Live from Ukraine Night attack in Donbas ONLINE Load new news Today’s online broadcast is over. We will monitor the situation tomorrow as well. 21:58 The chief of the Mariupol police said that hundreds of civilians were hiding in the Azovstal steel plant. According to Mykhail Vershynin, the factory, which has become a besieged bastion of Ukrainian troops staying in the city, is home to several hundred people, including children. 21:45 NATO allies could be involved in the safe passage of civilians and wounded soldiers from occupied Mariupol. Victoria Nuland, the US Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affairs, said “there is some hope that the Russians will allow” a safe passage from Mariupol. 21:30 Year-on-year inflation in Russia accelerated to 17.62% in the week to April 15, the highest since early 2002, the Russian Ministry of Economy said on Wednesday. The reason is Western sanctions, which caused the ruble’s volatility. TASR reports on the basis of a report by Reuters. 21:15 Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk admitted on social media tonight that the humanitarian corridor for the evacuation of women, children and the elderly from the besieged city of Mariupol did not work as planned today. Instead of about 6,000 people, only a few dozen managed to be taken away. She promised another attempt on Thursday. Unfortunately, the humanitarian corridor of Mariupol is unanimous, as it is planned. Through the lack of control of their own troops, the occupiers could not provide the necessary peace of arms. our buses and ambulances, “Vereščuková wrote on Facebook. 21:05 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kiev had not yet received an alleged draft agreement with the conditions for ending the war, which Russia said it should have sent to him. 20:48 Restrictions on Russian companies by Western countries are illegal and in violation of World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, Russian President Vladimir Putin said today. He therefore instructed the government to prepare an updated strategy for Russia’s WTO operations by 1 June. Putin gave his words at a government meeting on the development of the metal industry in the country. He noted that Western countries have banned Russia from buying components needed to produce rolled metal, steel sheets and other products. Photo gallery (12) Russian President Vladimir Putin
Source: SITA / Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP 20:37 The European Union will hold an international donors’ conference on 5 May to help Ukraine and ensure its “victory” in the war against Russia. This was announced by the President of the European Council Charles Michel during his visit to the Ukrainian capital Kiev on Wednesday. 20:15 US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and her Western counterparts left Wednesday for a G20 meeting in Washington. They did so when Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov began to speak. CNN reported, citing an unnamed source familiar with the meeting. Representatives of Ukraine also performed as invited guests, who also left the hall during the virtual performance of the Russian minister. 19:58 Japan abolished Russia’s trade status as the “most advantageous nation” as a result of the invasion of Ukraine. Japan will now be able to impose higher tariffs on most goods imported from Russia, except oil, liquefied natural gas and palladium. 19:42 UN Secretary-General António Guterres has requested a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin. Guterres’ spokesman Stéphane Dujarric, quoted by AFP, said on Wednesday. 19:30 Up to 80% of the Luhansk region is temporarily occupied by attackers. The Luhansk Regional Administration informed about it. 19:12 Ukraine has so far received only spare parts for military fighters from the Allies to strengthen its air force with their help, but they did not receive the entire aircraft. This was announced today, according to the AP agency, the spokesman of the US Department of Defense, John Kirby, who corrected his statement on Tuesday. 18:57 Half a million Ukrainians have been deported to Russia without their consent. This was stated on Wednesday by the head of the humanitarian committee of the Ukrainian parliament Mykyta Poturayev in a video speech to members of the European Parliament. Reuters reported, noting that it could not independently verify the information. According to Poturayev, there is “no way” to make contact with these people. However, the Red Cross called for this to be tried. 18:39 The European Union will do everything in its power to ensure that Ukraine can win the war against Russia. This was announced by the President of the European Council Charles Michel at Wednesday’s press conference in Kiev, alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenský. TASR received the report from AFP. Photo gallery (12) Charles Michel with President Volodymyr Zelensky during a visit to Kiev
Source: SITA / AP Photo / Efrem Lukatsky “You are not alone. We are with you. And we will do everything in our power to support you and help Ukraine win this war,” Michel said. 18:20 Around 200 women protested in front of the Russian embassy in the Latvian capital Riga on Wednesday against the rape of women allegedly perpetrated in Ukraine by members of the Russian invading troops. TASR took over the information from DPA and the Latvian public television LTV. The demonstrators, mostly young women, stood in several rows in front of the Russian embassy with their hands tied behind their backs, with black plastic bags on their heads and legs and underwear sprayed with red paint. 18:05 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is ready to exchange Russian prisoners of war for a safe crossing for civilians and Ukrainian soldiers in Mariupol. The President of Ukraine says that in the tunnels of the plant “Azovstal” can hide about a thousand civilians. In addition, Kiev agrees to an Easter truce. Photo gallery (12) Charles Michel with President Volodymyr Zelensky during a visit to Kiev
Source: SITA / AP Photo / Efrem Lukatsky 17:42 Russia has successfully tested a new Sarmat intercontinental missile, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced today. President Vladimir Putin immediately said that this unique weapon would make everyone who is trying to threaten Russia think. Sarmat is one of a new generation of Russian strategic weapons that Putin announced on the eve of the 2018 presidential election. 17:28 President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev. Reuters reported. 17:13 Some members of the Russian elite believe that the invasion of Ukraine was a catastrophic mistake that would throw the country back years, writes Bloomberg, referring to ten people familiar with the situation. While military casualties are on the rise and Russia is facing unprecedented international isolation, a small – but growing – number of high-ranking figures in the Kremlin are quietly questioning President Vladimir Putin’s decision to go to war, Bloomberg said. However, the same people believe that the head of the Kremlin will not back down and is in danger of losing power. 17:03 Russia has warned Finland and Sweden through diplomatic channels of the consequences of their eventual entry into the North Atlantic Alliance. Moscow’s new threats were made on the day Finnish MPs began discussing possible NATO membership. TASR took over the report from the Finnish public television Yle. “We have interpreted all our warnings (Finland and Sweden) publicly and through bilateral channels. They know about it, so they should not be surprised by anything. They have been informed of everything that will lead to it (joining NATO),” Rossiya told Russian state television. 24 spokeswoman for the Ministry of Diplomacy in Moscow Maria Zakharov. 16:59 Russian and Belarusian tennis players have been banned from participating in Wimbledon 2022, according to the official website of the tournament. Wimbledon, one of four grand slam tournaments, is set to begin in late June. 16:51 Vanda Obiedková, 91, died in Mariupol. At the age of 10, the Germans survived by hiding in a pub in Mariupol. 81 years later, she died in a cellar in the same city as the victim of a terrible war that hid from the Russians. 16:40 European Council President Charles Michel met with Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev. 16:28 The head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church demands that Easter services be held in the war zones of Ukraine. Metropolitan Epiphanius says that although they asked Russia to “stop shelling” on April 24, Orthodox Easter, they do not believe that Russia will abide by the ceasefire. 16:10 Moscow has forcibly dragged half a million people from Ukraine to Russia, said the chairman of the humanitarian committee of the Ukrainian parliament, Mykyta Poturayev, in the European Parliament today. The Red Cross called on him to try to unite with these Ukrainians, Reuters reported. 15:49 Russian coal exports fell by more than 20% in April, Russian media Kommersant quoted the Russian Ministry of Energy. While Russian oil supplies fell by 25% in just one week, reports Bloomberg. 15:35 Germany is ready to militarily support Ukraine in the medium and long term, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Wednesday. The DPA informs about it. “It is the next three months and also the next three years,” Baerbock said after meeting with Latvian departmental colleague Edgars Rinkevich in the Latvian capital Riga. Photo gallery (12) German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock
Source: SITA / AP Photo / Olivier Matthys 15:16 Ukrainian troops have stopped the advance of Russian forces from the city of Izjum in northeastern Ukraine towards nearby Slovyansk. This was announced today, according to Reuters, an adviser to the head of the Ukrainian presidential office Oleksiy Arestovych. There are fears that due to the long lack of humanitarian aid, the people of Izjum will face the same fate as the people of Bucha in the Kiev region, where Russia is accused of war crimes, writes the BBC server. 14:59 Russia has submitted to Ukraine a written draft agreement with the conditions for ending the war. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASR on Wednesday, according to a DPA report. “We have passed on to the Ukrainian side our proposal, which is formulated clearly and in detail,” Peskov said without giving details of the content. He stressed that the document does not set a deadline within which Kiev should respond to the offer. At the same time, he indicated that Moscow is dissatisfied with the current pace of negotiations. “The ball is now on the Ukrainian side of the court,” a Kremlin spokesman added. Photo gallery (12) Source: TASR / AP / Alexander Zemlianichenko 14:48 The European Union should impose tougher sanctions against Russia, because the measures taken so far have not stopped its aggression in Ukraine. Members of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee agreed today, some of whom called for a speedy end to Russian oil and gas imports. However, this long-considered move still lacks the unanimous support of EU countries that is needed to take it. 14:36 Russia does not plan to ban foreign journalists from entering its territory, but tightens the rules for issuing visas to journalists from “enemy countries”. This was announced on Wednesday by Deputy Foreign Minister Yevgeny Ivanov, who was quoted by the Reuters news agency. Ivanov said in the Russian parliament that it was a reaction to the actions of the European Union and other countries that made it difficult for the Russian business community to obtain visas. 14:34 The Ukrainian intelligence service informs that Russia is planning a forced mobilization in Zaporozhye in the Kherson region. The intelligence service of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense said that Russia plans to carry out a forced mobilization in the occupied territories and send Ukrainians to fight against their own country. The Kyiv Independent informs about it. 14:22 The number of refugees from Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion on February 24 has exceeded five million. 5,034,439 Ukrainian refugees have crossed the border into neighboring countries, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) officially announced today. 14:15 The conquest of the city of Mariupol could have critical consequences for the Ukrainian defense of the Donbas region, Richard Stojar from the Center for Security and Military-Strategic Studies at the University of Defense thinks. According to him, the Russian side could deploy an estimated 12,000 soldiers who are bound by the Ukrainian resistance in Mariupol. However, the city is of strategic and symbolic importance for both parties, Stojar told ČTK.