Europe

25 Feb 2022; MEMO: Russia's embassy in Lebanon was surprised by the Lebanese Foreign Ministry statement that condemned the Russian military operations in Ukraine, it said in a statement on its Facebook page, Reuters reports.

"The statement … surprised us by violating the policy of Self-distancing and by taking one side against another in these events, noting that Russia spared no effort in contributing to the advancement and stability of the Lebanese Republic," the statement said.

25 Feb 2022; MEMO: France's Interior Minister announced that he is banning two Palestine solidarity organisations at the request of French President, Emmanuel Macron.

Gerald Darmanin tweeted yesterday that he will move to dissolve Palestine Vaincra (Palestine Will Win) and Comité Palestine Action (Palestine Action Committee).

"Under the cover of supporting the Palestinian cause, the government accuses the groups of promoting hatred of Israel," French newspaper, Europe 1, reported.

Kyiv, Feb 26 (AP) Russian troops stormed toward Ukraine's capital early Saturday, and street fighting broke out as city officials urged residents to take shelter. The country's president refused an American offer to evacuate, insisting that he would stay. The fight is here, he said.

The clashes followed two days of fighting that resulted in hundreds of casualties and pummeled bridges, schools and apartment buildings. US officials believe Russian President Vladimir Putin is determined to overthrow Ukraine's government and replace it with a regime of his own.

Kyiv, Feb 26 (AP) Russian troops stormed toward Ukraine's capital early Saturday as explosions reverberated through the city and the president urged the country to stand firm against the siege that could determine its future. He refused American help to evacuate, saying: The fight is here.

LONDON, Feb 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Oil prices soared nearly $2 per barrel in early trade on Friday as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continued to inflame global supply concerns as markets brace for the impact of trade sanctions on major crude exporter Russia.

Global benchmark Brent crude rose $1.99, or 2per cent, to $101.07 a barrel around 0155 GMT on Friday. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 climbed $1.89, or 2per cent to $94.70 a barrel.

PARIS, Feb 25 (Reuters) - Former French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said on Friday he had resigned from the boards of two Russian firms in protest over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"This is a collective failure, but in the hierarchy of responsibilities, Vladimir Putin alone is guilty of having started a preventable conflict," Fillon wrote in an opinion piece for French weekly paper Le Journal du Dimanche.

BELGRADE, Feb 25 (Reuters) - Serbia respects Ukraine's territorial integrity and considers Russia's military action against it to be "wrong," but will not impose sanctions against Moscow, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Friday.

Serbia, led by Vucic, is performing a delicate balancing act between its European aspirations, partnership with NATO and its centuries-old religious, ethnic and political alliance with Russia.

BRUSSELS, Feb 25 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday the alliance was deploying parts of its combat-ready response force and would continue to send weapons to Ukraine, including air defences, while saying that Russia was trying to topple the Ukrainian government.

"We see rhetoric, the messages, which is strongly indicating that the aim is to remove the democratically elected government in Kyiv," he told a news conference following a virtual meeting of NATO leaders.

Feb 25 (Reuters) - The mayor of Ukraine's capital city of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko said on Friday five blasts were heard in a close interval of three to five minutes near a power station in the north of the city.

"The emergency services are underway. We're finding out the details," he said.

He added that bridges in the city had been taken under protection and special control, as Russian troops are nearing, while checkpoints are being installed near strategic city objects.

MOSCOW, Feb 25 (Reuters) - Russia said on Friday it was partially limiting access to Meta Platforms Inc's (FB.O) Facebook, accusing it of "censoring" Russian media, the latest in a series of steps against U.S. social media giants and announced a day after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Moscow has been trying to exert tighter control over the internet and big tech for years, something critics say threatens individual and corporate freedom, and is part of a wider crackdown against outspoken opponents of the Kremlin.