Russian airborne troops land in Ukraine's Kharkiv

In the early hours of Thursday morning 24 February, Russian President Vladimir Putin officially announced the start of a "special military operation" against Ukraine. Russia has said that its operation in Ukraine is not the beginning of a war, but an attempt to prevent a world war.

But many countries around the world, including Europe and the United States, immediately condemned Russia's move as a war against Ukraine and began to redouble their diplomatic and economic pressure on Russia.

On Monday, during talks in Belarus, Russian and Ukrainian delegations agreed to hold a new round of negotiations on the Belarusian-Polish border in the next few days, after they "found several points on which you can forecast a common position".

Here are all the latest updates:

Putin issues new decree amid West sanctions

Russian President Vladimir Putin signs a decree prohibiting Russians from leaving the country with more than $10,000 in foreign currency.

Russian airborne troops land in Ukraine's Kharkiv

Russian airborne troops landed in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Wednesday, the Ukrainian army said, adding that there were immediate clashes.

"Russian airborne troops landed in Kharkiv... and attacked a local hospital," the army said in a statement on messaging app Telegram. "There is an ongoing fight between the invaders and the Ukrainians."

Visa, Mastercard block Russian financial institutions

US payment card firms Visa Inc and Mastercard Inc have blocked multiple Russian financial institutions from their network, complying with sanctions imposed on Moscow.

US closes its airspace for Russian flights

The US authorities are closing the country’s airspace for Russian aircraft, US President Joe Biden said in his State of the Union address to the US Congress.

"Today I’m announcing that we are joining our allies and closing off the American airspace to all Russian flights," he said.

Biden says Ukrainian operation was premediated

US President Joe Biden claimed on Tuesday Russia had rejected attempts to solve European security issues through diplomatic means because it was planning a special operation in Ukraine from the very outset.

"Putin’s war was premeditated and unprovoked.

"In the early hours of Thursday morning 24 February, Russian President Vladimir Putin officially announced the start of a "special military operation" against Ukraine"He rejected efforts at diplomacy. He thought the West and NATO wouldn’t respond. And, he thought he could divide us here at home. Putin was wrong. We were ready," the US President was quoted as saying in excerpts from his State of the Union Address, published by the White House website and expected to be delivered in coming hours.

"The costs and threats to America and the world keep rising," Biden said.

"That’s why the NATO Alliance was created to secure peace and stability in Europe after World War 2. The United States is a member along with 29 other nations. It matters. American diplomacy matters."

Joe Biden said Putin is isolated by the world more than ever. “Together with our allies, we are enforcing sanctions on Russia… We are choking Russia’s access to technology,” Biden said.

Italy’s Eni to pull out of Russia-Turkey pipeline

Italian oil giant Eni said that it will withdraw from the Blue Stream gas pipeline linking Russia to Turkey in which it has a 50 percent stake.

World Bank preparing $3bn aid package for Ukraine

The World Bank said that it is preparing a $3bn aid package for Ukraine, which will include at least $350m in immediate funds.

The first tranche of the aid “will be submitted to the Board for approval this week, followed by $200m in fast-disbursing support for health and education,” the World Bank said in a joint statement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

EU bans Russian media outlets, banks from SWIFT

The EU has banned Russian state media outlets RT and Sputnik from broadcasting in the bloc while banning “certain” Russian banks from the SWIFT bank messaging system, the EU’s rotating presidency said.

The moves, due to come into force on Wednesday after publication in the official journal of the EU, come as Brussels intensifies its sanctions on Moscow.

Russian forces entered Kherson, says Ukrainian Official

Russian forces have entered the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, but Ukraine still controls the city administration building, Ukrainian interior ministry advisor Vadym Denysenko said on television on Tuesday.

Miles-long Russian convoy appears stalled near Kyiv, says US official

An enormous Russian military convoy is lumbering towards the capital, Kyiv.

A senior US defence official told reporters the convoy appeared to stall on Tuesday, however, due to a number of factors, including the Ukrainian resistance that the Russian troops have faced.

Boeing suspends technical support services to Russian air carriers

US aircraft maker Boeing has suspended technical support services and deliveries of parts to Russian air carriers, Reuters journalist David Shepardson said on Twitter citing a Boeing statement.

"We are also suspending parts, maintenance and technical support services for Russian airlines," he quoted the statement as saying.

Earlier, Boeing suspended operations of its Kyiv office and training center in Skolkovo, near Moscow.

Read all the updates from Tuesday, March 1, here.

ZZ/