Russia-Ukraine news War Highlights:

US President Joe Biden Thursday lauded the UN General Assembly decision to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council, describing it as a meaningful step by the international community. This is a meaningful step by the international community further demonstrating how Putin's war has made Russia an international pariah, Biden said hours after the UN General Assembly suspended Russia from the UNHRC with 93-24 votes and 58 abstentions. India abstained from voting.

Here are the live updates from the Russia-Ukraine war today:

Russia revokes registration of Amnesty, Human Rights Watch

The Russian Ministry of Justice on Friday said in a statement that it had revoked the registration of 15 foreign organisations, including those of Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

Ruble on the mend, Russia bank cuts interest rate

Russia's central bank says it's lowering a key interest rate, and said more cuts could be on the way. The decision indicates the bank thinks strict capital controls and other severe measures are stabilizing Russia's currency and financial system despite intense pressure from Western sanctions over the war in Ukraine.

The bank said Friday it lowered its benchmark rate from 20% to 17%, effective Monday. It had raised the rate from 9.5% on Feb. 28 -- four days after the invasion -- as a way to support the ruble's plunging exchange rate. A currency collapse would worsen already high inflation for Russian shoppers by ballooning the cost of imported goods. The rate increase shows how the central bank has managed to stabilize key aspects of the economy with severe controls, artificially propping up the ruble to allow it to rebound to levels seen before the invasion of Ukraine even as the West piles on more sanctions.

Deutsche Telekom and others to cut wholesale roaming fees for Ukrainian peers

Deutsche Telekom and a group of other top European telecom companies have agreed to cut wholesale roaming charges levied on Ukrainian peers for three months to help millions of Ukrainian refugees stay in touch with families back home.

The move by companies also including Orange, Vodafone and 20 others is the latest initiative by the industry, with more than a dozen already allowing free calls to Ukraine and waiving retail roaming fees in recent weeks.

Wholesale roaming fees are paid by telecoms operators to peers in another EU country.

The association of mobile virtual network operators MVNO Europe and all three of Ukraine's mobile operators also joined the initiative.

AIG looks at cutting insurance for Russia, Ukraine: Reuters

AIG, one of the world's biggest commercial insurers, is considering cutting cover for Russia and Ukraine, to shield itself from the risk of hefty claims as sanctions ratchet up and the war drags on, an insurance broker and a source familiar with the matter said. AIG is looking at adding exclusion clauses to policies for businesses operating in the region across a range of policies, according to the two sources who declined to be identified. Other major insurers are also looking to exclude Russia, Ukraine and even Belarus from a range of policies, the sources said, citing some insurers and policyholders.

Ukraine says 50 killed in rocket strike on rail evacuation hub

Ukraine said as many as 50 people, including five children, were killed and many more were wounded and lost limbs in a rocket strike at a railway station packed with civilians fleeing the threat of a major Russian offensive in the country's east. As regional authorities scrambled to rush civilians out of harm's way, a group of European Union leaders meanwhile visited Kyiv to offer President Volodymyr Zelenskyy support and assure him there will be a path to EU membership for Ukraine. Zelenskyy called the strike on the station in Kramatorsk in the eastern region of Donetsk region a deliberate attack on civilians.

Russia expels 45 Polish embassy and consulate staff in retaliatory move

Russia has declared 45 Polish embassy and consulate staff "persona non grata" in retaliation for Warsaw's expulsion of 45 Russian diplomats from Poland, Moscow's foreign ministry said on Friday. Poland said in March that the 45 Russian diplomats were suspected of working for Russian intelligence.

EU adopts new sanctions against Russia including coal import ban

The European Union on Friday formally adopted its fifth package of sanctions against Russia, including bans on the import of coal, wood, chemicals and other products. The measures also prevent many Russian vessels and trucks from accessing the EU, further crippling trade, and will ban all transactions with four Russian banks, including VTB. The ban on coal imports will be fully effective from the second week of August. No new contracts can be signed from Friday, when sanctions are to be published in the EU's official journal. Existing contracts will have to be terminated by the second week of August, meaning that Russia can continue to receive payments from the EU on coal exports until then.

Britain imposes sanctions on Putin's daughters

Britain has added two adult daughters of Russian President Vladimir Putin to its sanctions list, following similar moves by the US and the European Union. The government said Friday it is imposing asset freezes and travel bans on Putin's daughters Katerina Tikhonova and Maria Vorontsova, as well as Yekaterina Vinokurova, daughter of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Britain says it has sanctioned more than 1,200 Russian individuals and businesses since the invasion of Ukraine on Feb 24, including 76 oligarchs and 16 banks. It says Western nations have collectively frozen 275 billion pounds ($360 billion), amounting to 60% of Russian foreign currency reserves.

Japan decides to expel some Russian diplomats - Kyodo

Japan has decided to expel some Russian diplomats, Kyodo news agency reported on Friday, quoting multiple people connected with the matter. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will hold a news conference at 6:00 p.m. local time (0900 GMT) at which he is expected to announce additional Japanese sanctions on Russia.

Ukraine presses on with efforts to evacuate trapped civilians

Ukraine said it aimed to establish up to 10 humanitarian corridors to evacuate trapped civilians on Friday, but civilians trying to flee besieged Mariupol will have to use private vehicles.

Moscow supports probe into Bucha killings: Russian embassy

Russia on Thursday said it firmly supports calls for bringing to justice the perpetrators of the Bucha killings, alleging that the crime was the result of a "false flag" operation carried out by Ukraine.

The comments by the Russian embassy in Delhi came in the wake of strong condemnation of the killings in Ukrainian town of Bucha by India at the UN Security Council as well as by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Parliament.

The images of mass graves and bodies of civilians in Bucha town have triggered global outrage and condemnation with many countries calling for a thorough investigation into the crime.

"The heinous attack in Bucha brings back the nightmares of the Nazi crimes during the Second World War. It raised revulsion and condemnation in Russia and India and globally," the Russian embassy said in a statement.

Official: EU oks new Russia sanctions including on coal

European Union countries have approved new punishing sanctions against Russia, including an EU embargo on coal imports in the wake of evidence of torture and killings emerging from war zones outside Kyiv.

The ban on coal imports will be the first EU sanctions targeting Russia's lucrative energy industry over its war in Ukraine, an official said Thursday on condition of anonymity because the official announcement had not yet been made.

The EU ban on coal is estimated to be worth 4 billion euros ($4.4 billion) per year. In the meantime, the EU has already started working on additional sanctions, including on oil imports.

Russia is weakened militarily, has become a geopolitical pariah: US Def Sec Austin

More than a month after its unjustified invasion of Ukraine, the Russian military is now a weakened one and has become a pariah from a geopolitical standpoint, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Thursday.

Ukraine maintains its sovereignty and its ability to protect its country, defend itself. It maintains its government. Russia is weakened militarily. And Russia, from a geopolitical standpoint, is a pariah. Countries will not volunteer to align themselves with Russia, Austin told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee during a Congressional hearing.

If India has chosen any side, it is the side of peace: Amb Tirumurti on abstention in UNGA on Russia's suspension from UNHRC

Abstaining in the UN General Assembly on a vote to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council, India on Thursday asserted that if it has "chosen" any side, it is the side of "peace and it is for an immediate end to violence."

The 193-member UN General Assembly voted to adopt a draft resolution moved by the US to suspend Russia from the world body's top human rights organisation over allegations that Russian soldiers killed civilians while retreating from towns near the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

The draft received 93 votes in favour, 24 against and 58 abstentions.

Russia, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, stands suspended from the Human Rights Council. No permanent member of the UN Security Council has ever had its membership revoked from any organ of the world body.

Russia suspended from UN Human Rights Council, India abstains in UNGA vote

Russia was suspended from the UN Human Rights Council after the 193-member General Assembly on Thursday voted to adopt a resolution moved by the US that received 93 votes in favour and 58 abstentions, including by India.

The resolution titled Suspension of the rights of membership of the Russian Federation in the Human Rights Council' was adopted with 93 votes in favour, 24 against and 58 abstentions. Those abstaining included Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka and UAE.

"India has abstained on the resolution with regard to suspension of the Russian Federation from the Human Rights Council adopted in the General Assembly today. We do so for reasons of both substance and process," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said in the Explanation of Vote after the voting.

—With inputs from agencies

(Edited by : Ajay Vaishnav)

First Published:Apr 8, 2022 8:08 AM IST