Strong resistance around kyiv
The Ukrainian resistance has forced the Russian army into a defensive position on the outskirts of kyiv, according to the Pentagon and the UK Ministry of Defense. The mayor of Irpin, Oleksandr Markushyn, also said in an interview with the CNN network that 80% of his city, located in the suburbs of the capital, was now under the control of the Ukrainian army.
kyiv forces also launched a counter-offensive on Friday in Kherson, in the south of the country, threatening to cause Russian troops to lose the only major urban center they have fully taken control of since the start of their invasion of Ukraine. , a month ago.
Moscow has also updated the toll of its military losses in Ukraine and reported on Friday that 1,351 Russian soldiers had fallen in combat since February 24. In fact, however, that number is more than 10,000, according to the Institute for the Study of War, a nonpartisan think tank of military experts.
Eastern Ukraine in Russia’s sights
The Russian army announced on Friday that it is now focusing on the east of the country, where the separatist regions of Donbass and Luhansk are located, where the Ukrainian Interior Ministry reported several bombardments on Friday.
Still in the east of the country, a bombardment on a medical center reportedly left four dead and three injured in the city of Kharkiv, regional police said.
The command center of the Ukrainian air forces, in Vinnytsia, in the center-west of the country, was also hit by Russian cruise missiles which would have caused significant damage. “The consequences of this strike by the occupiers are being assessed,” military authorities announced on Telegram.
Humanitarian mobilization in Mariupol
In Mariupol, the bombing of a theater last week reportedly killed at least 300 people, while around 600 people survived, local authorities said on Friday.
As casualties from Russian strikes continue to pile up in this beleaguered port city, France, Turkey and Greece will carry out an evacuation operation for civilians “in the very next few days”, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Friday. Macron. ” We will […] launch a humanitarian operation to evacuate all those who wish to leave Mariupol”, he declared at the end of a European summit in Brussels.
The balance sheet of civilian victims recorded by the UN has moreover crossed the threshold of one thousand to settle at 1081 deaths, including 93 children.
From 24 Feb—24 March, we recorded 2,788 civilian casualties in context of Russia’s armed attack against #Ukraine: 1,081 killed, including 93 children; 1,707 injured, incl 120 children, mostly caused by shelling & airstrikes. Actual toll is much higher. Update https://t.co/fgueJRLL28 pic.twitter.com/JddLAXbOTT
— UNHumanRightsUkraine (@UNHumanRightsUA) March 25, 2022
Negotiations break down
Peace negotiations are stalling, and the main sticking point remains the future of Crimea and Donbass. kyiv continues to insist that the two breakaway regions must return to its jurisdiction, an option ruled out by Moscow.
“The positions converge on the secondary points. But on the main [questions] policies, we are treading water,” suggested Russian chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky.
“Ukraine’s position is clear: ceasefire, security guarantees, no compromise on territorial integrity. But Russia is sticking to ultimatums,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter.
No consensus in negotiations yet. Ukraine’s position is clear: ceasefire, security guarantees, no compromises on territorial integrity. But Russia sticks to ultimatums. To stimulate a more constructive approach we need two things: more sanctions and more military aid for Ukraine.
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) March 25, 2022
With Agence France-Presse