Putin warns that he will continue to destroy Ukraine's energy infrastructure, the Kremlin admits that Crimea is vulnerable, the Pope evokes
"martyred"
Ukraine ...
Le Figaro
takes stock this Thursday, December 8, on the conflict in Ukraine .
To discover
Follow information on the war in Ukraine with the Figaro application
Putin promises to continue destroying energy infrastructure
Vladimir Putin promised Thursday to continue strikes against Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
Presenting medals to soldiers and other personalities Thursday in the Kremlin, the head of state brushed aside Western criticism of Russian strikes which in recent weeks have left millions of Ukrainians without power, even without water and without heating, in winter temperatures.
"Yes, we do, but who started it?"
, launched the head of the Kremlin, presenting these bombings as a response to the explosion which damaged the Crimean bridge built by Russia in early October and other attacks attributed to kyiv.
To read also Russian bombardments in Ukraine, attack on the Crimean bridge: can we speak of “war crimes”?
He also accused Kiev of having
"blown up the power lines of the nuclear power plant in Kursk"
, a Russian region bordering Ukraine, and of
"not supplying water"
to the pro-Russian separatist stronghold of Donetsk, in the East of the country, target of deadly Ukrainian bombardments for the past three days.
"On our side, as soon as we start doing something in response, the noise, the clamor, the crackling spread throughout the universe
," quipped Vladimir Putin.
“It will not hinder us in fulfilling our combat missions,”
he added.
»SEE ALSO –
War in Ukraine: images of the drone attack on the Russian Krousk airfield
Kremlin admits Crimea is vulnerable
Russia admitted on Thursday that it was vulnerable to attacks in Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula annexed in 2014. In recent days, several Russian military bases, including two located some 500 kilometers from Ukraine, or as much as the Russian capital Moscow, have been targeted by attack drones.
Also on Thursday, a drone was shot down by the Russian fleet in Sevastopol in Crimea, local authorities said, a sign of the risks that continue to weigh on the annexed peninsula that kyiv has sworn to take back.
In Crimea,
"there are risks, because the Ukrainian side continues to follow its line of organizing terrorist attacks
," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday.
But the fact that the drone was shot down
“Shows that effective countermeasures are being taken,”
he said.
Read alsoCrimea: a drone shot down by the Russian fleet in Sevastopol
Russia accuses Time of 'Russophobia'
The Kremlin on Thursday castigated the
“Russophobia”
and
“blindness”
of the American magazine
Time
, which designated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as personalities of the year 2022, as well as
the “Ukrainian spirit”
in the face of Moscow.
"We see that the editorial line of this publication does not go beyond the mainstream throughout Europe which has a character of absolute blindness, anti-Russian and furiously Russophobic
," the spokesperson told reporters. of the Russian Presidency, Dmitry Peskov.
Time
magazine
said that Volodymyr Zelensky had
"galvanized the world in a way not seen in decades".
evoking a choice this year that has
“never been so clear”.
” SEE ALSO –
The question of the day: are the Ukrainians right to carry out strikes on Russian territory?
The pope cries in public while evoking “martyrized” Ukraine
On the occasion of the traditional ceremony of homage to the Virgin Mary during the feast of the Immaculate Conception, a public holiday in Italy, the pope went in the middle of the afternoon near the square of Spain in front of the statue of the Virgin installed at the top of a column.
"O Immaculate Virgin, I would have liked to bring you today the thanks of the Ukrainian people..."
, he declared, reading his speech standing, before interrupting himself, broken by emotion.
His body shaking, the pope in tears then remained silent for long seconds, then the crowd present warmly applauded him.
He then resumed the thread of his speech, leaning on the arm of his chair but remaining standing:
"...of the Ukrainian people for the peace that we have been asking the Lord for some time".
"On the other hand, I must introduce you again"
, he continued, his voice still altered by emotion,
"the plea of the children, the elderly, the fathers and mothers, the young people of this martyred land which suffers so much".
Read alsoPope Francis hesitates to fly to Ukraine
The Red Cross had recent access to Ukrainian and Russian prisoners of war
“Last week, the ICRC carried out a two-day visit to Ukrainian prisoners of war. Another visit is taking place this week. During the same period, visits were also made to Russian prisoners of war,”
said a statement from the International Committee of the Red Cross published early Thursday morning.
"Other visits are planned by the end of the month,"
adds the ICRC, which has often and harshly found itself criticized by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on this ultra-sensitive subject.
In the eyes of the president, the organization was not making enough of an effort to gain access to Ukrainian soldiers taken prisoner by Russian forces.
Read alsoUkraine: the ICRC had recent access to Ukrainian and Russian prisoners of war
The ICRC itself had expressed its frustration at not being able to fulfill its mission, which is nevertheless enshrined in the Geneva Conventions, which define the laws of war.
During their visit, the delegates were able to assess the living conditions and the treatment of the prisoners, without revealing details, and give news to their families, the organization further indicates.
She was also able to distribute books, hygiene products, blankets and warm clothes.
However, the organization is not satisfied with these recent visits.
“We have seen hundreds of prisoners of war, but we still do not have access to all the prisoners
,” insisted Jennifer Sparks, spokeswoman for the ICRC, based in Geneva.
»SEE ALSO
– Moscow accuses Ukraine of executing more than 10 Russian prisoners
