The advance of Russian forces in Ukraine met with strong resistance yesterday in the capital, Kiev, where President Volodymyr Zelensky defied calls by his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to overthrow him.
Putin called on the Ukrainian army to seize power on the second day of the invasion, which has caused more than 50,000 Ukrainians to flee outside, as well as 100,000 internally displaced people and more than 100 dead, according to official figures.
The Russian government also threatened Finland and Sweden, countries known for their neutrality, due to the efforts carried out by the West to include them in NATO and warned of the serious consequences that their entry would have.
In a television intervention, the Russian president described the Zelensky government as a “gang of drug addicts and neo-Nazis” and asked the Ukrainian military: “Take power into your hands. It seems to me that it will be easier to negotiate between you and me.”
Zelensky responded by posting a video in front of the Presidential Palace saying: “We are all here, our military are here, the citizens, society, we are all here, defending our independence, our State,” he proclaimed, along with his main collaborators.
Zelensky praised the “heroism” of the population in the face of Russia’s advance towards the capital.
A senior US defense official said the Russian offensive was running out of steam, especially in Kiev.
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry claimed that its troops had killed 2,800 Russian soldiers. Moscow has not reported any casualties so far.
Zelensky indicated that he spoke with his US counterpart Joe Biden about “strengthening sanctions against Russia, concrete defense assistance and an anti-aircraft coalition”, and expressed his “appreciation” for the “strong” US support.
Yesterday at dawn, shots and explosions were heard in neighborhoods, caused by what seemed like an advance by Russian forces and during the day, the sirens and explosions did not stop sounding. The city, after the flight of the people, offers a ghostly aspect.
Ukrainian forces also reported that they were fighting Russian troops in Dymer and Ivankiv, located 40 and 80 kilometers north of Kiev. The Russians would be advancing from the northeast and east.
For his part, Putin is willing to send a delegation to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, a country allied with Russia, to conduct negotiations with Ukraine, his spokesman said.
More sanctions for Russia
Yesterday Putin and his Foreign Minister Serguei Lavrov were included in the list of personalities sanctioned, with their assets frozen, by the European Union (EU), and the United Kingdom and the United States announced that they will do something similar.
Zelensky asked Westerners to expel Russia from the SWIFT bank transfer system, but European Union countries such as Germany and Hungary have expressed their doubts for fear that this measure could cause problems in the delivery of Russian gas.
The spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zajarova, said that the sanctions against Putin and Lavrov demonstrate “the impotence” of the Westerners.
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) rejected Russia’s accession process and closed its office in Moscow.
The response to the invasion was also felt in sports and the world of culture. UEFA withdrew from St. Petersburg the organization of the Champions League final on May 28, which will be played in Paris.
In addition, Formula One canceled the celebration of the Russian Grand Prix, which was part of the 2022 calendar of the category.
And Eurovisión indicated that it was closing the doors of the popular European song contest to representatives of the invading country.
Pope Francis met with the Russian ambassador to the Vatican to express “his concern.”
In a tweet, sent in several languages, including Russian, he stated that “every war is a shameful surrender.” (I)
Source: Eluniverso
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