The Kremlin Information Office said on the 25th that Russian President Putin and Uzbekistan President Mirziyoyev had a telephone conversation on Friday to discuss the situation in Ukraine and bilateral relations.
"They discussed the development of the situation following special military operations to protect civilians in Donbass and to demilitarize and de-Nazify Ukraine," The Palace said. Mirziyoyev expressed understanding of the actions being taken by the Russian side. ”
The latest developments in the situation in Russia and Ukraine
On the 25th local time, the website of the Russian Ministry of Defense issued a notice saying that the Russian army has completed the blockade of Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, from the west side. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Konashenkov said Russian troops would not attack residential areas in Kiev.
US media: "The battle in Kiev has begun"
CNN has just announced that fighting in Kiev has begun.
CNN said that after Russian troops approached Kiev and after days of fierce fighting and explosions on the outskirts of Kiev, explosions could now be heard in parts of Kiev.
Russian troops completed their airborne landing in the city of Vasilikov southwest of Kiev
On the 26th local time, the mayor of The Ukrainian city of Vasilykov, Barasinović, said that the Russian army has landed in the city, and a large number of Russian airborne troops have landed in the open area of the city. The Ukrainians were engaged in fierce fighting with the Russians in the city, and the sound of firing and missiles could be clearly heard.
The city of Vasilikov is located in the southwest of Kiev, about 35 km from the center of Kiev.
Military aid from Poland has arrived in Ukraine
The Interfax news agency reported on February 26 that the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine quoted the Polish minister as saying: "Polish Defense Minister Blaszzak said that a convoy carrying ammunition to Ukraine has arrived. ”
Poland reportedly approved the transfer of the first batch of 60 mm mortars (100 pieces) and ammunition (1500 pieces), among others, to Kiev. It is reported that the military assistance will also include javelin anti-tank systems and Grote assault rifles.
On February 24, 2022 local time, the ukrainian city of Kharkiv was hit by air raids. The picture shows Ukrainian soldiers.
Russia claims to have destroyed 211 Ukrainian military infrastructures
On the 25th local time, the Russian Ministry of Defense released news that the Russian army has destroyed 211 Ukrainian military infrastructure. It included 17 command posts, 19 S-300 and "Hornet" anti-aircraft missile systems, 39 radar stations, and destroyed 67 tanks and armored vehicles, 16 multiple rocket systems and 87 military vehicles.
The Council did not adopt the draft resolution on the situation in Ukraine
On February 25, local time, the United Nations Security Council voted on a draft resolution on the situation in Ukraine submitted by the United States and Albania, condemning Russia's special military operations.
In the Security Council vote, 11 votes were in favour, 1 was vetoed and 3 abstentions. Russia voted against it and China abstained. As Russia is a permanent member of the Council, the draft resolution could not be adopted.
Russian representative: Russia does not need Ukrainian territory
On February 25, local time, Russia's permanent representative to the European Union, Vladimir Chizrov, said that Russia does not need Ukrainian territory, but Donetsk and Luhansk need to return to the "original borders" .
Chizhov also pointed out that the Russian side will withdraw its troops from Ukraine after the end of the operation.
Zelenskiy refused to leave Kiev and made his late-night appearance on the streets
On the evening of February 25, local time, Ukrainian President Zelenskiy posted a video on social networking sites. In the video, he said the Ukrainian president and government officials are still in Kiev and will continue to defend their country here.
Zelenskiy reportedly said in a video call with EU leaders that it "could be the last time he will be seen alive." In addition, Zelenskiy said that European aid to Ukraine has been extremely slow.
NATO said it would continue to provide political support to Ukraine
On the 25th local time, the leaders of NATO member states held a special meeting in the form of video to discuss countermeasures on the situation in Ukraine.
In a statement issued after the meeting, NATO noted that it would continue to provide "political support" to Ukraine and reiterated its firm support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Nato is now making a large number of additional defensive deployments to the eastern part of the alliance, the statement said.
The European Union announced that it would freeze the assets of Putin and Lavrov
On February 25, local time, THE EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Borrelli said in Brussels that the 27 member states of the European Union have reached a consensus on further sanctions against Russia and will freeze the assets of Russian President Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov in Europe.
Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Russia would respond to these measures as usual.
Wang Yi elaborated on China's five-point position
At about 2:00 a.m. on February 26, the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs published "Wang Yi expounds China's five-point position on the current Ukrainian issue", the full text of which is as follows:
On February 25, 2022, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a telephone conversation with British Foreign Secretary Tras, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Borrelli and French presidential adviser Bonault, focusing on the in-depth exchange of views on the situation in Ukraine. Wang Yi expounded China's basic position on the Ukrainian issue, which was summarized as follows:
Source: Website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
China firmly stands for respecting and safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries and earnestly abiding by the purposes and principles of the CHARTER. This position is consistent and clear, and the same applies in the case of Ukraine.
2. China advocates a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept. It is believed that the security of one country cannot be at the expense of the security of other countries, and regional security cannot be guaranteed by strengthening or even expanding military blocs. The legitimate security concerns of all States should be respected. In the case of NATO's five consecutive rounds of eastward expansion, Russia's legitimate demands on security should be taken seriously and properly resolved.
China has been following the evolution of the Ukrainian issue, and the current situation is something we do not want to see. It is imperative that all parties exercise the necessary restraint to avoid the situation in Ukraine from deteriorating or even spiraling out of control. The safety of civilian life and property should be effectively guaranteed, in particular to prevent large-scale humanitarian crises.
China supports and encourages all diplomatic efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis. China welcomes the holding of direct dialogue and negotiations between Russia and Ukraine as soon as possible. The evolution of the Ukrainian question has a complex historical dimension. Ukraine should be a bridge between East and West, not a front for great power confrontation. China also supports the Dialogue between the EUROPEAN side and Russia on an equal footing on European security issues, leading to the formation of a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism.
China believes that the UN Security Council should play a constructive role in resolving the Ukrainian issue, putting regional peace and stability first and the general security of all countries. The council's actions should cool tensions rather than add fuel to the fire and should be conducive to a diplomatic settlement rather than a further escalation of the situation. In view of this, China has always disapproved of the fact that Security Council resolutions often invoke Chapter VII authorizing the use of force and sanctions.
Wang Yi said that as a permanent member of the Security Council and a responsible major country, China has always faithfully fulfilled its international obligations and played a constructive role in safeguarding world peace and stability. On the issue of peace and security, China is the largest country on record. We have never invaded other countries, never engaged in proxy wars, never sought spheres of influence, and never participated in confrontations with military groups. China adheres to the path of peaceful development and is committed to building a community with a shared future for mankind. We will continue to firmly oppose all hegemonic powers and firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the vast number of developing countries, especially small and medium-sized countries.
Central Asian experts analyze the Ukraine crisis
Ukraine announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Russia, and a group of Russian fighter jets advanced into Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. How will the Ukraine crisis end? Can Russia withstand Western sanctions, and what impact does this have on Uzbekistan? The Uzbekistan Kun.uz website interviewed political and economic analysts Kamoridin Rabimov and Otabek Bakirov on the subject.
Q: Putin is achieving his goals one by one. Are the West too weak? Why is there not enough reaction to his actions?
Kamorgin Rabimov: I don't think so. The West is already using serious tactics against Russia. For example, after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, the West imposed very harsh sanctions on Russia for many years. This also has a serious impact on the socioeconomic sentiment of the Russian elite.
Between 2014 and 2015, Russia's annual GDP exceeded about 2.3 trillion rubles, but it fell to $1.4 trillion by the sanctions. In other words, Russia's GDP shrank by nearly $1 trillion. This also has a negative impact on the overall development of Russia and socio-political sentiment.
The West has resorted to harsh measures against Russia by a number of means, and this has already had an effect.
Q: What will happen to the Russian economy if biden's promised "Mother of all sanctions", an aircraft carrier of economic sanctions, is implemented? What will be the consequences for post-Soviet countries, especially Uzbekistan?
Otabek Bakiroff: First of all, we need to propose these sanctions on a very large scale. For example, the United States recently announced the first round of sanctions. But compared to 2014, and even in terms of the measures taken after the 2021 tense situation, the West, and the United States in particular, do not seem to have taken full advantage of all the opportunities at its disposal.
The first reason is that the business and financial communities are never prepared to suffer huge losses, but are ready to compromise to achieve their business goals.
The second reason is that, from a political point of view, there must be room for further action. Once the "mother of sanctions" is imposed, war should not be left as a choice.
There is a paradox in the impact of these sanctions on Uzbekistan: the stronger the sanctions (as in 2014), the more harmful they will be to the Russian economy and its trading partners. Uzbekistan has certain economic ties with Russia through immigration. In other words, the more economically Russia suffers, the greater the impact on Uzbekistan.
But if we analyze the situation for 5-10 years, the weaker the sanctions, the greater the pressure on us. That is, in the long run, we suffer from minor sanctions and in the short term, from severe sanctions.
Yesterday's sanctions were not enough to contain Russia today. In the long run, economic warfare will do more damage than real wars.
Q: Is Russia now afraid of sanctions? The sanctions have worsened the quality of life for millions of Russians and Uzbek immigrants. Are there no other tools besides economic sanctions to put pressure on the Russian elite?
Otabek Bakiroff: This question should not be raised from the point of view of fear. Russia is well aware that it must be held accountable for its every move. Sanctions are just one of the issues that need to be addressed, but they force you to change.
It should also be borne in mind that Russia's aggressive foreign policy is not only related to imperial character, but also a means of influencing domestic policy. You know, Russia is facing very serious socio-economic problems today, but these problems are not on the agenda of the Russian and federal media. In general, there are no economic issues on the agenda.
Arguably, since the West began imposing more personal sanctions on Putin and his entourage, on banks that support him, these sanctions have finally begun to affect Russia and its elite. Ordinary people have been hurt even more by sanctions imposed since 2014. Russia hasn't changed anything that could change its domestic worldview because of sanctions.
The current sanctions affect both elites and ordinary Russians and migrant workers.
Source: Silk Road New Observation Compilation
Compile: Vika