Russia-Ukraine war live updates: Vladimir Putin threatens Ukraine’s statehood as bombs continue

Vladimir Putin has threatened the existence of Ukrainian statehood as his invasion hits stiff resistance and his economy is increasingly asphyxiated by sanctions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened the existence of Ukrainian statehood as his army’s invasion of the neighbour faces stiff resistance and his economy is increasingly asphyxiated by sanctions.

In the latest efforts to freeze Moscow out of the world economy, US-based card payment giants Visa and Mastercard announced they will suspend operations in Russia, while world leaders vowed to act over the intensifying onslaught.

“The current (Ukrainian) authorities must understand that if they continue to do what they are doing, they are putting in question the future of Ukrainian statehood,” Putin said on Saturday.

“And if this happens, they will be fully responsible.” Since Russia’s invasion 10 days ago, the economic and humanitarian toll of the war has spiralled, sending more than one million people fleeing Ukraine. Officials have reported hundreds of civilians killed.

Kyiv has urged the West to boost military assistance to the besieged country, including warplanes, with President Volodymyr Zelensky pleading for Eastern European neighbours to provide Russian-made planes that his citizens are trained to fly.

Ukrainian APC as seen on the road in Sytniaky, Ukraine. Russia continues assault on Ukraine's major cities, including the capital Kyiv, more than a week after launching a large-scale invasion of the country. Picture: Getty

Putin meanwhile escalated warnings against NATO, threatening a wider war if a no-fly zone is set up, as his forces resumed their offensive against a key Ukrainian city where security fears stalled a planned evacuation.

While Zelensky criticized NATO for ruling out the no-fly zone, Putin spoke of “colossal and catastrophic consequences not only for Europe but also the whole world” if such a step was taken.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Picture: AFP

“Any movement in this direction will be considered by us as participation in an armed conflict by that country,” Putin said.

He also dismissed rumours that the Kremlin was planning to declare martial law in Russia.

VISA AND MASTERCARD PULL OUT OF RUSSIA

Visa and Mastercard both announced they will suspend operations in Russia, the latest major American firms to join the business freeze-out of Moscow.

Mastercard said it made the decision over the “unprecedented nature of the current conflict and the uncertain economic environment”.

Visa meanwhile said that “effective immediately” it would “work with its clients and partners within Russia to cease all Visa transactions over the coming days”.

Major corporations across a range of industries have halted business in Russia since the invasion, including US-based tech firms such as Intel and Airbnb to French luxury giants LVMH, Hermes and Chanel.

A man reacts in front of an evacuation train at Kyiv train station. Picture: AFP

Visa and Mastercard had already announced that they were complying with US and international sanctions imposed on Russia in the wake of its attack.

However, Russia’s major banks -- including its largest lender Sberbank and the Russia Central Bank -- downplayed the effects that the cards’ suspensions would have on their clients.

The war has already had serious global economic impacts, with the IMF warning that its effects would be “all the more devastating” should the conflict escalate.

Russia’s business and other contacts with the West have been steadily cut. Moscow has suspended all flights by flagship carrier Aeroflot, effective Tuesday.

ZELENSKY SPEAKS TO BIDEN AGAIN

As frantic, top-level diplomatic talks continued, President Zelensky announced on Sunday that he spoke by phone with his US counterpart Joe Biden to discuss financial support and sanctions against Russia.

“As part of the constant dialogue, I had another conversation with @POTUS,” Zelensky tweeted. “The agenda included the issues of security, financial support for Ukraine and the continuation of sanctions against Russia.” Hours earlier, the Ukrainian leader had addressed US lawmakers by video call, pleading for further funding and an embargo on Russian oil imports.

The American legislators promised an additional $10 billion aid package, but the White House has so far ruled out an oil ban, fearing it would ratchet up prices and hurt US consumers already stung by record inflation.

People who have arrived from war-torn Ukraine stand in line at an aid center offering help and information on temporary housing in the main railway station in Krakow, Poland. Picture: Getty

Weapons, ammunition and funds have poured into Ukraine from Western allies as they seek to bolster Kyiv against Moscow’s invasion.

Washington last week authorised $350 million of military equipment -- the largest such package in US history.

While visiting Ukrainian refugees on the Polish border over the weekend, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington was seeking $2.75 billion for the unfurling humanitarian crisis as nearly 1.4 million civilians have fled.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett made a surprise visit to the Kremlin Saturday for three hours of talks -- Putin’s first face-to-face meeting with a foreign leader since the invasion began.

The Israeli leader later spoke with Zelensky.

Kyiv had asked Israel -- which has strong relations with both Russia and Ukraine -- to launch a dialogue with Moscow.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s office said he is to launch an international “plan of action” to ensure Russia’s invasion of Ukraine fails, including a flurry of diplomatic meetings next week.

MORE RUSSIAN BOMBING CONTINUES

On the ground, the strategic city of Mariupol on the Azoz Sea has for days been under siege and without electricity, food and water.

After Russia declared a ceasefire to open a humanitarian corridor, city officials said the population of 450,000 could begin to leave by bus and private cars.

But the officials then delayed the evacuation, saying, “The Russian side does not adhere to the ceasefire and has continued shelling both Mariupol itself and its environs”.

A Russian Defence Ministry spokesman later announced the assault was back on, citing “the unwillingness of the Ukrainian side to... extend the ceasefire”.

The siege came as Russian forces inched closer to the capital Kyiv in an assault that has become ever-more indiscriminate -- and deadly.

Working-class towns such as Bucha and Irpin are in the line of fire, and air raids Friday broke many people’s resolve to stay.

A destroyed Ukrainian army tank in the settlement of Gnutovo outside Mariupol. Picture: AFP

“They are bombing residential areas -- schools, churches, big buildings, everything,” said accountant Natalia Dydenko, glancing back at the destruction she was leaving behind.

Dozens of civilians have been killed in the northern town of Chernihiv. Those remaining live in craters or among ruins.

“There were corpses all over the ground,” a man who gave his name only as Sergei told AFP, as air raid sirens wailed. “They were queueing here for the pharmacy that’s just there, and they’re all dead.” AFP reporters saw scenes of devastation -- despite Moscow’s insistence it is not targeting civilian areas.

A defiant Zelensky said Saturday that Ukrainian forces were counterattacking around Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city, inflicting “such losses on the invaders that they have not seen even in their worst dream”.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba was equally defiant, saying, “Ukraine is bleeding, but Ukraine has not fallen, and stands both feet on the ground... The myth of the unbeatable and almighty Russian army is already ruined.”

PM ‘CONDEMNS’ RUSSIA IN PHONE CALL TO UKRAINE

Scott Morrison has held a private phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky where they both discussed ways Australia could assist further with the war against Russia.

The Prime Minister tweeted on Saturday night that he also “condemned” Russia’s actions on behalf of all Australians.

“Just spoke with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy,” he posted on Twitter.

“He thanked Australia for our military & humanitarian support & extensive sanctions. We discussed ways we could assist further. I praised Ukraine’s courage against Russia’s aggression & condemned Russia’s actions on behalf of us all.”

Just spoke with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. He thanked Australia for our military & humanitarian support & extensive sanctions. We discussed ways we could assist further. I praised Ukraine’s courage against Russia’s aggression & condemned Russia’s actions on behalf of us all. https://t.co/rHiqDa3AFKpic.twitter.com/qE5gO2eODu

— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) March 5, 2022

RUSSIAN CEASEFIRE ‘DELAYED’, TALKS ONGOING

It comes as officials in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, which is surrounded by Russian forces, said they were delaying an evacuation of the civilian population, accusing Moscow’s troops of breaking a ceasefire.

“Due to the fact that the Russian side does not adhere to the ceasefire and has continued shelling both of Mariupol itself and its environs and for security reasons, the evacuation of the civilian population has been postponed,” city officials said in a statement on social media.

Mariupol, a southern city of about 450,000 people on the Azov Sea, was scheduled to begin the evacuations, after Russian forces agreed a ceasefire to allow civilians to leave the fighting.

“We ask all Mariupol residents to disperse and head to places where they can shelter. More information about the evacuation will be posted soon,” municipal officials wrote.

“At the moment, negotiations are underway with Russia to establish a ceasefire and ensure a safe humanitarian corridor,” the statement added.

People remove personal belongings from a burning house after being shelled in the city of Irpin, outside Kyiv. Picture: AFP

UK TV CREW SHOT AND WOUNDED IN UKRAINE

A British television crew was ambushed outside Kyiv earlier this week, leaving one journalist wounded, their employer Sky News said.

Stuart Ramsay, chief correspondent at Sky News, was hit by a bullet in the lower back on Monday as they drove towards the Ukrainian capital.

Sky News showed footage of the attack late Friday.

Two bullets hit a camera operator’s body armour. The five-person crew escaped their car and waslater rescued by Ukranian police.

A Russian saboteur reconnaissance squad is suspected of carrying out the attack, Sky News said.

“Bullets cascaded through the whole of the car, tracers, bullet flashes, windscreen glass, plastic seats, the steering wheel, and dashboard had disintegrated,” Ramsay said in a written account.

The news crew is now safe and back in the UK, while their Ukrainian producer is with his family in Ukraine.

“The point is we were very lucky,” Ramsay said.

“But thousands of Ukrainians are dying, and families are being targeted by Russian hit squads just as we were, driving along in a family saloon and attacked.”

RUSSIA COULD USE CHEMICAL WEAPONS

Russia could now be preparing to use chemical weapons in Ukraine, as they bizarrely warned the European Union of secret biological factories run by Americans in the conflict zone that could accidentally be caught in crossfire.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has again claimed the Kremlin had intelligence pointing to America developing biological chemicals in Ukraine and the West was worried they could “lose control” as Russian forces continued to march on Kyiv.

The claim was interpreted as a possible “red flag” plot by Moscow to launch a chemical attack in the country as their frustrated forces continue to be stymied by Ukrainian resistance.

The Kremlin used such a double play in an address to the UN Security Council emergency meeting yesterday where they were heavily criticised for firing on Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine which started a fire.

The Ukrainian nuclear plant during attack with shell fire by Russian forces. Picture: AFP

Destroyed Russian armored vehicles in the city of Bucha, west of Kyiv. Picture: AFP

But the Russian delegation claimed it was not Russia attacking the plant but rather Ukrainian “terrorists” that fired indiscriminately on their troops and then set fire to power plant offices.

Russia’s envoy to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia dismissed Western uproar over the nuclear power plant and called Friday’s Security Council meeting another attempt by Ukrainian authorities to create “artificial hysteria”.

Yevghen Zbormyrsky, 49, runs in front of his burning house after being shelled in the city of Irpin, outside Kyiv. Picture: AFP

A man removes personal belongings from a burning house after being shelled in the city of Irpin, outside Kyiv. Picture: AFP

He said it was the Ukrainian power plant management that reached an agreement with Russian forces to protect the facility “to prevent the Ukrainian nationalist or other terrorist forces from taking advantage of the current situation to organise a nuclear provocation.”

The claim was dismissed by the West.

People try to get an evacuation train at Kyiv central train station. Picture: AFP

“The world narrowly averted a nuclear catastrophe last night,” US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said.

“Russia’s attack last night put Europe’s largest nuclear power plant at grave risk. It was incredibly reckless and dangerous and it threatened the safety of civilians across Russia, Ukraine and Europe.”

It was Ms Thomas-Greenfield who earlier warned Vladimir Putin would do whatever it took, including using biological and chemical weapons stockpiles, if he believed his war on Ukraine was faltering.

That threat came as the World Bank warned the war would create a world food and energy crisis, would lift prices and would have lasting consequences for Mr Putin and Russia.

“There’s a global outpouring in favour of Ukraine, and that will have lasting consequences, whatever the outcome of the war,” World Bank president David Malpass said, citing what he called “a very clear focus on Putin being the source of the problem.”

Originally published as Russia-Ukraine war live updates: Vladimir Putin threatens Ukraine’s statehood as bombs continue