7:27
US authorities accuse Moscow of recruiting Syrian mercenaries for military operations in Ukraine
US officials say Moscow has been recruiting Syrian mercenaries to fight in Ukraine for days, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.
According to the same sources, Russia, which has been present in Syria since 2015, hopes that its experience in urban guerrilla warfare can be useful in taking Kyiv.
7:02
Oil: Brent barrel close to $140, close to all-time high
The almost complete cessation of exports from Russia continues to drive up oil prices. A barrel of Brent oil from the North Sea on Monday morning approached $140, which is close to an absolute record.
At the same time, the stock markets of Tokyo and Hong Kong fell more than 3% on Monday morning. And gold, a safe haven par excellence, has topped $2,000 an ounce.
The surge in oil prices came after US Foreign Secretary Anthony Blinken said on Sunday that the US and EU were “very actively” discussing a ban on Russian oil imports.
>> More information can be found here.
6:49
Russian military announces ceasefire to allow evacuation of civilians
To allow the evacuation of civilians in Kyiv, Mariupol, Kharkiv and Sumy, the Russian army announced a ceasefire from Monday.
“Russian forces for humanitarian purposes announce a “silence regime” from 10 a.m. on March 7 and the opening of humanitarian corridors,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
The statement did not specify whether the corridors would open local time in Ukraine (9 am Paris time) or Moscow (8 am Paris time) and for how long they would remain open.
>> More information can be found here.
6:42
Russia announces the opening of several humanitarian corridors
The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Monday the opening of several humanitarian corridors in the cities of Kyiv, Mariupol, Kharkov and Sumy.
The decision follows a request made by Emmanuel Macron to Vladimir Putin during their phone call on Sunday.
6:28
Kharkiv was under heavy shelling at night
On the night from Sunday to Monday, the city of Kharkov, the second largest city in Ukraine, was subjected to intense bombing.
According to the Agence France Presse journalist, the strikes were carried out on the sports complex of the local university, as well as on civilian buildings.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Kharkiv, located in the north-east of the country, has been subjected to massive attacks by the Russian army. The residence of the local government, as well as houses, were attacked, which led to numerous casualties.
The Ukrainian General Staff said that Russian forces are currently concentrating their efforts on Kharkov, Chernigov, Sumy and Nikolaev, accumulating “their resources to storm” Kyiv.
6:09
Emmanuel Macron and Vladimir Putin spoke this Sunday
This Sunday, the presidents of France and Russia exchanged telephone conversations at 1:45 a.m., raising, in particular, international concerns about the safety of Ukrainian nuclear power plants, which are threatened by ongoing hostilities.
According to Elysée, Vladimir Putin assured Emmanuel Macron “that he is ready to comply with the IAEA standards for the protection of power plants.”
>> What Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron said to each other
6:05
New negotiations scheduled for this 12th day of the war
The third round of talks between Russians and Ukrainians is scheduled for Monday. But hopes for success are slim, as Russian President Vladimir Putin has made any dialogue a precondition for Kiev’s acceptance of all Moscow’s demands, in particular the demilitarization of Ukraine and the country’s neutral status.
5:55
Good morning everyone !
Welcome to this direct, dedicated to the results of the 12th day of the war in Ukraine.