The diplomatic delegations of Russia and Ukraine began the first talks this afternoon since Russia invaded Ukraine last Thursday, the Belarusian news agency Belta reported. These negotiations are being held in the Gomel region of Belarus, near the border with Ukraine, and coincide with an increase in Kiev’s resistance to the advance of Moscow’s troops. Before the start of the meeting, the Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelensky, asked the Russians for an “immediate” ceasefire and the withdrawal of their troops.
The Kremlin accepted on Friday the offer of “neutrality” and dialogue from the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, and it seemed that it was not going to materialize due to the fact that the Russian offensive does not stop and the discrepancies about the site where it would take place. First there was talk of Minsk, the capital of Belarus, and then Gomel, a Belarusian city. But in Kiev, both venues declined, considering that Belarus is involved in the conflict. Zelensky said yesterday he does not have much hope that the talks with Russia will be of any use.
Judging by the Ukrainian war reports and the information spread through social networks, the Russian troops barely advanced last night, except in the southeastern part of the country, where, according to information from the Russian Defense Ministry, they took the city. Berdyansk port. Kiev remains under the control of the Ukrainian authorities while Kharkiv, the country’s second largest city, repelled an attack by the Russian Army on Sunday and there was no new assault attempt overnight, although the airport and other surrounding targets remain under control. aircraft fire and Russian missiles.
In a statement released this morning, the Ukrainian Army General Staff maintains that “the Russian occupiers slowed down the pace of the offensive, but are still trying to achieve success in some areas.” The note refers to the most recent attacks by Russian artillery and aircraft “against residential buildings” in the Ukrainian towns of Zhitomir and Chernigov “in violation of international humanitarian law.”
Last night there was also a huge explosion near the city of Cherkassy, southeast of Kiev, apparently when an ammunition depot was hit by a missile. The Ukrainian military department assures that «the enemy is demoralized and suffers heavy losses. We have seen frequent cases of desertion and disobedience. The enemy realized that propaganda and reality are different».
According to various sources, the number of casualties in the Russian ranks on the fifth day of the invasion exceeds 5,000 soldiers. The spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, Igor Konashenkov, acknowledged yesterday that “there are dead and wounded” among Russian soldiers, but did not provide figures. Today, in his usual morning appearance, Konashenkov announced that “Russian aviation has achieved air supremacy over the entire territory of Ukraine.”
1,114 military installations attacked
The military spokesman said that since the beginning of the “special operation”, “the Russian Armed Forces have attacked 1,114 Ukrainian military infrastructure facilities (…) 314 tanks and other armored fighting vehicles, 57 multiple rocket launchers, 121 pieces of field artillery and mortars, 274 units of military vehicles».
According to their report, “Russian troops have taken the cities of Berdyansk and Energodar (…) they completely protect and control the area around the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant.” The Chernobyl plant is also in the hands of Russian forces. Likewise, Konashenkov has appealed to the population of Kiev to “freely leave the capital along the road to Vasilkov. This road is clear and safe.”
Yesterday, Sunday, the Ukrainian Army warned of the advance of a large convoy of Russian armored vehicles towards the Ukrainian capital. Shortly after, satellite images from Maxar Technologies showed a Russian column more than five kilometers long heading towards Kiev at a distance of about 65 kilometers. The formation included tanks, armor, trucks and fuel tankers.