Russia has lost access to nearly half of its reserves and sees further risk to President Vladimir Putin’s war chest from increasing Western pressure on China, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said.

“The total volume of our reserves is about $640 billion, and about $300 billion in such circumstances that we cannot use them right now,” he told state television in an interview on Sunday.

“We see what pressure Western countries are putting on China” to limit access to yuan reserves, he said. “But I think our partnership relationship with China will allow us to not only preserve it but also expand it.”

The asset freeze of Russia’s central bank was imposed as part of a series of economic sanctions to punish Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine, which is now in its third week. Russia’s own data released in January showed that $100 billion of reserves were held in US dollars in June, representing 16.4% of total cash at the time. Euro holdings are 32.2% and yuan holdings 13.1% at the end of June 2021.

China has pledged to continue normal trade relations with Russia, which is seen as a strategic partner, despite the exodus of many European and US companies. China’s decision to double the yuan’s trading range for the ruble showed some signs of increasing activity in the pair, with further tightening of liquidity on Friday.

UK will pay 420 euros to citizens hosting Ukrainian refugees

The British government on Sunday announced an initiative to allow citizens, companies or charities to bring Ukrainians to the UK, in return for which individuals would receive a “thank you” payment of 350 pounds (about 420) a month.

Under the new “sponsorship” programme, Britons will be able to nominate a Ukrainian person or family to live with them, or on other property they own, for a minimum of six months.

According to the Minister for Territorial Cohesion, Michael Gove, there will be no limit to the number of Ukrainians who, on a visa, can come to the UK in this way and will be granted “a three-year residence permit, with the right to work and access to public services”.

Applications will be made online, via a website to be launched on Monday, and both hosts and immigrants will undergo certain security checks, the conservative politician said. First, it will start with individuals and then with NGOs or religious entities, according to the EFE agency.

To date, Britain has only accepted Ukrainians with relatives there through its family reunification programme, a process that has been heavily criticized for allowing only 3,000 people, of the 2.5 million who have left Ukraine, so far. invasion.

EU condemns Russia’s abduction of two Ukrainian mayors

Russian troops have kidnapped a second mayor in southeastern Ukraine in what appears to be part of a plan to install a new government. President Vlodymyr Zelenskiy warned Ukraine not to collaborate.

The mayor of the city of Dniprorudne in the Zaporizhzhia region, Yevhen Maveyev, was kidnapped by Russian troops on Sunday morning, according to a Facebook post by the head of the Zaporizhzhia regional administration, Oleksandr Starukh.

European Union High Representative Josep Borrell condemned the two kidnappings in a Twitter post.

The European Union strongly condemns the kidnapping of the mayors of Melitopol and Dniprorudne by the Russian armed forces.

This is another attack on democratic institutions in Indonesia #Ukraine and attempts to establish alternative governmental structures that are illegitimate in sovereign states.

– Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) March 13, 2022

Russian air strikes have moved further west, near the city of Lviv and Ukraine’s border with Poland, as Moscow has warned that convoys of military aid from the West are “legitimate targets.” A deadly attack on a shooting range and military training center some 35 kilometers (22 miles) from Poland has killed dozens. On Friday evening, Russian troops opened fire on two airfields in the region. Zelenskiy spoke with Polish leaders on Sunday.

More than 2.5 million Ukrainians have left the country, most of them crossing into Poland, and that could rise to 4 million within days. The UK government will offer households money to host Ukrainian refugees and expects “tens of thousands” to come.

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Photo: European Press | European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell Fontelles.

Ukraine confirmed that the humanitarian corridor had evacuated 12,729 Ukrainians

Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski has assured that “all” humanitarian corridors agreed for this Saturday “have worked”, resulting in the evacuation of 12,729 people from the country’s most conflicted areas.

“All agreed humanitarian corridors (this Saturday) have worked. 12,729 people have been evacuated today,” Zelenski explained in a video posted on Facebook.

Likewise, the Ukrainian president has assured that he expects a new shipment of humanitarian aid to arrive in Mariúpol this Sunday, as the city has been subject to a siege in recent days that has left residents isolated and with barely any basic supplies.

Peace treaty with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski has assured this Saturday that Russia is ready to negotiate a peace treaty with Ukraine, after the two countries have held four rounds of negotiations to reach an agreement that reduces conflict.

“Now the Russian side in the negotiations has started talking about something, not just issuing an ultimatum (…) I think this is a fundamentally different approach. And rightfully so,” the Ukrainian president said at a conference. press conference held this Saturday in Kiev accessible to the UNIAN body.

Zelensky has stressed that the end of the war “must begin with an armistice.” “This will allow unblocking the humanitarian process: the deportation of people, as well as the delivery of food, water and medicine (…) It will be a human, diplomatic signal, which always starts the end of the war”, assured the Ukrainian leader, according to Unian.

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Similarly, the Ukrainian president has been “delighted” by this signal coming from Russia, having been open to dialogue “for the first time in more than two years”.

The president also assured that he had had at least 100 conversations with leaders from various countries, to whom he had offered the “opportunity” to mediate in the conflict.

However, Zelensky considered the participation of Ukraine’s Western partners in these negotiations “insufficient”. “(Western powers) will not be able to trust Russia after such a bloody war. Therefore, peace guarantees should also be offered by other leaders,” the Ukrainian president said, in a statement compiled by Unian.

The Ukrainian president has stated that on the negotiating agenda some world leaders are “in touch with the Russian leader”, and has taken the opportunity to make suggestions to Russia which are now being discussed by the Russian and Ukrainian sides in the negotiations.

“They should discuss it. I know that the signal from Russia is not bad in terms of the proposals that come out of us. Let’s see,” the Ukrainian president said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on Friday about steps in the peace effort. Russian negotiators reported “certain positive changes” in the talks, which were held “almost daily,” according to the DPA agency.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov explained this Saturday to Ukrainian agency Interfax that talks between the two sides were being held via video call.