13:12
After the expulsion of hundreds of diplomats, the Kremlin denounces “the lack of European foresight”
More than 120 Russian diplomats expelled from Europe in 48 hours after the discovery of massacres attributed to Russian forces near kyiv.
“We regret that. The reduction in the possibilities of communicating at the diplomatic level in these difficult conditions” denotes a “lack of foresight which will further complicate” relations between Russia and the EU, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the press.
12:56
The French anti-terrorist prosecutor’s office opens three new investigations for “war crimes”
According to the press release from the prosecution, the investigation relates to acts likely to have been committed against French nationals in Ukraine “during recent weeks”. The facts referred to were allegedly committed in Mariupol, Gostomel, and Chernihiv between February 24 and March 16.
12:45
For or against a Russian gas embargo? The presidential candidates are divided
“Gas of shame” for Hidalgo, Russian gas is for other candidates essential to France. What do all the contenders for the Elysée think? We take stock here.
12:35
Ukrainian civilians “deliberately targeted” according to the UN
Boutcha’s images “point to the fact that the victims were deliberately targeted and killed directly”, said Elizabeth Throssell, a spokesperson for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, who sees this on Tuesday. “very disturbing” evidence of a possible war crime. Elizabeth Throssell recalls that international humanitarian law prohibits deliberate attacks on civilians and that if this had been the case in Boutcha, the attacks observed could be reclassified as a war crime. “It’s hard to imagine what the military context would be of an individual lying in the street with a bullet in the head or having their body burned,” she argues.
12:20
Boucha, a staging?
12:00
A nitric acid tank hit by a strike in Roubijné according to the governor of the region
According to the governor of the region Serhiy Haidai, a tank of citric acid was hit by a Russian strike Roubijné, in the Luhansk region, eastern Ukraine. According to local media The Kyviv Independent, he is calling on residents not to leave bomb shelters and to close windows and doors. Nitric acid is dangerous to breathe and corrosive to the skin.
11:23
Italy expels 30 Russian diplomats
Italy has decided to expel 30 Russian diplomats for ‘national security’ reasons, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio told the Italian news channel in Berlin RaiNews24.
This decision by Italy follows similar measures taken on Monday by Germany and France and Tuesday morning by Denmark.
10:56
The President of the Commission and the head of diplomacy expected in kyiv “this week”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will travel to kyiv “this week” accompanied by EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrell, her spokesperson announced.
10:56
Moscow accuses kyiv of preparing “stagings” of killed civilians
Russia accuses the Ukrainian authorities of preparing “stagings” of civilians killed by Moscow forces in several cities, amid international outrage after the discovery of corpses in the city of Boutcha. “Members of the 72nd Ukrainian Psychological Operations Center shot a new filmed scene on the evening of April 4 of civilians allegedly killed by violent actions of the Russian army in the village of Moshchun, 23 km north- west of Kyiv,” Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.
10:45
US satellite images seem to refute the Russian version of the massacre of Boutcha civilians
Satellite images released by US company Maxar Technologies appear to refute Russian claims that the bodies of people in civilian clothes found in the Ukrainian town of Bucha were already there before Russian troops evacuated the scene.
In the images, dating back to mid-March, we can distinguish several bodies of civilians lying dead in a street of Boutcha or on the side.
10:27
Denmark expels 15 Russian diplomats for spying
“We have established that the 15 expelled intelligence agents carried out espionage activities on Danish soil,” Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod told the press, the day after the expulsion of Russian diplomats from France and from Germany for similar reasons. Jeppe Kofod wants to “send a clear signal to Russia: espionage on Danish soil is unacceptable”.
10:14
The bishops of France pray for Ukraine
The Catholic bishops who opened their spring plenary assembly in Lourdes, will begin this session “by sharing in the painful trials of the war waged in Ukraine”, with a mass, in the middle of the day, presided over by Mgr Hlib Lonchyna, the representative of the Greek Catholic Church (Byzantine Rite) for France.
09:52
Clément Beaune wants to “hit on Russian oil”
“Oil hurts Russia a lot. “Hit” on oil is very important,” French Secretary of State for European Affairs Clément Beaune said this morning on RFI, while a new set of sanctions is expected against Russia. According to Clément Beaune they could be voted on tomorrow.
09:45
ICRC team detained in Ukraine released
The Red Cross announced yesterday that one of its teams, responsible for helping to evacuate civilians from the besieged port city of Mariupol (south-eastern Ukraine), was “detained” by the police in a locality nearby, under Russian control. The team “is now concentrating on continuing the humanitarian evacuation operations” according to an ICRC spokesperson, adding that this incident “shows the volatility and complexity” of this operation.
09:11
Bombings on Kramatorsk, main city in the hands of kyiv in the east
Several bombings hit Kramatorsk overnight from Monday to Tuesday, a large city controlled by Ukraine in the east, under the threat of an offensive by Russian troops.
According to an AFP journalist, these shots, probably from missiles or long-range rockets, notably destroyed a school in the city center, next to a police building.
In the early morning, a smoking crater about ten meters in diameter was visible in the schoolyard, partly collapsed. Many windows were blown around but residents of the neighborhood reported no casualties, the school being apparently empty.
No official report has been communicated.
08:57
US wants to suspend Russia from UN Human Rights Council this week
A vote by the UN General Assembly to decide on this suspension after Boutcha could take place as early as Thursday, according to Washington. Russia reacted by describing this step as “incredible” and judging that it would not facilitate “peace talks” between the Russians and the Ukrainians.
08:19
China calls for new talks
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba. “Wars eventually end. The key is how to reflect on the pain, maintain lasting security in Europe, and establish a balanced, effective and lasting European security mechanism,” Wang said, according to the ministry.
“China is ready to play a constructive role in this regard from an objective position,” he said.
For his part Kuleba said he was “grateful” to Wang Yi for his “solidarity with the civilian victims”.
08:03
“Let’s beware of images”, says Eric Zemmour about Boutcha
The presidential candidate calls for “caution” after the discovery of the victims of Boutcha. “Let us beware of images. (…) You should be careful. We must be sure that these massacres are the work of Russian troops. If so, it is absolutely infamous, despicable. We remember Timisoara, we remember the war in Iraq, there was a lot of manipulation of images, ”he said on France 2. Follow our presidential live on this link.
07:35
What reasons could have pushed the Russians to leave traces of their abuses in Boutcha?
07:17
20 Ukrainian refugees arrive in Tokyo on Japanese government plane
Japan, usually very resistant to welcoming refugees, took in 20 Ukrainians.
These people, who were in Poland following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, arrived with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi who was visiting Warsaw. Japan has received 404 Ukrainians so far.
07:03
Warning sirens heard from north to south of the country
This night the warning sirens sounded in kyiv, Odessa or even Kharkiv, the country’s second city. The inhabitants of the Ukrainian capital who fled the Russian invasion were called on Monday by its mayor Vitali Klitschko not to return there for “at least a week”, Russian bombings could still, according to him, occur there.
06:48
In Peremoha, a Ukrainian city occupied by the Russians
BFMTV collected testimonies from residents of the village of Peremoha. Occupied for three weeks by Russian soldiers, it was partly destroyed.
06:39
New sanctions to come against Russia
The international community agrees in wanting to condemn Moscow. US President Joe Biden has said he wants a “war crimes trial” and wants to take “additional sanctions” against Russia, in response to the events in Boutcha. The European Union is discussing for its part in “emergency” new sanctions demanded in particular by France and Germany, indicated the high representative of the EU Josep Borrell. Our decryption on this subject.
06:21
“They were killed while fleeing”… near kyiv, Boutcha counts his shattered lives
After the discovery of a large number of corpses in towns on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital deserted by the Russian forces, the inhabitants denounce “war crimes”. We went to meet them in This article.
06:16