Russia-Ukraine War Live Updates: Putin seems at massive rally as troops press assault in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised his nation’s troops at an enormous flag-waving rally in Moscow as Russian forces strike Ukrainian cities from a distance once more, pounding the capital of Kyiv and the nation’s west. The conflict is now in its fourth week. Russian troops have did not take Kyiv — a significant goal of their hopes of forcing a settlement or dictating Ukraine’s future political alignments — however have wreaked havoc and devastation.

Ukrainian firefighters extinguish a blaze at a warehouse after a bombing in Kyiv, Ukraine, March 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

The UN migration company says the combating has displaced practically 6.5 million individuals inside Ukraine, on prime of the three.2 million refugees who’ve already fled the nation. Ukraine says 1000’s have been killed.

The head of the Russian delegation in talks with Ukrainian officers says the events have come nearer to an settlement on a impartial standing for Ukraine — one of many key Russian calls for as its offensive continues. Vladimir Medinsky mentioned Friday that the edges even have narrowed their variations on the difficulty of Ukraine dropping its bid to affix NATO.

But Mikhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, tweeted: “Our positions are unchanged. Ceasefire, withdrawal of troops & strong security guarantees with concrete formulas.”

The United States and its allies have put a slew of sanctions in place geared toward crippling the Russian economic system. Hundreds of worldwide corporations have introduced that they’re curbing operations in Russia, and those that stay are underneath strain to tug out.

Pope Francis on Friday denounced what he referred to as the “perverse abuse of energy” in Russia’s conflict in Ukraine and referred to as for help for Ukrainians whose id, historical past and custom are underneath assault. Francis’ feedback had been a few of his strongest but in asserting Ukraine’s proper to exist as a sovereign state.

Aid businesses are ramping up their efforts to ship aid provides to civilians affected by the combating and refugees who’ve fled Ukraine. The Polish metropolis of Rzeszow, about 100 km from the Ukrainian border, has change into a humanitarian hub for the area.