Putin to the Ukrainian army: “Take power into your hands”

The capital of UkraineKiev, was the scene this Friday of fierce fighting between the invading forces Russian and the army, to which Vladimir Putin called to take power.

On the second day of the invasion ordered by the Russian president, which has caused the flight of more than 50,000 Ukrainians from the country according to the UN and more than 100 deaths according to Kiev, the European Union announced new sanctions, still without specifying, against the country itself. Putin and his Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

But Putin seems determined to continue his offensive and bring about regime change in Ukraine; this Friday, he called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his government “gang of drug addicts and neo-Nazis”.

“Take the power in your hands. It seems to me that it will be easier to negotiate between you and me”Putin launched the Ukrainian army in an intervention on Russian television.

Hours earlier, Lavrov stated that his country is open to negotiating if Ukraine “Lay down your arms.”

Putin is ready to send a delegation to minskcapital of Belarus, a country allied with Russia, to conduct negotiations with Ukraine, its spokesman said.

For the moment, the Ukrainian army is resisting the attacks of the invading forces, which this Friday entered the northern neighborhoods of Kiev.

In the residential neighborhood of Oblon, AFP saw a dead person on the sidewalk and ambulances helping a person, trapped in a vehicle crushed by an armored vehicle.

Residents of the place indicated that they saw two bodies that seemed to be Russian soldiers, but AFP could not confirm this information.

Ghost city

At dawn, Kiev recorded two strong explosions, AFP journalists said. “Horrible Russian missile fire over Kiev”Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba denounced on Twitter. According to official sources, there were three wounded in the attack.

“They said civilians weren’t targeted, but that’s another one of their lies… Tonight, they started shelling civilian neighborhoods. This reminds us of (the Nazi offensive of) 1941″, Volodimir Zelensky denounced in a video broadcast on social networks.

After the flight of many inhabitants on Thursday, and subjected to a curfew, the capital, of three million inhabitants, has the appearance of a ghost town.

Ukrainian troops also said they are fighting Russian armored units in Dymer and Ivankiv, 45 and 80 kilometers north of Kiev.

On Thursday, the Russian army took control of the area of ​​the Chernobyl power plant, still contaminated by radioactivity from the 1986 nuclear accident.

Zelensky highlighted “heroism” of the Ukrainians and ensured that their troops “They make every effort” to defend the country.

“Russia will have to talk to us sooner or later. How we can end the fighting and stop the invasion. The sooner this conversation takes place, the less the losses will be, even for Russia.” estimated.

“Liberate from oppression”

According to Western military sources, Kiev is Putin’s main target for “behead the government” Ukrainian and install an executive favorable to Moscow.

Lavrov reiterated that the invasion aims to “break free” the Ukrainians “of oppression”, which implies that they want to overthrow the current government.

The purpose is “demilitarize and denazify Ukraine so that, freed from this oppression, Ukrainians can freely choose their future”, said.

Russia accuses Ukraine of committing a “genocide” of the Russian-speaking population of the east of the country, without providing any evidence in this regard.

Putin had been deploying more than 150,000 soldiers on the border with Ukraine for several weeks. On Monday, he recognized the independence of pro-Russian breakaway territories in eastern Ukraine and Russian lawmakers paved the legal way for a military operation.

Since Putin launched his offensive, nearly 100,000 people have fled their homes and thousands have sought refuge abroad, the UN said. The first Ukrainian refugees went mainly to Poland and Moldova-

“My life has completely changed in half a day. But it is very good to know that we have a place to go”explained Iryna, a 42-year-old woman, who spent the night with dozens of compatriots at the Przemysl train station in Poland, near the Ukrainian border.

In eastern Ukraine, heavy fighting filled civilians with fear and anger.

“I will never, under any conditions, surrender to Putin. Better to die”said Olena Kurilo, a 52-year-old teacher, her face covered with bandages, in Chugnev, a city in eastern Ukraine that was bombed.

More sanctions

United States, European Union, United Kingdom and other allies such as Japan and Canada decreed sanctions against Moscow on Thursday.

The American President, Joe Bidenannounced restrictions on exports to Russia and technological imports from that country, as well as sanctions against Russian banks and tycoons.

After a summit of its leaders, the EU also announced measures against the financial sector, energy, transport, exports and visa restrictions.

But this was not considered enough by Zelensky, who called for more punitive European measures, especially around the Swift international banking system, from which Russia was not excluded for the time being.

France and Germany announced this Friday another package of sanctions against the “Russian top leaders including Putin.

France has even said it is in favor of excluding Russia from the Swift system, a move Germany is resisting for now for fear of a shortage of Russian gas.

Moscow promised that it will respond to those measures. Around the same time, Russia’s air regulator banned all UK-linked planes from entering its airspace, following sanctions imposed by London on Russian airline Aeroflot.

The IAG air group, parent company of British Airways and Iberia, announced the cancellation of its flights to Moscow and the diversion of its routes that fly over Russia.

The response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine was also felt in sport and UEFA decided to withdraw the organization of the Champions League final, on May 28, to be held in Paris from St. Petersburg.

In addition, Formula One canceled the celebration of the Russian Grand Prix, which was part of the 2022 calendar of the category.

Russian isolation is growing in all areas. Eurovision indicated this Friday that it was closing the doors of the popular European song contest to representatives of the invading country.

Vote in the Security Council

In the diplomatic field, the United States and Albania asked to vote on Friday night in the UN Security Council on a draft resolution that condemns the invasion and calls for the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops, but the initiative will collide with the right of Moscow’s veto in that instance.

In a conversation with Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping asked him to “negotiate” with Ukraine.

Pope Francis also intervened and met with the Russian ambassador to the Vatican to tell him “your worry”

The war triggered demonstrations around the world, in which thousands of people criticized Putin’s decision. There were even protests in Russia, where police detained more than 1,800 people, according to the UN.

This Friday, Zelenski asked the Russians to continue protesting against this offensive. “You heard us and believe us. Fight for us, fight against the war”said.

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