• A Ukrainian soldier walks past the shell of a burnt military vehicle, on a street in Kiev. AP
    A Ukrainian soldier walks past the shell of a burnt military vehicle, on a street in Kiev. AP
  • A screengrab from CCTV footage shows a missile hitting a residential building in Kiev. Reuters
    A screengrab from CCTV footage shows a missile hitting a residential building in Kiev. Reuters
  • A man inspects a broken window, after shelling carried out by Russian troops in the Ukrainian capital. Reuters
    A man inspects a broken window, after shelling carried out by Russian troops in the Ukrainian capital. Reuters
  • Ukrainian soldiers take positions outside a military centre as two cars burn on a street in Kiev. AP
    Ukrainian soldiers take positions outside a military centre as two cars burn on a street in Kiev. AP
  • Medical specialists transport a woman, who was wounded in the shelling of an apartment building, to an ambulance, as her husband looks on. Reuters
    Medical specialists transport a woman, who was wounded in the shelling of an apartment building, to an ambulance, as her husband looks on. Reuters
  • A woman outside her apartment building after it was damaged by a rocket, in Kiev. AP
    A woman outside her apartment building after it was damaged by a rocket, in Kiev. AP
  • A Ukrainian police officer detains a driver on a street in Kiev. AP
    A Ukrainian police officer detains a driver on a street in Kiev. AP
  • A soldier's helmet with a bullet hole on a street in the Ukrainian capital. AP
    A soldier's helmet with a bullet hole on a street in the Ukrainian capital. AP
  • Ukrainian soldiers walk by a damaged vehicle, at the site of fighting with Russian troops, in Kiev. Reuters
    Ukrainian soldiers walk by a damaged vehicle, at the site of fighting with Russian troops, in Kiev. Reuters
  • Ukrainian policemen move parrots to safety after a high-rise apartment block was damaged by shelling in Kiev. EPA
    Ukrainian policemen move parrots to safety after a high-rise apartment block was damaged by shelling in Kiev. EPA
  • A screengrab from a video shows rescue workers carrying a person at the site of a damaged multi-storey residential building, south-west of the Ukrainian capital. Reuters
    A screengrab from a video shows rescue workers carrying a person at the site of a damaged multi-storey residential building, south-west of the Ukrainian capital. Reuters
  • A building damaged by shelling carried out by Russian troops in Kiev. EPA
    A building damaged by shelling carried out by Russian troops in Kiev. EPA
  • Helga Tarasova comforts her daughter Kira Shapovalova as they wait in an underground shelter during a bombing alert in Kiev. AFP
    Helga Tarasova comforts her daughter Kira Shapovalova as they wait in an underground shelter during a bombing alert in Kiev. AFP
  • A man walks past a building damaged by a rocket attack in the Ukrainian capital. AP
    A man walks past a building damaged by a rocket attack in the Ukrainian capital. AP
  • Emergency services workers near an apartment building damaged by shelling in Kiev. Reuters
    Emergency services workers near an apartment building damaged by shelling in Kiev. Reuters
  • Ukrainian soldiers collect unexploded shells in the capital. AFP
    Ukrainian soldiers collect unexploded shells in the capital. AFP
  • An apartment building damaged by shelling in Kiev. Reuters
    An apartment building damaged by shelling in Kiev. Reuters
  • Debris of a burnt military truck on a street in Kiev. AP
    Debris of a burnt military truck on a street in Kiev. AP
  • Natali Sevriukova stands next to her home after a rocket attack in Kiev, Ukraine. AP
    Natali Sevriukova stands next to her home after a rocket attack in Kiev, Ukraine. AP
  • People on foot and in cars move to cross from Ukraine to Poland at the Korczowa-Krakovets border crossing following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. AFP
    People on foot and in cars move to cross from Ukraine to Poland at the Korczowa-Krakovets border crossing following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. AFP
  • Servicemen from the Ukrainian National Guard in central Kiev. Reuters
    Servicemen from the Ukrainian National Guard in central Kiev. Reuters
  • Ukrainian soldiers in downtown Kiev after Russian troops reached the outskirts of the capital. AP Photo
    Ukrainian soldiers in downtown Kiev after Russian troops reached the outskirts of the capital. AP Photo
  • Police officers detain demonstrators in St. Petersburg, Russia. Hundreds of people gathered in Moscow and St. Petersburg on Thursday, protesting against Russia's attack on Ukraine. Similar protests took place in other Russian cities, and activists were also arrested. AP Photo
    Police officers detain demonstrators in St. Petersburg, Russia. Hundreds of people gathered in Moscow and St. Petersburg on Thursday, protesting against Russia's attack on Ukraine. Similar protests took place in other Russian cities, and activists were also arrested. AP Photo
  • Hungarian troops in Vasarosnameny, close to the border with Ukraine, prepare to help refugees. AP Photo
    Hungarian troops in Vasarosnameny, close to the border with Ukraine, prepare to help refugees. AP Photo
  • Wrecked Russian army rocket launchers in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Reuters
    Wrecked Russian army rocket launchers in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Reuters
  • The aftermath of a rocket attack in Kiev. AP Photo
    The aftermath of a rocket attack in Kiev. AP Photo
  • A US Air Force jet refuels over Poland. Reuters
    A US Air Force jet refuels over Poland. Reuters
  • Devastation after shelling in Ukraine's Luhansk enclave. Reuters
    Devastation after shelling in Ukraine's Luhansk enclave. Reuters
  • The Royal Welsh Battlegroup from the UK makes its way to Estonia. Reuters
    The Royal Welsh Battlegroup from the UK makes its way to Estonia. Reuters
  • Firefighters tackle a blaze in a building in Kiev. AFP
    Firefighters tackle a blaze in a building in Kiev. AFP
  • The wreckage of an unidentified aircraft in a residential area in Kiev. Reuters
    The wreckage of an unidentified aircraft in a residential area in Kiev. Reuters
  • Smoke rises near the Ukrainian Defence Ministry in Kiev. Reuters
    Smoke rises near the Ukrainian Defence Ministry in Kiev. Reuters
  • Russian military helicopters fly over the Ukrainian capital. AP
    Russian military helicopters fly over the Ukrainian capital. AP
  • An anxious wait to board a train to leave Kiev as the attack loomed. AP Photo
    An anxious wait to board a train to leave Kiev as the attack loomed. AP Photo
  • Ukrainian servicemen on tanks in the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine. AP Photo
    Ukrainian servicemen on tanks in the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine. AP Photo
  • Ukraine troops said this destroyed armoured vehicle outside Kharkiv belonged to the Russian army. Reuters
    Ukraine troops said this destroyed armoured vehicle outside Kharkiv belonged to the Russian army. Reuters
  • Rescuers at the crash site after a Ukraine armed forces Antonov aircraft was shot down in Kiev, according to the Ukrainian authorities. Reuters
    Rescuers at the crash site after a Ukraine armed forces Antonov aircraft was shot down in Kiev, according to the Ukrainian authorities. Reuters
  • Ukrainian tanks that aim to repel an attack by the Russian military in the Luhansk enclave of Ukraine. AFP
    Ukrainian tanks that aim to repel an attack by the Russian military in the Luhansk enclave of Ukraine. AFP
  • A Ukrainian State Border Guard Service base is ablaze after heavy shelling near Kiev. Reuters
    A Ukrainian State Border Guard Service base is ablaze after heavy shelling near Kiev. Reuters
  • Damaged radar at a Ukrainian military plant outside Mariupol. Officials in Kiev say Russian troops have rolled into the country from the north, east and south. AP Photo
    Damaged radar at a Ukrainian military plant outside Mariupol. Officials in Kiev say Russian troops have rolled into the country from the north, east and south. AP Photo
  • Firefighters attend a blaze after bombing in the eastern Ukrainian town of Chuguiv, as Russian armed forces appeared to be bombarding Ukraine from several directions. AFP
    Firefighters attend a blaze after bombing in the eastern Ukrainian town of Chuguiv, as Russian armed forces appeared to be bombarding Ukraine from several directions. AFP
  • A traffic jam in Kiev, with many Ukrainians leaving their capital after Russian troops entered. EPA
    A traffic jam in Kiev, with many Ukrainians leaving their capital after Russian troops entered. EPA
  • The Border Service of Ukraine released CCTV footage purporting to show Russian military vehicles passing a checkpoint to drive into Crimea. AP
    The Border Service of Ukraine released CCTV footage purporting to show Russian military vehicles passing a checkpoint to drive into Crimea. AP
  • A man picks up fragments of military materiel on the street after an apparent Russian strike in Kharkiv, Ukraine. AP
    A man picks up fragments of military materiel on the street after an apparent Russian strike in Kharkiv, Ukraine. AP
  • Workers load the debris of a rocket on to a lorry in the aftermath of Russian shelling in Kiev. AP
    Workers load the debris of a rocket on to a lorry in the aftermath of Russian shelling in Kiev. AP
  • Emergency staff treat an injured man after bombing in Chuguiv. AFP
    Emergency staff treat an injured man after bombing in Chuguiv. AFP
  • An American woman in distress after crossing the border to flee the violence in Ukraine, in Medyka, Poland. Reuters
    An American woman in distress after crossing the border to flee the violence in Ukraine, in Medyka, Poland. Reuters
  • People take shelter in a Kiev subway station, after Russian President Vladimir Putin authorised a military operation in eastern Ukraine. Reuters
    People take shelter in a Kiev subway station, after Russian President Vladimir Putin authorised a military operation in eastern Ukraine. Reuters
  • People in a rush near Kiev-Pasazhyrskyi railway station in the Ukrainian capital. AFP
    People in a rush near Kiev-Pasazhyrskyi railway station in the Ukrainian capital. AFP
  • A Flightradar24.com screengrab shows a dearth of civilian aircraft in Ukrainian airspace after the Russian invasion. AP
    A Flightradar24.com screengrab shows a dearth of civilian aircraft in Ukrainian airspace after the Russian invasion. AP
  • The aftermath of bombing in Chuguiv. AFP
    The aftermath of bombing in Chuguiv. AFP
  • A Ukrainian rocket launcher vehicle prepares for action. Reuters
    A Ukrainian rocket launcher vehicle prepares for action. Reuters
  • Cars are driven across a field to leave the city of Kharkiv. Reuters
    Cars are driven across a field to leave the city of Kharkiv. Reuters
  • People chant, carry placards and wave Ukrainian flags as they gather in Sydney, to demonstrate against Russian attacks on its neighbour. AP
    People chant, carry placards and wave Ukrainian flags as they gather in Sydney, to demonstrate against Russian attacks on its neighbour. AP
  • People with many of their belongings packed take shelter in a Metro station in Kiev. AFP
    People with many of their belongings packed take shelter in a Metro station in Kiev. AFP
  • Emergency services at the scene of an explosion at a military unit building in Kiev. EPA
    Emergency services at the scene of an explosion at a military unit building in Kiev. EPA
  • A Kiev resident sweeps up debris after Russian shelling. AP
    A Kiev resident sweeps up debris after Russian shelling. AP
  • The first 40 soldiers of the 173rd US Army Airborne Brigade step off a military plane in Latvia. EPA
    The first 40 soldiers of the 173rd US Army Airborne Brigade step off a military plane in Latvia. EPA
  • More damage from shelling in Kiev. AP
    More damage from shelling in Kiev. AP
  • People wait at a bus station to travel to western parts of Ukraine, after violence in the east. Reuters
    People wait at a bus station to travel to western parts of Ukraine, after violence in the east. Reuters
  • A woman carries her cats in a quest for a safe haven. AFP
    A woman carries her cats in a quest for a safe haven. AFP
  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy holds an urgent government meeting in Kiev to discuss the next step. AFP
    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy holds an urgent government meeting in Kiev to discuss the next step. AFP
  • European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and foreign policy chief Josep Borrell give a joint statement in Brussels, updating the press about the situation in Ukraine. EPA
    European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and foreign policy chief Josep Borrell give a joint statement in Brussels, updating the press about the situation in Ukraine. EPA
  • People survey the damage after bombing in Chuguiv. AFP
    People survey the damage after bombing in Chuguiv. AFP
  • A building on fire in Chuguiv. AFP
    A building on fire in Chuguiv. AFP

World

Europe

Kiev’s residents flee as air sirens blare and explosions heard

Russia invaded Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday, leaving some in the capital hunkering down and others trying to escape

Chris York
Kiev

February 24, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

Live updates: follow the latest news on Russia-Ukraine

Thousands of Ukrainians woke up to missed calls and messages from friends and neighbours on Thursday, if they hadn’t already been roused by the sounds of explosions.

The messages and artillery booms could mean only one thing: Russia had invaded Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces fought Russian invaders on three fronts on Thursday after Moscow mounted an assault by land, sea and air.

For residents of the capital, Kiev, the distant sounds of strikes were swiftly followed by blaring air raid sirens, sending some out into the streets, either into bomb shelters or train stations to begin mounting their escape. Queues of people waited to withdraw money and buy supplies of food and water.

Later in the day, the city’s mayor imposed a curfew. Kiev resident Anna Dovnya told the Associated Press: “I thought it might concern Donetsk and Luhansk, but I didn’t ever think it could concern the capital of Ukraine, Kiev.”

“It is terrifying for all of us,” she said. “We have lost all faith”.

But in the morning, some shops and coffee stands were still open, with people standing around chatting. In what could have been a scene from any other day, a broken-down car was being lifted on to a flatbed truck.

Those taking the metro met an equally surreal scene. A mix of people, half heading down with packed suitcases and the other half heading out on to the street as if nothing was happening.

“Everyone is leaving, everywhere is shut,” Kiev resident Hayan Babakov told AP. “I will be here until the end.”

Please help us and stop this aggressor
Oleksandra Shustik

Another local resident, Oleksandra Shustik, pleaded to the international community: “Please help us and stop this aggressor.”

Jets fly overhead and residents and visitors alike admit they are scared of what is to come.

It is the biggest attack on a European state since the Second World War.

Many are travelling to the city of Lviv, close to the border with Poland and almost as far as one can get from Russia while remaining in Ukraine.

The highway heading west out of Kiev was choked with traffic across five lanes as residents fled. Western neighbours are preparing for an influx of refugees.

Squads

Pakistan: Sarfaraz Ahmed (c), Babar Azam (vc), Abid Ali, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Hasnain, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz

Sri Lanka: Lahiru Thirimanne (c), Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Avishka Fernando, Oshada Fernando, Shehan Jayasuriya, Dasun Shanaka, Minod Bhanuka, Angelo Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Pradeep, Isuru Udana, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara

End of free parking

- paid-for parking will be rolled across Abu Dhabi island on August 18

- drivers will have three working weeks leeway before fines are issued

- areas that are currently free to park - around Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Maqta Bridge, Mussaffah Bridge and the Corniche - will now require a ticket

- villa residents will need a permit to park outside their home. One vehicle is Dh800 and a second is Dh1,200. 

- The penalty for failing to pay for a ticket after 10 minutes will be Dh200

- Parking on a patch of sand will incur a fine of Dh300

Terminator: Dark Fate

Director: Tim Miller

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Mackenzie Davis 

Rating: 3/5

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Explainer: Tanween Design Programme

Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.

The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.

It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.

The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.

Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

Wicked: For Good

Director: Jon M Chu

Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater

Rating: 4/5

The Matrix Resurrections

Director: Lana Wachowski

Stars:  Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick 

Rating:****

Company%C2%A0profile
%3Cp%3ECompany%3A%20Zywa%3Cbr%3EStarted%3A%202021%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Nuha%20Hashem%20and%20Alok%20Kumar%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20UAE%3Cbr%3EIndustry%3A%20FinTech%3Cbr%3EFunding%20size%3A%20%243m%3Cbr%3ECompany%20valuation%3A%20%2430m%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Updated: February 25, 2022, 6:18 AM
UkraineRussia