Volodymyr Zelensky applauded in the Assembly, the Russian army would mark time

Did you miss the latest events of the war in Ukraine? 20 Minutes takes stock for you every evening, at 7:30 p.m. Who did what? Who said what? Where are we ? The answer below:

news of the day

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed French parliamentarians during a videoconference speech broadcast to the National Assembly. After asking to observe a minute of silence for the “thousands of Ukrainians and Ukrainians” who died in this conflict, the Head of State assured that the Russian army was destroying everything, comparing the destruction of universities, hospitals at the ruins of Verdun.

Volodymyr Zelensky called for “acting together” to force Russia to “seek peace” and “end this war against freedom, against equality, against brotherhood”. The president called on French companies to “stop sponsoring Russia’s war machine”. A speech applauded by parliamentarians.

The phrase

“NATO will not be part of the war”

Before the Bundestag on Wednesday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reaffirmed that NATO would not participate directly in the conflict.

The number

100,000 people are still stuck in the “icy hell” of Mariupol in a state of total siege, “in inhuman conditions (…) without food, without water, without medicine, under constant bombardment”, alerted Volodymyr Zelensky.

The trend of the day

It would seem that the Russian offensive is not going as well as Vladimir Putin claims. In kyiv, the Russian army is blocked northwest and east of the Ukrainian capital. It has even had to retreat in recent days on several of these fronts, said the mayor, Vitali Klitschko, on Wednesday. Even if Washington cannot confirm that Ukraine has taken over the western suburbs of kyiv (Makariv), there are “signs” of Ukrainian counter-offensives, particularly in the south of the country.

Military historian and former troop colonel Michel Goya confirms and reports a “very marked slowdown in Russian ground operations” in favor of a “strike campaign that is gaining momentum”. On the other hand, up to 40,000 Russian soldiers have been killed, injured, taken prisoner or missing in Ukraine, according to NATO, report our colleagues from Wall Street Journal. Russia began its invasion with approximately 190,000 troops. Moscow has few reserves on the side of battalion tactical groups (infantry and armour), with 75% of available Russian personnel sent to Ukraine.