According
to the Ukrainian military, quoted by the Kyiv Independent, Russia sustained
heavy losses since it launched the attack on Ukraine on February 24, some 3,500
troops and a sizable number of military equipment. The aforementioned sources
also claims Russia has begun redeploying reserve units in the areas bordering
Ukraine and continues to carry out airstrikes on airfields, military depots, as
well as civilian targets.
In
a new video message made public on Saturday, president Volodymyr Zelensky told
Ukrainians: We have withstood and successfully repelled enemy attacks.
Fighting continues in different cities and regions of our country. Amidst
numerous false reports, the president assured the population the army has full
control over the capital Kyiv and key towns around it. President Zelensky also
referred to the series of international sanctions on Russia, saying that Ukraine
has rallied almost fully support of EU members to exclude Russia from SWIFT, a system
of international payments that could deal Russia a heavy blow should this country
be denied access to it. Later on Saturday, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called
on world leaders to continue to isolate Russia from the rest of the world by
expelling ambassadors, banning exports and introducing further economic
sanctions.
Cyprus,
Italy and Germany have changed their original opposition to cutting Russia from
SWIFT and have now rallied the international effort, Hungary being the only EU
country opposing this measure.
In
Romania, the authorities have confirmed that the Slovakian embassy has
evacuated all its personnel from Kyiv and will be relocated to Romania.