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Shell defends ‘difficult’ decision to buy Russian crude oil

Shell has defended its decision to purchase Russian crude oil despite the invasion and bombardment of Ukraine. The oil giant said in a statement that the decision to purchase the fuel at a discounted price was “difficult”. It confirmed that it had bought a cargo of Russian crude oil on Friday but it had “no alternative”. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba hit out at the energy company, asking on Twitter: “Doesn’t Russian oil smell Ukrainian blood for you?” So far Western countries have not imposed sanctions on Russian oil imports, fearing it will drive up already record high energy prices

Microsoft stops selling products in Russia

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Microsoft has stopped selling its products and services in Russia, following the country’s invasion of Ukraine. Major tech companies including Apple and Dell have made similar decisions. Microsoft said it had paused other aspects of its business in the country to comply with government sanctions. It added that it was providing cyber-security support to Ukraine to defend against cyber-attacks initiated by Russia. “Since the war began, we have acted against Russian positioning, destructive or disruptive measures against more than 20 Ukrainian government, IT and financial sector organisations,” Microsoft president Brad Smith said in a statement. Suspended operations Several tech companies have

War in Ukraine: UK promises quicker sanctions against Russian oligarchs

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The government is to change the law to make it easier to introduce sanctions against Russian oligarchs, after criticism the UK is acting too slowly. Ministers are tabling amendments to the Economic Crime Bill which are designed to allow the UK to align with penalties imposed by allies in the EU and US. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said foreigners trying to launder money in the UK would have “nowhere to hide”. But Labour accused the government of making a “U-turn under pressure”. Ministers have already imposed asset freezes on individuals and companies with links to Russian President Vladimir Putin, following

Ukraine: Workers refuse to unload Russian oil from ship

Workers are refusing to unload Russian oil from a German-flagged ship, which is moored at a major British oil refinery. The Seacod vessel is berthed near the Stanlow Oil Refinery in Cheshire. The UK government has banned ships with “any Russian connection” from entering its ports due to the country’s invasion of Ukraine. However, the Unite union said cargo was not included in the ban and has called for ministers “to close this loophole”. Stanlow operators Essar said a German-flagged vessel was granted approval to berth by the Port Authority on Thursday. A spokesperson for the refinery, which supplies 16% of road

Ukraine war: Sky News journalist Stuart Ramsay and team shot at in ambush

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A British journalist covering the war in Ukraine has been shot and wounded after coming under fire in Kyiv. Sky News chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay and his four colleagues were driving back to the Ukrainian capital when they were ambushed. As they tried to escape from the car, a bullet hit Ramsay in his lower back while camera operator Richie Mockler took two rounds to his body armour. They were told a Russian reconnaissance unit was behind the attack. Russian forces have stepped up their bombardment in recent days, with heavy shelling and attacks on high-rise apartment buildings, a clinic

Clive and Valerie Warrington: Son charged with murdering parents in court

A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of his parents. William Warrington, 40, of St George’s Street, Cheltenham, appeared before Cheltenham magistrates via video link earlier. He is charged with the murder of his father Clive, 67 and mother Valerie, 73, who were found dead on Wednesday. Chairman of the bench, Andy Hill, remanded Mr Warrington in custody to appear at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday. The body of Clive Warrington was found at Sherborne Place in Cheltenham at 06:25 GMT on Wednesday. Shortly afterwards, the body of his ex-wife, Valerie Warrington, 73, was found at a

Red tape slows delivery of Scottish donations to Ukraine

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Groups across Scotland collecting donations for Ukraine are facing logistical challenges in getting the goods to those in need. Organisers face red tape to get shipments though customs and some are fundraising to pay for transport costs. Charities have appealed for cash donations so they can get the right help to people quickly. The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) in Scotland has raised more than £6m in the first day of its Ukraine appeal. Many groups who asked for essential supplies for people fleeing their homes in Ukraine since the Russian invasion last week have been so overwhelmed that they have

How many refugees have fled Ukraine and where are they going?

More than one million civilians have fled Ukraine because of the Russian invasion, according to the United Nations (UN). The European Union (EU) says up to four million people may try to leave and that it will welcome refugees with “open arms”. Which countries are Ukraine’s refugees fleeing to? Refugees are crossing to neighbouring countries to the west, such as Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and Moldova. Smaller numbers have gone to Russia and Belarus. The UN says that so far: Poland has taken in 505,582 refugees Hungary 139,686 Moldova 97,827 Slovakia 72,200 Romania 51,261 Russia 47,800 Belarus 357 Almost 90,000 people have moved on from these countries

Ukraine war: ‘My city’s being shelled, but mum won’t believe me’

Oleksandra and her four rescue dogs have been sheltering in the bathroom of her flat in Kharkiv since the shelling began. “When I heard the first explosions, I ran out of the house to get my dogs from their enclosures outside. People were panicking, abandoning their cars. I was so scared,” she says. The 25-year-old has been speaking regularly to her mother, who lives in Moscow. But in these conversations, and even after sending videos from her heavily bombarded hometown, Oleksandra is unable to convince her mother about the danger she is in. “I didn’t want to scare my parents,

War in Ukraine: The Russians leaving Russia for Finland

At Vaalimaa, Finland’s border crossing with Russia – 120 miles east of Helsinki – buses and cars stop for passport and customs checks. These aren’t Ukrainians, they’re Russians, and although the flow isn’t heavy, it is constant. Some people are anxious to get out of Russia because there has been a persistent rumour that President Vladimir Putin’s government might soon introduce martial law to deal with demonstrations against the invasion of Ukraine. With flights to Europe halted, the only way out of the country is by car – crossing this border – or by train. We spoke to one young

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