Europe

Kyiv, Feb 25 (AP) Russia pressed its invasion of Ukraine to the outskirts of the capital Friday after unleashing airstrikes on cities and military bases and sending in troops and tanks from three sides in an attack that could rewrite the global post-Cold War security order.

MOSCOW, Feb 24 (APP): Deputy Prime Minister for Energy of Russia Alexander Novak Thursday called on Prime Minister Imran Khan here, along with a delegation.

During the meeting, they discussed the matters of mutual cooperation in multiple fields.

The prime minister is currently on a two-day official visit to Russia, at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Russian deputy PM met the prime minister after the latter had a detailed one-on-one meeting with President Putin.

MOSCOW, Feb 24 (APP): Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday regretting the latest situation between Russia and Ukraine underlined Pakistan’s belief that disputes should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.​

Imran Khan, who had a Summit meeting with President Vladimir V. Putin in the Kremlin, said Pakistan had hoped diplomacy could avert a military conflict.

“The Prime Minister regretted the latest situation between Russia and Ukraine and said that Pakistan had hoped diplomacy could avert a military conflict”, a statement issued by the PM Media Office said.​

LUGANSK, February 24. /TASS/: Several fighters of the 57th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces voluntarily laid down their weapons and defected to the Lugansk People's Republic’s side, a correspondent of the LuganskInformCenter in the Krymskoye settlement reports.

The Lugansk People's Militia command said that the surrendered fighters "will be released home after the hostilities’ end".

KIEV, February 24. /TASS/: The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has launched the evacuation of embassy personnel from Moscow, the ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

"The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has recalled Ukraine’s Charge d’Affaires in Russia, Vasily Pokotilo, for consultations and launched the evacuation of the Ukrainian embassy in Moscow," the statement reads.

The ministry stressed that "Ukraine’s consular facilities in Russia continue to operate normally."

BERLIN, February 24. /TASS/: Vice Chancellor of Germany, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck said that he does not see any prospects for launching the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

MOSCOW, February 24. /TASS/: More than 70 ground infrastructure facilities belonging to Ukraine were incapacitated by strikes carried out by Russia’s Armed Forces, Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov told reporters on Thursday.

"As a result of the strikes conducted by Russia’s Armed Forces, 74 ground facilities of Ukraine’s military infrastructure were knocked out of action. Among them are 11 airfields belonging to the Air Force, three command points, a Ukrainian Navy base and 18 radar stations of S-300 and Buk-M1 missile systems," Konashenkov specified.

LONDON, Feb 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Oil prices soared past $100 for the first time in more than seven years on Thursday after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “military operation” in Ukraine, apparently
realising fears he would invade.

  Brent surged to $100.04 a barrel after the announcement, as concerns grew about a full-scale conflict in eastern Europe. WTI hit $95.54.

  It came after Putin made a surprise statement on television to declare his intentions.

LIELVARDE, Latvia, Feb 24 (Reuters) - About 20 U.S. Apache military attack helicopters landed at Lielvarde military airfield in Latvia on Thursday, hours after Russian forces invaded Ukraine.

The arrival of the choppers was first announced last week, when it was billed as a participation to the bi-annual international U.S.-led exercise Saber Strike.

But on Thursday the Lithuanian defence minister was describing them as part of U.S. military reinforcements to the Baltic region after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

BRUSSELS, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Allies of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) agreed to further beef up its forces on its eastern flank near Ukraine but it has no intention of sending troops into Ukraine, NATO's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday.

NATO did not have combat troops inside Ukraine and it "had no intention of deploying NATO troops to Ukraine," Stoltenberg told the press after an extraordinary meeting of the North Atlantic Council.