adds Moscow’s warning to countries hosting Ukrainian fighter jets, Putin’s statements to Macron, protests in European cities, suspension of American Express operations in Russia and Belarus
PARIS (awp/afp) – Situation on the ground, international reactions, sanctions: update on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Another failed evacuation of Mariupol
The second attempt to evacuate residents of Mariupol, a strategic port in southeastern Ukraine surrounded by Russian forces and their allies, failed on Sunday, the day after a first attempt failed because of the continuation of intense bombardment.
President Vladimir Putin blamed this failure on “Ukrainian nationalists”, in a telephone interview with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.
On the 11th day of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, this city of 450,000 inhabitants is under “humanitarian blockade” according to its mayor Vadim Boitchenko, who evokes “thousands of wounded” and affirms that “Mariupol no longer exists” .
The fall of this port city would constitute a turning point, allowing the junction between the Russian troops coming from annexed Crimea, which have already taken the other key ports of Berdiansk and Kherson, and those coming from Donbass.
Fears for Odessa
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that Russian troops were preparing to bombard Odessa, a city of nearly a million inhabitants and Ukraine’s largest port, located on the shores of the Black Sea.
“It will be a military crime. It will be a historic crime,” Zelensky said in a video message.
Russian army approaches Kiev
Russian soldiers are also closing in on Kiev. Intense fighting is taking place on the outskirts of the capital, according to the Ukrainian regional administration, in particular around the road leading to Zhytomyr (150 km west of Kiev), as well as in Cherniguiv (150 km north of the capital).
The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that the Russian military had “eliminated” nearly one hundred planes, 778 tanks and other armored vehicles and destroyed Starokonstantinov airport, halfway between Kiev and Lviv (west).
In central Ukraine, Vinnytsia airport was destroyed by Russian strikes, the Ukrainian president and Moscow announced.
Threats from Moscow, demonstrations against the invasion
The Russian Defense Ministry has warned countries neighboring Ukraine against hosting fighter jets from Kiev which would then be used against forces from Moscow. This could be considered “an involvement of these countries in an armed conflict”, he said, blaming Romania, a NATO member state.
At least 2,500 people demonstrating against the invasion of Ukraine were arrested on Sunday in some fifty cities in Russia, bringing to nearly 11,000 the number of protesters arrested since February 24, announced the NGO OVD-Info, specializing in monitoring events.
Thousands of people also demonstrated, for the second day in a row, in many cities in France, Belgium and Spain.
Possible “war crimes”, according to Blinken
The head of the American diplomacy Antony Blinken judged “very credible” reports of “war crimes” committed by Russia in Ukraine.
“We have seen very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians that would constitute a war crime,” he told US broadcaster CNN.
Mediation attempts
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Sunday that his efforts to mediate the war between Russia and Ukraine were “a moral duty” even though there was little chance of success.
Pope Francis lamented “rivers of blood and tears” flowing in Ukraine after the Russian invasion and called for the establishment of humanitarian corridors.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for an “urgent general ceasefire” in Ukraine, in a telephone interview with the Russian president.
Vladimir Putin told Emmanuel Macron that he would “achieve his objectives” in Ukraine “either through negotiation or through war”, according to the French presidency.
US studies Polish supply of fighter jets to Ukraine
The United States is “actively working” on an agreement with Poland to send fighter jets from that country to Ukraine, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday during a visit to Moldova.
More than one and a half million refugees
More than 1.5 million people have fled Ukraine since February 24, according to the UN, making it the fastest growing refugee crisis since World War II.
Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Paypal suspend services in Russia
The American credit card giants Visa, Mastercard and American Express are suspending their operations in Russia, the latter’s decision also applying to Belarus.
The PayPal payments system has also temporarily stopped its services in Russia.
Russian banks have announced that they are working on issuing bank cards from the Chinese UnionPay network.
The Russian authorities are stepping up all-out measures to curb capital flight and prevent panic if the banks run out of liquidity.
Russia fears the rise of a food black market
Russia is worried about the emergence of a resale network of basic food products, the economy suffering under the onslaught of Western sanctions. The Russian government said on Saturday that it supported rationing measures taken by large retailers, without giving directives for the time being.
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