Ukraine's president says his nation is prepared for peace talks with Russia however not in Belarus, given the Russian ally's position in Moscow's 3-day-old invasion.
Talking in a video message Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy named Warsaw, Bratislava, Istanbul, Budapest or Baku as different venues.
He mentioned different areas are additionally attainable however made clear that Ukraine does not settle for Russia's collection of Belarus.
"Warsaw, Bratislava, Budapest, Istanbul, Baku, we supplied all of them to the Russian facet and we are going to settle for another metropolis in a rustic that hasn't been used for launching missiles," Zelenskyy mentioned.
"Solely then the talks may very well be sincere and put an finish to the struggle."
The Kremlin mentioned Sunday that a Russian delegation had arrived within the Belarusian metropolis of Gomel for talks with Ukrainian officers. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned the delegation consists of army officers and diplomats.
"The Russian delegation is prepared for talks, and we are actually ready for the Ukrainians," Peskov mentioned.
Peskov claimed Ukraine had proposed holding talks in Gomel. He added that the Russian army motion was going ahead pending the talks begin.
Zelenskyy's adviser Mykhailo Podolyak dismissed Moscow's provide as "manipulation," including that "Russia retains mendacity" and emphasising that Ukraine hadn't agreed to talks within the Belarusian metropolis.
Later the Kremlin introduced Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has supplied to assist dealer an finish to combating in Ukraine.
The Kremlin mentioned Bennett advised Russian President Vladimir Putin in a name on Sunday that Israel is able to play mediator. It did not say whether or not the Russian chief accepted the provide.
As hope of peace talks stalled, Russian forces superior on Ukraine's second-largest metropolis with avenue combating breaking out in Kharkiv and Russian troops squeezed strategic ports within the nation's south on Sunday.
The advances appeared to mark a brand new part of Russia's invasion, following a wave of assaults on airfields and gas amenities elsewhere within the nation.
Till Sunday, Russia's troops had remained on the outskirts of Kharkiv, a metropolis of 1.4 million about 20 kilometres south of the border with Russia, whereas different forces rolled previous to press the offensive deeper into Ukraine and Ukrainian fighters put up decided resistance.
Movies posted on Ukrainian media and social networks confirmed Russian autos transferring throughout Kharkiv and Russian troops roaming town in small teams.
One video confirmed Ukrainian troopers inspecting Russian gentle utility autos broken by shelling and deserted by Russian troops on a avenue.
"We're combating, combating for our nation, combating for our freedom as a result of now we have the suitable to do this," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned.
"The previous evening was robust — extra shelling, extra bombing of residential areas and civilian infrastructure. There's not a single facility within the nation that the occupiers would not think about as admissible targets."
Big explosions lit up the sky early Sunday close to the capital, Kyiv, the place terrified residents hunkered down in properties, underground garages and subway stations in anticipation of a full-scale Russian assault.
However Ukrainians additionally volunteered en masse to assist defend Kyiv and different cities, taking weapons distributed by authorities and making ready firebombs to battle Russian forces.
Kyiv a ghost city amid strict curfew
Zelenskyy denounced Russia's offensive as "state terrorism." He mentioned the assaults on Ukrainian cities ought to be investigated by a global struggle crimes tribunal and value Russia its place as one of many 5 everlasting members of the United Nations Safety Council.
"Russia has taken the trail of evil, and the world ought to come to depriving it of its UN Safety Council seat," he mentioned.
Officers maintained a 39-hour curfew to maintain folks off the capital's streets till Monday morning, complicating the duty of assessing the depth of the combating. Zelenskyy's workplace mentioned explosions have been reported at Kyiv Worldwide Airport.
Flames billowed from an oil depot close to an airbase in Vasylkiv, a metropolis 37 kilometres south of Kyiv the place there was intense combating, in keeping with the mayor.
Russian forces blew up a fuel pipeline to the east in Kharkiv, prompting the federal government to warn folks to cowl their home windows with damp fabric or gauze as safety from smoke, the president's workplace mentioned.
Russia's plans unclear
Russian President Vladimir Putin hasn't disclosed his final plans, however Western officers imagine he's decided to overthrow Ukraine's authorities and substitute it with a regime of his personal, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscow's Chilly Struggle-era affect.
The strain on strategic ports within the south of Ukraine appeared geared toward seizing management of Ukraine's shoreline stretching from the border with Romania within the west to the border with Russia within the east.
A Russian Defence Ministry spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, mentioned Russian forces had blocked the cities of Kherson on the Black Sea and the port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea,
Chopping Ukraine's entry to its sea ports that might deal a significant blow to the nation's economic system. It additionally might permit Moscow to construct a land hall to Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014 and till now was linked to Russia by a 19-kilometre bridge, the longest bridge in Europe which opened in 2018.
Russia's army additionally put rising strain on strategic ports within the south of Ukraine, blocking the cities of Kherson on the Black Sea and the port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea.
He mentioned the Russian forces additionally took management of an airbase close to Kherson and the Azov Sea metropolis of Henichesk Ukrainian authorities even have reported combating close to Odesa, Mykolaiv and different areas.
Ukraine's well being minister reported Saturday that 198 folks, together with three youngsters, had been killed and greater than 1,000 others wounded throughout Europe's largest land battle since World Struggle II. It was unclear whether or not these figures included each army and civilian casualties.
The United Nations' refugee company mentioned late Saturday greater than 200,000 Ukrainians have arrived in neighbouring nations because the invasion began Thursday. The U.N. has estimated the battle might produce as many as 4 million refugees, relying how lengthy it continues.
Assist from the West
As Russia pushes forward with its offensive, the West is working to equip the outnumbered Ukrainian forces with weapons and ammunition whereas punishing Russia with far-reaching sanctions supposed to additional isolate Moscow.
The US pledged an extra US$350 million ($484m) in army help to Ukraine, together with anti-tank weapons, physique armour and small arms. Germany mentioned it could ship missiles and anti-tank weapons to the besieged nation and that it could shut its airspace to Russian planes.
The US, European Union and United Kingdom agreed to dam "chosen" Russian banks from the SWIFT international monetary messaging system, which strikes cash round greater than 11,000 banks and different monetary establishments worldwide, a part of a brand new spherical of sanctions aiming to impose a extreme value on Moscow for the invasion. Additionally they agreed to impose "restrictive measures" on Russia's central financial institution.
Responding to a request from Ukraine's minister of digital transformation, tech billionaire Elon Musk mentioned on Twitter that his satellite-based web system Starlink was now lively in Ukraine and that there have been "extra terminals en route."
Putin despatched troops into Ukraine after denying for weeks that he supposed to take action, all of the whereas increase a drive of virtually 200,000 troops alongside the nations' borders.
He claims the West has did not take severely Russia's safety issues about NATO, the Western army alliance that Ukraine aspires to hitch. However he has additionally expressed scorn about Ukraine's proper to exist as an impartial state.
A senior US defence official mentioned Saturday that greater than half of the Russian fight energy amassed alongside Ukraine's borders had entered the nation and Moscow has needed to commit extra gas provide and different assist models inside Ukraine than initially anticipated.
The official spoke on situation of anonymity to debate inner US assessments.
Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is aimed solely at army targets, however bridges, colleges and residential neighbourhoods have been hit.
Ukraine's ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, mentioned troops in Kyiv have been combating Russian "sabotage teams."
Ukraine says some 200 Russian troopers have been captured and hundreds killed. Moscow has not supplied casualty figures.
Markarova mentioned Ukraine was gathering proof of shelling of residential areas, kindergartens and hospitals to undergo a global struggle crimes courtroom in The Hague as attainable crimes in opposition to humanity.
The Worldwide Felony Court docket's prosecutor has mentioned he's monitoring the battle intently.