Putin likens Western sanctions to war as Russian assault traps Ukrainian civilians

Reuters
  • Putin says he wants Ukraine ‘demilitarised’
  • Russia, Ukraine trade blame over evacuation problems
  • Up to 1.5 million refugees expected by Sunday night
  • US Sec of State Blinken in Poland for talks on crisis
  • NATO says ‘no’ to no-fly-zones over Ukraine

LVIV/KYIV, Ukraine, March 5 (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin said Western sanctions were akin to war on Saturday as his forces pressed on with their assault on Ukraine, where planned civilian evacuations from two besieged cities were called off.

Russia and Ukraine traded blame over the failure to provide safe passage to civilians fleeing the two bombarded cities, on the 10th day of a war that has fuelled Europe’s biggest humanitarian disaster in decades.

Russia’s invasion, which began on Feb. 24, has sent nearly 1.5 million refugees fleeing westward into the European Union and provoked unprecedented international sanctions on Moscow.

The Russian defence ministry said its units had opened humanitarian corridors near the cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha, which have been encircled by its troops.

But in Mariupol, the city council said Russia was not observing the ceasefire and it asked residents to return to shelters and await further information on evacuation.

Russia’s defence ministry accused Ukrainian “nationalists” of preventing civilians from leaving, RIA news agency reported.

The International Committee of the Red Cross later said it understood that civilian evacuations from Mariupol and Volnovakha would not now start on Saturday.

The port of Mariupol has endured heavy bombardment, a sign of its strategic value to Moscow due to its position between Russian-backed separatist-held eastern Ukraine and the Black Sea Crimean peninsula, which Moscow seized from Kyiv in 2014.

“This night the shelling was harder and closer,” a staff member from Doctors without Borders/Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF) said, according to the aid agency. There was still no power, water, heating or mobile phone links and food was scarce.

OFFENSIVE TO CONTINUE

The Russian defence ministry said a broad offensive would continue in Ukraine, where it denies attacking civilians or invading, calling its actions a “special military operation”.

By Pavel Polityuk and Aleksandar Vasovic

Read Full Article on Reuters.com

The Thinking Conservative
The Thinking Conservativehttps://www.thethinkingconservative.com/
The goal of THE THINKING CONSERVATIVE is to help us educate ourselves on conservative topics of importance to our freedom and our pursuit of happiness. We do this by sharing conservative opinions on all kinds of subjects, from all types of people, and all kinds of media, in a way that will challenge our perceptions and help us to make educated choices.

Columns

A Simple Question

What is a woman? Anyone with an IQ above room temperature can answer the question. Everyone, that is, except Democrats.

Democrats Tesla Takedown is a Proven Astro Turf Movement

Elon Musk and other journalistic leaders like Joe Rogan have been asking the critical question, “Who is behind the organization of these Tesla protests?”

Can Ramaphosa and Trump Come to Terms?

Whether South Africa can quell the hostility emanating from Washington, without compromising on its national priorities, is a formidable test for a country

Maddened Europe

Viable prospects for peaceful settlement of conflict between Moscow and Kyiv exist, but Europe obsesses over threat of incursion onto European territory.

BOMBSHELL: DOGE Proves Democrats Guilty of Election Fraud!

As the old expression goes, “That didn’t take long!” Over...

News

Crawford Defeats Musk-Backed Rival to Preserve Liberal Majority on Wisconsin Supreme Court

Judge Susan Crawford, backed by in-state Democrats and supported by millions in out-of-state donations, won most expensive Supreme Court seat in state history.

Victory! Federal Court Orders Parental Notice Laws Restored to Protect Minors Seeking Abortion, in a case almost 40 years in the making.

Teaming up with public officials, the Bopp Law Firm and Nevada Right to Life, PJI took a stand in federal court to restore protections for young girls, the preborn and parents.

Trump Says Agency Heads Will Work With DOGE After Elon Musk Leaves

President Donald Trump said adviser Elon Musk will eventually have to depart from the DOGE and go back to running his companies.

FTC Chairman Raises Concerns Over Sale of 23andMe DNA Data

FTC said it was worried about the safety of the personal data of Americans who were previously customers of genetic testing company 23andMe.

Judge Dismisses COVID Lawsuit Against Former New York Gov. Cuomo

Judge dismissed class-action lawsuit against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo that blamed his admin for COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes across NY.

Tesla Firebombing Suspect Hit With Federal Charges

The U.S. Dept of Justice has filed federal charges against a suspect in connection with a firebombing attack on a Tesla dealership in Loveland, Colorado.

What to Expect From Trump’s Global Tariffs

Trump has dubbed April 2 “Liberation Day,” when he will unveil reciprocal tariffs to level the trading field between the United States and its 200 partners.

Voters Head to Polls in 3 Key Elections in Florida, Wisconsin: What to Watch For

On April 1, voters head to the polls for three races in Florida and Wisconsin, with substantial implications for the future beyond the current contests.
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

MAGA Business Central