Russia yesterday said it welcomes Kiev’s decision to establish humanitarian corridors in its separatist east, but stressed that Moscow has yet to see an easing of the Ukrainian crisis.
“We’ve heard that [Ukrainian] President [Petro] Poroshenko spoke in favor of the creation of corridors for refugees. We welcome this,” Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov said after talks with his German and Polish counterparts.
However, Lavrov took issue with German Minister of Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s statement about a reduction in fighting, saying that “in some places we are witnessing an escalation of military operations.”
Photo: EPA
Poroshenko ordered the creation of the corridors in a bid to advance his plan to end nearly two months of fighting by this week.
The fromer tycoon’s initiative meets a major demand put forward by Moscow and helps address growing concern among rights groups about Kiev’s use of tanks and air power in heavily populated areas to suppress the pro-Russian insurgency.
Yet the 48-year-old chocolatier stopped far short of accepting the Kremlin’s request to allow Russian aid into Ukraine’s eastern rustbelt, a move Kiev fears could be a ruse to arm the rebels.
He also told his government to provide transportation, food and medical supplies to local officials so they can handle the expected inflow of displaced persons.
Also yesterday, Ukraine and Russia resumed efforts to resolve a gas pricing dispute after a Kremlin deadline for Kiev to pay some of its debts passed without Moscow cutting off supplies.
Kiev had until yesterday to pay some of the billions of US dollars it owes, but Russia pulled back after officials said talks brokered by the European Commission would continue in Brussels.
Tropical Storm Usagi strengthened to a typhoon yesterday morning and remains on track to brush past southeastern Taiwan from tomorrow to Sunday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was approximately 950km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost point, the CWA said. It is expected to enter the Bashi Channel and then turn north, moving into waters southeast of Taiwan, it said. The agency said it could issue a sea warning in the early hours of today and a land warning in the afternoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving at
UPDATED FORECAST: The warning covered areas of Pingtung County and Hengchun Peninsula, while a sea warning covering the southern Taiwan Strait was amended The Central Weather Administration (CWA) at 5:30pm yesterday issued a land warning for Typhoon Usagi as the storm approached Taiwan from the south after passing over the Philippines. As of 5pm, Usagi was 420km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost tip, with an average radius of 150km, the CWA said. The land warning covered areas of Pingtung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春), and came with an amended sea warning, updating a warning issued yesterday morning to cover the southern part of the Taiwan Strait. No local governments had announced any class or office closures as of press time last night. The typhoon
At least 35 people were killed and dozens more injured when a man plowed his car into pedestrians exercising around a sports center in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai on Monday night. Footage showing bodies lying on the pavement appeared on social media in the hours after the crash, but had vanished by early Tuesday morning, and local police reported only “injuries.” It took officials nearly 24 hours to reveal that dozens had died — in one of the country’s deadliest incidents in years. China heavily monitors social media platforms, where it is common for words and topics deemed
Typhoon Usagi yesterday had weakened into a tropical storm, but a land warning issued by the Central Weather Administration (CWA) was still in effect in four areas in southern Taiwan. As of 5pm yesterday, Tropical Storm Usagi was over waters 120km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), the southernmost tip of Taiwan proper, and was moving north at 9kph, CWA data showed. The storm was expected to veer northeast later yesterday. It had maximum sustained winds of 101kph, with gusts of up to 126kph, the data showed. The CWA urged residents of Kaohsiung, Pingtung County, Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春) to remain alert to
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