Ukraine War and Chemical Weapon Attacks in Mariupol

Russian soldiers are preparing for what is likely to be a solid and focused assault to expand authority in Ukraine’s east and south. The change in military strategy follows the inability to conquer Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital city.

President Vladimir Putin has named a new general to lead the next phase of the Ukrainian conflict. On the other hand, the U.S. is skeptical that a change in battlefield command will influence Moscow’s prospects.

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer arrived in Moscow on Monday to meet with Putin; days after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. No hammer is the first European leader to meet with Putin since Russia’s unjustified assault began February 24.

4,335 civilians have been killed or injured in Ukraine since Russia’s incursion on February 24.

One thousand eight hundred forty-two civilians killed and 2,493 injured in Ukraine. However, the actual count is likely much higher.

Explosive weapons caused most deaths and injuries within a large effective area, such as heavy artillery bombardment and multiple launch rocket systems, and missile and airstrikes.

U.S. and Britain Are Working to Verify Unconfirmed Reports

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss says her government is working “immediately” to confirm details of an alleged chemical weapons attack on inhabitants of the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol on Monday.

There are reports that the Russian military may have used chemical weapons against the residents of Mariupol.

“We are working quickly with partners to confirm information. Any deployment of such weapons would be a callous escalation in this confrontation. We will hold Putin and his administration accountable for it.”

The Azov Regiment, an ultra-nationalist branch of the Ukrainian National Guard, released the original story on Telegram. According to the Azov message, Russian forces employed a toxic chemical of unknown origin.

Investigating 5,800 Cases of Russian War Crimes

Ukraine’s prosecutor general announced on Monday that her office is examining 5,800 accusations of Russian war crimes; more and more processes are opened every day.

Ukraine has identified over 500 individuals in the extensive investigation, including Russian officials, military personnel, and media agents who wanted, initiated, and continued the war.

Ukraine’s prosecutor general announced on Monday that her office is examining 5,800 accusations of Russian war crimes; “more and more” processes are being opened every day.

Ukraine has identified over 500 individuals in the extensive investigation, including Russian officials, military personnel, and media agents who wanted, initiated, and continued the war.

At the same time, a Mariupol official stated that any such attack remained unproven.

In his nightly address, President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested that Russia may be prepared to escalate attacks on the besieged southern city.

In any event, the occupier’s revelation of the deployment of chemical weapons is not so straightforward, according to Andryushchenko. The release of an unknown chemical may be a test for the reaction as a whole—one possible scenario. However, we are awaiting formal word from the military.

The Pentagon cannot corroborate claims that Russian forces used what appears to be a chemical weapon in Mariupol, Ukraine, said Pentagon press secretary John Kirby in a statement Monday. Still, officials are concerned about the Russian use of riot control agents.

India Has to Make Its Own Decisions

On Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken gave Ukraine a strong message of support while standing with India’s foreign and defense ministers.

Blinken stated that the U.S. would continue to urge states to support Kyiv and denounce Moscow’s increasingly violent actions.

Blinken stated during a news conference following the US-India 2+2 Ministerial in Washington that Russia’s war on Ukraine is an attack on the Ukrainian people. It is also an attack on the rules-based system we both adhere to and defend.

Companies Are Leaving Russia

More Western companies are abandoning their operations in Russia.

In the first quarter of 2022, it will record a provision of 900 million Swedish kronor ($95 million) for asset impairment and other extraordinary costs.

Societe Generale, the French banking giant, has ended its banking and insurance operations in Russia and announced the transfer of its full ownership in Rosbank and its Russian insurance companies to Interros Capital, Rosbank’s former shareholder.

In a news statement, the company announced that it would leave Russia effectively and orderly; it assured continuity for its workers and clients.

The transaction is still subject to clearance by the appropriate regulatory and antitrust authorities.

Russian Invasion Will Shrink Ukraine’s Economy

The World Bank has predicted that the Russian invasion will lead Ukraine’s economy to contract by half this year.

The World Bank said on Sunday that Ukraine’s GDP should drop by 45.1 percent this year. However, the degree of the recession would depend on the length and intensity of the war.

The scale of the humanitarian calamity caused by the war is mind-boggling. The Russian incursion has dealt a significant hit to Ukraine’s economy and caused extensive infrastructure damage.

The World Bank predicts that the Eastern Europe region, including Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova, will experience a 30.7 percent GDP drop due to war-related shocks and trade disruption.

According to the World Bank report, more than half of Ukraine’s enterprises are closed. Those that remain open are functioning at far below typical capacity. Because of the suspension of Black Sea shipping from Ukraine, the country has lost 90 percent of its grain exports and half of its total exports.