Ukraine war: Biden in Europe, might impose new sanctions | 10 developments

Russian troops bombed areas of Ukraine's capital, Kyiv and the country's port city Mariupol on Wednesday. US President Joe Biden is in Brussels for a series of war-related summit meetings, where he is anticipated to announce new sanctions against Russia. 

The latest 10 developments are here:

1) US President Joe Biden arrived in Europe on Wednesday on a mission to strengthen western unity and to impose unprecedented sanctions against Russia. Biden will hold a news conference at NATO headquarters on Thursday before flying to Poland, which borders Ukraine, on Friday. 

2) Anatoly Chubais, Russia's climate envoy, has resigned and fled the country, citing his opposition to President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine, according to Bloomberg. Chubais was the mastermind behind Russia's post-Soviet economic reforms.

3) Today's NATO, G7, and EU summits will address Russia's February 24 attack on Ukraine. More than 3.6 million refugees have fled Ukraine due to the conflict, which has already resulted in Russia's economy being isolated in an unprecedented manner. 

4) NATO head Jens Stoltenberg stated that the allies would sign off on sending four "battle groups" to eastern members Bulgaria, Hungary, Romanis and Slovakia. He also mentioned cyber-security assistance and equipment to assist Ukraine in protecting itself against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats.

5) Russian troops have used siege tactics and bombardments in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, causing massive destruction and the deaths of many civilians. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko stated that Russian attacks had killed 264 civilians in the city.

6) Satellite images showed massive destruction in Mariupol, a former city of 400,000-person city, with columns of smoke rising from burning residential apartment buildings.

7) Around 100,000 civilians are still trapped in the ruins of Mariupol, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated. 

8) The southern port city is described by Human Rights Watch as a freezing hellscape riddled with dead bodies and destroyed buildings.

9) Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urges people across the globe to take to the streets on Thursday, one month to the day after Russia invaded, demanding to end the war.

10) While talking to CNN, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia would use nuclear weapons in the Ukraine conflict if it were facing an existential threat. 

Also Read: Putin’s advisor, former boss and top aide Anatoly Chubais quits over Ukraine invasion, flees Russia

Also Read: ‘Important’ member: China rebuffs calls to expel Russia from the G20

Also Read: Ukraine to receive old Russian air defence weapons from US: Reports

• Russia-Ukraine crisis
• Russia-Ukraine war
• Ukraine war
• Volodymyr Zelenskyy
• Kyiv
• Ukraine
• Russia
• Joe Biden
• Europe