Zürcher Nachrichten - Putin warns of wider war from a no-fly zone as key port siege resumes

EUR -
AED 4.243791
AFN 81.465727
ALL 98.56612
AMD 443.453564
ANG 2.067995
AOA 1059.637125
ARS 1366.152552
AUD 1.769897
AWG 2.082875
AZN 1.960017
BAM 1.951516
BBD 2.33206
BDT 141.264748
BGN 1.954326
BHD 0.435731
BIF 3399.622304
BMD 1.155548
BND 1.478766
BOB 7.998509
BRL 6.34523
BSD 1.154954
BTN 99.328786
BWP 15.421277
BYN 3.779869
BYR 22648.741388
BZD 2.320027
CAD 1.569136
CDF 3324.51161
CHF 0.940102
CLF 0.028194
CLP 1081.950957
CNY 8.296546
CNH 8.298493
COP 4738.324697
CRC 582.216723
CUC 1.155548
CUP 30.622023
CVE 110.499326
CZK 24.801493
DJF 205.364123
DKK 7.458554
DOP 68.46596
DZD 150.454693
EGP 58.028383
ERN 17.33322
ETB 155.186484
FJD 2.589294
FKP 0.84981
GBP 0.85194
GEL 3.148856
GGP 0.84981
GHS 11.873314
GIP 0.84981
GMD 82.625007
GNF 10002.424007
GTQ 8.876435
GYD 241.641575
HKD 9.070648
HNL 30.217552
HRK 7.533598
HTG 151.146854
HUF 402.133075
IDR 18801.690886
ILS 4.04719
IMP 0.84981
INR 99.485694
IQD 1513.767919
IRR 48660.127749
ISK 143.600161
JEP 0.84981
JMD 184.350051
JOD 0.819244
JPY 167.310588
KES 149.290238
KGS 101.052748
KHR 4645.302775
KMF 491.685917
KPW 1039.999163
KRW 1574.769806
KWD 0.353632
KYD 0.962495
KZT 592.29451
LAK 25049.397163
LBP 103537.103101
LKR 347.763486
LRD 230.704971
LSL 20.591911
LTL 3.412033
LVL 0.69898
LYD 6.268847
MAD 10.541486
MDL 19.750809
MGA 5124.855846
MKD 61.539422
MMK 2425.440818
MNT 4139.713252
MOP 9.338878
MRU 45.840804
MUR 52.469699
MVR 17.801189
MWK 2006.031054
MXN 21.885386
MYR 4.901801
MZN 73.897846
NAD 20.591519
NGN 1783.195282
NIO 41.942797
NOK 11.454482
NPR 158.926457
NZD 1.906354
OMR 0.444302
PAB 1.154974
PEN 4.162859
PGK 4.763049
PHP 65.479121
PKR 327.132781
PLN 4.273731
PYG 9213.69189
QAR 4.20677
RON 5.022239
RSD 117.199293
RUB 90.710938
RWF 1646.655943
SAR 4.335392
SBD 9.645811
SCR 16.956072
SDG 693.903807
SEK 10.964972
SGD 1.480633
SHP 0.908079
SLE 25.682086
SLL 24231.268649
SOS 660.400547
SRD 44.767129
STD 23917.511179
SVC 10.106162
SYP 15024.316209
SZL 20.592215
THB 37.557578
TJS 11.700465
TMT 4.044418
TND 3.377088
TOP 2.70641
TRY 45.504336
TTD 7.840854
TWD 34.037816
TZS 2991.924172
UAH 48.021533
UGX 4163.858378
USD 1.155548
UYU 47.227947
UZS 14710.126393
VES 118.058882
VND 30113.581662
VUV 138.566722
WST 3.179813
XAF 654.525673
XAG 0.031713
XAU 0.000341
XCD 3.122927
XDR 0.817273
XOF 652.884324
XPF 119.331742
YER 280.740559
ZAR 20.599666
ZMK 10401.315856
ZMW 28.00875
ZWL 372.085994
  • CMSC

    0.0900

    22.314

    +0.4%

  • CMSD

    0.0250

    22.285

    +0.11%

  • RBGPF

    0.0000

    69.04

    0%

  • SCS

    0.0400

    10.74

    +0.37%

  • RELX

    0.0300

    53

    +0.06%

  • RIO

    -0.1400

    59.33

    -0.24%

  • GSK

    0.1300

    41.45

    +0.31%

  • NGG

    0.2700

    71.48

    +0.38%

  • BP

    0.1750

    30.4

    +0.58%

  • BTI

    0.7150

    48.215

    +1.48%

  • BCC

    0.7900

    91.02

    +0.87%

  • JRI

    0.0200

    13.13

    +0.15%

  • VOD

    0.0100

    9.85

    +0.1%

  • BCE

    -0.0600

    22.445

    -0.27%

  • RYCEF

    0.1000

    12

    +0.83%

  • AZN

    -0.1200

    73.71

    -0.16%

Putin warns of wider war from a no-fly zone as key port siege resumes
Putin warns of wider war from a no-fly zone as key port siege resumes

Putin warns of wider war from a no-fly zone as key port siege resumes

Russian President Valdimir Putin on Saturday warned the West of a wider war if a no-fly zone is set up, as his forces resumed an offensive against a key Ukrainian city where a planned evacuation of residents failed to take place over security fears.

Text size:

With his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky criticising NATO for ruling out a no-fly zone for fear of sparking nuclear conflict, Putin spoke of "colossal and catastrophic consequences not only for Europe but also the whole world", if such a zone was set up.

"Any movement in this direction will be considered by us as participation in an armed conflict by that country," Putin said.

For Zelensky, on day 10 of the invasion, under an escalating bombardment that has flattened more and more infrastructure and sent nearly 1.4 million civilians fleeing for their lives, the Western military alliance's "no" to a no-fly zone had essentially given "the green light for further bombing of Ukrainian cities and villages".

The strategic city of Mariupol proudly resisted Moscow-backed rebels during a 2014 conflict, but the Azoz sea port has for days been without electricity, food and water in the dead of winter and people began gathering for the evacuation.

After Russia's defence ministry declared the ceasefire -- to open a humanitarian corridor out of the war's fiercest battles -- officials said the city's 450,000-strong population could begin to leave by bus and private cars.

However city officials then called a delay in the evacuation, saying: "The Russian side does not adhere to the ceasefire and has continued shelling both Mariupol itself and its environs, and for security reasons, the evacuation of the civilian population has been postponed."

Russia later announced the assault was back on.

"Due to the unwillingness of the Ukrainian side to influence nationalists or extend the ceasefire, offensive actions have been resumed," at 1500 GMT a Russian defence ministry spokesman said.

The siege came as more Russian forces inched closer to the capital.

The western edge of Kyiv bears witness to a human tragedy whose scale grows ever greater as Russia's assault becomes more determined and indiscriminate.

Working class towns such as Bucha and Irpin are in the line of fire and air raids on Friday broke many people's resolve to stay.

"Warplanes. They are bombing residential areas -- schools, churches, big buildings, everything," said accountant Natalia Dydenko said after a quick glance back at the destruction she left behind.

Dozens of civilians have been killed in assaults on the northern town Chernihiv. Those remaining live among the town's ruins and in craters.

- Scenes of devastation -

"There were corpses all over the ground," Sergei told AFP, as air raid sirens wailed once more. "They were queueing here for the pharmacy that's just there, and they're all dead."

AFP reporters saw scenes of devastation -- despite Moscow's insistence it is not targeting civilian areas.

Zelensky remains defiant, announcing Saturday that Ukrainian forces were counter-attacking around Kharkiv, the country's second largest city, which has seen Russian incursions and fierce bombardments.

"We inflict such losses on the invaders that they have not seen even in their worst dream," he said.

Since Putin's army invaded on February 24, Russia has pummelled Ukrainian cities, with officials reporting hundreds of civilians killed. Europe's largest atomic power plant has even come under attack sparking fears of a catastrophic nuclear accident.

But Moscow has so far only seized two key cities in its 10-day-long invasion -- Berdiansk and Kherson on Ukraine's southern Black Sea coast.

Capturing Mariupol represents a bigger prize for Russian forces as it would deal a severe blow to Ukraine's maritime access and connect with troops coming from annexed Crimea and the Donbas.

The Kremlin said it was waiting for a third round of talks with Ukraine in Belarus, and one of Kyiv's negotiators said it hoped to hold them this weekend.

A third round of talks would take place on Monday, the Ukrainian side said on Saturday.

Zelensky was to appeal to Washington for more assistance Saturday with an address to the US Senate after some lawmakers urged President Joe Biden to take tougher measures, including banning Russia's oil imports.

With fears growing of direct conflict between NATO and Russia -- both nuclear armed -- the US and Moscow have set up a new direct phone line to reduce the risks of "miscalculation", the Pentagon said Friday.

US chairman of the joint chiefs of staff General Mark Willey became the latest Western figure to rule out a no-fly zone, saying it would mean taking on Russian air forces.

"That is not something that NATO Secretary General (Jens) Stoltenberg or any member states senior political leadership has indicated that they want to do," Milley told reporters in Riga.

- Media exodus -

Russian authorities have imposed a news blackout and multiple media outlets have halted operations. Twitter was restricted and Facebook blocked in Russia.

A host of news outlets including the BBC, and Bloomberg said they were suspending work in Russia after lawmakers in Moscow passed legislation to impose fines and jail terms of up to 15 years for publishing "fake news" about the army.

CNN said it would halt broadcasting in Russia, while independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta said it would remove Ukraine content.

The Kremlin on Saturday defended the new law, saying it was "necessary as the country was facing "an unprecedented information war".

- Global hunger -

Putin has been unmoved as Russia has become isolated in economic, sporting and cultural fields.

But that did not stop tens of thousands of people from taking to the streets of cities across Europe, from Berlin, to London, Geneva to Paris, Prague Madrid and Vilnius to protest against the invasion.

And the list of major companies suspending operations in Russia grew again with Spanish clothing giant and Zara fast-fashion chain owner Inditex calling a halt.

Y.Keller--NZN