Moscow, March 14: President Vladimir Putin supported the US ceasefire proposal ‘in principle’ but also sought some clarifications and put some conditions. This has raised questions on the hopes of an early end to the Russia-Ukraine war.

In February 2022, the Russian army launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russia called its 2022 invasion a ‘special military operation’ designed to “liberate Ukraine from Nazism” and prevent NATO expansion.

On Washington’s ceasefire agreement, Putin said that many important issues need to be resolved and any agreement should address the root causes of the conflict.

Putin told media in the Kremlin, “We agree with the proposals to end hostilities. The idea itself is correct, and we certainly support it.”

The Russian President said, “But we believe that the pause should be such that it leads to long-term peace and eliminates the root causes of this crisis.”

Putin said that many issues need to be clarified. He thanked Trump for ending the war.

On Tuesday, after more than eight hours of talks with Ukrainian and US officials in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Kiev announced its acceptance of the ceasefire proposal.

Meanwhile, Russia on Thursday claimed that its army has retaken control of Sudja, the largest city occupied by Ukraine in the Kursk region. Moscow’s claim is a big blow to Ukraine, which wanted to use this city as a ‘bargaining chip’ in ceasefire talks.

According to the report of Russian state news agency TASS, the announcement came after US special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow on Thursday.

In August last year, thousands of Ukrainian troops occupied about 1,300 square (500 square miles) kilometers of Russia’s Kursk region. Kiev said this was an attempt to gain leverage in future talks and force Russia to withdraw from eastern Ukraine. However, in recent days the Russian army has achieved significant success in this area.

According to the Russian army, due to the rapid advance in the last few days, Ukraine has less than 200 square km (77 square miles) of area left in Kursk.

Moscow, March 14: Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his gratitude to several world leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, for their continued attention to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

During a press briefing on Thursday, Putin acknowledged the efforts of these leaders and others for their commitment to seeking peace in the war-torn region, despite the many global challenges they face.

“I would like to start by offering my sincere thanks to President Trump of the US for his focus on the Ukraine situation. Many state leaders, including President Xi Jinping of China, Prime Minister Modi of India, and the Presidents of Brazil and South Africa, have been dedicating significant time to this issue. We appreciate their contributions, as it is all for the noble cause of stopping the conflict and preventing further loss of life,” Putin stated.

Prime Minister Modi has been stressing and reiterating about bringing peace in the region thereby clearly setting India’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. During his recent meeting with Trump at the White House, PM Modi made it clear that India was not neutral in the matter, emphasising that India sides with peace.

“This is not an era of war but of dialogue and diplomacy,” PM Modi had said, underscoring India’s commitment to diplomatic efforts. PM Modi has also maintained open channels of communication with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, repeatedly stressing the need for peaceful resolution.

The US has proposed a 30-day ceasefire, urging Russia to accept the deal without any conditions.

Putin, while expressing support for a ceasefire, acknowledged there are “nuances” that need to be addressed, adding that he had “serious questions” about how the proposal would be implemented.

In response, US President Donald Trump referred to Putin’s comments as “promising”, but also noted that the statement was “not complete”, suggesting that further discussions were necessary.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has agreed to the ceasefire proposal during talks held in Saudi Arabia earlier this week, following mounting pressure after a meeting between Trump and Zelensky in February.

The war in Ukraine, which began in February 2022, has caused immense devastation, with hundreds of thousands dead or injured and millions displaced. The conflict has led to severe economic and geopolitical tensions between Russia and the West, with the ceasefire discussions now offering a glimmer of hope for a resolution.

Dhaka, March 13: The 8-year-old rape victim passed away on Thursday at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Bangladesh’s capital city, Dhaka, after fighting for her life for a week, according to local media reports.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced that she died at the CMH around 1:00 pm, reports the leading Bangladeshi newspaper, The Daily Star.

She had suffered several cardiac arrests as of Thursday morning while on life support at the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of CMH, according to the office of the interim government’s Chief Advisor.

On Thursday morning, the victim suffered two more cardiac arrests after already experiencing four on Wednesday.

The Bangladesh Army issued a statement on social media on Wednesday and stated that the condition of the 8-year-old remains critical and her blood pressure and oxygen levels are dangerously low.

The army urged people to pray for her, however, the child succumbed to her injuries.

The incident occurred when the victim was raped by her sister’s father-in-law in Magura last week.

The victim, who sustained critical injuries, was initially treated in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Dhaka Medical College Hospital before being transferred to CMH Hospital for advanced care.

In recent days several students and teachers from different universities across the country, including Dhaka University, North South University, Independent University, Bangladesh, and Rajshahi University, demonstrated against the rising rape incidents, including that of the eight-year-old child in Magura, and demanded exemplary punishment for the perpetrators of the crime.

Outraged over the rising incidents of gender-based violence across Bangladesh, the ‘University Teachers’ Network’ also held a gathering last week at Dhaka University’s Aparajeyo Bangla, where teachers and students of six universities nationwide participated.

The protestors condemned ongoing violence against women, discussed its root causes, and criticised government failures.

Dhaka University Professor Tasneem Siraj Mahboob called for the dismissal of the Home Affairs Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, instead of his resignation, emphasising that she had demanded this months ago.

“Resignation is an honourable exit. He doesn’t deserve that honour,” leading Bangladeshi daily The Dhaka Tribune quoted her as saying.

The statistics on violence against women in Bangladesh have exposed the grim reality in the country under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim regime.

Addressing the situation of violence against women in Bangladesh that remained troubling in 2025, with shocking numbers reported in the first two months, Fauzia Moslem, President of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, speaking to The Daily Star, said, “Society is descending into chaos, where lawlessness and criminal impunity are growing. The failure of law enforcement, compromises, and lack of accountability are empowering criminals.”

Several cases of violence against women have been reported from across Bangladesh since the Yunus-led interim government came to power in August 2024.

The incompetence of the interim government in curbing gender-based violence sparked public outrage, with many demanding the resignation of Home Affairs Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury and holding the interim government led by Yunus accountable for degrading the law and order situation across the nation.