Russia admits to sending recruits to Kyiv despite Putin’s denials – follow live

Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Russia is paying almost 300 lives in one day in its “meaningless” war against Ukraine and that it has lost more than 31,000 Russian soldiers in the siege.

“More than 31,000 Russian military personnel have already died in Ukraine. Since February 24, Russia has been paying almost 300 lives a day for a completely useless war against Ukraine. And yet the day will come when the number of losses, even for Russia, will exceed the permissible limit,” Zelensky said Tuesday night.

He added that Ukraine’s frontline situation “has not changed significantly in the last 24 hours.”

“The absolutely heroic defense of Donbas continues. The hottest spots are the same. First of all, Severodonetsk, Lysychansk, Popasna,” Zelensky said.

“It feels, absolutely feels, that the occupiers did not believe that the resistance of our army would be so strong, and now they are trying to attract additional resources in the Donbass direction. As in the Kherson direction, new units are being transferred there to restrict our actions, ”he added.

Referring to the rumors within the Russian military, Zelensky said: “But what’s the point for them? The majority of the occupying contingent is already well aware that it has no prospects in the Ukraine. We hear this mood in the appropriate intercepts of conversations. This is the prevailing mood in the Russian army. We are free people. We are not your slaves.

Ukraine will not sell its gas and coal abroad at the time of war to direct the battered country’s energy resources to meet internal needs, Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday night.

“At this time, we will not sell our gas and coal abroad. All domestic production will be directed to the domestic needs of our citizens, ”Zelensky said in his evening address.

He added: In the current situation due to Russia’s aggression, this will certainly be the most difficult winter of all the years of independence. But! Everything’s fine. We must go through that so that our people feel the normal work of the state.”

The Ukrainian president said that his administration is doing everything possible to increase its electricity export capabilities.

“This will be possible thanks to the capabilities available in Ukraine. And after the historic accession of our country to the unified energy network of Europe, such exports not only allow us to increase our foreign exchange earnings, but also directly influence the stabilization of the energy situation in neighboring countries, which reduces the Russia’s energy consumption. Zelensky said.

A Ukrainian teenager with Down syndrome met his hero John Cena, the professional wrestler turned actor who motivated him to escape the besieged city of Mariupol.

In an article published by the Wall Street JournalMisha Rohozhyn met the Pacifier star in Huizen, the Netherlands, where Misha seeks refuge with her family. According to her mother, Liana, the two created a “motivational fantasy” with the promise that John Cena would be waiting for them at the end of their perilous journey out of the Ukraine.

Back in Mariupol, posters of Cena had covered the walls of Misha’s family apartment, which is now destroyed by shelling. Arriving in the Netherlands last month, the 19-year-old was left angry and disappointed that the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) star was nowhere to be found. That is, until Cena himself traveled to the Netherlands last weekend.

Work continues to bring home all captured Azovstal defenders, according to the Kyiv defense intelligence directorate.

“The process of returning the bodies of the fallen defenders of Mariupol is underway. To date, 210 of our troops have been returned, most of them are heroic defenders of Azovstal,” he said on Twitter.

There has been little information about the fate of Azovstal’s estimated 2,000 defenders. Kyiv is seeking the surrender of all in a prisoner swap, but some Russian lawmakers want some of the soldiers to stand trial.

The World Bank has approved nearly $1.5 billion of additional financing for Ukraine to help pay government and social worker salaries.

Today’s commitment of $1.49 billion brings the bank’s total support to Kyiv to more than $4 billion.

The World Bank said in a statement that the latest round of financing for Ukraine is backed by financing guarantees from the UK, the Netherlands, Lithuania and Latvia.

The project is also being supported by matching funding from Italy and contributions from a new Multi-Donor Trust Fund.

The Joe Biden administration has said it will use national security powers to push the deployment of clean energy technology, including solar panels and heat pumps, which it says will help its allies “in the face of Putin’s war in Ukraine.”

In a statement, the White House said the “historic action” would reduce energy costs, create jobs and decrease exposure to energy supply chain vulnerabilities.

The move “will boost domestic manufacturing, construction projects, and good-paying jobs, all while lowering energy costs for families, strengthening our grid, and addressing climate change and environmental injustice,” the statement said.