GENEVA (AP) — Russia’s military pushed ahead with its attacks on Ukraine on Tuesday, but Ukrainian forces slowed the advance of the invasion and the United States and its allies imposed sweeping sanctions in response to attacks that have shocked the world.
A top Ukrainian official said Tuesday that Russian forces had been slowed by logistical problems and fierce resistance from Ukrainian troops, and had only managed to seize one city, Berdyansk, on the Sea of Azov. The official said that Russian armored vehicles had been seen heading toward the capital, Kyiv, from the north, and were expected to try to encircle the city.
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine early Thursday, saying that he wanted to “denazify” the country and protect Russian-speakers there. But Western leaders have condemned the invasion as an unprovoked act of aggression and have accused Putin of lying about the reasons for the attack.
The United States and the EU have announced sweeping sanctions on Russia, including measures that will freeze the assets of Russian banks and individuals and restrict the country’s access to key technologies. The sanctions are designed to cripple the Russian economy and force Putin to withdraw his troops from Ukraine.
Russia has warned that it will retaliate against the sanctions, and has already banned the export of some goods. The sanctions are likely to have a significant impact on the Russian economy, which is heavily dependent on energy exports.
The UN refugee agency estimates that more than 660,000 people have fled Ukraine since the invasion began, and has warned that the number could reach 4 million in the coming weeks. The UN Security Council will meet to discuss the crisis in Ukraine on Tuesday, and a vote on a resolution condemning the invasion is expected.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has raised fears of a wider conflict in Eastern Europe. The United States and NATO have warned that they will not send troops to Ukraine, but have said that they will provide military and financial assistance to the Ukrainian government.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appealed to the international community to provide Ukraine with more weapons and support. Zelensky has said that he is open to talks with Putin, but has rejected any suggestion that Ukraine will surrender.
The situation in Ukraine is fluid and rapidly evolving. This is a developing story, and we will continue to update it as more information becomes available..
