On the sixteenth day of the war, Russia’s attack on Ukraine intensifies. As the EU decides to impose new sanctions, news arrives regarding the advancement of Moscow’s troops, who have continued to bomb the cities and would be ever closer to Kiev. The situation is dramatic a Mariupolwhere civilian casualties are reported to be around 1600. In the evening, heavy bombings by Russian forces were recorded around the city of Mykolaiv, in southern Ukraine. Social media videos showed fires in the region as Vitaliy Kim, head of the administration of the Mykolaiv region, spoke of “hostility close to Guryivka“, north of the city.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmitro Kuleba, denied the openings of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, who had spoken of progress in the negotiations between Kiev and Moscow, assuring that the negotiations have not produced any results at the moment.
KIEV – According to Pentagon sources in the last 24 hours on the other hand, the front of the Russian advance has come closer to Kiev which moves from the north and is now “between 20 and 30 kilometers” from the city center. While the one that moves from the East is now repositioning itself around Sumy about 15 kilometers from the center of the capital
MARIUPOL – The Mariupol authorities have announced that 1,582 civilians were killed in Mariupol since the Russian siege of the city in southeastern Ukraine began 12 days ago. Yesterday the evacuation from the city failed. Today “we will try again,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the reintegration of temporarily occupied territories Irina Vereshchuk. The authorities have asked Turkey to intercede with Moscow. “Our government cannot talk to the Russian government and therefore we hope that the Turkish government can talk to them to save these Turkish citizens together with the Ukrainians,” municipal councilor Petro Andryushchenko wrote on Telegram, referring to 86 Turks, 34 of whom are children. trapped in a mosque. The city is hit relentlessly by the attacks and the inhabitants are unable to get out, he added. “We are ready for any operation to evacuate Turkish citizens but to do this Turkey must help us stop the attacks. Without the help of the Turkish government I think it is impossible”.
CERNIHIV – Due to the bombings, the city of Cernihiv is on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe: it was left without electricity, water, gas and heating “, says Lyudmyla Denysova, in charge of the Ukrainian Parliament for human rights.” It is not even possible to bury the dead in the city cemetery. “” More than 250 thousand people are waiting with fear for the cold night and the next air attacks, which cause dozens of civilian victims – Denysova adds – The water pipes have been partially restored, but it will take at least 3-4 days “. The commissioner for human rights then makes an appeal:” I ask the international community to listen to Ukraine, and stop Russia’s arbitrary air attacks on peaceful towns and cities, closing the skies above the country. “
SUMY – “The humanitarian situation is very complicated. The city of Ohtyrka is without heating, destroyed. It is cold, at night the temperature drops to -15 degrees and in the house without windows and heating you can’t stay in. The civilians just have to move to the houses of other nearby inhabited centers, alone through the woods as the city is occupied. Ledebyn is occupied by the Russians, who chase people into the street at night and force them to stay close to their posts, their military vehicles to prevent ours from attacking them. They set fire to civilian homes and force them to watch. Neither did the Nazis. This is why we do not understand why strong military aid from the world is not yet arriving. ” This was stated by Dmytro Zhyvytskyy, governor of the administration of the Sumy region in connection with the Ukrainian TV channels a little while ago. “The green corridors to date have not been confirmed – he continues – in the previous days we evacuated about 60 thousand civilians from Trostyanets, Krasnopillia, Sumy. However, the Russian army is not as strong as they say, the military are captured by the citizens (104 in Sumy) from the territorial defense: we saw when we hit one or two vehicles of the column how the soldiers then ran away into the woods. Perhaps they have many means but their men are cowards, strong only in fighting with civilians “.
SANCTIONS – And it is the fourth package of sanctions against Moscow by the European Union is coming. This is what the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen anticipated at Versailles, underlining that these measures “will further isolate Russia from the global economic system” and “will further increase the cost for Putin of the invasion of Ukraine”.
The United States, for its part, has imposed a stop on imports from Russia of caviar, vodka and diamonds. The decision, which had been anticipated by White House sources at CNN, corresponds to the ban on exports of American luxury products to Russia, which Biden also referred to in his speech, which include clothing, jewelry, cars and tobacco. . But the list of new sanctions launched by the US administration is long and even broader. The document, signed by Biden and released by the White House, provides for the stop to: import of fish, fish preparations (caviar), alcohol, non-industrial diamonds; direct and indirect export or sale of luxury goods to Russian citizens; investments in any sector of the Russian Federation; export or sale of dollar banknotes. Finally, operations, financing and guarantees by American citizens towards entities or persons of the Russian Federation are prohibited.
G7 – Meanwhile the G7 countries are called “united” and “determined” in holding Vladimir Putin and his “regime” responsible for the war unjustified and without provocation “unleashed against Ukraine, which” has already isolated Russia from the world “, reads the joint note released by the leaders of the G7, who appeal to the world to join in calling for Russia to” stop immediately “the aggression against Ukraine and withdraw its forces.” We stand in solidarity with those who are courageously opposing the invasion “, say the leaders, who ask Russia to” guarantee “” safe “humanitarian access to the victims of military aggression and to allow “safe passage” to civilians who intend to leave Ukraine. – “In addition” to the measures already announced and implemented to isolate Russia economically from the rest of the world, the G7 countries are committed to make “further efforts to reduce dependence on Russian energy”, but in an “orderly” manner and so that there is time for the world to be guaranteed “safe and sustainable alternative supplies”. joint note issued by G7 leaders. The ‘Big 7’ also confirm their commitment to “further isolate” Russia from their economies and the international financial system and undertake to “take further measures as soon as possible”. The G7 countries are “determined to thwart the Russian regime’s attempts to spread disinformation” about the invasion of Ukraine. It is one of the commitments made by the leaders of the G7, who in a joint note affirm their support for the “right of the Russians to free and non-partisan information”.
NEGOTIATIONS – The Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmitri Kuleba, denied the openings of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, who had spoken of progress in the negotiations between Kiev and Moscow, assuring that the negotiations have not produced any results at the moment. “I find it difficult to understand what kind of progress President Putin is referring to because the negotiations have made zero progress,” Kuleba said in an interview with Bloomberg. However, Kuleba reiterated his country’s readiness to discuss a declaration of neutrality. “If we can’t be NATO members, we can build something similar to NATO around us, countries that can give Ukraine security guarantees,” he said, referring to regional security bodies.
WAR CRIMES – The investigation team sent by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to shed light on the situation in Ukraine has the collection of evidence of any crimes has already begun. This was announced by the prosecutor himself, Karim AA Khan. “I am also personally seeking to engage with all stakeholders and conflicting parties with the aim of strengthening channels for gathering relevant information and promoting coordinated action towards our common goal of ensuring that those responsible are called to answer for crimes falling within the jurisdiction of the Court “. “International criminal investigations – he adds – require the involvement of all those who can hold information relevant to our work. In particular, witnesses, survivors and affected communities must have the power to actively contribute to our investigations. There cannot be. viewers in our effort to establish the truth and prosecute alleged perpetrators of international crimes. I can therefore announce today that my Office has set up a dedicated portal through which any person capable of holding information relevant to the situation in Ukraine can contact our investigators. I encourage anyone with relevant information to come forward and contact our team through this platform, “reads the statement released by the Court’s website.