Kyiv: After over two weeks into the war, leaders of both sides held the fourth round of peace talks on Monday, 14th March through video conferencing. Reportedly these talks are expected to continue today.
As the Russian forces edge closer to Kyiv, escalated explosions were reported. At least three blasts rocked the city early morning said local sources. Two died after airstrikes on residential buildings. 2 bodies were pulled out from the rubble while 27 others were provided emergency help. Ukraine presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych informed that the besieged port city Mariupol reported 2,500 deaths as the saboteurs’ intensified attack.
Responding to the fresh allegations levelled by the US, China denied that Russia sought military assistance in Ukraine and further accused Washington of spreading’ malicious disinformation’ that will fuel the conflict.
Meanwhile, in Russia protests on the special military operations escalated and several were arrested. In an act of dissent, a protestor on Monday 14th March interrupted a live news broadcast of TV Channel One, a Russian media house. She held up a sign behind the studio presenter, reading “NO WAR. Stop the war. Don’t believe the propaganda. They are lying to you here.” Another sentence, “Russians against war”, was partly concealed.
In a recorded message on Monday, Zelensky demanded the Council of Europe to expel Russia immediately saying it had no right to remain a member of the pan-European rights body after invading its neighbour. According to the UN so far 2.8 million people have fled from the war-hit zone, struggling for survival in neighbouring lands.