Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has called for general mobilization. According to him, at least 137 people were killed on the first day of fighting. All developments in the live blog.
12:54 a.m
US government also imposes sanctions on Russia’s largest bank
The US government has also imposed sanctions on Russia’s largest bank. US institutions must close any Sberbank accounts that previously allowed transactions in US dollars within 30 days, according to the Treasury Department. The Russian bank, which is majority state-owned, is the largest creditor of the Russian economy and the largest manager of savings deposits, it said.
US President Biden had previously announced that four other credit institutions, including Russia’s second largest bank VTB, would be subject to even more extensive sanctions, which would also exclude them from the US financial market and currency system. The Finance Ministry said: “Russian financial institutions carry out $46 billion worth of currency transactions worldwide every day, 80 percent of which are in US dollars. The vast majority of these transactions are now suspended.” With the previously announced measures, around 80 percent of all Russian bank assets are now the target of sanctions, according to the ministry.
12:39 a.m
US worried about Russian capture of Chernobyl
The United States has expressed concern over the Russian military’s capture of Ukraine’s former Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Taking the exclusion zone of the former kiln and the employees there is a “hostage situation,” said White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki. “This unlawful and dangerous hostage situation, which could suspend routine conservation and safety operations at the nuclear waste facilities, is incredibly alarming and of great concern,” Psaki said.
The Chernobyl disaster on April 26, 1986 is considered the greatest catastrophe in the civil use of nuclear power. Last summer, a new interim storage facility for nuclear waste was inaugurated in the radioactive exclusion zone around Chernobyl. With the camp, Kiev wanted to end its dependence on Russia in the area of nuclear waste. According to Ukrainian information on Thursday, Russia had conquered the exclusion zone around Chernobyl.
12:36 a.m
Ambassador to Ukraine accuses German government of indifference
The Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, accused the German government of “coldness and indifference” after the Russian attack on his country. “Every request to help us now was simply rejected. That’s very sad. I can’t understand: how can you remain so cold-hearted and stubborn,” said Melnyk on the ZDF program “Markus Lanz”. He was received “by some ministers” on Thursday and called for military equipment and fuel for the army.
“The answer was: In our estimation, you, the Ukrainians, have maybe a few hours. It doesn’t make any sense to help you at all now,” said Melnyk. “This policy, this hesitation, leaves us as sacrificial lambs to be slaughtered.” The German government refuses to supply deadly weapons to Ukraine. The reason: In principle, you do not authorize the delivery of weapons to crisis areas. Instead, the government points out that it has supported the country with almost two billion euros since the start of the Ukraine conflict in 2014.
12:22 a.m
Germany issues a travel warning for Belarus
The federal government issues a travel warning for Belarus. According to the Federal Foreign Office, the border crossings to Ukraine are closed. This also applies to the Kuznica-Bruzgi border crossing to Poland. Further closures cannot be ruled out. Additional control measures at the border crossings to Lithuania, Poland and Latvia have been announced. Russian units had previously advanced from Belarus in the direction of the capital Kiev.
12:12 a.m
Zelenskyy: 137 dead after first day of fighting in Ukraine
According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, 137 people have been killed on the Ukrainian side as a result of the Russian invasion. In addition, 316 people were injured in the fighting, said Selenskyj in a video speech at night.
12:12 a.m
Zelenskyj orders general mobilization in Ukraine
After Russian troops invaded eastern Ukraine, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ordered a general mobilization. The head of state signed a corresponding decree, the Unian agency reported, citing the presidential office in Kiev. The order is therefore valid for 90 days and provides for the call-up of conscripts and reservists.