Live blog: Ukraine responds to Pope, says they won't raise a 'white flag'

Sunday, March 10, 2024

1832 GMT — Top diplomats of Ukraine and Poland have condemned Pope Francis’s remarks calling Kiev to 'raise white flag' and negotiate an end to the war with Russia.

In an interview recorded last month, Francis used the phrase “the courage of the white flag” as he argued that Ukraine, facing a possible defeat, should be open to peace talks brokered by international powers.

“Our flag is blue and yellow. We live, die and win under it. We will not raise other flags,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba posted on Sunday on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski tweeted: “How about, for balance, encouraging Putin to have the courage to withdraw his army from Ukraine? Peace would immediately ensue without the need for negotiations.”

The head of Ukraine's Greek Catholic Church, Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, said Sunday that surrender isn’t on the minds of Ukrainians.

“Ukraine is exhausted, but it stands and will endure. Believe me, it never crosses anyone’s mind to surrender," he added.

More updates 👇

0935 GMT — Russian missile strikes injure many in Ukraine’s Donetsk region

Ukraine has said three people killed and 12 injured in the city of Myrnohrad in the country’s eastern Donetsk region amid an overnight Russian missile strikes.

Yurii Tretiak, the acting head of the Myrnohrad City Military Administration, told Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne that 11 people were injured in the city due to three missiles that damaged multistory buildings.

Meanwhile, Donetsk Governor Vadym Filashkin in a Telegram statement specified that Russian forces fired three S-300 missiles at Myrnohrad.

0835 GMT — Ukranian shelling kills one in Kursk: Russia

Russia has said that one person was killed and another injured in Ukrainian forces shelling on a village in the country’s border region of Kursk.

“Today, the village of Kulbaki, Glushkovsky district, was shelled by the Ukrainian side (forces). As a result of a direct hit from a shell, a residential building caught fire, and a resident died,” Kursk Governor Roman Starovoyt said on Telegram.

0525 GMT — Ukrainian drone causes fire at Russian oil depot: official

A drone launched by Ukraine hit and caused a fire at an oil depot in Russia's Kursk region bordering Ukraine, the regional governor has said.

"Fire brigades and emergency services are working at the scene," the governor, Roman Starovoit, said on the Telegram messaging app, without further details.

0517 GMT — Russia launched 39 drones, Ukraine downed 35: Kiev

Ukraine's air defence systems destroyed 35 of 39 attack drones Russia launched overnight, Ukraine's air force has said.

Most of the drones were destroyed over Ukraine's eastern and southern regions, the air force said on the Telegram messaging app. It did not say whether there was any damage.

Russia launched four S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles, the air force said. It did not say what happened to the missiles or whether they reached their targets.

For our live updates from Saturday, March 9, click here