Ukraine invasion

Wimbledon bans Russian and Belarusian tennis players

The decision by the All England Lawn Tennis Club means Grand Slam champions Daniil Medvedev from Russia and Belarusian Victoria Azarenka will not be able to participate in the June 27-July 10 tournament.

In a statement the AELTC said it had to play its part in the efforts of government, industry, sporting and creative institutions to "limit Russia's global influence through the strongest means possible."

Russia suspended from UN Human Rights Council over Ukraine

The United Nations General Assembly has suspended Russia from the UN Human Rights Council over reports of "gross and systematic violations and abuses of human rights" by invading Russian troops in Ukraine.

The US-led push garnered 93 votes in favour, while 24 countries voted no and 58 countries abstained.

A two-thirds majority of voting members in the 193-member General Assembly in New York - abstentions do not count - was needed to suspend Russia from the 47-member Geneva-based Human Rights Council.

Ukraine War: Putin’s daughters targeted by US sanctions

The US has imposed sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin's inner circle, including his daughters.

The list also includes the family of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and major banks.

The measures follow new revelations of atrocities by Russian troops in Ukraine, including images of bodies of civilians scattered on the streets of Bucha, near the capital Kyiv.

Russia says, without evidence, the images are staged by Kyiv officials.

Editor interrupts Russian TV news show

The sign, clearly visible behind the presenter, read "no war, stop the war, don't believe the propaganda, they are lying to you here".

The woman has been named as Marina Ovsyannikova, an editor at the channel.

Russian TV news is tightly controlled by the Kremlin and only reflects the Russian version of events in Ukraine.

Ms Ovsyannikova is believed to be in police custody.

Her voice could be heard during the broadcast saying "no to war! Stop the war!", before the programme director cut early to a recorded news report.

Putin seeks foreign volunteers to fight in Ukraine

Speaking at a Russian security council meeting, he said those who wanted to volunteer to fight with Russia-backed forces should be allowed to.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said there were 16,000 volunteers in the Middle East ready to fight alongside Russia-backed forces.

US officials said these could include Syrians skilled in urban combat.

Moscow is a long-standing ally of Syria and Mr Putin has been a key backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the country's civil war.

US, EU and UK target Russia oil and gas sector

The UK is phasing out Russian oil and the EU is sharply reducing gas imports as countries harden their response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Biden said the move meant the "American people will deal another powerful blow" to Putin's leadership.

"We will not be part of subsidising Putin's war," Biden added.

Despite mounting fears of rising gas prices, the move has widespread bipartisan political support in the US.

Ukraine decries 'immoral' stunt after Moscow says it will let civilians flee - to Russia

The announcement came after two days of failed ceasefires to let civilians escape the besieged city of Mariupol, where hundreds of thousands of people are trapped without food and water, under relentless bombardment and unable to evacuate their wounded.

The new "corridors" would be opened at 10 am Moscow time (8pm NZT) from the capital Kyiv and the eastern cities of Kharkiv and Sumy, as well as Mariupol, Russia's defence ministry said.

Protests across Russia see thousands detained

Some 1,700 people were detained in Moscow alone, Ria news agency reports, citing the interior ministry.

The OVD-Info rights group says detentions took place in 53 cities.

Although protests have become increasingly restricted in recent years, numerous rallies have taken place across Russia since the invasion.

In the last 11 days, more than 10,000 people have been detained at protests, OVD-Info says.

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.

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.