Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 370

As the war between Russia and Ukraine enters its 370th day, we take a look at the most important developments.

This is the state of affairs on Tuesday, February 28, 2023:

Diplomacy

• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says Russia will not resume participation in New START nuclear weapons treaty talks until Washington listens to Moscow’s position, Izvestia reported.
• US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen made a surprise visit to Kiev to reaffirm Washington’s support and economic aid to Ukraine’s war campaign.
• Foreign ministers from around the world will meet in New Delhi this week in the shadow of the war and tensions between the US and China; host country India hopes that issues such as climate change and debt in developing countries will not be overlooked.
• China has “very clearly” sided with Russia in the war in Ukraine by providing diplomatic, political and economic support, the US State Department said.
• The Kremlin said a Chinese peace plan urging both sides to agree to a gradual reduction of military forces and warning against the use of nuclear weapons should be analyzed in detail, taking into account the interests of all sides.

Human rights

• The United Nations rights chief condemned Russia’s “pointless” invasion of Ukraine at the start of a session of the Human Rights Council, in which countries want to step up investigations into allegations that Russia has committed war crimes, which it denies.

To fight

• The military situation is becoming increasingly difficult around Bakhmut, the focal point of the Russian advance in eastern Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
• Russia’s defense ministry said its forces destroyed a Ukrainian ammunition depot near Bakhmut and also shot down four HIMARS missiles and five Ukrainian drones.
• Reuters was unable to verify the battlefield reports.

Economy

• Russian banks and politicians have downplayed the latest foreign sanctions against Russian lenders and are promising swift solutions to any problems with customers’ foreign currency transactions.