This is the situation on the fifth day of the war:
Battles for Kyiv: In the north of the Ukrainian capital, the Russian army has tried to build a pontoon bridge to cross the Irpin River, according to the Ukrainian military. Another attempt to capture the city of Irpin just outside of Kyiv was unsuccessful. According to a report by the State Information Service of Ukraine, there have been several explosions in Kyiv itself and in the metropolis of Kharkiv. According to the Interfax-Ukraine agency, Russian troops are advancing from the southern Ukrainian city of Cherson in the direction of Mykolaiv.
Other cities under attack: Many bombers and fighter planes are said to have taken off from Crimea towards Ukraine. In addition to Kyiv, the cities of Mykolaiv and Cherson in the south and Kharkiv in the east are also among the destinations, according to the Ukrainian agency Unian. A rocket is said to have hit a residential building in the Ukrainian city of Chernihiv, not far from the Belarusian border. As a result, a fire broke out, as the state information service of Ukraine writes on Telegram. The information cannot be independently verified.
Fierce Resistance: According to estimates by the US Department of Defense, the Russian advance is being slowed down by fierce resistance from the Ukrainians. “The Ukrainians are putting up fierce resistance,” said a high-ranking official at the ministry on Sunday (local time) in a briefing for journalists. “It’s heroic, it’s inspirational, and it’s very clear for the world to see.” One also observes “fuel and logistics bottlenecks” of the Russian troops.
The losses of the Russian army continue to rise, according to Ukrainian data. Since the beginning of the war with Ukraine, the Russian side has reportedly “lost” about 4,500 soldiers, the Ukrainian general staff said. Helicopters, tanks and other vehicles were also destroyed. The information cannot be independently verified. Russia admits its own casualties in the war against Ukraine, but without naming numbers.
Belarus before possible entry into the war: Talks between Ukraine and Russia on a possible peace settlement are scheduled to begin in the morning on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border. At the same time, however, there is speculation that Russia’s partner country is going to war against Ukraine with its own soldiers at practically the same time. Paratroopers are said to have received orders to fly to Ukraine in the morning, writes the Ukrainian agency Unian. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Belarusian President Lukashenko had assured on Sunday that he did not want to intervene in the war.
sanctions: The EU implemented its severe sanctions against the Russian central bank. According to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, they include a ban on transactions with the financial institution. In addition, all of the bank’s assets in the EU will be frozen to prevent them from being used to finance Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin’s war. The step is considered to be just as serious as the shortly planned exclusion of Russian financial institutions from the banking communications network Swift.
Further sanctions are also planned against Belarus. Germany’s G7 partner Japan wants to follow suit. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in the parliamentary budget committee that his government is examining sanctions against the Russian partner country and will come to a decision quickly, as reported by the Japanese media. Japan has already imposed sanctions on Russia in line with the actions of its protecting power, the United States, and other allies.