Putin said that it's not the right time for ceasefire in Ukraine, says Italian prime minister
From Reuters
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi speaks during a news conference at Foreign Press Association in Rome, Italy, on March 31. (Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters)
Russian President Vladimir Putin told Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi that conditions were not yet in place for a ceasefire in Ukraine, Draghi told a news conference on Thursday when asked about a telephone call with Putin the previous day.
Draghi also said that Putin told him that current gas contracts remained in force and that European firms will continue to pay in euros and dollars, rather than in roubles.
"What I understood, but I may be wrong, is that the conversion of the payment ... is an internal matter of the Russian Federation," Draghi said.
Asked about increased defence spending following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Draghi said Italy will reach the NATO goal of spending 2% of GDP on defence in 2028, adding that this was not in dispute among members of his coalition.
However, Draghi said that the government's upcoming economic forecasting document would not spell out a specific increase in defence spending.
7:37 a.m. ET, March 31, 2022
At least 20 dead in Russian strike on regional administrative building in Mykolaiv, Ukrainian officials say
From CNN's Ben Wedeman and Kareem Khadder
At least 20 people were killed and 33 injured in a Russian strike on the office of the regional military governor of Ukraine's southwestern Mykolaiv region on Tuesday, Ukraine's State Emergency Services said in updated figures released Thursday.
It's mid-afternoon in Kyiv. Here's what you need to know today
It's now five weeks since Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Here are the latest developments in the conflict:
Bombardment continues: Despite Russia claiming this week it would “drastically reduce military activity” around Kyiv and surrounding cities, Ukrainian officials said the Russian assault is ongoing there. Meanwhile, the northeastern region of Kharkiv has come under heavy shellfire in the past 24 hours, which is preventing the opening of evacuation corridors, according to its military governor. The eastern Donbas region also reported heavy shelling, as Russia steps up its offensive there.
Talks to resume Friday: Ukraine's next round of negotiations with Russia will resume online on April 1, the head of the Ukrainian delegation said. Meanwhile, Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, told CNN he has a “very, very small portion of optimism” following diplomatic negotiations in Istanbul earlier this week.
Russian troops regrouping: Russian forces may be regrouping in Belarus, the Ukrainian General Staff said in a statement Thursday. The movement of Russian military equipment had been observed in Belarus, "probably for regrouping units, as well as creating a reserve to replenish losses in manpower, weapons and equipment of groups operating in Ukraine," the statement said.
Zelensky calls for more sanctions: President Zelensky has continued to call for more international sanctions against Russia. During a virtual address to the Australian parliament Thursday, he warned of great implications to global security if Russia isn’t stopped. In response, Australia pledged $25 million AUD of defensive military assistance and said it would apply additional tariffs on imports from Russia and Belarus.
On the ground latest: Satellite images from Maxar Technologies have shown that entire city blocks in central Mariupol have been obliterated and a Red Cross warehouse hit by military strikes. Meanwhile, a video posted on social media appears to show Ukrainian troops have retaken territory from Russian forces near the northern city of Chernihiv. And half of the city of Irpin, near Kyiv, has been destroyed, according to Oleksandr Markushin, the city’s mayor.
7:20 a.m. ET, March 31, 2022
What Russia has done to boost the ruble — for now
From CNN's Charles Riley
The barrage of sanctions imposed by the West following Russia's invasion of Ukraine decimated the ruble. But one month after the tanks rolled, the currency has made a full recovery and is now trading at levels seen prior to the war. How is that possible?
Russia's central bank has taken dramatic steps in recent weeks to intervene in the market, implementing policies to prevent investors and companies from selling the currency and other measures that force them to buy it.
The central bank has more than doubled interest rates to 20%. That encourages Russian savers to keep their money in local currency.
Exporters have been ordered to swap 80% of their foreign currency revenues for rubles rather than holding onto US dollars or euros.
Russian brokers have been banned from selling securities held by foreigners.
Residents are not allowed to make bank transfers outside Russia.
Russia has threatened to demand payment for natural gas in rubles, not euros or dollars.
What to look out for: These measures have allowed Moscow to artificially manufacture demand for the ruble. The problem facing policymakers is that with Russia's economy in tatters, nobody actually wants to buy the currency of their own accord. When the restrictions are lifted, demand for the ruble will drop, and its value will slide — perhaps dramatically.
The same is true for Russia's stock market. The benchmark MOEX index trended higher when trading resumed a week ago after a long stoppage forced by the war, but analysts say that's due to restrictions in place on investors, including a ban on short selling. Only 33 stocks were allowed to trade when the market reopened. When trading was extended to all stocks this week, the index fell again.
With that in mind, the rebound of the ruble and stock market moves shouldn't be taken as a signal that Russia's economy is on the mend. The country is facing its deepest recession since the 1990s, and the economy will shrink by a fifth this year, according to a recent forecast from S&P Global Market Intelligence.
7:17 a.m. ET, March 31, 2022
Putin authorizes draft of almost 135,000 conscripts as part of twice-annual call-up
From CNN's Uliana Pavlova and Nathan Hodge
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday signed a decree on spring conscription, fixing a target for 134,500 individuals to be drafted into the Russian armed forces.
The Russian military has a mixed manpower system that has draftees as well as contract servicemembers. The country has a twice-annual call-up for conscription.
According to Russian state news agency TASS, around 134,650 were drafted last spring and 135,000 Russian citizens were drafted in the spring of 2020, figures both slightly above this year's conscription number.
Putin originally claimed that Russian conscripts would not take part in what Russia has euphemistically dubbed the "special military operation" in Ukraine. But the Russian Ministry of Defense subsequently acknowledged that draftees were fighting in Ukraine, and Ukrainian forces claim to have taken a considerable number of Russian conscripts prisoner.
6:24 a.m. ET, March 31, 2022
Zelensky urges new sanctions against Russia in address to Australian parliament
From CNN’s Mayumi Maruyama and Irene Nasser
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky addresses Australian federal parliament via video link on March 31, in Canberra, Australia. (Martin Ollman/Getty Images)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for further sanctions on Russia during a virtual address to the Australian parliament on Thursday.
“The distance between our country is big,” said Zelensky, “but there is no such thing as distance to Russians' brutality to our Ukrainian land.”
Zelensky warned of great implications to global security if Russia isn’t stopped and also spoke about what will come after the war, calling on nations and companies to invest in the restoration of Ukraine. Zelensky specifically spoke about the development of ports and cities on the Black Sea and rebuilding the naval sector.
Australia then pledged to provide "an additional $25 million AUD of defensive military assistance for the Ukrainian Armed Forces."
The new package will include tactical decoys, unmanned aerial and unmanned ground systems, rations and medical supplies, according to a government statement.
In an earlier statement, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison replied to Zelensky -- who he referred to as a "lion of democracy" -- to express his country's solidarity.
We stand with you, Mr. President, and we do not stand with the war criminal of Moscow, Mr. President. I know that man. You know that man. We know that man, Mr Speaker. And we know his regime. We have seen them unleash unspeakable horror against your children, your hospitals and shelters," Morrison said.
Some context: Australia has imposed sanctions on more than 500 Russian individuals and entities, including oligarchs with close connections to President Vladimir Putin as well as Russia's finance ministry.
Australia has provided military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine and also announced a ban on exports of alumina and aluminum ore to Russia. Russia relies on Australia for nearly 20% of its alumina needs, according to the Australian government.
5:46 a.m. ET, March 31, 2022
Germany will be poorer due to Ukraine war, but it's a small price to pay, says economy minister
From CNN's Inke Kappeler, Chris Stern and Mark Thompson
Robert Habeck, Germany's economy minister, holds a news conference on energy security, in Berlin on March 30. (Kay Nietfeld/picture alliance/Getty Images)
The German economy minister has warned that his country -- Europe’s largest economy --will take a hit following the war in Ukraine.
Robert Habeck told public broadcaster ZDF on Wednesday: “We will be poorer.”
“It is not possible that this ends without costs for the German society, it is unthinkable. I believe that we are ready to pay this price which is small enough compared to the sufferings in Ukraine,” he added.
We are a war party, an economic war party, Habeck said. "And we are paying [a] high price, a price that is not comparable to the price that Ukrainians are paying. They are dying, they are being displaced, they are being shelled, we have a high inflation.”
Spat over gas supplies; On Wednesday, Germany issued a precautionary "early warning" of possible natural gas shortages after Russia said it wanted to be paid in rubles and threatened to cut off supplies if that didn't happen. Germany said it was committed to a G7 agreement that energy supplies from Russia would be paid for only in euros or US dollars.
Russia later said Germany could pay in euros, which would then be converted into rubles via Gazprom Bank, which is not affected by sanctions. Scholz did not agree to this and has asked for further written information.
5:29 a.m. ET, March 31, 2022
Parts of the Kharkiv region are under "constant shelling," says military governor
From CNN's Julia Presniakova
Fire and smoke light up the night sky, east of Kharkiv, Ukraine, on March 30. (Fadel Senna/AFP/Getty Images)
The Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine has come under heavy shellfire in the past 24 hours, the region's military governor said in a statement Thursday.
The intense bombardment has prevented the opening of evacuation corridors in the region, Oleh Synyehubov, the head of the Kharkiv region military administration, said in a statement on Telegram.
Over the past day, Russian troops have struck 47 times with artillery, mortar, tank, and strikes in the areas of Piatihatky, Oleksiyivka, and the residential area of the Kharkiv Traсtor Plant district," Synyehubov said.
"About 380 shellings from Grad and Smerch [rocket artillery] were recorded. In Saltivka, the enemy damaged the gas pipeline, there was a major fire, and rescuers have worked to localize it," he added.
Synyehubov said Russian forces had also inflicted heavy fire on Derhachi, northwest of the city of Kharkiv, killing one person and injuring three others, and destroying a city council building.
"The fiercest point [in Kharkiv region] remains Izium, where fighting and constant shelling continue," he said. "We are working every day to open 'green' [evacuation] corridors. But so far Russia does not give us such an opportunity."
5:25 a.m. ET, March 31, 2022
Zelensky chief of staff tells CNN "it looks like dialogue" following Istanbul diplomatic talks
From CNN’s Alex Hardie and Emmet Lyons
Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaks to CNN on March 31 (CNNI)
Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, has said he has a “small portion of optimism” following diplomatic negotiations with Russia in Istanbul and that “it looks like dialogue.”
“We have a very principled position and we wanted to go for any compromise which corresponded to our independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty,” Yermak told CNN’s chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour from Kyiv Wednesday.
“I have a very, very small portion of optimism on this. We continue this talking, but we’ll start to believe in reality if some real things start to happen …
“We want to stop this war, we want the Russian troops to withdraw from our territory. We insist that the humanitarian corridors will be open especially once again to Mariupol,” Yermak said.
Meanwhile, satellite images from Maxar Technologies have shown that entire city blocks in central Mariupol have been obliterated.
Satellite image showing destruction of homes and buildings in Mariupol, Ukraine, on March 29. (Maxar Technologies/Reuters)
Referencing the destruction of the city, Yermak said that “the city of Mariupol is gone … the Russian troops forced thousands of them [Mariupol citizens] to move to Russia.
“I think that the catastrophe of Mariupol, I can say is very similar to what happened in the time of the second war -- the Second World War in the blockade of Leningrad because the people practically died without food, without water.”
When asked by Amanpour about whether Ukraine had enough weapons to maintain its resistance from Russian aggression, Yermak said: “We have not enough weapons and we need it, we need it to continue our fighting, and I hope that all our partners now absolutely understand.”
“We are fighting for our land. We are fighting for our country and we are fighting for all of [the world’s democracies],” he added.
