Airbnb suspends operations in Russia and Belarus
CBSN
Airbnb is the latest company to sever ties with Russia as the country continues its deadly invasion into Ukraine. The company's CEO, Brian Chesky, announced late Thursday night that Airbnb is suspending "all operations in Russia," as well as the country's close ally Belarus.
The announcement came as Russian forces attacked the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Energodar, sparking a fire. The fire and shelling at the site prompted fears of a Chernobyl-like emergency, as Ukrainian officials said that Russian troops were preventing firefighters from extinguishing the flames. After a few hours, Russian forces seized the plant and the fire was extinguished.
Earlier this week, Airbnb announced that its organization, Airbnb.org, is planning to help shelter up to 100,000 people who have fled Ukraine because of the invasion. The company said it will offer housing for up to two weeks for free. Airbnb offered similar aid to Afghans who were forced to evacuate their homes during the Taliban takeover last fall.
Zhytomyr, Ukraine — Exactly 1,000 days after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine, Russia's defense ministry accused Ukrainian forces on Tuesday of firing six U.S.-made and -supplied ATACMS missiles at the Russian region of Bryansk. If confirmed, it could be the first time Ukrainian troops had taken advantage of President Biden easing restrictions over the weekend on Ukraine's use of the U.S.-made missiles to strike targets deeper inside Russian territory.
President Biden's decision to allow Ukraine to fire U.S.-made and supplied missiles deeper into Russia — a major policy shift announced over the weekend after months of intense lobbying by Kyiv — has drawn a furious response from Moscow. While there was no immediate reaction directly from the man who launched the nearly three-year war on his neighboring nation, lawmakers aligned with President Vladimir Putin in Russia said Monday that the move was unacceptable and warned it could lead to a third world war.
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