The five-hour talks between Russia and Ukraine on Monday ended in vain, with both sides issuing strong statements and threats. Ukraine demanded that Russia end the war and withdraw troops from all parts of Ukraine, including the Donbass and Crimea, during talks on the banks of the Pripet River in Gomel, Belarus. Russia began preparing for the nuclear triad at the same time it continued its attack on Ukraine. Missile Command has also been put on high alert. Ukrainian citizens have been advised by the Russian military to leave Kyiv via safe routes.
Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov led the Ukrainian delegation to the talks, while Vladimir Medinsky, the former Minister of Culture, led the Russian delegation. According to sources, both parties have agreed to meet again soon. The meeting will now take place on the Poland-Belarus border. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated during the talks that the goal of the talks for him was an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian forces. Zelensky also advised Russian soldiers to return with their lives saved, as he was optimistic about the outcome of the talks. “Do not believe your commanders’ claims,” he advised. 4500 Russian soldiers have been killed so far. Medinsky, on the other hand, believes it is in both sides’ best interests to reach an agreement as soon as possible because the conflict is killing Ukrainian civilians and soldiers every hour.
There will be more discussions: Mendisky
“The talks with the Ukrainian side lasted about five hours and we discussed all the points on the agenda,” Russian representative Vladimir Mendisky said of the talks. Meanwhile, we’ve discovered a few such points on which we hope to collaborate in the future. Both sides have returned to inform their respective leaderships about the talks, which will take place again in the coming days.
Russia has taken control of two small Ukrainian cities.
On Monday, fighting in Ukraine’s various cities continued, but Russian forces advanced at a slower pace than on previous days. Many cities, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Mariupol, have been targeted by Russian missiles and tanks. Russian ground forces are currently not in control of any of these cities, according to Ukrainian officials. At the same time, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that its forces had taken Berdeyansk and Enerhodar, two small towns in Ukraine’s southeast. Furthermore, the Geporizhzhya nuclear power plant has been captured. Ukraine claims ownership of the nuclear power plant.
So far, 352 Ukrainian civilians have died as a result of the conflict.
According to Ukraine’s health ministry, 352 Ukrainian civilians have been killed in the conflict so far, including 14 children. A total of 1684 people have been injured. However, independent sources claim that the death toll is much higher. 5 lakh people have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries, according to the United Nations.
Zelensky intends to form an international army.
President Zelensky of Ukraine has also announced the formation of an international army to combat Russia. I appeal to the people of the entire world to join this army, he said.
The ruble has lost 30% of its value.
Following the attack on Ukraine, the impact of US and Western-led sanctions against Russia is beginning to be felt. On Monday, the ruble, Russia’s currency, fell 30% against the dollar in a single day. To save the economy, Russia’s central bank raised policy interest rates by more than 100 percent.
Russia has shut down 36 countries’ airspace.
Meanwhile, Russia has restricted 36 countries’ access to its airspace. The majority of European countries, as well as Canada, are among them. These are the countries that have banned Russian planes from flying through their airspace. This information was released by the Russian Aviation Agency on Monday.