War in Ukraine: with his peace plan, Musk attracts the wrath of kyiv

On social media, Elon Musk has proposed a peace plan between kyiv and Moscow based on new referendums under UN supervision, the surrender of Crimea to Russia and a "neutral status" for Ukraine . The American billionaire left his Twitter followers the choice to vote "Yes" or "No" to this proposal. An initiative that has drawn the wrath of the Ukrainian authorities and given rise to acerbic exchanges between President Zelensky and the boss of Space X. If tempers are heated on the web, the Ukrainian forces are advancing on the ground and continuing their progress in eastern Ukraine, galvanized by the capture of the Lyman strategic node.

President Volodymyr Zelensky and other Ukrainian officials debated the Russian invasion on Twitter with US billionaire Elon Musk on Monday, with the Kyiv ambassador to Germany going so far as to tell the SpaceX founder to 'go fuck himself ".

The exchange began with Elon Musk's proposal for peace between Kyiv and Moscow based on new UN-supervised referendums, the surrender of Crimea to Russia and a "neutral status" for the Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded with another poll for his followers: "Which Elon Musk do you prefer, the one who supports Ukraine or the one who supports Russia?"

For his part, the adviser to the presidency Mykhaïlo Podoliak did not hesitate to comment: "Are you trying to legitimize pseudo-referendums which took place under the threat of a weapon in conditions of persecution, mass executions and torture? Wrong way." He proposed "a better peace plan" with the "liberation of its territories by Ukraine, including annexed Crimea", a "demilitarization and denuclearization" of Russia and that "war criminals" be brought before the international justice.

"My very diplomatic answer is to go to see you", launched for his part the Ukrainian ambassador in Germany Andriï Melnyk. Elon Musk then pleaded that Russia could choose to lead a broader mobilization of its population for a "total war" which will lead to "a devastating death toll on both sides".

Ukrainian forces retained the initiative on Monday and continued their advance in eastern Ukraine after seizing the strategic town of Lyman on Sunday, while maintaining pressure on the Russian army in the Kherson region (south ). In the Donbass basin, the loss of Lyman, in the Donetsk region annexed by Moscow, is a major setback for the Russian army, unable at this stage to control all of the territories it occupies.

“The announcement of the annexations (of four Ukrainian regions by Moscow) contrasts sharply with the military reality on the ground,” observes Michael Kofman, of the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) think tank. Here is an update on the situation on the 222nd day of the war based on information from AFP journalists on the spot, official Ukrainian and Russian statements, Western sources, analysts and international organizations.

Delivery of arms, energy prices...: the National Assembly resumed its work in the hemicycle on Monday with a debate on the war in Ukraine and its consequences in France, with a call from Elisabeth Borne to " to continue the sanctions" to "make the cost of the war unbearable for Russia". The discussion was marked by a few spades between the majority and the National Rally, which criticizes the impact of "counterproductive" sanctions for the purchasing power of the French.

In a hemicycle adorned with Ukrainian flags, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne first praised Ukraine's "heroism" in the face of Russia, which "hides in cynicism, threat and blackmail", after the claim by Moscow of the annexation of four regions, strongly condemned by kyiv and the West. The French Minister of Foreign Affairs denounced "the headlong rush" chosen by Russia in Ukraine, the result of the "impasse" in which, according to her, Russian President Vladimir Putin has locked himself.

Britain has the stamina to stand with Ukraine "until victory", Foreign Minister James Cleverly promises in a speech he is due to deliver to the Conservative Party's annual conference on Tuesday.

James Cleverly also planned in his speech to reaffirm London's unwavering support for Ukraine's efforts to repel Russian forces and never to acknowledge Russia's annexation of Ukrainian territory, according to excerpts from that speech.

"We are not commentators. We are actors on the ground, we make a difference by defending our values ​​(...)", affirms the minister according to these extracts. Britain has provided significant military aid to Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on February 24.

An official from Russia's Roscosmos space agency said on Monday it "hopes" that Moscow will continue to participate in the International Space Station (ISS) after 2024, despite statements that raised concerns this summer about a possible rapid Russian withdrawal after that. date.

"We are beginning to discuss expanding our participation in the ISS program with our government and hope to get permission to continue this year," Roscosmos director of human spaceflight Sergei Sergei told a news conference. Krikaliov. "We're starting to think about designing and building a new station, but we know that's not going to happen very quickly," he also said.

North Korea on Tuesday expressed its support for Russia's annexation of Ukrainian territories occupied by its troops, and denounced the steps taken at the UN launched against Moscow by the United States and its allies. Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow had annexed four regions of Ukraine that held Kremlin-organized referendums on land occupied by the Russian military.

The United States and other Western countries have called the referendums a sham referendum held at gunpoint and vowed never to recognize annexation. But North Korean Foreign Minister Jo Chol Su defended the referendums as perfectly legitimate and "held in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations establishing the principles of equality of peoples", the news agency said. official North Korean KCNA. North Korea is an ally of Russia.