On Tuesday, Kyiv’s lead negotiator Mykhaylo Podolyak said that talks with Moscow were “on hold” after being held regularly in the earlier stages of the conflict but without substantial results.
The Kremlin on Wednesday accused Kyiv authorities of not wanting to continue talks to end hostilities that started after Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops into pro-Western Ukraine.
“Talks are indeed not moving forward and we note the complete lack of will of Ukrainian negotiators to continue this process,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
On Tuesday, Kyiv’s lead negotiator Mykhaylo Podolyak said that talks with Moscow were “on hold” after being held regularly in the earlier stages of the conflict but without substantial results.
Peskov also said the Kremlin had no information about a Russian soldier accused of killing an unarmed civilian in Ukraine, the first war crimes trial since Moscow sent troops to Ukraine on February 24.
“We still have no information. And the ability to provide assistance due to the lack of our diplomatic mission there is also very limited,” Peskov said.
He claimed that many such cases reported by Ukraine are “simply fake or staged”.
Vadim Shishimarin, 21, was on Wednesday set to appear at Kyiv’s Solomyansky district court over the death of a 62-year-old man in northeastern Ukraine on February 28.
Charged with war crimes and premeditated murder, the soldier from Irkutsk in Siberia faces a possible life sentence.
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North Korea claims over 1 million Covid recoveries in a week; WHO is worried
North Korea said Wednesday more than a million people have already recovered from suspected COVID-19 just a week after disclosing an outbreak it appears to be trying to manage in isolation as global experts express deep concern about the public health threat. The country’s anti-virus headquarters announced 232,880 new cases of fever and another six deaths in state media Wednesday. It said at least 691,170 remain in quarantine.
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Canada: Parliament’s special committee to examine ties with China
Canada’s House of Commons has voted to reappoint a special committee to examine the country’s relationship with China, despite opposition from the ruling Liberal Party. The motion in this regard was moved by the opposition Conservative Party and received support from the other major groups – the New Democratic Party and the Bloc Quebecois. It will comprise 12-members, six each from the ruling party and opposition ranks.
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Canada: Another person arrested in connection with robberies in Hindu temples
A fourth person has been arrested and charged by Canadian law enforcement in connection with a series of robberies and vandalisations in places of worship, mainly Hindu temples, in the province of Ontario between November 2021 and March this year. Gurdeep Pandher, 37, resident of the town of Brampton in the Greater Toronto Area, was arrested and charged by Peel Regional Police, a spokesperson for them informed the Hindustan Times.
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Australia PM Scott Morrison bats away mounting Covid worries
Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison batted away Covid-19 worries three days ahead of federal elections, claiming many reported deaths are not caused by the virus and vowing not to interfere in people’s lives. Australia detected 66 Covid-related deaths and more than 53,000 infections in the previous 24 hours — far more than six months ago when daily numbers generally showed fewer than 20 deaths and 2,000 infections.
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Ukraine war: Finland, Sweden submit NATO membership application
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday that Finland, Sweden have officially applied to join the world’s biggest military alliance, a move driven by security concerns over Russia’s war in Ukraine. The application must now be weighed by the 30 member countries. Stoltenberg said that NATO allies “are determined to work through all issues and reach rapid conclusions.” Finland and Sweden cooperate closely with NATO. NATO’s membership process is not formalized, and the steps can vary.