Russia’s main aim in Ukraine is now the “liberation” of the eastern Donbas region, the Kremlin has said, confirming an apparent scaling back of invasion plans.
Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s defence minister, claimed the “main targets of the first stage of this operation have been reached” allowing the army to move onto the Donbas region that borders Russia.
It is the strongest indication yet that Vladimir Putin’s aims of war are changing, after Ukrainian resistance denied him the quick victory he wanted. One month in, Russia has failed to capture any major city and has suffered heavy losses.
But Shoigu insisted on Tuesday that “the Ukrainian Armed Forces have suffered considerable damage”, adding: “Air superiority has been achieved. The air force and the air defense network have been practically destroyed. The country’s navy is now gone.”
As a fresh round of peace talks gets underway in Turkey, he also vowed to “respond appropriately” if Nato countries go ahead with their plans to supply Ukraine with combat planes and air defence systems.
Follow the latest updates below.
11:10 AM
Pictured: Roman Abramovich at fresh peace talks weeks after ‘poisoning’
Roman Abramovich has been pictured at fresh peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul, just weeks after he suffered a suspected poisoning at a previous meeting.
The Chelsea FC owner is in Turkey for the first face-to-face talks between the two sides in more than a fortnight, beginning on Tuesday, though he is not an official part of the delegations.
It emerged on Monday that the Russian oligarch, who has been sanctioned by the West over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, reportedly suffered peeling skin and temporary blindness following informal negotiations in Kyiv earlier this month.
It prompted Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba to warn: “I advise anyone going for negotiations with Russia not to eat or drink any thing, (and) preferably avoid touching surfaces.”
Ahead of the new talks, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged officials to achieve a ceasefire and “put an end to this tragedy”, saying it paved the way for a meeting of Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky.
11:00 AM
Three killed in rocket strike on Mykolaiv region HQ
At least three people were killed and 22 wounded on Tuesday when a rocket struck the regional administration headquarters in the southern Ukrainian port city of Mykolaiv, Ukrainian emergency services have said.
In an online post, they said 18 of the wounded had been pulled from the rubble by rescue workers who continue to work at the scene.
10:52 AM
Watch: Ukrainians retake control of the eastern town Trostyanets
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10:47 AM
Kremlin denies Abramovich poisoned but confirms role in talks
The Kremlin has come out to deny reports that Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich was poisoned while taking part in peace talks over Ukraine, but confirmed he is acting as an intermediary.
The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that Abramovich and Ukrainian negotiators were targets of a suspected poison attack, potentially by Moscow hardliners seeking to sabotage peace talks.
“This is part of information sabotage, part of an information war,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. “It goes without saying that these reports do not correspond to reality.”
Sources have confirmed to multiple news outlets that the poisoning took place. Asked about the reported poisoning, a Foreign Office spokesman said: “The allegations are very concerning”.
10:36 AM
Kremlin says ‘economic war’ against Russia has changed the game
The Kremlin has warned that foreign companies must understand that the “economic war” against Russia has changed the game, meaning they need to buy roubles and pay for gas in the Russian currency.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated that Russia would not export its gas for free and said Russia was drawing up ways to make gas payments simple, clear and practical, with all options due to be worked out by March 31.
“Companies should take into account the changing conditions and the absolute change in the situation that arose with the economic war against Russia,” Peskov told reporters.
Moscow is seeking to shield itself from Western sanctions. Several leaders in Europe – which is heavily reliant on Russia for its natural gas – have rejected the Kremlin’s demand for rouble payments.
10:30 AM
Russia claims Ukraine’s military capacity is seriously degraded
Russia’s defence minister has claimed that Ukraine’s military capacity had been seriously degraded and restated that the main tasks of the first phase of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine had been completed.
Sergei Shoigu, speaking to officials in a televised meeting, also warned that Russia would respond appropriately if the Nato military alliance supplied Ukraine with planes and air defence systems.
The Interfax news agency quoted him as saying:
[…] Let me speak about the progress of the special military operation conducted by the Russian Armed Forces in Ukrainian territory. On the whole, the main targets of the first stage of this operation have been reached. The combat potential of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has been significantly depleted, which allows us to concentrate attention and our main efforts on the achievement of the primary objective, i.e. the liberation of Donbas.
Air superiority has been achieved. The air force and the air defense network have been practically destroyed.
[…] The country’s navy is now gone. All ground and air assault formations have sustained considerable casualties. […] The Russian Armed Forces will carry on the special military operation until the objectives are achieved.
10:27 AM
Kremlin: Russia and US will need security dialogue sooner or later
The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Russia and the United States would need to have a dialogue on security sooner or later, but that their relations would inevitably be affected by “personal insults” by US president Joe Biden directed at Russian president Vladimir Putin.
“Personal insults cannot but leave their mark on relations between heads of state,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
However, he said: “One way or another, sooner or later, we will have to speak about questions of strategic stability and security and so on.”
10:14 AM
Here’s the latest on today’s Russia-Ukraine peace talks
Security guarantees and organising a ceasefire to resolve humanitarian problems were being discussed at talks in Turkey between Ukraine and Russia on Tuesday, an adviser to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.
“Intensive consultations are underway right now on some important issues, the most important of which is agreement on international security guarantees for Ukraine, because with this agreement we will be able to end the war as Ukraine needs,” political adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said on national television.
“The second issue is a ceasefire to solve all the humanitarian problems that have accumulated,” he said.
He said another problem was the “escalation of the war,” including the “violation of the rules of war”.
10:08 AM
Russian rocket blasts hole in Mykolaiv administration building
A Russian strike has battered the regional government building in the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv, a key port under heavy assault for weeks, trapping 11 people under the rubble.
A large hole was seen in the side of the building with ambulances and fire engines heading to the scene. The area was cordoned off by Ukrainian authorities, with debris littering the streets.
Regional governor Vitaly Kim said that most people inside the building had not been injured but several civilians and soldiers were unaccounted for.
AFP journalists on the scene in the aftermath of the attack said the bodies of two people were pulled from debris.
“We’re clearing the rubble. Half the building was destroyed. My office was hit,” Kim said in a video statement.
“Eight civilians are still under the rubble. We hope to be able to get them out,” Kim said. “We are also looking for three soldiers”.
10:03 AM
UN atomic watchdog chief in Ukraine to discuss nuclear safety
The chief of the UN atomic watchdog, Rafael Grossi, is in Ukraine to discuss “the safety and security” of nuclear sites there, the agency has confirmed.
This is Grossi’s first visit to Ukraine after Russia seized several nuclear facilities, including Chernobyl, during its more than month-long invasion.
“The aim of the director general’s visit is to initiate prompt safety and security support to Ukraine’s nuclear facilities,” the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a statement.
Grossi is holding talks with senior government officials and will travel to one of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants during the week’s visit, the agency said, without specifying which one.
The visit includes the shipment of “vital safety and security supplies” including monitoring and emergency equipment. “The military conflict is putting Ukraine’s nuclear power plants and other facilities with radioactive material in unprecedented danger,” Grossi said.
09:59 AM
Red Cross calls on Russia and Ukraine to agree safe evacuations
The International Committee of the Red Cross has called on Ukraine and Russia to reach a clear agreement for the safe evacuation of civilians from the besieged southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol as vital supplies run out.
Robert Mardini, ICRC director-general, told Reuters that the neutral aid agency would not participate in any forced evacuations of civilians from Ukraine and it had no first-hand information that this is happening.
He also said there was a “disinformation campaign” against the ICRC on social media.
“Our concern is that the very intensity of the fighting is putting civilians in harm’s way, the fact that in places like Mariupol civilians are not able to leave in safe conditions,” Mr Mardini said.
“There were no concrete agreements by parties to the conflict for safe evacuation of civilians, nor has there been a green light to get humanitarian aid in.”
Ukraine and Russia must allow the ICRC to visit captured prisoners of war, in line with the Geneva Conventions, and return the remains of people killed in the conflict, he said.
09:51 AM
Finland ‘must guard against Russia influence’ in Nato debate
Finland expects neighbouring Russia to mount a campaign of disinformation in coming months to influence the Nordic nation’s debate over joining Nato.
Opinion polls show Finnish willingness to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation has soared following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, indicating for the first time a majority are in favour of joining the pact.
A task force led by Finnish foreign minister Pekka Haavisto is currently reviewing ways for Finland to strengthen its national security, including possible Nato membership.
Supo, the intelligence service, said in an updated assessment that “broad influencing and unlawful intelligence operations” by Russia were among the main threats to Finland’s national security.
“Finnish society as a whole should be prepared for various measures from Russia seeking to influence policymaking in Finland on the Nato issue,” Supo Director Antti Pelttari said.
09:32 AM
UN says up to 900,000 people helped so far in Ukraine
UN aid agencies have managed to help up to 900,000 people in Ukraine so far, but warned they must be guaranteed safe passage by the warring parties to be able to do more.
“That’s good but it’s far from enough,” Jens Laerke, a spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said, calling for safe passage for aid workers and convoys.
Separately, Jarno Habicht, the representative for the World Health Organisation in Ukraine, said 72 people had been killed and 40 people injured in 74 attacks on health care facilities so far in the conflict.
09:16 AM
War in Ukraine: latest pictures
09:00 AM
Five things you may have missed
As a fresh round of peace talks begin, here are five key developments from overnight.
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Don’t push us into a corner, Nato told: The Kremlin on Monday night warned Nato not to “push us into a corner” and said Russia felt it was “amongst war” with the West due to severe sanctions.
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Abramovich poison claims ‘very concerning’: The UK’s Foreign Office has described the claims that Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich suffered suspected poisoning during attempts to aid peace talks in Ukraine as “very concerning”.
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Zelensky demands urgent sanctions: Ukraine’s leader has urged Western nations to toughen sanctions quickly against Russia, including an oil embargo, to stop Moscow having a free hand to escalate its measures against his country.
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Amnesty accuses Russia of war crimes: Amnesty International has accused Russia of committing war crimes in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol. The human rights organisation will soon release an in-depth report on the devastation caused by Russia’s assault on the city on the Sea of Azov.
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Biden defends calling for Putin’s removal: The US president said he made “no apologies” for calling for Vladimir Putin’s removal, but claimed he was expressing his “personal feelings” not a new US policy as he defended his off-the-cuff remark.
Read more on these points here.
08:44 AM
Dozens of religious buildings destroyed in war
Ukraine’s military says Russia has destroyed more than 60 religious buildings across the country in just over a month of war.
In a post Tuesday, the military said the Orthodox church, the country’s majority religion, was the most affected. Mosques, synagogues, Protestant churches and religious schools were also destroyed.
In a map provided by the military, the destruction appears concentrated around Kyiv and in the country’s east.
08:30 AM
Watch: Ukraine-Russia negotiators warned to not ‘eat or drink anything’
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08:25 AM
600 Russian spies unmasked in embarrassing blow for Putin
Ukraine has released a list of what it claims are the identities of more than 600 Russian spies, including one who appears to fancy himself as James Bond, in a bid to embarrass Moscow.
The list of 620 agents working for Russia’s FSB security agency, who are meant to stay in the shadows, exposes their passports, phone numbers and even their drinking habits.
One alleged FSB agent, according to the list, has a Skype address that includes the phrase “jamesbond007” as well as the characters “DB9”, referring to Bond’s iconic Aston Martin.
Another agent is said to have a taste for “premium cars”, while a third is a heavy drinker who “systematically violates traffic regulations”.
The leak may lead to smirks in Western intelligence agencies and comparisons to Johnny English, the hapless spy played on film by Rowan Atkinson.
08:05 AM
Peace talks: End this tragedy, negotiators told
Russian and Ukrainian negotiators began face-to-face talks in Istanbul on Tuesday, the official Turkish news agency said, with host Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan urging them to “put an end to this tragedy”.
Speaking just before the talks at the Dolmabahce palace, Erdogan said: “The two parties have legitimate concerns. It’s possible to reach a solution acceptable to the international community.”
“It’s up to the two parties to put an end to this tragedy,” he insisted, adding that the “extension of the conflict is in no one’s interest”.
“The whole world is waiting for good news from you,” Erdogan continued.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was also due to meet the Ukrainian and Russian delegations on Tuesday. Turkey previously hosted talks on March 10 which failed to produce a ceasefire or make much progress.
07:46 AM
Watch: Zelensky urges Western nations to step up sanctions
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07:31 AM
What’s on the table in peace talks?
Formal peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are resuming in Istanbul this morning, hosted by Turkey.
Both sides are meeting face-to-face for the first time in more than a fortnight, having only had lower-scale video calls in the meantime.
But only officials, not ministers or leaders, are attending. And following the collapse of the last round of talks, hopes they will end a month-long war that has killed some 20,000 people and displaced 10 million are slim.
Here are some of the key negotiating positions of each side.
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Russia: wants Ukraine to drop any hope of joining Nato, which Moscow sees as a threat. Its foreign minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday repeated Moscow’s demand for demilitarisation and “denazification” in Ukraine, stated a primary goal as “ending the killing in the Donbas region that has lasted eight years”, and told Kyiv to “stop assimilating itself with the West, with Nato, in the military sense”.
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Ukraine: wants security guarantees of its own as part of any deal, insisting that its “sovereignty and territorial integrity are beyond doubt”, and says any major changes must go to referendum.
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Compromise? Ukainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said over the weekend that compromise might be possible over “the complex issue of Donbas,” the hotly contested region in the country’s east, with Russia determined to expand eastwards during the war.
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Neutrality? Mr Zelensky also said he would be prepared to discuss Ukraine taking on the same neutral status as Austria and Sweden – but only after Russian troops withdraw.
07:13 AM
Peace talks: Russia and Ukraine ‘both have legitimate concerns’
Progress in talks between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in Istanbul on Tuesday would pave the way for a meeting of the countries’ two leaders, Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan told the delegations.
In a televised speech to the negotiators, Erdogan said the time has come for talks to yield “concrete results” and called for an immediate ceasefire, saying that “stopping this tragedy” was up to both sides.
Erdogan told Russian and Ukrainian delegations due to resume face-to-face talks on Tuesday that “both parties have legitimate concerns”.
The talks are due to kick off shortly at the Dolmabahce palace in Istanbul.
07:04 AM
Ukraine aims to open three more safe corridors
Ukraine hopes to open three humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians from besieged towns and cities on Tuesday, deputy prime minister Iryna Vereshchuk said.
She said this would include trying to establish a safe corridor for people to leave the encircled southern port city of Mariupol in private vehicles.
It comes after corridors were shut on Monday because of “provocations” from Russian forces.
The mayor of besieged Mariupol has called for a mass evacuation of everyone there, with around 160,000 people trapped with minimal basic supplies.
06:59 AM
Suspected Abramovich poisoning is ‘worrying development’
The alleged poisoning of Roman Abramovich and Ukrainian negotiators is a “worrying development”, a Government minister has said.
Education minister Will Quince said the UK would be looking to “establish the facts” around the claims.
Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba advised anyone taking part in negotiations not to eat or drink anything during the process.
Asked if that was advice Britain would echo, Mr Quince said: “As much as there is scepticism globally about whether these peace talks will be successful, I desperately hope that they are.”
06:52 AM
What is the latest with fighting around Kyiv?
Ukrainian forces have succeeded in retaking control of the town of Irpin, the local mayor has confirmed.
Oleksandr Markushyn said the satellite town of 60,000 on Kyiv’s north-west fringe was back in Ukraine’s full control. It had been one of the main hotspots of fighting with Russian troops near the capital.
In a video post on Telegram on Monday, he said: “Today Irpin is liberated. Now the sweep is under way.”
However, he cautioned that the citizens of Irpin “understand that there will be more attacks on our town and we will defend it courageously”.
06:49 AM
Actor Sean Penn seeks peace in Ukraine
The actor Sean Penn says he has joined the humanitarian effort in Ukraine by working with charity workers in Lviv, the Ukrainian city closest to the Polish border.
He tweeted a picture on Monday alongside Maksym Kozytskyy, the governor of the Lviv regional state administration.
I was in Lviv, Ukraine today with CORE team, strategizing with local governance & NGO’s to scale up our in-country programs. Good meeting with Gov. Maksym Kozytskyy. To learn more go to https://t.co/snKeUz99Fm or text “CORE” to 24365 to donate. pic.twitter.com/ASHavYHlvy
— Sean Penn (@SeanPenn) March 28, 2022
06:38 AM
Watch: Joe Biden says he ‘makes no apologies’ for calling for removal of Putin
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06:30 AM
Here are some developments from overnight
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Ukraine’s prosecutor general said at least 144 children have died in the war so far, most in Kyiv. The tally did not give a number for the besieged eastern city of Mariupol.
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Bloomberg News said it has suspended its operations in Russia and Belarus. Customers in both countries won’t be able to access any Bloomberg financial products and trading functions for Russian securities were disabled in line with international sanctions, it said. Bloomberg Philanthropies pledged $40 million, meanwhile, in support for Ukrainians and refugees.
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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres launched an effort to achieve a humanitarian cease-fire that would allow aid to be brought in and people to move around safely.
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G7 major economies rejected a Kremlin demand that some countries pay in rubles for Russia’s natural gas. That demand appeared designed to support the Russian currency, which is under pressure from Western sanctions.
06:27 AM
New round of talks aims to stop the fighting in Ukraine
Another round of talks aimed at stopping the war in Ukraine was scheduled for Tuesday as the fighting appeared to hit a stalemate on the ground, with the two sides trading control of a town in the east and a suburb of the capital.
Ukrainian forces retook Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, from Russian troops, who were regrouping to take the area back, president Volodymyr Zelensky said late Monday as he sought to rally the country.
“We still have to fight, we have to endure,” Mr Zelensky said in his nighttime video address to the nation. “We can’t express our emotions now. We can’t raise expectations, simply so that we don’t burn out.”
Ahead of the talks in Istanbul, the Ukrainian president said his country is prepared to declare its neutrality, as Moscow has demanded, in comments that might lend momentum to negotiations.
06:20 AM
‘Poisoning’ reveals Roman Abramovich’s secret role as Russia and Ukraine’s go-between
Sightings of Roman Abramovich have become increasingly rare but, when he was caught on camera at an airport in Israel earlier this month, the change in his appearance was striking.
His hair had turned snowy white, his eyes looked puffy and pink, and the skin on his hands was blotched and scaly.
As we now know, the owner of Chelsea FC believes he had been the victim of a poison attack 11 days earlier, which left him temporarily blind and led to fears for his life and those of two other people.
The three had suffered from peeling skin on their faces and hands, red eyes and constant and painful tearing, sources said, in what was possibly a nerve agent attack.
Mr Abramovich, whose mother is Ukrainian, has been acting as a go-between in peace talks to end the war. His allies suggested he was targeted by hardliners in Moscow intent on sabotaging negotiations to end the war.
05:42 AM
MoD update: ‘Russia still poses a significant threat’
Ukraine has conducted counter attacks northwest of Kyiv, across the cities of Irpen, Bucha and Hostomel, the Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday morning.
“These attacks have had some success and the Russians have been pushed back from a number of positions,” the statement read on Twitter.
“However, Russia still poses a significant threat to the city through their strike capability.”
05:35 AM
Ukraine wakes to air raid sirens ahead of peace talks
Air raid sirens sounded across Ukraine before dawn on Tuesday as negotiators prepare to meet in Turkey for the first round of peace talks in two weeks.
The face-to-face talks in Istanbul come as Amnesty International on Monday night accused the Kremlin of committing war crimes in Mariupol, where Ukrainian officials estimate 5,000 people have been killed in the brutal Russian siege.
“The minimum programme will be humanitarian questions, and the maximum programme is reaching an agreement on a ceasefire,” Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said on national television, which showed the delegation arriving in Istanbul on Monday night.
“We are not trading people, land or sovereignty.”
A senior US official told Reuters on Monday that Vladimir Putin does not appear ready to make compromises to end the war.
Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, said on Monday that Ukraine must not be sold out in peace talks.
05:03 AM
In pictures: How the war is affecting Ukraine
04:52 AM
US says companies are self-sanctioning
The United States has not seen any indications of non-compliance in Asia with export controls on Russia – and companies are even self-sanctioning, a senior US official said on Tuesday.
Major players know there is a significant risk to their business if they don’t comply because of actions the US could take, including fines or criminal penalties, said Matthew Borman, the US Commerce Department Deputy Assistant Secretary for Export Administration.
“We know that Russia is quite dependent upon foreign supplies for some key inputs like semiconductors so I think it will be relatively readily apparent if there is non-compliance and the task will be to trace that back to its origin,” he said.
In Asia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan have joined in the Western-led sanctions effort.
03:21 AM
UN chief calls for Ukraine humanitarian cease-fire
The United Nations chief has launched an initiative to immediately explore the possibility of a “humanitarian cease-fire” in Ukraine.
The ceasefire would allow for desperately-needed aid to be delivered and pave the way for political negotiations to put an end to Russia’s invasion.
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday advised he asked Undersecretary-General Martin Griffiths, the head of the UN’s worldwide humanitarian operations, to explore the possibility of a cease-fire.
It is understood Mr Griffiths has already made some contacts.
The UN General Assembly has previously called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Ukraine twice – on March 2 and on March 24.
03:06 AM
Japan to ban export of luxury goods to Russia
Japan will ban the export of luxury goods to Russia in its latest response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
The ban is effective April 5, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said in a statement on Tuesday.
Prohibited items include luxury cars, motorcycles, liquors, cosmetics, fashion items and art pieces.
01:50 AM
Zelensky urges urgent sanctions
Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Western nations to toughen sanctions quickly against Russia, including an oil embargo, to stop Moscow having a free hand to escalate its measures against his country.
In his nightly video address to Ukrainians, a clearly irritated Mr Zelensky said the West had miscalculated last year in delaying sanctions and the invasion had followed.
“A full-scale war has begun. Now there are many hints and warnings that supposedly tougher sanctions, such as an embargo on Russian oil supplies to Europe, will be put in place if Russia uses chemical weapons,” Ukraine’s president said, occasionally banging his hands on a table.
“There are simply no words… We, people who are alive, have to wait. Doesn’t everything the Russia military has done to date warrant an oil embargo? Don’t phosphorous bombs warrant it? A shelled chemical production facility or a shelled nuclear power plant doesn’t warrant it?”
01:48 AM
Today’s top stories
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Joe Biden said he made “no apologies” for calling for Vladimir Putin’s removal, but claimed he was expressing his “personal feelings” not a new US policy as he defended his off-the-cuff remark
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Roman Abramovich was the suspected victim of poisoning while trying to negotiate a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine earlier this month, it was claimed on Monday night
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Ukraine has released a list of what it claims are the identities of more than 600 Russian spies, including one who appears to fancy himself as James Bond, in a bid to embarrass Moscow
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Russian fighter pilots are unable to handle the high-risk tactics of their Ukrainian counterparts, according to the Kyiv pilots battling them in the skies
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Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, said on Monday that Ukraine must not be sold out in peace talks with Russia, which were restarting in Turkey this week, as Mr Zelensky criticised France and Germany for being too soft on Putin
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Mr Zelensky accused Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, of “mistakes” in his dealings with Moscow and said Emmanuel Macron, the French president, had refused to send him tanks because he was “afraid of Russia”
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Ukrainian forces succeeded in retaking control of the town of Irpin, the local mayor announced on Monday
