Situation on the ground, international reactions, sanctions: the point on the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
– Moscow aims for “total control” of Donbass and the south –
The Russian army wants to “establish full control over Donbass and southern Ukraine”, senior Russian military official General Rustam Minnekayev said on Friday.
“This will ensure a land corridor to Crimea, as well as weigh on vital infrastructure of the Ukrainian economy, the Black Sea ports through which deliveries of agricultural and metallurgical products are made”, he said. he continued.
“The control of southern Ukraine is also a corridor to Transdniestria, where there are also cases of oppression of the Russian-speaking population,” added General Minnekayev.
Moldova summoned the Russian ambassador to protest against these statements regarding the separatist region of Moldova. She considers them “unfounded and contradictory with Russia’s support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country”, declared the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
See as well : Satellite images show giant mass grave near Mariupol
– Negotiations “skating”, according to Moscow –
Negotiations between Moscow and kyiv aimed at settling the conflict are “skating”, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday.
“They are slipping, because a proposal that we handed over to Ukrainian negotiators five days ago and which was formulated taking into account their comments remains unanswered,” Lavrov said.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier described as “realistic” the possibility of the war in Ukraine lasting until the end of 2023, due to Russia’s determination to continue its offensive.
– Mariupol continues to resist –
The strategic port of Mariupol, which Moscow claims to have “liberated”, is still resisting Russian forces, says kyiv, according to which Ukrainian fighters continue to fiercely defend the immense Azovstal metallurgical complex where civilians are also entrenched.
Vladimir Putin said Friday that kyiv refused the surrender of the last Ukrainian soldiers entrenched in the industrial zone of Azovstal.
His army said Friday ready to observe “at any time” a truce “on all or part” of the site. The starting point for this break in “will be the raising of white flags by Ukrainian armed formations”.
– France delivers guns and missiles to kyiv –
France is supplying Milan anti-tank missiles and Caesar guns to Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview with a regional daily published on Friday.
Until now, Paris had refrained from specifying the types of armaments delivered to kyiv.
According to the French presidency, the Milan missiles “have already been donated” and the Caesar guns will be delivered “in the coming days” as well as “thousands of shells”. About forty Ukrainian soldiers must be trained in France in the handling of Caesars, from Saturday, it was added.
– UN chief to meet Putin –
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will travel to Russia on Tuesday where he will be received by Vladimir Putin, their first meeting since the start of Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine, the Kremlin announced on Friday.
The Organization has accused the Russian army of actions “could amount to war crimes” in Ukraine since February 24, Friday in Geneva.
Read also: Ukraine: UN accuses Russia of possible war crimes
– EU calls for humanitarian corridors –
European Council President Charles Michel, who represents EU member states, asked Russian President Vladimir Putin in a telephone interview on Friday to guarantee humanitarian corridors in Mariupol on the occasion of the Orthodox Easter. For its part, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the Patriarchate of Moscow has proposed to organize an Easter procession to the besieged city of Mariupol in order to evacuate wounded civilians and soldiers.
Several humanitarian corridors in this city were canceled at the last minute.
– Reopening of embassies in kyiv –
Spain reopened its embassy in kyiv on Friday, which it had closed following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Spanish government announced. For his part, Boris Johnson announced on Friday the reopening “next week” of the British embassy in kyiv, which had also been relocated.
To read : Visiting Ukraine, Spanish PM condemns Russian ‘atrocities’