Day 11: Visa, Mastercard Suspend Operations in Russia

US payments firms Visa Inc and Mastercard Inc on Saturday said they were suspending operations in Russia over the invasion of Ukraine, and that they would work with clients and partners to cease all transactions there, reports Agencies.

Within days, all transactions initiated with Visa cards issued in Russia will no longer work outside of the country and any Visa cards issued outside of Russia will no longer work within the country, the company said.

"We are compelled to act following Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and the unacceptable events that we have witnessed," Al Kelly, chief executive officer of Visa, said in a statement.

US President Joe Biden, in a call with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, welcomed Visa's and Mastercard's decisions to suspend their operations in Russia, the White House said.

Situation 'catastrophic' in Ukraine's Mariupol: MSF

A senior official from Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has warned that the humanitarian situation in the besieged southern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol is “catastrophic” and it is vital that civilians be evacuated.

The city, which lies near the border with Russia, has been under siege by Russian forces, and a Saturday ceasefire to allow civilians to leave failed to materialise.

"It is imperative that this humanitarian corridor, which could have been created today but which has not really been put in place following non-respect of the ceasefire, is put in place very quickly to allow the civilian population, women and children, to get out of this city," MSF's emergency coordinator in Ukraine, Laurent Ligozat, told AFP.

"...the situation is catastrophic and getting worse day by day," he added.

Canada urges citizens to leave Russia

Canada called Saturday on its nationals to avoid all travel to Russia because of its invasion of Ukraine and on Canadians in Russia to leave the country.

In an update to its travel advice, the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommended that its nationals "avoid all travel to Russia due to the impacts of the armed conflict with Ukraine."

"If you are in Russia, you should leave while commercial means are still available," the statement added.