March 9, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova has called for a “new model” of investigative efforts to tackle alleged war crimes in Ukraine. 

Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, Venediktova thanked 39 countries that reportedly joined Ukraine’s appeal to the International Court of Justice against Russia. 

Venediktova also called for a special tribunal to be created for the “unprecedented” crisis in Ukraine. 

Venediktova announced her office had already launched criminal investigations into “encroachment of territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine and waging an aggressive war” and issued warnings to 40 individuals that are part of Russia’s political elite.   

The prosecutor general said her office also “took action against those who incited war and provoked further atrocities in Ukrainian territory”. 

A warning was reportedly issued to a number of people she called Russian “propagandists,” including several Russian celebrities who Venediktova described as Putin supporters. 

Venediktova also unveiled a new government portal where the public can report war crimes they witness in Ukraine: warcrimes.gov.ua. 

Two officials in the besieged city of Mariupol in southern Ukraine say that about 1,300 civilians there have been killed since the Russian invasion began.

The city was first shelled in the opening days of the conflict and has been under siege for almost a week.

"We will fight for everyone," he added.

Earlier Wednesday, Mariupol's Deputy Mayor, Sergei Orlov, said that at least 1,207 victims of shelling had been confirmed through Tuesday. 

"Really we can't calculate how many deaths we have — I mean three to four times more. We are not even able to count how many people on the streets have been killed by bombing and artillery," Orlov told CNN.

To help alleviate some of the stress and emotions that millions of refugees may be experiencing after fleeing Ukraine, strangers in Polish communities are helping strangers get settled with basic necessities in a place that may not feel anything like home.

Hundreds of thousands of children are among two million refugees who have fled Ukraine, since the Russian invasion began. Most of those who have fled have gone to Poland, to Ukraine's west, with large numbers also entering Hungary, Moldova, Romania and Slovakia. The journey, in many cases, lasts several days and they arrive with next to nothing.

Strollers, carriers, jackets, toys, stuffed animals, diapers, even walkers for the elderly, have filled the area alongside the railway.

Dozens of volunteers with yellow vests, speaking multiple languages, are helping the refugees any way they can.

And help isn't just available in the form of physical supplies — some people have been holding up signs, offering rides to different places across Europe and volunteers are helping refugees find a place to stay.

Read the full report here.

The Constitutional Court of Russia announced it has withdrawn from the Conference of Constitutional Courts of Europe (CECC) as of March 5, the court said in a statement posted on its website on Wednesday.

Russian state media said that the Russian Constitutional Court’s withdrawal comes after the CECC chairman emailed ballots on March 4 to all members of the organization members to vote on terminating or suspending the Russian Constitutional Court's membership and associated membership of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Belarus.

The statement went on to say the CECC efforts are also because the Russian Constitutional Court has “not clearly expressed their disapproval of the Russian Federation's actions in Ukraine, therefore, no efficient loyal cooperation can be expected any longer between the CECC and the Russian Constitutional Court.”

"Taking into account the foregoing and reaffirming its commitment to the goals and values for which the Conference of European Constitutional Courts was originally formed, the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, under the circumstances, considers its further participation in the Conference of European Constitutional Courts impossible and declares its withdrawal from it from March 5, 2022,” according to the statement.

The Constitutional Court of Russia emphasized that it can exercise its powers only within the procedural framework outlined by the constitution.

As the United Nations estimates more than two million people have fled Ukraine so far, the neighboring country of Romania is preparing for an influx of those escaping violence.

In the capital of Bucharest, CNN's Miguel Marquez detailed how officials are readying the city's convention center to accommodate up to 2,000 refugees.

Cots line the floor, and donations of food, water, blankets and clothing are being organized. There is also a separate area for mothers and babies.

As NATO and Western powers continue to economically isolate Russia via sanctions, companies are taking note of their ties to the country and are halting or modifying business as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Here are just some of the companies who have recently announced they are pulling back from Russia:

General Electric suspended operations in Russia, the company said in a statement Wednesday.

John Deere, the world’s largest agriculture equipment maker, halted shipments of its products to Russia two weeks ago, the company told CNN on Wednesday.

Amazon has suspended access to Prime Video in Russia, and the e-commerce giant is no longer shipping retail orders to customers in both Russia and Belarus, the company said Tuesday.

Papa John's International announced Wednesday it has suspended all corporate operations in Russia. The company said it has stopped all operational, marketing and business support to, and engagement with, the Russian market. However, the Papa John’s brand will still exist in Russia. 

British American Tobacco (BAT) said Wednesday it will continue to operate in Russia, but it will suspend all planned investment into the country to focus on its portfolio of locally produced tobacco products.

Hilton has shut down its corporate office in Moscow and is suspending all new development activity in Russia, the hotel company announced Wednesday. Hilton said that it will “ensure continued work and pay” for employees impacted by the closure of its Moscow office. The company also announced it is donating up to 1 million room nights to support Ukrainian refugees and humanitarian relief efforts across Europe.

Hyatt is halting development in Russia and new investments there following the invasion of Ukraine, the hotel company told CNN in a statement on Wednesday.

3M has halted operations in Russia, the post-it maker said in a statement to CNN.

Whirlpool, one of the world’s largest appliance makers, told CNN the company is limiting production in Russia and it has suspended its sales operation in Ukraine. Whirlpool did not specify how much of its operations in Russia will be sidelined.

A full list of the companies and industries pulling back from Russia can be found here.

The White House suggested that there are “clearly logistical challenges” with a proposal from Poland to provide Soviet-era fighter jets to Ukraine.

She pointed to a statement from Pentagon press secretary John Kirby Tuesday, saying the Pentagon did not believe Polish proposal was “tenable.” 

Kirby “made clear that obviously the proposal from yesterday, that fighter jets manned by Americans departing a NATO base to fly into airspace contested with Russia raises serious concerns for the United States and NATO,” she said.  

Psaki cited some of the logistical and operational challenges: getting planes into Ukraine in a way that is not escalatory, potentially having to take the planes apart and putting them back together, and ensuring the planes’ safe movement amid a war. 

She later called it a “serious logistical bottleneck,” saying that discussions on the matter are ongoing.

The US, Psaki emphasized, has otherwise “not held back” on military aid to Ukraine, including weapons, anti-missile systems, and tank systems.

As the dense clouds that have covered the southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol for days break, the destruction of Russia's invasion has waged in the city is beginning to be captured on new satellite images from Maxar Technologies.  

In the images, which were taken Wednesday at 10:16 a.m. local time, a number of homes, buildings, grocery stores and shopping malls have been damaged in the fighting. 

In a residential area in central Mariupol, a number of homes have sustained damage and at least two have been completely destroyed. 

In western Mariupol, a fire appears to have damaged the Silpo and Epicenter K supermarkets. 

A mile north, the Portcity Shopping Mall, also appears to have sustained significant damage from fire. 

It's unclear from the satellite images how the fire began, but the buildings have clearly been gutted by fire. 

A number of homes in the left bank neighborhood, located in Mariupol's east, also appear to have damaged. Entire roofs are missing on some of them. 

The United Kingdom is planning to send anti-air missiles to Ukraine to help Kyiv combat Russia's "indiscriminate and murderous" airstrikes, British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told the House of Commons on Wednesday.

“The Russians are changing their tactics, so the Ukrainians need to, too,” he said, adding that “it is therefore vital that Ukraine maintains its ability to fly and to suppress Russian air attack.”

Wallace told lawmakers that Ukraine’s defense “capability needs strengthening” and in response to Ukrainian requests, the UK government has "taken the decision to explore the donation of Starstreak high-velocity, man-portable anti-air missiles."

The defense secretary also said that the UK has increased the supply of anti-tank weapons (NLAWs), small arms and ammunition to Ukraine. 

"As of today, we have delivered 3,615 NLAWs and continue to deliver more. We will shortly be starting the delivery of a small consignment of anti-tank Javelin missiles as well. I want to assure the House that everything we do is bound by the decision to supply defensive systems and is calibrated not to escalate to a strategic level," Wallace said.