The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) has said that 4031 civilians, including 200 children, have been killed in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion of Geneva on February 24. The actual death toll could be even higher. The United Nations says most of the deaths were caused by airstrikes or artillery fire. However, the statement did not say whether more than 4,000 people had been killed in the Russian offensive.
Meanwhile, in eastern Ukraine, heavy fighting continues in the besieged Russian city of Sverdlovskaya. About 90 percent of Russian shelling is wrecked. Ukraine has confirmed that the railway hub of Lyman has been captured by Russian forces. A lot of people are trapped. The U.S. military has signed a $ 68.7 billion deal to buy anti-aircraft Stinger missiles for Ukraine.
With the European Union summit set to take place on March 30 and 31, the two countries have begun talks with Russia to resume fuel supplies. Russia has cut off fuel supplies by ship, demanding payment in rubles. However, the supply of natural gas through the pipeline continues. Its main beneficiaries are Hungary and Germany.
Ukraine has demanded that it stop or limit its purchases of Russian gas through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline. Germany had earlier suspended the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project in the wake of the Ukraine attack.
Meanwhile, Austrian Chancellor Carl Neymar said he had been told by Russian President Vladimir Putin that he was ready for peace talks. The phone conversation between the two leaders lasted 45 minutes.
Reconciliation talks between Finland, Sweden and Turkey went nowhere. The talks began amid Turkey’s opposition to the two countries joining NATO.
Content Highlight: Russia, Ukraine, Ukraine Crisis, Russia-Ukraine War