The truce promised to Mariupol turns out to be yet another bluff by the Russians and the green light for safe humanitarian corridors is also shaking. The thirty-sixth day of the war is marked by confusion, by the eternal drama of the martyr city of the south and by a ceasefire that is becoming more and more a chimera.
The openings in negotiations that only a handful of hours ago seemed on the horizon are already narrowing. The war in Ukraine is changing its geography but it is not over, as Ukrainian military sources have made clear. "It is turning into a positioning war, with the south of the country and the Chernihiv area, north of Kiev, as the focus of the fighting", the sources explained, pointing to some gray areas, such as the one between Mykolaiv and Kherson, where Ukrainians and Russians compete for every inch.
Meanwhile, online negotiations between Russians and Ukrainians will resume tomorrow, while according to Turkey the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine could meet within two weeks. In a speech on TV, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that peace talks with Russia continue "but for the moment there are only words, nothing concrete". Zelensky said he did not believe Russia's promises to reduce its military presence in Kiev. The Pentagon also notes that the Russian troops, who have left the Chernobyl power plant area and partly moved away from Kiev, is more a repositioning than anything else.
The country appears split. In Lviv and in the West, sirens became more sporadic. While in Odessa and Mykolaiv, in the same hours, the anti-aircraft alarms sounded with disturbing continuity. In the east and north of Ukraine, however, missiles still rained. In Chernihiv a bus convoy with volunteers was hit and two loud explosions, one around 3 pm and the other at 7.30 pm were heard in the north of Kiev, not far from the liberated city of Irpin.
In the east, on the ground, the situation remains dramatic. "The Russian army fired phosphorus bullets in the central part of the Donetsk region during the night, injuring 11 people including 4 children", is the bulletin issued by the head of the regional military administration Pavlo Kyrylenko. On Mariupol, however, silence reigns. "The Russian occupiers are not complying with the ceasefire and are destroying the remaining infrastructure," explains Kiev. Moscow replies and the Ministry of Defense makes it known that Ukrainian troops and nationalists bombed the humanitarian corridor.
Meanwhile, in Rome, Prime Minister Mario Draghi, who had a 40-minute conversation with Putin, informs the foreign press that he has noticed a "change of attitude" in the Russian president, even though the latter has defined them as "not mature". conditions for a ceasefire. Italy, however, explained Prime Minister Draghi, has been requested as a guarantor by both Russia and Ukraine.
The White House, for its part, has launched a new package of sanctions, while Putin signed the decree on the payment of gas in rubles, immediately enforceable. From 1 April, existing contracts, in the event of non-payment in rubles, "will be terminated", he warned.
The decree requires Gazprombank to open special accounts in Russian currency for gas buyers from "hostile" countries. A step towards Russia's "financial sovereignty", he said, warning Europeans: "American gas is more expensive, the US tries to push you to buy it from them."
Not only. Russia puts European leaders on its blacklist. And it imposes a ban on entry into its borders on the "top leaders" of the Union, on a series of commissioners and members of the EU parliament and also on politicians and journalists from member states who have "promoted anti-Russian initiatives".
Biden spoke in the evening, speaking of an "isolated" Putin who "fired some of his advisers". The US president said he was skeptical about the withdrawal of Russian troops and warned Putin: "We will not allow him to use energy as a weapon". But the whole of Europe is already on the alert for gas supplies. The European Union is studying the measure approved today by the Russian president to understand how to act. But if Germany and France clearly say that they will not pay for gas in rubles, Mario Draghi, who yesterday spoke with Putin, among other things, about gas, remains displaced.
Then the US "bomb" on hopes for peace: "We want Ukrainian borders to be respected as before the end of February," said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, an inadmissible condition for Moscow.
The live news:
"The Russians have left Chernobyl"
Russian forces have left the Chernobyl power plant which they had occupied since February 24, the first day of the invasion of Ukraine. The official Ukrainian agency for the management of the area of the power plant announced on Facebook. "There are no more foreigners inside the Chernobyl nuclear power plant", the agency reported.
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Use: “Rubles? Contracts are contracts "
"Contracts are contracts and they remain valid". White House communications chief Kate Bedingfield said in her press briefing about Vladimir Putin's threats to charge for gas only in rubles. "The German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was clear and we agree with him", he specified.
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Usa: "The invasion is a strategic disaster for Putin"
"The invasion of Ukraine was a failure for Putin and Russia, a strategic disaster." White House Communications Chief Kate Bedingfield said in her press briefing.
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Moscow: "Ukrainian bombs on Mariupol corridor"
"Ukrainian troops and nationalists have stopped the evacuation of civilians from Mariupol by bombing the humanitarian corridor." This was claimed by the Russian Defense Ministry, quoted by TASS.
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USA: "We want Ukraine with the same borders as in February"
"We want the sovereignty of Ukraine and its borders to be respected as before the end of February", when Moscow launched its invasion: Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told Fox News.
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New corridor in Mariupol
The Russian Defense Ministry announced new humanitarian corridors for evacuations from Mariupol tomorrow morning, explaining that they were decided after a "personal appeal" to Putin by the leaders of France and Germany, Macron and Scholz. The evacuations, it is added, must involve the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Red Cross. Interfax reports it.
Biden "skeptical" about the withdrawal of troops
"I am skeptical that Russian troops are withdrawing, we have no evidence that this is happening." President Joe Biden said this in the White House.
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Biden: "Putin isolated, he fired some advisors"
"Putin seems isolated, it seems that he has fired some of his advisers". US President Joe Biden said this at the White House.
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UN: "At least 1,232 civilians killed"
At least 1,232 civilians have been killed since the start of the war in Ukraine, including 112 children. This was reported in its latest report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (Ohchr), according to which the ascertained injuries are 1,935, of which 149 minors. The United Nations agency stresses that "the real figures could be significantly higher", given the difficulties in finding verified information, especially from some areas of the country.
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"A new local government is ready in Mariupol"
The president of the self-proclaimed separatist republic of Donetsk has ordered the formation of a city administrative government in Mariupol. This is what the Russian agency Tass reports. "A local administration is about to be established in the city of Mariupol", reads a decree of the government of the Russian separatists, whose entry into force is scheduled for today.
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Gas in rubles, Putin's decree provides for exemptions
The decree on the payment of gas in rubles signed by Vladimir Putin provides for the possibility that some payments will not be made in the currency of Moscow. The cases in which payment not in rubles will be authorized - explains Tass - will be identified by the government commission that supervises foreign investments. Putin then gave instructions to approve the authorization procedure for these permits within ten days.
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Russians retreating from Kiev
The Ukrainian Armed Forces are recording the partial withdrawal of Russian troop battalion tactical groups from Kiev. The Ukrainian media reported this, citing sources from the General Staff of the command of the ground forces of the armed forces.
"Nearly 700 units of equipment left for Ivankov and for the Belarusian border during the night" Ukrainian sources specify, speculating that it could be a repositioning or a transfer to the Donbass. However, the enemy "continues to launch missile attacks on the capital", they conclude.
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Moscow: "Hostile EU actions will have tough answers"
"We confirm that any further hostile action by the EU and its member states will inevitably meet with a harsh response." This was announced by the Russian Foreign Ministry, according to reports from TASS.
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Bombed bus convoy in Chernihiv
Russian troops shot down a bus convoy with volunteers near Chernihiv in northern Kiev. This was announced by the commissioner for human rights of Verkhovna Rada Lyudmila Denisova on Facebook, as reported by UNIAN.
"Five buses came under enemy fire when they tried to enter the besieged city to evacuate people. There were only civilian volunteers on the bus," Denisova wrote. As a result of the bombing, one person was killed and four were seriously injured. One of the vehicles managed to escape despite punctured tires.
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Moscow: "Biden's son implicated in pathogens"
The Russian Defense Ministry has a correspondence between Hunter Biden, the son of the President of the United States, with employees of the American Defense Threat Reduction Agency and Pentagon contractors, confirming his crucial role in providing funding for the work with agents. pathogens in Ukraine. The head of the Russian radiation protection forces, chemical and biological, Igor Kirillov said at a press conference, as reported by Tass. "The existence of this material is confirmed by the Western media," he added.
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Russians retreating from Chernobyl
The Russians began to withdraw from the Chernobyl site. This was announced by the Ukrainian nuclear agency.
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New US sanctions
The new US sanctions against Russia hit the aerospace, marine and electronics sectors, according to the US Treasury website.
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Scholz: "Gas is paid for in euros"
"We looked at the contracts, it says that you pay in euros. And I made it clear in the phone call that it will remain so". German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said this when answering a question in the chancellery on yesterday's interview with Putin and also on the latest statement by the Kremlin (a few minutes ago) which reiterated that gas will be paid for in rubles. "Businesses will be able to pay, they will want to pay and they will pay in euros," he added.
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France and Germany ready to block Russian gas imports
France and Germany ready to block Russian gas imports after Putin's announcement.
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Putin: "Without rubles existing contracts interrupted"
"Nobody sells us anything for free, and we will not even do charity work. This means that existing contracts, in the event of non-payment of gas in rubles, will be terminated." So Russian President Vladimir Putin according to TASS reports.
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Putin signs the gas decree in rubles
Vladimir Putin signed the presidential decree on the rules of Russian natural gas trade with so-called hostile countries for payment in rubles. This was announced by the Russian leader himself, adding that it will come into effect from tomorrow, April 1st.
The decree requires Gazprombank to open special accounts in the Russian currency for gas buyers from hostile countries.
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Putin: "Western countries open a ruble account"
Western countries will have to open a ruble account with Russian banks to pay for gas in rubles. Vladimir Putin said this, according to reports from TASS, underlining that the payment of gas in rubles is a step towards Russia's financial sovereignty.
The Russian president also warned Europeans: "American gas is more expensive, the US is trying to push Europeans to buy it".
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Strong explosion in the center of Kiev
A strong explosion was felt in the center of Kiev. The Kyiv Independent reports. The Ukrainian media notes that it could have been a Russian missile shot down by anti-aircraft or that the missile has hit its target.
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Erdogan: "I work at a Putin-Zelensky meeting"
"I intend to hold new talks with Presidents Vladimir Putin and Vladimir Zelensky. Our goal is to organize a meeting of the leaders of Russia and Ukraine as soon as possible. I will tell both of them clearly." This was stated by Turkish President Recep Tayyp Erdogan. "We are ready to provide the necessary platform. Based on the trust Putin and Zelensky have in Turkey, I hope we will be able to agree on a meeting date," he said, as reported by Russian and Ukrainian agencies Tass and UNIAN.
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Zelensky: "Nobody helps us to stop the Mariupol catastrophe"
"Marioupol is still there. Nobody has enough determination to help us stop the catastrophe. I ask all Europeans who listen: what do these defenders of Mariupol hope, the defenders of all places where they fight? Battles no less terrible than the battle of Ypres, perhaps even worse in Mariupol ". Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in a video link with the Belgian Parliament, quoted by Le Soir.
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Zelensky: "Peace more precious than diamonds"
"Peace is more precious than diamonds and Russian ships in your ports." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in a video link with the Belgian Parliament, quoted by Le Soir. "The Battle of Mariupol is certainly worse than the Battle of Ypres," he added.
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Kiev: "Catastrophic situation in Chernobyl"
"The situation in Chernobyl is catastrophic, the Russians are not in control of the situation. There is a risk of wide-ranging effects. The area of the power plant must be de-militarized. I wrote a letter myself to the UN Secretary General Guuterres for ask for it ". Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said this while meeting the international media in a videocall in Lviv.
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Stoltenberg: "Moscow does not withdraw, new offensives soon"
"According to intelligence, Moscow is not withdrawing but rather wants to strengthen its military operation in Donbass and maintain its pressure on Kiev. We can therefore expect more military actions and even more suffering." This was stated by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
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From Ukraine: the Senate confirms confidence in the Government, 214 yes and 35 no
The Senate Chamber confirms the government's confidence in the Ukraine decree with 214 votes in favor, 35 against and no abstentions. The provision is definitively approved.
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Red Cross: "Ready to lead the Mariupol evacuation from tomorrow"
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is ready to "lead" the evacuation of civilians from the Ukrainian city of Mariupol starting tomorrow on condition of having the necessary guarantees. This was stated by the organization in a statement. "It is desperately important for this operation to take place. The lives of tens of thousands of people in Mariupol depend on it," says the ICRC.
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Kiev: "Russian phosphorus bullets over Donetsk, children injured"
The Russian army fired phosphorus shells in the central part of the Donetsk region during the night. The report was reported by Pravda Ukraine citing the head of the regional military administration of Donetsk Pavlo Kyrylenko. "The Russians fired phosphorus bullets at Maryinka, Krasnohorivka and Novomykhailivtsi in the Donetsk region," Kyrylenko said on Telegram, adding that "eleven wounded were taken to hospital, 4 of them were children".
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Child and mother found dead after days in Kharkiv
An 11-year-old boy and his mother were killed in Russian bombing in Slobozhanske, in the district of Izium, in the Kharkiv region, the corpses were extracted from the rubble only today as in recent days the area was still under attack. This was reported by the Attorney General's Office, quoted by the UNIAN Agency, underlining that an investigation has been launched for violation of the laws of war.
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Derhachi town hall destroyed, at least one dead
At least one person died and three were injured in Russian bombing of the city of Derhachi, in the Kharkiv region, which destroyed one of the administrative buildings of the town hall. This was reported by the City Council, according to Ukrainian Pravda. "In the past 24 hours, the occupiers have bombed cities and civilians in our community in an intense and cynical way. Prudyanka, Slatine, Bezruky and especially Derhachi have been hit. One of the administrative buildings of the city council has been completely destroyed, many private homes in various districts they have suffered serious damage, several roads are without electricity ".
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Kiev: "Moscow ok to the Mariupol corridor, 45 buses ready"
"Tonight we received a message from the International Committee of the Red Cross confirming that Russia is ready to open a humanitarian corridor from Mariupol with transit to Berdyansk." This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshcuk on Telegram, announcing the dispatch from Kiev of 45 buses to Mariupol. "For today the following corridors have also been agreed: ️ for the delivery of humanitarian aid and the evacuation of people from the city of Melitopol; ️ for a convoy of people with their own means from the city of Energodar to Zaporizhia".
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The alarm of the British: "Possible cyber attacks against pro-Ukrainian countries"
Russia could launch cyber attacks against countries that support Ukraine: the Kyiv Independent writes, quoting the head of the British intelligence service, Jeremy Fleming. According to Fleming, Moscow is "seeking targets in countries that oppose its actions" in Ukraine.
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Kiev: "Moscow is looking for policemen to send to occupied cities"
Russia is recruiting policemen and prosecutors to send to temporarily occupied Ukrainian cities: the Kyiv Independent reports, citing the Ukrainian army. The people recruited will have the task of conducting "awareness" work with local authorities and the population.
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Moscow: "US or NATO structures close to Afghanistan unacceptable"
Russia has stated that it considers the presence of any US or NATO military infrastructure in Central Asia on the border with Afghanistan unacceptable: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said this, as reported by TASS, at the third ministerial conference of countries neighbors to Afghanistan (Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) underway in China.
(Unioneonline)
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