A survey by Ukrainian research institute Rating Group this week revealed that the majority of Ukrainians believe their country to be capable of winning the war with Russia. Of the 1,000 respondents that took part in the poll, a staggering 90% believe the war will be won by the Ukraine – with 74% voicing their support of direct negotiations with Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
According to data released by the United Nations, 10 million Ukrainians have since the outbreak of the war fled the country and left their homes. Millions more have fled but remain within the country’s borders, confirmed the UN this week.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has in the meantime made an urgent appeal directly to the people of Russia. Zelenskyy referred to the 14,000+ Russian soldiers that have lost their lives since the start of the invasion and warned of dreadful consequences should talks regarding a ceasefire continue to fail.
The latest tragic development is a Russian bomb falling on an art school in Mariupol. Some 400 residents had been sheltering in the building, a spokesperson for Mariupol’s city council confirmed this week.
US Developments
US President Joe Biden, meanwhile, will be travelling to Poland on Friday in an attempt to discuss how to more effectively support the Ukraine right now. Biden has repeatedly referred to the war as unproved and even criminal.
President Biden will reportedly meet with Polish President Andrzej Duda in Warsaw, where discussions are expected to revolve around mainly Ukraine’s human rights crisis. The meeting will follow the US president’s talks with NATO allies in Brussels.
Aus Showing Heavy Opposition
Several countries are continuing to impose sanctions involving Russian trade, including Australia.
One such sanction was recently imposed against the Hong Kong-listed aluminium producer Rusal, with shares plummeting by as much as 9% following the Australian government’s announcement that no further alumina would be exported to the war-making country.
On Sunday, several Australian authorities and ministries issued a joint announcement regarding a ban on ores to Russia – including bauxite.
Australia furthermore last week imposed sanctions on two Russian oligarchs with links to the country’s mining industry. One of the oligarchs has since been confirmed as Oleg Deripaska, who is a significant stakeholder in mining giant Rio Tinto.
The Australian government said in a recent media release that it remains fully committed to imposing “high costs” on Russia. These costs run well into the same sums that the tragamonedas Peru has to offer deliver in jackpot wins. At least 41 oligarchs and their immediate family members have now been targeted with financial as well as travel bans.
Banks and government entities haven’t been spared either, with sanctions last week placed on 11 more companies and corporations. This means the majority of Russia’s banking assets are now covered by Australian sanctions.
Said banking assets account for roughly 80% of all Russian banks, including VTB, VEB, Sberbank, Sovcombank, Credit Bank of Moscow, Alfa-Bank, Rosselkhozbank, and Gazprombank.
Ukraine Is “Sovereign”
The Australian government said this week it welcomed the stand of “principle” taken by local companies in their decision to cut all ties with Russia.
Government also once again emphasised its support for Ukraine as a sovereign country.
