Nearly three months after the start of the Russian invasion in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin's soldiers are continuing their offensive in the east of the country.
The situation is becoming, according to the authorities, "more and more" difficult in the Donbass, leading to more and more displaced people in the world.
As the fighting continues, Monday marks the first conviction for war crimes in Ukraine.
Update on the latest events.
In Davos, Zelensky calls for “sanctions” against Russia
Once again Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke to the international community.
On Monday, the head of state called at the annual Davos Economic Forum for more weapons and "maximum" sanctions against Moscow, including a complete cessation of trade with Russia.
“There should be no trade with Russia”, he insisted, calling among other things for “an embargo on Russian oil” and measures against “all Russian banks, without exception”.
For the time being, the United States and the United Kingdom have given up importing Russian oil.
But the European Union, some countries of which are very dependent on Russian hydrocarbons, is struggling to come to an agreement.
Finally, the Ukrainian president again called for more weapons for his country, regretting that the support of the international community has not always been fast enough.
“If we had received 100% of our needs in February, the result would have been tens of thousands of lives saved,” he estimated.
A first conviction for war crimes
A first, nearly three months after the start of the Russian invasion.
A Russian soldier on trial for a war crime, Vadim Chichimarine, was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday in kyiv for the murder of a civilian.
The 21-year-old soldier admitted to shooting dead Oleksandre Chelipov, a 62-year-old civilian, in the northeast of the country during the first days of the invasion of Ukraine.
Kyiv (Ukraine), Thursday.
Vadim Chichimarine, 21, is the first Russian to be tried for a war crime since Russia invaded Ukraine.
AFP/Sergei Supinsky AFP or licensors
The young man said he was “sincerely sorry” and had “asked forgiveness” from the widow of the victim, justifying his act by the “orders” received at that time.
Arguments swept away by the prosecution who had demanded life imprisonment.
"He was carrying out a criminal order and was well aware of it," said one of the prosecutors.
Fighting “increasingly hard” in the Donbass
On the ground, kyiv admitted that the situation was becoming "more and more difficult" in the Donbass where Moscow bombards Severodonetsk "24 hours a day".
“All Russian forces are concentrated in the Lugansk and Donetsk regions,” said Sergei Gaïdaï, governor of the Lugansk region, on Telegram.
Same with armament.
"Everything is concentrated here," continued the chosen one, including the famous anti-aircraft and anti-missile complexes S-300 and S-400, equivalent to the American Patriots.
“They are using scorched earth tactics, they are deliberately destroying the city” of Severodonetsk with aerial bombardments, multiple rocket launchers, mortars or tanks firing at buildings, he added.
Joe Biden raises his voice against Moscow
Traveling to Tokyo, the US president said Russia "[must] pay a long-term price" for its "barbarity in Ukraine" over sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies.
"It's not just about Ukraine," insisted the tenant of the White House.
Because if “the sanctions were not maintained in many respects, then what signal would that send to China about the cost of an attempt to take Taiwan by force?
he wondered.
More than 100 million uprooted in the world
A sad record.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has pushed the number of uprooted people worldwide above the 100 million mark for the first time, the United Nations warned on Monday.
“The 100 million figure is startling, worrying and sobering.
This is a figure that should never have been reached,” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.
Europe had not seen such a rapid influx of refugees since the end of the Second World War.
Almost 6.5 million Ukrainians have left the country, mostly women and children, with men of fighting age expected to stay in the country.
And the UN estimates that they could be 8.3 million by the end of the year.
