Russia has not asked China for military aid: Kremlin

The Kremlin says Russia has not asked China for military assistance and has sufficient military clout to fulfil all of its aims in Ukraine in time and in full. But on the other hans, US has said China will face consequences if it helps Russia evade sanctions in its invasion of Ukraine. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said they were "communicating directly, privately to Beijing that there will absolutely be consequences for large-scale sanctions evasion efforts or support to Russia to backfill them". "We will not allow that to go forward and allow there to be a lifeline to Russia from these economic sanctions from any country, anywhere in the world," he said.China has so far refrained from condemning Russia for the invasion and has said Moscow's "legitimate security concerns" should be taken seriously.

In response, a spokesman for the foreign ministry in Beijing, Zhao Lijian, said the US had "been spreading disinformation targeting China on the Ukraine issue, with malicious intentions". Asked if he could clarify whether China had received a request for military help from Russia, Mr Zhao said this was "fake news" but did not deny it directly. He added that China's stance had always been consistent and that China was playing a constructive role in promoting talks.

The fourth round of talks between Ukraine and Russia was underway  via video conference, said a negotiator from the war-torn east European nation.Ukrainian presidential adviser and negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak said on Twitter.

The parties actively express their specified positions. Communication is being held yet it’s hard. The reason for the discord is too different political systems. is a free dialogue within the society & an obligatory consensus. is an ultimatum suppression of its own society pic.twitter.com/O00fnCd1WP

— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) March 14, 2022

Air raid alerts were sounded in cities and towns all around Ukraine throughout the night, from near the Russian border in the east to the Carpathian Mountains in the west, as fighting continued on the outskirts of Kyiv, according to reports.