People watch as smoke rises in the air after shelling in Odessa, Ukraine, April 3, 2022. (PETROS GIANNAKOURIS / AP)
KYIV/MOSCOW/BERLIN/ALGIERS – The Russia-Ukraine conflict continued on Monday as relevant parties are holding a new round of peace talks via video to discuss draft agreements between the two countries. Following are the latest developments of the situation:
The Russian military struck an oil processing plant and a fuel depot in Ukraine's southern Black Sea port of Odessa, Maksym Marchenko, head of the military administration of Odessa region, said Sunday in a video message posted on the official Telegram channel of the Odessa City Council.
There were no casualties in the airstrike, Marchenko said, without giving further details.
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Earlier on Sunday, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said during a briefing that the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed an oil refinery and three storage facilities for fuel and lubricants near Ukraine's Odessa with high-precision sea- and air-based missiles.
Russia refutes Bucha killing accusation
The Russian Defense Ministry on Sunday refuted Kyiv's accusation of alleged killing of civilians in the settlement of Bucha in Ukraine's Kyiv region.
Russia's state space corporation Roscosmos won't cooperate with countries supplying weapons to Ukraine
Dmitry Rogozin, Director General, Roscosmos
"All photographs and video materials published by the Kyiv regime, allegedly evidencing some kind of 'crimes' committed by Russian military personnel in the city of Bucha, Kyiv region, are another provocation," the ministry said in a statement.
It said that during the time the settlement was under control of the Russian forces, not a single local resident suffered from any violent actions, adding that "all Russian units completely withdrew from Bucha on March 30”.
Roscosmos to stop cooperation
Russia's state space corporation Roscosmos would not cooperate with countries supplying weapons to Ukraine, Director General of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin said Sunday via his social media channel.
He said Roscosmos stopped joint projects with Western countries for moral and ethical reasons, and would not have any cooperation with countries that provide weapons and political support to Ukraine.
Earlier, Rogozin said that Roscosmos would soon submit proposals to Russia's leadership on ending cooperation on the International Space Station with the United States, Canada, European countries and Japan.
Germany, allies to decide further Russia sanctions
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Sunday that Germany and its allies will in the next few days decide on further measures to sanction Russia.
Also on Sunday, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called for tightened sanctions against Russia.
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During a TV interview, German Minister of Defense Christine Lambrecht noted that the European Union should talk about putting an end to gas supplies from Russia.
A woman cries while waiting along with others for distribution of food products in the village of Motyzhyn, Ukraine, which was until recently under the control of the Russian military, April 3, 2022. (VADIM GHIRDA / AP)
Ukraine sees sharp trade decline
Ukraine's imports and exports decreased significantly in March, the country's Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Sunday.
Ukraine's imports dropped from $5.9 billion in February to $1.8 billion while exports were down to $2.7 billion in March from $5.3 billion in February.
Due to the blockade of ports, Ukraine's agricultural exports were particularly affected, according to the minister.
"The start of sowing and the work of the state to restore logistics are the basis of stabilization of the economy," the minister said.
Foreign ministers to meet in Moscow
Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra will pay a visit to Moscow accompanied by his counterparts from Jordan, Sudan, Iraq and Egypt and the Secretary General of the Arab League to discuss with Russian officials the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Algerian Foreign Ministry said Sunday in a statement.
The delegation will later meet with the Ukrainian side in Warsaw, the statement added.
