Ukraine war: UN told hold emergency Ukraine session as Russia sanctions bite

The United Nations will hold an emergency session of all 193 member nations on Monday to discuss the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Eleven countries on the UN Security Council voted in favour with Russia against. China, India and the UAE abstained.

Meanwhile Ukrainian casualties continue to climb with the ministry of defence announcing that so far 352 Ukrainian civilians have been killed, including 14 children. It says an additional 1,684 people, including 116 children, have been wounded.

There are new signs that sanctions against Russia are starting to have an effect. An Austria-based subsidiary of Russia’s state-owned Sberbank has been ruled likely to fail after depositors fled due to the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The European Central Bank said early Monday that the bank had 13.6 billion euros in assets at the end of last year, but has experienced “significant deposit outflows” due to “geopolitical tensions.”

Russia placed its nuclear arsenal -- but also other heavy weapons, such as Kinzhal and Zircon hypersonic missiles -- on "special" alert Sunday, the highest form of combat readiness for these units.

President Vladimir Putin ordered the ministry of defence to issue the alert on Sunday, citing sanctions and "aggressive statements" from NATO member states.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU will buy and deliver weapons and equipment to Ukraine in what she said was "a watershed moment" on Sunday evening.

The office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a statement that he agreed to send in a team of negotiators to meet with their Russian counterparts near the border with Belarus after assurances from Minsk.

The United Nations will hold an emergency session on