The Minister of Defense of Ukraine Alexei Reznikov posted on Facebook that a real turning point was witnessed yesterday as the war became European, with half of Europe collecting, packing and delivering weapons and protective equipment.
After Vladimir Putin the previous days labeled the Ukrainian leaders “a gang of drug addicts and Nazis’ (even if President Zelensky is of Jewish nationality), the sides announced a round of talks on the border between Ukraine and Belarus for this morning. “Sincerely, I do not believe in the success of this meeting, but let them try,” Unian said, quoting President Zelensky.
“Nezavisimaya Gazeta” reported from Moscow that the meeting in Pripyat does not seem to be a capitulation of Ukraine.
To raise the stake of talks, President Putin ordered to place the nuclear forces on high alert.
The EU agreed to disconnect the banks subject to Western sanctions from the SWIFT system. Speaking about the decision, Josep Borrell explained that the EU cannot fully disconnect the Russian Federation from SWIFT as Russia’s economy is connected with the economies of other countries.
The EU’s foreign policy chief also said that for the first time ever, the European Union will finance the purchase and delivery of weapons and other equipment by the value of €450 million and €50 million more for the non-lethal supplies to a country that is under attack.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s actions to deal with the Russian invasion are fully or mostly supported by 91% of the Ukrainians, shows a poll of the sociological company “Rating” that was published on February 27.
The EU closed its airspace to Russian aircraft as from February 28 and imposed bans on the state-owned media outlets RT and Sputnik. Another package of economic restrictions was imposed on Belarus.
As a result of an air attack by Russian troops on the airdrome in Gostomel, near Kiev, there was burned an An-225 Mriya plane, which is the heaviest aircraft ever built.
The adviser to the Ukrainian President Alexei Arestovich said the invaders of Ukraine lost about 4,500 persons during four days of war, about 1,500 of whom were killed.
For its part, the Russian Federation admitted that it suffers losses in the war, but didn’t make figures public.
Fights for the largest Ukrainian cities, Kyiv and Kharkov, took place yesterday and last nights. The mayor of Kiev Vitaly Klitschko said there are no Russian troops in the capital city now, while the Ukrainian armed forces have again full control over Kharkov.
Ukraine filed a lawsuit against Russia at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. President Volodymyr Zelensky requested the Court immediately orders Russia to halt its invasion, and that the country expects trials to begin soon.
Turkey reportedly closed the Dardanelles and Bosphorus Straits to Russian ships. In accordance with the Montreux Convention, the warships of conflicting states cannot pass through these straits.
