(Reuters) – Fighting stopped residents from evacuating the besieged city of Mariupol for a second day in a row on Sunday, as Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to press ahead with his invasion and the number of refugees fleeing Ukraine passed 1.5 million.
*Fleeing conflict, caught in shelling
Ukrainians fleeing the town of Irpin just outside Kyiv were caught in shelling by Russian forces and forced to dive for cover, Reuters witnesses said.
*U.S. concerned about civilians
The United States has seen very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians in Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
*’No war’ protests in Russia
Police detained more than 4,600 people at Russia-wide protests against President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, according to an independent protest monitoring group.
*The city mayor trying to get people out
The mayor of Mariupol used to dream of revitalising the city. Now he says his main priority is to help many of the 400,000 people stuck in the southeastern Ukrainian city to escape. [nL2N2V90D2
*Diplomatic efforts
Israeli Prime Minister Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said his country will continue trying to mediate between Russia and Ukraine even if success seems unlikely. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan urged Putin to declare a ceasefire in Ukraine, open humanitarian corridors and sign a peace agreement, his office said.
*More companies quit operations in Russia
Global streaming entertainment service Netflix, top accounting firms KPMG and PWC, and financial services firm American Express all cut ties with Russia as the conflict with Ukraine escalated.
*Oil import ban could be the West’s next Russia weapon
The United States and European partners are exploring banning Russian oil imports, U.S. Secretary of State Blinken said, but stressed the importance of maintaining steady oil supplies globally.
*Russia’s credit rating slips
Moody’s cut Russia’s credit rating to Ca, the second-lowest rung of its ratings ladder, citing central bank capital controls that are likely to restrict payments on the country’s foreign debt and lead to default.
*QUOTES
“In Ukraine rivers of blood and tears are flowing. This is not only a military operation but a war which is leading to death, destruction and misery,” said Pope Francis, rejecting the term “military operation” that Russia has used to describe its actions.
“My heart is being torn apart,” said Olha Kucher, director of the Zaporizhzhia Central Christian Orphanage after evacuating more than 200 children from the southwestern city. “I simply lack words. And I feel so sorry for these children. They’re so young.” “I am forced to make a choice and choose one of my musical family over the other. I am being asked to choose one cultural tradition over the other,” Tugan Sokhiev, chief conductor at Moscow’s prestigious Bolshoi Theatre, said in an English-language Facebook post in which he said he was quitting his job after being pressured to condemn the invasion.
*COMING UPUkraine said a third round of ceasefire talks with Russia would go ahead on Monday; Moscow was less definitive.
(Compiled by Frances Kerry and Daniel Wallis)
