Update on the situation at 8 a.m.
• The Russian army announced on Friday that it would limit its offensive on eastern Ukraine. The Russian command, through Deputy Chief of Staff Sergei Rudskoy, announced that “the combat capabilities of the Ukrainian forces have been significantly reduced, which allows (…) to concentrate the bulk of the efforts on the main objective: the liberation of Donbass”.
• Joe Biden continues his stay in Europe by meeting Ukrainian refugees in Poland on Saturday. He is to deliver a speech on Ukraine where, in a month of war, thousands of Ukrainians have been killed, including 135 children, according to kyiv.
• France, Turkey and Greece will lead “a humanitarian operation” to evacuate “in the next few days” from the besieged city of Mariupolin southern Ukraine
Joe Biden meets Ukrainian refugees in Poland
US President Joe Biden, on the second day of his visit to Poland, is to meet this Saturday in Warsaw with Polish leaders.
He will also go to a reception center for Ukrainian refugees and must give a speech on Ukraine where, in a month of war, thousands of Ukrainians have been killed, including 135 children, according to kyiv.
Since February 24, more than 2.2 million people fleeing the conflict have entered Poland, according to Polish border guards, out of about 3.7 million in total who have gone abroad, according to the UN , including 1.8 million children.
A “humanitarian operation” to evacuate Mariupol in the coming days
France, Turkey and Greece will carry out “a humanitarian operation” to evacuate “in the next few days” from the besieged city of Mariupol, in southern Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Friday.
“I will have within 48 to 72 hours a new discussion with the (Russian) President Vladimir Putin to properly settle the details and secure the terms,” he said.
In Mariupol, a strategic Ukrainian port located on the Sea of Azov, more than 2,000 civilians were killed in this besieged city, according to the municipality. Some 100,000 of its inhabitants are still stranded there and lack everything, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Russian army will be limited to eastern Ukraine: bluff or strategic retreat?
The Russian army announced on Friday that it would limit its offensive in eastern Ukraine.
The Russian command, through Deputy Chief of Staff Sergei Rudskoy, announced that “the combat capabilities of the Ukrainian forces have been significantly reduced, which allows (…) to concentrate the bulk of the efforts on the main goal: the liberation of Donbass”.
Could this be a turning point in the war? For Christian Makarian, columnist at Point and specialist in international politics, it could be either “a bluff” or “a real strategic retreat”, he said this Saturday on BFMTV. “In truth, many elements allow to say that the Russian army is looking for a way out”, he added.