Russia has threatened to halt gas supplies to the West through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline.
For the first time since the invasion of Ukraine, Moscow on Monday suggested it had the “full right” to stop supplies and warned that oil prices could surge to $300 a barrel.
Alexander Novak, Russia’s deputy prime minister, said his government had the “full right” to “impose an embargo” on gas supplies. He said the decision to shut off Nord Stream 1 has not yet been taken, and the pipeline is currently operating “at full capacity”.
“In connection with unfounded accusations against Russia regarding the energy crisis in Europe and the imposition of a ban on Nord Stream 2, we have every right to take a matching decision and impose an embargo on gas pumping through the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline,” Mr Novak said in a statement broadcast on state television.
It came after the US sought to ratchet up pressure on Vladimir Putin by saying the West was considering banning Russian oil imports. Oil prices spiked to their highest levels since 2008.
“A rejection of Russian oil would lead to catastrophic consequences for the global market,” Mr Novak said.
Follow the latest updates below.
02:33 AM
Japan freezes oligarchs’ assets
Japan has frozen the assets of an additional 32 Russian and Belarusian officials and oligarchs, the Ministry of Finance announced on Tuesday.
Japan also is banning exports of Russia-bound oil refinery equipment and Belarus-bound general-purpose items that can be used by its military, the ministry said.
01:39 AM
Zelensky accuses Russia of ‘medieval’ tactics
Ukraine’s president has address the nation again in another late-night video, telling his country: “You do not back down. We do not back down”.
Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine’s resistance had made the war “like a nightmare” for Vladimir Putin and he accused Russia of attacking fleeing civilians.
He also accused Moscow of “medieval” tactics.
01:21 AM
Zelensky to address the Commons
MPs will hear from Volodymyr Zelensky about the Ukrainian plight as Boris Johnson continues his diplomatic offensive to encourage Western leaders to punish Russia for the invasion.
Mr Zelensky will address the House of Commons at 5pm on Tuesday by video link after Speaker Lindsay Hoyle approved a request for a “historic address” from the Ukrainian president who, according to reports, is at risk of assassination by pro-Russian groups in Kyiv.
He gave an address to the European Parliament last week and imparted a virtual message to the US Senate on Saturday, with the embattled leader expected on Tuesday to renew messages from those speeches to MPs, including pushing for the West to install a no-fly zone over Ukraine and for more arms to be delivered.
12:20 AM
Pictures capture Ukrainians’ fear in Irpin
12:06 AM
Zelensky: Instead of escape, Ukraine got Russian tanks and rockets
Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, said that instead of an agreement on humanitarian corridors, what Ukraine got on Monday was “Russian tanks, Russian grad rockets, Russian mines”.
“They even mined the roads that were the agreed routes for taking food and medicine to the people, to the children, of Mariupol,” Mr Zelensky said in what has become a daily video address close to midnight. On Monday night he spoke from behind the ornate desk in his official office, visual proof that he remains in Kyiv.
During talks on Monday, the Russians proposed evacuation routes leading to Russia and its ally Belarus, rather than to areas of western Ukraine that remain peaceful.
“It’s just cynicism,” Mr Zelensky said. By opening a small corridor to Russia Moscow is looking only for a propaganda victory, he said.
Mr Zelensky said that on the 12th day of the war, the Ukrainian army is counter attacking and inflicting extremely painful losses on the enemy: “Battles are underway in the centre, in the north and in the south of country – Mariupol and Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Sumy, Odesa and Kyiv, Mykolaiv and Zhytomyr.”
12:06 AM
Moscow threatens to cut gas to Europe via Nord Stream 1
Russia could cut gas supplies via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany, but it has not made such a decision yet, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said.
“In connection with unfounded accusations against Russia regarding the energy crisis in Europe and the imposition of a ban on Nord Stream 2, we have every right to take a matching decision and impose an embargo on gas pumping through the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline,” Novak said in a statement broadcast on state television.
“But so far we are not taking such a decision.”
12:04 AM
UK will do all it can to support Ukraine, says Truss
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said she met with the Ukrainian ambassador to the UK, Vadym Prystaiko, on Monday evening.
She tweeted that the UK is providing military, economic and humanitarian support to Ukraine, “crippling (Vladimir) Putin’s war machine and rallying the international community”.
“The UK will do all we can to support the Ukrainian people. Putin must fail,” she wrote.
Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted (below) that he had a “call with Liz Truss on practical steps to further strengthen Ukraine’s defence capabilities”:
Call with @trussliz on practical steps to further strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities. I underscored the urgent need to impose new sanctions on Russia for its continued barbaric war crimes in Ukraine. Grateful to the UK for standing by Ukraine at this critical time.
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) March 7, 2022
