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:

Russia to 'radically' reduce military activity around Kyiv

Russia will "radically" reduce its military activity in northern Ukraine, including near the capital Kyiv, after "meaningful" talks in Istanbul, Moscow's negotiators said Tuesday.

Chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said there had been a "meaningful discussion" at the talks and that Ukrainian proposals would be put to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He also said that Putin could meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Turkey hails Istanbul talks as 'most significant progress' of war

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said talks Tuesday between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul marked the "most significant progress" since war broke out between the two countries.

Two dead after Russian strike on Mykolaiv govt building: AFP

The bodies of two people were pulled from rubble on Tuesday following a Russian strike on a government building in the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv, AFP journalists on the scene reported.

Regional governor Vitaly Kim said earlier that while most of the people inside building had escaped injuries, eight civilians and several Ukrainian military personnel were unaccounted for.

Blinken says no sign Russia serious on Ukraine peace efforts

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has not seen "signs of real seriousness" from Russia in pursuing peace after its invasion of Ukraine, he said on Tuesday, adding that Moscow should end its aggression now and pull its forces back.

Russia says de-escalation not a ceasefire; talks have long way to go

Russia's promise to scale down military operations around Kyiv and northern Ukraine does not represent a ceasefire and talks on a formal agreement with Kyiv have a long way to go, Moscow's lead negotiator in peace talks said on Tuesday.

Russian negotiators earlier on Tuesday gave an undertaking to sharply scale back military activity around Ukraine's capital Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv, in the most tangible sign yet of progress towards a peace deal.

Three EU countries expel dozens of Russian diplomats

EU countries Belgium, the Netherlands and Ireland on Tuesday announced the expulsion of dozens of Russian diplomats suspected of spying, in coordinated action taken in the shadow of Moscow's war in Ukraine.

Belgian Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmes said her country was kicking out 21 diplomats from the Russia's embassy in Brussels and consulate in Antwerp, giving them two weeks to leave.

She said the move was made in conjunction with the neighbouring Netherlands, whose foreign ministry said it was expelling 17 Russian diplomats considered "secretly active" as intelligence officers.

Ireland's Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said four "senior officials" from Russia's embassy in Dublin had been told to leave for engaging in activities "not... in accordance with international standards of diplomatic behaviour" -- code for spying.

The EU countries were bracing for Russia to retaliate by ordering out their own diplomats.

Russia says de-escalation not a ceasefire; talks have long way to go

Russia's promise to scale down military operations around Kyiv and northern Ukraine does not represent a ceasefire and talks on a formal agreement with Kyiv have a long way to go, Moscow's lead negotiator in peace talks said on Tuesday.

Russian negotiators earlier on Tuesday gave an undertaking to sharply scale back military activity around Ukraine's capital Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv, in the most tangible sign yet of progress towards a peace deal.

"This is not a ceasefire but this is our aspiration, gradually to reach a de-escalation of the conflict at least on these fronts," Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian team, said in an interview with the TASS news agency.

Blinken says no sign Russia serious on Ukraine peace efforts

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has not seen "signs of real seriousness" from Russia in pursuing peace after its invasion of Ukraine, he said on Tuesday, adding that Moscow should end its aggression now and pull its forces back.
 

Oil prices sink, stocks soar on Ukraine talks 'progress'

World oil prices dived and European equities rallied Tuesday as apparent progress in peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv sparked hope of an end to the Ukraine conflict.

Europe's benchmark Brent crude and New York's WTI sank by about 6.5 percent as traders eyed easing Russian oil supply fears amid face-to-face Istanbul talks aimed at resolving the nearly five-week-old war.

Europe's major stock markets jumped higher, with Frankfurt soaring 3.5 percent, Paris winning 3.1 percent and London adding 1.2 percent.

The Russian ruble soared by 10 percent against the dollar and by 1.2 percent versus the euro.

Ukraine's top negotiator declared Tuesday that enough progress had been made at talks to resolve the conflict with Russia to enable a meeting between the presidents of the two countries.

Turkey hails Istanbul talks as 'most significant progress' of war

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said talks Tuesday between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul marked the "most significant progress" since war broke out between the two countries.

Speaking after three hours of talks between delegations from both Moscow and Kyiv, Cavusoglu said the discussions represented "the most significant progress since negotiations began" following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Talks would not resume on Wednesday, he added.
 

Russia to 'radically' reduce military activity around Kyiv

Russia will "radically" reduce its military activity in northern Ukraine, including near the capital Kyiv, after "meaningful" talks in Istanbul, Moscow's negotiators said Tuesday.

"Given that the talks on the preparation of an agreement on the neutrality and non-nuclear status of Ukraine have moved into a practical field... a decision has been made to radically... reduce the military activity in the areas of Kyiv and Chernigiv," said Russia's deputy defence minister Alexander Fomin.

Chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said there had been a "meaningful discussion" at the talks and that Ukrainian proposals would be put to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He also said that Putin could meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

"After today's meaningful discussion we have agreed on and propose a solution, according to which the meeting of the heads of state is possible simultaneously with the foreign ministers initialling the treaty," Medinsky added.

Billionaire Roman Abramovich is not an official member of the Russian team negotiating with Ukraine, but is present at the talks in Turkey to "enable certain contacts" between the two sides, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.

This came as Ukrainian officials denied reports that he had been poisoned.

Abramovich who is sanctioned by the West over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine due to his ties with President Vladimir Putin, was present on Tuesday at the first direct peace talks in more than two weeks in Istanbul.

The UK and Russian foreign ministers will travel to India this week, where the war in Ukraine is expected to top the agendas.

India has faced criticism for its neutral stance on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, particularly from the US.

There are signs that India could call for an end to the invasion but trade with Moscow looks set to continue. 

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Two dead after Russian strike on Mykolaiv govt building: AFP

The bodies of two people were pulled from rubble on Tuesday following a Russian strike on a government building in the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv, AFP journalists on the scene reported.

Regional governor Vitaly Kim said earlier that while most of the people inside building had escaped injuries, eight civilians and several Ukrainian military personnel were unaccounted for.

Russian strike hits governmnet building in Mikolayiv

A Russian strike battered the regional government building in the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv, a key port under heavy assault for weeks, the regional governor said Tuesday.

"The regional administration building was hit," governor Vitaly Kim wrote on Facebook. He said that most people inside the building had not been injured but several civilians and soldiers were unaccounted for.

"We're clearing the rubble. Half the building was destroyed. My office was hit," Kim said in a video statement.

Images posted to Telegram on the governor's official channel showed a tall administrative building with a large section torn away and debris piled up at the base of the building.

"Eight civilians are still under the rubble. We hope to be able to get them out," he said.

"We are also looking for three soldiers".

Amnesty International has slammed "war crimes" in Ukraine, as the civilian death toll from the war continues to rise.

"What is happening in Ukraine is a repetition of what we have seen in Syria," Amnesty International's Secretary General Agnes Callamard told AFP.

"We are beyond indiscriminate attacks. We are in the midst of deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure," she said.

Callamard also accused Russia of turning humanitarian corridors into "death traps".

"We see the same thing here, just as Russia did in Syria," she added.

Ukraine's Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky said his forces had "liberated" the Kyiv suburb of Irpin, during a televised speech on Monday.

Irpin's Mayor Oleksandr Markushin had announced earlier that day that Russian forces had been pushed out of the town, which is located to the northwest of Kyiv.

The town is said to be a strategically important entrance to the capital.

Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan opened talks between Ukraine and Russia at the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul on Tuesday.

The Turkish president called on both sides to "put an end to this tragedy".

It comes after reports that the Ukrainian officials and Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich were poisoned after a meeting in Kyiv.