Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: Latest developments

Here are the latest developments in Russia’s attack on Ukraine:

Putin puts nuclear forces on alert

The United States and Germany slam Russian President Vladimir Putin for putting his nuclear forces on alert, saying he was again “manufacturing threats that don’t exist” because his invasion of Ukraine “has been halted”.

ALSO READ: Putin nuclear alert ‘totally unacceptable’: US

Russian army having problems

Russia’s invasion force has lost momentum and is having logistical and supply problems after facing stiff Ukrainian resistance, the White House claims.

US officials say it has failed to gain air superiority as Moscow admits to killed and injured soldiers.

Driven from Kharkiv

Ukraine claims to have expelled Russian troops from its second city Kharkiv in the east of the country after Russian armoured vehicles got through its defences.

ALSO READ: Ukraine army secures Kharkiv, expelling Russian troops, says governor

Kyiv holds out

Ukraine says it is holding the line around the capital Kyiv but was fighting Russian “sabotage groups” that had infiltrated the city.

Talks near Chernobyl

Ukraine agrees to hold talks with Russia at its border with Belarus – near the Chernobyl exclusion zone – after a call between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko.

Kremlin’s ‘big push’

The talks come as Russia orders an advance “from all directions”. It claims to have besieged the southern cities of Kherson close to Crimea and Berdyansk on the Sea of Azov.

Nearly 400,000 refugees

The UN’s refugee agency says tens of thousands are fleeing the fighting, with most crossing into Poland as the total tally reaches 400,000. Others are seeking shelter in Hungary, Romania, Moldova and Slovakia.

Pope calls for humanitarian corridors

Pope Francis calls for humanitarian corridors for civilians to escape the fighting.

2,000 more Russian protesters held

Russia arrests more than 2,000 anti-war protesters across the country Sunday, bringing to 5,250 the number held for demonstrating against the attack.

World’s biggest plane destroyed

Ukraine’s Antonov-225 cargo plane – the world’s largest – is destroyed by Russian strikes on the recaptured Gostomel airport outside Kyiv.

Turkey may block straits

Turkey says it is implementing the treaty giving it the power to limit warships passing through the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus straits to the Black Sea after Ukraine appealed to Ankara to close it to Russian ships.

Russia climate chief apologises for invasion

The Russia delegation head at a major climate conference apologises for his country’s invasion of Ukraine, saying he failed to “find any justification for the attack”.

Thousands march for Ukraine

Hundreds of thousands of people around the world take part in Ukraine solidarity marches from Berlin to Baghdad to Quito, with many chanting “shame” on Putin.

EU’s toughest ever sanctions

Brussels announces swingeing new sanctions against Russia and Belarus as well as help to transport weapons worth 450 million euros to Ukraine, after crippling part of Moscow’s international trade by removing some Russian banks from the SWIFT interbank system.

‘Democratic skies’ close to Russia

Canada and EU nations close their airspaces to Russian aircraft in protest at the invasion with curbs also put on oligarchs, Putin and his Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Europe sends arms

Germany breaks a long tradition by sending 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 “Stinger” surface-to-air missiles to help Ukraine. Sweden puts its neutrality aside to dispatch weapons to a war zone for the first time since Hitler and Stalin invaded neighbouring Finland in 1939.

ALSO READ: Ukraine launches website for Russians to find killed soldiers

Trump praises Putin

Former US president Donald Trump praises Putin as “smart” after earlier describing Putin’s invasion plan as a “genius” move.

Putin’s judo blow

But the Russian president is suspended as honorary president of the International Judo Federation.

Oligarch: ‘War not the answer’

Billionaire financier Mikhail Fridman, one of Russia’s richest men, calls for the bloodshed to end, saying this “will cost lives and damage two nations who have been brothers for hundreds of years”.

Musk activates Starlink for Ukraine

Elon Musk orders his SpaceX’s Starlink satellite service to supply broadband to Ukraine after Russia tries to block internet coverage.

Germany rearms

Germany says it will invest 100 billion euros ($112 billion) in military equipment this year and plough more than two percent of its output into defence annually.

Google cuts tech cash

Google follows Facebook in preventing Russian state media from earning money on its platforms in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

ALSO READ: Facebook bans Russia state media from running ads, monetising

‘Expel Russia from World Cup’

World Cup champions France say Russia should be expelled from the tournament in November after the Czech Republic, Sweden and Poland boycott play-off matches against them. England also refuse to play them.