Armenian News - NEWS.am presents the daily digest of top news as of 29.03.22:

Air-raid sirens sounded across Ukraine before dawn on Tuesday as Ukrainian and Russian negotiators prepared to meet in Turkey for face-to-face talks, with Kyiv seeking a ceasefire without compromising on territory or sovereignty.

Meanwhile, Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich who has Ukrainian roots had a conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogano ahead of Russian-Ukrainian talks in Istanbul.

It is noted that Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was also present.

Amid the talks between the delegations, Russia’s foreign minister also says direct talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Vladimir Putin, something the Ukrainian leader has regularly demanded, would be “counterproductive” for now.

The situation in Ukraine remains highly tense.

The United Nations human rights office said 1,119 civilians had been killed and 1,790 wounded since war started.

Nearly 5,000 people, including about 210 children, have been killed in besieged Mariupol, a spokesman for its mayor said.

  • As Russian president Vladimir Putin announced last week that Russia will demand “unfriendly” countries pay for natural gas only in Russian currency from now on, he instructed the country’s central bank to work out a procedure for natural gas buyers to acquire rubles in Russia.

However, the Group of Seven major economies have agreed to reject Moscow’s demand to pay for Russian natural gas exports in rubles, the German energy minister said Monday.

Robert Habeck said that “payment in ruble is not acceptable and we will urge the companies affected not to follow Putin’s demand.”

Economists said Putin’s demand came to try to support the ruble, which has collapsed against other currencies as Western countries responded with far-reaching sanctions on Moscow. But some analysts expressed doubt that it would work.

The Russian central bank, the government and Gazprom , which accounts for 40 percent of European gas imports, should present their proposals for rouble gas payments to President Vladimir Putin by March 31.

However. Azerbaijani troops continue to remain at the same bases on Karaglukh hill, adjacent to Parukh village.

The armed forces of Artsakh continue to take additional measures to strengthen their defensive positions and restrain the adversary.

Work is ongoing with the Russian peacekeeping command staff to prevent possible provocations by Azerbaijan and to withdraw the Azerbaijani armed forces to their initial positions.

The Russian MFA has already redirected to Baku issue of removal of Azerbaijan troops in Artsakh.

On March 26, the Russian defense ministry had announced that Azerbaijani troops had entered the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno-Karabakh.

On Sunday evening, however, the Russian defense ministry had announced that Azerbaijan had withdrawn its troops from Parukh village in Artsakh.

But later, the Azerbaijani defense ministry had announced that its armed forces did not withdraw from the settlement.

In the meantime, the Security Council of Armenia discussed the security situation around Nagorno-Karabakh and invited Baku to immediately begin talks on a comprehensive peace agreement.

The source noted that Erdogan may try to discuss this issue with the Russian side.

However, he added: “Frankly, I do not think there will be enough time for that during the talks.”

A government watchdog earlier reported documenting over $164,000,000 in U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan – flat-lines U.S. aid to Armenia at just over $24 million and fails to include any specific dollar amount for U.S. assistance to Artsakh.

Similar to his budget request for FY2022, the President’s FY2023 budget includes $23,405,000 in foreign aid and $600,000 in military assistance to Armenia.

Azerbaijan has disrupted the supply of natural gas from Armenia for the second time in two weeks, leaving the people of Artsakh without heating in subzero temperatures.

The pipeline was first damaged on March 8, depriving nearly 120,000 residents of heating and hot water and forcing schools and medical centers to close.

While residents have been left without heating, Artsakh has been submerged in subzero temperatures and unusually heavy snowfall. Parts of Artsakh have been blanketed in up to three feet of snow, resulting in road closures. 

Artsakh’s MFA has accused Azerbaijan of committing “humanitarian terrorism.”

The Armenian MFA also condemned the Azerbaijani leadership and its “outrageous policy of systemic violence against the Armenians of Artsakh.” It accused Azerbaijan of also preventing the entry of international humanitarian organizations into Artsakh, creating a “humanitarian crisis

The Oscars took a tense turn after the slap. But Smith later won the best actor Oscar for his role in King Richard.

The fallout from Sunday’s show continued on Monday as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences condemned Smith’s onstage assault and said it would launch an inquiry.

On Monday, he issued a stronger apology and account of his actions, writing on Instagram that he “reacted emotionally” to Rock’s joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who has been open about her alopecia-related hair loss.