Russian forces shells Sievierodonetsk

Russian military forces, setting ten high-rise buildings on fire, heavily shells Luhansk Oblast's Sievierodonetsk. Sievierodonetsk, because Luhansk has been controlled by Russia-backed separatists since 2014, serves as a temporary headquarters of the regional authorities.

War is bloody. The faint-hearted need not engage in such mindless barbarism. Eighty-nine people, including four children, have been killed in Kyiv since Russian military forces invaded Ukraine on Thursday, 24 Feb. 2022.

Russian soldiers, last month, opened fire on a cyclist. Aerial footage, in February, was taken by Ukraine’s Armed Forces. It clearly shows several Russian armoured vehicles. One of the vehicles fired several high-calibre rounds in the cyclist's direction. Russia, despite mounting evidence, curiously denies targeting civilians.

"It has become safer in Kyiv," the council said, "but the threat of airstrikes remains."

Authorities urged civilians to evacuate. Shelling, not long thereafter, began. Russian forces, seeking to maximise casualties, may have been monitoring Ukrainian communication channels around Luhansk Oblast for signs of weakness. Russian bombardments cut off essential escape routes out of Sievierodonetsk.

Vuhledar, like Sievierodonetsk, experienced heavy shelling. Two civilians, resident of Vuhledar, were reported to have been killed by Russian shelling. Five other persons, according to Ukrainian authorities, were injured. Russian forces have increased attacks on the Donbas area.

Are Peace Talks Realistic?

Viktor Orbán, the Hungarian prime minister, has spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin at length. It seems Orbán, during their conversation, requested Putin consider a prolonged ceasefire in Ukraine. Orbán, on Wednesday, 6 April 2022, revealed he had proposed to Putin he attend peace talks in Hungary. The German chancellor, further to the Ukrainian and French presidents, would be in attendance.

Orbán, despite not revealing what was uttered, considers Putin's response "positive". Obviously, when it comes to Putin, there will always be conditions. The Hungarian prime minister didn't go into specifics.

Ukraine requires Military Assistance...

The Netherlands has deployed four F-35 aircraft to Bulgaria. Bulgaria, a Nato ally, can be found south-west of Ukraine. The Dutch warplanes, along with several MiG-29 fighter jets, will bolster air defences.

Bulgaria, situated on NATO’s eastern flank, could be at significant risk if Ukraine falls to Russia. It is also the setting for a sizeable battlegroup, comprising at least 1,000 troops, in close cooperation with NATO. The European Union, financially assisting Ukraine, has pledged an estimated €1bn in military aid.

"We have to continue arming Ukraine," Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, said. "We need less rounds of applause and more assistance."

Curiously, according to Javier Blas, "The EU is effectively funding Russia's war to the tune of $1 billion a day."

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in conversation with the U.N. Security Council, believes there's not a single crime that Russian forces "will not commit.” A comparison to ISIS was made.

Supplying arms to Ukraine isn't as simple as one might think. Germany, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said, can only supply arms that Ukrainian military personnel know how to use.

"These are very old inventories that were used by the NVA [the army of former communist East Germany], which have the advantage that they can be used particularly well in Ukraine because they have experience with this equipment," Scholz said.

Russia Suspension Imminent...

The United Nations General Assembly, according to Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, is likely to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council. The 193-member UN general assembly, on Thursday, 7 April 2022, will vote on whether to suspend Russia from the UN's Human Rights Council. Suspending Russia from the Human Rights Council will require a two-thirds majority.

Russia, currently in its second year of a three-year term, could find itself suspended for systematically violating human rights in Ukraine. The Human Rights Council consists of 47-members.