Although Russia has somewhat reduced its attacks on the capital Kiev, the terrible war in other parts of the country continues suddenly and with all its fierceness.
The conflicting information after the meeting of the two conflicting parties Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul did not lead to a de-escalation of the war at all. Russian chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky was initially positive about the talks, as was Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Moments later, the Kremlin rowed back. There is no reason for optimism, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. And President Vladimir Putin stressed on Thursday that the conditions for a ceasefire had not yet been met for the time being. However, Russia promised to push back the attacks around Kiev and in the northeast of the country. A ceasefire was agreed for the hotly contested port city of Mariupol.
Zelenskyj does not believe Moscow
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was skeptical of Russia’s promises to reduce attacks in northern Ukraine. “We don’t believe anyone, not a single beautiful sentence,” Zelenskyy said. And the skepticism seems justified. A new wave of attacks is rolling towards Ukraine. The troops had only withdrawn to regroup, Russia’s defense ministry confirmed. In addition, the Russian army called up 134,500 conscripts aged 18 to 27, but stressed that they should not be sent to war zones.
Elsewhere, the attacks continue. Russian troops stepped up their attacks in eastern Ukraine, particularly in Donbass around Donetsk and Luhansk. The eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv was said to have been shelled by 380 rockets within 24 hours.
Soon personal meeting between Lavrov and Kuleba
According to Ukrainian information, the capital Kiev was also not spared, contrary to the Kremlin’s announcement. National Guard units destroyed Russian artillery, missile systems and several armored vehicles on Thursday. The situation in Mariupol remains dire. Another attempt was made to evacuate the civilians from the city. Kiev and Moscow still show little confidence in each other. Turkey, which excels as a mediator, is not giving up hope yet.
Virtual negotiations will continue on Friday. And within the next two weeks, the two foreign ministers Sergey Lavrov (Russia) and Dmytro Kuleba (Ukraine) will meet again in person, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
