The Russian Defense Ministry reported that "in general, the main tasks of the first stage of the operation have been completed"
MOSCOW, March 25. /tass/. Negotiations between Moscow and Kiev are continuing, but they are difficult, the head of the Russian delegation, presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, said on Friday. The parties conduct a dialogue via videoconference daily in the format of working groups and two or three times a week between the heads of delegations. Positions are converging on minor issues, but there is no progress on the main political topics.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, "in general, the main tasks of the first stage of the operation have been completed." A significant reduction in the Ukrainian military potential allows us to focus our main efforts on the main goal - the liberation of Donbass, and the operation will continue until "the tasks set by the Supreme Commander-in-chief are fully fulfilled."
TASS has collected the main information about the events in and around Ukraine.
Operation progress
For eight years, the armed forces of Ukraine have created a deep-echeloned, well-fortified defense strip in the area of the LPR and DPR, said First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Colonel-General Sergei Rudskoy. Therefore, in order to minimize losses among the servicemen of Russia, the LPR and the DPR, the conduct of offensive operations is preceded by a powerful fire defeat of the enemy in strong points and in its reserves.
During the special operation in Ukraine, 1,351 Russian servicemen were killed and 3,825 were injured, the Russian Defense Ministry reported. The losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for a month of military operations amounted to about 30 thousand people, including more than 14 thousand - irretrievable, Rudskoy said.
Russian weapons during the special operation in Ukraine showed high accuracy, reliability, and the possibility of operational use. The Defense Ministry stressed that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation do not strike at civilian infrastructure facilities, including bridges over rivers. All 127 bridges in combat areas were blown up by Ukrainian nationalists to deter the advance of Russian troops.
Rudskoy also said that 6,595 foreign mercenaries and terrorists from 62 countries are fighting on the side of the nationalists. More than 23 thousand foreign citizens from 37 countries expressed their readiness to fight on the side of the DPR and LPR, but the republics declared that they would defend their land themselves. In addition, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation receives a large number of appeals from Russian citizens who want to take part in a special military operation to liberate Ukraine from Nazism.
Kiev self-discloses
The members of the Ukrainian delegation do not hide that they coordinate all their negotiating positions with foreign advisers, Vladimir Medinsky said. He called this position "quite frank" and "self-revealing."
Assistant to the American President for National Security Jake Sullivan said that the United States is not going to put pressure on Ukraine to push it to some specific diplomatic agreements with Russia. He said that France, Germany and Israel have "some communication" with the Russian side. The United States "is not directly involved in these negotiations," but maintains close contact with Ukrainian colleagues, as well as with those countries that "talk to both sides."
NATO weapons and peacekeepers
The United States is working with partners in Europe and other regions to supply Ukraine with modern air defense systems, and is also discussing with allies the prospects of providing Kiev with coastal defense means, including anti-ship missiles, Jake Sullivan said. He said that Washington will continue to consult with the Ukrainian side on what weapons the United States and its allies can provide to Kiev, what "will be effective, what is the benefit-cost ratio when providing any particular system."
At the same time, Sullivan noted that the United States and Europe practically do not discuss Poland's proposal to send a NATO peacekeeping mission to Ukraine. He said he "does not know" whether Polish President Andrzej Duda will touch on this topic at the upcoming talks with his American counterpart, but if he does, Joe Biden will "listen to him."
Economic consequences
Tourism revenues in the world may decrease by $14 billion if the conflict over Ukraine drags on, the UN World Tourism Organization reported on Friday.
The special military operation of the Russian Federation in Ukraine will lead to a 15% reduction in Italian exports to Russia, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said. He added that the EU is currently working on another package of anti-Russian sanctions. "It is clear that some countries are more sensitive to [the issue of sanctions in the field of] oil and gas, but..> we believe that there should be no veto, because sanctions are the only peaceful tool we have to stop this war," the minister said.
According to Reuters, the Chinese oil and gas company Sinopec has suspended negotiations on major investments in the Russian petrochemical industry and the sale of Russian gas in China. According to the agency's sources, the decision to temporarily abandon investments, according to various estimates reaching $ 500 million, is motivated by the unwillingness to fall under Western sanctions.
Against this background, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara is ready to host those global companies that are leaving the Russian market.
