Ukraine’s president has issued a life or death ultimatum to Russian soldiers and urged them to surrender as he said the latest peace talks appear to have gone well.
A fourth round of negotiations took place on Monday, but details of any progress have not been revealed. They are due to resume today.
Russia said “substantial progress” had been made after talks at the weekend.
Deadly attacks across Ukraine continue however, and the White House has said President Putin must show signs of de-escalation if negotiations are to progress.
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• Employee interrupts Russian news programme with anti-war slogan
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In an update on Tuesday morning, the UK’s Ministry of Defence said there had been “multiple demonstrations” over “several days” in the “Russian occupied” Ukrainian cities of Kherson, Melitopol and Berdyansk.
The MOD said that, according to reports, Russia may be seeking to “stage a ‘referendum’ in Kherson” in an attempt to “legitimise the area as a ‘breakaway republic’ similar to Donetsk, Luhansk and Crimea”.
It continued: “Further protests were reported in the city yesterday with Russian soldiers reportedly firing warning shots in an attempt to disperse peaceful protesters.”
It added further: “Russia has reportedly installed its own mayor in Melitopol following the alleged abduction of his predecessor on Friday.
“Subsequently, the mayor of Dniprorudne has also reportedly been abducted by Russian forces.
“Russia is likely to make further attempts to subvert Ukrainian democracy as it attempts to consolidate political control of Ukraine.”
President Zelenskyy, in his nightly address, said he wanted a “fair peace”.
“Our delegation also worked on this in negotiations with the Russian party. Pretty good, as I was told. But let’s see. They will continue tomorrow,” he said.
Ukraine-Russia live: US says Russian advances stalled; No evidence Putin will ‘stop the onslaught’
Ukraine’s president also issued a stark choice to Russian troops, saying eventually “your life will be taken” if they continue attacking his country.
“I know that you want to survive. We hear your conversations in the intercepts, we hear what you really think about this senseless war..,” said Mr Zelenskyy.
“On behalf of the Ukrainian people, I give you a chance. Chance to survive,” he said.
“If you surrender to our forces, we will treat you the way people are supposed to be treated. As people, decently. In a way you were not treated in your army. And in a way your army does not treat ours. Choose!”
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And – in a possible reference to a TV employee who held an anti-war sign live on air – he said he was “grateful to those Russians who do not stop trying to convey the truth. To those who fight disinformation and tell the truth…”
Cities still under fire
Moscow’s bombardment of Ukraine showed no signs of easing on Monday, with two people killed in a strike on the Antonov aircraft factory in Kyiv.
Artillery fire also hit an apartment building in the capital’s northern Obolon district, killing two more, authorities said. And one person died in an airstrike near a checkpoint in the city, according to Ukraine’s emergency agency.
Mykolaiv, and the northern city of Chernihiv, were among other cities again coming under fire.
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However, in the besieged southern city of Mariupol, the council said 160 civilian cars had managed to leave along a humanitarian route after days of failed attempts.
There are apocalyptic scenes in the city after near-constant attacks knocked out water and power and killed an estimated 2,500 people.
Video has also emerged from Mariupol which the Ukrainian military says is from inside one of its armoured vehicles, apparently showing it repeatedly firing on a Russian tank in its crosshairs.
Russians invasion ‘appears to have stalled’
Despite the ongoing carnage, an anonymous US defence official said on Monday that Russia’s invasion appeared to have stalled, with little progress in the last few days.
American and Chinese officials also met on Monday as the diplomatic back and forth continues.
The US national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, warned China’s top diplomat not to help Russia with weapons or other aid.
American officials have said China has indicated a willingness to help Moscow. However, China accused the US of “spreading misinformation” and Russia has also denied the claims.
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Japan sanctions 17 more people
Japan has become the latest country to tighten its sanctions in Russia, with its finance ministry saying another 17 people were being targeted, taking the total to 61.
EU finance ministers are also meeting this morning in Brussels to discuss the effect of their own measures to turn the screw on Putin and those linked to him.
In the UK, the economic crime bill – designed to tackle the maze of hidden “dirty” Russian money – was successfully fast-tracked through parliament on Monday night.
It comes after one of the oligarchs in the firing line, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, was apparently pictured at an Israeli airport.
