March 20, 2022 at 07:00AM: Ukraine: Belarusian rail workers reportedly cut connections — live updates
- Belarusian railway workers reportedly cut connections to Ukraine
- Australia announces increased support for Ukraine
- China says it's on the "right side of history"
This article was last updated at 04:29 UTC/GMT
One of Europe's biggest steel works damaged by Russian siege
According to Ukrainian officials, the Azovstal iron and steel works in Mariupol has been badly damaged as the city faces a siege from Russian forces.
Azovstal is one of the biggest iron and steel works in Europe.
"One of the biggest metallurgic plants in #Europe destroyed. The economic losses for #Ukraine are huge. The environment is devastated," Ukrainian lawmaker Lesia Vasylenko said in a tweet.
Azovstal is part of the Metinvest group, which is controlled by Ukrainian businessman Rinat Akhmetov. Akhmetov was considered pro-Russian before Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but has since accused Russian forces of "crimes against humanity."
One of Europe's biggest steel works damaged by Russian siege
According to Ukrainian officials, the Azovstal iron and steel works in Mariupol has been badly damaged as the city faces a siege from Russian forces.
Azovstal is one of the biggest iron and steel works in Europe.
"One of the biggest metallurgic plants in #Europe destroyed. The economic losses for #Ukraine are huge. The environment is devastated," Ukrainian lawmaker Lesia Vasylenko said in a tweet.
Azovstal is part of the Metinvest group, which is controlled by Ukrainian businessman Rinat Akhmetov. Akhmetov was considered pro-Russian before Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but has since accused Russian forces of "crimes against humanity."
War will have "adverse effect on the global economy"
Chief economist of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Beata Javorcik, told the AFP news agency that the war in Ukraine will have a major "adverse effect on the global economy."
Javorcik said that although large parts of Ukraine are still functioning, the figure of $100 billion (€90 billion) for rebuilding estimated by the Ukrainian government is equivalent to about two thirds of the country's GDP. She added that around half of Ukrainian firms have closed down.
Javorcik estimated that the number of refugees from Ukraine could reach 6 million if the conflict continues. She added that in the aftermath of the war Ukrainian refugees could stay in their new countries of residence and "serve as a bridge" to Ukraine and help strengthen economic ties.
"Even if the war stopped today, the consequences of this conflict would be felt for months to come," Javorcik said, adding that commodity prices are likely to continue increasing and that higher energy prices will lead to inflation.
"The conflict happened at a time when there was already a slowdown in the global economy, so higher energy prices are going to put more brakes on growth."
"This has implications for poverty and political stability," Javorcik added.
Javorcik said that the short-term impact of sanctions in Russia will include less international trade and lower consumer confidence. She added that even after the conflicts ends Russia could be seen as a "risky destination for investment."
Foreign Minister: China on "right side of history"
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a Saturday statement that Beijing stands "on the right side of history" in its position on the war in Ukraine.
The comments come after US President Joe Biden warned China of the "consequences" it could face if it gave support to Russia.
"We have always stood for maintaining peace and opposing war," Wang said.
"China's position is objective and fair, and is in line with the wishes of most countries. Time will prove that China's claims are on the right side of history."
Meanwhile, Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng said that Western sanctions against Russia were increasingly "outrageous."
Ukraine bans pro-Russian parties
Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council has banned pro-Russian political parties from operating in the country while martial law is in place.
"Any activities of politicians aimed at division or collusion will not succeed, but will receive a harsh response," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a Saturday video address before listing the banned parties.
Among the groups affected is the Euroskeptic party Opposition Platform – For Life and Opposition Bloc, which became the country's largest opposition party after winning 43 out of 450 seats in the 2019 parliamentary election. A total of 11 parties have been banned by the move.
Australia increases support for Ukraine
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced further financial, material and humanitarian support for Ukraine, according to the public broadcaster ABC.
Morrison said that Australia will provide the Ukrainian Armed Forces with an additional AU$21 million (€14 million, $15.6 million) in military assistance. This brings Australia's total military support to Ukraine up to around AU$91 million (€61 million, $67.5 million).
Morrison also announced that Australia would add AU$30 million (€20 million, €22.3 million) in emergency humanitarian assistance to the AU$35 million (€23.5 million, $26 million) already provided.
Australia's prime minister said that the country had already granted 5,000 visas to Ukrainians and was putting Ukrainian applications at the top of the list. Ukrainian arrivals will be offered a temporary humanitarian visa valid for a period of three years and which gives visa holders the right to work, study and access public healthcare.
Morrison said that Australia would also donate 70,000 tones of thermal coal to Ukraine.
Australia's government has also imposed an immediate ban on Australian exports of bauxite, alumina and aluminium to Russia. Australia is the world's largest producer of bauxite according to the Australian Aluminium council.
Ukrainian authorities: 260 dead in Kharkiv region since start of war
Ukrainian authorities said on Saturday night that at least 260 civilians have been killed in the fighting around the country's second-biggest city, Kharkiv, since the start of the Russian invasion.
Among the dead were 14 children, Ukrainian authorities said.
Kharkiv continues to be shelled by artillery and several residential buildings were hit on Saturday evening, Ukraine's UNIAN news agency reported.
Ukrainian authorities said that three civilians had died over the past 24 hours as a result of Russian shelling in the Kharkiv region.
Belarusian rail connections to Ukraine reportedly cut
Belarusian railway workers have reportedly cut off all rail connections between their country and Ukraine.
Ukrainian railway chief Olexander Kamyshin thanked Belarusian railway workers for this claimed act of sabotage on Saturday.
"As of today, I can say there is no rail traffic between Belarus and Ukraine," Kamyshin was quoted as saying by Ukraine's Unian news agency. Kamyshin said that he would not give further details.
Franak Viacorka, advisor to exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, tweeted about the incident and said that it had been confirmed by Belarusian railway workers, while declining to provide details.
Although Russia has moved many of its troops and military equipment into Ukraine through Belarus, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has not committed Belarusian troops to the offensive.
Summary of Saturday's events in Ukraine-Russia crisis.
The Russian invasion has brought 30% of the Ukrainian economy to a standstill, Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko said.
Vitaly Kim, the head of the regional administration of Mykolaiv, said Saturday that Russian air raids were taking place over the southern Ukrainian city.
Ukraine said it had evacuated 6,623 people through humanitarian corridors on Saturday.
The deputy head of the president's office, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, said that 4,128 had been evacuated from the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, besieged by Russian forces.
In a bid to secure alternatives to Russian energy, Germany's Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck travelled to Qatar. Habeck recently visited Norway and is soon to visit the UAE.
The UN human rights office said 847 civilians were killed in Ukraine since the February 24 Russian invasion of Ukraine was launched.
China's Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng said the Cold War was at the root of the war in Ukraine and attacked Western sanctions against Russia.
Russia's defense ministry claimed it used hypersonic weapons to destroy targets in Ukraine.
sdi/aw (AP, AFP, Reuters, dpa)