The attacks in occupied Ukraine do not cease: new satellite images show buildings in rubble in the Azovstal steel plant complex in Mariupol , the heart of the resistance of the Kiev military. One hundred civilians were reportedly evacuated from the plant, while the evacuation of all civilians in the city was announced, but postponed until Monday morning, "for security reasons".
In the night, on the opposite front, Moscow releases a video claiming to have evidence of an attack by Ukrainian nationalists in the Kherson region ; it would have targeted a school and a kindergarten, with dead and wounded. But it is the violation of Swedish airspace by a Russian reconnaissance plane that gives the measure of the widening of the conflict. A "totally unacceptable" event, according to Stockholm's Swedish Defense Minister Hultqvist. "This action - he said asking for respect for the sovereignty of the country - violates the rules and, given the general security situation, is very inappropriate." But a reconnaissance plane would also have entered the airspace of Denmark , which has therefore called the Russian ambassador to ask for explanations.
On the diplomatic front, if the European Union is preparing to launch a sixth package of sanctions that could include a reduction in gas and oil imports, yesterday's visit by Ankara's spokesman to Kiev ended without any announcement. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba in an interview with Xinhua asks China to join a group of countries guaranteeing the peace process but stresses that after the meetings in Istanbul the negotiations have become "much more difficult" and that "the only way to restore peace to Ukraine is to restore Kiev's sovereignty over the entire territory of the country".
A concept reaffirmed in his own way by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in his last post of the day: "Ukraine will be free, and on all temporarily occupied cities" the Ukrainian flag will once again fly.
In Kiev, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterates the full support of the United States . Boris Johnson says he is ready to do everything possible to make "Putin fail" in his aims.
As for the Russian president, he would be ready to drop the term "special military operation" and announce on May 9 , during the Victory Day parade, that a "total war" against Ukraine is taking place. And Foreign Minister Lavrov returns to evoke atomic escalation: “A nuclear war? Never underestimate the risk , ”he told Zona Bianca, on Rete 4.
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The day by the hour:
Mariupol, evacuation in fits and starts
About 100 civilians were evacuated from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol. This was stated by the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. Russia also confirms: the evacuation, stresses the Moscow Defense Ministry, concerns "the civilians who wanted to leave to reach the territory controlled by Kiev". On the other hand, the evacuation of Mariupol civilians who are not inside the steel plant was postponed to Monday morning, "for security reasons".
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Kuleba, "EU sanctions on Russia also include crude embargo"
"I spoke to Josep Borrell about the next round of EU sanctions on Russia which must also include the embargo on crude oil". Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba writes on Twitter. "I also stressed - he adds - that there is no it may be an alternative to the granting of EU candidate status to Ukraine ".
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Investigations into over 9,000 war crimes
The Prosecutor General of Ukraine said an investigation into new cases of alleged war crimes by Russian forces was underway for a total of 9,158 criminal cases.
"We have already identified specific war criminals," said Iryna Venediktova. "There are 15 people in the Kiev region, for example, 10 of them in Bucha. We hold them responsible for torture, rape and looting," he added according to CNN online.
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A Russian defense facility is on fire
A Russian defense facility near the Ukrainian border is on fire. This was announced by the governor of the Belgorod region, according to reports from the Tass and Interfax agencies. On Telegram, Vyacheslav Gladkov said that there are still no details of damage or casualties in the building located in the southern Belgorod region.
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Evacuation of civilians from Mariupol
The operation to evacuate civilians from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol "continues" even today. This was stated by a UN spokesman in Geneva, the international media reported. "The United Nations confirms that evacuation is underway at the Azovstal steel complex, in coordination with the Red Cross and the parties to the conflict," said Jens Laerke, spokesman for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The official stressed that he could not provide any other details for security reasons.
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Denmark and Sweden: "Russian jets in our airspace"
Copenhagen denounced the violation of Danish airspace by a Russian reconnaissance plane and summoned the Russian ambassador on the matter. This was announced by the head of Danish diplomacy. The government of Denmark has therefore summoned the Russian ambassador to ask for an explanation. Also Sweden in the past few hours had reported a similar violation of its airspace.
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Kiev: "Peace only with the restoration of our sovereignty"
"The only way to restore peace to Ukraine is to restore Kiev's sovereignty over the entire territory of the country." This was stated by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba who asks China to be part of the countries guaranteeing security in the peace process.
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Pope's appeal, "corridors for people in the Mariupol steel plant"
The Pope asks for humanitarian corridors for Mariupol. "Today begins the month dedicated to the Mother of God. I would like to invite all the faithful and communities to pray the rosary for peace every day in May. My thoughts go immediately to the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, the city of Mary, barbarously bombed and destroyed" , he told Regina Coeli. "I renew the request that safe humanitarian corridors be set up for people trapped in the steel mill of that city", is the appeal of Pope Francis.
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10.40 am - Scholz rejects criticism: "Decisions taken together with partners"
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejects criticism of Germany's reluctance to send heavy weapons to Ukraine. In an interview with Bild am Sontag, the German leader explains that his decisions "are made quickly and in agreement with our partners. Germany's hasty and lonely actions would be questionable".
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The mayor of Mariupol: "The victims of the Russians are double those of the Nazis"
The Russian army killed twice as many people in Mariupol as were killed by the Nazis during World War II: Mayor Vadym Boychenko said in a note published on Telegram by the Ukrainian city council. "Within two years, the Nazis killed about 10,000 civilians in Mariupol. The Russian occupiers killed 20,000 in two months. More than 40,000 people were forcibly displaced," says the mayor, quoted by the council. "It is one of the worst genocides of a peaceful population in modern history," he adds.
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The speaker of the US House Pelosi in Kiev
Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the US House of Representatives, is in Kiev, where she met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Zelensky himself made the visit known: "I met the speaker of the US House Nancy Pelosi in Kiev. The US is a leader in strong support for the fight against Russian aggression. Thank you for your help in protecting sovereignty and the territorial integrity of our state! ".
Kiev closes the ports of occupied cities
The Ukrainian Ministry of Infrastructure has issued an order to close the ports of Berdiansk, Mariupol, Kherson and Skadovsk "until control is restored" over these cities. This was reported by Ukrinform citing a statement published on the website of the Ukrainian Council of Ministers.
(Unioneonline)