埼玉英語会 英検１級・準１級　コミュのRussia 'to reduce activity around Kyiv and Chernihiv'

In full: What Russia's deputy defence minister said
Here's a translation of the comments made by Russia's Alexander Fomin,
who's part of the negotiating team in Istanbul.

Quote Message: Due to the fact that negotiations over an agreement on
Ukraine’s neutrality and non-nuclear status and security guarantees (for Ukraine)
are moving into a practical stage, and taking into consideration
the principles discussed during today’s meeting,
the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation has taken the decision
to drastically reduce combat operations in the Kyiv and Chernihiv areas
in order to boost mutual trust and create the necessary conditions
for further negotiations and for the signing of the aforementioned agreement.

Alexander Fomin
Russia's Deputy Defence Minister



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Mariupol siege a crime against humanity - Zelensky


Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the Russian siege of
the port city of Mariupol constitutes a "crime against humanity".

Addressing the Danish parliament, he said it was "happening in front of
the eyes of the whole planet in real time".

Some military experts are suggesting that the fall of Mariupol could be imminent,
but it’s impossible to say when or even if this definitely will happen.

What we can say is that the city has seen the worst of
Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, with tens of thousands of civilians trapped
under unrelenting bombardments and shelling with no electricity,
running water or gas.

With the city surrounded by the invading forces, people have no safe way out.
Even evacuation routes have been targeted.

Agnes Callamard, the secretary-general of human rights group
Amnesty International, has accused Russia of war crimes in the city.

"The siege of Mariupol, the denial of humanitarian evacuation and
humanitarian escape for the population, and the targeting of civilians,
according to Amnesty International’s investigation, amounts to war crimes,"
she said at a news conference. "That's the reality of Ukraine right now."

Russia denies targeting civilians, although its attacks on non-military facilities
and residential buildings across the country, including in Mariupol,
have been well documented.