Putin’s ambassador says they have the right to press the nuclear button

The shocking footage below shows the moment the Azov regiment launch a mortar strike on Russian troops.

The attack took place in the besieged city of Mariupol.

Ukraine war: Latest developments

• Vladimir Putin could face being deposed in a coup as fury grows in his inner circle over Russia’s failures in Ukraine
• Russia has lost up to 40,000 troops in Ukraine along with at least 17 commanders
• Fears are growing of more brutal Russian tactics as Putin was accused of using phosphorous bombs
• Russian landing ship Orsk was blown up as it was anchored in the occupied port of Berdyansk
• Apocalyptic footage showed the devastation of Mariupol as the vicious bombardment of the city continues
• Video also shows the moment a Russian tank was blown to pieces as Putin has lost 3,300 vehicles during the invasion
• Britain is now sending another 6,000 anti-tank missiles to Ukraine to help the fight against Russia

Bank officials say sanctions show need to regulate crypto market

The ability for Russian elites to circumvent sanctions using cryptocurrencies makes it clear that regulators need to respond, the Bank of England has said.

Officials pointed out that it is unlikely that Russians will be able to launder their assets at scale through the crypto market, but that there has been an uptick in use of crypto assets since the unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Its comments come a day after European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde warned that crypto markets “are certainly being used” to bypass sanctions.

In an update on Thursday, the Bank’s Financial Policy Committee (FPC) said: “Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there has been heightened activity in crypto asset markets.

“While cryptoassets are unlikely to provide a feasible way to circumvent sanctions at scale currently, the possibility of such behaviour underscores the importance of ensuring innovation in cryptoassets is accompanied by effective public policy frameworks to mitigate risks to consumer protection, market integrity, money laundering and terrorist financing, and maintain broader trust and integrity in the financial system.”

Russian air strikes kill six in Kharkiv – Ukrainian official

Russian strikes on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv killed at least six civilians and wounded more than a dozen, the regional governor said Thursday, one month into Russia’s invasion.

“The Russians fired long-range weapons at a Nova Poshta office, near where Kharkiv residents were receiving aid,” regional governor Oleg Synyegubov wrote on social media referring to a local postal delivery service.

“Preliminary information suggests six civilians were killed and 15 others were injured and hospitalized,” he added.

NATO stepping up chemical & nuclear defences

NATO is stepping up chemical and nuclear defences for it forces in eastern Europe in the face of fears over Russia’s war on Ukraine, alliance head Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday.

“Our top military commander General Wolters has activated NATO’s chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defence elements, and allies are deploying additional chemical and biological and nuclear defences to reinforce our existing and new battle groups,” Stoltenberg told journalists after a NATO summit in Brussels.

Thank you for reading my coverage this morning.

Before I pass the blog to my colleague Joe Gamp, here’s a summary of the latest news today:

• NATO head, Jens Stoltenberg, says bloc agreed on further defences for Ukraine, revealing what was discussed at today’s NATO meeting in Brussels.
• UK’s Prime Minister confirms another 6,000 anti-tank missiles will be sent to Ukraine to help the fight against Russia
  • Some 65 more sanctions on Russia were also announced by the UK this morning
• Vladimir Putin could face being deposed in a coup as fury grows in his inner circle over Russia’s failures in Ukraine
  • Russian landing ship Orsk was blown up as it was anchored in the occupied port of Berdyansk
• Russia has lost up to 40,000 troops in Ukraine along with at least 17 commanders
• Fears are growing of more brutal Russian tactics as Putin was accused of using phosphorous bombs
• Seven areas of Ukraine where humanitarian corridors were opened up today, the country’s deputy prime minister said.
  • However, Mariupol was not included in this
• Apocalyptic footage showed the devastation of Mariupol as the vicious bombardment of the city continues
• Video also shows the moment a Russian tank was blown to pieces as Putin has lost 3,300 vehicles during the invasion

NATO head says bloc agreed on further defences for Ukraine

NATO head, Jens Stoltenberg, has revealed what was discussed at today’s NATO leaders gathering in Brussels.

“NATO leaders agreed that we must and will provide further support to Ukraine,” he said.

“We will continue to impose unprecedented costs on Russia and we will reinforce allied deterrence and defence leaders approved our four new battle groups in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia.”

UK to provide thousands more missiles to Ukraine

The UK’s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has taken to Twitter to say that the UK will provide another 6,000 missiles to Ukraine.

This is in an effort to shore up its defence.

No 10: Johnson is ‘anti-Putin’ not ‘anti-Russian’

Following the Kremlin saying the Boris Johnson is “the most active participant in the race to be anti-Russian”, Downing Street has hit back at this.

They have said that Boris Johnson is not “anti-Russian” but “anti-Putin”.

“The prime minister is one of the most active anti-Putin leaders. We have no issue with the Russian people,” a spokesperson for the PM said.

PM ‘most active anti-Russian leader’

The Kremlin has said that the UK’s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, is the most active anti-Russian leade.

“As for Mr Johnson, we see him as the most active participant in the race to be anti-Russian,” RIA news agency quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying.

“It will lead to a foreign policy dead end.”

Moscow says it will retaliate for Poland’s expulsion of its diplomats

The Russian Foreign Ministry said today that Moscow will respond to Poland’s expulsion of 45 Russian diplomats, which it said threatened to destroy their already fraught relations.

“Russia will not leave this hostile attack without a response, which will make Polish provocateurs think and will hurt them,” the ministry said in a statement.

Dramatic moment ‘Russian ship packed with ammo is BLOWN UP’

Earlier we reported of a Russian shop named Orsk being struck by the Ukrainian military.

Screenshots show the dramatic moment the Russian ship – packed with ammo – is reportedly blown up in Ukraine, as humiliated Putin’s Navy is forced to retreat.

Footage shows the landing ship, named Orsk, on fire as black smoke can be seen coming from the port in occupied Berdyansk.

While Orsk sank, and ammunition onboard exploded sending black smoke billowing into the sky, another Kremlin Navy ship was damaged and a third attempted to leave port before it too was obliterated.

The port’s fuel depot was also understood to be ablaze.

The Ukrainian Navy said on a Facebook post: “A large paratroop ship ‘Orsk’ of the black sea fleet of occupiers was destroyed in the occupied Russian port Berdyansk.Glory to Ukraine!”

Zelensky: Summits will show ‘who is a friend’

In a video released earlier today, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky said the outcome of NATO, EU and G7 summits will reveal “who is a friend” to Ukraine.

“Politicians must … support freedom. All of them. They must support the struggle for life. We are waiting for meaningful steps. From NATO, the EU and the G7,” Zelensky said.

“We know that the Russians have already begun to lobby their interests. These are the interests of war,” he added.

“We know that they want to put this issue out. The struggle against war. But this is the war that needs to be put out.

“Our firm position will be represented at these three summits. At these three summits we will see: Who is a friend, who is a partner, and who betrayed us for money.”

‘Ukraine deserves to be full EU member’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has told the Swedish parliament this morning that Ukraine deserves a place in the European Union.

Mr Zelensky said: “We are not fighting just for the people of Ukraine, but for Europe’s security and we have shown that we deserve to be a fully-fledged member of the EU.”

Ukraine applied to be an EU member within days of Russia’s invasion.

Zelensky: Russia has used phosphorus bombs

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky addressing the NATO summit via videolink today.

He accused Russia of using phosphorus bombs this morning.

“Again, children were dying, people were dying,” he told Nato.

He did not provide any evidence, nor did he say where the attack took place.

Russian warship destroyed in occupied port

Last week, drone footage filmed by a Russian state TV hailed the arrival of the Orsk in Berdyansk as it was the first Russian warship to dock there.

However, today video footage posted by the navy and on social media showed explosions and a big ship on fire at the port, about 70km (44 miles) west of Mariupol, at 07:00 local time (05:00 GMT) on Thursday.

The Ukrainian military said its forces had struck a Russian vessel called the Orsk.

Russian ambassador says Poland blocked his embassy’s bank accounts

Russia’s ambassador to Warsaw said today that Poland had blocked the Russian embassy’s bank accounts.

This is on the basis that they might be used to finance terrorist activity or launder money.

“Our accounts have been blocked by a decision of the finance ministry, and then by a decision of the Polish prosecutor,” the TASS news agency quoted Ambassador Sergey Andreev as saying on Russia’s Channel 1 state television.

He said the reason given for the move was that “funds from our accounts could allegedly be used for laundering of illegally obtained money or for financing terrorism”.

Russia claims its captured city of Izyum

Russia says it has gained control of the city of Izyum in the Kharkiv Region of eastern Ukraine, Russia’s state-owned Rossiya 24 news channel has reported.

“The Russian armed forces continue to carry out the missions of a special military operation. By the morning of 24 March, units of the Russian army had taken full control of the town of Izyum in the Kharkiv region,” Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.

The Ukrainian administration of the city, however, says the fighting continues.

“What we’re seeing today is some significant fighting there by the Ukrainians, and an effort to take it back,” the official is quoted by the AFP news agency as saying.

Johnson calls to ‘tighten economic vice’ around Putin

The UK’s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, says President Vladimir Putin is “plainly determined to double down on his path of violence and aggression” in Ukraine.

The UK PM says allies have to “step up” their support for Ukraine, adding that they must “tighten the economic vice around Putin, sanctioning more people today as we are”.

Johnson also said we must look at what we can do to “stop Putin using his gold reserves”.

Unicef: More than half of the children in Ukraine have been displaced

Ukrainian sources claim that 128 children have died so far in the war.

Meanwhile, Unicef have today suggested that more than half of the children in the country have already been displaced from home.

Western leaders to discuss tougher action on Russia

Western leaders are meeting in Brussels today and are due to agree to strengthen their forces in Eastern Europe and increase military aid to Ukraine.

In Brussels, Western leaders will warn Putin his country will pay “ruinous” costs for invading Ukraine during a series of NATO, G7 and EU summits over today and tomorrow (Friday).

“We must ensure that the decision to invade a sovereign independent country is understood to be a strategic failure that carries with it ruinous costs for Putin and Russia,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the EU parliament.

Russia wants to ‘isolate Ukraine from the sea’

European Union’s top diplomat Josep Borrell has said today that RUssia wants to ‘occupy the ground’ and ‘isolate Ukraine from the sea’.

“Right now, Russia doesn’t want to sit and negotiate anything: what it wants is to occupy the ground,” Borrell said in an interview with Spanish TVE channel.

“It wants to surround the coast to the border with Moldova and isolate Ukraine from the sea. It wants to negotiate in earnest only when it has secured a position of strength.”

Truss speaks about more Russian sanctions

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: “These oligarchs, businesses and hired thugs are complicit in the murder of innocent civilians and it is right that they pay the price.

“Putin should be under no illusions – we are united with our allies and will keep tightening the screw on the Russian economy to help ensure he fails in Ukraine.

“There will be no let-up”.

More Russian businesses & individuals sanctioned

Some 65 more sanctions have been announced by the UK this morning.

They include the Wagner Group, which was reportedly hired to assassinate President Zelensky, and Russian Railways.

It means that more than 1,000 Russians and individuals have now been sanctioned by the UK.

Thee UK government has just issued a statement which reads:
“Today’s sanctions target key industries supporting Russia’s illegal invasion, including Russian Railways and defence company Kronshtadt, the main producer of Russian drones. The Wagner Group – the organisation Russian mercenaries reportedly tasked with assassinating President Zelenskiy – has also been sanctioned.

“Six more banks are targeted, including Alfa Bank whose cofounders include previously sanctioned oligarchs Mikhail Fridman, Petr Aven and German Khan. The world’s largest diamond producer Alrosa is also sanctioned.”

Joe Biden arrives in Brussels

The US president has arrived at NATO HQ in Brussels ahead of a busy day for the commander-in-chief.

Joe Biden will be part of three summits today with NATO, the EU and the G7.