LVIV/KYIV: Russia said its forces had stopped firing near two Ukrainian cities on Saturday to allow safe passage to civilians fleeing fighting, but was continuing its broad offensive in Ukraine, where the capital Kyiv came under renewed assault.
The Russian defence ministry said its units had opened humanitarian corridors near the cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha which were encircled by its troops, Russia's RIA news agency reported.
In Mariupol, citizens would be allowed to leave during a five-hour window, it quoted the city's officials as saying.
There was no immediate confirmation that firing had stopped and it was not clear if the ceasefire would be extended to other areas, or how long it would last, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine entered into its tenth day.
The Russian defence ministry said a broad offensive would continue in Ukraine, RIA said.
Aid agencies have warned of an unfolding humanitarian disaster as food, water and medical supplies run short and refugees stream into western Ukraine and neighbouring European countries.
A Ukrainian negotiator had said on Thursday that a second round of ceasefire talks with Russia had not yielded the results Kyiv hoped for, but both sides had reached an understanding on creating humanitarian corridors. Mykhailo Podolyak said the two sides envisaged a possible temporary ceasefire in some areas to allow evacuations of citizens.
In the southeastern port city of Mariupol - a key prize - there is no water, heat or electricity and food is running out, according to Mayor Vadym Boychenko.
"We are simply being destroyed," he said.
Ukraine’s state service of special communications and protection of information says Russian forces have focussed efforts on encircling Kyiv and Kharkiv, the second-biggest city, while aiming to establish a land bridge to Crimea.
Kyiv, in the path of a Russian armoured column that has been stalled outside the Ukrainian capital for days, was again under attack, with explosions audible from the city centre.
Ukrainian media outlet Suspilne cited authorities in Sumy, about 300 km (190 miles) east of Kyiv, as saying that there is a risk of fighting in the city's streets, urging residents to stay in shelters.
President Vladimir Putin's actions have drawn almost universal condemnation, and many countries have imposed heavy sanctions as the West balances punishment with avoiding a widening of the conflict.
INFORMATION WAR
Russia's parliament passed a law on Friday imposing a prison term of up to 15 years for spreading intentionally "fake" news about the military.
"This law will force punishment - and very tough punishment - on those who lied and made statements which discredited our armed forces," said Vyacheslav Volodin, the chairman of the Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament.
Russia is blocking Facebook for restricting state-backed channels and the websites of the BBC, Deutsche Welle and Voice of America.
CNN and CBS News said they would stop broadcasting in Russia, and other outlets removed Russian-based journalists' bylines as they assessed the situation.
MORE SANCTIONS ON THE WAY?
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is expected to press Washington for more help in a Zoom call with the full U.S. Senate at 9:30 a.m. ET (1430 GMT) on Saturday.
The United States is weighing cuts to imports of Russian oil and ways to minimise the impact on global supplies and consumers as lawmakers fast-track a bill that would ban Russian energy imports. Global oil prices surged over 20% this week on fears of supply shortages, posing a risk to global economic growth.
At a meeting on Friday, NATO allies rejected Ukraine's appeal for no-fly zones, saying they were increasing support but that stepping in directly could make the situation worse.
"We have a responsibility ... to prevent this war from escalating beyond Ukraine because that would be even more dangerous, more devastating and would cause even more human suffering," said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.
Zelenskiy slammed the summit as "weak" and "confused."
"It was clear that not everyone considers the battle for Europe's freedom to be the number one goal," he said.
More EU sanctions were coming, potentially including a ban on Russian-flagged ships in European ports and blocking imports of steel, timber, aluminium or coal, said Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney.
Ukraine's military said in a statement on Saturday that armed forces "are fighting fiercely to liberate Ukrainian cities from Russian occupiers," counterattacking in some areas and disrupting communications.
"Units of the invaders are demoralized, soldiers and officers of the occupying army continue to surrender, flee, leaving weapons and equipment on Ukrainian soil," it said, adding that at least 39 Russian plans and 40 helicopters had been destroyed. Reuters has not been able to independently verify such accounts.
Thousands of people waited for hours on Friday outside the railway station at the western city of Lviv to board trains heading to Poland. Families arrived with few belongings. Some were in wheelchairs, others accompanied by pet dogs and cats, uncertain about their fate.
"All we took with us is the bare necessities," said Yana Tebyakina. "A change of clothes. That's it. All the rest we left behind, all our lives stayed back at home." Read full story
Russian forces have made their biggest advances in the south, where they captured their first sizeable Ukrainian city, Kherson, this week. Bombing has worsened in recent days in the northeast cities of Kharkiv and Chernihiv.
READ MORE: Russia-Ukraine crisis: What led to the attacks and the latest developments
Reuters
Sat Mar 05 2022
Fire is seen in Mariupol at a residential area after shelling amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine March 3, 2022, in this image obtained from social media. - Twitter/AyBurlachenko/via REUTERS
PM Albania didakwa bersekongkol dalam 'empayar jenayah'
Parlimen Albania pada Khamis bertukar menjadi medan pertempuran, apabila ratusan penunjuk perasaan anti kerajaan yang juga penyokong kuat pembangkang, berhimpun di perkarangan bangunan itu. Keadaan menjadi agresif apabila himpunan yang menolak kepimpinan Perdana Menteri, Edi Rama itu bersemuka dengan polis yang cuba mengawal keadaan di lokasi.
Seorang maut, puluhan cedera kemalangan trem di Rusia
Rakaman video kamera litar tertutup (CCTV) menunjukkan trem tersebut dilihat bergerak laju di sepanjang laluan trem di Kemerovo dengan dua penumpang terkeluar daripada trem.
'Bekal senjata kepada Ukraine? Tunggu padahnya...'
Negara yang bersekongkol membekalkan senjata buat Ukraine khususnya negara-negara barat dalam berdepan perang ketika ini pasti akan menerima padahnya.
Begitu kenyataan yang berbaur ancaman dibuat oleh Jurucakap pusat pentadbiran Kremlin di Rusia, Dmitry Peskov pada Khamis.
Begitu kenyataan yang berbaur ancaman dibuat oleh Jurucakap pusat pentadbiran Kremlin di Rusia, Dmitry Peskov pada Khamis.
Sepanyol sertai Afrika Selatan, Ireland heret Israel ke ICJ
Sepanyol tampil tegas dengan menyertai gema suara Afrika Selatan di Mahkamah Jenayah Antarabangsa (ICJ) dalam mengheret Israel ke muka pengadilan. Negara yang bersama menjadi anggota Kesatuan Eropah (EU) itu tidak gentar sama sekali dengan pendirian berbeza dari negara-negara lain dibawah blok barat itu, malah sebelum ini dengan beraninya mengisytiharkan Palestin sebagai sebuah negara rasmi.
Pemandu teksi 'korbankan' kereta demi hidupkan semula minat membaca
Semuanya bermula dua tahun lepas dan dia menggerakkan “Teksi Buku” kerana mahu semua orang dapat membaca, tak kira di mana, dan tidak kira miskin atau kaya.
Hubungan anak angkat, keluarga asal beza agama tetap utuh
Perkongsian kisah Halimah Enn, jemaah haji dari Sarawak yang selama 60 tahun dilimpahi kasih sayang tidak berbelah bagi daripada keluarga asal dan keluarga angkat, yang menjadikannya sentiasa bersyukur kepada Allah s.w.t
'Data untuk rakyat', 'Cyber Security untuk rakyat' lengkapkan pengetahuan
Menteri Digital Gobind Singh Deo memaklumkan, Program ‘Data untuk Rakyat’ dan ‘Cyber Security untuk Rakyat’ bakal diperkenalkan bagi melengkapkan rakyat Malaysia dengan pengetahuan dan kefahaman mendalam berkaitan teknologi digital
Kadar kebolehpasaran graduan KPKM 72.3 peratus pada 2022
Kadar kebolehpasaran graduan pusat bertauliah Kementerian Pertanian dan Keterjaminan Makanan (KPKM) pada tahun 2022 adalah sebanyak 72.3 peratus berbanding 66.3 peratus pada tahun 2021.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Berita tempatan pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Berikut adalah berita yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang Khamis, 6 Jun 2024.
13 maut, puluhan cedera ditembak secara rambang di sekolah
Suspek yang menggunakan dua pucuk pistol itu juga dilaporkan membunuh diri selepas melepaskan tembakan secara rambang.
Krisis Ukraine-Rusia: Apa punca sebenar?
Prof Mizan berpendapat, ketegangan antara dua negara itu boleh dikurangkan sekiranya Ukraine menangguhkan hasratnya menyertai NATO.
Krisis Rusia-Ukraine: Macron adakan pertemuan dengan Putin
Pemimpin Perancis itu berkata menyasarkan untuk "berdialog dengan Rusia dan mengurangkan ketegangan" melalui rundingan itu.
Rusia arah jet pejuang iringi pesawat peninjau AS di Laut Hitam
Hubungan dua hala antara AS dan Russia berada pada tahap terendah sejak Kesatuan Soviet berpecah pada 1991.
COVID-19: Kes positif cecah 202 juta dengan 4.2 juta kematian
Kes positif kini meningkat kepada 202 juta, dengan Amerika Syarikat kekal negara paling terjejas dengan lebih 35.7 juta kes.
Olimpik Tokyo: Syaqiera Mashayikh pamer panahan cemerlang sebelum tewas
Pemanah muda negara, Syaqiera Mashayikh, mempamerkan panahan cemerlang sebelum tewas 4-6 kepada peserta dari Jawatankuasa Olimpik Russia, Elena Osipova, dalam pusingan 32 acara recurve individu.
Pesawat Rusia bawa 28 penumpang dilaporkan hilang
Sebuah pesawat AN-26 Russia dengan 28 orang penumpang dilaporkan hilang di semenanjung Kamchatka di timur Russia, kata pihak berkuasa hari ini.
Menuju puncak! Sara Sofea yang pernah tawan Gunung Elbrus raih 9A SPM
Ternyata penglibatan dalam aktiviti sukan lasak tidak menghalang remaja berusia 18 tahun ini mencatat keputusan cemerlang 9A dalam peperiksaan Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), baru-baru ini.
COVID-19: Kes jangkitan melebihi 141 juta, korban lebih 3 juta
Angka kes positif kini meningkat kepada 141.01 juta, dengan Amerika Syarikat kekal negara paling terjejas dengan lebih 31.6 juta kes.
Tahniah! Filem 'Belaban Hidup: Infeksi Zombie' muncul filem terbaik festival filem di Rusia
Filem indie, 'Belaban Hidup: Infeksi Zombie' memenangi kategori Filem Terbaik dan Filem Seram Terbaik di International Symbolic Art Film Festival (ISAFF) di St Petersburg, Rusia.