As Monday draws to a close in Kyiv and in Moscow, here are the key developments of the day: I think Putin is not man enough just like Trump to say he made mistake. So he will just keep killing innocent people period.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that thousands of Russian troops are massing for a new offensive in eastern Ukraine — an assessment backed by Western governments. A senior American defense official says the U.S. continues to see signs of Russian command-and-control elements, support battalions, infantry, and helicopters moving into the Donbas region from just across the border in Russia.
Ukrainian officials say at least 1,200 civilians have been killed in the Kyiv area. Recovery efforts continue in the suburbs, cities, and towns outside the capital. Bodies have been found in basements and manholes and being recovered from destroyed buildings and homes.
Russia’s war could shrink the Ukrainian economy by 45% this year, the World Bank warns. Sanctions imposed on Russia are expected to cut its output by 11.2%, economists say. Emerging and developing countries in this region already had been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, a World Bank report notes.
Russia’s Defense Ministry accused the U.S. of aiding Ukraine in what Russia said were efforts to fake atrocities against civilians and place the blame on Russian forces. Faced with a growing body of evidence that Russian forces carried out summary executions of Ukrainian civilians near Kyiv and other cities, Russia continues to dismiss the atrocities as fakes or “provocations.” In Monday’s statement, the ministry said: “The United States, which has many years of experience in organizing provocations with human victims, continues its campaign to create and promote false ‘evidence.'” It did not provide evidence to back up its claims.
A Russian woman who interrupted a live news broadcast to protest Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been hired as a freelance reporter by Germany’s Welt media group. Marina Ovsyannikova was an editor at Russia’s state Channel One when she jumped onto the set holding a sign that denounced the war and Kremlin propaganda promoting it. She was detained and fined for doing so. “At a crucial moment, Marina Ovsyannikova had the courage to confront Russian viewers with an unembellished view of reality,” said Ulf Poschardt, Welt’s editor-in-chief in a statement. Ovsyannikova will cover Russia and Ukraine.
Austria’s Chancellor Karl Nehammer met in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the first face-to-face exchange between Putin and a Western leader since Russia invaded Ukraine. As a nonaligned European country, Austria has traditionally played a unique role between NATO member states and Russia. “This is not a friendly visit,” said Nehammer in a statement. “My most important message to Putin was that this war must finally end because in a war there are only losers on both sides.” The Kremlin did not comment.
Sean Penn Back From Ukraine: Zelenskyy Was ‘Born For This’
Sean Penn says this country of Ukraine and he says Zelennskyy is the real deal. He will be dead because the Russian has made a mistake Killing Zelenskyy is not going to win. He becomes a mortar they will fight to the last man and you will have no country. If Russia wins this is we in our country are in trouble. Sean Pen we need to get together and find out what was going on. He was in the war with 50,000 to 100,000 men Russia was wrong. He needed these sanctions earlier. Fox News is a piece of shit network period for entertainment purposes. Sean pen is getting the word out and now this war is in a bad place. Sean Penn wants Vengence if there is a God. He is sickened by Russia and this war.
Zelenskyy: This week is crucial for Ukraine’s fate
In his nightly address Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned his nation that the coming week would be as crucial as any in the war and accused Russia of trying to evade responsibility for war crimes.
“When people lack the courage to admit their mistakes, apologize, adapt to reality and learn, they turn into monsters,” Zelenskyy said. “And when the world ignores it, the monsters decide that it is the world that has to adapt to them. Ukraine will stop all this.”
Zelenskyy called on Western countries, including Germany, to provide more assistance to Ukraine. During talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Zelenskyy said he discussed how to strengthen sanctions against Russia and how to force Moscow to seek peace.
“I am glad to note that the German position has recently changed in favor of Ukraine. I consider it absolutely logical,” Zelenskyy said.
Russia could use phosphorus bombs in Mariupol, Brits warn
Russian forces have used phosphorous “munitions” in the Donetsk region in the past, raising the possibility they could be used in Mariupol as fighting for the city intensifies, the British Defense Ministry warned Monday. Phosphorus can ignite on contact with oxygen and severely burn human flesh, but it is not classified as a chemical weapon under the Chemical Weapons Convention.
Russian shelling has continued in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Ukrainian forces have repelled several assaults and destroyed Russian tanks, vehicles and artillery equipment, the ministry said in its latest assessment.
“Russia’s continued reliance on unguided bombs decreases their ability to discriminate when targeting and conducting strikes while greatly increasing the risk of further civilian casualties,” the assessment warned. This is just pure evil.
