03/31/2022
Ukraine war on live ticker +++ 01:17 “Unofficial communication channel”: Ukrainian negotiator praises Abramovich +++
Ukraine plans to continue negotiations with the Russian delegation on April 1 in an online format. During recent talks in Turkey, the Ukrainian side again proposed a meeting between the two presidents, Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamiya said in a cable. The Russian delegation responded that a coordinated contract design was a prerequisite. According to Arakhamiya, Ukraine insists that such a meeting cannot take place in Russia or Belarus. He praises Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, who has been involved in recent negotiations. This plays a positive role, says Arachamija, according to Ukrainian media reports. Abramovich offers an “unofficial communication channel” that helps to discuss in normal, non-diplomatic language.
+++ 00:48 DGB chief fears “sudden increase in unemployment” in case of energy embargo +++
The president of the German trade union federation, Reiner Hoffmann, warns of a sudden increase in unemployment in view of a possible lack of energy supply from Russia. “A possible stop in deliveries would have serious effects on the labor market and the economic structure,” he told the Germany editorial network. There was a risk of “irreparable damage to industrial value chains and a sudden rise in unemployment”. According to Hoffmann, such a recession could easily lead to a domino effect and seriously damage the entire European economic space. The consequences are “currently hardly predictable”.
+++ 00:14 Ukraine reports rocket attack on oil depot in Dnipro +++
According to Ukrainian sources, an oil depot filled with fuel was destroyed in a rocket attack on the city of Dnipro. The head of the regional council, Mykola Lukaschuk, said in a telegram that the wreckage of a rocket had also damaged two tankers. There were no deaths or injuries. Dnipro is located in southeastern Ukraine and has so far been largely spared from attacks. Lukaschuk blames Russia for the attack. The information cannot be independently verified.
+++ 23:40 Federal government: Putin guarantees Scholz the possibility of gas payments in euros +++
Does Russian President Vladimir Putin insist that Germany pay its gas bills in rubles in the future? In the federal government, the Kremlin’s signals still cannot be interpreted correctly. Putin assured Chancellor Olaf Scholz that European companies can continue to pay their Russian gas bills in euros, explained government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit. In a phone call on Wednesday, Putin said gas deliveries would have to be paid for in rubles from April 1. “At the same time, he emphasized in the conversation that nothing would change for the European contractual partners.” Payments must therefore continue to be transferred exclusively in euros to Banco Gazprom, which is not affected by sanctions. “The bank then converts the money into rubles,” Hebestreit said, quoting the Russian head of state. Economy Minister Robert Habeck was skeptical of RTL Direkt.
More on that here.
+++ 23:04 Russia announces ceasefire for Mariupol +++
The Russian Defense Ministry announces a ceasefire in the port of Mariupol in southern Ukraine. The measure will take effect on Thursday at 10:00 am (local time; 9:00 am CEST) and aims to create the opportunity for civilians to be evacuated from the besieged city through a humanitarian corridor, the ministry said. “For this humanitarian operation to be successful, we propose the direct involvement of representatives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the International Committee of the Red Cross,” he said.
+++ 22:43 US secret services report withdrawal of Russian troops from Chernobyl +++
The Russian military is apparently withdrawing from the zone around the Chernobyl nuclear ruins. Russian soldiers are leaving the area for neighboring Belarus, a US Defense Department official said. “We think they’re leaving. I can’t say they’re all gone.” The Pentagon representative spoke of a “repositioning” of the Armed Forces. Russia announced on Tuesday that it would significantly reduce military activities in the region around the Ukrainian capital Kiev and in the area around the city of Chernihiv in northern Ukraine.
+++ 22:20 USA: Putin’s aides don’t tell him the truth +++
According to the US government, Russian President Vladimir Putin did not receive an honest description of the situation in the Ukraine war from his advisers. White House communications director Kate Bedingfield said, citing intelligence information: “We believe he is misinformed by his advisers about the poor performance of the Russian military and how sanctions are hurting the Russian economy.” Putin’s top advisers are “too afraid to tell him the truth”. This also cannot be verified.
You can read about past developments here.