The Cabinet of Ministers has legally confirmed the decision to terminate trade relations with the Russian Federation, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko has said.
“A very important decision was made. This is a legal confirmation of the actual termination of trade relations with the Russian Federation, which happened on February 24,” Svyrydenko said on the national telethon on Saturday evening following the government meeting.
According to her, such a decision would annually block Russia’s foreign exchange earnings by at least $6 billion.
Losses among civilians from February 24, when Russia started the war against Ukraine, until 24:00 on April 8, amounted to 4149 civilians (in the report a day earlier – 3893), including 1766 dead (1626), reports the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Saturday.
The daily summary traditionally states that the increase in indicators in it should not be attributed to the previous report only for cases that occurred on April 8, since during the day OHCHR also verified a number of cases that occurred in previous days, however, the increase in the number of deaths is largest in the entire war.
“OHCHR believes that the actual figures are much higher as information is delayed from some areas of intense fighting and many reports are still awaiting confirmation,” the document says.
According to him, this applies, for example, to Mariupol and Volnovakha (Donetsk region), Izyum (Kharkiv region), Popasnaya (Luhansk region), Borodyanka (Kyiv region), where there are reports of numerous civilian casualties. They are subject to further verification and are not included in the above statistics.
“The majority of civilian deaths or injuries were caused by the use of explosive devices with a wide area of effect, including shelling from heavy artillery and multiple launch rocket systems, as well as rocket and air strikes,” the report says.
According to confirmed UN data, 452 men, 284 women, 43 boys and 27 girls died, while the sex of 69 children and 891 adults has not yet been determined.
Among the 2,383 wounded are 45 girls and 44 boys, as well as 126 children whose gender has not yet been determined.
Compared to the previous day, seven children were killed and 18 more injured, according to the UN.
OHCHR indicates that in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as of midnight on April 9, there were 560 (432) dead and 944 (842) injured in government-controlled territory, and 70 (67) dead and 269 (263) injured in territory controlled by self-proclaimed “republics”.
In other regions of Ukraine under government control (in Kyiv, as well as in Zhytomyr, Zaporozhye, Kiev, Sumy, Odessa, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Kherson, Dnepropetrovsk, Cherkasy and Chernihiv regions), the UN recorded 1136 (1127) dead and 1170 (1162) wounded .
The report also states that, according to the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, as of 08:00 on April 9, 176 (167) children were killed, 324 (306) were injured.
The UK will supply Ukraine with technology and know-how to ensure that Ukraine is never blackmailed or threatened, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said after meeting with the Ukrainian president in Kyiv.
“We – the UK and other partners will supply equipment, technology, know-how, intelligence, so that Ukraine will never be subjected to the horrors of invasion, so that Ukraine will never be blackmailed or threatened in any way,” Johnson said at a briefing with the President of Ukraine in Kyiv on Saturday.
The EU is preparing the next wave of sanctions against the Russian Federation, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has said.
“We can never match the sacrifice of the Ukrainian people, never can we match that, but we are mobilizing our economic power to make Putin pay a very, very heavy price. We have as you said imposed five waves of unprecedented sanctions against Russia and we are already preparing the next wave,” von der Leyen said at a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Friday.
The UK will increase economic and sanctions pressure on the Russian Federation, in particular, will affect its ability to use its energy resources, said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson
“It is necessary to provide all kinds of support to Ukraine and together with partners we will increase economic pressure, and we will intensify sanctions against Russia every week. We will not be limited to asset freezes or sanctions against oligarchs – we will also affect Russia’s ability to use its energy resources,” Johnson said at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday in Kyiv.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is preparing a EUR4 billion financing program that will help EU member states take in Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war, as well as ensure the development of critical social infrastructure.
“The new EIB programme, awaiting Board approval, aims to finance the development of key social infrastructure to provide public services for refugees, in particular housing, schools, hospitals and kindergartens,” the bank said on Saturday.
The EIB has pledged to support communities to receive refugees and provide them with critical social services during the international fundraising event in support of the victims of Russian aggression “Stand up for Ukraine”, taking place in Warsaw on this day and organized by the European Commission, the Government of Canada and Global Citizen.
The financial assistance will be complemented by free advisory support to assist local authorities in EU Member States in rapidly assessing local needs and in planning, prioritizing and preparing appropriate investment projects.
“We are all stunned by the terrible destruction inflicted on Ukraine and its citizens, millions of whom are fleeing the country in search of peace and security. The horror that we are witnessing only strengthens our resolve to act,” Bank President Werner Hoyer was quoted in the release as saying.
Through our initial Solidarity Package with Ukraine and this new 4 billion euro program for EU member states, we will support Ukraine and also help: with housing, schools, hospitals. I am deeply grateful to President Ursula von der Leyen and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for their leadership and for mobilizing the global community for Ukraine. The world must match the exemplary courage and resilience of Ukrainians, as well as help them and those who support them.”
The bank recalled that from March 8 to March 25 it had already transferred EUR668 million to the government of Ukraine for emergency liquidity support.
In addition, the EIB is working to provide further funding to enable the government of Ukraine to continue to provide critical public services for citizens remaining in Ukraine. According to the agreements between Hoyer and Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmygal, these funds are provided to support transport, energy, urban development and digital projects.
The EIB will continue to explore opportunities to support Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees together with the European Commission, in particular through the Social Investment and Skills Window component of the recently launched InvestEU programme, the report also says.
According to the UN, Russian aggression against Ukraine has resulted in 7.1 million internally displaced persons and 3.8 million refugees.
The EIB is the long-term lending institution of the European Union. Its owners are the member states of the European Union. The Bank provides access to long-term financing for prudent investment in order to implement European Union policies.
