War in Ukraine: Vladimir Putin determined to achieve his goals “through negotiation or through war” – France Bleu

The Russian army continues its offensive in Ukraine, on the 11th day of conflict. Fighting continues on several fronts, notably near the strategic port of Mariupol, in southeastern Ukraine and near the capital, Kiev. A new attempt to evacuate civilians from the port city of Mariupol was scheduled for Sunday, evacuation suspended again according to the International Committee of the Red Cross. A humanitarian corridor should lead civilians to the city of Zaparojie, about three hours away.

The Russian bombardments have made “thousands injured” said the mayor of Mariupol in an interview broadcast Saturday evening on YouTube. Food and medicine do not arrive. The city has had no electricity or communication network for five days. “The city of Mariupol no longer exists” launched Vadim Boitchenko. “I ask our American and European partners: help us, save Mariupol!”

Mariupol no longer exists – The mayor of the port city, Vadim Boitchenko

Russia has asked the European Union and NATO to “stop supplying arms” to Ukraine, Saturday. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Moscow, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles could end up in the hands of terrorists, posing a threat to airlines.

A third negotiation meeting between Ukraine and Russia is scheduled for Monday. But until then, Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, threatens to deprive Ukraine of its “state status”. He also compared the international sanctions that hit Russia to a “declaration of war”.

Putin determined to achieve his goals

Emmanuel Macron spoke again with Vladimir Poutine this Sunday noon, for 1h45 specifies the Élysée. It was the 14th exchange between the two presidents since mid-December. The last exchange dated back to last Thursday, after which Emmanuel Macron predicted that “the worst is yet to come”.

During this new exchange, Vladimir Putin indicated that he remained determined to achieve his objectives “by negotiation or by war”, according to the Elysee. Emmanuel Macron found it “very determined to achieve its objectives”of which “what the Russian president calls the ‘denazification’ and neutralization of Ukraine” as well as the recognition of the independence of Crimea and Donbass, requirements which are, according to Paris, “unacceptable for Ukrainians”.

The Russian president also accused the Ukrainian authorities of thwarting the humanitarian evacuation operations from Mariupol. Vladimir Poutine “draw attention to the fact that Kiev continues to not respect the agreements reached on these humanitarian issues”adding that “Ukrainian nationalists prevented the evacuation” Saturday from Mariupol and Volnovakha, the Kremlin reported.

The two presidents also discussed the nuclear threat. The French president insisted on the need to secure the Chernobyl power plant and the other nuclear sites. According to the Elysée Palace, Vladimir Poutine told Emmanuel Macron that he was not “not in his intention” to attack nuclear power plants.

Finally, Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed his determination to obtain a ceasefire and the creation of humanitarian corridors.

Of new sanctions targeting Moscow are in discussion between the Western countries, indicated the Elysée at the end of this interview. The French president will meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday.

Earlier this Sunday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke on the phone with the Russian President, to whom he demanded a “urgent general ceasefire” in Ukraine, according to a press release from the Turkish presidency.

Meanwhile, Minister Florence Parly arrived at midday this Sunday at the NATO air base in Constanta, south-eastern Romaniaon the Black Sea, only two hours drive from Ukraine. “The Alliance is not threatening Russia. Europe is not threatening Russia. Nobody is threatening Russia”, declared the Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly.

“War crimes” against civilians?

The head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken judged on Sunday “very believable” information about “war crimes” committed by Russia in Ukraine, during an interview with the American channel CNN. “We have seen very credible reports of deliberate attacks on civilians that would constitute a war crime”he said, assuring that the United States “examined” these informations.

For his part, Vladimir Putin has “denied” with Emmanuel Macron “that his army is targeting civilians” indicates the Elysée after the interview between the two heads of state.

But according to the Ukrainian embassy in France, “the humanitarian situation in Ukraine is becoming increasingly serious.” The embassy refers to “permanent attacks” in residential neighborhoods and on civil infrastructure sites that “cause devastating destruction” and that “make life impossible for the civilian population”.

“Mariupol remains under blockade”also explains the embassy. “Among the main problems: the inhabitants do not have access to drinking water, the city lacks food, there is no electricity and no electricity supply.”

Concern around the Zaporozhye power plant

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Sunday expressed its “deep concern” following information about theinterruption of communications with the nuclear power plant Ukrainian Zaporozhye, the largest in Europe, which Russia seized on Friday.

The IAEA, the United Nations nuclear watchdog, said in a statement that Ukraine had informed it that the management of this plant, located in the south-east of Ukrainian territory, was now under the command of Russian forces. Kiev also said that the Russian military had cut some mobile and internet networks and that telephone lines, mailboxes and faxes were no longer working. According to the Ukrainian authorities, only communications by mobile phone are still possible there, but of poor quality, the IAEA said.

“I am extremely concerned by these events that have been reported to me today”said IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. “In order to be able to operate the plant safely, management and staff must be allowed to perform their vital tasks under stable conditions, free from undue outside interference or pressure.” In this regard, he said “deeply concerned” by “the deterioration of the situation regarding vital communications between the regulatory authority and the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant”. “Reliable communications between regulator and operator are an essential part of overall nuclear safety and security”he noted.

France sends iodine to Ukraine

France sent to Ukraine “various medical products”including iodine, to guard against the risk of a nuclear accident during combat with the Russian army, said Sunday evening its Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian.

Previously, the French ambassador to Ukraine had reported on the BFMTV channel about the supply in the coming days of “2.5 million doses of iodine to be able to ward off any nuclear danger”.

More than 1.5 million Ukrainian refugees

The count is daily from the UN. The number of refugees who left Ukraine in a few days is exponential. The UN now counts more than 1.5 million refugees who have left Ukraine after ten days of conflict, 140,000 more than the day before. Poland hosts the largest number of refugees arriving since the start of the Russian invasion, more than one in two refugees.

Update on the ongoing fights

According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Vinnytsia Airport in central Ukraine was destroyed by Russian strikes. He also announces that Russia is preparing to bomb Odessa. “It will be a military crime. It will be a historic crime”Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video message.

Elsewhere in the country, the Ukrainian armed forces “fighting fiercely” against Russian forces for control of the cities of Mykolayev, in the south, and Cherniguiv, in the north, the Ukrainian general staff said in a statement on Facebook this Sunday morning. A Ukrainian military operation was also underway in the Donetsk region (east). “The main efforts are focused on the city of Mariupol”a strategic port in the south-east of the country, added the staff.

The Ukrainian president announced on Saturday that the Ukrainian forces had launched a counter-attack around Kharkiv (north-east), the second city of Ukraine (1.4 million inhabitants), the scene of among the most intense bombardments since the start of the war.

According to a Sunday report from the Ukrainian embassy in France, the Ukrainian armed forces have killed more than 11,000 Russian soldiers since the beginning of the war on February 24. 985 armored vehicles were destroyed, along with 285 tanks, 109 guns and more than 90 planes and helicopters.

TikTok suspended in Russia

The social network TikTok announced on Sunday that it was suspending the possibility of posting new videos on its platform in Russia, due to the new law penalizing the dissemination of information that could “discredit” the Russian army and its invasion of Ukraine.

“In view of the new law on ‘false information’, we have no other choice but to suspend live broadcasts and the posting of new content (…) while we study the possible consequences for safety” employees of TikTok and its users, explained the social network in a series of tweets.

Sting sings “Russians” in support of Ukrainians

He had taken this song out of his repertoire for many years. Sting released a video this Saturday night in which he performs one of his greatest hits, “Russians”, to support the Ukrainian people and raise funds for refugees. It had been written in the middle of the Cold War in the face of fears linked to the nuclear threat. “In light of one man’s bloody and terribly misguided decision to invade a peaceful and non-threatening neighbor explains Sting, the song is, once again, a plea for our common humanity. For the brave Ukrainians who are fighting against this brutal tyranny and also for the many Russians who are protesting this outrage despite the threat of arrest and imprisonment.”