Nearly 2,500 km2 of territory have been recaptured from Russian forces by the Ukrainian army since the start of the counter-offensive launched at the end of September, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday 7 October. At the same time, pro-Russian forces claimed responsibility for taking three villages in the east of the country. Franceinfo takes stock of the day’s news on the frontline of the war in Ukraine.
Ukrainian army recaptured nearly 2,500 sq km in latest counter-offensive, says Volodymyr Zelensky
The Ukrainian army has taken over nearly 2,500 km2 of territory controlled by Russian forces during its last counter-offensive launched at the end of September, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday.
“This week alone, our soldiers liberated 776 km2 of territory in the east of our country and 29 localities, six of them in the Luhansk region. In total, 2,434 km2 of our territory and 96 localities have already been liberated since the beginning of this offensive operation”he welcomed in his daily speech published on social networks.
Volodymyr Zelensky asks the EU to put more “pressure” on the Russian energy sector
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked the European Union on Friday to “Continue” to put “pressure” on the Russian energy sector after the adoption of the eighth package of EU sanctions since the invasion of Ukraine. “We must continue to move in this direction (…) on this main source of income for the aggressor state”, he added, addressing European leaders gathered in Prague.
He thanked the EU for this new sanctions package, which imposes new trade restrictions on Russia and extends the list of people subject to asset freezes and travel bans in the EU.
Ukraine’s Nobel Peace Prize co-winner calls for Putin to be tried in international court
The director of the Ukrainian Center for Civil Liberties, who is among the three winners of the Nobel Peace Prizecalled on Friday for the creation of an international tribunal to try the Russian president. “It is necessary to create an international tribunal and bring Putin to justice, [le président biélorusse Alexandre] Lukashenko and other war criminals”, said Alexandra Matviïtchouk on her Facebook page.
That same day, the UN Human Rights Council for the first time established a mandate for a special rapporteur to monitor the repression of opponents in Russia.
Pro-Russian forces claim the capture of three villages in the east of the country
Pro-Russian separatists fighting alongside Moscow forces in four regions of Ukraine illegally annexed by Russia claimed responsibility on Friday for the capture of three villages near the eastern town of Bakhmout. According to the account of the fighters of the separatist stronghold of Donetsk on Telegram, these captured villages are those of Otradivka, Vessela Dolyna and Zaïtsevé. These gains are the first announced by the forces of Moscow, in difficulty in the face of a counter-offensive by Ukrainian troops launched in early September.
“Intense” negotiations to extend the grain export agreement
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and his teams are actively working to extend the Ukraine grain export deal, which has helped lower global food prices, his spokesman said on Friday.
“The Secretary-General’s teams are engaged in intense contact on these issues. (Antonio) Guterres and his team are working hard to prolong and expand the Black Sea Grains Initiative”said Stéphane Dujarric. “They are also actively working to remove the remaining obstacles to Russian grain and fertilizer exports”he added.