▪️In the Russian Belgorod, an explosion occurred at an ammunition depot. Four servicemen were wounded. The preliminary cause of the explosion is the human factor
▪️The Kremlin’s statement: Russia does not intend to engage in charity and export gas to Europe for free
▪️Biden did not give an assessment of the decision announced by the Russian side to de-escalate in the Kiev and Chernihiv directions in Ukraine. Washington will continue to supply Kiev with weapons and protective equipment
▪️NATO invites Ukraine to a meeting of foreign ministers at its headquarters in the first week of April
▪️Ukraine has offered to accept a neutral status in exchange for security guarantees at the last round of negotiations with Russia, which means that it will not join military alliances or deploy military bases, Ukrainian negotiators said today.
▪️Reuters: The Russian-backed Donetsk Republic may consider joining Russia as soon as it establishes control over the entire Donetsk region of Ukraine.
▪️Putin told Macron that the nationalists in Mariupol should lay down their arms. Macron told Putin that it is impossible to pay for Russian gas in rubles
▪️The United States, Britain, France, Germany and Italy on Tuesday urged the West not to lose vigilance against Russia, after Moscow made it clear that it would reduce the intensity of hostilities around two Ukrainian cities
▪️Biden said that the United States is “resolutely” moving forward in the Asia-Pacific region, despite the crisis in Russia. The world “rules-based order” is facing “unprecedented challenges,” but Washington is not distracted by the war in Ukraine, he added.
▪️The United States believes that any movement of Russian troops from the vicinity of Kiev is a “redeployment, not a withdrawal,” the world should be ready for the continuation of major offensive operations in other territories of Ukraine, the American official said.
▪️Denmark has announced its readiness to send 800 NATO troops to the Baltic States
▪️Konstantin Nemichev and Sergey Velichko (“Chile”) refuted the information of the deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Vladimir Shamanov that they are in captivity of the Russian military. They published a video with a corresponding statement in their social networks
▪️The UK will strengthen its military presence in the Arctic
▪️U.S. Secretary of State Blinken said that the United States still doubts Russia’s “seriousness” in the negotiations on Ukraine
▪️Eight UN peacekeepers were killed in a helicopter crash in Congo, six Pakistani soldiers were among the dead
▪️Medinsky: Russia is not against Ukraine’s accession to the EU
▪️Johnson & Johnson suspends the supply of personal hygiene products to the Russian Federation
▪️Brazilian President Bolsonaro taken to hospital after feeling unwell
▪️The Chinese government has identified genetic data as a national strategic resource and is strengthening state control over the country’s gene banks and other repositories of genetic information.
▪️In Shanghai, it was announced that the city will be subject to new phased blockages by area, as China faces a new outbreak of Covid-19