WAR IN UKRAINE – In the absence of any sign the Russian forces are willing to break the siege on Mariupol, a city on the Azov Sea, efforts continue to evacuate the civilian population via humanitarian corridors. 30,000 inhabitants have so far left the city, including 300 people Moscow claims to have crossed into Russia by bus. On Wednesday, a theatre in Mariupol sheltering hundreds of civilians was hit by shelling. According to Human Rights Watch, at least five hundred civilians had taken refuge within the theatre walls. Satellite footage shows the word „children” written in Russian on the walls of the theatre. The number of victims left in the wake of the attack is unknown, considering that rescue teams have so far been unable to intervene due to uninterrupted bombing. The United Kingdom, the United States of America, Albania, France, Norway and Ireland have called an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council as the humanitarian situation in this country continues to deteriorate, AFP reports. In turn, Russia has called for a one-day postponement of the vote on its „humanitarian” resolution regarding Ukraine. The request comes as Russia’s proposition failed to rally support from China and India, Moscow’s traditional allies in the Security Council. The Kremlin today rejected the ruling of the International Court of Justice, the highest judicial body of the UN, ordering Russia to immediately stop all military operations in Ukraine. The Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said consent must be obtained from both sides for the ruling to be valid.
NATO – In Brussels, NATO Defense Ministers decided to extend the term of the Alliance’s consolidated posture, particularly on the eastern flank, due to the war in Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned that Russia’s readiness to use force must not be underestimated, nor should the fact that Russia is a nuclear power. The NATO official said there is unanimity in the Alliance’s decision not to send forces on the ground or to enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine. Soltenberg explained that NATO wants to prevent the war in Ukraine from spreading to the region. In turn, NATO Deputy Secretary General, Mircea Geoană, said the Alliance’s new posture does not mean the Alliance believes Russia will attack NATO, but is simply a form of deterrence. Mircea Geoană explained that the battlegroup created in Romania will soon be fully operational.
REFUGEES – The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has announced that over 3 million people have left Ukraine since the start of the war, of whom 450 thousand have reached Romania. This is the biggest war-caused migration in Europe since WWII. Adding to the number of refugees who left Ukraine are people who are displaced within the country’s borders. The humanitarian crisis has been worsened by continuous bombing targeting civilian objectives. According to the Romanian Border Police, over 15,200 Ukrainian citizens entered Romania within the space of 24 hours, up by 0.4% compared to yesterday. Right now, the border checkpoints are working at full capacity, with the observance of national and community regulations.
