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LIVE UPDATES: More Than 2.7 Million Ukrainians Wish to Evacuate to Russia - MoD

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Ukrainian radicals continue to use civilians as a "live shield" and there are already over 2.7 million people who wish to evacuate to Russia, the head of the... 19.03.2022, Sputnik International

2022-03-19T22:26+0000

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LIVE UPDATES: More Than 2.7 Million Ukrainians Wish to Evacuate to Russia - MoD

22:26 GMT 19.03.2022

Ukrainian radicals continue to use civilians as a "live shield" and there are already over 2.7 million people who wish to evacuate to Russia, the head of the Russian National Defense Control Center said.

He added that Ukrainian nationalists continue to hold over 4.5 million civilians captive by using them as a "live shield" in Kiev, Kharkiv, Sumy and over 20 other Ukrainian cities. According to Mizintsev, there are also 6,830 foreign citizens from 19 different countries and the crews of 70 foreign ships who also remain blocked by nationalists in Ukraine.

In the early hours of February 24, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) appealed for help in defending themselves against the Kiev forces. Russia said that the aim of its special operation is to demilitarize and "denazify" Ukraine and that only military infrastructure is being targeted. Moscow has repeatedly stressed that it has no plans to occupy Ukraine.

According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the goal is to protect the people of Donbas, "who have been subjected to abuse, genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years."

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02:51 GMT 20.03.2022

Ukraine’s Defense Council Halts Activity of Several Political Parties

"The NSDC decided, given the full-scale war and the ties of some political structures with this state, to suspend any activity of a number of political parties for the period of martial law. Namely: ‘Opposition Platform - For life’; ‘Party of Shariy’; ‘Nashi’; ‘Opposition Bloc’; the left opposition party; ‘Union of Leftists’; ‘Derzhava’; ‘Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine’; ‘Socialist Party of Ukraine’; the Socialists; the Volodymyr Saldo Bloc," Zelenskyy said as quoted by the UNIAN Ukrainian news agency.

01:35 GMT 20.03.2022

Australia to Give Temporary Visas to Ukrainians Permitting Work, Study - Government

"To help Ukrainians forced to flee from Russia’s military invasion, we will also make available a temporary humanitarian visa to Ukrainians who have arrived in Australia," the Australian government said in a statement, released by the foreign ministry, adding that the visa "will be valid for three years and allow people to work, study and access Medicare."

00:02 GMT 20.03.2022

Switzerland Ready to Host Ukraine-Russia Negotiations - President Cassis

GENEVA (Sputnik) - Switzerland is ready to become a mediator in resolving the Ukraine conflict and could organize talks between Kiev and Moscow, Swiss President Ignazio Cassis said.

"Switzerland combines neutrality with a humanitarian tradition," Cassis said at a Saturday rally in Bern, as quoted by the Swiss RTS broadcaster. "It's a small country with a strong commitment to freedom. It is ready to play the role of a mediator behind the scenes or host negotiations," the Swiss president added.

According to RTS, Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the Bern crowd via video link from Kiev and thanked Switzerland for its solidarity with Ukraine. However, Zelenskyy critiqued the fact that Swiss businesses, such as Nestle, continue to operate in Russia.

22:29 GMT 19.03.2022

Australia Has Prepared Package of Additional Military Aid For Ukraine Worth $15.5 Mln - Statement

Following discussions between the Prime Minister [Scott Morrison] and the Minister for Defence [Peter Dutton] and their Ukrainian counterparts, it is clear that Ukraine’s need for military assistance remains urgent and ongoing. In response, Defence has developed an additional $21 million [about 15.5 million USD] support package of defensive military assistance for Ukrainian Armed Forces, which will bring Australia’s total military assistance so far to $91 million," the Australian government said in a statement, released by the country’s foreign ministry.

According to the release, the military aid will include "additional material from Australian Defence Force stocks."

Australia is also providing Kiev with additional humanitarian aid, the Australian government said.

"Today, the Morrison Government commits to an additional $30 million [22.2 million USD] in emergency humanitarian assistance. This contribution will focus on protecting women, children, the elderly and the disabled, and takes the total we have so far committed to $65 million," the government statement says.

The Australian government said it was going to continue to impose sanctions against Russia and is now targeting Russia's aluminum industry.

"The Government has overnight imposed an immediate ban on Australian exports of alumina and aluminium ores (including bauxite) to Russia, which will limit its capacity to produce aluminium – a critical export for Russia," the government statement says, adding that "Russia relies on Australia for nearly 20 per cent of its alumina needs."