Israeli Prime Minister Naphtali Bennett in Russia. Meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Indications are that the Ukraine issue is the main topic of discussion. After the meeting with Putin, Bennett spoke by phone with Ukrainian President Vladimir Selensky. Ukraine has called on Israel to intervene to end the war.
Ukraine hopes that Israel’s close ties with Russia will improve. Bennett may mediate tomorrow’s peace talks. Last year, the Russian president made it clear that he would not back down without achieving their demand. Russia is likely to repeat the same in tomorrow’s talks.
Meanwhile, as the war entered its eleventh day, Russia intensified its military operations in Ukraine. Heavy violence has continued since the ceasefire ended yesterday. Russia has been on high alert since the ceasefire was declared yesterday in the cities of Mariupol and Volnovaka. Mariupol is completely under Russian control. Russia has extended its aggression to the city of Odessa with the aim of capturing the entire southern coast. The capital, Kia, was also hit by airstrikes last night. The Russian army, which is stationed 3 km from the city, remains the same.
There are reports of clashes with the Ukrainian army. The bomber struck shortly after noon in front of a police station in the northwestern city of Irvine and another major city, Chernobyl. The Ukrainian military has released footage of Russian planes firing and seizing vehicles. Ukraine claims that 66,000 people have returned to the country from abroad to fight Russia. At the same time, Putin threatened to declare war on whoever blocked the airspace over Ukraine.