The most important events between America, Russia and NATO

The most important events between America, Russia and NATO < SHARE & SAVE — Search NBC News PROFILE SIGN IN CREATE YOUR FREE PROFILE SECTIONS CORONAVIRUS U.S. NEWS POLITICS WORLD LOCAL BUSINESS HEALTH INVESTIGATIONS CULTURE MATTERS SCIENCE SPORTS TECH & MEDIA DECISION 2020 VIDEO FEATURES PHOTOS WEATHER SELECT ASIAN AMERICA NBCBLK NBC LATINO NBC OUT TV TODAY MSNBC NIGHTLY NEWS MEET THE PRESS DATELINE FEATURED NBC NEWS NOW THINK BETTER NIGHTLY FILMS STAY TUNED SPECIAL FEATURES NEWSLETTERS PODCASTS MORE FROM NBC CNBC NBC.COM NBC LEARN PEACOCK NEXT STEPS FOR VETS PARENT TOOLKIT NBC ARCHIVES HELP FOLLOW NBC NEWS Facebook Twitter Email SMS Print Whatsapp Reddit Pocket Flipboard Pinterest Linkedin LIVE COVERAGE Updated 9 minutes ago Live Updates / Russia-Ukraine conflict live updates: Talks underway as Kyiv fights on, Ruble crashes Russia and Ukraine met for talks on the Belarussian border Monday morning. / TAP TO UNMUTE Feb. 28, 2022, 1:35 AM +03 / Updated Feb. 28, 2022, 4:12 PM +03 By NBC News As fierce fighting continued across Ukraine overnight into Monday morning, Kyiv said it would push for a cease-fire at talks with officials from Moscow. The meeting on the Belarussian border comes after President Vladimir Putin ordered his nuclear deterrent force to be on high alert, a huge escalation in Russia's confrontation with Western powers who have increased their supply of lethal aid to Ukraine and imposed crippling financial sanctions. On Sunday the European Union made the unprecedented move to finance the purchase and delivery of lethal weapons to aid the Ukrainian resistance. The effect of sanctions was felt across Russia on Monday, as the value of the Ruble went into freefall and Moscow's central bank raised interest rates from 9.5 to 20 percent to protect people's savings. Follow our in-depth coverage of the Russia-Ukraine crisis here. SEE NEW POSTS Russia accused of heavy shelling in Kharkiv Chantal Da Silva 9m ago / 4:12 PM +03 Russia has been accused of carrying out a massive shelling in Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, with shocking video purported to show the assault. Sharing video appearing to show flashes in the sky as smoke fills the air, Ukrainian interior ministry adviser Anton Herashchenko said "Kharkiv has just been massively shelled from Gradov." "Dozens of dead and hundreds of wounded! This horror must be seen by the whole world! Death to the invaders!" he said. NBC News has verified the video, but has not confirmed reports of any casualties from the apparent incident. SHARE THIS - NBC News 16m ago / 4:05 PM +03 Worries for Russian economy grow amid panic and protest SHARE THIS - NBC News 31m ago / 3:49 PM +03 Watch: Ukrainian military reservists train to fight Russians SHARE THIS - U.S. expands sanctions on Russia's central bank, prohibiting American deals and freezing assets Josh Lederman and Chantal Da Silva 51m ago / 3:30 PM +03 The United States is expanding sanctions on Russia’s central bank in a move that will block Americans from doing any business with it and freezing any assets it holds in the U.S. In a statement Monday, the Treasury said the decision would apply to the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, the National Wealth Fund of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation. It said U.S. was also adding Russian Direct Investment Fund Chief Executive Officer Kirill Dmitriev — who it referred to as a "known Putin ally" — to the sanctions list. “The unprecedented action we are taking today will significantly limit Russia’s ability to use assets to finance its destabilizing activities, and target the funds Putin and his inner circle depend on to enable his invasion of Ukraine,” Secretary Today, in coordination with partners and allies, we are following through on key commitments to restrict Russia’s access to these valuable resources.” It comes after the U.S., Canada and the E.U. announced they would each be restricting Russia's ability to use its central bank reserves. DNIPRO, Ukraine — Although the city of Dnipro in eastern Ukraine is calm, getting cash is still a problem. Many people are roaming around trying different cash machines, walking away with nothing shaking their heads. NBC News spotted an ATM being refilled — a line of 20 people formed almost instantly. There is a 1,000 hryvnia ($33) limit per transaction. Those who try for more than withdrawal are met with complaints from others in line. The number of people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine passed 500,000 on Monday, according to the head of the U.N.'s refugee agency. Filippo Grandi, the U.N. high commissioner for refugees, confirmed the number in a tweet, less than 24 hours after he put the figure at 368,000. The agency said in a report on Saturday that the final figure could reach 5 million. People are mostly entering neighboring countries including Poland, Hungary, Romania and Moldova, with other European nations offering asylum. Grandi said in a statement last week, as hostilities began in Ukraine: "The humanitarian consequences on civilian populations will be devastating. There are no winners in war, but countless lives will be torn apart