingly false information” about the military, with harsher penalties to hit when dissemination is deemed to have serious consequences.
Latvia’s Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics has said Nato should “consider all options” when asked about entering direct conflict with Russia.
Rinkevics told the BBC’s Today programme that governments “should not exclude” any recourse to stop the invasion.
Earlier, the programme heard from former Ukrainian prime minister Oleksiy Honcharuk, who said other European countries “don’t understand” the lengths Putin will go to.
He said leaders from other countries should offer direct military support and “at least to close our skies to protect us from the threat”.
Asked about the comments, Rinkevics said: “I think we should consider all options but we should also understand, let’s say, some Nato policies can be implemented only if those countries that have necessary assets agree on that.”
He added that any decision would have to be taken unanimously.
Asked whether Nato may instead be forced to broker an “uncomfortable” settlement with Russia, the minister replied: “Well, I think we must do everything that we can. That’s why I’m saying that we should not exclude any options.”
British Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has said he would support giving over seized Russian oligarch property in the UK to Ukrainian refugees.
Asked on LBC whether Britain could capture property assets owned by Russian elites in punishment for Moscow’s invasion on Ukraine, Raab said: “Yeah, if we’ve got the evidence and the legal basis, then we’ll do it.”
Pressed on whether he would back using those properties to house Ukrainian refugees – a move called for by the Liberal Democrats and reportedly argued for in Government by Housing Secretary Michael Gove – Raab replied:
“Yes, absolutely.
“We are looking at everything in the round, it is a team effort across Government, from the foreign and defence secretary through to Michael Gove and, of course, the Prime Minister is driving this very hard.”
Russian police are this morning carrying out searches at the office of the country’s most prominent rights group, Memorial, which was ordered to close late last year, sparking international outcry.
“Searches at Memorial are continuing at two locations,” the group wrote on the Telegram messenger app, of the latest move against voices critical of the Kremlin after it launched an invasion last week of Ukraine.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has decried Russia’s “recklessness” over the shelling of a nuclear power plant in Ukraine and demanded Moscow stop the war against its neighbour.
Ahead of a meeting with Western foreign ministers, Stoltenberg said:
“Overnight we have also seen reports about the attack against the nuclear power plant.
“This just demonstrates the recklessness of this war and the importance of ending it and the importance of Russia withdrawing all its troops and engaging good faith in diplomatic efforts,” Stoltenberg said ahead of a meeting with Western foreign ministers.”
NEW — @NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on the attack against #Zaporizhzhia #nuclear power plant in #Ukraine:
— Dylan P. White (@dylanpwhite) March 4, 2022
“This just demonstrates the recklessness of this war and the importance of ending it, and the importance of Russia withdrawing all its troops”. pic.twitter.com/Jw9gtZbyNB
Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store has said the Russian shelling that led to the fire at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine was “in line with madness”.
Gahr Store told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that if there was a leak at the Zaporizhzhia plant in the city of Enerhodar, “it will take about 48 hours before it arrives in Norway”.
Chinese officials also said they are “seriously concerned about the safety and security” of nuclear facilities in Ukraine following the blaze.
In Lithuania, President Gitanas Nauseda described the attacks by Russian forces as “nuclear terrorism”, and called for an immediate international response to “Russia’s nuclear crimes”.
The BBC said it will continue efforts to make sure people in Russia have access to its news output following reports that its Russian Service website has been blocked in the country.
A BBC spokesman said:
“Access to accurate, independent information is a fundamental human right which should not be denied to the people of Russia, millions of whom rely on BBC News every week. We will continue our efforts to make BBC News available in Russia, and across the rest of the world.”
The broadcaster previously said the audience for its Russian language news website has more than tripled its year-to-date weekly average to a record 10.7 million people in the last week, while visitors to the English language bbc.com in Russia were up 252% to 423,000 last week.
Just in: The head of the UN’s atomic watchdog said there has been no release of radioactive material at the Ukrainian nuclear plant following shelling by Russian forces.
Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has slammed Russia’s attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant as “utterly reckless”.
“Russia’s military activity in the area must cease immediately,” Coveney tweeted.
“This is a grave threat to the European continent.”
Russia’s attack on the #Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station is utterly reckless. Russia’s military activity in the area must cease immediately. This is a grave threat to the European continent. Our full support to the @iaea and DG @rafaelmgrossi in their essential work. @dfatirl https://t.co/BPaYnJwBOu
— Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) March 4, 2022
That’s all from myself, Hayley, for now.
My colleague Michelle Hennessy will take you through the next few hours.
Thanks Hayley – Michelle here.
As mentioned earlier, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that an explosion at the nuclear plant at Zaporizhzhia would be the “end of Europe”.
Here’s a snipped of his statement:
He called for urgent action from Europe: “The largest nuclear power plant in Europe is currently burning.”
Ukrainian officials have reported 28 children have been killed in the war so far and 64 have been wounded:
28 children have been killed, 64 wounded in eight days of Russia's war against Ukraine. 1,5 mln children currently remain in the areas heavily affected by the fighting and cannot leave, president's adviser for children's rights Daria Herasymchuk said https://t.co/PIG192s6Rt
— Olga Tokariuk (@olgatokariuk) March 4, 2022
Ukraine’s state nuclear company has said three Ukrainian troops were killed and two were wounded in the Russian attack on the Zaporizhzhia plant.
Head of the Energygoatom Petro Kotín, the company that runs the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, said this morning that staff have been allowed to work but they are now “physically and mentally exhausted”. He said he needs to be able to let another shift work.
Kotín said the heat supply has been damaged and the city remains without heat this morning.
He said the biggest threat is the nuclear material stored in the station’s six nuclear reactors and the reactor holding pools.
There are also about 150 spent fuel containers in the spent fuel storage facility at the site.
“Given that such a technically complex facility as a nuclear power plant is home to nuclear terrorists who do not know how to safely handle nuclear material, the danger threatens not only the entire region, but the world as a whole,” he said.
British journalist John Sweeney is reporting from Kyiv children’s hospital today. Healthcare workers told him the children who remain at the hospital cannot be moved elsewhere.
Down in the basement, there are around 20 children taking shelter with parents and staff. Many of the children are on dialysis.
Staff are doing their best to entertain them – today a clown is there to cheer them up:
7 KYIV CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, BASEMENT TODAY pic.twitter.com/ABhf9e0g7g
— John Sweeney (@johnsweeneyroar) March 4, 2022
Russian radio station Echo of Moscow is reporting that Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone conversation with President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko.
Lukashenko reportedly said Belarus -a landlocked country – is interested in having a presence in the Baltic and its own port facilities.
Путин рассказал о телефонном разговоре с Лукашенко
— Новости Эхо Москвы (@EchoMskNews) March 4, 2022
«Белоруссия заинтересована в присутствии на Балтике и в своих собственных портовых сооружениях», - сказал президент РФ.
President Zelenskyy has welcomed the overwhelming vote at the UN Human Rights Council to investigate abuses following Russia’s invasion.
I welcome the establishment by the #UN Human Rights Council of the International Commission of Inquiry to investigate facts of Russian war crimes against Ukraine. Evidence will be documented and used in international courts. Russian war criminals will be held accountable.
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 4, 2022
NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg has warned that the days to come are likely to be worse for Ukraine with “more death, more suffering and more destruction” as Russian forces bring in heavier weaponry.
He said NATO is calling on President Putin to stop the war immediately and engage in “genuine diplomacy”.
Stoltenberg said that while NATO is not part of the conflict it has a responsibility to ensure it does not escalate and spread beyond Ukraine.
He said foreign ministers in Brussels today agreed that NATO’s relationship with Russia has now “fundamentally changed” in the long-term.
Refugees fleeing Ukraine are continuing to arrive at hubs in other European countries.
More than 1.2 million people have fled Ukraine into neighbouring countries since Russia launched its invasion. Around half a million of them are children, UNICEF has said.
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has projected that more than four million Ukrainian refugees may eventually need protection and assistance.
NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg also this afternoon that the alliance would not impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine after calls from Kyiv to help stop Russia’s bombardments.
“Allies agree that we should not have NATO planes operating over Ukrainian airspace or NATO troops on Ukrainian territory,” Stoltenberg said.
The Kremlin has today called on Russians to rally around President Vladimir Putin.
“Now is not the time to be divided,” the Kremlin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, responding to a question on pleas from public figures to end the war.
“Now is the time to unite, to unite around our president,” he said.
Since Russia sent ground troops into Ukraine last week following a plea from separatist leaders, Russian public figures have been divided on the operation.
“Yes, indeed, there are heated debates among cultural figures,” Peskov said.
“Many support the president, sincerely the president. There are those who completely misunderstand the essence of what is happening,” he added.
A number of prominent Russians are echoing a chorus of global celebrities condemning Moscow’s war on Ukraine, with some already beginning to suffer the consequences for defying the Kremlin line.
Other Russian celebrities are signaling their support. The Munich Philharmonic fired conductor and Kremlin loyalist Valery Gergiev on Tuesday after he failed to denounce Moscow’s invasion.
The Kremlin’s spokesman said Putin had no immediate plans to speak with US President Joe Biden about the conflict, and said any contact between Russian and Ukraine officials should be through conflict negotiators, not leaders.
“Now is not the time,” he said in response to a question about a possible meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is concerned for the safety of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Downing Street has said.
Johnson has regularly spoken to Zelenskyy and has expressed his personal admiration of him.
A spokesman for the British Prime Minister was asked whether Johnson was worried about attempts reportedly made on Zelenskyy’s life.
He said: “Of course, everybody’s concerned for the safety and welfare of the President of Ukraine and the rest of the government, as well as the people of Ukraine who we’ve seen indiscriminately targeted over recent days.”
Sainsbury’s is renaming Chicken Kievs to match the Ukrainian spelling of the country’s capital.
The UK supermarket chain said it would start rolling out new packaging in the coming weeks using Chicken Kyiv, rather than the Russian spelling Kiev.
We stand united with the people of Ukraine. We have reviewed our product range and have decided to remove from sale all products that are 100% sourced from Russia
— Sainsbury's News (@SainsburysNews) March 4, 2022
It will also stop selling all products that are sourced purely from Russia, although it only sells two Russian products.
Sainsbury’s shoppers will no longer be able to buy Russian Standard vodka and Karpayskiye black sunflower seeds when the products are removed from shelves.
“We stand united with the people of Ukraine. We have reviewed our product range and have decided to remove from sale all products that are 100% sourced from Russia,” Sainsbury’s said.
The #SecurityCouncil will hold an urgent meeting at 11:30am EST on #Russia's attack on #Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in #Ukraine.
— Ireland at UN (@irishmissionun) March 4, 2022
Ireland🇮🇪 joined 🇺🇸🇳🇴🇬🇧🇦🇱🇫🇷 in calling for the meeting.
It's essential that the #UNSC meets immediately on this extremely concerning attack. pic.twitter.com/0kb81sB6qA
More talks on the cards
Turkey’s Foreign Minister has said Ankara wants to bring Russia and Ukraine’s top diplomats together for talks during an international diplomacy forum in the country next week.
Speaking to reporters in Brussels where he attended a Nato meeting today, Mevlut Cavusoglu said Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has confirmed his attendance at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum to be held in the Mediterranean coastal city between 11 and 13 March.
Cavusoglu said a meeting between Lavrov and Ukraine’s Dmytro Kuleba could be possible.
But he added that he was not certain Ukrainian officials would be able to attend.
Turkey, which has close ties to both Ukraine and Russia, has been trying to balance its relations with both.
It has repeatedly offered to mediate between the two.
If anyone in Dublin wants to show their support for the people of Ukraine at this time, there’ll be a demonstration outside the GPO tomorrow at 2pm.
“As we fight for the independence and democracy, for freedom of choice and European values of civilised world – come and support us!” the organisers, Ukrainians in Ireland, said.
Companies and organisations are continuing to demonstrate their opposition to President Putin’s action.
Microsoft has announced it will suspend all new sales of Microsoft products and services in Russia. The company has said it is also coordinating with the US, EU and UK to stop “many aspects of our business” in Russia in compliance with recently announced sanctions.
Separately, the Michelin Guide. the French food bible, announced today it is suspending its restaurant recommendations in Russia.
“Given the severity of the current crisis… we have made the choice not to promote Moscow as a destination,” the Michelin group said in a statement.
It added that the Moscow selections would not be updated this year and the guide’s “development projects in Russia have been put on ice for the time being”.
The guide has also suspended publications about Russian restaurants on its social networks, website, and app.
If you were listening to RTÉ’s Liveline this afternoon you may have heard Fr Fergal MacDonagh, who was protesting outside the Russian Embassy in Dublin:
Dublin priest Fr. Fergal MacDonagh went down to the Russian Embassy in the last hour and threw a tin of red paint at the entrance as his way of protesting the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He says it's his way of letting Ukrainians know that he supports them.
— Liveline (@rteliveline) March 4, 2022
The Irish Families Through Surrogacy group has confirmed that the families of four babies in Kyiv were given assistance to bring their children out of Ukraine.
Parents, Gavin and Lesley-Anne Grimes said they wanted to highlight how relieved and thankful they are to the country of Ukraine and its people.
“We want everyone to know what a truly amazing place it is and how wonderful the Ukrainian people are,” they said.
“Our surrogate mother is safe and with her family. We are in daily contact to offer support in these difficult times. Our thoughts, prayers and love are with the people of Ukraine who have given so much to Ireland.”
The Irish Times is reporting on an interview Russia’s ambassador to Ireland gave to the state-owned Russia 24 television station.
Yury Filatov reportedly said protesters outside the embassy in Dublin were “rough and really aggressive” and described Ireland as being to the forefront of anti-Russian events in the EU.
Just in: Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has said he is ready for Ukraine dialogue if ‘all Russian demands’ met.
Speaking this afternoon to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, he denied that the Russian army was bombing Ukrainian cities.
In a one-hour call between the two leaders, Scholz called on Putin to stop all hostilities in Ukraine and allow access for humanitarian aid.
BBC’s director general Tim Davie has said the corporation is halting its coverage in Russia, as new legislation passed “appears to criminalise independent journalism”.
“It leaves us no other option than to temporarily suspend the work of all BBC News journalists and their support staff within the Russian Federation while we assess the full implications of this unwelcome development,” he added.
Interim director Jonathan Munro has also confirmed the decision:
It’s with a heavy heart that we have had to suspend @BBCNews operations in Russia until we assess impact of new laws which outlaw independent journalism. Thoughts with colleagues in Moscow whose voices cannot be silenced for long.
— Jonathan Munro (@jonathancmunro) March 4, 2022
The Irish Red Cross has been appealing for pledges from the public for spare rooms and vacant properties to help shelter Ukrainian refugees.
So far 180 pledges have been received and some €6 million has been donated to the Ukraine crisis appeal, the organisation said today.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen is speaking in Brussels now:
Together 🇪🇺🇺🇸 have deployed sanctions in record time.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) March 4, 2022
The rouble is tumbling. Inflation has risen in Russia. Banks are cut-off from global markets.
Now, one after another, Western companies are stopping production, investment and sales. https://t.co/6yMdJU48Vr
Von der Leyen is joined by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken who is speaking now about this photograph of a father crying over the body of his teenage son, who was killed in the city of Mariupol. The boy was on a soccer field when shelling began.
https://twitter.com/AP/status/
A man in the Ukraine port city of Mariupol collapses in grief as he mourns the death of his 16-year-old son, Iliya, killed on a soccer field amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. https://t.co/mLRj3LxrCK
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 4, 2022
He said this situation is really about the lives of men, women and children, and the hundreds of thousands of individual tragedies inflicted on them by President Putin.
“It’s also about an assault on some very basic principles we established together after two world wars to ensure there wasn’t another one,” he said.
Rónán Duffy here continuing the liveblog for the evening.
Ірландія солідарна з усіма українцями. Ми вітаємо всіх тих, хто приїжджає в нашу країну в пошуках притулку від цієї трагедії.
— Roderic O’Gorman TD (@rodericogorman) March 4, 2022
Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman is outlining the government’s response to the offers of help and accomodation Irish people have pledged.
He says that irish people are “generously stepping up to play their part” in responding to the humanitarian and that these offers of help are being recorded:
The government is preparing a major response. All Ukrainians seeking refuge in Ireland will be taken care of. We appreciate the outpouring of offers of accommodation and support in the coming weeks. This will prove really important as part of our national response. Right now, we’re working with the Irish Red Cross to record all offers of help from Irish people. Work is ongoing to put in place a national pledge portal to help coordinate offers of support. We’ll have this portal up and running shortly.
Many will be asking how can I best respond right now? Today, we encourage you to give financial support to aid agencies and international organisations who are working on the grounds on Ukraine’s western borders, follow Irish charities like the Red Cross for more information, the government will provide further updates over the coming days.
As we know Ireland has a proud record when it comes to supporting those fleeing violence. When we reflect on our own history of war and hunger, it’s incumbent upon us to do what we can. I really want to thank the Irish people for opening their hearts and their homes. And we will continue working to support those fleeing the war in Ukraine.
As mentioned earlier, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken was in Brussels today to meet with both NATO and EU officials.
Blinken said the allies have to sustain the pressure on the Kremlin “until the war is over”.
He warned that if the West allowed Russia to violate international principles “with impunity, then we’re opening a Pandora’s box in every corner of the world”.
NATO of course rejected pleas from Ukraine to impose a no-fly zone to halt Russia’s bombing.
After Russia’s media watchdog Roskomnadzor earlier restricted access independent media websites, forcing the BBC to halt coverage, it has now confirmed that it has blocked access to Facebook.
A protest is set to take place outside the GPO tomorrow to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
It follows a series of protests held over the last week in Irish towns and outside the Russian Embassy.
There were more protests outside the Russian Embassy today.
Earlier this week, we asked for your questions about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
We received dozens of emails asking about aspects of the war and the lead up to it.
Some more evidence of the horrendous weaponry being used in Ukraine that may not be cleared for years to come.
Nick Waters of Bellingcat shows evidence of cluster munitions, which disperse many smaller explosives that often don’t detonate and can be left behind for years when they are often kill or maim children.
First example of air-dropped cluster munition I've seen.
— Nick Waters (@N_Waters89) March 4, 2022
An RBK-500, reportedly in Zatoka, Odessa. These are extremely nasty and can drop hundreds of submuntions. pic.twitter.com/f8AO5TVHTR
A Russian politician has spoken out about what she says are heavy losses being suffered by some military units fighting in Ukraine.
Lyudmila Narusova, a member of Russia’s upper house of parliament, the Federation Council, said during livestreamed proceedings that she knew of one company which was meant to be 100 strong but “only four were left alive” when the unit was withdrawn.
Narusova, the widow of President Vladimir Putin’s former political mentor Anatoly Sobchak, did not present evidence for her claims and said the defence ministry had refused her request to confirm the reported casualties.
Russia said on Wednesday 498 of its troops had been killed in Ukraine and has not updated that number since. Ukraine claims that the true number of Russian casualties is far higher.
Nick Clegg, President of Global Affairs for Facebook’s parent company Meta, on the decision by Russia to block access to Facebook.
On the Russian government's decision to block access to Facebook in the Russian Federation: pic.twitter.com/JlJwIu1t9K
— Nick Clegg (@nickclegg) March 4, 2022
My colleague Rónán Duffy has logged off for the week, and it’s Gráinne Ní Aodha here continuing on the Liveblog for a bit.
We’ll start with this stunning photo of Trim Castle lit up in the colours of Ukraine’s flag.
Caisleán Baile Átha Troim I ndáthana na Úcráin. pic.twitter.com/aXWNIPPEBs
— Peadar Tóibín (@Toibin1) March 4, 2022
Important to note the strength of the protests in support of Ukraine in the Georgia, Chechnya and Moldova – they will be fearful of the same happening to them.
Both former Soviet nations Georgia and Moldova applied to join the European Union yesterday.
Massive pro-Ukraine rally tonight in Tbilisi, Georgia - a country invaded by Russia in 2008 pic.twitter.com/LtVBcwv11b
— Matthew Luxmoore (@mjluxmoore) March 4, 2022
The latest line from the White House on where they stand militarily.
The President has made it clear US troops are not going to fight in Ukraine, including in the skies over Ukraine - @PentagonPresSec
— Mary Walsh (@CBSWalsh) March 4, 2022
Facebook, the BBC and Twitter are now blocked for users in Russia.
This will be part of Vladimir Putin’s strategy to win the information war.
Russia has blocked twitter - Reuters, citing Interfax news agency.
— Idrees Ali (@idreesali114) March 4, 2022
A similar demonstration is planned for Dublin tomorrow, beginning at the GPO at 2pm.
🇺🇦Huge rally in support of Ukraine, led by the main Ukrainian community organisations in the UK, is planned for tomorrow in Trafalgar Square, London starting at midday. Thousands expected to attend. 🇺🇦
— Christopher Hope📝 (@christopherhope) March 4, 2022
We’re going to close the Liveblog for today. To catch up with the latest for the rest of the evening, follow our main points piece.
We also have this Q&A of the questions readers have been sending in about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and what it all means.
For now, that’s all.
Président @ZelenskyyUa speaking to the demonstrators in Prague !pic.twitter.com/miv60wapZW
— Simone Rodan-Benzaquen (@srodan) March 4, 2022
- With reporting from PA and AFP.
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