{"id":545077,"date":"2022-03-02T13:46:25","date_gmt":"2022-03-02T13:46:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2022\/03\/02\/this-evening-russian-troops-are-inching-closer-to-kyiv-assassination-attempt-on-ukrainian-president-gulf-capital-to-invest-usd-250-mn-in-egypt-over-five-years\/"},"modified":"2022-03-02T13:46:25","modified_gmt":"2022-03-02T13:46:25","slug":"this-evening-russian-troops-are-inching-closer-to-kyiv-assassination-attempt-on-ukrainian-president-gulf-capital-to-invest-usd-250-mn-in-egypt-over-five-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2022\/03\/02\/this-evening-russian-troops-are-inching-closer-to-kyiv-assassination-attempt-on-ukrainian-president-gulf-capital-to-invest-usd-250-mn-in-egypt-over-five-years\/","title":{"rendered":"THIS EVENING: Russian troops are inching closer to Kyiv + Assassination attempt on Ukrainian President + Gulf Capital to invest USD 250 mn in Egypt over five years"},"content":{"rendered":"

Good afternoon, friends. <\/strong>We have another news cycle filled to the brim with updates on the war in Ukraine and the ripple effect the conflict is having on different corners of the global market.<\/p>\n

<\/a> UKRAINE WATCH- Russian troops are closing in on their biggest target so far in Ukraine<\/strong>, claiming earlier today to have taken over the southern city of Kherson, Russia\u2019s RIA news agency<\/a> reported, quoting defense ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenko. The city, close to Russian-annexed Crimea, is now \u201ccompletely surrounded\u201d by Russian troops, its mayor Igor Kolykhayev said, downplaying Russia\u2019s claim of full control, according to Sky News<\/a>. Kherson would be the largest city Russia has successfully captured in Ukraine, as they continue to struggle to capture the capital, Kyiv.<\/p>\n

He said, she said<\/strong>:<\/strong> Updated intelligence on the invasion from the UK\u2019s defense ministry<\/a> said that, \u201cwhile Russian forces have reportedly moved into the center of Kherson in the south, overall gains across axes have been limited in the last 24 hours.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ukraine has reportedly thwarted an assassination attempt against President Volodymyr Zelensky<\/strong>, the chief of the country\u2019s National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov said, according to a Telegram post<\/a> by Ukraine\u2019s state-run Centre for Strategic Communication. The plot was carried out by a unit of Chechen special forces, known as Kadyrovites, who have since been \u201celiminated,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Kharkiv\u2019s casualties are rising<\/strong>, with at least four killed and nine injured in missile attacks that hit the center of the country\u2019s second-largest city since the morning, the mayor of Kharkiv said, Sky News<\/a> reported. This adds up to a previous death toll of at least 21 people killed and 112 injured due to the strikes in the past 24 hours, regional governor Oleg Synegubov said earlier today, according to Reuters<\/a>. At least four people have been killed<\/a> on Tuesday in a strike in Zhytomyr, west of the capital, with five killed after Russian forces struck a TV<\/a> tower in Kyiv, while a missile attack was also launched on a police station in the capital, the Ukrainian defense ministry<\/a> said.<\/p>\n

The attack this morning came hours after Russian paratroopers stormed a military hospital<\/strong> in the city as they near the Ukrainian capital with a military convoy around 20 miles northwest of Kyiv. No Ukrainian forces were killed in the fighting overnight, according to the city\u2019s regional police chief, Sky News<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n

Overall death toll:<\/strong> Over 2k Ukrainians have been killed since the beginning of the Russian aggression, with hundreds of transport facilities, residential buildings, hospitals and kindergartens destroyed, Ukraine\u2019s emergency service said in a statement<\/a> on Facebook.<\/p>\n

Ukraine said that 5.8k Russian troops have been killed since the beginning of the invasion, according to Ukraine\u2019s General Staff of Armed forces<\/a>. Earlier, the Ukrainian president said in a video address<\/a> that the number was close to 6k. Russia continues to remain tight-lipped on its casualties since the invasion.<\/p>\n

As the invasion wears on, Zelensky <\/strong>wants the West to do more<\/a><\/strong> to help Ukraine<\/strong>, including supporting his country\u2019s bid to join the EU and imposing harsher punitive measures on Russia.<\/p>\n

There may, in fact, be more sanctions coming:<\/strong> UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson agreed with Zelensky in a call earlier today that more sanctions are needed, with Johnson saying that the UK will \u201crally UN General Assembly members \u2026 to ensure the strongest possible condemnation of Russia,\u201d according to a press release<\/a> by Downing Street.<\/p>\n

But a second round of talks may be underway<\/strong>, despite the ongoing Russian aggression, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov telling reporters on Wednesday \u201cin the second half of the day, closer to evening, our delegation will be in place to await Ukrainian negotiators,\u201d the Associated Press<\/a> reported. Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said officials are ready for new talks, yet his country wouldn\u2019t accept any Russian demands. The venue of the talks, which come days after the first round of talks held along the Belarusian border failed<\/a> to reach a breakthrough, remains undetermined.<\/p>\n

The UN General Assembly is meeting today to vote on a draft resolution rebuking Russia over the invasion<\/strong>, Reuters<\/a> reported, as nearly half of the 193-member assembly signed as co-sponsors of the draft, which demands Russia fully withdraws military forces from Ukraine. Today\u2019s draft resolution is similar to one that was vetoed by Moscow in the Security Council on Friday, but veto powers do not exist in the General Assembly.<\/p>\n

Belarus is getting dragged into the sanctions corner, too:<\/strong> EU diplomats have approved fresh sanctions against Belarus over its support of the Russian invasion, the French Presidency of the EU Council announced<\/a>. The sanctions include Belarusian officials and military involved in the aggression, and \u201ccertain sectors of the Belarusian economy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The corporate exodus from Russia shows no signs of abating<\/strong>, with yet more companies exiting the country or suspending operations, including Apple<\/a>, Google<\/a>, Ford<\/a>, Harley-Davidson<\/a> and Exxon Mobil<\/a> over the invasion, Reuters<\/a> reported, piling further economic misery for Moscow amid imposed sanctions by the West. Boeing and Airbus are also joining the chorus, bringing a halt to technical support for Russian planes, they said in emailed statements to the media. Japanese automobile maker Honda Motor is also planning a boycott, temporarily suspending exports of its cars and motorbikes to Russia due to the weight of economic sanctions against Moscow, broadcaster NHK<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n

Italian oil giant Eni is also joining in moves of <\/strong>peers<\/a><\/strong> for isolation of Russia<\/strong>, it toldReuters<\/a> in emailed comments, saying it will exit the Blue Stream pipeline that connects Russia to Turkey by selling its 50% stake in the joint venture it co-owned with Russia\u2019s Gazprom since 1999.<\/p>\n

On the humanitarian front<\/strong>, the European Commission proposed granting temporary protection of up to three years to those fleeing Ukraine, Reuters<\/a>reported. The protection provides a residence permit, jobs access, social welfare and medical treatment for 1-3 years in all EU states. It will be applicable as soon as the proposal is greenlit by EU interior ministers, which the commission hopes happens tomorrow.<\/p>\n

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THE BIG STORY AT HOME TODAY-<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/a> UAE-based asset management firm <\/strong>Gulf Capital<\/a><\/strong> plans to invest some USD 250 mn<\/strong> in Egypt over the next five years<\/strong>, Hapi Journal<\/a> quoted CEO and co-founder Karim El Solh as saying at a presser today. The investment will come as part of its Gulf Capital Equity Partners Fund III, and will target companies in the tech, fintech, e-commerce and healthcare sectors.<\/p>\n

** CATCH UP QUICK<\/strong> on the top stories from today\u2019s EnterpriseAM<\/strong>:<\/p>\n