Ukraine Russia news live: US investigating potential war crimes as rescuers search bombed theater

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Related video: Joe Biden calls Putin a ‘war criminal’

Officials in the US are “documenting and evaluating” the potential war crimes committed in Ukraine, secretary of state Antony Blinken has said, while echoing Joe Biden’s characterisation of Russian atrocities as being such crimes.

It comes after Mr Biden accused Vladimir Putin of being a criminal war, in what many saw as a turning point in US-Russian relations.

A video shared on Twitter on Wednesday showed the US president responding to a question from Fox News about whether Putin was a criminal war. Initially, Mr Biden said “no” before he came back, clarified his response to journalist Jacqui Heinrich and then said “he is a criminal war”. The Kremlin swiftly condemned the accusation as “unacceptable”.

Meanwhile, survivors are reported to have emerged after Russian forces bombarded a theater sheltering thousands of many civilians in Mariupol, leaving buried under burning rubble.

Efforts to find people remained slow on Thursday, with the number of result still unknown. However, Sergiy Taruta, the former Donetsk region head, said during an interview on Ukrainian television that he believed around 1,300 people were in the building when it was bombed and more than 100 have so far been rescued.

Key PointsShow latest update 1647554047Watch: Russian journalist who protested on state TV speaks out

It was impossible to stay silent’: a Russian journalist who protested on state TV speaking out

Sam Hancock17 March 2022 21:54

1647553900Freed Melitopol mayor tells of experience being ‘captured by Russian troops’

We reported yesterday that the mayor of Melitopol had been freed by Russian forces, having reportedly been kidnapped days before, and now he’s been speaking out about his alleged ordeal.

Ivan Federov led the southeastern city until he fell to invading Russian forces early on in the conflict, which began on 24 February.

He was freed on Wednesday after Ukraine said it had agreed to exchange nine captured Russian soldiers to get him back.

Speaking to the BBC’s Audrey Brown today, Mr Federov said Russian troops took him from his office without a word and he had no connection with the outside world while in their custody. He told the broadcaster he was kept in a small room with armed soldiers but was never physically harmed.

Occupying forces in Melitopol have replaced Mr Federov with their own mayor. But he insists his Russian successor is not the rightful head of the local government because he was voted in by more than 60 per cent of the population.

Here’s a picture of the Ukrainian president with Mr Federov, taken after his release.

Sam Hancock17 March 2022 21:51

1647552475In images: Firefighters extinguish blaze after bombing at Kyiv warehouse

Pictures show firefighters battling a blaze at a warehouse in Kyiv after it was bombed on Thursday.

(AP)

(AP)

(AP)

Sam Hancock17 March 2022 21:27

1647552118Canadian UN Mission marks up Russia’s letter on Ukraine

Canada’s UN representatives used Twitter on Thursday to show editing of a letter Russia sent to members of the global bloc.

Using a red pen, Canada has responded to Russia’s requests for Western allies to respect its humanitarian obligations, suggesting it was Russia itself responsible for the need for the aid.

Sam Hancock17 March 2022 21:21

1647551088Watch: White House gives update on Ukraine conflict

White House press secretary Jen Psaki has given an update on the US response to the Ukraine conflict.

‘We welcomed three million refugees’: Psaki gives update on Ukraine conflict

Laurie Churchman17 March 2022 21:04

1647549446Czech Republic ‘struggling’ with number of refugees

The Czech Republic’s prime minister Petr Fiala says his country is struggling to help more than 200,000 people fleeing Ukraine.

He said around 270,000 refugees, most of them women and children, have arrived in the Czech Republic in the past three weeks.

“We have to admit that we’re at the very edge of what we can absorb without major problems,” he said.

The government is taking steps such as helping refugees gain long term residency and access to healthcare and education.

Petr Fiala met Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Tuesday

(Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Laurie Churchman17 March 2022 20:37

1647548150Watch: Children steal the show as CNN interviews Ukrainian mother

Children steal the show as CNN interviews Ukrainian mother

Sam Hancock17 March 2022 20:15

1647547498White House ‘concerned’ China might supply Russia with weapons

The White House says it has “high concern” China may provide Russia with military equipment to assist its invasion in Ukraine.

White House press Secretary Jen Psaki said Joe Biden would be candid and direct in his call with Chinese president Xi Jinping tomorrow.

She said China’s failure to denounce Russia “speaks volumes”.

It comes after US Secretary of state Anthony Blinken said earlier that the White House would have no hesitation imposing “costs” on Beijing if the country continues to defend Vladimir Putin’s actions.

Sam Hancock17 March 2022 20:04

1647546968 Russia warns it could put enemies ‘in their place’ after Biden calls Putin war criminal

Russia has issued a harsh warning to the US and its allies, threatening to put the West in its “place”.

The menacing words come from Dmitry Medvedev, a former Russian president and current deputy secretary of the country’s Security Council. On Thursday, Mr Medvedev accused Western nations of a “disgusting” anti-Russian conspiracy.

“It will not work,” Mr Medvedev said. “Russia has the might to put all of our brash enemies in their place.”

Here’s more from Nathan Place:

Sam Hancock17 March 2022 19:56

1647545539Schwarzenegger warns Russians Putin is lying to them

Arnold Schwarzenegger, the actor and governor of California, has warned former Russians they are being fed misinformation about their country’s assault on Ukraine – and appealed to Russian president Vladimir Putin to stop the attack.

In a nine-minute video posted to Twitter, the Terminator actor accused the Kremlin of intentionally lying, and insisted “Ukraine did not start this war, neither did nationalists or Nazis.”

Mr Schwarzenegger also asked Russians to spread the word about the “human catastrophe” and told the protesters in the country that the world is watching.

“The world has seen your bravery. We know you have suffered the consequences of your courage,” he said. “You are my new heroes.”

Here’s the clip, which was retweeted by US Secretary of state Antony Blinken.

Sam Hancock17 March 2022 19:32

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