Heavy Russian bombing damaged 90% of apartments in Severodonetsk. Western military experts see the possible capture of Lyman in particular as a preliminary decision on whether or not Russia can continue its offensive. A spokesman for Kiev’s Defense Ministry said Ukrainian troops had launched a counterattack.
Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said Russia wants to provide budget stimulus to the economy worth eight trillion rubles (about 111 billion euros). Russian President Vladimir Putin this week ordered a 10% increase in pensions and the minimum wage to curb inflation. He denied that the economic problems are mainly related to what Russia calls a special military operation in Ukraine.
In Primorsky Krai in eastern Russia, two communist deputies have publicly called for an end to the offensive in Ukraine. “If our country does not stop the military operation, there will be even more orphans in our country,” deputy Leonid Vasyukevich said Friday during a session of the regional parliament. “We demand the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops.” Vasyukevich’s factionmate Gennady Chulga agreed with him.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the EU of not yet having banned Russian energy imports. Every day, EU countries pay 1 billion euros for gas and oil that will finance Russia’s war effort. “Putting pressure on Russia is literally a matter of saving lives. Every day of hesitation, weakness, various disputes or proposals to ‘pacify’ the aggressor at the expense of the victim only means that more Ukrainians will be killed,” he said.
In this context, the Ukrainian state gas company and network operator urged Germany to stop or severely restrict deliveries of natural gas through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline. A corresponding request was sent to the German government, explains Serhiy Makogon on Ukrainian television. German law allows the pipeline to be operated as long as it guarantees Europe’s gas supply. However, Russia does not contribute to a secure supply of gas.
Meanwhile, the debate over Western arms sales to Ukraine continued. The Kyiv government called for long-range ground weapons, mainly rocket launchers, that could help it win an artillery battle against Russia to the east. According to US information, the government of President Joe Biden is even considering providing Kyiv with the M142 HIMARS artillery system, which can have a range of hundreds of kilometers. Earlier, Washington had also warned that long-range weapons could spell escalation if Ukraine used them to attack targets deep in Russia. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that any arms shipments that could reach Russian territory would be “a serious step towards an unacceptable escalation”.
Russian troops invaded the neighboring country on 24 February. Tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians are said to have been killed in the conflict so far. The UN spoke of 4,000 dead civilians. Zelenskyy said around twelve million people were displaced from their homes as a result of the war. About 5.5 million people left the country.
He has tried several times to arrange a direct conversation with the Russian president to end the war, Zelensky said. Apparently, Russia is not yet ready for serious peace talks, just issuing ultimatums. Russia, in turn, accuses Ukraine of blocking the negotiations.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned Putin against illusions in the Ukraine war. “Peace does not come from violent submission. Justice is the prerequisite for peace,” Scholz said on Catholic Day, referring to the Russian advance. “Putin must not get away with his cynical and inhuman warfare.”
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss does not see an end to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine anytime soon. “We must be prepared to support Ukraine in the long term,” the conservative politician said on Friday after meeting his Czech counterpart Jan Lipavsky in Prague. Now is not the time for complacency. It is necessary to ensure that Ukraine wins the war and Russia withdraws.