► Continued evacuations in Sloviansk
Civilians continued Wednesday to evacuate the bombed city of Sloviansk in eastern Ukraine, the next objective and priority of Russian forces. “The evacuation is in progress”said the mayor of the city. “There are currently 23,000 inhabitants left” in Sloviansk, which had around 110,000 before the conflict, he added in a video.
In this city bombarded for several weeks, “Essential infrastructure is still functioning, but there has been no central water supply network for a month and a third of the city is regularly without electricity”underlined the mayor.
To the south, the Russians are still bombarding the Mykolaiv region. “The threat of missile fire persists in the region” because Russia “maintains four ships equipped with high-precision weapons in the Black Sea”, estimates the Ukrainian army. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, this could change because “Western artillery, the weapons we received from our partners began to act very effectively” et “our defenders inflict severe blows” to Russian logistics.
► Russia wants to divide Europeans
The Russian informational influence apparatus is in working order to fuel divisions within European public opinion over support for Ukraine, according to a study by an American firm published on Thursday.
The longer the war will last, “the more likely it is to naturally lead to an erosion of support for the Western coalition, brought about by war fatigue and reluctance to suffer long-term economic effects”estimates the American firm specializing in intelligence, Recorded Future.
Finally, the firm affirms that Russia is carrying out a series of influence operations to influence international public opinion. “Based on observations of Russian influence networks, Recorded Future believes that direct attempts to undermine and divide the Western coalition by creating or exacerbating divisions are primarily aimed at France, Germany, Poland and Turkey.”.
► Lithuania sends combat drone to Ukraine
Lithuania on Wednesday exhibited a Turkish combat drone it is preparing to send to Ukraine to help fight Russia after raising 5.9 million euros for its purchase and popular mobilization. “This weapon will be sent to Ukraine immediately after being presented to the public”said the Minister of Defense.
The Lithuanians collected 5.9 million euros in three and a half days during a public quest to buy this Turkish military drone TB2 for Ukraine, before the manufacturer Bayraktar announced that it was offering it. Part of the funds was then intended to arm the drone, while the rest was devoted to financing humanitarian aid for Ukraine.
► TotalEnergies renounces its stake in a Russian oil field
The energy giant TotalEnergies announced on Wednesday that it had sold its 20% stake in the Khariaga field, in the Russian Arctic, to the Russian company Zaroubejneft, which had already inherited the role of operator of the site since 2016.
“In line with our principles of action set out on March 22 regarding our disengagement from Russian oil (…)TotalEnergies has agreed to the transfer to Zaroubejneft of the residual 20% interest that the Company held”indicated the French group, specifying that “This transaction is subject to the agreement of the Russian authorities”. No amount has been disclosed for this transaction.