Russia-Ukraine war top updates: Blast cripples Moscow’s Black Sea flagship, 9 humanitarian corridors agreed, and more

Russia on said the flagship of its Black Sea fleet was seriously damaged and its crew evacuated following a fire that caused an explosion, as a Ukrainian official said the vessel had been hit missiles. The incident on the Moskva missile cruiser occurred after ammunition on board blew up, Interfax news agency quoted the Russian defence minry as saying.
US gives Ukraine $800 million more in military aid, adds heavy weapons
US President Joe Biden announced an additional $800 million in military assance to Ukraine, expanding the scope of the systems provided to include heavy artillery ahead of a wider Russian assault expected in eastern Ukraine. Biden said he had also approved the transfer of additional helicopters, saying equipment provided to Ukraine “has been critical” as it confronts the invasion.
Kremlin crackdown silences war protests, from benign to bold
A former police officer who discussed Russia’s invasion on the phone. A priest who preached to his congregation about the suffering of Ukrainians. A student who held up a banner with no words — just asterisks. Hundreds of Russians are facing charges for speaking out against the war in Ukraine since a repressive law was passed last month that outlaws the spread of “false information” about the invasion and disparaging the military.
Here are a few other key updates:
➡️ Russian television broadcasts clips of what it says is the surrender in the besieged port of Mariupol showing unarmed men in military fatigues walking with their hands up towards masked soldiers.
➡️ Ukraine says nine humanitarian corridors have been agreed for Thursday to evacuate civilians from eastern cities including Mariupol, if occupying Russian forces stop shelling.
➡️ Analysts say Russia beefing up forces for a new assault in eastern Donbas region, setting the stage for a protracted battle certain to inflict heavy losses on both sides.
➡️ The mayor of the northeastern city of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest, said bombings had increased significantly.
➡️ Russia says it will view US and Nato vehicles transporting weapons on Ukrainian territory as legitimate military targets.
➡️  US President Biden said for the first time that Russia’s invasion amounts to genocide.
➡️ A mission of experts set up Organisation for Security and Cooperation and Europe nations has found evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity Russia in Ukraine. Russia has repeatedly denied targeting civilians.
➡️ Senior US officials are weighing whether to send a top cabinet member such as Secretary of State Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd to Kyiv in a show of solidarity, a source familiar with the situation said.
➡️ Australia imposed targeted financial sanctions on 14 Russian state-owned enterprises.
➡️ Fiji police investigated the arrival of a superyacht suspected of being owned Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov, who is subject to Western sanctions.
➡️ Russia can easily redirect energy exports away from the West to countries that really need them while increasing domestic consumption of oil, gas and coal, President Vladimir Putin said.
➡️ Britain said it had imposed new sanctions on 206 individuals in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.