Ukrainian authorities mock Russian offensive through video released online
Ukrainian authorities have posted a video showing the setbacks of the Russian army during an offensive to cross the Donets River in eastern Ukraine.
Seeking to establish floating bridges over the river, the Kremlin troops seem, according to these images, to have been picked off by Ukrainian artillery salvoes.
The Ukrainian government and Internet users were delighted about it on social networks, as shown in the column by our journalist Benoît Gallerey.
Italy intends to free itself from its dependence on Russian gas in 2024
Italy should “become independent of Russian gas in the second half of 2024”, thanks to its efforts to diversify its suppliers started in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine, Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on Thursday.
“We have acted quickly to reduce the share of natural gas that we import from Russia”, i.e. 40% of the total in 2021, and “the first effects” of this policy “will be felt from the end of 2022”, added he declared before the senators.
EU membership: the head of Ukrainian diplomacy denounces “second-class treatment” by “certain capitals”
The reference to Berlin is transparent, after Olaf Scholz, the German Chancellor spoke out against “a shortcut” for Ukraine’s rapid accession to the European Union. The head of Ukrainian diplomacy Dmytro Kouleba thus denounced Thursday a “second-class treatment” from “certain capitals” about the Ukrainian candidacy to join the European Union.
“The strategic ambiguity over Ukraine’s European perspective practiced by some EU capitals over the past few years has failed and must end,” he tweeted.
He also spoke of “second-zone treatment”.
Russian government says 1,730 Ukrainian soldiers from Azovstal have surrendered since Monday
The Russian executive has counted the surrenders of the last Ukrainian defenders of the Azovstal site in Mariupol.
The Kremlin has thus calculated at “1730” the number of soldiers who surrendered to the Russians or their local cronies. “During the last 24 hours, 771 fighters from the nationalist Azov regiment went to the Azovstal steel site in Mariupol. In total since May 16, 1,730 fighters, including 80 wounded, have taken themselves prisoner”, indicates the Russian Defense Ministry in a statement.
Scholz not in favor of a “shortcut” for Ukraine’s rapid EU membership
The German Chancellor prefers to temporize. While the war pushes Europeans to consider placing Ukraine under its fold, Olaf Scholz declared this Thursday morning that he “not be in favor” of the country’s rapid accession to the European Union.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Thursday that he was not in favor of granting Ukraine a “shortcut” to membership of the European Union (EU) which, according to him, is “not a matter of a few months or a few years”.
“The fact that there is no shortcut on the road to EU membership (of Ukraine) is an imperative of fairness towards the six Western Balkan countries” who have long wanted to join the European bloc, he underlined during a speech to the deputies of the Bundestag. French President “Emmanuel Macron is right to point out that the accession process is not a matter of a few months or a few years”, he added.
One dead and injured in bombing in Russia near Ukrainian border, local governor says
A bombing in a village in southwestern Russia, located on the border with Ukraine, in the Kursk region, left one dead and injured, the governor of this region said on Thursday.
“Another enemy attack in Tyotkino, which took place at dawn, unfortunately ended in tragedy. At the moment we know of the death of at least one civilian,” Roman Starovoyt said on Telegram, stating that other people had been injured and were receiving medical treatment.
According to preliminary information, the victim is a truck driver who made deliveries to a local distillery who was hit “repeatedly”, the governor added, hinting that the attack came from Ukraine, in response to the Russian invasion launched since February 24.
Washington is active in supporting the NATO candidacy of Finland and Sweden
The United States on Wednesday showed determined support for Finland and Sweden’s application for NATO membership, promising to be at their side in the event of a Russian “threat” and working to lift the Turkish opposition.
“I warmly welcome and strongly support the historic candidacies of Finland and Sweden,” said President Joe Biden, who is to welcome Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and Finnish President Sauli Niinistö to the White House on Thursday.
In a statement, the Democrat said he “looks forward to working with the US Congress and with our NATO allies to quickly bring Finland and Sweden into the strongest defense alliance in history”.
Russia closes CBC/Radio-Canada office, ‘unacceptable’ for Trudeau
Russia announced Wednesday to close the Moscow office of the Canadian radio-television CBC / Radio-Canada, and the cancellation of the accreditations and visas of its journalists, a decision described as “unacceptable” by the Canadian Prime Minister.
It is the first time that Moscow has banned a Western media since the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine on February 24. Russia explained that it was a response to the ban on broadcasting channels from the Russian group RT in Canada, decided in mid-March.
“By his decision to expel Canadian media from Moscow, Putin is trying to prevent them from reporting facts and this is unacceptable,” Justin Trudeau said on Twitter. “Journalists must be able to work safely – without censorship, intimidation or interference,” he added.
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Welcome to this direct follow-up to the war in Ukraine