Russia attacks Ukraine: Zelenskyy urges Ukrainians to keep resisting

Russia continued its offensive into Ukraine on Saturday as the conflict entered its 10th day, leveling cities and towns into rubble.

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Even as missiles hurtled into the cities, Russia announced a limited cease-fire in two Ukrainian cities, Mariupol and Volnovakha, to allow civilians to flee their homes safely, according to The New York Times and CNN. For the third day, nearly 500,000 people in the coastal city of Mariupol were without heat, water or electricity. Despite daily bombings, the local government has refused to surrender.

Here are the latest updates:

Zelenskyy thanks Elon Musk, says more Starlink systems to arrive in Ukraine next week

Update 12:05 a.m. EST March 6: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked entrepreneur Elon Musk for providing his country with Starlink systems to allow people in Ukraine to access the internet amid the ongoing Russian invasion.

The systems, which CNN reported allow people to connect to Starlink’s satellite-based internet service, were delivered to Ukraine following a request from the government. More are expected to arrive in the country next week, Zelenskyy said.

Men line up to join Ukrainian army

Update 11 p.m. EST March 5: Hundreds of men have been lining up in Kyiv to join the Ukrainian army.

An order from Ukraine’s government prohibited men between the ages of 18 and 60 from leaving the country to keep them available for military conscription.

But some like Volodymyr Onysko volunteered to fight.

“We know why we are here. We know why we defend our country. And our guys that are actually standing there and fighting Russian military forces,” he told Britain’s Sky News. “We know what we are doing and that’s why we will win.”

Others, like British Army veteran Mark Ayres, travelled to Ukraine to help.

Ayres said the Ukrainian people have been inspiring and “it’s galvanized everybody.”

“I’ve got no illusions. I’ve got no romantic ideas of war or like ‘I’m going to be some hero’ or make a difference … but it is what I do,” Ayres said.

Tens of thousands book Airbnbs to support Ukrainians

Update 10 p.m. EST March 5: More than 61,000 people have booked Airbnb rentals that they never plan to use as a way to funnel aid to Ukrainians as the country continues to grapple with an invasion by Russia.

>> Read more: Thousands book Airbnbs in Ukraine to support locals amid Russian invasion

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said more than 61,400 nights had been booked in Ukraine on Wednesday and Thursday, giving hosts $1.9 million.

The company has waived guest and host fees on new bookings in the country amid the ongoing conflict.

More than 1.3 million refugees have fled Ukraine, UN says

Update 9:05 p.m. EST March 5: Since Russia launched its military campaign against Ukraine on Feb. 24, more than 1.3 million people have fled the country, according to data from the United Nations Refugee Agency.

A majority of the refugees – more than 756,000 people -- have ended up in Poland, according to UNHCR. Just over 157,000 people have fled to Hungary while nearly 134,000 have ended up in other European countries.

Officials estimate that as many as 4 million people might flee from Ukraine in the coming weeks and months.

White House shares details of call between Biden, Zelenskyy

Update 8:10 p.m. EST March 5: White House officials on Saturday released a readout of a more than 30-minute call between President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Officials said Biden “highlighted the ongoing actions undertaken by the United States, its allies and partners, and private industry to raise the costs on Russia for its aggression in Ukraine.” He particularly welcomed news Saturday afternoon that Visa and Mastercard were suspending services in Russia.

>> Related: Visa, Mastercard suspend services in Russia amid invasion of Ukraine

“President Biden noted his administration is surging security, humanitarian, and economic assistance to Ukraine and is working closely with Congress to secure additional funding,” according to the White House.

”President Biden reiterated his concern about the recent Russian attack on a Ukrainian nuclear power plant, and he commended the skill and bravery of the Ukrainian operators who have kept the reactors in safe condition. The leaders also discussed the recent talks between Russia and Ukraine.”

Zelenskyy, Biden speak amid ongoing Russian invasion

Update 7:45 p.m. EST March 5: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that he spoke with U.S. President Joe Biden about “security, financial support for Ukraine and the continuation of sanctions against Russia.”

The pair spoke from 6:18 p.m. to 6:50 p.m., according to the White House.

Earlier Saturday, Zelenskyy met virtually with U.S. lawmakers and urged them to send more planes to help Ukraine fight Russia.

National Security Council criticizes new Russian law targeting ‘false’ information

Update 7:20 p.m. EST March 5: In a statement released Saturday by the White House, National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne criticized a newly signed Russian law threatening people who share “fake” information about the war in Ukraine with jail terms of up to 15 years.

“To hide the truth from its own citizens, Russia’s censorship agency has shuttered independent Russian media outlets, blocked social media, and restricted access in Russia to international news outlets,” Horne said.

“We condemn the move by the Russian Federation Council to approve a law threatening prison sentences of up to 15 years for journalists and ordinary citizens that would spread so-called ‘false’ information about (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s unconscionable war in Ukraine.”

The National Security Council urged people in “all sectors of society to promote human rights and fundamental freedoms online and offline.”

“This includes disinformation that seeks to divide the global community and conceal the Kremlin’s responsibility for this crisis,” Horne said. “The United States firmly believes that the best way to accomplish this goal is to hold accountable the propaganda media and disinformation proxies that disseminate Putin’s lies.”

Visa, Mastercard suspend operations in Russia

Update 6:05 p.m. EST March 5: Officials with financial services giants Visa and Mastercard announced that they are suspending their services in Russia amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

In a statement released Saturday, Visa officials said they will immediately begin working with the company’s clients and partners in Russia “to cease all Visa transactions over the coming days.”

>> Read more: Visa, Mastercard suspend services in Russia amid invasion of Ukraine

“Once complete, all transactions initiated with Visa cards issued in Russia will no longer work outside the country and any Visa cards issued by financial institutions outside of Russia will no longer work within the Russian Federation.”

Al Kelly, the chairman and CEO of Visa Inc., said the company was “compelled to act following Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and the unacceptable events that we have witnessed.”

“We regret the impact this will have on our valued colleagues, and on the clients, partners, merchants and cardholders we serve in Russia,” Kelly said. “This war and the ongoing threat to peace and stability demand we respond in line with our values.”

Officials with Mastercard said Saturday that “the unprecedented nature of the current conflict and the uncertain economic environment” prompted the company to suspend its network services in Russia.

“With this action, cards issued by Russian banks will no longer be supported by the Mastercard network. And, any Mastercard issued outside of the country will not work at Russian merchants or ATMs,” the company said in a statement.

“As we take this step, we join with so many others in hoping for and committing to a more positive, productive and peaceful future for us all.”

Canada tells its citizens in Russia to leave

Update 5:51 p.m. EST March 5: Canada told its citizens to leave Russia “while commercial means are still available,” The Guardian reported.

“Avoid all travel to Russia,” Canada’s foreign ministry said in a news release. “If you are in Russia, you should leave while commercial means are still available.

“Flight availability is becoming extremely limited,” the news release stated. “The ability of our embassy to provide consular services in Russia may become severely limited,” Canada’s foreign ministry said in a travel advisory.”

Zelenskyy urges Ukrainians to keep resisting

Update 4:58 p.m. EST March 5: Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Ukrainians to keep up their resistance against Russian resistance, CNN reported.

In a video address posted to his official Facebook page, Zelenskyy told citizens to “go on the offensive.”

“Go out on the streets,” the president said, according to CNN. “We need to fight every time we have an opportunity.

“When you don’t have a firearm but they respond with gunshots and you don’t run … This is the reason why occupation is temporary. Our people -- Ukrainians -- don’t back down.”

Italian police seize $150M worth of property, ships from Russian oligarchs

CNN reported that financial police in Italy have seized villas, houses and yachts worth more than $150 million USD from five Russian oligarchs.

In a statement, the Special Unit of the Financial Police, along with the Economic and Financial Police Unit of Imperia and the Aeronaval Operational Department of Genoa, executed asset-freezing orders on Friday against the oligarchs.

“Sanctions will hurt Putin,” Luigi Di Maio, Italy’s foreign minister, said late Friday, according to The Wall Street Journal. “This is the only way to make him see reason.”

The orders were executed against Alexey Alexandrovits Mordaschov, Gennady Nikolayevich Timchenko, Alisher Usmanov, Vladimir Roudolfovitch Soloviev and Oleg Savchenko, CNN reported. Mordaschov suffered the most losses, approximately $71 million, as police seized the Lady M yacht.

Ukraine demands new round of sanctions against Russia

Update 2:56 p.m. EST March 5; Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister, said during a televised address on Saturday that his country wanted stronger sanctions against Russia.

“They include, among others, banning the Russians bank Sberbank from SWIFT, closing European ports for Russian ships, closing access of Russia to cryptocurrency and stopping purchases of Russian oil,” Kuleba said, according to CNN.

Russian oil “smells with Ukrainian blood today,” Kuleba said, adding that countries buying it are “financing Russian war crimes.”

“My message to the world is clear. When all European and other leaders at all ceremonies throughout the year, repeat those separate words, ‘never again,’ they now need to prove with actions that they stand by those words,” Kuleba said. “Prove now that you have learned to the lessons of the past, that a new brutal force in Europe can be stopped before it drags the whole continent into devastating conflict,” the foreign minister said, concluding his speech.

Ukraine, Russia to hold next round of talks Monday

Update 1:45 p.m. EST March 5: A member of a Ukrainian delegation said the next round of talks with Russia will be held on Monday, according to The Associated Press.

The third round of talks was confirmed by Davyd Arakhamia, a member of Ukraine’s delegation at the talks, according to the AP.

Israeli prime minister meets Putin in Moscow

Update 1:01 p.m. EST March 5: Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, his office has confirmed. The talks lasted about two-and-a-half hours, according to the BBC.

Bennett’s office said it told U.S. officials in advance of the Kremlin meeting.

Meanwhile, in Kyiv, a dozen Russian prisoners of war were presented to journalists at a hastily called news conference, The New York Times reported.

The prisoners sat quietly at a table in a conference room of a Ukrainian news agency while heavily armed and masked Ukrainian security service officials watched, the newspaper reported.

Each prisoner read a statement from a handwritten text on a piece of paper and later answered questions, adding that they had not been mistreated, the Times reported.

State Department urges US citizens to ‘depart immediately’ from Russia

Update 12:01 p.m. EST March 5: The U.S. government has warned American citizens living or traveling in Russia to “depart immediately,” The Guardian reported.

In new guidelines, the State Department said in a travel advisory that some credit and debit cards could be declined by consumers attempting to purchase flights due to economic sanctions. at cash is in short supply and that foreigners may face “potential harassment.”

“lf there are some reports of cash shortages within Russia. U.S. citizens should make an alternative plan for access to money and finances if remaining in Russia,” the State Department said in its travel advisory.

Zelenskyy speaks with US lawmakers in Zoom call

Update 11:01 a.m., EST March 5: Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy asked U.S. lawmakers for assistance in establishing a no-fly zone over Ukraine during a Zoom call Saturday, CNN reported.

During the hourlong call, which began at about 9:30 a.m. EST, Zelenskyy asked senators for greater sanctions on Russia, including on energy, and for more military assistance for Ukrainian forces, the news organization reported.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement that Zelenskyy made a “desperate plea for Eastern European countries to provide Russian-made planes to Ukraine,” according to The Associated Press.

“I will do all I can to help the administration to facilitate their transfer,” Schumer said.

At the end of the call, dozens of lawmakers thanked Zelenskyy and offered their support, with some saying “Slava Ukraini,” CNN reported.

UN says confirmed civilian death toll at 351

Update 9:40 a.m. EST March 5: The U.N. human rights office said it has confirmed the deaths of 351 civilians in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began, according to The Associated Press.

The Geneva-based office said that another 707 civilians were injured between Feb. 24 and midnight Friday.

Putin: Declaration of ‘no-fly zone’ akin to participation in conflict

Update 9:24 a.m. EST March 5: Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Moscow will consider any third-party declaration of a Ukraine no-fly zone as “participation in the armed conflict,” according to The Associated Press.

Speaking at a meeting with female pilots on Saturday, Putin said Russia would view “any move in this direction” as an intervention that “will pose a threat to our service members,” according to the AP.

“That very second, we will view them as participants of the military conflict, and it would not matter what members they are,” the Russian president said.

“Please close the sky,” Solomiya Zdryko, 18, who fled from Lviv in western Ukraine, told Reuters. “I know that it’s not possible for us to join NATO but at least close the sky because people are dying.”

Putin also said that western sanctions on Russia were similar to a declaration of war, the news organization reported.

Putin: Leaders resisting invasion ‘risk the future’ of Ukraine

Update 9:13 a.m. EST March 5: Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Ukraine might lose its statehood if its leaders continued to resist his military invasion, The New York Times reported.

“The current leadership needs to understand that if they continue doing what they are doing, they risk the future of Ukrainian statehood,” Putin said at a meeting in Moscow. “If that happens, they will have to be blamed for that.”

Russian airline suspends international flights

Update 7:55 a.m. EST March 5: Aeroflot, Russia’s state airline, said that it would suspend all international flights “due to additional circumstances that prevent the performance of flights,” The New York Times reported.

The cancellation will also apply to its subsidiaries Aurora and Rossiya, the airline said.

The move comes after the country’s aviation agency, Rosaviatsiya, recommended that all Russian airlines with foreign-leased planes halt both international passenger and cargo flights, according to The Associated Press.

Rosaviatsiya’s recommendation does not apply to Russian airlines that use Russian planes or foreign planes that are not at risk of being impounded, the AP reported. It also does not apply to foreign airlines from countries that have not imposed sanctions on Russia and have not shut down their airspace for Russian planes

Blinken arrives in Poland for talks

Update 7:11 a.m. EST March 5: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in the southeastern city of Rzeszow, Poland, near the Ukrainian border. Blinken met with Polish officials, NATO members and the European Union member state’s foreign minister, Zbigniew Rau.

Mariupol officials: Evacuation postponed

Update 5:59 a.m. EST March 5: According to the BBC, the evacuation of civilians from Mariupol has been postponed, the Mariupol city counci said. Officials in the southeastern Ukrainian city said the Russians have not been observing the temporary ceasefire.

Officials said residents should find places of shelter.

Mariupol’s deputy mayor told the BBC that Mariupol was still being shelled.

Earlier, evacuations began in Mariupol and Volnovakha as the Russian opened a corridor to allow civilians safely to flee their homes.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement it had agreed on evacuation routes with Ukrainian forces for the two cities, but did not make clear how long the routes would stay open, according to The Associated Press.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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