After reports of Russia encircling Kyiv, Ukraine, before pausing its actions, there are signs of new escalations and advancement Saturday.

All Russian units in Ukraine were Saturday given the order to resume their offensive from all directions after a pause on Friday, the RIA news agency quoted Russia’s defense ministry as saying.

Echoing similar comments by the Kremlin, the ministry said Friday’s pause had been made in anticipation of talks between Moscow and Kyiv but the offensive resumed after Ukraine refused to negotiate.

Ukraine has seen a ramping up of support from NATO-member countries, including France stopping a Russian ship and Germany lifting its block against lethal weapons transfers to Ukraine, sending 400 RPGs to Ukraine from the Netherlands, according to Politico.

Also, the Kremlin has reported its website went down Saturday as a result of a confirmed cyberattack.

France Seizes Russian Cargo Ship

France on Saturday seized a car cargo ship in the English Channel that Washington says was linked to the son of a former Russian spy chief, in one of the first visible displays of the West enforcing sanctions on Moscow over its Ukraine invasion.The «Baltic Leader» was headed to St. Petersburg but was diverted to the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. ET, Captain Veronique Magnin of the French Maritime Prefecture told Reuters.

The vessel was «strongly suspected of being linked to Russian interests targeted by the sanctions,» she said.

No EU Nation Will Block Kicking Russia Off Swift

Discussions among European Union members about excluding Russia from the Swift international payment system are close to reaching a successful conclusion, a French presidential official said Saturday.

The official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity, said that no EU member state was blocking Russia’s exclusion from the system, but that the talks were still ongoing.

Russia Pause Due to ‘Logistical Difficulties, Ukrainian Resistance’

The Russian advance into Ukraine has temporarily slowed, probably because of logistical problems and strong resistance, Britain’s defense ministry said Saturday.»The speed of the Russian advance has temporarily slowed likely as a result of acute logistical difficulties and strong Ukrainian resistance,» the ministry said in a regular intelligence update posted on Twitter.

«Russian forces are bypassing major Ukrainian population centers while leaving forces to encircle and isolate them. Overnight clashes in Kyiv are likely to have involved limited numbers of pre-positioned Russian groups. The capture of Kyiv remains Russia’s primary military objective.»

Information from Reuters was used in throughout this report.

• Πηγή: newsmax.com