Wednesday marks seven days of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Here are some developments that have taken place.
Political developments
Russia’s foreign minister told a Geneva disarmament meeting on Tuesday that Kiev has been seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, calling this a real danger that it needed to prevent.
The United States has expelled 12 Russian diplomats at the United Nations over national security concerns.
Also in the US, President Joe Biden Tuesday vowed that Russia’s Vladimir Putin will pay over the long run even if he makes gains on the battlefield in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, South Africa says it remains deeply concerned by the escalating conflict in Ukraine and welcomed the commencement of talks with Russia.
Business & markets
Oil shot back above $100 a barrel and US and German government debt rallied on Tuesday as fears increased over the impact of aggressive sanctions against Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, further depressing stocks in Europe and on Wall Street.
Shell has since announced an exit to its Russian operations, including a major liquefied natural gas plant.
Meanwhile, the World Bank is pushing for “fast-track” approval of an additional $350 million loan for Ukraine within days to provide emergency cash.
Travel
The US government is set to announce a ban on Russian flights from American airspace following similar moves by the European Union and Canada.
Sport
FIFA and UEFA have suspended Russia’s national and club teams from all competitions until further notice.
Tech developments
Alphabet Inc’s Google confirmed on Tuesday that it had removed Russian state-funded publishers such as RT from its news-related features, including the Google News search tool.
Apple Inc paused all product sales in Russia.
Entertainment and lifestyle
Netflix Inc said in the current circumstances, it has no plans to add state-run channels to its Russian service. This is despite a regulation that would require the streaming service to distribute state-backed channels.
Days after visiting the Ukrainian capital Kyiv to film scenes for his documentary on Russia’s invasion, Hollywood actor-director Sean Penn found himself among thousands of refugees fleeing to Poland, joining the exodus on foot.
Meanwhile, British singers Louis Tomlinson and Yungblud as well as the band Franz Ferdinand have cancelled upcoming performances in Russia.
SABC News rolling coverage of the Russia-Ukraine conflict can be accessed in the playlist below:
