Russia began its “military operation”, described as a war by an overwhelming majority of foreign powers, 31 days ago. This Saturday, March 26, US President Joe Biden continues his visit to Europe, while the Russian army must concentrate, according to his own words, his offensive on eastern Ukraine. Emmanuel Macron, the French president, announced to him that a ” exceptional humanitarian operation is preparing, with Turkey and Greece, to evacuate Mariupol.
► The site of the Russian editorial staff of RFI broadcasts Ukrainian public radio (in the Ukrainian language) from the home page.
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The main points:
► Emmanuel Macronthe French President, announced that a ” exceptional humanitarian operation » is being prepared with Turkey and Greece to evacuate the city of Mariupol, besieged by Russia. It should be held in the next few days. The Head of State also specified that he will have ” a new discussion with Vladimir Putinthe Russian President, within 48-72 hours “.
► Russia announced on Friday its decision to focus on “ the liberation of Donbass »in eastern Ukraine, as the conflict stalls and no clear outcome emerges.
► The forces of kyiv, they launched a counter-offensive on the city of Kherson. A senior Pentagon official confirms this. ” We cannot say exactly who controls Kherson, but the fact is that the city is no longer as firmly under Russian control as before. »
► US President Joe Biden has arrived in Poland. He visited the US military based in the country. This is the second stage after Brussels of a trip to Europe intended to cement the union of Westerners against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, both on the diplomatic and economic front.
► An agreement between the EU and the United States should be signed to allow the Americans to supply more liquefied natural gas to the European Union. Germany will be able to do without Russian coal by this autumn “.
► The Russian ambassador to France has been summoned Friday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for an offensive tweet, which reproduced a cartoon offensive to Europe: a patient representing the continent and receiving injections of “Russophobia”, “neo-Nazism” and “sanctions” from “Dr. EuroReich” and “Dr. Empire of Lies”. ” These posts are unacceptable », Indicates the Quai d’Orsay.
Times are given in Universal Time (UT)
12:50 a.m.: the Russian army will limit its offensive to eastern Ukraine, while the Ukrainian army counterattacks in Kherson
The Russian army announced on Friday that it would limit its offensive on eastern Ukraine, while the forces of kyiv launched a counter-offensive on the city of Kherson.
The Russian command, through the voice of Deputy Chief of Staff Sergei Rudskoy, announced that “the combat capabilities of the Ukrainian forces had been significantly reduced, which allows (…) to to concentrate the bulk of the efforts on the main objective: the liberation of the Donbass“.
In Washington, a senior Pentagon official said that Ukrainian forces had launched a counter-offensive on the southern city of Kherson, the only major urban center completely conquered by Moscow forces, which is now “disputed“.
“Ukrainians attempt to retake Kherson“, said this official. “We can’t say exactly who controls Kherson but the fact isit is no longer as firmly under Russian control as before“, he continued.