The cruiser Moskva, flagship of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea, once damaged during the offensive against Ukraine, has sunk, the Russian Ministry of Defense said Thursday evening. This is “a blow” for the Russian army in the region, according to Pentagon spokesman John Kirby.
The Kremlin still evokes a “fire” which would have affected its building, definitively sunk during its towing due to “rough sea conditions”. The Ukrainians claimed to have hit it with cruise missiles. Moscow denies it but, in return, accused kyiv of having bombed two Russian villages, including one with helicopters, and of having injured eight people. These claims are unverifiable and raise fears of a new escalation in the conflict.
- The nuclear risk again agitated
It is a shadow that hovers over this war. In trouble on the ground, could Vladimir Putin use a low-intensity nuclear weapon against Ukraine? “Given that President Putin and the Russian leadership may sink into despair, given the setbacks they have suffered so far from a military point of view, none of us can take the threat posed by the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons or low-power nuclear weapons,” CIA chief William Burns said during a speech in Atlanta to students at Georgia Tech.
The Kremlin mentioned putting its nuclear forces on alert “but we haven’t really seen any concrete signs such as deployments or military measures that could aggravate our concerns”, nevertheless specified the head of the main American intelligence agency. .
Concern has nevertheless increased a notch following the Russian withdrawal in the north-west of the country. Because new setbacks could overwhelm Russia a little more. According to the Pentagon, the rainy weather in the Donbass could favor the Ukrainian army against the Russian forces, which continue to prepare their offensive in this region of eastern Ukraine.
- Russia annoyed by arms deliveries
Russian diplomacy would have sent the United States a warning about Western arms deliveries to Ukraine, reveals the washington post. The Americans notably approved this week a new aid of 800 million dollars of equipment, including anti-aircraft weapons and defense drones. “We call on the United States and its allies to end the irresponsible militarization of Ukraine, which involves unpredictable consequences for regional and international security,” the note said.
“What the Russians are telling us privately is precisely what we have been telling the world publicly, namely that the massive aid we are providing to our Ukrainian partners is proving extraordinarily effective,” a senior official told the US daily. administration. However, the United States fears the multiplication of strikes on the convoys transporting these weapons, the depots hosting them, and even the NATO countries on the outskirts of Ukraine serving as transfer points.
- Biden studies sending US officials to Ukraine
Joe Biden said on Thursday he was considering sending senior US officials to Ukraine, where several European leaders recently visited in solidarity with kyiv in the face of the Russian invasion. The Democratic president then affirmed, in a tit for tat exchange with the press, that he himself would be ready to go to Ukraine.
- Putin wants to redirect energy exports to Asia
Vladimir Putin has called for redirecting Russian energy exports from Europe to Asia, due to the crisis caused by its offensive in Ukraine. He accuses the Europeans of “destabilizing the market” by wanting to do without Russian hydrocarbons.
Until he cut off the gas himself? The scenario seems improbable, points out to L’Express Thierry Rodier, specialist in gas “deals”. “Energy is by far Moscow’s main source of income. However, Russia is already in a catastrophic economic situation due to international sanctions and the devaluation of the rouble, not to mention the flight of economic actors who have gone abroad Going without the gas windfall overnight is of no interest to Putin. It would be tantamount to hara-kiri.”
- Thirty Ukrainians freed in new prisoner swap
Thirty Ukrainians were released on Thursday in a new prisoner swap with Russia, kyiv said, five days after the release of 12 Ukrainian soldiers and 14 civilians.
- 503 civilians killed near Kharkiv since start of invasion
More than 500 civilians including 24 children have been killed in the Kharkiv region of eastern Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24, regional governor Oleg Sinegoubov said.
- Return of the French Embassy in kyiv
The French embassy in Ukraine, which had been transferred to Lviv (west) at the beginning of March after the start of the Russian offensive, will return to kyiv, announced French diplomacy.
- London sanctions two relatives of Abramovich
UK has sanctioned two oligarchs portrayed as relatives of Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich, Eugene Tenenbaum and David Davidovitch, as part of British retaliatory measures for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, ministry says Foreign Affairs.