On the twelfth day of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, the Russian army continued its advance towards the capital Kiev, which expects an attack “in the coming days”, according to the Ukrainian ministry of Interior. “Every house, every street, every checkpoint will resist until death if necessary,” promised the mayor of Kiev, former boxing champion Vitali Klitschko. Moscow announced Monday evening the establishment of local ceasefires as of Tuesday morning, to allow the evacuation of civilians via humanitarian corridors, following new negotiations with the Ukrainians.
The main information to remember:
- Russia to implement local ceasefires on Tuesday
- Bombing in a bakery in Makariv kills 13
- More than 1.7 million refugees
Moscow announces local ceasefires
Russia announced Monday evening the establishment of local ceasefires in several Ukrainian cities from 7 a.m. GMT (8 a.m. French time) on Tuesday to allow the evacuation of civilians via humanitarian corridors, at the result of new negotiations with the Ukrainians. A third round of Russian-Ukrainian negotiations ended Monday evening in Belarus, the Ukrainians citing “some positive results” on “the logistics of the humanitarian corridors” while the Russians judged this session “not up to expectations”.
A worsening humanitarian situation
The humanitarian situation is also worsening day by day, with several towns under siege where food is running out. The UN “needs safe corridors to provide humanitarian aid in areas of hostilities” in Ukraine, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Foreign Affairs insisted in this context on Monday at the UN Security Council. humanitarians, Martin Griffiths. And this shortly after the Russian and Ukrainian delegations ended in Belarus, on the border with Poland, a third session of talks devoted to the evacuation of civilians from the encircled cities.
At the end of these discussions, the Ukrainians spoke of “some positive results” on the humanitarian corridors. “We will provide more effective help to people who are suffering from the aggression of the Russian Federation,” declared Mykhaïlo Podoliak, a member of the Ukrainian delegation. On key issues, such as those relating to a ceasefire, “intensive dialogues will continue”, he added. On these points, there are to date “no results that could improve the situation”, according to him. For his part, the Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinski considered that this third session had not been “up to expectations”.
10,000 people marched in Irpin
In Irpin, the last city-lock before Kiev arriving from the west, 10,000 people have marched in recent days on an improbable plank of wood, half sunk in water, to escape the bombardments. The concrete bridge, gaping over the river, was destroyed by Ukrainian forces to prevent the passage of Russian armor.
Odessa, on the shores of the Black Sea, is also increasingly threatened. Distraught families have entrusted sick old parents, too weak to flee the port city, to the Archangelo Mikhailovsky monastery, with golden and gray domes, AFP noted. New fighting also took place near Sumy, in the northeast, “there are deaths”, said the head of the military administration of the region, Dmitry Jivitsky.
Westerners agree to “increase” the cost for Russia
US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson are “determined to continue to increase the cost” inflicted on Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine, according to a statement released Monday by the White House after a videoconference between the four men.
The very united front so far of the West in terms of economic sanctions seemed to crack Monday on the question of an embargo on the sales of Russian hydrocarbons, an option rejected by Germany, dependent on its Russian gas supplies. The US president “has not made a decision at this stage” on such an embargo, said his spokesperson.
Warning from Moscow about an oil embargo
Russia warned on Monday of “catastrophic consequences” for the world market of the implementation of a Western embargo on Russian oil, discussed by Washington and the European Union. “The surge in prices is likely to be unpredictable and to reach more than 300 dollars for a barrel, or even more”, affirmed the Russian Deputy Prime Minister, in charge of Energy, Alexandre Novak, quoted by the press agencies. Russians.
Macron does not see a negotiated solution in the short term
Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that he did not believe that a “real solution” could be negotiated between Moscow and Kiev to end the conflict in Ukraine “in the days and weeks to come”, which makes the war go ” Continue”. The French president had earlier denounced “the moral and political cynicism” of the Russian proposal for humanitarian corridors to the inhabitants of several cities in Ukraine to “bring them to Russia”.
13 dead in the bombing of a bakery
At least 13 people died in bombings that hit an industrial bakery in Makariv, about 50 kilometers west of Kiev, Ukrainian emergency services said. New fighting took place near Sumy, in the northeast, according to the head of the military administration of the region. “There are dead”.
More than 1.7 million refugees
More than 1.7 million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24, more than half of whom have been welcomed in Poland, according to the latest UN counts. The head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell estimated that Europe could expect to receive five million exiles if the invasion of Ukraine and the bombardments of cities continued.
Examination of applications for EU membership
The European Union has launched the procedure for examining the membership applications of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, announced the French Presidency of the Council of the EU. The three countries filed their claim following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The European Commission will have to express an official opinion and the 27 will then have to decide whether to grant candidate status to the applicants, before long and complex negotiations.
List of “hostile” countries
Moscow has drawn up a list of countries “hostile” to Russia, to which Russian individuals and companies can repay their debts in rubles, a currency whose value has lost 45% since January. This list of countries includes the countries of the European Union, Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, Monaco, South Korea, the United States, Switzerland and Japan, among others.
ICJ: Russia refuses to appear
Russia refused to appear at the opening of hearings before the International Court of Justice in a case initiated by Ukraine, which is asking the UN’s highest court to order Moscow to stop its invasion.
Moscow wants the protection of its representations
Russia has demanded “adequate” protection from its diplomatic representations in France, after reporting an “attack” with a Molotov cocktail against one of its cultural centers in Paris. In Ireland, a truck broke through the gate of the Russian Embassy in Dublin. Police said they arrested the driver.