- On Thursday, February 24, 2022, Russia launched its “military operation” in Ukraine. Every evening 20 Minutes offers you a look back at the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
- A powerful statement, a key figure, the underlying trends… Here you will find the essential information to better understand a war of unprecedented proportions on European soil.
- This Tuesday, Volodymyr Zelensky attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Antony Blinken also assured the continuity of American support for Kiev.
Did you miss the latest events on the war in Ukraine? Don't panic, 20 Minutes takes stock for you every evening at 7:30 p.m. Who did what? Who says what? Where are we ? The answer below.
The fact of the day
It was an indirect consequence of the conflict in Ukraine and had paralyzed road traffic in the region for two months. This Tuesday, Polish airlines, which have been blocking the border with Ukraine since November to denounce unfair competition from Kiev, announced that they were suspending their movement. “We have this agreement, the agreement that is expected not only by Polish transport companies, but also by many entrepreneurs in Poland, by the European Commission and in Ukraine,” Dariusz Klimczak, Polish Minister of Infrastructure, told the press after had signed an agreement with the representatives of the strikers.
“The protests will stop by March 1,” he assured. This agreement “does not represent the end of the dialogue, on the contrary, it opens very intensive discussions that must lead to very concrete solutions in order to achieve something.” […] everything that the transport companies demand,” emphasized the Polish minister.
Today's statement
Ukraine could suffer an irreparable and very serious blow. »
Vladimir Putin made this threatening statement on Tuesday. The Russian president assured that the Ukrainian state would face an “irreparable blow” in the event of a prolongation of the conflict and believed that the initiative on the front was now “completely” in favor of the Moscow forces. “Not only has their counteroffensive failed, but the initiative is entirely in the hands of the Russian armed forces. “If this continues, the statehood of Ukraine could suffer an irreparable and very serious blow,” Vladimir Putin said during a televised meeting.
“Putin is a predator who is not satisfied with frozen products,” Volodymyr Zelensky said at the Davos summit on Tuesday, saying Putin would not be satisfied with a conflict that stalls.
The number of the day
Five missing and three injured. This is the result of the Russian bombings that injured at least three people on Monday evening in New York (yes, you are not dreaming), a small town in eastern Ukraine. The Interior Ministry announced on Tuesday that five more people were still under the rubble of the affected buildings. On Monday evening, the Russian army attacked this city in the Donetsk region with guided bombs, the ministry said. According to authorities, six three-story buildings and five houses were damaged.
Today's trend
While MEPs called for a significant increase in military aid from European countries to Ukraine at their meeting in Strasbourg on Tuesday, the United States assured that it would continue to support the country. “We are committed to maintaining our support for Ukraine and are working very closely with Congress on this issue,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
He thanked the Biden administration and the “bipartisan support” in the US Congress. “We really count on your support, your continued tremendous support,” he said. He particularly mentioned the American Patriot system, which helped Ukraine with air defense against Russian missile attacks. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the United States has already sent Ukraine around $44 billion in military aid as well as several billion dollars in relief and economic aid.