Bloody fighting in Ukraine continues on day 57. Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said the Azovstal metallurgical complex in besieged Mariupol in eastern Ukraine would be under Russian control on Thursday. According to the secretary of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council, the expected Russian offensive in Ukraine has not yet begun. We monitor the situation online. 7:30 French President Emmanuel Macron sharply criticized his rival, far-right leader Marine Le Pen, for her ties to Russia during a televised debate ahead of the upcoming second round of the presidential election. He emphasized the party’s 9 million loan, which it received from the First Czech-Russian Bank in 2014. According to him, the debt would tie her hands in negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “You are dependent on Russian power and you are dependent on Mr Putin,” Macron said. 7:10 On Wednesday (April 20), the United States imposed sanctions on dozens of individuals and legal entities. Their goal is to make it harder for Moscow to avoid the sanctions adopted so far. TASR reports on the basis of a report by Reuters. 6:51 Adviser to Ukrainian President Mykhailo Podoljak, who is taking part in the peace talks, is ready to hold a “special round of talks” with Russia in the besieged city of Mariupol without any conditions. He said on Twitter’s social and microblogging network that he was offering it to “save our boys, the Azovs, the army, civilians, children, the living and the wounded.” The BBC news portal informs about it. 6:40 Norway has donated about 100 Mistral anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine. Norwegian Defense Minister Björn Arild Gram said on the social and microblogging network Twitter that the air defense system is an “effective weapon” and will be a “great benefit” for Ukraine. The Norwegian Armed Forces is to phase out these missiles. They have already sent weapons to Ukraine. The Minister noted that similar systems were donated to Ukraine by other countries. The BBC news portal informs about it. 6:28 On Wednesday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba asked Bulgaria to join other Western countries and send military aid to Ukraine. The AFP and AP agencies informed about it. 6:22 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday indicated that discussions with Russia on ending the war in Ukraine are likely to fail. He described the negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin as negotiations with “a crocodile when he has your leg in his jaw.” TASR received the report from the BBC. 6:15 The expected Russian offensive in Ukraine has not yet begun, said Olexiy Danilov, secretary of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council (RNBO). The DPA reported on Thursday. 6:10 Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has announced that the Azovstal metallurgical complex in besieged Mariupol in eastern Ukraine will be under Russian control on Thursday. TASR has taken over the report from DPA. “Today in the afternoon or afternoon, Azovstal will be completely under the control of the Russian armed forces,” Kadyrov, whose troops are fighting in Ukraine, said on Thursday. Kadyrov added that the Ukrainian fighters who remained Azovstale still had the opportunity to surrender in the morning. According to Russian information, there are still about 2,500 Ukrainian fighters and foreign mercenaries in Azovstal. According to the Ukrainian side, there are also about 1,000 civilians.