As it happened: Russia-Ukraine peace talks break up as huge explosions reported in Kyiv; floods worsen in NSW, Queensland as more evacuation orders issued

Good evening,

Thanks for joining us once again for our live coverage of the war in Ukraine and national developments.

In case you’ve just joined us, here’s what you’ve missed:

• Six days into its attack on Ukraine, Russian forces and its allies are focused on three key cities as civilians hunker in shelters or flee the country: Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Mariupol. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky says the country’s capital is “constantly in danger”, and Russia’s assault on Kharkiv was a crime that should not go unpunished. Russia’s Defence Minister says it will continue its military operation in Ukraine until it achieves its goals.

• World leaders are reacting to the escalating attack in Ukraine, threatening further action as Russia continues its assault on major cities.
• A ninth person has died in Queensland’s flood emergency as wild weather continues to wreak havoc around the country. In Sydney, fears of major flooding on the city’s north-western fringes are growing as forecasters escalate weather warnings. You can follow along with live developments on our dedicated flood blog for NSW and Queensland here.

• And, on the COVID-19 front, Victoria recorded 6879 new cases of the virus, and 18 deaths. NSW reported 8874 new cases and nine deaths, while Queensland recorded 4453 new cases and 10 deaths. The Northern Territory recorded 565 new COVID-19 cases in the latest reporting period, while South Australia recorded 1,618 new cases and two deaths, Western Australia recorded 1,179 new cases, and Tasmania reported 957 new cases.

I’ll be signing off shortly, but Latika Bourke will be here through to midnight and beyond to keep you updated.

The Ukrainian President says the country’s capital is “constantly in danger” as Russian troops advance slowly on Kyiv.

Volodymyr Zelensky said three missile strikes have been carried out on Kyiv alone so far today, and said the power station was the target.

“For our enemy, Kyiv is the key target. They want to break our national statehood. Therefore, the capital is constantly in danger,” he said in a translated video.

“They want to leave our city without light. We did not allow them to break the defence of the city.”

He added Russian saboteurs were being regularly rounded up.

Zelensky called for tougher sanctions on Russia, including closing all ports and airports to Russian vessels and planes, and for countries to cease paying for Russian energy exports.

“Buying Russian goods now, is to pay money for murdering people,” Zelensky said.

And that’s where we’ll end today’s live blog.

But our live coverage continues on Tuesday at our new blog.

Join me there where I’ll be keeping you updated overnight: Australia news LIVE: Russia-Ukraine war spills into seventh straight day of conflict as more explosions reported in Kyiv; NSW, Queensland floods worsen as Sydney braces for torrential rain

Russia’s former president and prime minister Dmitry Medvedev has just issued a menacing warning to France.

Earlier, France’s Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told French radio that the sanctions being imposed were part of an “economic war” aimed at collapsing the Russian economy.

Medvedev, who is now the deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council warned “economic wars quite often turned into real ones.”

The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, has described Russia’s invasion as “geopolitical terrorism, pure and simple.”

Of Zelensky’s request for Ukraine to join the EU, he said the choice would have to be made “in a clear, and determined manner.”

“A few minutes ago President Zelensky looked us in the eye, he opened up his heart,” he said.

“It will be up to us as the EU to act in accordance with the times,” he said, acknowledging a variety of views held within the bloc about potential Ukrainian admission.

The Munich Philharmonic has fired its chief conductor Valery Gergiev, with the city’s mayor saying the Russian failed to condemn Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Mayor Dieter Reiter said there would be no further concerts by the Munich Philharmonic under Gergiev’s baton.

“Valery Gergiev has not commented, despite my request to clearly and unequivocally distance oneself from the brutal war of aggression that Putin is waging against Ukraine and now especially against our twin city of Kyiv,” Reiter said in a statement.

“I had expected him to rethink and revise his very positive assessment of the Russian leader - he didn’t,” Reiter said.

“In the current situation, a clear signal for the orchestra, its audience, the public and city politics would have been essential in order to be able to continue working together.”

Reiter said there was no alternative left but “a complete severance of ties” with Gergiev.

At least 136 civilians have been killed, including 13 children, and 400 have been injured since Russia invaded Ukraine last week, a United Nations agency said on Tuesday.

“The real toll is likely to be much higher,” Liz Throssell, a spokesperson for the UN human rights office, told a briefing, adding that 253 of the casualties were in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine.

The UN World Food Program is scaling up activities in Ukraine so that it can support up to 3.1 million people, the program’s spokesperson Tomson Phiri said, adding: “Food supplies are running low.”

The UN refugee agency says over 660,000 refugees have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries in the last six days.

Reuters

Good evening,

Thanks for joining us once again for our live coverage of the war in Ukraine and national developments.

In case you’ve just joined us, here’s what you’ve missed:

• Six days into its attack on Ukraine, Russian forces and its allies are focused on three key cities as civilians hunker in shelters or flee the country: Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Mariupol. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky says the country’s capital is “constantly in danger”, and Russia’s assault on Kharkiv was a crime that should not go unpunished. Russia’s Defence Minister says it will continue its military operation in Ukraine until it achieves its goals.

• World leaders are reacting to the escalating attack in Ukraine, threatening further action as Russia continues its assault on major cities.
• A ninth person has died in Queensland’s flood emergency as wild weather continues to wreak havoc around the country. In Sydney, fears of major flooding on the city’s north-western fringes are growing as forecasters escalate weather warnings. You can follow along with live developments on our dedicated flood blog for NSW and Queensland here.

• And, on the COVID-19 front, Victoria recorded 6879 new cases of the virus, and 18 deaths. NSW reported 8874 new cases and nine deaths, while Queensland recorded 4453 new cases and 10 deaths. The Northern Territory recorded 565 new COVID-19 cases in the latest reporting period, while South Australia recorded 1,618 new cases and two deaths, Western Australia recorded 1,179 new cases, and Tasmania reported 957 new cases.

I’ll be signing off shortly, but Latika Bourke will be here through to midnight and beyond to keep you updated.