There have been major developments on day three of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
A massive explosion has rocked the capital Kyiv, where millions are under curfew trying to keep safe.
The US and Europe will bar some Russian companies, banks and individuals from SWIFT
From The New York Times:
The Biden administration and key European allies announced on Saturday that they would remove certain Russian banks from the SWIFT financial messaging system, essentially barring them from international transactions, and impose new restrictions on Russia’s central bank to prevent it from using international reserves to undermine sanctions.
The actions, agreed to by the European Commission, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the United States, represented a significant escalation in the effort to impose severe economic costs on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
“Russia’s war represents an assault on fundamental international rules and norms that have prevailed since the Second World War, which we are committed to defending,” the countries said in a joint statement. “We will hold Russia to account and collectively ensure that this war is a strategic failure for” President Vladimir V. Putin.
Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, said that “cutting banks off will stop them from conducting most of their financial transactions worldwide and effectively block Russian exports and imports.”
Zelenksy speaks with Boris Johnson
President Zelensky of Ukraine has spoken again by phone with Boris Johnson.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said the prime minister “paid tribute to the incredible heroism and bravery of President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people”.
The pair were also said to have “agreed on the need for the international community to isolate Russia completely diplomatically and financially”.
And they “welcomed the increased willingness to take action on excluding Russia from Swift”.
The latest developments on day three of the Russian invasion:
- In Kyiv, a city-wide curfew has come into effect and will last until Monday morning as the city braces for a fresh Russian assualt
- Mayor Vitali Klitschko says anyone seen in the streets will be considered a Russian “saboteur”
- The Netherlands has promised it will send additional military support to Ukraine.
- Pope expresses “his deepest sorrow” in phone call with Zelensky
- Elsewhere, authorities in Ukraine’s second city, Kharkiv, say troops have fought off a Russian attack. A residential area in the town of Okhtyrka has come under heavy shelling
- The leader of Russia’s Chechnya region says he has deployed his fighters to Ukraine to join battle with Russian troops
- Pentagon denies Russia’s claim that it’s “highly likely” US used surveillance drones to help Ukrainian navy
- Hungarian PM Viktor Orban tells the BBC his country will fully support all EU sanctions against Russia
- Germany has dropped its block on the delivery of German-made lethal weapons to Ukraine via third countries
- More than 120,000 people are estimated to have fled Ukraine to countries further west since the invasion
- $4.1 million in cryptocurrency funnelled to Ukrainian military since Russia invaded
