Sunday marks 11 days since Russian troops invaded Ukraine. Here are some developments that have taken place thus far.
Thousands of Russians protest against Ukraine invasion
Russian people in different cities protested against President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. According to Russia’s interior ministry, more than 3 500 people were detained, 1 700 people were detained in Moscow, 750 in St Petersburg, and 1 061 in other cities.
The interior ministry confirmed that 5 200 people had taken part in the protests.
More people leaving Ukraine
On Sunday, the Ukrainian military helped residents in the city of Irpin to escape as heavy Russian shelling hit. The police said there were relentless Russian shelling air raids in the northeast Kharkiv region.
The United Nations World Health Organisation confirmed there had been several attacks on Ukrainian healthcare facilities.
People have been leaving the country since the invasion. Medical student Vukile Dlamini who is back at home in Swaziland hopes things will get back to normal so that she resumes her studies.
“ I was in Ukraine, I was studying medicine. When the tension started going on, our teachers told us that this was nothing to worry about because I think sometime in 2014 the same thing happened but it never resulted in actual war. The universities released us to go back home, we left on Thursday. We left the area next to Kyiv which is about three hours away. We got to the border at night on Saturday and it took us eight hours just to cross over the gate to the Romanian side.”
Dlamini says it was difficult to stay calm in the situation:
It is not a military operation but war
Pope Francis has described what is happening in Ukraine as war. He says rivers of blood are flowing in the country. The Pope has appealed for peace between Russia and Ukraine.
He has urged the two countries to return to negotiations.
A call for the countries to negotiate
The Nelson Mandela Foundation has called for Ukraine and Russia to go back to the negotiating table.
“It is unfortunate that the conflict is underway. We have asked our government that it been seen to use its influence as a member of BRICS to call on Russia to stop the guns so that we can begin the process of rebuilding and negotiations,” says Nelson Mandela Foundation CEO, Sello Hatang.
Hatang says it is never too late to negotiate :
Possible sanctions
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the country and its European partners are exploring banning Russian oil imports. He, however, stressed the importance of steady oil supplies globally.
Blinken has been visiting Europe to meet with allies regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Oil prices have been soaring as a result of Western countries’ sanctions against Russia.
