Russia invades Ukraine: Kremlin downplays peace talks breakthrough as war grints on

The New Arab's live coverage of the latest from the Russian invasion of Ukraine concludes for today.

Here were the key developments on Friday:

Putin says gas for rubles will not hurt Europe's contracts

President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that Moscow's demand that Europe switch to paying for gas in rubles should not mean contracts were on worse terms.

At least 200 killed in Irpin since start of Ukraine war: mayor

At least 200 people have been killed in the Kyiv suburb of Irpin since Russia invaded Ukraine, its mayor said Wednesday, adding that more than half of the city had been destroyed and it was not safe for residents to return. 

Ukraine's Chernigiv 'shelled all night' despite Russian vows

Ukrainian authorities said Wednesday that Russian forces had bombarded the northern city of Chernigiv despite Moscow's earlier claims that it was "radically" scaling back military activity in the area.

Over four million Ukrainian refugees have fled war: UN

More than four million Ukrainians have now fled the country to escape Russia's "senseless war", the United Nations said Wednesday.

UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, said 4,019,287 Ukrainians had fled across the country's borders since the February 24 invasion, with more than 2.3 million having headed west into Poland.

Slovakia expels 35 Russian diplomats: official

Slovakia, a member of the European Union, said Wednesday it had decided to expel 35 Russian diplomats based on information provided by intelligence services. 

The country will "reduce the staff of the Russian embassy in Bratislava by 35," foreign ministry spokesman Juraj Tomaga told AFP.

"We regret that following the previous expulsions of Russian diplomats in the last couple of years, the Russian diplomatic mission has not shown any interest in operating correctly in Slovakia," he added.

Putin says gas for rubles will not hurt Europe's contracts

President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that Moscow's demand that Europe switch to paying for gas in rubles should not mean contracts were on worse terms.

"The decision taken should not lead to worsening of contractual terms for European importer companies of Russian gas," the Kremlin said in a statement summarising Putin's comments in a phone conversation with Scholz.

Biden to speak with Ukraine's Zelensky at 1445 GMT: W.House

President Joe Biden will speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday to discuss US support in his country's battle against the Russian invasion, the White House said.

During the call at 10:45 am (1445 GMT), Biden will "discuss our continued support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression," a statement said.

At least 200 killed in Irpin since start of Ukraine war: mayor

At least 200 people have been killed in the Kyiv suburb of Irpin since Russia invaded Ukraine, its mayor said Wednesday, adding that more than half of the city had been destroyed and it was not safe for residents to return. 

"I think about 200 to 300 people have died unfortunately," mayor Oleksandr Markushyn told reporters.

"Fifty percent of the city is destroyed, including critical infrastructure," he said, adding that while Irpin was "100 percent" under Ukrainian control, it was "still dangerous" and still being shelled by Russia.

Russia sanctions should increase until full Ukraine withdrawal: UK PM

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday said Western powers should tighten the economic noose around Russia until it withdraws all its soldiers from Ukraine.

At a hearing in parliament, Johnson told MPs that to lift G7 sanctions simply in return for a Russian ceasefire in Ukraine would go "straight into (Vladimir) Putin's playbook". 

"My view is we should intensify sanctions with a rolling programme until every single one of his troops is out of Ukraine," he said.

Johnson said also that the government in London was looking at "going up a gear" in its military aid to Ukraine.

He said that could include the provision of armoured personnel carriers, to help its forces break out of the besieged city of Mariupol. 

Following peace talks this week in Turkey between Ukraine and Russia, reports suggested the UK, France and the United States could sign up to guarantee Ukraine's security in return for a Russian pullout.

Johnson ruled out giving Ukraine the equivalent of NATO's Article Five, which says an attack on one member is an attack on all. 

Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs has travelled to meet with the Polish Prime Minister

Polish Prime Minister @MorawieckiM received me in Warsaw today. Grateful to Poland for being so hospitable to Ukrainians fleeing the war. Poland is ready to provide more humanitarian, financial, and political support for Ukraine. No doubt, the times of need reveal true friends. pic.twitter.com/u4FQ2J41Wa

— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) March 30, 2022

UN atomic watchdog chief visits Ukraine nuclear plant

UN atomic watchdog chief Rafael Grossi visited a nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine on Wednesday on his first trip to the country since Russia's invasion raised fears of a nuclear accident.

Grossi has repeatedly warned of the dangers of the conflict -- the first in a country with a vast nuclear estate.

Russian forces seized control of the defunct Chernobyl nuclear power plant site -- where radioactive waste is still stored -- on February 24, the first day of the invasion.

They also captured Europe's largest nuclear plant at Zaporizhzhia on 4 March, sparking alarm when shelling caused a fire at a training facility.

"I'm at South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant to meet Ukrainian government officials and staff, and start IAEA technical assistance for safety and security of country's nuclear facilities," the International Atomic Energy Agency head wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.

"Vital to be on the ground to provide effective support to in these extremely difficult times."

Grossi also thanked the staff of the facility, also called the Yuzhnoukrainsk nuclear plant, for "their endurance and resilience".

I appeal to Ukraine’s friends all around the world to join campaign #StandUpForUkraine and support online event “Social Media Rally” on April 9. Your help will contribute to our joint victory. Grateful to @vonderleyen, @JustinTrudeau, @GlblCtzn for leadership and support. https://t.co/WNPKAW86wj

— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 30, 2022

Alert: Russian strikes hit Red Cross building in Mariupol: Ukraine ombudswoman

Ukraine's armed forces have released estimates of Russian losses

These are the indicative estimates of Russia’s combat losses as of March 30, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/f0IHYWTll6

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) March 30, 2022

Ukraine's Chernigiv 'shelled all night' despite Russian vows

Ukrainian authorities said Wednesday that Russian forces had bombarded the northern city of Chernigiv despite Moscow's earlier claims that it was "radically" scaling back military activity in the area.

"The enemy has demonstrated its 'decrease in activity' in the Chernigiv region with strikes on Nizhyn, including air strikes. Chernigiv was shelled all night," regional governor Vyacheslav Chaus wrote on social media. 

Speaking on local television, Chaus added later that "the situation is not changing," one day after Russia announced it would be changing tact.

"Chernigiv is under artillery and aerial bombardment. Last night, there were bombardments that destroyed the civil infrastructure," he added.

Delegations from Moscow and Kyiv held talks in Istanbul this week aimed at bringing to a close more than a month of fighting in Ukraine.

Russia's deputy defence minister Alexander Fomin said after that there had been progress on key Russian concerns and that Moscow's forces would "by several times reduce the military activity" around Kyiv and Chernigiv.

Over four million Ukrainian refugees have fled war: UN

More than four million Ukrainians have now fled the country to escape Russia's "senseless war", the United Nations said Wednesday.

UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, said 4,019,287 Ukrainians had fled across the country's borders since the February 24 invasion, with more than 2.3 million having headed west into Poland.

"Refugees from Ukraine are now four million, five weeks after the start of the Russian attack," UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi said on Twitter.

"I have just arrived in Ukraine. In Lviv I will discuss with the authorities, the UN and other partners ways to increase our support to people affected and displaced by this senseless war."

The number of refugees has surpassed UNHCR's initial estimate that the war could create up to four million.

The agency says the speed and scale of the displacement is unprecedented in Europe since World War II.

Russia has been accused of creating a "global food crisis" that has put millions at risk of famine by invading Ukraine, one of the world's biggest wheat suppliers.

US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman told the UN Security Council that Vladimir Putin is responsible for the food crisis and "the one who can stop it" by ending the war.

"The responsibility for waging war on Ukraine - and for the war's effects on global food security - falls solely on Russia and on President Putin," she said.

France's ambassador to the UN Nicolas de Riviere added: "Russia's aggression against Ukraine is increasing the risk of famine around the world" and that populations in developing countries would be the first to be affected."

Other parts of Ukraine have seen more bloodshed with a deadly rocket strike on the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv, killing at least 12 people and injuring 33. 

A rocket hit a nine-storey building shortly before 9am on Tuesday, destroying the entire central part of the structure.

"The bodies of 12 people have been recovered from the site of the destruction and 33 people have been injured," Ukraine's emergencies agency said in a statement on Telegram. 

Despite Russia's pledge for a de-escalation around Kyiv, gunfire was heard around the capital on Tuesday night.

Mykola Povoznyk, the deputy mayor of Kyiv, said the capital had been quieter than most with evidence of small arms fire but no shelling.

Povoznyk said according to The Guardian: "The night passed relatively calmly, to the sounds of sirens and the sound of gunfire from battles around the city, but there was no shelling in the city itself."