ZAPOROZHYE, Ukraine – The UN has confirmed that an operation is underway to evacuate people from the steel plant in the bombed Ukrainian city of Mariupol.
UN humanitarian spokesman Saviano Abreu told the Associated Press on Sunday that efforts to remove people from Azovstal’s large steel plant were being made in co-operation with the International Committee of the Red Cross and in co-ordination with Ukrainian and Russian officials.
He called the situation “very complicated” and gave no further details.
It is estimated that up to 1,000 civilians are hidden with about 2,000 Ukrainian fighters under the sprawling Soviet-era steel production, which is the only part of the city not occupied by the Russians.
___
KEY DEVELOPMENT OF THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:
– Ukrainian forces are fighting Russia’s offensive in the eastern Donbass
– The wives of the defenders of Mariupol call for the evacuation of the soldiers from the final resistance
– Some Ukrainians are returning across the front line to their homes, despite the dangers
– Ukrainian women are learning how to clear mines on a course in Kosovo
– Angelina Jolie makes a surprise visit to Ukraine, meets with children
Follow all AP stories about Russia’s war against Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
___
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:
BERLIN – German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has rejected criticism that his government is not doing enough to help Ukraine defend itself against the Russian invasion.
Although Germany has reversed its policy of not sending weapons to warring countries, Scholz has been accused at home and abroad of hesitating and slowly coming to Ukraine’s aid. In an interview published Sunday by the Bild newspaper, the Social Democrat leader defended his government’s approach.
“I make my decisions quickly – and in coordination with our partners,” Scholz was quoted as saying. “I suspect I am acting too hastily and Germany is doing it alone.”
Germany has broken the tradition of supplying anti-tank weapons, surface-to-air missiles and other military equipment to Ukraine since Russia’s February 24 invasion. He has since agreed to provide Gepard anti-aircraft guns, but Scholz is facing growing pressure to send other heavy weapons, including tanks and other armored vehicles.
Scholz, who replaced Angela Merkel as chancellor late last year, said he was not worried about opposition claims that he was too hesitant and timid.
“Part of democracy is that you are strongly challenged by the opposition,” he said.
___
VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis has again called for the safe evacuation of Ukrainians trapped in the Mariupol steel plant, saying he was crying, thinking about their suffering and how their city had been “barbarically bombed and destroyed”.
Speaking on Sunday during his traditional noon prayer, Francis urged all believers to pray the rosary every day in May for peace. He noted that May 1 begins the month that Christians dedicate to the Virgin Mary, after whom Mariupol is named.
He said: “Even now, even from here, I am renewing the demand for safe humanitarian corridors for people trapped in the city’s steel mills. I suffer and cry, thinking about the suffering of the Ukrainian population, especially the weakest, the elderly and children. “
He noted “the horrific reports of the expulsion and deportation of children” and “the terrible regression of humanity.”
___
WARSAW, Poland – The Polish Armed Forces announced on Sunday that they have launched military exercises involving thousands of NATO troops. They are regular exercises aimed at improving the security of the alliance’s eastern flank, but come this year with Russia’s war against Ukraine, which is raging nearby.
Due to these circumstances, the Polish military called on the public on Sunday not to publish information or photos of the convoys of military vehicles that are expected to pass through the country in the coming weeks.
He warned that “reckless action” could damage the alliance’s security. “Let’s be aware of the dangers!” the statement said.
The Polish army said in a statement that 18,000 troops from more than 20 countries were taking part in the Defender Europe 2022 and Swift Response 2022 exercises in Poland and eight other countries.
The exercises will take place from May 1 to 27.
___
RESHOV, Poland – US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi praised the courage of the Ukrainian people and pledged continued US support to help Ukraine defeat Russia after leading a congressional delegation in Kyiv to assess Ukraine’s needs for the next phase of the war.
Pelosi, a Democrat from California who is next in line for the presidency after the vice president, is the highest-ranking U.S. lawmaker to visit Ukraine since the start of the war in Russia more than two months ago.
She and half a dozen U.S. lawmakers met for three hours on Saturday with President Vladimir Zelensky and his top aides. Speaking to reporters in Poland on Sunday, members of the delegation were unanimous in praising Ukraine’s defense so far and offering continued long-term military, humanitarian and economic support, promising that the United States would stay with Ukraine until it defeats Russia.
“This is a time when we are upholding democracy or allowing autocracy to rule the day,” said Gregory Meeks, a Democrat from New York.
MP Jason Crowe, a Democrat from Colorado, a veteran and a member of the House Intelligence and Armed Services Committee, said he came to Ukraine with three areas of focus: “Weapons, Weapons and Weapons.”
He said: “We need to make sure that Ukrainians have what they need to win. What we’ve seen in the last two months is their ferocity, their strong pride, their ability to fight and their ability to win if they have the support. “
Pelosi said she was “stunned” by Zelenski’s expertise on all issues and described it at their meeting as a “remarkable leadership master class”.
___
LONDON – Russian “cyber warriors” have launched a new offensive against foreign leaders targeting social media platforms with a large-scale disinformation campaign seeking to legitimize the invasion of Ukraine, according to a study funded by the United Kingdom
Paid operatives working at a factory in St. Petersburg use the Telegram messaging app to recruit and coordinate supporters, who then flood social media accounts of Kremlin critics with comments in support of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine. the British Foreign Office said on Sunday.
The so-called troll factory has developed new techniques to avoid being revealed by social media platforms, posting comments and amplifying pro-Kremlin content created by legitimate users instead of creating its own content, the foreign ministry said. Traces of his work have been found on eight social media platforms, including Telegram, Twitter, Facebook and TikTok.
The operation is aimed at politicians and the general public in a number of countries, including the United Kingdom, South Africa and India, the foreign ministry said. He is believed to have ties to Evgeny Prigogine, who has been sanctioned by both the United States and Britain to fund Kremlin online influence operations.
“We cannot allow the Kremlin and its shady troll farms to invade our online spaces with their lies about Putin’s illegal war,” Foreign Minister Liz Truss said in a statement. “The UK government has warned international partners and will continue to work closely with allies and media platforms to undermine Russian information operations.
___
LVIV, Ukraine – Satellite images analyzed by the Associated Press show damage to oil depots just across Ukraine’s border with Russia following alleged Ukrainian attacks.
Saturday’s photos show damage to two sites in Bryansk. The blasts damaged many tanks, leaving the surrounding areas charred.
The blasts occurred on Monday. One hit an oil depot owned by Transneft-Druzhba, a subsidiary of Russia’s state-owned Transneft, which operates the Western Druzhba (Friendship) pipeline, which carries crude oil to Europe.
The second facility is a short distance from the other.
Bryansk is located about 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of the border with Ukraine.
___
Kyiv, Ukraine – US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has met with the President of Ukraine.
Footage released early Sunday by President Vladimir Zelensky’s office shows Pelosi in Kyiv with a congressional delegation. Those with Pelosi included Jason Crowe, Jim McGovern and Adam Schiff.
Zelenski told the delegation, “You are all welcome.”
Pelosi later said: “We believe we are visiting you to thank you for your struggle for freedom. We are on the verge of freedom and your struggle is a battle for all. It is our commitment to be with you until the battle is over. ”
The visit was not announced in advance.
___
Kyiv, Ukraine – Some women and children have been evacuated from the steel plant, the last stronghold in the bombed-out ruins of the port city of Mariupol, a Ukrainian official and Russian state news organizations said.
But hundreds are thought to be trapped with little food, water or medicine.
The United Nations has worked to mediate the evacuation of up to 1,000 civilians living under the sprawling Soviet-era Azovstal plant after numerous previous attempts have failed.
Ukraine does not say how many fighters are also in the plant, the only part of Mariupol that is not occupied by Russian forces, but Russia estimates about 2,000. Approximately 100,000 civilians remain in the city.
UN humanitarian spokesman Saviano Abreu said the world body was negotiating with authorities in Moscow and Kyiv, but could not provide details of ongoing evacuation efforts “due to the complexity and smoothness of the operation.”
___
LVIV, Ukraine – US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has said US diplomats plan to return to Ukraine as soon as possible.
Blinken made the comment while talking to Ukrainian foreign …
Add Comment