Eighteenth day of war in Ukraine. After targeting the eastern part of the invaded country, Russian troops are intensifying the offensive on the cities to the west, a few tens of kilometers from Poland, therefore from the borders of the European Union.
The Moscow Air Force hit a military training camp on the outskirts of Lviv, killing at least 35 and injuring dozens. Overall, Ukrainian sources say, foreign military instructors were also present at the time of the raid.
A new Russian attack also targeted the Ivano-Frankivsk air base, also located in the western part of the Ukrainian territory.
Despite the war front continuing to dangerously close to the EU, NATO nevertheless reiterates its opposition to the creation of a "no fly zone" in Ukraine. "We are not looking for any war with Russia," said Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. "This means that Russian forces would have to be attacked, which would lead to a direct confrontation and risk an uncontrollable escalation."
Pope Francis also spoke of the conflict during the Angelus: "In the name of God, stop this massacre," said the pontiff.
Updates by the hour ( HERE all the articles on the Ukrainian crisis)
5.40 pm - Turkey: "Moscow and Kiev have come closer"
The positions of Russia and Ukraine "have somehow come closer", according to the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, quoted by the Tass news agency. "Serious discussions between them continue," the Ankara chief of diplomacy added to the diplomatic forum in Antalya, noting that Ukraine's "neutrality" is among the topics under discussion. Turkey, along with Israel, has been identified as a possible mediator between Kiev and Moscow by Ukrainian presidential adviser and negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak.
The case of the links between the founder of the microchip giant and the Chinese manager Alice Huang, accused of spying for Beijing, shakes the markets and opens a front on national security
The investigation concerns an alleged intermediation system for issuing visas and residence permits to foreign citizens.
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5 pm - "Even the Dutch injured in the raids in the west"
An untold number of Dutch citizens, affiliated with the legion of voluntary foreign fighters, were injured in today's Russian missile raids on the Ukrainian military base of Yavoriv, near the Polish border. This was stated by the Dutch national coordinator of fighters, Gert Snitselaar, quoted by De Telegraaf. The Dutch authorities are not commenting for the moment.
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4.45 pm - “Truce? Concrete results in the coming days "
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's adviser and Kiev negotiator, Mykhailo Podoliak, said today he expected "concrete results" in the coming days in talks with Russia. Moscow "became much more sensitive to the Ukrainian position" and "started talking in
constructive way, "added Podoliak in a video posted on his Twitter profile, echoing Zelensky's openings yesterday." Our proposals are on the table. They are very strong. Among these - he explained - are the withdrawal of troops and the ceasefire ".
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4.15 pm - Almost 2,200 victims in Mariupol
A total of 2,187 people have been killed in Mariupol since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This was announced by the City Council of the city, reports the Guardian, specifying that in the last 24 hours there have been at least 22 bombings against civilian targets and more than 100 bombs have fallen.
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16.10 - A school in Mykolaiv hit
A Russian raid hit a school in Mykolaiv, in southern Ukraine about 100 km east of Odessa. This was announced by the regional governor, Vitaly Kim, explaining that at the moment the rescuers are digging in the rubble.
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4 pm - Di Maio: "Italy against the no fly zone, it's World War III"
"Italy will continue to oppose a no fly zone" in Ukraine "because it means unleashing the Third World War. We will never see an increase in escalation". Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said at 'half an hour more'.
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15.30 - Washington warns Beijing: "Consequences if it helps Moscow on sanctions"
White House National Security Advisor Jack Sullivan warns Beijing: any move by China or other countries to offer Russia a lifeline or help evade Western sanctions will have consequences.
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3.10 pm - "Moscow will pay dearly if it uses chemical weapons"
Russia will pay a high price for using chemical weapons. This was reiterated by the National Security Advisor of the White House, Jack Sullivan, in an interview with ABC.
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15.00 - USA-China meeting tomorrow in Rome
National Security Advisor to the White House will meet Chinese Communist Party diplomacy chief Yang Jiechi in Rome tomorrow. This was announced by the White House, underlining that the meeting will also focus on the impact of Russia's war in Ukraine. Sullivan will also meet Luigi Mattiolo, Prime Minister Mario Draghi's diplomatic adviser.
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2.30 pm - USA: "Moscow will suffer the consequences of what it does"
Russia will suffer "serious consequences" for what it is doing: said the national security adviser of the White House, Jack Sullivan, interviewed by CNN immediately after the news of an American video operator killed in Ukraine spread.
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13.53 - An American journalist killed
An American journalist, Brent Renaud, was killed and a colleague of his was wounded in Irpin, in the suburbs of Kiev, by the Russian perhaps. Ukrainian security forces announce this.
Renaud, a former New York Times contributor, was reportedly shot in the neck by a bullet at a checkpoint while filming refugees on the run.
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13.29 - "Evacuated 125 thousand people"
"We were able to evacuate around 125,000 people using the humanitarian corridors." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this, according to reports from the Kyiv Independent. "The major commitment now is Mariupol - he added - Our diplomatic effort is focused on aid to reach the city".
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1 pm - Soon new talks for truce
New talks between Russia and Ukraine could take place next week, "as early as tomorrow or tomorrow". This was stated by Mykhailo Podoliak, advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as reported by CNN.
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12.55 - Putin-Zelensky meeting not excluded
"Nobody excludes the possibility of a meeting between Putin and Zelensky, but we need to understand what
discuss in this meeting and what the outcome will be. This was stated by the spokesman of the Kremlin Dmitry Peskov quoted by Interfax.
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12.15 - The Pope: "Stop the massacre"
"In the name of God stop this slaughter". This is the heartfelt appeal of Pope Francis to the Angelus, during which he dedicated strong words against the war in
Ukraine. In his Sunday message, Bergoglio added: "The unacceptable aggression against Ukraine must stop".
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12.05 - No sanctions from Turkey
Turkey will not join the Western sanctions against Russia. The minister of
foreign Turkish Mevlut Cavusoglu, according to reports from Tass.
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12 pm - Duda: "If Putin uses chemical weapons, war with NATO "
"If you are asking me if Putin can use chemical weapons, I think Putin can use anything right now, especially when he is in a difficult situation." This was stated by Polish President Andrzej Duda in an interview with the BBC. Asked about the possibility
that this could lead to an intervention by NATO, Duda replied: "Of course, we all hope that he does not dare to do so. But ... if he used weapons of mass destruction, this would be a change of
full game ".
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11.45 am - In Lviv the dead are 35
The death toll has risen to 35 after the Russian missile attack on a military base near Lviv. The governor reports it.
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11.30 - Poland: "The use of NATO jets would be world war"
"To relocate planes, or try to defend the skies over Ukraine against Russian fighter jets, this is a strictly military and serious decision, because it would mean that NATO jets are sent into Ukrainian airspace and this would create a confrontation between the NATO and Russian airplanes and this would mean opening a third world war ", he stressed.
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11.20 am - Born: "No fly zone excluded"
"We are not looking for any war with Russia". This is what the head of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, reiterated, who, in an interview with Welt am Sonntag, claims to be opposed to the no fly zone over Ukraine. "This means that Russian forces should be attacked, which
it would involve a direct confrontation and risk an uncontrollable escalation. "" The war must be closed and not expanded ", he concluded.
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10.26 - Another mayor kidnapped
Another Ukrainian mayor was kidnapped by the Russian armed forces: he is the first citizen
of the occupied city of Dniprorudne, in the southeastern part of the country, in the Zaporizhzhia region. The Kyiv Independent reports it. The mayor of Dniprorudne, Yevhen Matviiv, is the second mayor kidnapped, after that of Melitopol, since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began.
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10.15 am - Twenty dead in Lviv
The missile attack on the military base near Lviv killed 20 people. They said the
Rescue services to the Guardian. The number of victims is much higher than that announced so far by the authorities, while the same source confirms that the injured would be 57.
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10.10 am - Kiev, evacuation train hit, one dead
During the night, a passenger train used to evacuate civilians was struck by shrapnel just outside the Ukrainian city of Lyman in the east of the country. The Kyiv Independent reports it, stating that the train driver was killed in the attack and another person was injured.
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10.04 am - Damaged Orthodox monastery in Donetsk
Several people were injured after Russian raids hit and damaged the Orthodox monastery of the “Lavra of the Holy Dormition Mountains” near the Ukrainian city of Sviatohirsk in Donetsk province. The Kiev Parliament reports on Telegram. The bombing took place 50 meters from a bridge connecting the left and right banks of the Siverskyi Donets River, near the entrance to the monastery. The blast damaged the windows of the facility and the doors of a nearby hotel. About 520 refugees found refuge in the monastery, including 200 children. Metropolitan Bishop Arseny said that there are no military units in the area and that the attack was conducted against a "peaceful" city and one of the holiest places in Ukraine.
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9.02 am - Russian forces encircle the Ukrainian ones to the east
Russian forces are attempting to surround Ukrainian forces in the east of the country by advancing from the direction of Kharkiv and Mariupol. The British Ministry of Defense said this this morning. "Russian forces are attempting to encircle Ukrainian forces in the east of the country as they advance from the direction of Kharkiv to the north and Mariupol to the south," the ministry wrote on Twitter citing Intelligence. "Russian forces advancing from Crimea are attempting to outflank Mykolaiv as they try to get west to Odessa," he added. The ministry notes that Russia is "paying a high price for each advance" as the Ukrainian armed forces continue to offer stiff resistance across the country.
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8 am - Ivano-Frankivsk air base hit
The Russian armed forces hit the Ivano-Frankivsk air base (in the western part of the country) early today. The airport was targeted by Russian attacks for the second day in a row. The mayor has urged the people who live in the surrounding area to move.
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7.06 - Russian air raids against the base on the border with Poland
Russian troops launched numerous airstrikes on a military training camp outside the Ukrainian city of Lviv, near the border with Poland. The goal is the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security ", about 40 kilometers northwest of Lviv, specifies the head of the regional administration Maxim Kozitsky, adding that eight missiles have been launched.
