In his daily update, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke of an “increasingly complicated” situation for his troops around Bakhmout.
No glimmer of hope at the dawn of this second year of conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke on Monday, February 27, of a situation “increasingly complicated” for his troops in the east of the country, near the fortress city of Bakhmout, targeted for weeks by Russian forces. Further west, drone strikes killed at least two people, authorities said, while on the diplomatic front, the battle for sanctions continued to rage. Here is what to remember from this new day of conflict.
The Russian noose is tightening around Bakhmout
Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged on Monday evening the growing difficulties of his troops around Bakhmout, symbol of the struggle for control of the Donbass region, in the east of the country. “The situation is getting more and more complicated”he said in his daily message. “The enemy systematically destroys everything that can be used to protect our positions”he added, calling it “true heroes” the Ukrainian soldiers engaged in this battle.
The head of the Donetsk region appointed by Moscow, Denis Pushilin, assured that all access routes to the fortress city of Bakhmout were “within arms reach” pro-Russian forces. These are trying for several weeks to encircle Bakhmout and succeeded in cutting off several important supply routes for the Ukrainian troops.
Two dead in Russian drone strikes
Two people were killed and three injured in western Ukraine, in Khmelnytsky, during a Russian attack which targeted several regions overnight from Sunday to Monday and involved a total of more than ten manufactured combat drones. Iranian, authorities said.
The two people who died are rescuers who were on duty, according to the mayor and governor of Khmelnytsky. While busy at the scene of an initial drone strike, they fell victim to another Russian attack, “deliberate on our defenseless heroes”aged 21 and 31, reported Ukrainian Interior Minister Igor Klimenko on Facebook.
The Kremlin denounces the “absurd” European sanctions
The Kremlin on Monday “absurd” the new sanctions imposed on Friday by the European Union to Russia a year after the start of its offensive in Ukraine. “We can see that they place anyone under sanctions (…), just to make new lists”declared the spokesman of the Russian presidency, Dmitry Peskov, assuring that these measures would not go “not bother” the people sanctioned. He judged “obvious” that the EU will continue its policy of sanctions and that “new legal and moral persons will find themselves in an absurd way” on his lists.
EU extends sanctions against Belarus
The European Council, which represents the 27 member states of the EU, has announced that it is extending its sanctions against Belarus for a year for the continued repression by the regime of Alexander Lukashenko and its support for the war. led by Russia in Ukraine.
Since August 2020, the EU has imposed several rounds of sanctions against those responsible for political repression and human rights abuses. President Alexander Lukashenko and 194 other figures close to the regime have been banned from entering the EU and their assets have been frozen. In addition, 34 entities have been sanctioned and all European funding is prohibited.
Washington pays 1.2 billion dollars to Kyiv
Visiting Ukraine, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced the transfer of $1.2 billion in budget support to Ukraine. “This is the first installment of nearly $10 billion in budget support that the United States will provide in the coming months.”, she said during a speech. According to her, this support allows “the Ukrainian government and essential public services to remain operational”in particular by continuing to pay teachers, firefighters or by helping the millions of displaced people in the country.
According to Janet Yellen, the United States provided almost $50 billion in aid in 2022 “safe, economic and humanitarian” to Ukraine, making Washington “largest bilateral donor” from Kyiv. Washington hailed “President Zelensky’s fervent commitment to managing these funds in the most responsible way”.