As fighting continues for control of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, Russia on Monday offered to extend the Ukrainian grain export deal, which expires on March 18, for just 60 days. An offer criticized by kyiv who sees it as a questioning of the initial agreement.
Meanwhile, Russia on Tuesday accused the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom of orchestrating “years of confrontation” in Asia, launching their nuclear submarine alliance dubbed AUKUS.
Grain agreement: Moscow proposes an extension
“The Black Sea Grain Initiative deal involves at least 120 days of extension, Russia’s stance to extend it by only 60 days therefore contradicts the document signed by Turkey and the UN,” tweeted the Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov, stating that Kiev was waiting for “the official position” of the United Nations and Ankara, as “guarantors of the initiative”.
In New York, Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, assured that “the United Nations remains fully involved in the Black Sea Grain Initiative, to strive to facilitate the export of Russian fertilizers and feed”. Shortly after, the UN said in a statement that it “takes note” of the Russian proposal and stressed that the UN chief “confirmed that the United Nations will do everything possible to preserve the integrity of the Grain initiative […] and ensure its continuity.
Ukraine: intense fighting for the control of the center of Bakhmout
Fierce fighting between Russians and Ukrainians on Monday for control of the center of Bakhmout, a city in eastern Ukraine where the longest and bloodiest battle since the start of the Russian invasion is taking place.
“Assault detachments (of the Russian paramilitary group) Wagner are attacking from several places, trying to break through the defense of our troops and advance towards the central districts” of Bakhmout, Ukrainian ground forces commander Oleksandr said on Monday. Syrsky. “The closer we are to the city center, the harder the fighting, the more artillery there is,” echoed Yevgeny Prigojine, Wagner’s boss.
His men are on the front line in the attacks that the Russians have been launching since last summer to try to take this city, which has become a symbol of the fierce resistance of the Ukrainians, who hope for their part to exhaust the attackers there in order to be able to launch a massive counter-offensive.
Rome accuses Wagner of using migrants to punish kyiv supporters
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto on Monday accused the Russian paramilitary group Wagner of promoting illegal migration to Europe to punish European countries supporting Ukraine.
“The exponential increase in the phenomenon of migration from the African coasts is also part, in no small measure, of a clear strategy of hybrid warfare that the Wagner group […] implements using its significant weight in several African countries,” the minister said in a statement. “Just as the EU, NATO and the West have realized that cyberattacks are part of the global confrontation that the war in Ukraine has opened, they should now understand that the front in southern Europe is becoming more dangerous every day,” he continued.
More than 20,000 migrants have landed in Italy since the start of the year, compared to around 6,000 over the same period in 2022 and 2021, according to the Interior Ministry. Most arrive from the North African coast in overloaded boats, risking their lives.