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In the Donbass, the Ukrainian armed forces are recording “painful losses” but “we must hold on” because the region is “the key to deciding who will dominate in the coming weeks. The more casualties the enemy suffers, the less strength he will have to pursue his aggression”. Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky delivers this message in his nightly address on Telegram. And reassurance comes from the United States. “We will not pressure Ukraine to negotiate a ceasefire with Russia,” said Colin Kahl, undersecretary at the Pentagon. While NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenbeg admits: “Ukraine should have more heavy weapons”. Meanwhile, negotiations are being held on the release of civilians trapped in the bunkers of the huge chemical factory in Severodonetsk. Moscow has invited the Ukrainian fighters who are in the plant to release the civilians, whose use it denounces as “human shields”, and to lay down their weapons, leaving a corridor open from 7 to 9, Italian time. But its actual use remains to be verified, because once again the script foresees divergent versions and destinations: Kiev demands a passage towards the twin city of Lysychansk, the last bastion of the defenders in the Lugansk region, Moscow instead foresees a path towards Svatovo, in north, in the territories already controlled by the pro-Russian.

War Ukraine – Russia, beyond the live: what you need to know today

02.00 US Treasury: “We need to limit Russian oil profits”

“Russia’s oil profits have likely increased despite the decline in crude oil exports and the United States and its allies must find ways to reduce Moscow’s oil revenues, possibly by imposing a price ceiling.” Deputy Secretary to the US Treasury Wally Adeyemo said so. The United States, Adeyemo added, is discussing with European and Asian allies a way to impose a ceiling on the prices paid for Russian crude in order to limit the benefits of rising oil prices.

01.40 Zelensky: “In the south the goal is to free Kherson”

Not just the battle of the Donbass. Ukrainian President Zelensky, in his nocturnal speech, clarifies: “We continue to put pressure on the occupiers in the south of the country. The key objective is the liberation of Kherson and we will move in this direction step by step”.

00.50 US intelligence: war at a crucial moment

The war in Ukraine has reached a pivotal moment that could determine the long-term outcome. This was stated by some American intelligence officials, according to reports from CNN. This pivotal moment could also force Western governments, which have so far offered support to Ukraine at an ever-increasing cost to their economies and national arms stocks, to make a difficult decision. “Either the Russians – says a senior NATO official – will reach Slovyansk and Kramatorsk or the Ukrainians will stop them. And if the Ukrainians are able to hold the line here, in the face of this number of forces, it will be important”.

00.40 Zelensky: “We need modern anti-missile systems”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a video renewed the call to Ukraine’s partners to provide modern anti-missile weapons and said that this week there will be many important talks with not only European politicians who are able to provide Kiev with these devices. “Even though every day that passes modern missiles in Russia are fewer and fewer, Ukraine needs such systems. Because Russia still has enough Soviet-type missiles, which are even more dangerous. They are much less accurate and therefore much more. dangerous to civilian targets and normal residential buildings, “Zelensky said.