Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, warned on Sunday, April 28, that “Russian assets must not be touched, otherwise there will be a severe response to Western theft.” On the other hand, on the battlefield, after Russia announced the capture of a town north of the city of Avdiivka, the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces stated that the situation on the eastern front has become complicated.
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Russia threatens the West to “incessantly” defend its interests, applying retaliatory measures if its frozen sovereign assets are used to finance Ukraine.
“Our motherland is not for sale,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on her Telegram channel on April 28, insisting that Russia would never return Ukrainian territories in exchange for the return of frozen assets.
On April 18, the foreign ministers of the G7 (the group of the seven most industrialized liberal powers) evaluated the possibility of using frozen Russian sovereign assets to finance Ukraine, which has been fighting for more than two years against the Russian invasion. .
In response to the war, the United States and its allies banned transactions with Russia's central bank and its finance ministry. They also froze nearly $300 billion in Russian sovereign assets, most of which are currently in European institutions.
Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, has also referred to the issue and said that there are large amounts of Western money in Russia, and that they would be the target of Moscow's counterattack.
“The prospects for legal battles are wide open,” he warned. “Russia will take advantage of them (Western assets) and relentlessly defend its interests,” she concluded.
The situation at the front
kyiv's troops have withdrawn to at least three positions along the front line, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said on Telegram on April 28.
“The situation on the front has worsened. In an attempt to seize the strategic initiative and break the front line, the enemy has focused its main efforts on several areas, creating a significant advantage in forces and means,” the general said. .
He added that although Russia has achieved “tactical victories,” these do not represent “operational advantages.” Syrskyi noted that the situation on the front is dynamic, to the point that some positions are lost and retaken several times in 24 hours.
The main fighting is currently centered near the towns of Chasiv Yar and Avdiivka, taken by Russia in February.
Retreating Ukrainian troops have taken up new positions north of Avdiivka and, further south, near the town of Maryinka, prioritizing saving lives, Syrskyi said.
“Fierce fighting” continues west of Avdiivka, where Russia has led to the deployment of up to four brigades to make their way towards the Pokrovsk and Kurákhove areas. To better protect these areas, Syrskyi announced that new units will arrive to give respite to those who have suffered casualties.
US Senate approved $61 billion in aid for Ukraine
On Sunday, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that it had taken the village of Novobakhmutivka in Ukraine's Donetsk region and that Russian forces had repelled a series of Ukrainian attacks near Chasiv Yar.
Ukraine awaits the arrival of a military aid package approved by the US Congress on Tuesday, and which Ukrainian officials consider critical, to resist the Russian invasion.
With Reuters and EFE
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