Ukraine: What happened today, Monday, March 7?

The EU’s top diplomat warned that the Russian invasion could force five million Ukrainians to flee

People evacuate the city of Irpin, west of Kyiv. According to the United Nations, some 1.7m people fleeing the conflict have already crossed into other countries in Europe. Picture: Ais Messinis/AFP via Getty Images

As the conflict in Ukraine entered its 12th day, the EU’s top diplomat warned that if the Russian invasion of the country continues, up to five million Ukrainians may be forced to flee.

High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, said that Europe must be prepared for the arrivals of those forced to leave Ukraine. “We must mobilise all the resources of the EU to help those countries receiving people,” he said.

“We will need more schools, more reception centres, more of everything.” Within Ukraine itself, the mayor of Lviv, a city in the west of the country to which many in its east have fled, said his city was close to its limit in terms of its capacity to help displaced Ukrainians.

According to the United Nations, some 1.7m people fleeing the conflict have already crossed into other countries in Europe.

Andriy Sadoviy said several hundred thousand people had passed through Lviv as they travelled west seeking safety. Up to 200,000 internally displaced people are now said to be staying in Lviv, with 50,000 passing through Lviv railway station daily.

He called on international organisations to assist the city's efforts. “We understand there will be another wave. We call on international humanitarian organisations to come here and help.” 

Here are some of today’s other developments:

• A representative for Kyiv has urged the United Nations’ top court to order Russia to halt its devastating invasion of Ukraine, at a hearing snubbed by Russia amid its ongoing assault on its neighbour. - READ MORE
• US secretary of state Antony Blinken has assured Lithuania of Nato protection and American support as he began a lightning visit to the three Baltic states as Russia presses ahead with its invasion of Ukraine. - READ MORE
• The US is also exploring legislation to further isolate Russia from the global economy, including banning the import of its oil and energy products into the country. READ MORE
• China’s foreign minister has said Russia is his country’s “most important strategic partner” as he refused to condemn the invasion of Ukraine. - READ MORE
• EU leaders will discuss Ukraine’s application to join the bloc in the coming days, chairman of EU summits, Charles Michel, has said.

What happened in Ukraine today?

People cross on an improvised path under a bridge that was destroyed by a Russian airstrike while fleeing the town of Irpin. Picture: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda

Moscow said it would provide corridors for residents of Ukraine's two main cities to flee to Russia and Belarus, a move Ukraine called “an immoral stunt” seeking to exploit the suffering of civilians.

A spokesperson for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the move "completely immoral" and said Russia was trying to "use people's suffering to create a television picture".

"They are citizens of Ukraine, they should have the right to evacuate to the territory of Ukraine," the spokesperson told Reuters.

Earlier, Russian and Ukrainian delegations assembled for a third round of talks in Belarus. 

Two previous rounds yielded little beyond pledges to open routes for humanitarian access that have yet to be successfully implemented.

Russian shelling is said to be preventing the evacuation of ever-increasing civilians from the cities of Kyiv, Mariupol, Sumy, Kharkiv, Volnovakha and Mykolayiv, according to Ukraine's foreign ministry.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the ministry said the ongoing attacks "prevent the safe passage of humanitarian columns with Ukrainian and foreign citizens, as well as the delivery of medicines and food."

The spokesperson went on to call on foreign leaders to force Russia to observe a ceasefire to avert "a humanitarian catastrophe."

Elsewhere, more than 2,000 civilians were evacuated from Irpin, a Kyiv suburb that has been under heavy attack throughout the day. In an emotional speech, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described one family cut down as they tried to escape Irpin on Sunday, and said Russians responsible for such atrocities would never be forgiven.

For you, there will be no peaceful place on this earth, except for the grave.

Police for the Kharkiv region said that 209 people have died there on Monday alone, 133 of whom were civilians. 

At least 13 more civilians have been reported killed in an airstrike this afternoon on a bread factory in the Ukrainian town of Makariv, just outside Kyiv. There were 30 people inside the bakery when it was hit.

The overall national death toll from the fighting, meanwhile, remains unclear. The UN said it has confirmed just a few hundred civilian deaths but also warned that the number is a vast undercount. 

Moscow has so far acknowledged nearly 500 deaths among its soldiers, but Western countries say the true number is much higher.

What happened in Ireland?

- In Dublin, one man was arrested after a truck reportedly crashed through the gates of the Russian embassy earlier this afternoon.

The truck is believed to have crashed through the gates of the embassy at about 1.30pm. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos

According to RTÉ, it is understood no one was injured in the incident, which took place at around 1.30pm. 

The Russian Embassy condemned the incident, and released a statement urging the Department of Foreign Affairs to "take comprehensive measures to ensure the safety of its staff and their family members."

"The incident is a cause of extreme concern," the embassy said. 

"We believe that no people of sound mind could support such senseless and barbaric actions."

The man arrested in relation to the incident is currently detained at Rathfarnham Garda Station. 

- Ireland will have to re-examine its position as a neutral country in the wake of Russia's attack on Ukraine, the Taoiseach has said.

Micheál Martin: 'The whole situation has changed so much that we do need to reflect on all of that'. File Picture: Gareth Chaney/ Collins Photos

Speaking this morning, Micheál Martin said the crisis would require a whole-of-Government humanitarian response which would be "challenging".

On Ireland's stance as a neutral country, Mr Martin said: "I don't believe in a knee-jerk response to this in terms of the broader non-alignment issue, but we should, when this war ends, we should create a forum for a reflection on that, because the world has changed.

"Russia has changed the multilateral order by this war. We've witnessed the growth in cyberattacks, the growth also in terrorist organisations.

"The whole situation has changed so much that we do need to reflect on all of that," he said. 

- Farmers will receive extra State payments to grow crops on their land under a series of extraordinary Government measures to counteract the economic and financial impact of the Ukrainian crisis.

File Picture: iStock

Emergency plans to house up to 80,000 Ukrainian refugees, which could involve constructing modular homes on State land, such as the Curragh, are being drawn up with officials from the Department of Children working throughout the weekend, with several hundred hotels being acquired from next week.

With thousands of families now expected to arrive here, the Department of Education is working on meeting the demand for extra school places, while psychological supports and counselling are also being looked at.