Kremlin, Putin remains open to any contact to discuss options for resolving the Ukrainian problem

Kremlin, Putin remains open to any contact to discuss options for resolving the Ukrainian problem

Explosions were heard this morning in Kiev, during the peacekeeping mission of the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, in the capital. This was reported by the Ukrainian state broadcaster Suspilne. Previously, air-raid sirens were sounded after the launch of Russian Kalibr cruise missiles from the Black Sea towards the Kiev region.
There were explosions in the Kiev region and in the Ukrainian capital. The military administration of the city of Kiev announced this on Telegram, reports Ukrinform, which assured that “air defense is operational”. “Stay in the shelters until the air raid alarm goes off!” we can still read in the message. The attack comes a few hours after the arrival in Kiev of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, head of a peace delegation that is also due to visit Moscow.

They were launched  -Also- several Kalibr missiles against Ukraine from Russian ships in the Black Sea: reported by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. "Attention! Kalibr cruise missile launches from the Black Sea have been recorded!”, refers Ukrainska Pravda. Meanwhile, an air raid warning has been raised in more than 10 regions of Ukraine, including Kiev, the Ukrainian capital where a delegation of representatives of African states arrived today on a peacekeeping mission.

“The situation in the area under the eastern military command remains tense. Despite the advance of our troops to the south and despite the enemy losing territories and settlements in this direction, he continues to move some of the most combat-capable units towards the direction of Bakhmut, combining these actions with powerful artillery fire and artillery attacks assault and army planes on the positions of our troops": the commander of the Ukrainian ground forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, wrote on Telegram. “At the same time – he continued -, we continue to conduct offensive actions in separate directions, occupying dominant heights, forest strips with the aim of gradually displacing the enemy from the approaches to Bakhmut. Realizing this, the enemy units put up desperate resistance. Therefore, it is clear that our plans require periodic adjustments and clarifications.". On this, says Syrskyi, “I held a meeting with unit commanders, discussed problematic issues and identified ways to resolve them”, also in contact with the fighting units.

Meanwhile, Germany announces that it will "immediately" supply Ukraine with another 64 guided missiles for the Patriot systems. This was announced today by the German Defense Minister, Boris Pistorius, on the second day of the NATO defense ministerial in Brussels. This is "a very important sign of continued support for the successful efforts of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to ensure air defense, especially now in this special phase of the war”, said the minister, as reported by the German TV station NTV.

“Putin builds trust by launching the largest missile attack on Kiev in weeks, right in the middle of a visit by African leaders to our capital. The missiles are a message to Africa: Russia wants more war, not peace": the Foreign Minister of Ukraine writes this, quoted by Telegram, Dmytro Kuleba.

In Russia Putin thanked his UAE counterpart Muhammad bin Zayed al-Nahyan for facilitating the prisoner exchange in the Ukraine conflict. “I would like to thank you – Putin said at the beginning of negotiations with al-Nahyan in St. Petersburg – for your efforts to resolve humanitarian issues related to the events in Ukraine and the exchange of detainees”.
Putin noted that relations between the Russian Federation and the United Arab Emirates “They are developing very successfully. The Emirates are a good partner for us."

Russian President Vladimir “Putin wants to show that he is ready to not respect the security of foreign leaders, he doesn't care, because he feels completely unpunished”: the head of the Ukrainian presidential office wrote on Telegram, Andriy Yermak, commenting on this morning's Russian missile attack on Kiev. “The Russian missile attack occurred just as African leaders arrived in the capital,” comments the senior official, underlining that “anyone can find themselves in the shoes of African leaders”. Yermak then recalls that Russia had launched missile attacks even when “US President Joe Biden and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had arrived in Ukraine.”

Secondo Yermak, “the world must understand that now” we need “the toughest possible position towards Russia”.  “It is necessary to demonstrate strength to the state that compromises global security and acts with terrorist methods”, he adds, calling for unity “around the peace formula” of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Because, he claims, “there is no alternative”. “Only strong diplomacy and a strong position can put an end to Russian terrorism – he concludes – It concerns everyone, every state that wants to exist and preserve the global order”.

From the Kremlin: “President Putin was and remains open to any contact to discuss options for resolving the Ukrainian problem,” Dmitry Peskov told the media today.