Ukraine conflict: Your guide to understanding day 12

On day 12 of the invasion, there was no let-up within the Russian shelling of main inhabitants centres, regardless of a proposal from Moscow to create protected escape routes.

Mariupol, Volnovakha, Sumy and Kharkiv spent one other day underneath fierce assault, which prevented the evacuation of civilians, mentioned Ukraine’s international ministry.

Russia mentioned earlier that humanitarian corridors would permit folks to depart a few of the threatened areas.

But Ukraine branded the proposal “immoral” after it emerged lots of the routes would solely take civilians to Russia or its ally, Belarus.

It urged all international locations to put strain on Moscow for a ceasefire.

The mayor of Irpin, a beleaguered city on the north-western outskirts of Kyiv, mentioned 1,000 folks had been taken to security. He mentioned Ukrainian forces had repelled Russian assaults they usually had pulled again.

Residents of Irpin have been fleeing the Russian assault on their metropolis, which is half an hour’s drive from the capital.

The Ukrainians mentioned different cities within the space, together with Bucha and Hostomel, had been in Russian arms and the state of affairs was vital.

Rescue staff say no less than 13 folks had been killed when an air strike hit an industrial bakery west of the capital, Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has mentioned everybody who commits atrocities in opposition to Ukraine’s civilians will likely be punished.

“There will likely be no quiet place on Earth for you. Except for the grave,” the president mentioned.

Ukrainian officers say Russia is hanging civilian targets across the nation, together with hospitals, nurseries and faculties.

But Russia denies concentrating on civilians, saying it’s finishing up a “particular navy operation” in opposition to Ukrainian “nationalists” and “neo-Nazis”.

Meanwhile, delegations from Russia and Ukraine have held a 3rd spherical of talks in Belarus with little progress.

Contacts between the 2 sides have thus far come to nothing, with Russia insisting it should solely cease the invasion if Ukraine meets all its calls for.

More than 100 staff at Ukraine’s Chernobyl nuclear energy plant – the positioning of the world’s worst nuclear catastrophe in 1986 – have been caught there for greater than 12 days, unable to depart after Russian forces seized the plant on the primary day of the invasion.

Another 200 Ukrainian guards, who’d been in control of safety on the time of the assault, additionally stay trapped.

Despite the fierce preventing, enormous numbers of Ukrainians are on the transfer.

The western metropolis of Lviv has reached the restrict of its capability to assist refugees displaced by the Russian invasion, its mayor, Andriy Sadoviy, mentioned on Monday.

Hundreds of hundreds of displaced folks have flowed into Lviv because the invasion started, placing an enormous pressure on town’s assets.

Among them was 91-year-old Dusia Kostiuk, who spent 27 hours on a prepare from the closely bombed metropolis of Kharkiv.

“Our home was nonetheless there after we left however shelling was taking place throughout and we had been advised that horrible shelling is occurring there now,” she told the BBC’s Joel Gunter.

“We did not take something with us, I took two clothes and that is it.

“I used to be born and raised in Kharkiv. I did not actually journey earlier than, I do not like to journey. I by no means thought I would depart my dwelling like this.”

The overwhelming majority of them – a couple of million – are heading to neighbouring Poland.

Others are crossing to neighbouring international locations to the west, equivalent to Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and Moldova.

Among the refugees are Ukrainian youngsters with most cancers. They are being evacuated by non-governmental group Herosi, co-ordinated by the US-based St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Efforts are underneath means to discover the sufferers locations in medical care centres throughout Europe.

Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak is dealing with disciplinary proceedings by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) for displaying the letter “Z” on the rostrum subsequent to a Ukrainian rival in Qatar. But what does the image imply?

In Russia, the “Z” is quick changing into seen as a staunchly pro-war image of President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

It has been sported by politicians, seen on the perimeters of automobiles, vans and promoting hoardings – in addition to daubed on bus shelters. It has even been utilized by Serbs at pro-Russian demonstration in Belgrade. Photographs have been extensively shared on social media.

On the worldwide monetary markets, the affect of the struggle continues to be being felt.

Oil jumped to $139 (£106) a barrel at one level on Monday, the very best degree for nearly 14 years, whereas wholesale gasoline costs for next-day supply greater than doubled.

The worth surge got here because the US hinted at a ban on shopping for Russian power, with different international locations urged to enhance provides.

However, not all EU international locations are prepared to implement such a ban,

Big powers Germany and Italy – much more reliant on Russian energies than most – really feel extra threatened by the prospect of skyrocketing power costs that may certainly observe any sanctions on Russian oil or gasoline imports, as the BBC’s Katya Adler reports.