- Heavy shelling from Russian forces on Kyiv as air raid sirens sound in the capital

- World Food Program warns that global wheat and grain prices could soar as crop shortages are reported due to the conflict

- Goldman Sachs warns that Russian invasion of Ukraine could send US and EU economies into a recession

- President Biden announces new sanction for the Kremlin, revoking Russia's “most favoured nation” trade status

- The International Atomic Energy Agency reports that it has lost communication with Chernobyl nuclear site

- Roughly 13,000 protesters arrested in anti-war demonstrations in Russian cities

- Ukraine receives first green light in their move towards becoming an EU member state, but President Zelenskyy has "cooled" on the prospect of joining NATO

- Russian forces move move to encircle Kyiv after being repelled by Ukrainian troops for days

- How many fighter jets does Russia have?

- Ukraine is home to a unique tapestry of languages. Which are spoken in the country?

Could the Ukraine-Russia conflict lead to global food shortages?

How many fighter jets does Russia have?

How can I sponsor or host a Ukraine family in the USA?

How many protesters have been arrested in Russia? How are people avoiding arrest?

What state has the highest gas prices? Where are gas prices the lowest?

What is an anti-tank missile?

Is Poland sending jets to Ukraine?

What language do they speak in Ukraine?

What is an anti-radiation missile?

What does a US ban on Russian oil mean for gas prices? How will Americans be impacted?

How many conventional missiles does Russia have? Is Russia running out of missiles?

Russians denied media access by authoritarian Kremlin laws

in recent days the Russian government has sought to crack down on the burgeoning anti-war sentiment that sparked large-scale protests in Moscow and other cities across the country. New laws were brought in that could see protesters face up to 15 years in prison and a fine worth approximately $10,000 for opposing the invasion of Ukraine. 

President Putin has also passed new laws tightening the Kremlin's control of media outlets and access to internet in the country. A report from the UN suggested that it was part of a targeted propoganda scheme designed to keep citizens from finding information related to the ongoing war with a neighbour. 

Ukrainian MP shares heartfelt message from Irish child

Is Poland sending jets to Ukraine?

In recent days Poland, as well as the other NATO states on the border with Ukraine, have become increasingly worried of the escalating conflict on their doorstep and are eager to curb the risk of further Russian expansion. The Polish government had floated the idea of supplying fighter jets to Ukraine in the hope of preventing Russian forces from gaining a foothold in the country and mounting further attacks. But NATO, led by the United States, have signalled that they will not countenance such a move, fearing retaliation from Russia. 

Russian artillery units close on Kyiv

This video report from CNN outlines the continued violence surrounding Kyiv as Russian forces look to advance on the Ukrainian capital. There is real concern amongst Ukrainian officials that the Kremlin is preparing for a major offensive after local forces managed to hold off the invaders for more than two weeks. With such a significant military superiority Russia may attempt to encircle the city and strangle the supply lines for the roughly two million people who remain in Kyiv. 

Reports of sustained shelling on Kyiv from Russia

More than two weeks in the invasion, many experts had expected Russia to sweep through Ukraine and capture Kyiv at a canter. So far Ukrainian forces have managed to repel the invaders surprisingly well but there are signs that the Kremlin is becoming more aggressive and more indiscriminate in its approach. 

In recent days there have been multiple reports of artillery attacks targeting civilian areas, and within the past hour Fox News' Try Yingst has reported that Russian shelling on the capital city has been ramped up even further. 

Photo of Ukrainian girl with a lollipop and a rifle goes viral

More on the photo Donald Tusk used (see below). The photo was taken by Alexei Kirichenko of his 9-year-old daughter to highlight the situation facing children in Ukraine in the midst of the Russian invasion. 

Incredible photo and strong message from Donald Tusk, who's the President of the European People's Party, a grouping of centre-right parties from across the EU.

Previously Tusk was Prime Minister of Poland from 2007 to 2014 and President of the European Council from 2014 to 2019, so he's one of big names in Europe.

How many Russians and Ukrainians live in the USA?

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has affected people all over the world and has caused great concern for people of Ukrainian and Russian descent living overseas.

The Census Bureau has studied the reported ancestry of the American population. From those who submitted their information they were able to extrapolate to estimate the total number of people from each national heritage. We take a look at the number of people with Ukrainian or Russian ancestry currently living in the US...

Kyiv mayor Klitschko is confident in Ukrainian defences

Former world boxing champion Vitali Klitschko is the current mayor of Ukrainian capital Kyiv and has remained in the city throughout the Russian invasion, even seen marshalling troops at barricades around the city. In an interview, Klitschko said that he is confident of Kyiv's ability to repel the invading military and that there are still around two million residents left to defend the capital. 

Ukraine FA bans Tymoshchuk for life over Zenit involvement

Anatoliy Tymoshchuk played for Ukraine a record 144 times. He is still involved with Russian club Zenit (who are owned by state-controlled energy company Gazprom) and has kept silent on the Russian invasion of his homeland, so the Ukrainian FA decided to act. 

Russian artillery moves closer to Kyiv

After a week of little progress, satellite images are now showing that Russian troops are moving closer towards the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. Taking the city is crucial to President Putin's ambitions in Ukraine and would allow him to install his own puppet regime that is closely aligned to Moscow. 

National security reporter Jack Detsch claims that Russian troops have been firing into civilian areas on the outskirts of Kyiv, an action that could be considered a war crime if the allegation is corroborated. 

Why is Russia interested in controlling nuclear power plants in Ukraine?

When their forces crossed into Ukraine a little over two weeks ago, Russian troops quickly captured the decommissioned Chernobyl nuclear power plant to the north of Kyiv. The facility is located 10 miles from the Belarussian border within a 1,660 square mile exclusion zone, the majority of which is located in Ukraine.

The territory is largely deserted and the nuclear plant itself is out of use and holds no energy production value for either Russia or Ukraine. So why was it such a high priority for the Russian invasion and will other nuclear power plants be targeted?

What state is the Ukrainian military in?

As President Putin amassed a huge military force on the border with Ukraine at the start of 2022, most experts agreed that Ukraine would be swiftly overpowered if the Kremlin decided to launch an invasion. However that has proved far from the case over the past two weeks and the Ukrainian military, bolstered by civilian volunteers, has largely managed to repel the vastly superior Russian forces. 

Crucial to that effort has been Ukraine's ability to prevent Russia gaining control in the air, picking off the invading aircrafts wth shoulder-held rocket launchers and sophisticated tracking missiles. This has also meant that the Ukrainian air force has managed to keep most of its inventory in use. 

How many fighter jets does Ukraine have?

Ukraine started the war with just under 100 combat aircraft: 

MiG-29 (multi-role): 37 Su-24 (attack): 12 Su-25 (attack): 17 Su-27 (multi-role): 32  

Though some of these were used for training purposes and not all of them may have been air-ready, with Ukraine historically struggling with maintenance and parts issues. 

According to a US defense official speaking today, the Ukrainian air force has 56 fighter jets left. That would give the lie to Russian claims, early in their invasion, that they had destroyed Ukraine's air force and had complete air superiority over the country. 

Ukraine accuses Russia of firing at Belarusian settlement

The Ukrainian air force says it has intel that Russian aircraft took off from Belarus, headed into Ukrainian airspace and then turned and fired at Kopani in Belarus. The claim is that this was done to try and drag Belarus into the war.

Belarus is an ally of Russia and has allowed Russian troops to invade Ukraine from its territory, but so far it has not joined the fighting. Ukraine though fears it is eventually going to take part in the fighting, particularly after Russian president Vladimir Putin met with his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko today. Ukraine's deputy interior minister, Yevheniy Yenin, said Russia was doing its utmost to pull Belarus into the conflict.  

Could the Ukraine-Russia conflict lead to global food shortages?

International leaders from the World Food Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization are warning that wheat and grain shortages caused by the conflict in Ukraine could lead to a surge in prices and increase global hunger. The Executive Director David Beasley of the World Food Program (WEF) believes that the "The bullets and bombs in Ukraine could take the global hunger crisis to levels beyond anything we’ve seen before."

Read more on what is being done to combat the issue in our full coverage.

G-7 announce new round of economic sanctions and penalities towards Russia

The G-7 which includes, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States (formally the G-8 with Russia), has released a new round of economic tools designed to further weaken the Russian economy.

The first measure will be to revoke Russia's "Most-Favored Nation Status" which will "deny Russia the benefits of its WTO membership and ensure that Russian imports do not receive most favored nation treatment in our economy." Congress is ready to act on this on a bipartisan basis.

Second, Russia will be banned from any sort of borrowing from international monetary institutions including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank

Third, the announcement comes with a new round of sanctions on high level business leaders connected to the Donetsk and Luhansk, which have been recognized as independent states by Russia.

Fourth, President Biden has implemented a ban on the export of luxury goods to Russia, including "high end-watches, luxury vehicles, high-end apparel, high-end alcohol, jewelry, and other goods frequently purchased by Russian elites."

For more on the remaining actions, see the Fact Sheet from the White House.

Could the Russia-Ukraine conflict lead to global food shortages?

Russia and Ukraine supply around one third of the world's grain and barely. Given the ongoing conflict many food security experts believe that food exports from these countries will drop significantly, especially from Ukraine where it is unclear if agricultural products and lands are being managed given the crisis.

Many countries outside of Europe are extreamly dependent on wheat exports from Ukraine. For example, Bangladesh imports about half of its grain from the war torn country.

The price of wheat futures have increased by fifty percent in the last two weeks. Such a spike has not been seen since 2008, when such a hike led to protests in over forty countries. Already officials from the World Food Program have told Politico that they have started rationing. One of the first countries to see its nutritional shipments cut is Yemen, which is also enduring a brutal war, that has left many without access to food and clean water.

How can I sponsor or host a Ukraine family in the USA?

On 1 March, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it would halt deportations Ukrainians who the agency had planned to repatriate to the war torn nation. Additionally, officials stated that the US would also offer and extend temporary protective status (TPS) to those whowere going to be deported as well as other Ukrainians already residing in the country.

TPS allows those who will remain the country the right to work while they are living in the US. DHS expects around 30,000 Ukrainian nationals to apply for TPS.

So far the federal governments has shown resistance in loosening its immigration laws to make it easier for Ukrainians to immigrate to the country. What policy options could be taken and what are other allied nations doing? Read more.

UK Ministry of Defense releases map of Russian attacks and troop movements.

Over the last few days, Russian forces have begun to attack targets in cities in the western region of the country. Since the evasion began, the majority of attacks have been centered around the south and eastern portions of the country. Russian forces have seized signigicant territory which borders the Black Sea, in an attempt to cut off Ukranian access to their ports.

Russian 40-mile convoy repositions itself around Kyiv

With Russian forces surrounding Kyiv have dispersed, leaving many to believe that they are planning their next move. CNN interviewed Major General James Marks to discuss various strategies Russian forces could deploy as they plan their overtake Kyiv.

Italian paper firms begin to feel pressure from the Russian invasion

Euro News is reporting that some paper firms in Italy are suffering supply chain issues limiting their ability of produce toilet tissue and other paper products.

Goldman Sachs warns Russian invasion could elad to a recession in Europe and the US

Yesterday, Goldman Sachs announced that it would be ending all business operations in Russia in the coming months. The financial institution is the first bank of Wall Street to take this stance.

Also yesterday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the Consumer Price Index report for February which shows that inflation has hit forty-year highs. The invasion of Ukraine by Russia is being blamed for this additional increase. Now, Goldman Sachs is announcing that the conflict will have consequences for the United States as well as the European Union.

Before the invasion, the bank had projected major GDP growth and has since slashed projections for 2022 from 26.17% to 1.75%. If the situation continues economic shrinking becomes a greater risk.

Revoking Russia's most favoured status

The United States, the European Union, Britain, Canada and Japan were due to move jointly on Friday to revoke Russia's 'most favoured nation' (MFN) status over its invasion of Ukraine, people familiar with the situation told Reuters. But what is MFN status and what does its removal mean?

The World Trade Organization's 164 members commit to treating other members equally so they can all benefit from each other's lowest tariffs, highest import quotas and fewest trade barriers for goods and services. This principle of non-discrimination is known as most favoured nation (MFN) treatment.

There are some exceptions, such as when members strike bilateral trade agreements or when members offer developing countries special access to their markets. For countries outside the WTO, such as Iran, North Korea, Syria or Russian ally Belarus, WTO members can impose whatever trade measures they wish without flouting global trading rules.

S There is no formal procedure for suspending MFN treatment and it is not clear whether members are obliged to inform the WTO if they do so. India suspended Pakistan's MFN status in 2019 after a suicide attack by a Pakistan-based Islamist group killed 40 police. Pakistan never applied MFN status to India.

Revoking Russia's MFN status sends a strong signal that the United States and its Western allies do not consider Russia a economic partner in any way, but it does not in itself change conditions for trade. It does formally allow the Western allies to increase import tariffs or impose quotas on Russian goods, or even ban them, and to restrict services out of the country.

They could also overlook Russian intellectual property rights. Ahead of MFN status removal, the United States had already announced a ban on imports of Russian oil and gas. Canada said last week it was withdrawing MFN status for Russia and Belarus, which allowed Russian troops to move into Ukraine from its territory, setting a 35% general tariff on virtually all imports. 'Russia and Belarus will join North Korea as the only countries whose imports are subject to the general tariff,' Canada said.

The European Union has already banned about 70% of all imports, such as tobacco, potash and products made of wood or steel, from non-WTO member Belarus. However, it is waiting for formal adoption of MFN suspension before taking similar action against Russia. Imports from Russia include mineral fuels, precious metals and stones, iron and steel, fertilizers and inorganic chemicals.

The MFN move comes on top of unprecedented sanctions, export controls and banking restrictions aimed at pressuring Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the largest conflict in Europe since World War Two.

Local journalists keep us informed

Ivan has been reporting throughout this humanitarian crisis and thoughts are with him and his country as the shelling intensifies on the capital.

Russia's tactics against the Ukrainian people

If this tragic and unlawful tragedy has not hit home with you yet, BBC journalist Quentin Sommerville really brings home the impact of Vladimir Putin's invasion in this video.

As he notes, there is graphic material included.

As Zoya Sheftalovich, editor of Brussels and London Playbooks, has given a full account of President Zelenskyy's recent speech in this thread.

In it he talks about how "Russian propagandists today notably came alive, and they're trying very hard."

"Probably to cover up their army's crimes in Ukraine. Crimes against Mariupol. Against Donbas. Against Kharkiv. Against dozens of other cities. To cover up with new accusations. New, old fakes. They're blaming us, again us."

Zelenskyy dismisses Russia's chemical allegations

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Russia a "terrorist state," accusing it of ordering troops to hold Mariupol hostage while Ukrainian officials have attempted to evacuate civilians from the southern coastal city for days.

He also accused Russia of planning a chemical weapons attack, pointing to its dissemination of claims that Ukraine has been building chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction with the United States.

Japan joins chip export ban for Russia

Japan will stop exporting semiconductors to Russia next week, joining the U.S. and its European allies in efforts to cripple Russia’s military capability.

The export curb was approved by the cabinet and will start on 18 March, Japanese trade minister Koichi Hagiuda has said this morning. The specific details will be announced next week, he added. The ban will include chips, machine tools and communication equipment in line with items already targeted by the U.S. and EU, according to the trade ministry. 

How many fighter jets does Russia have?

When Russia first invaded Ukraine in late February many experts predicted that the vast Russian military would swiftly outnumber and defeat the defending forces. However more than two weeks into the conflict Russia is still yet to have taken the capital city of Ukraine and the speed of the offensive seems to be slowing.

“The Russians have not achieved air superiority over the whole country,” a senior US defence official told reporters. “Ukrainian air defences remain intact and viable both in terms of aircraft and missile defence systems, and they’re engaged.”

However President Putin presides over the second-largest air service of any nation in the world, behind only the United States. Flying Mag reports that the Russian Air Force boasts 1,507 attack aircraft, the vast majority of which are stationed in Russia or around Eastern Europe.

Will Gittins looks into Russia’s air force inventory which includes 1,837 support aircraft; 485 training aircraft; and 820 future aircraft.

Toyato plans to continue operations in Russia

The Japanese car manufacture has decided to continue operations at their plant in St. Petersberg for the time being. The company says that its decision is based on the well-being of their employees and family who work at the plant.

What will happen to the facilities and capital left behind by businesses are no longer operating in Russia?

The Russian government has announced that it will take over control of foreign companies that left the country after the invasion of Ukraine. At this point little is known about what this means for those companies or what their future in Russia will look like after the war ends.

This includes restaurants like McDonald's and Starbucks as well as appeal stores and banks. Yesterday, Goldman Sachs became the first company to say that it will "wind down" all business in Russia.

French Prime Minster Emmanuel Macron condems Russian attacks on civilians

French Prime Minster Emmanuel Macron called Russia's decision to bomb a maternity and children's hospital in Mariupol on Thursday "immoral." Condemnation on the Kremlin for this attack has come from all parts of the world, highlighting the vulnerability of all people, especially women and children during war.

During these times, however, it is important to note that war is often the most dangerous for men of fighting age who die at disproportionate rates compared to other societal groups. Some of the soldiers, who have been conscripted in Russia, are only eighteen years old. There is no excuse for the war Putin has waged. He has attacked women and children and he has sent teenagers to die for a cause that they stand little to gain from.

How many Ukrainian refugees have fled to Poland?

The Office of the Prime Minster of Poland has reported that more than 1.5 million Ukrainians have fled to Poland in search of safety. Just yesterday border guards cleared more than 87,000 refugees and thousands more are expected to make the journey as the conflict continues.

In total, more than 2 million refugees have left Ukraine since the Russian invasion began. Poland has accepted by far and away the most of any country in Europe.

Drone footage shows ambush on Russian tanks resulting in death of the commander

These images were shot in the town of Brovary, on the outskirts of Kyiev and released by Ukraine’s armed forces. It appears to show Russia firing a thermobaric rocket launcher as their convoy was ambushed by Ukraine militia.

The intercepted radio conversation seems to reveal that the Russian commander Andrei Zakharov was killed in the fight. Zakharov was one of Putin’s top commanders of the Russian tank regiment.

Communication lost with Chernobyl nuclear power site after electricity was cut

Earlier this week, fighting between Ukrainian and Russian troops led the power to be cut to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Thankfully, the facility is set up to a generator and there is no chance of a nuclear meltdown.

However, this morning the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that they lost communication with staff inside the facility who have been unable to leave since fighting broke out. The generator power was through to be able to last between three to seven days, we are entering day three meaning that action must be taken quickly.

The area is now held by Russian forces and the power situation needs to be secured to avoid the risk of nuclear leakage should power to the ponds that cool nuclear material be lost.

European heads of state or government voice supoprt for Ukraine's membership to the EU

The European Council acknowledged the European aspirations and the European choice of Ukraine, as stated in the Association Agreement. On 28 February 2022, exercising the right of Ukraine to choose its own destiny, the President of Ukraine submitted the application of Ukraine to become a member of the European Union. The Council has acted swiftly and invited the Commission to submit its opinion on this application in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Treaties. Pending this and without delay, we will further strengthen our bonds and deepen our partnership to support Ukraine in pursuing its European path. Ukraine belongs to our European family.

Will Ukraine become an EU member state?

The Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas, tweets the European Union has green-lit the application for Ukraine to begin the process of becoming a member state. This process could take years, or even decades, but should be taken as a success for those who have seen their home turned into a war zone.

Good morning and welcome to AS USA's live blog on the Russian invasion of Ukraine for Friday 11 March.

Yesterday, Russian and Ukrainian officials failed to reach an agreement over a ceasefire.

Russian troops have moved their 40-mile convoy outside of Kyiv into possession setting up rocket launchers in fields and wooded areas. This comes after Ukrainian forces were able to push back around thirty Russian armored vehicles on Thursday.

While many people who live in Kyiv have left, those who remained are running out of food, water, and have gone without natural gas for days. The residents are in desperate need of a humanitarian corridor before fighting in the city picks up and it does not seem that one will be established.

Throughout the day we will bring you the latest updates from President Zelenskyy and his government, NATO, Russia, and more as these tragic events unfold.

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