On the 72nd day of the war in Ukraine, the UN attempts a new operation to evacuate civilians entrenched in the Azovstal metallurgical complex in Mariupol. A new convoy is expected on Friday as kyiv assures that Russian forces continue to shell the factory, despite the promise of a three-day ceasefire that began Thursday morning. The point on what to remember this Friday.
The essential
- New UN convoy expected to evacuate civilians from Azovstal
- kyiv says Russian forces continue to shell factory, despite promise of truce
- Russians Acknowledge Western Support Held Back ‘Special Military Operation’ in Ukraine
- Vladimir Putin apologizes to Israel after top diplomat says Hitler had ‘Jewish blood’
- Listen to Radio France’s daily podcast on the situation in Ukraine here
The situation on the military front
A new UN convoy to evacuate civilians from Azovstal
A new UN convoy is on its way Friday to the Azovstal factory, the last pocket of Ukrainian resistance in Mariupol, to evacuate civilians trapped there, the United Nations said. Despite a promise of a three-day ceasefire starting Thursday morning, kyiv says Russian forces are continuing to shell the steelworks. In a video, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky indicates that the Russian bombardments continue to rage “while civilians have yet to be evacuated, women, children“.
“Imagine this hell! And there are children! More than two months of non-stop bombardment, death constantly close“, he added. Russian President Vladimir Putin for his part affirmed that “‘the Russian army was always ready to ensure the evacuation of civilians“. They could still be 200 to find themselves trapped in the plant. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov meanwhile assured that the Russian army respected the ceasefire around the steel plant and that humanitarian corridors around Azovstal”were working“. What the Ukrainian fighters on the spot have denied. The deputy commander of the Azov regiment, which defends these installations, Sviatoslav Palamar, assured in a video that “bloody fights“were taking place inside the site itself and that the Russians”did not keep their promise“Truce.
A first evacuation operation organized from last weekend by the UN and the ICRC had already made it possible to evacuate 101 civilians from this immense metallurgical complex.
Moscow acknowledges that Western support has hampered its “special military operation”
Since the start of the invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has only been able to claim full control of one major city, that of Kherson, in the south. Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for the Kremlin, acknowledged that Western support had dampened the “special military operation” Russian triggered on February 24.
“The United States, the United Kingdom, NATO as a whole constantly share intelligence data with the Ukrainian armed forces. Combined with the supply of weapons (…), these actions do not make it possible to quickly complete“The offensive, he let go. The New York Times wrote that the information provided by Washington to kyiv had made it possible to target several Russian generals. Information denied Thursday by the Pentagon.
These actions “are not, however, in a position to prevent“Russia to achieve its”Goals“in Ukraine, added Dmitry Peskov, after ten weeks of a military operation which left thousands dead, pushed more than five million Ukrainians into exile. Russia maintains that one of the initial objectives was to “denazify” the country.
The diplomatic situation and international reactions
Putin apologizes to Israel
Russian President Vladimir Putin has apologized to Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett for his Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s remarks, saying Adolf Hitler had to “jewish blood“.Volodymyr”Zelensky makes this argument: how can Nazism be present (in Ukraine) if he himself is Jewish. I could be wrong, but Hitler also had Jewish blood“Sergei Lavrov had declared Sunday evening to the Italian media group Mediaset. Transcribed by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this allegation, which refers to rumors regularly denied by historians, aroused the anger of Israel.
France to provide $300 million in additional aid
France will increase its overall aid to Ukraine to 2 billion dollars against 1.7 billion so far, i.e. an additional $300 million, Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday in a video broadcast during the international donors’ conference. This new contribution does not concern the military component, said the Elysée. Paris has already provided Ukraine with 100 million euros in humanitarian aid in the first days of the invasion and enabled the delivery of more than 800 tonnes of material, including medical equipment. He also released 1.7 billion dollars to support the Ukrainian state budget and its investments.
Emmanuel Macron hailed “the exceptional mobilization of Ukraine’s European neighbours, in particular the Polish people, who since February 24 have welcomed several million Ukrainians“.”The solidarity expressed by Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Moldova is exceptional, and it is right and normal that we can collectively support them in their solidarity effort, in the same way as direct support we provide to Ukraine“, added the French president.
“We must be ready to assume this effort over the long term, in the context of a conflict which, unfortunately, is likely to continue and of which we have not yet seen all the dramatic consequences“, concluded Emmanuel Macron, adding that “the determination and dignity of the people and the Ukrainian authorities command the admiration of all“.
More than 6 billion euros raised at an international donor conference
At an international donor conference in Warsaw, more than six billion euros earmarked for Ukraine were raised. Announcement made by the Polish Prime Minister which states that “this money will be distributed to support Ukraine and all those who support Ukraine“.”When Russia brings death, the countries of the free world must help and I think this conference here in Warsaw has shown a huge dose of solidarity among us“, said Mateusz Morawiecki.
During this conference organized by Poland and Sweden with the participation of the European Union, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for his part, via a video-connection, to “immediately grant Ukraine candidate status“to the EU.”Ukraine’s EU membership must be absolute reality, not just a promise or a prospect“, he said. He also called “civilized partners“to be patronized”regions, cities and industries of Ukraineto support their reconstruction.
The humanitarian situation and solidarity with Ukrainians
According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 5.4 million Ukrainians have fled their country. Women and children represent 90% of these refugees, men aged 18 to 60, likely to be mobilized, not having the right to leave. More than 7.7 million people have left their homes but are still in Ukraine, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
