KYIV: As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its twentieth day, Kyiv has imposed a new curfew from 8 pm (Local Time) on March 15 until 7 am on March 17, said the Ukrainian local media.

Mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, said that the residents are only allowed to go outside to head to the bomb shelters, reported the Ukrainian media outlet The Kyiv Independent. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba held talks with his Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid where Lapid assured Kuleba that Tel Aviv will not be the route for Moscow to bypass sanctions.

Kuleba expressed his gratitude for Israel’s mediation efforts and for providing humanitarian aid.

“We discussed ways of ending the war in Ukraine. Agreed that the rights of Ukrainians arriving in Israel will be respected,” wrote Kuleba in his tweet.

Earlier on Monday, at a joint press conference in Bratislava, Slovakia with his Slovakian counterpart Ivan Korcok, Lapid condemned Russia’s military offensive as unjustified. Lapid said that Israel is working to ensure that the country’s financial institutions do not make possible the circumvention of crippling sanctions imposed on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, reported The Times of Israel.

“Israel will not be a route to bypass sanctions imposed on Russia by the United States and other Western countries,” Lapid said adding, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is coordinating the issue together with partners, including the Bank of Israel, the Finance Ministry, the Economy Ministry, the Airports Authority, the Energy Ministry, and others.”

Russia started a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24 in response to calls from the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics for protection against intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the special operation is targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure only and the civilian population is not in danger. Moscow has repeatedly said it has no plans to occupy Ukraine. Western nations have imposed numerous sanctions on Russia. (ANI)