Russia Blocks Ukraine Harbour, Close In On 2nd Nuclear Plant: 5 Updates

Russia has intensified strikes across Ukraine with fresh reports of civilian casualties and devastating damage, particularly in southern areas near Kherson.

The West expressed anger after Europe’s largest atomic power plant was seized by Russia.

Here are the 5 latest developments on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine:

At least 331 civilians are confirmed killed and 675 injured in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began on February 24, but the real toll is likely much higher, the UN has said.

Russian troops have ‘blockaded’ Ukraine’s strategic port city Mauripol, the city’s mayor announced today. Located on the Sea of Azov, the city of 450,000 people has been bombarded by shelling and cut off without water or electricity in the depths of winter.

The US has said that Russian troops are just 32 kms from the second-largest nuclear plant in Ukraine. Russia seized the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, on Friday.

The US Embassy in Ukraine said that attacking a nuclear power plant is a war crime.

NATO on Friday rejected Ukrainian calls to help it protect its skies from Russian missiles and warplanes, wary of being dragged into Moscow’s war on its neighbour, but Europe promised more sanctions to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin.