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

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Zelensky says Kharkiv strikes are price of Ukraine’s freedom

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the two missile attacks on the university city of Kharkiv, near the Russian border was the heavy and high price of Ukraine’s freedom.

The missiles pounded the city’s Freedom Square about 8.30am local time.

He made the comments during an address to the European Parliament, which was so moving that the official translator began crying as he translated the President’s words.

Zelensky is asking the European Union to use emergency measures to admit Ukraine immediately to the bloc.

“The European Union is going to be much stronger with us, that’s for sure. Without you, Ukraine is going to be lonesome,” Zelensky told the European Parliament by video link.

“Do prove that you are with us. Do prove that you will not let us go. Do prove that you are indeed Europeans and then life will win over death and light will win over darkness. Glory be to Ukraine,” he said.

No-fly zone would lead to combat says Johnson

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been asked by a Ukrainian journalist why the West will not impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine.

Johnson is speaking in Warsaw, Poland, a country that borders Ukraine and has opened its borders to tens of thousands of fleeing Ukrainians.

Ukrainian government figures have repeatedly called for a no-fly zone, but the West has so far declined to implement one.

Johnson said that if a no-fly zone were implemented that could see British planes shooting down Russian ones.

“The consequences of that would be truly, very, very difficult to control,” Johnson said.

The UK is a member of NATO, an alliance that pledges that all member countries will defend any member who is attacked.

Ukraine claims Russia’s casualties top 5,710

Ukraine’s General Staff of the Armed Forces says 5710 Russian troops have been killed during the invasion.

It is not possible to verify either side’s claims of troop losses.

Russia for the first time at the weekend conceded that Russian lives had been lost in Ukraine, after previously denying any casualties.

Russia has not put an estimate on how many Ukrainian lives it believes have been lost, but it has repeatedly insisted that Ukrainian casualties have been higher than those it has sustained.

Deleted State propaganda claimed Russia won the war, ended the West

There’s been a very interesting article published online at the Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti, in which the author reported that Russia had been victorious.

RIA published the article on February 26, perhaps an insight into how soon they thought their “military operation” would be over, and was only removed later.

Russian President Vladimir Putin.Credit:AP

However, a web archive exists giving us several more insights into the thinking of the Russian mindset that started and is backing this war.

Here are some quotes from author Petr Akopov that have been translated, which are most illuminating:

  • “Ukraine has now returned to Russia. This does not mean that its statehood will be liquidated, but it will be reorganised, re-established, and returned to its natural state as a part of the Russian world.“
  • “Did anyone in the old European capitals, in Paris and Berlin seriously believe that Moscow would give up Kyiv? That the Russians will forever be a divided people?”
  • “The operation in Ukraine is Russia returning its historical space and place in the world.”

And most importantly, the piece bragged that Russia had ended the West:

  • “Russia has not only challenged the West—it has shown that the era of global Western domination can be considered fully and completely over,” the piece said.
  • “The new world will be built by all civilisations and centres of power — naturally, together with the West (united or not) — but not on the Western terms or according to its rules.“

While the war is far from over, it is certainly clear that Putin’s objective of dividing and ending the West has failed.

The Swiss broke neutrality, the European Union is arming Ukraine, more countries want to join NATO and the international sports community has kicked Russia out of its competitions.

Russian logistical difficulties slow advance: UK military

The UK’s Defence Intelligence unit has issued its latest update on the slow progress of the Russian advance.

It said that the Russians had made little progress on Kyiv overnight, “probably as a result of continuing logistical difficulties”.

But it said that there had been increased use of artillery north of Kyiv in and around the cities of Kharkiv and Chernihiv, warning this would increase the likelihood of civilian casualties.

The Russians have continued to insist that they are targeting only military facilities, but as continued imagery from the ground shows, residential and public buildings have been hit.

Our rolling coverage continues

Hello and welcome to our continued rolling coverage of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

I’m Latika Bourke in London and I’ll be keeping you up to date with developments overnight.

Heavy fighting continues in major cities, although they all remain under Ukrainian control on day six of the invasion.

In the past few hours, there has been a missile strike on the centre of the city of Kharkiv, which Ukrainian officials say is yet more evidence that Russia is conducting war on Ukrainians and targeting civilians.

Mihailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukraine’s President Volodomyr Zelensky said that Russia’s goal was clear.

“Masks off,” he tweeted.

“Russia is actively shelling city centres, inflicting direct missile and artillery strikes at residential and government areas.

“Russia’s goal is clear – mass panic, civilian casualties, destruction of infrastructure. Ukraine is fighting with dignity,” he said.

A missile attack on the Kharkiv regional administration.Credit:Twitter

In The Hague, the International Criminal Court’s Prosecutor, Karim A.A. Khan said he had opened an investigation saying: “I am satisfied that there is a reasonable basis to believe that both alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed in Ukraine.”

You can recap how the past 24 hours unfolded here: 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

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