Ukraine rejects humanitarian corridors to Russia proposed by Moscow and prepares for new attacks

Ukraine rejected on Monday the humanitarian corridors towards Russia and Belarus proposed by Moscow and is preparing for new offensives in several areas of the country, including Kiev, after a night of violent bombing.

The Russian offensive, launched on February 24, led to more than 1.5 million people fleeing Ukraine and many more have been displaced within the country or are trapped in cities bombed by Russia. In addition, the worsening of the conflict is also causing financial turbulence and a dizzying increase in the price of oil and gold.

The Russian army announced this Monday morning the temporary suspension of attacks in some areas “for humanitarian purposes” and the opening of humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians from Kiev, Kharkivfrom the besieged port of Mariupol and the town of Sumynear the Russian border.

But half of these runners are heading to Russia and Belarus and the Ukrainian government rejected the proposal out of hand.

“Not an acceptable option”said Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereschuk. Civilians evacuated from the cities of Kharkiv, Kiev, Mariupol and Sumy “They will not go to Belarus and then take the plane and go to Russia”he warned.

“Kiev will resist!”

“The enemy continues the offensive operation against Ukrainefocused on encircling Kiev, Kharkiv, Chernigov, Sumy and Mykolayiv”the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces had previously reported in a statement.

Russian forces “began to accumulate resources to attack Kiev”he added.

“The Russian occupiers try to concentrate their forces for a new series of attacks”Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said on Facebook.

In the capital, Ukrainian soldiers were seen preparing for a possible Russian attack. They planted explosives on what they say is the last intact bridge in the path of the Russian forces.

“The capital prepares to defend itself”, said the mayor of Kiev, Vitali Klitschko, in the Telegram application. “Kiev will resist! He will defend himself!” he added.

On Sunday, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskywarned that Russia was preparing to bomb Odessa, a strategic port on the Black Sea.

On Luganskunder control of pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukrainea strong explosion caused a fire in an oil depot on Monday, according to the Russian news agency Interfax.

“Dead bodies everywhere”

The missile attack on the airport Vinnytsiaabout 200 km southwest of Kyivcaused the death of five civilians and four soldiers on Sunday, according to Ukrainian rescuers.

Hundreds of civilians have lost their lives and thousands have been injured in this war. To the dead is added a painful exodus to neighboring countries that leaves images that challenge the whole world.

In the port city of MariupolOn Sunday, a new attempt to allow civilians to leave failed due to non-respect of an agreed ceasefire, of which the Russians and Ukrainians accuse each other.

In this strategic city on the shores of the sea of Azov “devastating scenes of human suffering” are experienced, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

One family who made it out of the city described the dire conditions they endured.

“We spent seven days in a basement without heat, electricity or internet, and we ran out of water and food”told a person who requested anonymity upon arrival in Dnipro, in central Ukraine.

“On the road we saw dead bodies everywhere, Russians and Ukrainians… We saw that people were buried in their cellars,” he added.

On Irpina small town on the outskirts of Kiev, the mayor said he saw two adults and two children killed “before his eyes” when a bomb fell on them.

“They are monsters. Irpin is at war, Irpin has not given up”Oleksandr Markushyn wrote on the Telegram network, however admitting that part of the city is in Russian hands.

Stocks fall, oil and gas rise

Western countries have imposed unprecedented sanctions against companies, banks and oligarchs to stifle the Russian economy and pressure Moscow to stop its assault.

The United States admitted that it is considering the option of banning the import of Russian oil, which caused the price of Brent crude to touch 140 dollars, very close to its all-time high. The prices of aluminum and copper also registered unprecedented prices on Monday.

The price of oil, which could accentuate an already high inflation, caused the main European stock markets to register declines of more than 4% on Monday. Meanwhile, European natural gas soared 60%, to more than 300 euros per megawatt-hour, in a scenario of fear of a possible cut in deliveries from Russia.

Putin he equated these economic retaliation to a declaration of war, and promised that Russia will succeed in “neutralizing” Ukraine, “either by negotiation or by war.”

A dissonant voice in this international context, China on Monday reiterated its “solid as a rock” friendship with Russia, but said it was willing to participate in peace mediation “if necessary.”

A third round of Russian-Ukrainian talks is scheduled for Monday, but expectations are not good. The Russian president has set as a precondition the acceptance by Kiev of all Moscow’s demands, especially the demilitarization of Ukraine and a neutral status for the country.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) opened an investigation last week into the situation in Ukraine and the United States said it had “very credible” information about war crimes committed by Russia.

“We will not forgive, we will not forget, we will punish all those who committed atrocities in this war against our land”he claimed Zelensky on Sunday. “They will have no quiet place on this Earth except the grave.”

The United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand asked Interpol to suspend Moscow from the international police organization.l said British Home Secretary Priti Patel.

And at the start of the hearings before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) this Monday, within a requirement launched by Ukraine, Russia was absent from the court based in The Hague.

Finally, the safety of the Ukrainian nuclear power plants is also causing great concern, following the Russian attack on the Zaporizhia nuclear facility, the largest in Europe. The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expressed its “deep concern” on Sunday over the situation at the plant, now controlled by Russia, where management and staff are unable to carry out their work properly.

________________________________