Zelensky Channels Churchill In Historic Speech
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reCcEdHL3O8
Volodymyr Zelensky has told MPs that Ukrainians will fight Russian invaders "in the forests, in the fields, on the shores, in the streets" in a rousing speech that channeled the spirit of Winston Churchill.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYrJRohw3y4
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy today delivered a historic virtual address to MPs in the Commons
- Mr Zelensky channeled Winston Churchill as he vowed to fight Russian forces on the land, at sea and in the air
- Mr Zelensky was given a lengthy standing ovation by MPs both before and after he delivered his remarks
- Boris Johnson said UK will give 'our Ukrainian friends with the weapons they need to defend their homeland'
By JACK MAIDMENT, DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR and DAVID WILCOCK, WHITEHALL CORRESPONDENT FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 04:14 AEDT, 9 March 2022 | UPDATED: 05:48 AEDT, 9 March 2022
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today channelled Winston Churchill's wartime defiance as he delivered a historic address to the House of Commons from his war-ravaged country, vowing 'we will not give up'.
Mr Zelensky was given a standing ovation by MPs both before and after his speech in which he compared Ukraine's fight against Russia to Britain's Second World War struggle against Nazi Germany.
Drawing on Churchill's iconic 'we shall fight them on the beaches' wartime address in June 1940, he said Ukrainians will fight against Moscow's forces on land, sea and in the air.
Mr Zelensky said: 'We will not give up and we will not lose. We will fight to the end, at sea, in the air, we will continue fighting for our land, whatever the cost.
'We will fight in the forests, in the fields, on the shores, in the streets.'
He said Ukraine was fighting a 'war that we didn't start and we didn't want' as he told MPs 'we do not want to lose what we have, what is ours'.
Comparing Ukraine to the UK standing alone more than 80 years ago, Mr Zelensky said Ukrainians are fighting to save their country 'just the same way as you once didn't want to lose your country when Nazis started to fight your country and you had to fight for Britain'.
He also said more than 50 children have now been killed in the Russian invasion, telling the Commons: 'These are the children that could have lived, but these people have taken them away from us.'
Boris Johnson responded to the address by telling MPs that 'Britain and our allies are determined to press on with supplying our Ukrainian friends with the weapons they need to defend their homeland as they deserve'.
The Prime Minister said the UK will also 'press on with tightening the economic vice around Vladimir Putin and we will stop importing Russian oil'.
He added: 'We will employ every method that we can – diplomatic, humanitarian and economic – until Vladimir Putin has failed in this disastrous venture and Ukraine is free once more.'
The address by Mr Zelensky came as the UK Government faced mounting criticism over its visa scheme for Ukrainian refugees.
Ministers have been slammed by critics over the slow pace of processing applications amid wider calls for Britain to put in place a more generous scheme to help people fleeing the Russian invasion.
The Government is now scrambling to improve the situation, with Defence Secretary Ben Wallace having offered military support to the Home Office to help deal with the backlog of people trying to get into the UK.
Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has announced a new visa processing centre is being set up in Lille in northern France following reports that refugees arriving in Calais were being told they must go to Paris or Brussels to apply.
Mr Johnson delivered an update on the Ukraine crisis to his Cabinet this morning. Downing Street said the PM told his senior ministers that the UK is continuing to supply 'lethal defensive aid and equipment' to bolster the Ukrainian forces' 'heroic' resistance in the face of the Russian onslaught.
The premier said the UK would be 'as generous as we could' in its support for Ukrainian refugees.
Mr Johnson also hosted a meeting of the leaders of the Visegrad group of countries - the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland – during which he labelled Vladimir Putin's invasion a 'catastrophic venture'.
Mr Zelensky was given a standing ovation by MPs both before and after his speech in which he compared Ukraine's fight against Russia to Britain's World War Two struggle against Nazi Germany
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today channeled Winston Churchill as he delivered a historic address to the House of Commons.
Ministers have been slammed by critics over the slow pace of processing applications amid wider calls for Britain to put in place a more generous scheme to help people fleeing the Russian invasion.
The Government is now scrambling to improve the situation, with Defence Secretary Ben Wallace having offered military support to the Home Office to help deal with the backlog of people trying to get into the UK
An elderly lady is carried in a shopping cart after being evacuated from Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv. Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has announced a new visa processing centre is being set up in Lille in northern France following reports that refugees arriving in Calais were being told they must go to Paris or Brussels to apply
Prime Minister Boris Johnson poses with Slovakia's Prime Minister Eduard Heger today in London ahead of a meeting of the V4 group of nations
The UK Government is facing mounting criticism over its visa scheme for Ukrainian refugees. People are pictured today boarding a bus to Warsaw in Przemysl, Poland
UK BANS Russian oil imports as West begins energy war on Putin amid pandemonium at the pumps in Britain
Britain has today followed the US and banned Russian oil imports as drivers started queuing for fuel after being hit by the steepest weekly hike in fuel prices in more than 18 years due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine - with prices expected to keep rising.
Oil prices are rising at an alarming rate sparking warnings that petrol could soon hit £2 a litre – taking the cost of an average tank to more than £100 - an increase of around £17.
Unleaded hit an average record of £1.55 a litre yesterday, with industry sources saying it was likely to rise to £1.75 by next week as 5p is being added to the price every 24 hours in some areas. But prices at some forecourts are already pushing £1.80.
Motorists queued outside a Sainsbury's petrol station in Cambridge today as they rushed to fill up cars and jerry cans before petrol prices increase even further. There were also long lines at the pumps at a Tesco in neighbouring Suffolk. On social media there were also reports of queues at supermarket pumps in Lancashire.
US President Joe Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia's economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine, according to a person familiar with the matter, and the European Union this week will commit to phasing out its reliance on Russia for energy needs as soon as possible.
Filling the void without crippling EU economies will likely take some time - natural gas from Russia accounts for one-third of Europe's consumption of the fossil fuel.
The White House said Biden would announce on Tuesday 'actions to continue to hold Russia accountable for its unprovoked and unjustified war on Ukraine.'
The US does not import Russian natural gas.
Boris Johnson has said the move to ban Russian oil and gas will punish Vladimir Putin's regime but will be introduced in a way that 'won't affect' UK businesses.
Mr Zelensky began his address to the Commons just after 5pm as he set out the battle Ukraine has faced since the invasion began 13 days ago.
He said: 'We are the country that is saving people despite having to fight one of the biggest armies in the world.
'We have to fight the helicopters, rockets, the question for us now is 'to be or not to be'. Oh no, this Shakespearean question. For 13 days this question could have been asked but now I can give you a definitive answer, it is definitely yes, to be.
'I would like to remind you the words that the United Kingdom has already heard which are important again.
'We will not give up and we will not lose. We will fight to the end, at sea, in the air, we will continue fighting for our land, whatever the cost.
'We will fight in the forests, in the fields, on the shores, in the streets.
'I would like to add that we will fight on the banks of different rivers and we are looking for your help, for the help of the civilised countries.'
Mr Zelensky has repeatedly called on NATO to enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine but allied nations including the UK have ruled it out because of fears it could trigger a full-blown war between Russia and the West.
The Ukrainian President urged Mr Johnson to reconsider as he also called for Britain to go further on sanctions.
He said: 'We were thankful for this help and very grateful to you Boris, please increase the pressure of sanctions against this country and please recognise this country as a terrorist state and please make sure that our Ukrainian skies are safe.
'Please make sure that you do what needs to be done.'
Mr Johnson raised a point of order in the Commons immediately after Mr Zelensky had finished delivering his remarks.
The PM said his counterpart is 'standing firm for democracy and freedom' and 'in his righteous defiance I believe he has moved the hearts of everybody in this House'.
Mr Johnson said Ukrainian citizens are 'inspiring millions with their courage and their devotion' in the face of the Russian onslaught.
He said: 'I know I speak for the House when I say that Britain and our allies are determined to press on, to press on with supplying our Ukrainian friends with the weapons they need to defend their homeland as they deserve.
'To press on with tightening the economic vice around Vladimir Putin and we will stop importing Russian oil. Mr Speaker my Right Honourable Friend the Business Secretary will update the House on that tomorrow.'
'And we will employ every method – diplomatic, humanitarian and economic Mr Speaker – until Vladimir Putin has failed in this disastrous venture and Ukraine is free once more.'
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer praised the Ukrainian President and said: 'Every one of us has been moved by the bravery, the resolve, and the leadership of President Zelensky.
'Invading troops march through his streets, shells reign down on his people, and assassins seek his life. No one would have blamed him for fleeing. But instead, he has stayed in Kyiv to lead the Ukrainian people and to fight.
'He has reminded us that our freedom and our democracy are invaluable. He has promoted a world into action, where too often we have let Putin have his way.'
The address came after the Home Office disclosed on Monday night that just 300 visas had been issued out of a total of 17,700 family scheme applications that have been started, 8,900 of which have been formally submitted.
In the Commons this afternoon, Home Office minister Kevin Foster said the figure for visas issued has since risen to more than 500, while the new processing centre at Lille is expected to be set up within the next 24 hours.
He told MPs officials are also looking at how transport can be provided between Calais and Lille, but the slow rate of progress continues to attract criticism from all sides.
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said that, while other countries are supporting hundreds of thousands of people, 600 people seeking to reach the UK have been turned back at Calais.
'Most want to stay close to home but some want to come here to join family or friends, and we should be helping them; instead most people are still being held up by our Home Office bureaucracy or being turned away,' she said.
Senior Tory backbencher Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, who secured an emergency Commons statement from Mr Foster on the subject, said that, while security checks are important, it should be possible to speed up the process.
'We need efficiency but also humanity when processing applications of refugees from Ukraine, and we should warmly welcome those refugees to this country,' he said.
Mr Foster said officials were having to deal with people presenting with false documents and 'making claims that are not true'.
Conservative former immigration minister Caroline Nokes said there was still no sign of a promised humanitarian sponsorship visa route to operate alongside the family reunion route.
'Snails also move at pace,' she told Mr Foster. 'When (he) says he is moving at pace it needs to be a great deal faster.'
Downing Street announced this afternoon that former government minister Richard Harrington has been appointed to a newly created role of Minister for Refugees.
Mr Harrington, who stood down as a Tory MP at the 2019 general election, will be made a life peer sitting in the House of Lords.
Earlier Mr Wallace acknowledged that the Government needed to move quicker and said he was offering Ministry of Defence (MoD) support to the Home Office to speed up the work.
'We can do more, we will do more,' he told BBC Breakfast.
'It's not the case that we are only allowing 300 people in; it is the case that the system has not been quick enough, which is what we're going to address.'
Mr Wallace this morning again ruled out the UK enforcing a no-fly zone above Ukraine - a key request made by Mr Zelensky.
The Defence Secretary said the UK must be 'realistic' about how it can help Ukraine, with ministers having to strike a 'difficult balance' of offering support without triggering a wider NATO conflict with Russia.
The UK has repeatedly rejected calls for a no-fly zone because it would pit NATO fighter jets against Russian fighter jets - a situation which could easily spiral into all-out war.
Churchill's rallying cry of defiance in 1940
Churchill's famous 'We shall fight on the beaches' speech to MPs on June 4, 1940 was the second of three major speeches given in the early phase of the Second World War, as Europe fell victim to the forces of Nazism and fascism and Britain stood alone.
The Tory leader, who took over as Prime Minister eight months into the war, had to warn of a possible invasion attempt by Germany and describe a military failure without disillusioning the Commons – and also had to prepare the public for France's falling out of the war.
His peroration, the best known part of the speech, also prophesied that America would eventually be dragged into the European war.
It is said that after giving the speech, Churchill told a colleague: 'And we'll fight them with the butt ends of broken beer bottles because that's bloody well all we've got!'.
Nevertheless, the speech was praised by MPs and has since become regarded as one of Churchill's greatest moments as a public speaker: 'Turning once again, and this time more generally, to the question of invasion, I would observe that there has never been a period in all these long centuries of which we boast when an absolute guarantee against invasion, still less against serious raids, could have been given to our people.
'In the days of Napoleon, of which I was speaking just now, the same wind which would have carried his transports across the Channel might have driven away the blockading fleet.
'There was always the chance, and it is that chance which has excited and befooled the imaginations of many Continental tyrants.
'Many are the tales that are told. We are assured that novel methods will be adopted, and when we see the originality of malice, the ingenuity of aggression, which our enemy displays, we may certainly prepare ourselves for every kind of novel stratagem and every kind of brutal and treacherous manoeuvre.
I think that no idea is so outlandish that it should not be considered and viewed with a searching, but at the same time, I hope, with a steady eye. We must never forget the solid assurances of sea power and those which belong to air power if it can be locally exercised.
'Sir, I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once more able to defend our island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary for years, if necessary alone.
'At any rate, that is what we are going to try to do. That is the resolve of His Majesty's Government – every man of them. That is the will of Parliament and the nation. The British Empire and the French Republic, linked together in their cause and in their need, will defend to the death their native soil, aiding each other like good comrades to the utmost of their strength.
'Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be.
'We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.
'And if, which I do not for a moment believe, this island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.'
A woman is pictured today carrying bags while walking past Czech hedgehogs in downtown Kyiv
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace today declared he believes Vladimir Putin is a 'spent force in the world' and the invasion of Ukraine will be the Russian President's 'end'
Russia has now committed all of the forces it massed on the Ukrainian border before the invasion, and has made only limited territorial gains - capturing just one major city, Kherson. Others, including Sumy and Kyiv, are slowly being surrounded but in some places the Ukrainians have managed to thwart Russian attacks or successfully counter-attack
Mr Wallace questioned how effective a no-fly zone would be in helping Ukraine because while no country would be able to fly in the area, forces like Russia 'with overwhelming artillery and missile batteries will be able to continue'.
The Cabinet minister also declared he believes Mr Putin is a 'spent force in the world' and the invasion of Ukraine will be the Russian President's 'end'.
He said Mr Putin's attack is ultimately doomed to fail because of the fighting spirit of the Ukrainian people and occupying such a large country against its will is an 'impossible task'.
Mr Wallace said Mr Putin's actions mean 'he is done' and 'no one will be taking his phone calls in the long term'.
Two speeches full of defiance in the face of the enemy
Volodymyr Zelensky, March 8, 2022
Mr Zelensky gave his speech from a non-descript office in Kyiv, flanked by a Ukrainian flag.
He looked tired and drawn as he spoke to the Commons via a videolink.
Mr Zelensky was given a standing ovation by MPs both before and after his speech in which he compared Ukraine's fight against Russia to Britain's World War Two struggle against Nazi Germany.
He said: 'We are the country that is saving people despite having to fight one of the biggest armies in the world.
'We have to fight the helicopters, rockets, the question for us now is 'to be or not to be'. Oh no, this Shakespearean question.
'For 13 days this question could have been asked but now I can give you a definitive answer, it is definitely yes, to be.
'I would like to remind you the words that the United Kingdom has already heard which are important again.
'We will not give up and we will not lose. We will fight to the end, at sea, in the air, we will continue fighting for our land, whatever the cost.
'We will fight in the forests, in the fields, on the shores, in the streets.'
Winston Churchill, June 4, 1940
Winston Churchill gave his famous speech to the House of Commons on June 4, 1940 and it remains his most famous political statement.
It was the second of well-known three speeches he gave after becoming Prime Minister amid the fall of France.
He got up at the end of the evacuation of British and allied forces from the beaches of Dunkirk to give a rousing address bellowing defiance across the channel.
He said: 'Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous states have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail.
'We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be.
'We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.
'And even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the new world, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.'
Kremlin officials 'are privately denouncing 'clusterf**k' invasion' as Putin's forces get bogged down in snow with temperatures set to drop to -20C as landmine kills three people north of Kyiv and Ukraine claims it has killed 12,000 Russian troops
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Kremlin officials are privately denouncing Putin's 'clusterf***' war in Ukraine and 'in mourning' for the death of the Russian economy as his invasion grinds to a halt amid mounting casualties with a cold snap over the next few days expected to make fighting even harder, it has been claimed.
Farida Rustamova, a Russian journalist who was well-connected in government circles before fleeing Russia amid a crackdown on free speech, said sources she spoke to before leaving never believed Putin would go to war and are now making 'apocalyptic' forecasts about the weeks and months ahead as fighting grinds on and sanctions bite.
'They're carefully enunciating the word clusterf***,' one source told her when asked how Russian politicians were reacting to the news. 'No one is rejoicing. Many understand that this is a mistake, but in the course of doing their duty they come up with explanations in order to somehow come to terms with it.'
Ukraine estimates that some 12,000 Russians have now died fighting and while that number cannot be verified, casualties are almost certainly higher than Putin bargained for when he gave the order to attack 13 days ago. Captured soldiers have complained of a lack of food, fuel, and overall battle plan - with conditions set to get worse in the coming days.
A pronounced cold snap will see temperatures drop to -10C overnight in the middle of the week around Kyiv and Kharkiv - down to -20C when wind chill is taken into account - with many Russian soldiers stuck outdoors in a 40-mile column of stalled vehicles near the Ukrainian capital.
The cold will also make life much harder for thousands of desperate refugees fleeing the fighting, some of whom have been without access to heat or water for days because their cities have been under bombardment.
In a dire warning late last night, a US military think tank warned that Russian forces could launch their assault on Kyiv as early as tonight with Vladimir Putin's troops currently threatening the capital from three fronts.
The Institute for the Study of War said the Russian military has been bringing reinforcements and supplies to its front lines, as well as carrying out air and artillery strikes on key Ukrainian military targets to weaken their position and to intimidate the city's defenders ahead of a large assault.
'The Russians are bringing up supplies and reinforcements as well as conducting artillery, air, and missile attacks to weaken defences and intimidate defenders in advance of such an assault,' the report said.
'If Russian troops have been able to resupply, reorganize, and plan deliberate and coordinated simultaneous operations along the several axes of advance around and into the capital, they may be more successful in this operation than they have in previous undertakings.'
Regions around Kyiv, such as Irpin to the north-west and the Brovary area to the east, have come under heavy fire from Russian strikes in the last couple of days, tallying with the institute's report.
In its report published overnight, the think tank said Kyiv should be prepared for an assault within the next 24 to 96 hours and warned if Russia's recent efforts to reinforce its forces have been successful, it could be more prepared than it has been in recent attacks on the capital, which has seen Ukrainian troops mount an effective resistance.
Three civilians died near Kyiv today after stepping on a landmine, a six-year-old girl died from dehydration in Mariupol after water was cut off, and hundreds of people were pictured evacuating from the city of Irpin in bitter conditions whilst snow fell.
Irpin has been the scene of some intense clashes as Russian forces try to take it on their mission to surround and besiege Kyiv, with one commander reporting hand-to-hand fighting as Putin's men battle street-to-street.
'In some places, there is hand-to-hand combat,' an officer who gave his name only as Stas said. 'There is a huge column - 200 men, 50 light armoured vehicles, several tanks,' he said of the Russian threat. 'We are trying to push them out, but I don't know if we'll be fully able to do it.'
Vitaliy Shichko, resident of nearby Bucha, said Russian forces have been attacking the town since last week - initially throwing in men 'they weren't afraid of losing' but increasingly moving in better armed and equipped troops to capture and hold ground. 'Basically special forces,' he said.
Others said that Russians had cleared residents out of their homes so they could set up sniper positions, with some alleging that civilians had been fired at as they tried to flee. Ukrainian artillery is now being brought to bare on Russian forces as they set up the next phase of their attack, commanders said.
Ukraine's commanders say Putin's invasion has 'slowed significantly' in recent days, with American intelligence saying he has now committed all of the forces he built up along the border to the fight.
Ukraine's military, giving an overview of combat as the war entered its 13th day, said defensive operations continue in the north, east and south of Ukraine, with all major cities other than Kherson - which fell last week - in Ukrainian hands. Russian troops are 'demoralised and increasingly tend to looting and violations of international humanitarian law,' commanders added.
It has also emerged that another Russian commander - Major General Vitaly Gerasimov, first deputy commander of Russia's 41st army - was killed in Kharkiv on Monday, just the latest in an increasingly long line of senior military figures to lose their lives in Ukraine.
Kyiv claimed today that 12,000 Russian troops have now died fighting in Ukraine, while 300 tanks have been destroyed along with more than 1,000 armoured vehicles, 48 planes, 80 helicopters and three boats. Moscow has acknowledged taking losses but has not given a recent update. Ukraine's losses are unknown.
Strikes on civilian areas also continued Tuesday morning, with the city of Sumy - in the east - struck by bombs which the local mayor said killed 21 people including two children and left others wounded. Ukraine's parliament published a photo of a bloodied infant they said was hurt in the attack.
Russia again offered to open up 'humanitarian corridors' today to allow civilians to flee bombarded cities - but the move was swiftly dismissed by Kyiv, with President Volodymyr Zelensky accusing Moscow of 'cynicism', saying its troops have laid mines across the routes and blown up buses intended to be used as transports.
'There was an agreement on humanitarian corridors. Did that work? Russian tanks worked in its place, Russian Grads (multiple rocket launchers), Russian mines,' Zelensky said in a video posted on Telegram. 'They ensure that a small corridor to the occupied territory is open for a few dozen people. Not so much towards Russia as towards the propagandists, directly towards the television cameras.'
At least one of the corridors - out of Sumy - was operating today despite the fatal Russian strikes early in the morning. Nearly 3,500 civilians were evacuated from the northern Ukrainian city under a temporary ceasefire that mostly held, said regional governor Dmytro Zhyvytsky in a televised interview.
Around 1,700 of the evacuees were foreign students studying at universities in Sumy, he said, adding the ceasefire was broken only once by a shooting near a checkpoint.
But Ukraine's foreign ministry said the route out of Mariupol, which has been without water or electricity for the best part of a week, was shelled.
In Bucha, to the northwest of Kyiv, the mayor said the city is under such heavy shelling that medics cannot get into the streets to retrieve the bodies of the dead - which are now being 'pulled apart' by stray dogs. 'It's a nightmare,' he added.
The United Nations said the number of refugees who have fled Ukraine has already reached 2 million - the fastest exodus Europe has seen since World War II. One million were children, UNICEF spokesman James Elder tweeted, calling it 'a dark historical first.' Most others were women.
An elderly woman placed in a shopping trolley is carried over a destroyed bridge as she is evacuated from the city of Irpin, west of Kyiv, as snow falls on Tuesday morning
An elderly Ukrainian woman, placed inside a shopping trolley, is carried over a destroyed bridge on the outskirts of Irpin, near the capital Kyiv, which has been the scene of brutal street-to-street fighting
People flee the city of Irpin, west of Kyiv, on Monday as Russian forces pummelled d Ukrainian cities from the air, land and sea
People carry a wounded woman during the evacuation by civilians of the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv
A police officer says goodbye to his son as his family flees from advancing Russian troops as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues in the town of Irpin
Civilians continue to flee from Irpin due to ongoing Russian attacks as snow falls
A young boy is carried by his father as civilians are evacuated from Irpin with Russian forces trying to take the city
Heavy snow falls as Ukrainian civilians flee across a river in Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, where heavy fighting is going on
Ukrainian soldiers help an elderly woman to cross a destroyed bridge as she evacuates the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv
A Ukrainian woman dressed in full furs and carrying a suitcase is helped by soldiers to cross a destroyed bridge while evacuating from Irpin, where Russian troops have been fighting
A person is carried on a stretcher during the evacuation by civilians of the city of Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv
A woman carrying a swaddled baby walks down a motorway near the city of Irpin as she evacuates amid heavy snowfall
An elderly woman wrapped in blankets is wheeled down the highway in Irpin, Ukraine, as civilians evacuate
A wheelchair-bound woman is covered in snow as she is evacuated from Irpin while temperatures plunge
A woman evacuates from Irpin in the snow, with Ukraine set to see a cold snap that will send temperatures down to -20C over the coming days - increasing the pressure on refugees
Civilians continue to flee from Irpin due to ongoing Russian attacks as snow falls
A woman carries her dog during the evacuation by civilians of the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv
Civilians continue to flee from Irpin due to ongoing Russian attacks as snow falls
Heavy snow almost obscures people fleeing from their homes in the city of Irpin, near Kyiv, on Tuesday
People displaced from their homes carry what belongings they can as they flee from the city of Irpin, near Kyiv
A man and his dogs are helped across a river on the outskirts of Irpin, near Kyiv, as civilians evacuations continue
People file across a makeshift river crossing below a destroyed bridge as they flee from advancing Russian troops whose attack on Ukraine continues in the town of Irpin
A woman carries a dog to cross a destroyed bridge as she evacuates the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv
Ukrainians crowd under a destroyed bridge as they try to flee crossing the Irpin river in the outskirts of Kyiv
A Ukrainian soldier helps a woman to cross a destroyed bridge during the evacuation by civilians of the city of Irpin
A woman prays as she watches her relatives cross a destroyed bridge on their way out of Irpin, to the west of Kyiv
Russian troops continue to try and surround Kyiv ahead of what is expected to be an attack on the city, with intense fighting reported in the north west including hand-to-hand combat with Russian forces
Ukraine war: The latest
- Russia refloats plans to open humanitarian corridors. Kyiv calls the proposal a publicity stunt
- Ukrainian servicemen and fleeing residents describe ferocious fighting on Kyiv's northwestern edge, including hand-to-hand combat
- 18 people, including two children, died in an air strike on the city of Sumy
- Ukraine's military claims Russian general Vitaly Gerasimov is killed in fighting near Kharkiv
- Russia steps up its shelling of Gostomel near Kyiv, Kharkiv in the east, Sumy in the northeast, Chernihiv in the north and Mykolayiv in the southwest
- Tens of thousands are still trapped without water or power in the southern port of Mariupol after two failed evacuation attempts
- At least 13 people are killed by shelling at an industrial bakery in Makariv, west of Kyiv
- Nearly all of Russia's 150,000 combat troops arrayed on Ukraine's border have now entered the country
- The International Atomic Energy Agency receives reports of artillery shells damaging a nuclear research facility in Ukraine's besieged second city Kharkiv
- White House says there is no agreement with European allies on a blanket ban on oil and gas imports
- The World Bank approves an additional $489million package for Ukraine, made available immediately
- Russia says it will allow Russian companies and individuals to repay debts to creditors in 'hostile' nations in rubles
- US-based Morgan Stanley says a Russian default on sovereign debts will come as soon as next month
- Russian President Vladimir Putin says he is not sending conscripts or reservists to fight
- Kyiv's presidential advisor says talks with Russia brought some 'positive results', while Moscow's lead negotiator said aims were 'not fulfilled'
- Turkey announces it will host Russia's and Ukraine's foreign ministers for talks Thursday.
- Foreign footballers and coaches working in Russia and Ukraine will be allowed to temporarily suspend their contracts and move elsewhere, FIFA announces
- The UN says 1.7 million people have fled Ukraine, making it the fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II
In Zhyotymyr, west of Kyiv, a fire at an oil depot was extinguished in the early hours of the morning while in Mykolaiv, in the south, several fires in residential areas had broke out due to Russian attacks - with four civilians killed and five others rescued from the rubble and taken to hospital
In Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, Russian shelling set nine floors and 27 apartment units of a residential building on fire - a blaze that took rescuers more than four hours to extinguish. At least four people were killed.
UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, speaking to the BBC today, said Russian forces are 'getting more desperate' and 'we are seeing the Russians just double down on brutality' as the attack stalls.
He says 'Russia has still not been making its advances, it's day 13. That northern column that we have often talked about is still pretty much stuck, I mean really stuck, so that's not advancing.'
He said the UK would be increasing the amount of lethal and non-lethal aid to Ukraine, details of which he would announce in Parliament on Wednesday, and is helping organise delivery of aid through Nato and other EU countries.
On the subject of Poland possibly supplying jets for the fight in Ukraine, he said there was a debate going on at the moment about whether Poland would.
'The UK could not supply jets directly to Ukraine, we don't have the same type of fighter jets they fly, Mig-29s and others... Our view would be that it is for Poland on a bilateral basis to decide whether to support Ukraine,' adding the UK would support Poland as an old ally.
Meanwhile Russia has threatened to turn off the main gas pipeline supplying Europe if the West goes ahead with sanctions on its oil sector - a move that Moscow says would push the price up above $300 per barrel.
Germany and the UK have ruled out penalising Russia's energy sector - one of the nation's only economic lifelines - arguing that the European economy needs more time to adjust before the taps are turned off.
But the US today announced plans to ban imports of Russian oil, sending the average price of gasoline in the US to a record $4.17 per gallon.
The national average rose by 10 cents per gallon in one day, and is up 55 cents since last week, according to American Automobile Association data.
The previous high was set 13 years ago when the national average price hit $4.10 per gallon.
The price of benchmark US crude also jumped 8 per cent Tuesday to more than $129 per barrel.
Americans can expect the current trend at the pump to continue as long as crude prices climb, the AAA said.
'We will not be part of subsidizing Putin's war,' Biden declared, calling the new action a 'powerful blow' against Russia's ability to fund the ongoing offensive.
The US imports about 100,000 barrels a day from Russia, only about 5 per cent of Russia's crude oil exports, according to Rystad Energy. Last year, roughly 8 per cent of US imports of oil and petroleum products came from Russia.
Stuck in the mud: Ukraine thaw could slow Russian advance
Having failed to make a decisive advance in the early phase of its Ukraine campaign, the Russian army is now facing a thaw that could make progression on key routes problematic due to mud.
Like the armies of Napoleon and Hitler before them, Russian mechanised divisions are likely to be slowed down or halted as unpaved roads become quagmires.
Locals have a word for the twice-yearly season of mudbound roads in the region: Rasputitsa, a term that refers to both to the seasons themselves, and the resulting muddy conditions that can last three to four weeks.
As President Vladimir Putin massed his army at the Ukrainian border, many Western experts expected him to abstain from marching in as the weeks passed, because time was running out before the great thaw.
'Early spring is a bad time to invade Ukraine if the main roads have been destroyed, a task well within Ukraine's irregular warfare toolkit,' wrote Spencer Meredith, a professor at the US National Defence University, in an article published a week before Putin gave the order for the invasion.
While some experts may have misread Putin's intentions, their assessment of weather conditions has been spot-on, as pictures of Russian tanks stuck in the mud have begun to appear frequently on social media.
'There were already numerous episodes when Russian tanks and other equipment drove into the fields and got stuck. So the soldiers had to leave the equipment and go on foot,' said Mykola Beleskov, an Ukrainian military analyst. He added: 'The situation will worsen as the weather warms up and the rains start, it'll just chain them to the ground.'
Reporting by AFP
With the Russian invasion of Ukraine well into its second week, a steady rain of shells and rockets continues to fall on population centres like Bucha.
The mayor of the Kyiv suburb, Anatol Fedoruk, said military fire had been heavy and constant.
'We can't even gather up the bodies because the shelling from heavy weapons doesn't stop day or night,' Mr Fedoruk said.
In one of the most desperate cities, the encircled southern port of Mariupol, an estimated 200,000 people - nearly half the population of 430,000 - are still hoping to flee, but Ukrainian authorities have been reluctant to accept Russia's offer of humanitarian corridors, arguing that previous ceasefire arrangements had been broken with many civilians killed as a result.
The Russian UN ambassador on Monday night forecast a potential cease-fire for the morning and appeared to suggest that humanitarian paths leading away from Kyiv and other cities could give people choice in where they want to go - a change from previous proposals that offered only destinations in Russia or Belarus.
But the office of embattled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not comment on the latest Russian proposal, saying only that Moscow's plans can be believed only if a safe evacuation begins which has thus far not been possible.
Demands for effective passageways have surged amid intensifying shelling by Russian forces. The steady bombardments, including in some of Ukraine's most populated regions, have yielded a humanitarian crisis of diminishing food, water and medical supplies.
Through it all, Mr Zelensky said Ukrainian forces were showing unprecedented courage.
'The problem is that for one soldier of Ukraine, we have 10 Russian soldiers, and for one Ukrainian tank, we have 50 Russian tanks,' Mr Zelensky told ABC News in an interview that aired on Monday night.
But he noted that the gap in strength was diminishing and that even if Russian forces 'come into all our cities,' they will be met with an insurgency.
A top US official said multiple countries were discussing whether to provide the warplanes that Mr Zelensky has been pleading for.
Mr Zelensky himself gave an impassioned address to the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the House of Commons via live video link this evening in a speech reminiscent of wartime prime minister Winston Churchill.
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Volodymyr Zelensky delivers historic address to the House of Commons