US bans Russian oil as Ukrainians flee cities

President Volodymyr Zelensky said he is no longer pressing for NATO membership for Ukraine, a delicate issue that was one of Russia's stated reasons for invading its pro-Western neighbor.

Britain will phase out imports of Russian oil and oil products by the end of 2022, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday, joining other nations including the United States in reducing their energy dependency on Russia.

Russia's central bank has decided to keep stock market trading on the Moscow Exchange largely suspended again on Wednesday, keeping only a limited range of operations, it said in a statement on Tuesday.

The international scientific laboratory that is home to the world’s largest atom smasher says it is suspending Russia’s observer status and halting any new collaboration with Russia or its institutions “until further notice.”

Biden says ban on Russian oil imports decided 'in close consultation' with allies

U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced a U.S. ban on Russian oil and other energy imports, ramping up a pressure campaign on Moscow in retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine.

Sixty-one hospitals in Ukraine are not operational because of attacks by Russian forces, Health Minister Viktor Lyashko said on Tuesday.

Pentagon estimates 2,000 to 4,000 Russian soldiers already killed in Ukraine

The UK government on Tuesday said it was setting up a visa centre for Ukrainian refugees in northern France, after confusion and anger that some were being turned away.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday there were credible reports that Russia was targeting civilians in Ukraine and urged Moscow to end the conflict, also vowing not to let it spread.

The advance of Russian forces in Ukraine has slowed significantly and Ukrainian forces are counter-attacking in some areas, Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said on Tuesday.

Energy giant Shell says it will stop buying Russian oil and natural gas as well as shut down its service stations and other operations in the country amid international pressure for companies to sever ties over the invasion of Ukraine.

Russian forces shelled an evacuation route for civilians trapped in the besieged city of Mariupol in violation of a ceasefire agreement on Tuesday, Ukraine foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said on Twitter.

Zelensky says, "While Russians are to blame for the killings, responsibility is shared by those, who for 13 days in their Western offices, haven’t been able to approve an obviously necessary decision, who didn’t save our cities from these bombs and missiles although they can."

Apple has disabled its spring presentation for Russians on its official website and YouTube channel.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that Russia and its people should be treated with respect amid the Ukraine crisis because a long-lasting peace is impossible without Russia's participation.

Russia and the United States should return to the principle of "peaceful co-existence" like during the Cold War, the Interfax news agency cited the Russian foreign ministry as saying on Tuesday.

The number of refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine is expected to top two million in the next two days, the head of the UN refugee agency said Tuesday.

Buses packed with people fleeing the Russian invasion in Ukraine began a procession along a snowy road out of one city Tuesday, as a new effort to evacuate civilians along safe corridors finally got underway.

Russia has opened "humanitarian corridors" to evacuate people from Kyiv, Cherhihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Mariupol, the Interfax news agency quoted the Russian defence ministry as saying on Tuesday.

The defence ministry added that Russian forces in Ukraine had introduced a "silent regime" from 0700 GMT, Interfax reported.