Putin places nuclear forces on high alert

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday issued the directive to increase the preparedness of Russia’s nuclear weapons. Putin blamed NATO’s “aggressive statements” and financial sanctions for the move. It comes as Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said his country’s government agreed to send a delegation for talks with Russia near Ukraine’s border with Belarus.

What’s the latest on the invasion of Ukraine? Ukraine’s resistance has slowed Russia’s advance, but not halted it. More battles broke out in Ukraine’s second-largest city of Kharkiv on Sunday. As Russian troops close in on Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv, local authorities handed out weapons to anyone willing to defend the city and released prisoners with military experience. Ukraine’s Interior Ministry on Sunday said 352 Ukrainian civilians, including 14 children, have died since the attack began. More than 500,000 Ukrainians have fled the country, according to the UN Refugee Agency.

Dig deeper: Read more of WORLD’s most recent coverage of the invasion.