11-year-old gymnast killed in Mariupol, a Russian journalist died in Kiev. Putin: "We only accept rubles for our gas"

When we are on the 28th day of the war, the ferocity of the fighting increases and, at the same time, tensions at the diplomatic level increase.

While in Mariupol house-to-house fighting and the war continues on Ukrainian territory, Joe Biden, who arrived in Europe in the evening landing in Brussels, raises the alarm about a "real" threat of Moscow's use of chemical weapons.

Therefore, concern for a new escalation rises, with NATO warning: "The possible use of chemical weapons would have enormous consequences". Meanwhile, reports are being made that Russia has already used white phosphorus bombs in Hostomel and Irpin, the satellite cities of Kiev - reports the mayor of Irpin Oleksandr Markushin - "were hit with phosphorus bombs prohibited by the Geneva Conventions on the night of March 22 ". The deputy chief of police of Kiev instead released a video accusing Russia of using phosphorus ammunition against the city of Kramatorsk, in the east of the country.

Meanwhile, the economic war between Russia and the West is escalating. Putin said Russia will no longer accept dollar and euro payments for its gas delivered to Europe, but will only accept rubles. Renault suspended production at its Moscow plant after Kiev called for a worldwide boycott of the company. Zelensky, who spoke in video connection to the French Parliament, also accused other transalpine companies that did not leave Russia such as Auchan and Leroy Merlin.

Still on the sanctions front, WSJ makes it known that the US has not sanctioned Roman Abramovich at the express request of Zelensky, who asked Joe Biden to stall as the oligarch could play a role in facilitating peace negotiations with Moscow.

Passabdi au fights today, among the many victims, were the deaths of a Russian journalist in Kiev and an 11-year-old gymnast in Mariupol, whose house collapsed due to a Russian bombing. Moscow's troops, however, do not advance. Indeed, they retreat in some cases: Kiev has announced the reconquest of Irpin, on the northern outskirts of the capital. According to the Wall Street Journal, the number of Russian soldiers dead, wounded, taken prisoner or missing in the war could reach 40,000.

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The live broadcast by the hour:

Stop the Renault production in Moscow

Renault has announced the suspension of the activities of its Moscow plant. This was stated by Renault itself in a statement.

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Russia blocks Google News

Access to Google's Internet News service has been restricted in Russia due to the presence of materials containing unreliable information on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine. Tass writes it. The Russian communications authority, Roskomnadzor announced that "based on the request of the Russian Attorney General's Office, it was decided to restrict access to the Google News web service on the country's territory".

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Eleven year old gymnast killed in Mariupol

An 11-year-old Ukrainian gymnast, Kateryna Dyachenko, was killed in the collapse of her home, which was hit by a Russian raid in Mariupol. This was announced by his coach Anastasia Meshchanenkova, quoted by local media.

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Di Maio: "10 points for peace and stability"

Diplomatic solution; cap on gas prices; diversification of energy sources; to calm the prices of gasoline; sanctions to hit the Russian economy; humanitarian corridors and localized ceasefires; economic support and supply of self-defense weapons to Ukraine; support for Italians in Ukraine; support for the European aspirations of Kiev; support for a common EU defense.

These are the 10 objectives of the diplomatic action of Rome "for peace and stability" listed by Luigi Di Maio in a post Fb. "Italy - he writes - acts in full harmony with its EU, NATO and G7 partners to put an end to this crazy war".

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Russian journalist killed in Kiev

A Russian journalist died after being hit by Russian bombing in Kiev while filming the destruction caused by rocket fire at a shopping center in the Podolsky district. The Guardian writes, specifying that the reporter for an independent news site based in Russia, the Insider, Oksana Baulina, was in Ukraine as a correspondent, where she had sent reports from Lviv and Kiev. Another civilian died with her, while two other people accompanying her were injured.

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Kiev calls for a worldwide boycott of Renault

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has called for a worldwide boycott of Renault. Renault is among the French companies that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused today of "sponsoring the war" for not leaving Russia.

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Russian soldier: "Worse than Chechnya and Syria"

"During the whole first (war in) Chechnya there were no losses similar to this war. We were in Syria", and even there "it was not at all comparable, it was much easier there". These are the words of a Russian soldier in a telephone conversation with his wife, intercepted by the Ukrainian security services, according to the UNIAN agency.

"We have been close to Chernobyl for two weeks," adds the soldier, saying he fears he was exposed to radiation.

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NATO leaders will discuss how to strengthen the East side

"Biden and NATO leaders will discuss how to strengthen the Alliance's eastern flank." American national security chief Jake Sullivan said this, speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One bound for Brussels.

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Up to 40,000 Russian soldiers killed, wounded or captured

The number of Russian soldiers dead, wounded, taken prisoner or missing in the war in Ukraine could reach 40 thousand: the Wall Street Journal writes, quoting a senior NATO executive. Alliance analysts arrived at this figure using statistical averages from recent conflicts, according to which for every dead there are about three injured. NATO estimates that between 7,000 and 15,000 Russian soldiers have died so far.

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Irpin returned to Ukrainian hands

Almost the entire city of Irpin, on the northwestern outskirts of Kiev, has returned to Ukrainian hands. This was stated by the mayor of the capital, Vitalij Klitshcko, quoted by the BBC, stating that the counter-offensive repelled the Russian attack also in Makariv, another town about seventy kilometers west of the capital. The Ukrainian army "destroyed the plan to surround Kiev," added Klitshcko.

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Zelensky asked Biden not to sanction Abramovich

The United States has not imposed sanctions on Roman Abramovich at the request of Volodymyr Zelensky: the Ukrainian president has asked Joe Biden to wait for the sanctions as the oligarch could play a role in facilitating peace negotiations with Russia. The Wall Street Journal reports it citing some sources.

In early March, US Treasury Department officials drafted sanctions to punish Abramovich following Russia's attack on Ukraine. At the time of announcing them, however, the National Security Council told the Treasury to wait. Behind the request, reports the Wall Street Journal, was Zelensky's advice to Biden to wait in imposing sanctions on Abramovich as the oligarch could have been a major intermediary with Russia in helping negotiate peace.

Although several oligarchs have spoken out against the war, Abramovich is the only one who has publicly said he is trying to get Moscow to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.

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From Berlin another 2 thousand rocket launchers to Kiev

Germany wants to supply another 2,000 German Army rocket launchers to Ukraine. This is what emerges from a request made by the Ministry of Defense to the Federal Security Council, according to the Dpa.

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Putin-Bennett phone call

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett discussed the situation of the conflict in Ukraine in a phone call. The Kremlin leader, reports Tass, "expressed his assessments on the negotiations and on the special military operation to protect the Donbass". For his part, Bennett "shared his point of view, taking into consideration the contacts with the leaders of some foreign countries, and suggested some ideas on the ongoing negotiations".

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Berlin: "Putin's threats to Eastern countries must be taken seriously"

The attack ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin against Ukraine is "a war - and I say this clearly and with a heavy heart - whose arrival we did not recognize in time, and which perhaps we did not want to admit": the minister said. German defense Christine Lambrecht, during today's debate in the Bundestag on the budget for the German defense. Lambrecht then added "We are firmly on the side of the allies in Eastern Europe that Putin has been threatening for a long time. And these threats must be taken seriously."

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Over 65 thousand refugees in Italy since the beginning of the war

65,350 refugees fleeing Ukraine have arrived in Italy since the beginning of the war. The updated data to date was published by the Interior Ministry according to which 1,611 people entered in the last 24 hours.

To the 32,361 women, 25,151 minors and 5,592 men who have arrived so far by road, for a total of 63,104, must be added the 2,246 refugees who arrived by train from the border between 10 and 22 March. The main cities of destination, indicates the Ministry of the Interior, remain Rome, Milan, Naples and Bologna.

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"Auchan, Renault and Laroy Merlin sponsor Putin's war"

The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, during his speech by videoconference before the French Parliament, accused the transalpine companies Renault, Auchan and Leroy Merlin of becoming "sponsors of the war machine of Russia", since they have not yet left the country .

"French companies must leave the Russian market. Renault, Auchan, Leroy Merlin and others must stop sponsoring Russia's war machine," Zelensky told French deputies and senators.

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Zelensky's speech in the French Parliament

France must help Ukraine to put an end to this "war against Freedom, Equality and Fraternity", said the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, citing before the French parliament the three fundamental values of the République which - has observed - they "made Europe united".

The Ukrainian president denounced war crimes and then returned to ask for "greater support" from France and Europe so that "freedom does not lose" this war against Vladimir Putin's Russia.

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Destroyed museum in Mariupol

A Russian air raid destroyed the museum named after the painter Arkhip Kuindzhi in Mariupol, where paintings by numerous Ukrainian artists were kept. According to the municipal council's complaint on Telegram, about two thousand works were preserved in the bombed building including paintings, sculptures and other artistic creations. Konstantin Chernyavsky, president of the National Union of Artists of Ukraine, told local media that three well-known paintings by Kuindzhi were part of the museum's collection, but were not in the facility.

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Kidnapped director of the Kherson Theater

The director general of the Kherson Theater and chairman of the Tavria Melpomene International Theater Festival, Oleksandr Knyha, was kidnapped by the Russian army. This was announced with a video on Facebook by Yevhen Ryshchuk, mayor of Oleshky, a town near Kherson, according to Ukrinform.

An appeal for his release came from the Ukrainian Minister of Culture, Oleksandr Tkachenko. "This morning Russian terrorists, in a brutal and fascist way, kidnapped and carried away Oleksandr Knyha in an unknown place - he wrote on Telegram -. We ask the entire world cultural community to make every possible effort for his rapid release. The whole world must know ".

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NATO: "Enough nuclear threats"

"Tomorrow the leaders will make the decision to further strengthen NATO's presence in the

its eastern side ", said the secretary general of the Atlantic Alliance, Jens Stoltenberg.

"Moscow - added Stoltenberg - must stop with nuclear threats, an atomic war cannot be won and must not be fought".

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Kiev: "Russians use phosphorus bombs"

"Russia used white phosphorus bombs in Hostomel and Irpin." The mayor of Irpin said so

Oleksandr Markushin, quoted by The Kyiv Independent. "Russian forces targeted the satellite cities of Kiev with phosphorus bombs on the night of March 22," said Markushin.

The use of such weapons against civilians is prohibited by the Geneva Conventions ".

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Moscow envoy to the UN resigns

Moscow climate envoy Anatoly Chubais resigned and left Russia explaining that his decision is linked to opposition to Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine. This was reported by the Bloomberg agency citing some sources. Chubais is known as the architect of the privatizations in Russia of the 1990s and with his backward step is the highest-ranking official to break with the Kremlin over the invasion of Ukraine.

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Gas, Putin: "You pay only in rubles"

Russia will no longer accept payments in dollars and euros for its gas delivered to Europe, but will only accept rubles. This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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"We will respond to Poland"

Moscow will give an "appropriate" response to the expulsion of 45 Russian diplomats from Poland. It does

know the Russian Foreign Ministry quoted by Interfax.

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Ukraine asks NATO to send offensive weapons

Kiev asks the West to send "offensive weapons" to Ukraine as a "means of deterrence" against Moscow. This is the appeal launched by Andriy Yermak, head of cabinet of Ukrainian President Zelensky, on the eve of the extraordinary summit of NATO leaders in Brussels in which Zelensky will speak by videoconference. "Our armed forces and our citizens resist with superhuman courage, but we cannot win a war without offensive weapons, without medium-range missiles, which can be a means of deterrence," Yermak said in a video on Telegram, also citing air defense and hunting systems.

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Zelensky in Tokyo: "More sanctions on Russia"

"Maintaining the pressure on Russia through a tightening of sanctions will allow for a return to peace, in a country where no one now has faith in their future anymore". This was stated by the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, in a video link with the Japanese Parliament, thanking Tokyo for the support shown during the crisis, almost a month after the invasion of Moscow. In his virtual message - the first from a foreign Diet leader - Zelensky also said he was confident Moscow was preparing a bioweapons attack on his country, and called for a radical reform of the UN Security Council.

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Moscow announces: "Two prisoner exchanges with Kiev"

There were two prisoner exchanges between Moscow and Kiev. The Russian Foreign Ministry gave the news, according to reports from TASS.

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Odessa army: "Moscow attacks but let's control the situation"

"The situation is under control now. Russia's aggression is growing day by day but thanks to our defense system everything is under control." This was underlined by the Ukrainian army spokesman for the Odessa Oblast, Sergey Bratchuk.

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The Chernihiv bridge, crucial for aid, has been hit

A bridge in Chernihiv, 130 kilometers from Kiev, was bombed in the night, considered crucial for bringing humanitarian aid and evacuating civilians. The Kyiv Independent reports it. Ukrainian Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko reported the news on his Telegram account this morning, citing confirmation from the head of the Chernihiv regional state administration, Vyacheslav Chaus.

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Lavrov: "The West seeks a new world order"

"What is happening in the world does not concern Ukraine only and not so much, but the efforts to create a new world order". This was stated by the Russian Foreign Minister, Serghei Lavrov, in a speech at the State Institute of International Relations in Moscow. The goal is "to contain Russia, as well as any other country acting independently on the global stage. As part of NATO's direction towards Russia, Ukraine has been chosen as an instrument to suppress the independence of Russia, "Lavrov said.

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I decided 9 humanitarian corridors but not from Mariupol

Nine humanitarian corridors have been agreed for today in Ukraine, but not to exit Mariupol. This was stated by the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, Iryna Vereshchuk, quoted by several international media, claiming that there is no agreement with Russia to establish a safe corridor from the heart of Mariupol.

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Bombs on residential buildings in Kiev in the night

Four civilians were wounded in an overnight bombing by Russian troops on Kiev. This was reported by the city administration of the city cited by the Kyiv Independent. The bombs hit a shopping center, a high-rise residential building and some private homes in the Sviatoshynskyi and Shevchenkivskyi districts of the Ukrainian capital.

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"121 children killed"

On the 28th day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, 121 children were killed and another 167 injured. This was reported by the Ukrainian Attorney General's office on its Facebook page. The bombings hit 548 educational facilities, 72 of which were completely destroyed, he said. “The worst situation is in the Donetsk, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Kyiv, Kherson, Chernihiv regions and in Kiev. Also affected by the Russian bombs were schools of medicine, arts,

sports facilities, libraries ".

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Building in Rubizhne struck, two children killed

Two children and an adult were killed when a Russian artillery shell exploded on a building in Rubizhne, in the Luhansk district. Governor Serhiy Gaidai reported this on his Telegram channel, quoted by The Kyiv Independent. The grenade exploded on the fifth floor of the building.

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Zelensky, 100,000 people trapped in Mariupol

One hundred thousand people were trapped in the ruined city of Mariupol, facing hunger under "constant" Russian bombing. This was stated in a video, quoted by various international media, by the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, who appealed for the release of a humanitarian convoy captured by Russian forces.

(Unioneonline)

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