New Delhi, March 7: The north-eastern Ukrainian city of Sumy, where about 700-odd Indian students remain stranded awaiting evacuation, is among the cities where the Russian military will hold fire and open humanitarian corridors on Monday, Russia’s Defence Ministry informed. The other towns include capital Kyiv, Kharkiv and Mariupol.

Meanwhile, PM Modi and President Putin have discussed the evolving situation in Ukraine over the phone, reports news agency PTI citing government sources. During the conversation, Putin briefed Modi on the status of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.

Late last night, Zelenskyy delivered an impassioned address to his nation, warning Russian troops that he will punish those who committed atrocities in Ukraine while the “only quiet place” that awaits them is the grave. “Today is Forgiveness Sunday. But we will not forgive hundreds and hundreds of victims. Thousands and thousands of sufferings. Instead of Forgiveness, there will be a Day of Judgment,” Zelenskyy added. This came after rescue efforts of civilians came under direct attack by Russian forces with at least three people getting killed in shelling outside Kyiv.  Russia-Ukraine War: ‘Middle East To Suffer From Grain Shortage Due to War in Ukraine’, Says Report

A representative for Kyiv urged the United Nations' top court on Monday to order Russia to halt its devastating invasion of Ukraine, at a hearing snubbed by Russia.

Ukrainian representative Anton Korynevych told judges at the International Court of Justice: “Russia must be stopped and the court has a role to play in stopping it.”  Russia-Ukraine War: 500-kg Russian Bomb Fell on a Residential Building in Chernihiv (See Image)

Russia's seats at the Great Hall of Justice in the court's Peace Palace headquarters were empty for the hearing into Ukraine's request for the court to order Moscow to end its attack.

PM Modi and President Putin have discussed the evolving situation in Ukraine over phone, reports news agency PTI citing government sources. During the conversation, Putin briefed Modi on the status of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.

China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, has stressed that the friendship between Beijing and Moscow is still very strong - despite international condemnation of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine - and says China is open to helping mediate peace.

South Korea will join the United States and others in suspending transactions with Russia's central bank as part of additional sanctions against Russia, the country’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday. The government said it will announce further details of the sanctions after consultation with related government agencies. Earlier, South Korea had banned financial transactions with seven major Russian banks and blocked Russian banks from the SWIFT global payments system.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday morning. He is scheduled to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin later in the afternoon. In his phone conversation with Zelensky, the two leaders discussed the developing situation in Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia on February 24, and intense fighting has been going on in major cities.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 07, 2022 04:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).