In summary:
– Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will address the UN Security Council on Tuesday, following the discovery of massacres attributed to the Russian forces near Kyiv, and in particular in Boutcha where he went on Monday.
– European countries have decided concerted expulsion dozens of Russian diplomats, regarding forty for Germany and 35 for France. According to the United States, Kyiv’s allies are working on new sanctions once morest Moscow.
– After the Russian withdrawal around Kyiv, Ukraine is now preparing for a “massive attack” in the Luhansk region, in the east of the country, according to its governor, Serguiï Gaïdaï.
In the north of the country, Ukrainian forces are regaining ground. The latest briefing from the British Ministry of Defense was published on Tuesday morning. He specifies that the Ukrainian soldiers succeeded in “recapturing key positions in northern Ukraine (…) following forcing Russian troops to retreat from areas around Chernihiv and northern Kyiv”. According to the ministry, the many Russian units withdrawing from northern Ukraine will have “likely to require significant re-equipment and overhaul before being able to redeploy for operations” east of the country.
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine – 5 April 2022
Find out more regarding the UK government’s response: https://t.co/C605aP9hlX
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The mayor of Kyiv very cautious following the Russian withdrawal. Residents of Kyiv who fled the Russian invasion were warned by the mayor of the Ukrainian capital Vitali Klitschko on Monday not to return there until “at least a week”Russian bombardments might still, according to him, occur there.
20 Ukrainian refugees arrive in Tokyo. Japan, usually very reluctant to welcome refugees, welcomed on Tuesday 20 Ukrainians who fled the war and who arrived at Tokyo airport on board a Japanese government plane. These people, who were in Poland following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, arrived with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi who was visiting Warsaw.
For a total embargo on Russian gas. “Can you imagine, in June 1941, the United States, a non-belligerent power, paying Hitler’s Germany 800 million dollars every day? However, this is exactly what the Union is doing, with the notable exception of the Baltic countries, by refusing to decree an immediate embargo on Russian gas, oil and coal. In the face of the horror of the Russian invasion, it is time to drive another nail, perhaps the last, into Putin’s coffin, even if the Union must suffer.”, writes our European correspondent Jean Quatremer. Read his post in full.
Migrants trapped in the fighting. The NGO Human Rights Watch warns of the fate of migrants or refugees, still imprisoned in Ukraine under the fire of bombs. A cruel and absurd situation in which Europe has a heavy share of responsibility. Read our story.
Zelensky devant l’ON. In a video broadcast overnight from Monday to Tuesday, Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed his intervention by video before the UN, which we do not know if it will take place live or delayed. “The time will come when every Russian will learn the whole truth regarding who among their compatriots killed. Who gave the orders?he said in this video, calling for tougher sanctions once morest Moscow and delivering more armaments to his country.
Moscow kicked out of the UN Human Rights Council? The US government has indicated it will work to obtain Russia’s suspension from the UN Human Rights Council this week. A vote by the UN General Assembly to decide on this suspension might take place as early as Thursday, according to Washington. Russia reacted speaking of a step “incredibleand judging that it would not facilitate “peace talks” between Russians and Ukrainians.
New Western sanctions in preparation. White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said talks among allies on new sanctions included possible measures “related to energy”, a very sensitive subject for Europeans, who are very dependent on Russian gas. Germany thus clarified on Monday that it might not do without Russian gas deliveries “short term”by the voice of its Minister of Finance, Christian Lindner.