Ukraine-Russia crisis day 9: Ukraine plans third round of talks with Russia this weekend

Ukraine plans to hold the third round of talks with Russian officials to try to end the fighting triggered by Moscow's invasion this weekend, said one of Kyiv's negotiators as the Ukraine-Russia crisis entered the ninth day today.

On one hand, Russian President Vladimir Putin urged the neighbouring countries to not escalate tensions over the Ukrainian crisis. Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak talked about plans to hold the third round of talks with Russian officials to try to end the fighting triggered by Moscow's invasion this weekend.

"The third leg could take place tomorrow or the day after, we are in constant contact," The Times of Israel quoted Mykhailo Podolyak.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (local time) has left Ukraine and is currently in Poland, said Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, reported Sputnik.

Concerned over Russia's attack on Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, the United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting on Friday as the Ukraine-Russia crisis entered the ninth day today.

A Russian Sukhoi Su-34 fighter jet was shot down earlier near the city of Volnovakha in eastern Ukraine, according to The Kyiv independent, a Ukraine media outlet.

As many as 28 children were killed and 64 wounded in Russia's military operation in Ukraine, according to The Kyiv independent, a Ukraine media outlet.

Kyiv wanted to accuse Russia of creating a radiation focus at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (NPP), Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said , reported Sputnik.

Ukrainian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the shelling and seizure of the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) site by the Russian Federation and called on the international community to force Russia to withdraw its armed forces from the power plant.

Outrightly rejecting to police a no-fly zone over Ukraine, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned that such a move could provoke widespread war in Europe with Russia as the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called for urgent help from NATO and European countries.

NATO countries are sending terrorist fighters to Ukraine, Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service warned, reported Sputnik.

The United States is imposing export controls against Russia's oil refining sector and targeting 91 entities across 10 countries that support the Russian military in response to the latter's operation in Ukraine, the Commerce Department said.

Microsoft said it is suspending all new sales of products and services in Russia due to the Ukraine conflict.

Thousands of people have fled conflict-ridden Ukraine and crossed over to Romania's Siret in the past few days amid Russia's ongoing military operation in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the 47-member Council voted at the UN Human Rights Council on a draft resolution on the situation of human rights in Ukraine.

The resolution was adopted with 32 votes in favour, two against (Russia and Eritrea) and 13 abstentions, including India, China, Pakistan, Sudan and Venezuela.

Russian troops have occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, where a fire that had threatened potential disaster was extinguished in the early hours of Friday morning, said Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi on Friday.

International Atomic Energy Agency said that two people were injured after a fire broke out at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant following heavy shelling from Russian forces.

Over 160 educational institutions in Ukraine have been partially or completely destroyed by the shelling of Russian troops, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Ukraine on Friday said.

Asserting that the United Kingdom stands with Ukraine, Britain Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that his thoughts remain with all those affected in the conflict.

The South Korean government predicted that Russia's invasion of Ukraine would have a much more serious impact on Korea's economy than expected.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged world leaders to stop Russia "before this becomes a nuclear disaster" in a Facebook video post.

"No country besides Russia has ever fired upon an atomic power plant's reactors. The first time, the first time in history," he said, urging European leaders to "wake up now" and stop Russian forces "before this becomes a nuclear disaster."

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that nationalist "neo-Nazis" units of Ukraine are preventing foreigners, including Indians from leaving the war zone and are using them as human shields.

The Russian military seized a TV broadcasting tower in the southern city of Kherson.

Earlier Friday, Ukrainian officials said firefighters were unable to access the nuclear plant. Tuz said when firefighters initially arrived, they were met with guns and turned around.

Ukrainian authorities said about 2:30 a.m. local time that a fire had broken out at the nuclear power complex, located in Enerhodar, southeastern Ukraine.The plant is the largest of its kind in Ukraine and contains six of the country's 15 nuclear energy reactors, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Fighting has stopped near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant on Friday and radiation levels are currently normal.

( With inputs from ANI )