News
The Russian army announces the opening of humanitarian corridors and the establishment of local ceasefires. The goal: to allow the evacuation of civilians from the Ukrainian cities of Kharkiv, Kyiv (Kiev), Mariupol and Sumy, plagued by heavy fighting. “Russian forces, for humanitarian purposes, declare a regime of silence from 10 a.m. Monday and the opening of humanitarian corridors”, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement, without specifying how long these corridors will remain open. The Russian army specifies that this decision was taken after a “personal request” from French President Emmanuel Macron addressed to Vladimir Putin. Follow our live throughout the day.
The second city of Ukraine, Kharkiv, is under the bombs. Intense aerial bombardment struck overnight from Sunday to Monday Kharkiv, in northeastern Ukraine. In particular, a sports complex of a local university and civilian buildings were targeted. According to the Ukrainian General Staff, the Russian forces are concentrating their efforts on Kharkiv, Cherniguiv (in the north), Sumy (northeast) and Mykolaiv (south) and “accumulate their resources to launch an assault” on Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accuses Russia of preparing to bomb the port of Odessa (south of the country).
France sent to Ukraine “different medical products”. Medicines but also doses of iodine, to guard against the risk of a nuclear accident during combat with the Russian army, said Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. Earlier, the French Ambassador to Ukraine reported on the supply in the coming days of “2.5 million doses of iodine to be able to ward off any nuclear danger”. On the civil society side, we are getting organised. Foodstuffs, clothing, medicines… This afternoon, a convoy of twenty-five trucks leaving Besançon and organized on the initiative of the Besançon baker Stéphane Ravacley should arrive at the border between Ukraine and Poland.
For Engie, the gas supply could be a problem once summer arrives. If Europe were to no longer receive Russian gas, the first difficulties would appear with the filling of the tanks for next winter. This is what the director general of Engie Catherine MacGregor said on Monday. “It would be very difficult to find the necessary volumes and it would be very hard in the event of a long conflict in Ukraine”, while evoking a sustainable transformation of the energy landscape. Russia provides 40% of European gas imports and 20% of Engie’s supplies.
Covid-19: positive cases are no longer falling. For the second consecutive day, the number of positive cases is higher than that of the same day of the previous week. In the country, the contaminations are no longer falling while the government intends to maintain its schedule for the reduction of health measures. Positive cases are slightly above 50,000 cases per day on average over a week. Some 45,328 positive cases were identified this Sunday by Public Health France against 42,600 seven days ago. Regarding the incidence rate, it is still decreasing very slightly in all age groups except among those under 10, where it has been rising again for several days.
To be continued today
Towards a new day of Russian-Ukrainian negotiations. A third negotiation meeting between Ukraine and Russia is scheduled for Monday, without much hope. But until then, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened on Sunday March 6 to deprive Ukraine of its “state status” if the country continues to refuse to give in to Russian demands. The Kremlin calls for a “neutral and non-nuclear status” for Ukraine, as well as its demilitarization. Vladimir Putin compared the international sanctions that hit Russia to a “declaration of war”. Yesterday, Emmanuel Macron and Vladimir Putin spoke for the fourth time since the start of the war.
Macron has an appointment in Poissy to launch his campaign. A first trip which marks the entry into the campaign of the Head of State, officially a candidate for re-election. Expected in Poissy in the Yvelines at 6:30 p.m., Emmanuel Macron has planned to meet with residents and members of civil society “around the subjects they choose.”
analysis
Tracking down the hoard of Russian oligarchs in France. Villas, private jets, bank accounts, luxury yachts… While Paris has just announced the creation of a “task force” to track down Russian assets in France, identify the owners of bank accounts, luxury villas or yachts s turns out to be complicated because of the many shell companies that mask their identity. Read our analysis.
The story
In Ukraine, with the “Conan the Barbarian” battalion. Donbass war volunteers in 2014 resumed service ten days ago. Among them are the unruly soldiers of the Aidar Battalion, some of whom have created a new combat unit as reinforcements for the regular army. Read our correspondent’s story.
Investigation
Assassination of Samuel Paty, an avatar at the heart of the gears. Arrested in June, Priscilla M. is suspected of being an essential link in the escalation that cost the life of the history-geo professor. Release reveals new elements on the journey of this thirty-something very active in the jihadosphere, to the point of conversing with the terrorist shortly before the crime. Read our survey.
The interview
Annie Ernaux. The writer, support of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, does not conceive of writing or existence without commitment. Emmanuel Macron, class contempt, suburbs, books, feminism: political action is part of me, she says. Read our interview.
The portrait
Dayana and Ivanna Yastremska, blue and yellow. The two Ukrainian sisters, professional tennis players, left Odessa after the Russian onslaught and managed to play in the Lyon tournament. Read our profile.