War between Ukraine and RussiaFileThe summary of the day of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants to continue the offensive in Donbass. There’s no talk of slacking off. “During the week, new Ukrainian flags flew over Donbass,” where Donetsk region is located, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his daily address on Saturday night. “There will be more in the coming week,” he promised. Losing the town of Lyman, a strategic rail hub in the region, this Saturday is a major setback for Moscow, which on Friday announced plans to annex Donetsk and three other Ukrainian regions to Russia. Vladimir Putin had warned of the consequences of an attack on these areas, which he now considers his own. Zelensky also wanted to send a message to the Russians: “Until you all solve the problem of the one who started it all, who started this senseless war against Ukraine, you will be killed one by one and become scapegoats because you do not admit that this war is a historic mistake for Russia”.
Macron promises to work on it “new penalties” Europeans versus Russia. The president of the republic committed this Sunday to work “with his European partners on new sanctions” against Russia after the annexation of four Ukrainian regions, the Elysée reported. In a telephone interview with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, the head of state reiterated “his strong condemnation of the illegal annexation of the four regions by Russia,” according to a press release. “He reiterated France’s determination to help Ukraine regain its full sovereignty and territorial integrity and to work with its European partners on new sanctions,” continues the Elysee.
Russian judiciary confirms Putin’s annexation treaties. Despite the difficulties on the ground that Russia has encountered since the launch of a successful counter-offensive by Kiev in early September, the legal process to formalize the annexation of Ukrainian regions is continuing in Moscow. After Putin and the leaders of the separatist and occupied territories signed the annexation treaties on Friday with great fanfare in the Kremlin, Russia’s Constitutional Court ruled them “in accordance with the constitution” this Sunday. According to Duma spokesman Vyacheslav Volodin, the members of the lower house of the Russian parliament will discuss a draft law on the ratification of the treaties on Monday. The passage of this text is usually scheduled for later, before it passes the upper house of parliament, the Council of the Federation.
The Pope appeals directly to Vladimir Putin. Pope Francis “begged” the Russian president on Sunday to “stop” the “spiral of violence” in Ukraine, while deeply regretting annexations that “violated international law”. This is the first time since the conflict began on February 24 that the Pope has personally addressed Putin in a speech.