The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has confirmed that he will immediately open an investigation into possible war crimes committed in Ukraine, after 39 member states of the court requested it.
"This allows my office to continue to open an investigation into the situation in Ukraine from November 21, 2013 onwards, including all past and present allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide committed in any part of the territory of Ukraine by any person" , said prosecutor Karim Khan.
The mayor of the Ukrainian city of Kherson, Igor Kolihajev, said that Russian soldiers were on the streets and that they forcibly entered the city council building.
According to Reuters, Kolikhaev called on Russian soldiers not to shoot at civilians. He urged civilians to walk the streets only in daylight.
"We don't have armed forces in the city, only civilians and people who want to live," Kolikhaev said in a statement.
The United Kingdom and 37 other countries have sent an invitation to the International Criminal Court to investigate the war crimes of Russia, which uses indiscriminate force against innocent civilians in its illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine," the Bitanian Embassy in Montenegro announced.
"Putin's regime must bear responsibility," they added.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine also announced the explosion that occurred near the train station in Kiev.
According to the adviser of the ministry, Anton Herashchenko, the explosion was caused by the wreckage of a Russian rocket, which was shot down by Ukrainian air defense.
Falling rocket debris hit a pipe of the heating plant, causing an explosion, but caused far less damage and casualties than if the missile had hit a target in central Kyiv, Herashchenko added, without specifying whether there were any injuries.
The United Nations human rights office said it had confirmed that 227 civilians had been killed and 525 injured in Ukraine during the conflict by midnight on March 1.
"The majority of these casualties were caused by the use of wide-area explosive weapons, including shelling from heavy artillery and multiple rocket systems, and airstrikes," according to a statement released in Geneva, seven days after the start of Russia's invasion.
The United Nations human rights office said it believed the true number of victims was "significantly higher".
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied reports that Moscow had expelled the American ambassador, reported the Russian state agency RIA Novosti, as reported by Reuters.
The Russian air force shelled a part of the city near the southern railway station in Kiev, a place where thousands of women and children are being evacuated, Ukrainian Railways said, as reported by Reuters.
It is added that the station building suffered minor damage, but it is not yet known if there were any casualties.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will visit Poland, the Baltic countries and Moldova as a sign of support for Ukraine, the State Department announced, as reported by France Press.
A powerful explosion went off near the central railway station in Kyiv, Interior Ministry adviser Anton Herashchenko said in an online post.
A Reuters witness in Kyiv said he heard a huge explosion "that shook the ground."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the countries that voted for the adoption of the resolution condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine and calling on Moscow to immediately withdraw all forces from Ukraine.
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After the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that 498 Russian soldiers had died in the war in Ukraine, the military adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said that the number was higher than 7.000, reports Reuters.
He added that hundreds were captured, including high-ranking officers.
"The commander of the Russian army was taken to Belarus after being seriously wounded," adviser Oleksiy Arestovich said at a TV briefing.
The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine and calling on Moscow to immediately withdraw all forces from Ukraine, reports Reuters.
The resolution received the support of 141 (out of 193) members, and was adopted at the end of the emergency session of the General Assembly convened by the Security Council.
Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Albania are among the countries of the region that voted to win the resolution.
Five countries opposed it - Russia, Belarus, Syria, Eritrea and North Korea.
35 countries abstained.
The Russian state agency RIA Novosti, referring to data from the Ministry of Defense of Russia, reported that among the soldiers participating in the war in Ukraine, 498 were killed and 1.597 were wounded.
Reuters adds that this is the first time that Moscow has given information about its victims.
The Russian Ministry added that 2.870 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed so far, and that around 3.700 of them have been wounded, according to Interfax.
Reuters reported that the death toll could not be independently verified.
According to Ukrainian data, more than 1.000 foreigners have joined the Ukrainian fight against Russia so far, reports Hina.
"Volunteers from 16 countries around the world came to Ukraine ready to fight side by side with the Ukrainian people against the aggressors. Their number has already exceeded 1.000," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told reporters on Wednesday.
This information could not be independently confirmed, and Kuleba did not say from which countries the volunteers came.
How do western weapons get to Ukraine?
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The head of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov, said that there should be a list of weapons that should never be deployed in Ukraine, writes Interfax.
According to Reuters, Lavrov reiterated that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization of Ukraine, and that Ukrainians themselves should make a decision about who will lead their country.
Reuters reports that Lavrov also said that Moscow is ready to discuss "the desire of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for that country to receive security guarantees."
"It is a positive step," Lavrov said.
Ukraine's deputy foreign minister drew a standing ovation at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, in contrast to the walkout of more than 100 diplomats a day earlier during an address by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Emine Japarova called for support for the Ukrainian draft resolution on launching a UN investigation into the alleged crimes committed by Russia during its invasion of Ukraine.
"We are under an inhumane attack. But this is not the time to cry, we will certainly do that after our victory," Japarova said.
Japarova said that 352 Ukrainians were killed in the conflict, including 16 children, and that the youngest victim was 18 months old.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, after a telephone conversation with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, that he is waiting for news about Ukraine's candidacy to join the European Union.
"We discussed the current situation on the battlefield and diplomatic efforts. Waiting for positive signals about Ukraine's EU membership," Zelensky said, calling Michel, who chairs EU national leaders, a "trusted friend."
The European Union is ready to financially support Ukrainian refugees and the countries that receive them, said Commissioner for Internal Affairs Ilva Johansson during a visit to the Medika border crossing in Poland.
The Russian delegation is traveling to the meeting place for talks with Ukrainian colleagues, reports the Belarusian news agency Belta, as reported by Reuters.
Negotiations are expected to continue tonight.
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