On the eleventh day of their invasion, Russian forces destroyed an airport in central Ukraine on Sunday, March 6, and continued their siege of Mariupol, the main port in the southeast. The front line has changed little in the past 24 hours: the capital Kyiv remains under Ukrainian control, as does Kharkiv (northeast), despite intense Russian bombing. Here are the main events of the day in Ukraine.
Kyiv is still under threat
Kyiv remains under the control of Ukraine, despite massive bombardments. Western observers noted the presence of a convoy of hundreds of Russian vehicles north of the capital, near the Gostomel airport. Fierce fighting took place in the Gostomel area, but in recent days the column has made little progress.
However, Russian strikes have destroyed an airport in the city of Vinnitsa, about 200 kilometers southwest of Kyiv, the Ukrainian president said. On Sunday, Volodymyr Zelensky also criticized Western countries for their refusal to introduce a no-fly zone over Ukraine and unwillingness to supply combat aircraft to Kiev.
There will be no evacuation in Mariupol
The Russians besiege the port city of Mariupol, which is still resisting. A second attempt to evacuate some 200,000 civilians was “aborted,” the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said. Both sides blame each other for these failures.
Capturing this strategically important city will allow Russia to link up its forces from annexed Crimea, which have already captured the key cities of Berdyansk and Kherson and now threaten Nikolaev, further west, and separatist and Russian forces in the Donbas.
Odessa, where the main port of Ukraine on the Black Sea is located, is still in the hands of the Ukrainians, so far unharmed. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday accused Russia of preparing to bomb the city.
Vladimir Putin remains determined, reports the Elysee Palace
Vladimir Putin is not disarming. According to the Elysée, the Russian president remains determined to achieve his goals “through negotiations or war.” On Sunday, March 6, the Russian president spoke with his French counterpart for an hour and 45 minutes. Emmanuel Macron, for his part, reaffirmed his determination to achieve a ceasefire and the establishment of humanitarian corridors. New sanctions against Russia are also being considered.
On the issue of the nuclear threat, Vladimir Putin denied any intention to attack Ukrainian nuclear power plants and said he was ready to comply with the standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the French presidency said in a statement.
This phone call was at the initiative of Emmanuel Macron. The French President will also meet with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Tuesday as world leaders rally to try to stop the Russian invasion of Ukraine.