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Russia-Ukraine updates: US to ban Russian carriers from its airspace

PHOTO: Ambassadors and diplomats leave the room while Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov addresses with a pre-recorded video message the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, March 1, 2022.
3:24
Salvatore Di Nolfi/AP
What you need to know about the Russia-Ukraine conflict
By Morgan Winsor, Libby Cathey, Meredith Deliso, Nadine El-Bawab, Emily Shapiro, Julia Jacobo, Ivan Pereira, Mark Osborne, Celia Darrough, Kevin Shalvey, Bill Hutchinson
Last Updated: February 25, 2022, 7:39 PM

Russian forces are continuing their attempted push through Ukraine from multiple directions, while Ukrainians, led by President Volodymr Zelenskyy, are putting up "stiff resistance," according to U.S. officials.

The attack began Feb. 24 as Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation."

Russians moving from Belarus towards Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, don't appear to have advanced closer towards the city since coming within about 20 miles, although smaller advanced groups have been fighting gun battles with Ukrainian forces inside the capital since at least Friday.

Russia has been met by sanctions from the U.S., Canada and countries throughout Europe, targeting Russia's economy and Putin himself.

Latest headlines:

  • Russian missile hits Kyiv TV tower killing at least 5
  • Russians running out of food, gas: US official
  • 136 civilian deaths reported
  • 677,000 people have fled Ukraine
  • Western officials walk out during Lavrov remarks
Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern.

Feb 25, 2022 7:39 PM

EU to sanction Putin, Lavrov: Latvian government

The European Union announced Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will be included on its second round of sanctions, according to the Latvian and French governments.

It's unclear what, if any, financial impact these asset freezes have on either figure.

Hours before the decision was made, top EU diplomat Josep Borrell diplomat said even these EU sanctions on Putin and Lavrov would "certainly" not be enough.

"We are facing a full-fledged invasion of a country by another. It's not a special forces operations like Russia pretends us to believe -- it's a fully-fledged invasion with bombing, with killing of civilians, with confrontations among two armies," he told reporters. "This is the worst thing that has happened in Europe, if I may say, since the end of the Cold War, and nobody knows what's happening afterwards. Nobody knows which are the real intention of Putin."

PHOTO: Damaged Ukrainian military equipment is seen in the aftermath of Russian shelling outside Mariupol, Ukraine, Feb. 24, 2022.
Evgeniy Maloletka/AP
Damaged Ukrainian military equipment is seen in the aftermath of Russian shelling outside Mariupol, Ukraine, Feb. 24, 2022.
Evgeniy Maloletka/AP
PHOTO: Servicemen of the National Guard of Ukraine take positions in central Kyiv on Feb. 25, 2022.
Gleb Garanich/Reuters
Servicemen of the National Guard of Ukraine take positions in central Kyiv on Feb. 25, 2022.
Gleb Garanich/Reuters

 
-ABC News' Conor Finnegan


Feb 25, 2022 7:24 PM

Russia restricts Facebook

Russia is restricting its use of Facebook, according to its parent company, Meta.

Nick Clegg, vice president of global affairs at Meta, said in a statement Friday, "Yesterday, Russian authorities ordered us to stop the independent fact-checking and labelling of content posted on Facebook by four Russian state-owned media organizations. We refused. As a result, they have announced they will be restricting the use of our services."

“Ordinary Russians are using our apps to express themselves and organize for action," he continued. "We want them to continue to make their voices heard."

Ordinary Russians are using @Meta's apps to express themselves and organize for action. We want them to continue to make their voices heard, share what’s happening, and organize through Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger. pic.twitter.com/FjTovgslCe

— Nick Clegg (@nickclegg) February 25, 2022

Feb 25, 2022 7:19 PM

Czech Republic, Poland ban Russian carriers from airspace

Poland and the Czech Republic said Friday they are banning Russian carriers from their airspace.

The United Kingdom on Thursday suspended the foreign carrier permit held by Russian airline Aeroflot.

-ABC News' Christine Theodorou



Feb 25, 2022 6:54 PM

Zelenskyy says, 'We are all here'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has posted a selfie-style video showing himself standing outside the president’s office in central Kyiv Friday night along his defense minister, prime minister and parliamentary leader.

Zelenskyy, in combat fatigues, said to the camera that Ukraine’s army is there and will win.

PHOTO: Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted a video showing himself standing outside the president’s office in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 25, 2022, along his defense minister, prime minister and parliamentary leader.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy/Facebook
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted a video showing himself standing outside the president’s office in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 25, 2022, along his defense minister, prime minister and parliamentary leader.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy/Facebook

"We are all here. Our military are here, as are our people and whole society. We're all here defending our independence and our country. And we'll go on doing that," he said.

President Joe Biden held a secure call with Zelenskyy on Friday, according to a White House official.

Strengthening sanctions, concrete defense assistance and an anti-war coalition have just been discussed with @POTUS. Grateful to 🇺🇸 for the strong support to 🇺🇦!

— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 25, 2022

-ABC News' Patrick Reevell, Fidel Pavlenko


Mar 01, 2022 3:16 PM

Western officials walk out during Lavrov remarks

Diplomats from Western countries were seen on video walking out in protest as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov addressed the U.N. Human Rights Council and Conference on Disarmament.

The meeting was held Tuesday in Geneva and Lavrov gave his address via video.

WALKOUT: U.S., European, and British diplomats walked out of a speech by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to the top U.N. human rights forum, in protest on Russia's attacks on Ukraine. https://t.co/08Nsqkad46 pic.twitter.com/UYYyST9dfh

— ABC News (@ABC) March 1, 2022

The Human Rights Council has faced criticism for years for including human rights abusers, including Russia. In a prerecorded video to the council, Secretary of State Antony Blinken questioned whether Russia should be allowed to keep its seat.

"One can reasonably ask whether a U.N. member state that tries to take over another U.N. member state -- while committing horrific human rights abuses and causing massive humanitarian suffering -- should be allowed to remain on this council," he said.

PHOTO: Ambassadors and diplomats leave the room while Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov addresses with a pre-recorded video message the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, March 1, 2022.
Salvatore Di Nolfi/AP
Ambassadors and diplomats leave the room while Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov addresses with a pre-recorded video message the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, March 1, 2022.
Salvatore Di Nolfi/AP

PHOTO: Ambassadors and diplomats leave the room while Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov addresses with a pre-recorded video message the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, March 1, 2022.
Fabrice Coffrini/AP
Ambassadors and diplomats leave the room while Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov addresses with a pre-recorded video message the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, March 1, 2022.
Fabrice Coffrini/AP

PHOTO: Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov addresses an empty room at Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, after diplomats staged a walkout, March 1, 2022.
Fabrice Coffrini/AP
Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov addresses an empty room at Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, after diplomats staged a walkout, March 1, 2022.
Fabrice Coffrini/AP

Blinken accused Russia of hitting civilian targets like schools, hospitals, residential buildings, critical infrastructure, and cars, buses, and ambulances -- including the "monstrous rocket strikes" on an apartment complex in Kharkiv.

"Reports of Russia's human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law mount by the hour," he said.

"These are the human rights abuses this council was created to stop. If we cannot come together now, when will we come together?" he asked.

-ABC News' Fergal Gallagher, Conor Finnegan


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