Russia

TikTok stops new content being uploaded in Russia

The video-sharing giant said it wanted to ensure the safety of staff and users as it assessed the new law.

Since Friday, anyone who writes news deemed to be fake about Russia's armed forces can face a lengthy jail term.

The BBC and other news outlets have stopped reporting in Russia, saying they can no longer be independent.

There are about 36 million monthly users of TikTok in Russia, but developers there recently launched a rival service.

Evacuation of Mariupol fails again, Putin tells Ukraine to stop fighting

Most people trapped in the port city are sleeping in bomb shelters to escape more than six days of near-constant shelling by encircling Russian forces that has cut off food, water, power and heating supplies, according to the Ukrainian authorities.

The civilian death toll from hostilities across Ukraine since Moscow launched its invasion on 24 February stood at 364, including more than 20 children, according to the United Nations on Sunday, with hundreds more injured.

Russia blocks Facebook, says it restricts access to Russian media

The regulator, Roskomnadzor, said there had been 26 cases of discrimination against Russian media by Meta Platforms Inc's Facebook since October 2020, including restrictions in recent days of state-backed channels like RT and the RIA news agency.

The move is a major escalation in an ongoing confrontation between big tech companies and Russia, which has in recent years issued a slew of fines and hobbled services through slowdowns. The tensions have ramped up amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a "special operation."

Amateurs dig in to fight Russian troops from Kyiv forests

Checkpoints, barricades, and roadblocks radiate from the imposing streets in the city centre to the motorways on the outskirts. Spiky metal tank traps - called hedgehogs - have mushroomed at strategic locations. Troops are more alert, checking every car. Some still smile and say "welcome", but many look distracted, already focusing on the battle to come.

It feels like Ukrainian forces in the capital are poised and ready to fight. This ancient city - with its elegant facades and onion domed churches - is now on a war footing.

Samoa condemns Ukraine invasion

At the Special Session of the General Assembly on Ukraine this week, Samoa's representative at the United Nations, Fatumanava-o-Upolu Pa'olelei Luteru, said such action is in clear violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.

He added that it inconsistent with the state principles laid out in Article 2 of the UN Charter.

“We therefore condemn Russia’s unprovoked attack on the sovereignty and political independence of Ukraine.”

Fatumanava said Samoa may be a small state but it has a moral obligation to speak up.

'Nothing to lose but freedom' – Ukraine’s President Zelensky

"We have nothing to lose but our own freedom," he said.

Britain's defence ministry said the main body of the huge Russian column advancing on Kyiv was still 30km from the city centre, held up by Ukrainian resistance, mechanical breakdown and congestion.

In Borodyanka, a town 60km northwest of Kyiv where local people repelled a Russian assault, burnt-out hulks of destroyed Russian armour were scattered on a highway, surrounded by buildings blasted into ruins.

Netflix pauses future projects in Russia

The company said it was assessing the impact of the current invasion of Ukraine.

Filming for the production of Russian language series Zato will be halted.

Elsewhere in tech, cloud computing company Oracle also said it has suspended operations in Russia.

The two companies are the latest US technology firms to take action against Russia as attacks on Ukraine's cities have escalated.

On Tuesday, Apple also announced that it was halting sales in Russia.

Russian troops take control of key city of Kherson – mayor

Kherson is the first major city to be taken by Russia, after heavy fighting, since it invaded a week ago.

Its mayor, Igor Kolykhaev, said Russian troops had forced their way into the city council building and imposed a curfew on residents.

Several cities have come under intense shelling, with Wednesday one of the most destructive days of the fighting.

An investigation into possible war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Ukraine has been launched by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

Russia's Kharkiv attacks are war crimes, says Zelensky

At least 10 people were killed and 35 hurt when the opera house, concert hall and government offices were hit in Freedom Square in Kharkiv.

Speaking to the European Parliament, Mr Zelensky urged the EU to prove it was with Ukraine.

Later the main TV tower in the capital Kyiv was hit, putting media off air.

Footage on social media showed smoke billowing from the steel structure.

Five people died in the attack, Ukrainian officials said, but the tower remains standing.

International Criminal Court to investigate invasion

"There is a reasonable basis to believe that both alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed in Ukraine," Karim AA Khan, the ICC prosecutor has said.

"It is my intention that this investigation will also encompass any new alleged crimes falling within the jurisdiction of my Office that are committed by any party to the conflict on any part of the territory of Ukraine".

Meanwhile, Russian and Ukrainian representatives have concluded talks held in Belarus aimed at brokering peace amid the ongoing conflict.