Russia’s war on Ukraine: Possible war crimes, Russia’s economy and the hunt for oil

<p>Dead bodies are placed into a mass grave Wednesday on the outskirts of Mariupol, Ukraine. People are struggling to bury their dead because of the heavy shelling by Russian forces. </p>

Evgeniy Maloletka, Associated Press

Dead bodies are placed into a mass grave Wednesday on the outskirts of Mariupol, Ukraine. People are struggling to bury their dead because of the heavy shelling by Russian forces. 

Russia’s war on Ukraine sees no hope of winding down. Here’s a selection of stories from Thursday that provide a closer look at what’s happening.

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RUSSIA CONDEMNED: A Russian airstrike on a Mariupol maternity hospital that killed three people brought condemnation down on Moscow on Thursday, with Ukrainian and Western officials branding it a war crime. The latest negotiations made no progress. Click on the link below to read more:

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POWERFUL WITNESSES: As more than 2 million refugees from Ukraine begin to scatter throughout Europe and beyond, some are carrying valuable witness evidence to build a case for potential war crimes. Click on the link below to read more:

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ECONOMIC PRESSURE: Western sanctions are dealing a severe blow to Russia’s economy. The ruble is plunging, foreign businesses are fleeing and sharply higher prices are in the offing. Russia’s economy will likely see a deepening of stagnation, but a total collapse is unlikely, several economists say. Click on the link below to read more:

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VOLUNTEERS FOR UKRAINE: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has given the smaller nation’s embassy in Washington an unexpected role: recruitment center for Americans who want to join the fight. Click on the link below to read more:

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OUTREACH FOR OIL: Three checkered oil regimes that President Joe Biden and past U.S. leaders have spectacularly snubbed — Venezuela, Saudi Arabia and Iran — are now targets of U.S. outreach as global fuel prices reach jarring levels during the Ukraine crisis. Click on the link below to read more:

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RESPITE FROM WAR: A gentle tune from a violin played by a musician who has been dubbed Ukraine’s “cellar violinist” is a lullaby for a child sheltered in the dark basement of an apartment building in the besieged Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. Click on the link below to read more:

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RELIGIOUS DIVIDE: Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, leader of Russia’s dominant religious group, has sent his strongest signal yet justifying his country’s invasion of Ukraine — describing the conflict as part of a struggle against sin and pressure from liberal foreigners to hold “gay parades.”Click on the link below to read more: