New talks were held between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations via video conference, before the return of the negotiation in "technical break". But the negotiations will continue anyway, assures Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

At the moment the parties remain firm on "their specific positions", explained the adviser of the presidential office in Kiev Mikhail Podolyak on Telegram: "Communication continues to be difficult. The reason for the disagreement is that there are too different political systems".

The deputy head of Zelensky's office, Ihor Zhovkva, is more optimistic, according to which Moscow's position is more constructive than it was previously. "Instead of giving us an ultimatum or red lines or asking Ukraine to capitulate, they now seem to be starting constructive negotiations," he explained.

Meanwhile, the meeting between the US National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, and the head of diplomacy of the Chinese Communist Party, Yang Jiechi, ended in Rome. Only one American and one Chinese photographer were admitted to the meeting, behind closed doors and without a final press point. Indiscretions from the Financial Times speak of Beijing's "support" for Russia. But Washington warns that Chinese support for Moscow "will have consequences".

The war, meanwhile, continues increasingly ferocious: alarm sirens continue to sound in 19 of the 24 provinces and the first 400 Syrian mercenaries enlisted by Russia have reached the borders of Ukraine. Accommodation and training centers have been set up near the border in the regions of Rostov, Russia, and Gomel, Belarus. According to the human rights observatory in Syria, the militiamen enlisted in the country by Moscow are more than 40 thousand.

While the Russian army does not rule out taking "total control" of the big cities, as the Kremlin claims, the evacuation from Mariupol has started again, where the population is exhausted, food and medicine are scarce. In Odessa, on the other hand, there are fears of an invasion by Russian troops from the sea.

According to the budget provided by the UN Humanitarian Affairs Office, at least 636 Ukrainian civilians have been killed since the beginning of the Russian invasion. Victims included 46 minors, children or

teenagers. Another 1,125 people were injured.

( HERE all the articles on the Ukrainian crisis)

Updates by the hour:

China: "Committed to promoting peace negotiations"

China is committed to promoting peace negotiations for Ukraine. This was stated by the head of foreign policy of the Chinese Communist Party Yang Jiechi, according to reports from the Bloomberg agency. "All sides must exercise restraint to protect civilians," Jiechi added.

***

Usa: "We do not rule out total commercial embargo"

The United States does not rule out a full Russian trade embargo on the invasion of Ukraine. This was reported by Cnbc, citing Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo, according to whom among the options available there is also the blocking of Russia's access to international waterways.

***

Challenge to Russian state TV

An anti-war protester holding a placard interrupted one of the major news reports

on Russian state television around 21:31. Moscow time. CNN reports it. "No to war war. Stop the war. Do not believe in propaganda, they tell you lies here", reads the sign, which in the last line carries the following sentence: "Russians against war".

***

USA: "Russia has total occupation in mind"

Russia is clearly expanding its targets in Ukraine: Vladimir Putin has the country's occupation in mind. This was stated by Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, stressing that the Russians continue to be frustrated by not making the progress they believed they could make. "We continue to provide Ukraine with as much aid as possible as quickly as possible," highlights Kirby.

***

Zelensky-Bennett interview

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who also spoke at length with Russian President Vladimir Putin today. Zelensky himself announced it on Twitter. "Further actions have been agreed", adds the Ukrainian president.

***

A Fox News reporter was seriously injured

A British journalist was seriously injured in Ukraine. This is a Fox News correspondent, Benjamin Hall, 39. The same American broadcaster announced it in a post on social media stating that at the moment "there are few details" on the incident. According to preliminary reports, Hall was "gathering information near Kiev".

***

Russia bans the export of wheat and sugar

Russia is ready to ban the export of wheat and sugar to maintain the stability of the internal market. This was announced - according to Interfax - by Vice Premier Victoria Abramchenko on Telegram, underlining that she had approved "the acts introduced by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to ban the export of white and raw sugar from the Russian Federation until 31 August, as well as that of wheat, rye, barley and corn until next June 30 ".

***

US: "China's support will have consequences"

"The purpose of today's meeting was to express very clearly in Beijing our concerns about his involvement" in the war in Ukraine and to reiterate to China "that any kind of support for Moscow - military or economic - will have implications" . US State Department spokesman Ned Price said about the meeting in Rome between the American national security officer, Jake Sullivan, and a senior Chinese representative. "I will not go into details, the White House will do it later", he specified.

***

The US to its citizens: "Leave Russia"

The Biden administration has advised US citizens in Russia to leave the country immediately. Department spokesman Ned Price said in a press briefing.

***

Putin talks to Bennett

Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the Ukrainian crisis in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. This was reported by the Kremlin, quoted by Interfax. Along with Turkey, Israel has been listed as one of the possible mediators in the conflict.

***

Ukrainian media: "An enemy column from Belarus towards the border"

In Belarus, a large convoy of military equipment has been sighted in transit towards the Ukrainian border. This was reported by the Ukrainian agency UNIAN, citing a video of a witness on the spot. "The enemy column from Belarus is approaching the Ukrainian border", Ukrainian media underline, specifying that "the video shows military trucks and other armored vehicles. In front of the column there is a vehicle marked with the letter V, which could indicate - he continues - its affiliation with the Russian Armed Forces.

***

"China ready to offer military support to Russia"

The United States told allies that China has signaled its readiness to provide military assistance to Russia in support of the invasion of Ukraine. The Financial Times reports it citing some sources.

***

Green light for the fourth EU sanctions package

Green light from the meeting of the ambassadors of the 27 EU countries (Coreper) to the fourth package of sanctions against Russia that affect "different" sectors of the Moscow economy. Green light also to the request to the World Trade Organization to suspend, for Russia, the "most favored nation" clause as well as the examination of Belarus' candidacy to join the organization. The measures will enter into force as soon as they are published in the European Journal.

***

Russian raid on a TV tower in the west, 9 dead

A Russian raid on a television tower in western Ukraine resulted in at least 9 deaths. Local authorities report it.

***

Moscow: "We know where the mercenaries are, we'll hit them"

"The Russian army knows the whereabouts of foreign mercenaries in Ukraine and will conduct surgical raids against them." This was stated by the Moscow Ministry of Defense, quoted by TASS, after yesterday's bombing on the base of Yavoriv, near the Polish border, where according to the Russians "foreign mercenaries were eliminated".

***

Russian commander: "Not everything goes as fast as expected"

“I mean, yes, not everything is going as fast as we would like. But we are moving towards the goal step by step and we will win. ”This was admitted by Viktor Zolotov, commander of the Russian National Guard and one of the closest men to President Putin for military operations on the ground in Ukraine. website of the National Guard itself, cited by Reuters.

***

Media: "Russians detonate ammunition in nuclear power plant"

Russian forces blew up ammunition near Unit G1 of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant that they had seized. This was reported by the press service of Energoatom, the Ukrainian company that deals with the management of the four nuclear power plants operating in the country. The explosion - Ukrainian media reported - took place at the site of the nuclear power plant, the company specified.

***

UN: "At least 636 civilians killed since the beginning of the invasion"

At least 636 Ukrainian civilians have been killed since the beginning of the Russian invasion, according to a budget provided by the UN Humanitarian Affairs Office (Ohchr) at CNN. The victims included 46 minors, children or adolescents. Another 1,125 were injured.

***

Moscow: "Evacuations from different cities with temporary truce"

The humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians from the Ukrainian cities of Kiev, Chernihiv, Sumy and Kharkiv, as well as from Mariupol, have been reopened thanks to a temporary ceasefire declared today. This was announced by the Moscow Ministry of Defense quoted by the Interfax agency.

***

Di Maio: "Humanitarian catastrophe in Ukraine"

In Ukraine "we are witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe with thousands of deaths and 2.8 million

refugees ", said Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio from Bucharest.

***

New EU sanctions on Russia

The fourth package of EU sanctions against Russia is on the way, barring last-minute twists. The procedure for adopting the new measures should be completed in the next few hours. According to rumors, Roman Abramovich, the Russian billionaire owner of Chelsea, should also end up on the black list of people close to Putin.

***

Biden: "We will continue to support Kiev"

"We are continuing close cooperation with allies and partners to ensure that the Ukrainian people can defend their nation." US President Joe Biden wrote it on Twitter, underlining that "the United States has allocated over 1.2 billion dollars in security assistance to Ukraine in the last year".

***

400 Syrian mercenaries arrived in Ukraine

The first 400 Syrian mercenaries enlisted by Russia arrived at the borders of Ukraine. This was reported by the Ukrainian agency UNIAN. Accommodation and training centers have been set up near the border in the regions of Rostov, Russia, and Gomel, Belarus. According to the human rights observatory in Syria, the militiamen enlisted in the country by Moscow are more than 40 thousand.

***

Zelensky will speak at the US Congress

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will speak at the US Congress on Wednesday. The Democrats make it known.

***

Evacuation from Mariupol has begun

The humanitarian corridor for the evacuation of civilians from Mariupol, a city in southern Ukraine besieged by the Russians, has been unlocked, and dozens of cars carrying residents have already been able to leave the town. This was reported by the adviser of the mayor of Mariupol Petro Andryushchenko, quoted by the Ukrainian agency UNIAN.

***

Moscow: "We will use the Chinese yuan as a currency reserve"

Russia will aim to use the Chinese yuan as one of its foreign exchange reserves. Finance Minister Anton Siluanov announces it. "The Chinese yuan is a reliable reserve currency," the minister said, and "part of the gold and foreign exchange reserves is in this currency. In trade relations with China, we will use a share of the gold and foreign exchange reserves denominated in yuan." he pointed out: "The yuan currently remains one of these sources of our country's foreign exchange reserves and we will use it in all aspects".

***

Kremlin: "No requests to China, let's continue on our own"

The Kremlin announces that "the special operation in Ukraine is proceeding according to plan" and that it "will be completed". Russia also, says Peskov quoted by Tass, has not asked for any military assistance from China because it "has the potential" to continue alone. As for a possible date of cessation of hostilities, there is no.

***

Chernobyl again without electricity

The Chernobyl power plant is again cut off from the electricity grid. The operator of the plant makes it known.

***

Moscow: "We honor our debts but in rubles"

The Russian finance ministry said it approved a temporary procedure for repaying foreign currency debt, but warned that payments will be made in rubles if sanctions prevent banks from honoring debts in the currency of issue. The Independent reports it.

***

Kiev: "Over 2,500 victims in Mariupol"

The death toll of the Russian bombing in the southern city of Mariupol rises to over 2,500 since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This was reported by the adviser to the presidency of Kiev Oleksiy Arestovych, according to reports from the international media. "Over 2,500 people have been killed, according to official reports from the city authorities. And this is a catastrophe that the world has not given due weight," said Arestovych.

***

Kiev: "Two dead in the attack on the Antonov aircraft plant"

At least two people died after the attack on the Antonov Air Force Plant, north of Kiev. This was reported by the municipal council of the Ukrainian capital.

***

Roth (SDP): "Ukraine risks a frightening bombing"

The worst is yet to come in Ukraine. According to the head of the foreign commission at the SDP Bundestag, Michael Roth, "there is a risk of a terrifying bombing". "Cities will be destroyed, because Putin's strategy used so far has failed", he explained, "the worst is yet to come".

***

Corridor established between Crimea and Donbass

A land corridor was established between the Crimea and the Donbass. It would allow troops in Crimea to join forces with Russian-backed rebels in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), as well as give Russian-backed forces access to key port cities along the Sea of Azov.

***

China: “Arms to Russia? Only US disinformation "

The reconstructions released by the US on the Russian request for weapons and other supplies to China "are just American disinformation". This is the comment of the spokesman of the Foreign Ministry, Zhao Lijian.

***

Antonov aircraft factories bombed

The Antonov aircraft plant was bombed by Russian forces. The Antonov aircraft manufacturing plant is located in Sviatoshyn Airfield, about 10 km from the center of the Ukrainian capital.

***

9-storey apartment building bombed in Kiev, 2 dead

A 9-storey apartment building in Kiev, in the Oblon district (north-west area), was hit this morning by Russian bombing and in the rescue operations 2 people were found dead, while 3 wounded were taken to hospital. Another 15 people were saved from the fire and 63 were evacuated while the flames were being put out.

(Unioneonline / ss-Dl.f.)

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