Here is what happened today in Mariupol and beyond.
Contradictory evacuation reports: Russian state media reported that two civilian buses were evacuated from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol on Friday. However, Ukrainian authorities said they could not comment on the evacuation of civilians from the headquarters, organized by the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross. And the mayor of Mariupol told CNN that he was not aware of the latest evacuations.
Zelensky claims deportations: More than “500,000 Ukrainians have been deported to Russia” since the start of the Russian war in Ukraine, President Vladimir Zelensky said on Friday. He also accused the Russians of blockades and starvation in Mariupol.
The G7 will meet this weekend: US President Joe Biden will meet virtually with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and his G7 counterparts on Sunday morning during a meeting at the G7 forum, a National Security Council spokesman said. Sanctions will be on the agenda of the meeting. White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the time for Sunday’s conversation before Russia’s Victory Day was deliberate.
Preparations for Victory Day: May 9, known as Victory Day in Russia, marks the country’s defeat by the Nazis in 1945. The Kremlin said May 9 would not be “overshadowed” by events in Ukraine, adding “significance the holiday cannot be overestimated. ” But this year the parade is expected to be smaller than in previous years.
Some Western officials believe Russian President Vladimir Putin could formally declare war on Ukraine on Monday, paving the way for him to step up his campaign.
Russia has left its mark: Ukrainian authorities have published photos from Mariupol showing the ongoing work of what they call the “occupiers” to restore Soviet-era monuments. Petro Andrushchenko, an adviser to the city’s mayor, released new photos on Friday, saying all Soviet-era monuments have been “restored” in recent days.
Also, a senior official in Russia’s ruling United Russia party said on Friday that Russia had come to the Kherson region to “stay forever” and there should be no “no doubt about it.”
And new satellite images show that Russia is excavating the site of the heavily bombed drama theater in Mariupol.
Grain stagnation: The blockade of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, along with infrastructure challenges, is preventing nearly 25 million tonnes of grain from being exported, according to a United Nations official.
CNN also reported that Russian forces were stealing thousands of tons of grain from Ukrainian farmers and directing artillery at food storage facilities, according to numerous sources.
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