Kyiv/MOSKAU (dpa-AFX) – For the first time since the beginning of the war, Russia and Ukraine have officially negotiated an end to hostilities. Russian attacks continued on Monday, despite talks, on orders from President Vladimir Putin. As a warning to the West, Russia – as announced – has put its deterrent weapons on increased alert. After the EU, the USA imposed more severe sanctions. Russia blocked its airspace for Germany and 35 other countries.
Last Thursday, Putin ordered a “special military operation” to demilitarize Ukraine and overthrow what he saw as a nationalist leadership. He wants to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO.
These were the events on the fifth day of the war:
PEACE TALKS
Before the negotiations, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hopes for an end to the invasion were slim. The delegations met at noon with a considerable delay. Results were initially not known after the end of the evening.
The Russian delegation was led by the Kremlin’s special envoy, Vladimir Medinsky. The Ukrainian side is headed by the Presidential Party faction leader, David Arakhamiya. The exact location of the negotiations was initially unknown.
Medinski had assured that Moscow was interested in an agreement. The delegation from Kyiv demanded an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of troops.
With a view to the peace talks, French President Emmanuel called on Putin to end offensives against civilians. Macron spoke to Putin on the phone.
MILITARY SITUATION, CALCULATIONS, REFUGEES
There was no independent confirmation of the reports from the scenes of battles and fighting, or the number of casualties on either side.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Health reported 352 civilians killed and at least 2,040 civilians injured. Selenskyj spoke of 137 dead soldiers on Friday, but has not commented on it since.
According to the Ukrainian General Staff, 4,500 Russian soldiers have died since the beginning of the war.
Russia acknowledged losses but gave no numbers.
The main points of attack for the Russian armed forces continued to be the areas around the capital Kyiv with its 2.8 million inhabitants and the metropolis Kharkiv, the second largest city in the country.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that more than 500,000 people had fled to neighboring countries since the war began.
WEST PUNISHMENTS
With the opening of the financial markets on Monday, the new EU sanctions against the Russian central bank came into effect. The US followed suit. According to the European Union, there is now a ban on doing business with the central bank. All their assets in the EU are frozen.
The central bank in Moscow can now no longer conduct transactions in US dollars worldwide, as a senior representative of the White House explained in Washington.
Along with the sanctions imposed by allies, most of Russia’s foreign exchange reserves, worth around $630 billion, are now de facto blocked.
The punitive measure against the central bank is considered at least as serious as the shortly planned exclusion of Russian financial institutions from the bank communication network Swift.
Switzerland adopted the EU sanctions against Russia. That was decided by the Federal Council in Bern.
Russia’s national currency, the ruble, fell sharply in the face of the new sanctions. The Russian central bank was forced to raise its key interest rate drastically by 10.5 points to 20 percent.
REACTIONS OF RUSSIA
The nuclear power Russia put its deterrent weapons – as ordered by Putin – on increased alert. Western politicians saw this as an open threat of nuclear weapons, although Putin had not explicitly spoken of it.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the Strategic Missile Forces, the Northern and Pacific Fleets and parts of the Air Force are now on increased alert.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson sees this as a diversion from the difficulties facing the Russian military.
In response to airspace closures for Russian aircraft, aircraft from Germany and 35 other countries will no longer be allowed to fly over Russia. This was announced by the aviation authority Rosawiazija. There may be exceptions with a special permit.
FINANCIAL MARKETS
The war also weighed on the financial markets at the start of the week. Commodities like oil became more expensive. Investors bought assets that are considered safe havens, such as the US dollar, bonds or gold. The Russian ruble plummeted. The stock exchange in Moscow remained closed.
The German stock market came under renewed pressure, although losses were limited compared to last Thursday when Russia launched its attack on Ukraine.
SPORTS
The world sports associations also isolated Russia.
According to information from the German Press Agency, the world football association FIFA wants to suspend Russia from its competitions. As a result, the national team from Russia cannot take part in the World Cup playoffs in March or in the World Cup in Qatar at the end of the year.
According to the will of the International Olympic Committee (IOC9), Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials should no longer be allowed to take part in international competitions. The IOC leadership made this recommendation to all world associations and organizers of sporting events.
Second division football team FC Schalke 04 is parting ways with its main Russian sponsor Gazprom. This was decided by the Management Board with the consent of the Supervisory Board. The Russian state-owned company has so far been the most important financier of the traditional club, which is burdened with around 200 million euros in liabilities. The contract actually runs until 2025./rom/DP/stw