And with that, we wrap up today's coverage of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Thank you for joining us today, and do not forget to return tomorrow when CNBC-TV18 resumes live coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war. Good night.

Apr 18, 2022 10:11 PM

Ukraine says it sees signs Russia is starting new eastern offensive

Ukraine's armed forces command has observed signs that Russia is starting an anticipated new offensive in the east of the country, increasing the intensity of attacks in parts of the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions, it said on Monday. In a post on Facebook, the armed forces command also said that Russia's main military force was concentrating on taking control of the entirety of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. It said that battles were ongoing in the port city of Mariupol, where it said Russia was attempting to storm the city's seaport.

Apr 18, 2022 10:09 PM

US Treasury to focus on cracking down on Russian sanctions evaders, says official

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen this week will urge International Monetary Fund and World Bank members to increase pressure on Russia to end its "reckless war" in Ukraine, a senior Treasury official said on Monday. The Treasury Department will focus its efforts on cracking down on those seeking to evade sweeping sanctions imposed on Russia over the war, and those who facilitate such efforts, a second official said. Yellen will skip some meetings of the Group of 20 finance officials this week to underscore the US view that Russia should be excluded from global financial institutions, the official said.

Apr 18, 2022 10:08 PM

Syrians offered $600 to join Russia: Report

Kremlin officials boasted early in their war on Ukraine that thousands of experienced fighters from the Middle East would join Russian forces. Military analysts say only a small number appears to have arrived in Russia for training before being deployed to the front lines, but they say that could change as Russia prepares for a full-scale offensive. US officials and activists monitoring Syria say the Russians have been actively recruiting. Rami Abdurrahman leads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. He reported that about 40,000 people have registered so far with the Russian military and with Wagner Group, which is a Russian private contractor. Rayan Maarouf of Suwayda24, an activist collective that covers IS activities in the Syrian desert, said fighters were promised no less than $600 a month. That's a huge sum of money amid widespread unemployment in Syria. Analysts say fighters from Syria are more likely to be deployed in coming weeks, especially after Gen. Alexander Dvornikov was named war commander. Dvornikov is well acquainted with the paramilitary forces Russia trained in Syria. Though some question how effective Syrian fighters would be in Ukraine, they could be brought in if more forces are needed to besiege cities or to make up for rising casualties.

Apr 18, 2022 9:51 PM

Japan, Switzerland agree to keep tough sanctions on Russia

Swiss President Ignazio Cassis on Monday said his country has joined the international community in implementing tough sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, but that does not mean it has abandoned its traditional neutrality. Cassis and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida agreed in talks in Tokyo that Russia must be held accountable for attacks on Ukrainian civilians, Japan's Foreign Ministry said. Kishida, in opening remarks at their meeting, said Russias invasion undermines the foundation of the international order not only in Europe but also in Asia. Now is the time for the international society to unite more than ever, he said. Cassis, who is also foreign minister, said at a separate news conference that Switzerland strongly denounces war and urged Russia to immediately halt its invasion. He said Switzerland, which does not belong to the European Union, fully backs EU sanctions against Russia and implemented a fifth round of measures last week. But that does not mean his country has abandoned its policy of neutrality, he said.

Apr 18, 2022 9:28 PM

German bosses, unions jointly oppose boycott of Russian gas

Germany's employers and unions have joined together in opposing an immediate European Union ban on natural gas imports from Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, saying such a move would lead to factory shutdowns and the loss of jobs in the bloc's largest economy. A rapid gas embargo would lead to loss of production, shutdowns, a further de-industrialization and the long-term loss of work positions in Germany, said Rainer Dulger, chairman of the BDA employer's group, and Reiner Hoffmann, chairman of the DGB trade union confederation, in a joint statement Monday on Germany's dpa news agency. The statement comes as European leaders are discussing possible new energy sanctions against Russian oil, following a decision April 7 to ban Russian coal imports beginning in August. Ukraine's leaders say revenues from Russia's energy exports are financing Moscow's destructive war on Ukraine and must be ended.

Apr 18, 2022 8:59 PM

World Bank says war to cut global growth, boosts financing target

The World Bank is reducing its global growth forecast for 2022 by nearly a full percentage point, to 3.2% from 4.1%, due to the impacts from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, World Bank President David Malpass said on Monday. Malpass told reporters on a conference call that the World Bank was responding to the added economic stresses from the war by proposing a new, 15-month crisis financing target of $170 billion, with a goal to commit about $50 billion of this financing over the next three months.

Apr 18, 2022 7:41 PM

Russia's Nabiullina flags further rate cut, return to inflation target in 2024

Russian Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina on Monday flagged a further cut in interest rates and said it would take two years to rein back inflation to its 4 percent target as the economy adapts to the impact of western sanctions. "The period when the economy can live on reserves is finite. And already in the second and third quarter we will enter a period of structural transformation and the search for new business models," Nabiullina said in her most significant speech since Russia sent its forces into Ukraine on February 24.

Apr 18, 2022 7:20 PM

Serbia accuses Ukraine and unnamed EU country of Air Serbia bomb hoaxes

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic accused Ukraine and an unidentified EU country of being behind a series of hoax bomb threats against Air Serbia planes. Since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in late February, more than a dozen Air Serbia flights have been forced to return to Belgrade or Moscow due to bomb threats, and Belgrade's airport was evacuated at least three times. "Foreign (intelligence) services of two countries are doing that. One is an EU country, and Ukraine is the another one," Vucic said late on Sunday, without providing evidence.

Apr 18, 2022 7:00 PM

US banks' commodity trading exposures rise on Russia conflict

Wall Street banks' commodities trading exposures are rising, which could leave them vulnerable to large swings in asset values following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, first quarter earnings disclosures showed. Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N) and JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) both reported an uptick in a commodities trading risk measure, with Goldman's now the highest in a decade, according to a Reuters review of bank filings.Oil, gas, wheat and precious metals markets have grown more volatile since Russia invaded Ukraine and Western countries imposed sanctions on Russian trade. But results so far suggest that banks are managing the risk effectively.

Apr 18, 2022 6:46 PM

Oil rises as Libya outages add to Russia supply fears

Oil prices rose on Monday in choppy trade, with Brent crude topping $112 a barrel, as outages in Libya deepened concern over tight global supply and the Ukraine crisis dragged on, offsetting concern over slowing Chinese demand. Adding to supply pressures from sanctions on Russia, Libya's National Oil Corp on Monday warned "a painful wave of closures" had begun hitting its facilities and declared force majeure at Al-Sharara oilfield and other sites. "With global supplies now so tight, even the most minor disruption is likely to have an outsized impact on prices," said Jeffrey Halley, analyst at brokerage OANDA.

Apr 18, 2022 6:30 PM

Putin discusses Russia-Ukraine talks, Middle East with Palestinian leader Abbas

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas about negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Monday. They also talked about "the problems of the Middle East settlement in the context of escalating tensions in the West Bank and East Jerusalem", the Kremlin said. Last Friday, at least 152 Palestinians were wounded in clashes with Israeli riot police inside the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, the latest outbreak in an upsurge of violence that has raised fears of a slide back to wider conflict.

Apr 18, 2022 6:12 PM

Kremlin says Ukraine is not consistent when it comes to peace talks

The Kremlin on Monday accused Ukraine of constantly changing its stance when it comes to issues that have already been agreed at peace talks. "Contacts continue at an expert level within the framework of the negotiation process", Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call. "Unfortunately the Ukrainian side is not consistent in terms of the points that have been agreed. It is often changing its position and the trend of the negotiating process leaves much to be desired," he said.

Apr 18, 2022 5:09 PM

After Russian pullback, Ukraine's northern Sumy region prepares for new assault

Russia's forces may have pulled back in some parts of Ukraine more than a week ago, but the territorial defence force in the northern Sumy region is training and bracing for further attacks. Shortly after Russian forces invaded the country on February 24 in what President Vladimir Putin called "a special military operation", they crossed the border into Sumy, fighting in the streets of towns as they moved towards the capital Kyiv. Ukrainian forces retook control of the northeastern region on April 8, Dmytro Zhivitskyi, head of Sumy's regional and military administration, said."I think the probability of a (new) attack is high. They are determined and we understand that the number of people in Russia is about 150 million," he said.

Apr 18, 2022 4:51 PM

Two captured Britons appear on Russian state TV, ask to be swapped

Two British fighters captured in Ukraine by Russian forces appeared on Russian state TV on Monday and asked to be exchanged for a pro-Russian politician who is being held by the Ukrainian authorities. It was unclear how freely the two men — Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin — were able to talk. Both spoke after being prompted by an unidentified man. Both asked British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to help bring them home in exchange for Ukraine releasing pro-Russian politician Viktor Medvedchuk.

Apr 18, 2022 4:16 PM

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