Ukrainian troops accuse Russia of violating a ceasefire aimed at evacuating civilians who are tapped underground in a steel factory that is bombed. Evacuation came when US First Lady Jill Biden was in Europe where she would also meet Ukraine refugees by visiting Romania and Slovakia.
The battle between Ukraine and Russian troops continued for the 72nd day in succession. A total of 12 civilians including children were evacuated with a bus from Azovstal Complex in the city of Mariupol Ukraine, Reuters reported. Ukrainian troops accuse Russia of violating a ceasefire aimed at evacuating civilians who are tapped underground in a steel factory that is bombed. Evacuation came when US First Lady Jill Biden was in Europe where she would also meet Ukraine refugees by visiting Romania and Slovakia.
1. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has invited the head of the German state president Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Olaf Scholz to visit the country on May 9, Russia’s Day marked the victory of the Soviet Union over German Nazi in the Second World War, AP reported. Speaking at Chatham’s Think-Tank Institute in London on Friday, Zelenskyy said he had talked to Steinmeier and invited him and Scholz to come to Kyiv.
2. Group leaders seven or G-7 will meet on Sunday to discuss the potential of new sanctions against Russia for their war in Ukraine, Bloomberg reported. Calls will give countries the opportunity to coordinate – and potentially complete – every new step.
3. Pope Francis said that the Russian War in Ukraine especially ‘savage’ considering that it involved Christians who killed fellow Christians in the scandal that was supposed to encourage believers towards unity, AP reported.
4. Russia has handed over more than 41 people, including 28 military, in the exchange of prisoners with Ukraine, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchuk said on Friday.
5. Russia said that they did not have the intention to use tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine, said a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Alexey Zaitsev. “Russia strongly comply with the principle that there is no winner in the nuclear war and that should not be released,” he said.
6. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed that Russia thinks it can escape the prosecution of war crimes due to nuclear threats. “They do not believe that they can be responsible for war crimes because they have the power of nuclear countries,” he said.
7. Amnesty International Human Rights Supervisor said that there was strong evidence to prove that Russian troops committed war crimes, Reuters reported. Crimes including execution outside the law, torture of Ukraine civilians in the hands of Russian troops,
8. A senior official from the Russian Parliament said on Friday that Russia will remain in South Ukraine “forever”, spoke on a visit to the city of Kherson controlled by Moscow, AFP reported. “Russia is here forever. There should be no doubt about this. There will be no back to the past,” Andrey Turchak said.
9. The Ukraine government has claimed that Russia lost 24,900 troops and 1,110 tanks among losses in its war in Ukraine since February 24.
10. The Pentagon has denied the report to help Ukrainian troops in driving Moskva Russian warships in the Black Sea last month, AFP reported. “We did not give Ukraine special targeting information for Moskva,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.