1:51 pm: Russia considers extending the grain deal with Ukraine „complicated”.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described the extension of the grain agreement with Ukraine as „complicated”. As a reason, Lavrov cited clauses in the agreement that are supposed to guarantee Russian grain and fertilizer exports, but will not be implemented. „If only half of the package is fulfilled, the issue of extension becomes very complicated,” he said in Moscow on Thursday. The agreement, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, was signed in July to allow the safe export of Ukrainian grain through the protective Black Sea corridor. In November, the agreement was extended by four months. It will be automatically extended on March 18 unless Moscow or Kiev object.

The aid organisation, Save the Children, has warned that global hunger could worsen if the grain deal between Russia and Ukraine is not renewed. „It is a lifeline to millions of children who suffer from hunger. If we do not act now, the consequences for children around the world will be catastrophic,” Nana Ndida, director of humanitarian advice and policy at the children’s charity, said Thursday.

1:50 pm: Paris: Situation at Ukraine’s nuclear power plant 'an unacceptable security risk’

France described the situation at Ukraine’s Zaporizhia nuclear power plant as an „unacceptable security risk”. French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Anne-Claire Legendre said in Paris on Thursday that the French government was „concerned” about the renewed disconnection of the nuclear power plant from the electricity grid after the Russian attacks. According to the operator, the station was cut off from the power grid after a Russian attack. Energoatom explained that Akw is currently operating with the help of diesel generators. This is the sixth time that the emergency generators have had to run since the Russian invasion of the site.

1:18 pm: European gas prices are at their lowest level in over a year and a half

Wholesale gas prices in Europe continued to fall, reaching a 19-month low. The Netherlands energy exchange TTF futures contract, which serves as a reference, fell briefly to €40.50 on Thursday morning and remained well below €45 per MWh overall. Despite the current below-average temperatures across most of western and northern Europe, analysts at Energy Denmark said „gas prices are relatively stable.” This is partly due to the fact that storage facilities are still well stocked. So far the winter has been relatively mild.

1:11 p.m.: The Swiss parliament votes to allow arms surrenders

The Swiss National Council voted by a slim majority to allow arms deliveries from Switzerland to Ukraine – but under extremely unrealistic conditions. The Grand Chamber of Parliament voted 98-96 with two abstentions on Wednesday to allow the Federal Council an exceptional permission to re-export weapons made in Switzerland, which is currently prohibited under the Swiss Neutrality Act. However, this step presupposes the condemnation of Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine by the UN Security Council. Since Russia has veto power in the UN Security Council, this scenario is out of the question. Despite heavy pressure from Kiev and its allies, Switzerland has so far refused to allow countries that possess Swiss-made weapons to export them to Ukraine. Requests from Germany, Spain and Denmark were rejected by reference to the Swiss War Materials Act, which prohibits the delivery of weapons to war zones.

1:03 p.m.: Power outages across Ukraine after Russian attacks

Electricity was cut off in several areas on Thursday after massive new Russian missile attacks on Ukraine. „There is no electricity in the whole city. Therefore, we have switched to generators for critical infrastructure and medical facilities,” the mayor of Kharkiv, a large city in the east of the country, Ihor Terekov, said on television. There is no water in Kharkiv either, and the heating does not work. The city was hit by at least 11 rockets on Thursday night.

12:49 PM: Poland: Ten more Leopard tanks have been delivered to Ukraine

As announced, Poland meanwhile delivered ten more Leopard main battle tanks to Ukraine. Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said on Thursday that the German-made Leopard 2A4 tanks are Warsaw’s contribution to a major battle tank battalion. Accordingly, the battalion should be supplemented with tanks from Canada, Norway and Spain. Poland will also set up a maintenance center for main battle tanks. Warsaw announced on Tuesday that the tanks would be delivered by the end of the week. In total, Warsaw announced the delivery of 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Kiev.

12:41 p.m.: Slovakia wants to deliver fighter jets to Ukraine

Slovakia, along with Poland, wants to supply Ukraine with Soviet MiG-29 fighter jets. Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad announced on Facebook Thursday. Nad referred to a meeting with Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak on Wednesday in Stockholm. He added, „I confirm that Poland has officially agreed to jointly deliver MiGs to Ukraine.” Nad did not give a specific timetable. Polish President Andrzej Duda had announced earlier his country’s readiness in principle. The Slovak Defense Minister warned against rushing to deliver fighter jets to the country attacked by Russia: „I think it’s time to make a decision. People in Ukraine are dying. We can already help them. So there is no room for politicization anymore. It’s inhumane and irresponsible.”

12.01pm: The Kremlin does not believe in private Ukrainian killers in Nord Stream

The Kremlin has described reports of an alleged pro-Ukrainian group behind attacks on Nord Stream gas pipelines as unreliable. „As for the evil pro-Ukrainian doctor who is said to have organized all this, it is hard to believe him,” Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, told the Interfax news agency. He added that few intelligence agencies can accomplish such a task.

11:52 am: The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency criticizes his agency’s work

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, has criticized the handling of the power outage at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine. „What can we do to prevent this from happening?” Grossi asked at a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency. „We, the IAEA, are supposed to take care of nuclear safety. Every time we roll the dice. And if we allow that to happen over and over again, one day our luck will run out.”

11:43 am: Saudi Arabia makes itself available as a mediator

Saudi Arabia is ready to play the role of mediator between Russia and Ukraine – confirmed Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud at a meeting with Russian Minister Sergey Lavrov. Lavrov noted at a joint press conference in Moscow that Saudi Arabia and other countries had already mediated the exchange of prisoners of war between Russia and Ukraine.

11.13am: The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency urges Aku Zaporizhia to hurry up

The International Atomic Energy Agency is alarmed by the renewed failure of regular power supplies at the Ukrainian Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, said this was the sixth time that Europe’s largest nuclear power plant had to switch to emergency diesel generators because of the war. Grossi warned, „We roll the dice every time. And if we keep doing this, one day our luck will run out.” It shouldn’t go on like this. It’s time to create a security zone around the power station. Grossi said he will continue his efforts in this regard. Nuclear power plants depend on a reliable source of energy for safe operation.

11.06 am: A Slovak minister wants a decision on fighter jets

Slovak Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad demanded that his country make a decision on the delivery of MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine. „It’s time to make a decision,” Nad wrote on Facebook. „People are dying in Ukraine, we can really help them, there is no place for Slovak politics.” He spoke to his Polish counterpart on Wednesday. He said that his country would agree to a joint project to deliver fighter jets to Ukraine.

10:58 a.m.: Russia reports an attempted attack in the breakaway region of Transnistria

According to the Russian RIA news agency, an assassination attempt on a separatist leader took place in the region of Transnistria, which separated from the neighboring Republic of Moldova. The RIA reported that the local security services of the separatist region, with the support of Moscow, thwarted the plan. The agency quoted security officials as saying that the assassination was ordered by the Ukrainian intelligence services.

Tensions and fears that Russia could cause an escalation in Transnistria, where Russian soldiers are also stationed, have been raging for weeks in EU candidate Moldova. Moldovan President Maia Sandu accused Russia of plotting a coup.