A three-mile column of Russian troops and tanks has been moving slowly towards Kyiv as the European Union decided for the first time in its history to supply weapons to a country at war. Fighter jets were expected to arrive overnight.
Satellite images taken by space technology company Mazar Technologies showed the Russian deployment about 40 miles from the Ukrainian capital.
In an unprecedented move, the 27-nation EU on Sunday decided for the first time in its history to supply weapons to a country at war.
Describing the move as a watershed moment, EU President Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc would also close its airspace to Russian airlines.
Vladimir Putin put Russia’s nuclear arsenal on standby on Sunday amid growing fears he could deploy weapons of mass destruction to avoid the humiliation of defeat in Ukraine.
Putin blamed the West’s “unfriendly steps” when ordering Russia’s military command to put its nuclear deterrent “into a special mode of combat service”.
01:21 AM
G7 leaders threaten fresh sanctions
Leaders of the G7 threatened fresh sanctions against Russia as the top US diplomat Antony Blinken said the group of wealthy nations was “fully aligned” against Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the United States warned in a joint statement that they would “take further steps” to add to the sanctions already announced if Russia did not cease its operation.
Russian military gains in Ukraine achieved through its ongoing campaign leading to “any change of status” such as the annexation of territory “will not be recognised”, G7 foreign ministers said in a joint statement.
01:18 AM
New York cancels Russian investments
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order Sunday forbidding her state from doing business with Russia, including cancelling its investments there.
The governor also said New York will welcome Ukrainian refugees in response to Russia’s invasion, noting that her state is home to the largest Ukrainian population in the US.
“We have said we’ll open up our hearts, our homes, our resources to the people of the Ukraine, to say, ‘We stand with you,”‘ she said.
Federal estimates show that about 140,000 of more than one million people in the US who report Ukrainian ancestry live in New York.
01:08 AM
Google disables Maps tools to protect Ukrainians
Google confirmed on Sunday it has temporarily disabled in Ukraine some Google Maps tools which provide live information about traffic conditions.
The company said it had taken the action for the safety of local communities in the country, after consulting with sources, including regional authorities.
