Russia orders troops to attack Ukraine from all sides; 'India willing to contribute to peace efforts,' PM Modi tells Zelenskyy

The Russian army has been given orders to broaden its offensive in Ukraine “from all directions” after Kyiv refused to hold talks in Belarus, the defence ministry said Saturday. Russian forces made advances into the Ukrainian capital Kyiv before falling back to the outskirts, facing tough resistance on day three of the invasion ordered by President Vladimir Putin. “After the Ukrainian side rejected the negotiation process, today all units were given orders to develop the advance from all directions in accordance with the operation’s plans,” Russian army spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement. The Kremlin said Friday that Putin was ready to send a delegation to Belarus for talks with Ukraine but it wanted talks in Warsaw instead. Battle for Kyiv intensifies Ukraine says it is being attacked from several sides, including from Belarus. Russian troops remained some 30 kilometers (18 miles) outside of Kyiv, the official said, while stressing that battlefield situations were actively changing. Russia has claimed that its forces have not targeted civilian areas, despite widespread evidence of this. Ukraine said Saturday that at least 198 civilians — including three children — had been killed since Moscow launched the attack. Russia has not said how many of its soldiers have been killed in the invasion, which it calls a “special military operation.” Moscow has said that its goal is to “de-Nazify” Ukraine. Zelenskyy vows to fight back The US government urged Volodymyr Zelenskyy early Saturday to leave Kyiv but he turned down the offer, according to a senior American intelligence official with direct knowledge of the conversation. The official quoted the president as saying that “the fight is here" and that he needed anti-tank ammunition but “not a ride.” US sends 350 million dollar additional military aid to Ukraine The US announced a 350 million dollar package of additional military assistance to Ukraine on Saturday that includes “anti-armor, small arms and various munitions, body armor and related equipment,” according to John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary. Separately, a senior defense official said the assistance includes javelin anti-tank weapons and that they will be delivered to Ukraine in phases and as soon as possible. This came as US defence officials warned that Russia has at least 50 per cent of its massive invasion force inside Ukraine but is making slow progress due to unexpectedly stiff resistance. “We have indications that the Russians are increasingly frustrated by their lack of momentum over the last 24 hours, particularly in the northern parts of Ukraine,” a US official told AFP. Kyiv toughens curfew, says violators to be considered ’enemy’ The Ukrainian capital’s mayor Vitali Klitchsko extended a 10 pm.-7 am curfew he imposed two days ago to run from 5 pm until 8 am as of Saturday. “All civilians on the street during the curfew will be considered members of the enemy’s sabotage and reconnaissance groups,” Klitschko said. The conflict has already driven hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians from their homes. UN officials said more than 120,000 Ukrainians have left the country for Poland, Moldova and other neighboring nations. First flight with Indian evacuees from Ukraine land in Mumbai India began the evacuation of its stranded citizens amid the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war, with an Air India flight bringing back 219 people from Bucharest, while one flight each from the Romanian capital and Hungarian capital Budapest are scheduled to arrive on Sunday. Nearly 20,000 Indians were stranded in Ukraine after the country shut its airspace on 24 February when the Russian military offensive began. Therefore, the Indian evacuation flights are operating out of Bucharest and Budapest. ‘India willing to contribute to peace efforts’, Modi tells Zelenskyy Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during which he called for an immediate cessation of violence and expressed India’s willingness to contribute in any way towards peace efforts. The prime minister also expressed his deep anguish about the loss of life and property due to ongoing conflict, according to a statement by the PMO. It said Modi conveyed India’s deep concern for the safety and security of Indian citizens, including students in Ukraine, and sought facilitation by Ukrainian authorities to expeditiously and safely evacuate them. On Saturday, Zelenskyy dialed Modi and urged for India’s support against Russia at the UNSC. New Delhi had earlier abstained from voting on a UNSC resolution condemning Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Russia launched an attack on Ukraine on Thursday, after months of military build-up near its border. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.