The essential :
The heads of Russian and Ukrainian diplomacy failed Thursday to agree on a ceasefire in Ukraine. Sergei Lavrov and Dmytro Kuleba stuck to their guns during their talks in Antalya (Turkey).
- Gathered at a summit in Versailles, the leaders of the 27 of the EU ruled out any rapid accession of Ukraine to the European Union, while opening the door to closer ties.
- The UN Security Council will meet on Friday at 5 p.m. urgently on the alleged manufacture of biological weapons in Ukraine. Russia accuses Washington and Kiev of managing laboratories intended to produce biological weapons in Ukraine, which has been denied by the two capitals.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday accused the Russian army of preventing the evacuation of civilians from the encircled cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha (southeast) and of carrying out an attack on the planned route of a humanitarian corridor.
11:16 a.m. – Brussels offers 500 million additional euros to finance weapons for Ukraine
The head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell proposed Friday in Versailles, where the heads of state and government of the EU are meeting for a summit, to double European funding to provide weapons to Ukraine against Russia and to increase this sum to 1 billion euros.
Borrell said he “made a proposal to double the contribution (from the EU) with 500 million euros more for armaments in support of the Ukrainian army”. “I’m sure the leaders will support her,” he added. The financing comes from the “European Peace Facility”, a fund endowed with 5 billion euros created and topped up by the Member States outside the Community budget.
11:06 a.m. – In Mykolaiv, the freezing cold discourages Russian soldiers
In Mykolaiv, with freezing temperatures and the morgue overflowing with corpses, Russian soldiers would begin to abandon the front.
Ukrainian commander in Mykolaiv tells us Russians are abandoning many vehicles near the city. “They have no will to fight. They don’t even have food. It’s -10 with snow here, they don’t want to be here.”
—Neil Hauer (@NeilPHauer) March 11, 2022
10:49 a.m. – About fifteen French deputies propose to charter buses to repatriate refugees
About fifteen deputies propose to the French government to charter buses to pick up Ukrainian refugees “as close as possible to where they are” and to transform administrative detention centers (CRA) for them into temporary accommodation.
10:33 a.m. – More than 2.5 million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the war
More than 2.5 million people have fled Ukraine, 116,000 of whom are third-country nationals, since the Russian invasion began on February 24, the United Nations said on Friday. “The number of refugees from Ukraine – tragically – reached 2.5 million today. We also estimate that around two million people are internally displaced in Ukraine,” the head of the ministry said. UN refugee agency Filippo Grandi in a tweet.
10:01 a.m. – Russian prosecutor’s office orders strict control of foreign companies leaving Russia
The Russian prosecutor’s office on Friday ordered a “strict control” of foreign companies announcing the suspension of their activities in the country due to the Russian military intervention in Ukraine. “Prosecutors will establish strict control over compliance with labor legislation, conditions of employment contracts, payment of wages, performance of contractual obligations to contractors and to the Russian Federation,” the official said. Attorney General in a statement.
The statement also insists that it will “firmly suppress” any attempt by companies leaving Russia “not to unilaterally respect their obligations”. In addition, he promises criminal proceedings against companies that embark on the path of “fictitious or premeditated” bankruptcy.
09:43 – Putin orders to facilitate the sending of “volunteer” fighters to Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his army on Friday to facilitate the dispatch of “volunteer” fighters to Ukraine in response to the delivery, according to him, of “mercenaries” by the West. “If you see that people want to go there voluntarily, moreover not for money, and help those who live in the Donbass (eastern Ukraine, editor’s note), then you have to go meet them and help them. to join the combat zone,” said Vladimir Putin, in response to a proposal from his defense minister.
08:57 – The Russian cyber threat still not implemented
Westerners expected, even before the outbreak of the war, an avalanche of Russian cyberattacks against Ukraine, and even against themselves, but the reality so far remains far below forecasts. The Russian authorities have apparently not triggered the “digital fire” that was expected. Neither against Ukraine nor against Westerners.
Read also The vibrant call of the Ukrainian cyberresistance
“Strategic context is key in deploying cyber operations and Ukraine’s invasion strategy has undeniably narrowed Russia’s menu of cyber options,” expert Jason Blessing sums up on the American Enterprise website. Institute (AEI). “If you want to install a puppet government, the last thing you want is to destroy major infrastructure,” he adds. This type of attack is also long and complex to set up. “The effort isn’t worth it if you’re banking on a quick win.”
8:40 a.m. – “Putin has unified the (Ukrainian) people”, confides a woman on RTL
Olga Shurova, originally from Hostomel near Kiev, had to take refuge with her brother after the bombing of her city’s airport. He lives in Kiev and she does not yet know if she will be able to stay there for long. But despite everything, this French teacher believes in the victory of the Ukrainian people. She confides on RTL: “I believe in our army and I believe in our victory. We believe in the people, the people are super united, super organized and super motivated. Despite all his plans, Putin has unified the people very well.”
07:42 – The city of Lutsk also affected
The town of Lutsk in northwestern Ukraine was also targeted by airstrikes. The spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Defense, Igor Konashenkov, announced that “the military airfields of Lutsk and Ivano-Franovsk (city in western Ukraine, editor’s note), have been decommissioned”. “Airport side explosions. Take cover everyone! Do not post any photos, addresses or contact details!” warned for his part on Facebook Ilhor Polishchuk, the mayor of the city of Lutsk. Heating cuts also occurred because of these explosions.
07:14 – Two new airlines suspend flights to Russia
The Kazakh national carrier Air Astana and the Turkish low-cost carrier Pegasus Airlines have announced that they will temporarily suspend their flights to Russia, following the sanctions imposed on Moscow after its military intervention in Ukraine. According to press releases published on their sites, the two companies took this decision because, in particular, of uncertainties on the insurance of the apparatuses bound for Russia.
06:44 – Airstrikes on civilian areas in Dnipro
The city of Dnipro in central Ukraine was targeted by airstrikes on Friday morning. Civilian areas were affected, according to Ukrainian emergency services. At least one death, among the inhabitants, is to be deplored. Dnipro had until then been a city spared from Russian forces. Early in the morning, “there were three airstrikes in the city, hitting a kindergarten, an apartment building and a two-storey shoe factory where a fire then broke out. One person died” , Ukrainian relief said in a statement.
#Ukraine 03/11 Among the cities bombarded this night, there are Mariupol, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Lutsk (engine factory), Dnipro, and other targets in the regions of Rivne and Volyn.
In Svitlovarsk, a gas pipeline was damaged and burned overnight.pic.twitter.com/1FhT3SpXpY— cedric mas (@CedricMas) March 11, 2022