NEW YORK — Russia’s war in Ukraine has prompted two of the Big Four accounting firms to pull out of Russia.
KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers both said Sunday they would end their relationships with their Russia-based member firms. KPMG also announced that it was pulling out of Belarus.
KPMG International stated in a statement that it would be difficult for its Russia-based and Belarusian firms to leave the network. KPMG International has over 4,500 employees in these two countries.
PricewaterhouseCoopers said it has 3,700 employees at its PwC Russia firm and is working on an “orderly transition” for the business.
Deloitte, Ernst & Young and Ernst & Young were the other Big Four companies that didn’t respond to requests for comment on Sunday.
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LVIV (Ukraine) — Russian forces increased their bombardment of Ukrainian cities in central, north, and south Ukraine late Sunday, Oleksiy Arastovich, presidential adviser, said.
He stated that the latest wave of missile attacks occurred as darkness fell on Ukrainian television.
He stated that the most affected areas were the outskirts and Chernihiv (north), Mykolaiv (south), and Kharkiv (second-largest) cities.
Officials in Kharkiv said that the tower was damaged and heavy artillery was being used to hit residential areas.
Officials in Chernihiv said that all areas of the city were under threat from missile attacks.
Arestovich described a “catastrophic” situation in the Kyiv suburbs Bucha, Hostomel, and Irpin where attempts to evacuate residents failed on Sunday. He stated that the government was doing everything possible to restart evacuations.
Because of shelling, Evacuations in Mariupol (south) and Volnovakha (east) also failed.
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LVIV, Ukraine — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the West to increase sanctions as Russian forces continued to shell Ukraine.
Zelenskyy made a video statement Sunday night in which he criticised Western leaders for failing to respond to Russia’s Defense Ministry’s announcement about its intention to strike Ukraine’s military industrial complex. He also told employees at these defense plants to not go to work.
Zelenskyy stated that he didn’t hear any reaction from any world leaders to the incident. “The aggression of the aggressor is a signal to the West that sanctions against Russia are insufficient.”
Zelenskyy suggested that a “tribunal be organized” to bring to justice those responsible for such crimes.
He said, “Think about how impunity the occupiers feel that they can declare such planned atrocities.”
Sunday’s announcement by the Russian Defense Ministry was that it intends to strike Ukraine with precision weapons.
In a statement by state news agency Tass, Igor Konashenkov, a ministry spokesperson, stated that all personnel from Ukrainian defense industry plants should be expelled.
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Netflix announced Sunday that it was suspending its Russian service.
The company stated that it had taken the decision to suspend its Russian service due to “circumstances on ground”, but did not provide any further details.
This announcement follows TikTok’s statement that users in Russia on its platform were blocked from viewing and posting videos from other parts of the world. American Express announced earlier that it would cease operations in Russia and in Russian-allied Belarus.
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NEW YORK — TikTok announced Sunday that Russian users will not be able post any new videos to its platform due to the government’s crackdown against social media.
The company released a statement via Twitter that stated, “In light Russia’s new fake news” law, we are forced to suspend livestreaming and add new content to our video services while we examine the safety implications of the law.” “Our in-app messaging services will not be affected.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin intensified his crackdown on media outlets, individuals and media outlets that fail to follow the Kremlin’s line regarding Russia’s war with Ukraine. He blocked Facebook and Twitter and signed into law a bill criminalizing the intentional dissemination of “fake news”.
TikTok is part the larger Chinese tech company ByteDance.
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NEW YORK — American Express announced Sunday that it will suspend all operations in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.
The company stated in a statement that global issued American Express cards won’t work at Russian ATMs or merchants. The Russian banks have also stopped issuing AmEx cards to Russia.
According to the company, it had previously stopped relations with Russian banks impacted by U.S. and other international sanctions.
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JERUSALEM — Israel’s Prime Minister spoke by telephone with Russian President Vladimir Putin Sunday evening, just a day after his snap visit to Moscow to discuss the over a week-long Russian invasion in Ukraine.
His office stated that Naftali Bennett spoke also with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz who he visited in Berlin Saturday, as well as French President Emmanuel Macron.
Bennett also spoke on the phone with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President, several times — most recently Sunday morning — as part his shuttle diplomacy to broker between Russia and Ukraine after more than a week’s fighting.
The Foreign Ministry also announced that Yair Lapid, Israel’s foreign minister, will fly to Riga (Latvia) on Monday to meet U.S. Secretary Of State Antony Blinken.
Although Israel condemned Russia’s invasion, it also resisted any actions that might anger Moscow out of concern about jeopardizing military coordination with Syria.
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VIENNA (Austria) — The International Atomic Energy Agency reports that Russian forces are tightening control of the Zaporizhzhya nuke plant in Ukraine, which they seized last week.
Rafael Mariano Grossi (director general of the agency) stated Sunday that Ukrainian staff must now seek approval from Russia for any operation or maintenance. He also said that the Russians have disrupted normal communication by shutting down some mobile networks at the site.
According to Ukraine’s regulatory agency, phone lines as well as emails and fax are not working anymore. Grossi stated that he was “extremely worried about these developments” and added that staff must be allowed to perform their vital duties in stable conditions, free from external interference or pressure, for the plant’s safety.
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NEW YORK — Russia has warned Ukraine’s neighbouring countries against hosting its warplanes. Moscow said that they may consider them a part in the conflict if Ukrainian planes fly combat missions from their territory.
Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov claimed Sunday that some Ukrainian combat aircrafts were being redeployed in Romania and other Ukraine neighboring countries he did not identify.
Konashenkov warned that the attack of Russian warplanes from these nations’ territory by those warplanes could be considered an “engagement in military conflict”
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PARIS — According to the French presidency, the conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin (France) and French President Emmanuel Macron was focused on Sunday’s safety of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants.
The Elysee stated that the call was made on Macron’s request and lasted nearly two hours.
According to a French official, Macron insists on the importance of ensuring that the International Atomic Energy Agency’s safety standards at Chernobyl as well as other nuclear plants are upheld. Putin was told by him that these facilities should not be attacked or captured in fighting.
According to the French presidency’s practice, the official spoke anonymously to confirm that Putin stated that he doesn’t intend to attack nuclear power plants. He said that potential talks will be held in the coming days.
Macron repeated his call to Russia to halt its military operations, insisting on the need for civilian protection and humanitarian aid.
The official stated that “The (humanitarian] situation is very difficult”, including in Mariupol on Sunday. “Our demands are the same: We want Russia to respond quickly and clearly to our demands.”
— By Sylvie Corbet
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PARIS — Charles Michel, the leader of the European Union, said Sunday that closing Ukraine’s airspace could lead to a global war.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian President, has repeatedly asked NATO countries to end Russia’s assault on his country by declaring a no fly zone. Fearing that they could trigger a larger war in Europe, Western leaders have refused to do so. Michel stated that the deployment of fighter jets over Ukraine could be seen as NATO’s entry in the war, and thus risk World War III. Michel spoke to France Inter during an interview.
Michel claimed that economic sanctions against Russia are not “a war of NATO or the EU against Russia.” Russian President Vladimir Putin linked the West’s economic sanction for his invasion in Ukraine to declaring war on Moscow.
Michel stated that sanctions were imposed by the United States and Europe to “create pressure and hurt (the Russian) regime”, and not the people.
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JERUSALEM — 100 Ukrainian Jewish orphans fleeing Russia have landed in Israel.
Two flights with around 300 additional Ukrainian Jewish immigrants arrived just a few hours prior to the arrival of the children.
The KKL JNF organization brought the children to Israel after they were evacuated Zhytomyr, a central Ukrainian city.
The Jewish Agency for Israel is a quasigovernmental organization that handles immigration matters. It stated that 5,500 Ukrainian Jews had made urgent requests to the agency to relocate to Israel after Russia’s attack on February 24.
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary Antony Blinken said that the United States and its allies are in an “active discussion” about banning Russian oil and natural gases imports in response to the recent escalation in their sanctions.
When asked about oil and gas imports on Sunday, Blinken said that President Joe Biden had convened a meeting with his National Security Council the previous day. To avoid any blowback to their economies, Biden and his Western allies have so far resisted sanctions against Russia’s energy industry.
Blinken stated that “we are currently talking to our European allies and partners to examine in a coordinated manner the possibility of banning Russian oil imports while still ensuring that there is an adequate supply of oil on the world market.” “This is a very active conversation as we speak.”
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BERLIN — U.N. Human Rights Office has confirmed that 364 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since February 24, when the Russian invasion began.
According to the Geneva-based office, another 759 civilians were injured Saturday night.
The rights office follows a strict protocol and reports only confirmed casualties.
It says it believes the real figures are considerably higher, “especially in government-controlled territory and especially in recent days.” That’s because the flow of information has been delayed amid the fighting and many reports still need to be corroborated.
Ukrainian officials presented much higher numbers.
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NEW YORK — According to the Kremlin, President Vladimir Putin said that Russia could halt its military action in Ukraine “only if Kyiv ceases hostilities” and meets the well-known demands from Russia.
Putin listed as his main demands “demilitarization” or “denazification” in Ukraine, Russian-annexed Crimea and recognition of separatist areas in eastern Ukraine as independent countries.
The readout of Sunday’s conversation with Turkish President Recept Tayyip Erdogan shows that “hope was expressed” that the representatives of Ukraine would adopt a more constructive approach to the next round of negotiations. This approach would fully take into consideration the new realities.
Monday will see the third round of negotiations.
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MEDYKA (Poland) — The head for the United Nations refugee agency, the International Red Cross, says that the U.N. and the international Red Cross are negotiating access into the most affected cities in Ukraine since the Russian invasion on February 24th.
Filippo Grandi (the U.N. high-commissar for refugees) said that the “those talks continue” with hopes for success but did not name specific cities. During a visit to Poland’s border to Ukraine, he stated that these corridors were primarily to transport humanitarian goods and basic goods to those who are truly in need.
Grandi stressed the need for large international assistance for Poland and other countries that receive refugees from Ukraine. Grandi stated that although predictions are hard, hundreds of thousands of people are currently in Ukraine and that it is likely that there will be an influx over the next few days.
Grandi stated that “a ceasefire is what is really needed, it’s the end of hostilities because that is the only way to prevent this tragedy.”
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LVIV (Ukraine) — A Ukrainian official claims that a second attempt at evacuating civilians from a south-facing city under siege for a week was unsuccessful due to Russian shelling.
The Ukrainian military authorities stated earlier Sunday that evacuations from Mariupol would begin at noon (GMT) under a ceasefire of 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. local.
Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to the Interior Ministry, stated that evacuations planned along humanitarian corridors were stopped due to ongoing attacks.
Telegram: He stated that there can’t be “green corridors” because it is only the sick brains of the Russians who decides when and where to shoot.
Similar cease-fires were in place for Mariupol, and nearby Volnovakha. However, they collapsed Saturday and residents were subject to more bombardment and shelling by Russian forces.
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ISTANBUL — Turkish President Recept Tayyip Erdogan’s Office claims that he called for an immediate cease-fire in Ukraine during a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Turkish presidency stated that Erdogan had called for an end to fighting in order to “address humanitarian issues” and “seek out a political solution to the conflict.” The war is now in its eleventh day.
Erdogan demanded the opening of humanitarian corridors as well as a peace accord between Russia and Ukraine.
Turkey has strong ties to both Russia and Ukraine, and has tried to be a mediator. Both countries were invited to attend a diplomatic forum in Antalya next Wednesday.
Erdogan’s office stated that Erdogan told Putin that he was ready to make any contribution to solving the crisis.
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WARSAW (Poland) — Poland’s border agency claims that more than 922,000 Ukrainian refugees have crossed the border to Poland from Ukraine since February 24, when Russia invaded.
On Twitter, the agency stated that over 129,000 people crossed into Poland in a single day on Saturday and nearly 40,000 between midnight on Sunday.
Poland, a nation of 38 million people is home to the most refugees of Ukraine’s neighbours. Others who arrived in Poland are now moving on to other countries.
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SIRET, Romania — Romanian border police claim that more than 227,000 Ukrainians have entered Romania since the crisis started. More than 155,000 have left the country.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis stated that no Ukrainian would be denied entry to Romania during a Saturday visit at Siret’s northern border.
According to him, Romanian authorities believe the situation will continue for a long period, and that complications will get worsened.
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VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis has sent two cardinals to Ukraine. This is a very unusual move.
Sunday’s pontiff stated that the Holy See was willing to do all it takes to serve peace. He was joined by Cardinal Michael Czerny who heads the papal office dealing with migration, charity and justice.
Francis didn’t say exactly where the cardinals went, but said that they represented him and all Christians with the message “War is madness.”
Francis referred to Ukraine as “that martyred nation” and called for an end to violence, humanitarian corridors to be established, and a return of negotiations.
“In Ukraine, rivers are flowing of blood and tears.” He said this in his Sunday blessing.
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HELSINKI — A top U.S. military official says that both civilians and soldiers in Ukraine have been “extraordinarily brave” since the Russian invasion.
General Mark Milley is the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff and spoke Sunday at an Estonian airbase in Amari. To pledge U.S. support to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, which are former Soviet republics bordering Russia, he is visiting the Baltic countries.
Milley stated that the “will of the Ukrainian people and the importance of their national leadership as well as the fighting skills and abilities of the Ukrainian army have come through loudly and clearly.”
He stated that Ukrainians had been “extraordinaryly courageous and brave” in their fight and have done very, very well. It’s too early to draw any conclusions.
Milley stated that the U.S. has no evidence that Moscow intends to attack the Baltic states and that “we want it to stay that way.”
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TEL AVIV (Israel) — Israel’s prime Minister says that his country will continue to help find a diplomatic solution for the Ukraine crisis. Even though there are very few chances of success,
Naftali Bennett spoke to his Cabinet Sunday, just hours after returning from a surprise meeting in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where they discussed the war against Ukraine. Then he traveled to Germany, where he met with Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Bennett did not reveal any details about his talks with Putin but said that he and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian President, spoke by telephone Sunday morning. This was the third such call between them over the past day.
Bennett told his Cabinet that Israel was ready for a wave in Jewish immigration from Ukraine. Israel also plans to permit entry to a few non-Jewish Ukrainians fleeing conflict.
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BERLIN — Since Russia invaded Ukraine, more than 1.5 million people have fled from Ukraine to seek refuge in neighboring countries.
Filippo Grandi (the U.N. high-commissar for refugees) tweeted that Sunday’s crisis is the “fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe” since World War II.
His agency did not immediately provide a more detailed update on refugee numbers. Grandi is currently visiting countries bordering Ukraine.
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CHISINAU (Moldova) – U.S. Secretary Antony Blinken is visiting Moldova to pledge America’s support for the former Soviet republic, which is struggling with an influx from Ukraine and watching closely as Russia escalates its war with neighbor.
Blinken met on Sunday with top officials from Moldova who were appealing for international help in handling more than 120,000 Ukrainian refugees it is currently hosting. They also sought security reassurances to prevent any Russian aggression. Since the conflict began 11 days ago, more than 230,000 people fled Ukraine to Moldova.
Blinken stated that Moldova’s acceptance of refugees is an inspiration for the rest of the world.
He said, “We are impressed by the generosity of hospitality and the willingness to be such good buddies to people in distress. And, indeed, we want to do all that we can to help them deal with this burden.”
Russia already has troops in the country with 2.6 million people. They are located in Transnistria, a disputed territory. This is being closely monitored as Russian President Vladimir Putin pushes for the invasion of Ukraine. Moldova applied for membership of the European Union only three days ago, despite not intending to apply to NATO. This was in an urgent bid to strengthen its relations with the West.
