8:20 am: Russia claims to have used hypersonic missiles in Ukraine
The Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday that it had used “Kinjal” hypersonic missiles the day before to destroy an underground weapons warehouse in western Ukraine.
This type of missiles, very maneuverable, defies all anti-aircraft defense systems, according to Moscow. Its use is a first in the conflict in Ukraine, according to the state agency Ria Novosti.
7:30 a.m.: The fighting spreads
Bombings and fighting are raging across Ukraine, especially for the coveted city of Mariupol (southeast).
The Russian army said on Friday that it had succeeded in entering and fighting in the city center alongside troops from the separatist “republic” of Donetsk.
Taking Mariupol would be an important turning point in the war and would allow Russia to ensure territorial continuity between its forces coming from annexed Crimea (south) and the troops from Donbass (east).
5:50 am: Zelensky addresses the Russians: “Imagine 14,000 corpses in a stadium”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the Russian people directly in a new video message on Saturday morning, as his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, spoke on Friday in front of tens of thousands of Russians, gathered in a stadium to celebrate the eighth anniversary of the annexation of Crimea. Nearly 100,000 people in front and 95,000 in the stadium itself, this is in total more or less the number of Russian soldiers who attacked Ukraine, underlined Volodymyr Zelensky. “Imagine for a moment 14,000 corpses in this stadium, with in addition tens of thousands of wounded and mutilated.”
These figures correspond, according to the Ukrainian president, to the Russian losses since the start of the invasion of Ukraine on February 24. These figures might not be independently verified, but the Russian army has probably lost several thousand soldiers since the start of what the Kremlin describes as a “special military operation”.
Once once more Volodymyr Zelensky called for an end to the carnage. “We must put an end to the war. Ukraine’s proposals are on the table.”
Talks between Ukrainians and Russians have been going on for several weeks, without success. Foreign Minister Liz Truss said she fears Russia will use the talks as a “smokescreen” to buy time, regroup its troops and relaunch its offensive.
2:30 am: Zelensky calls for serious discussion to avoid losses over generations
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to Moscow on Saturday, saying it was “time” to discuss “peace and security” otherwise the consequences for Russia will be felt over several generations. “Peace and security negotiations for Ukraine are Russia’s only chance to minimize the damage caused by its own mistakes,” Zelensky said in a video posted to Facebook, filmed in a street at night. deserted.
“It’s time to come together. It’s time to discuss. It’s time to restore territorial integrity and justice for Ukraine,” pleaded the head of state.
“Otherwise, he warned, the losses for Russia will be such that it will take several generations to recover.”
The Ukrainian president reiterated his willingness to speak directly to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.
Several rounds of negotiations between kyiv and Moscow have taken place face-to-face and by videoconference since the Russian invasion of Ukraine launched on February 24. The latest, the fourth, opened on Monday at the level of delegations negotiating remotely.
Russian bombardments of Ukrainian cities continued during these negotiations, targeting numerous civilian infrastructures.
Regarding the besieged city of Mariupol, where a theater — in which more than a thousand people had taken refuge — was shelled by Russian forces on Wednesday, Mr. Zelensky said that more than 130 survivors were able to be pulled out of the rubble.
“Some unfortunately suffer from serious injuries. But, at this stage, we do not have information on the number of” possible deaths, he indicated, specifying that “rescue operations are continuing”.
According to him, thanks to the humanitarian corridors set up in the country, more than 180,000 Ukrainians have been able to get away from the fighting, including more than 9,000 people from Mariupol.
“But the occupiers continue to block humanitarian aid, especially around sensitive areas. It’s a well-known tactic. (…) It’s a war crime,” said Mr. Zelensky. Russia “will answer for this. 100%,” he insisted.
01:00: Most Belgian companies choose to stay in Russia
Most of the approximately 250 Belgian companies with establishments in Russia refuse to leave the country, even if they strongly disapprove of the war in Ukraine, reports L’Echo on Saturday. The companies that remain in Russia intend in particular not to abandon their Russian employees and customers.
According to data compiled by Echo, with the help of Graydon and Creditsafe, the Russian subsidiaries of Belgian companies represent several billion euros in turnover.
In 2021 alone, Belgian companies invested 1.5 billion euros in Russia. In 2021, 1,556 Belgian companies exported 3.4 billion euros worth of goods to the country chaired by Vladimir Putin.
For some Belgian companies, however, it is no longer possible to continue their activities in Russia, such as the La Lorraine bakery group, for example, which had to stop the construction of a new factory overnight. This was in fact co-financed to the tune of 50 million euros by the Russian sovereign fund RDIF.
12:30 a.m.: Bill Clinton and George W. Bush lay flowers for Ukraine in Chicago
Two former US presidents, Democrat Bill Clinton and Republican George W. Bush, on Friday showed their support for Ukraine, invaded by Russia on February 24, by visiting a Ukrainian church in Chicago. The two men, who wore blue and yellow ribbons in the colors of Ukraine, laid bouquets of sunflowers, the country’s emblem, in front of the Catholic Church of Saints Volodymyr and Olha before taking a moment to meditate.
The initiative aimed to show their “solidarity with the people of Ukraine”, explains a video of their visit published on Bill Clinton’s Twitter account as well as on George W. Bush’s Instagram account.
“America stands united with the people of Ukraine in their fight for freedom and once morest oppression,” reads a message accompanying the video.
