US warns businesses to be prepared for Russian cyber attacks

US businesses have been told to increase security, with fears that the Russian government could be planning cyber-attacks.

In a statement late on Monday, US President Joe Biden said businesses have a “patriotic obligation” to protect themselves, adding that they should “harden (their) cyber defences immediately”.

Mr Biden said that the warning was based on “evolving intelligence Russia may be planning a cyber-attack against us”.

“The magnitude of Russia’s cyber capability is fairly consequential and it’s coming,” he said, adding that everyone needed to “do their part to meet one of the defining threats of our time”.

Follow the latest updates on the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Biden preparing for European trip

Mr Biden will travel to Europe this week, attending a summit with NATO allies and other leaders in Brussels, and visiting Poland, which has taken in more than two million Ukrainian refugees.

Key developments:

• The US Pentagon said it will help Ukrainian officials gather evidence of Russian war crimes, with spokesman John Kirby saying there is “clear evidence” such crimes are being committed
• Video emerged appearing to show Russian soldiers using stun grenades and firing in the air at anti-occupation protesters in the city of Kherson, which was taken by the Russians early in the war
• Talks between Russia and Ukraine are continuing by video but little progress is being made. The Kremlin continues to demand Ukraine surrender and declare itself neutral
• The Ukrainian government said about 3,000 people were evacuated from the besieged city of Mariupol on Monday but those left behind continue to face severe shortages of food and water
• A US defence official said Russia had done as many as 300 military aircraft sorties in the previous 24 hours, while Ukraine is using short and long-range air defence systems and drones to target Russian aircraft

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has entered its 27th day, with the southern city of Mariupol still seeing some of the heaviest fighting.

Thousands dead in Mariupol

Some 2,300 people had died there by 15 March – the latest available figures – but this number is expected to have increased sharply in recent days.

On Sunday, Ukrainian officials rejected a Russian offer whereby it would surrender the city in exchange for the promise of safe passage out.

And late on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would be prepared to consider cancelling any bid for NATO membership in exchange for a cease-fire, the withdrawal of Russian troops, and a guarantee of security for his country.

He has previously suggested that, after security guarantees and a ceasefire, he might be prepared to discuss the status of Crimea, which Russia took in 2014, and parts of the eastern Donbas region which are held by Russian-backed separatists.

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Also on Monday, he said that any compromises agreed with Russia would need to voted on in a referendum, saying Ukrainians would “have to speak up and respond to this or that form of compromise”.

Potential compromises “will be the subject of our talks and understanding between Ukraine and Russia”, he said in comments published by Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne.