Kazakhstan's national airline Air Astana and Turkish budget airline Pegasus Airlines said Friday they were temporary suspending flights to Russia, following sanctions imposed on Moscow over what it calls a "military operation" in Ukraine.

The companies made the decision because of uncertainties over insurance of aircraft bound for Russia, they said

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting Friday on alleged manufacture of biological weapons in Ukraine at the request of Moscow, whose credibility on chemical weapons was questioned during a session on Syria.

Russia on Thursday accused the United States of funding research into the development of biological weapons in Ukraine, which

Facebook said Thursday that due to the invasion of Ukraine it has temporarily eased its rules regarding violent speech to allow statements like "death to Russian invaders," but not credible threats against civilians.

Moscow's internationally condemned invasion of its neighbor has provoked unprecedented sanctions from Western governments and