It has been seven days since Russian troops invaded Ukraine. Here are some developments that have taken place thus far.
UN members overwhelmingly vote against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
The majority of United Nations members voted against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 141 of the 193 members are demanding that Russia withdraw its military forces from Ukraine.
SABC News Correspondent Sherwin Bryce-Pease says this will be seen as a victory for the Western nations after the lobbying by the United States and European Union:
World War three
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday warned that if a third World War were to take place, it would involve nuclear weapons and be destructive.
Lavrov has said that Russia would face a “real danger” if Kyiv acquired nuclear weapons.
United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the other hand said the invasion of Ukraine by Russia qualifies as a war crime.
More sanctions
The European Union (EU) announced new sanctions against Belarus. Minsk allowed Russian troops to move into Ukraine from its territory.
The sanctions include a ban on exporting machinery to Minsk, an import ban on several commodities, including mineral fuels, and other export control measures.
The EU has also banned Russian media outlets RT and Sputnik. Meanwhile, Russians are concerned about how the sanctions that have been imposed against the country will impact its economy.
SABC Correspondent Giles Gibson says Russians have been queuing at ATMs to get cash:
Impact on athletes
The European Olympic Committees (EOC) has decided that Russian and Belarus athletes and officials will not participate in the 2022 Winter European Youth Olympic Festival which will be held in Vuokatti, Finland, from 20- 25 March 20-25.
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) decided on Wednesday that Russian and Belarusians will compete in the Winter Paralympics without their country’s flag. The decision received criticism from the US and Britain.
Tech companies act against Russia’s invasion
Ukraine has announced that it will urge 50 more tech companies to act against Russia.
Software giant Oracle Corp has suspended operations in the Russian Federation. EA Games has also removed Russian teams from FIFA soccer games.
China continues to trade with Russia
While countries continue to impose sanctions on Russia, China says it will continue trading with Russia.
Chairperson of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission Guo Shuqing says the country does not support sanctions against Russia as they do not have legal grounds.
Russia ready to hold second round of talks
On Wednesday, Russian officials announced that they are ready to hold a second round of talks. This is after talks between the two parties on Monday at the Belarus border failed to yield a breakthrough.
While Ukrainian officials have not said anything on whether they will meet Russia, on Tuesday, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that Russia must stop bombing Ukrainian cities before more talks could take place.
