War in Ukraine: Latest developments
Residents run near a burning house following a shelling Severodonetsk, Donbas region, on April 6, 2022, as Ukraine tells residents in the country’s east to evacuate “now” or “risk death” ahead of a feared Russian onslaught on the Donbas region, which Moscow has declared its top prize. -AFP
KYIV—Here are the latest developments in the war in Ukraine:
Donbas offensive
Russia says its forces have carried out dozens of air strikes in eastern Ukraine as part of a new offensive in the Donbas region that had been expected for days.
Moscow says the strikes targeted Ukrainian positions in parts of the Donbas as well as in towns close to the eastern frontline.
“We are gradually implementing our plan to liberate the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics,” Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu says, referring to eastern Ukraine’s two rebel regions, which Moscow has recognised as independent states.
Fighting in Mariupol
Fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces is “ongoing” in the strategic port of Mariupol, Pavlo Kyrylenko, governor of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, says.
Article continues after this advertisementRussia earlier on Tuesday called on Ukrainian forces in Mariupol to “immediately” lay down their arms in a new ultimatum.
Article continues after this advertisementRussian forces are believed to have gradually pushed their way into the city, pinning Ukrainian troops down to giant factories near the port, which are equipped with vast underground tunnels.
Biden talks with allies
US President Joe Biden holds a virtual meeting of allies to discuss the Ukraine conflict.
The videoconference brings together the leaders of France, Britain, Germany, Romania, Poland, Italy, Canada and Japan.
The United States and the European Union have reached a “broad consensus” on the need to increase pressure on Russia through new sanctions, the Italian government says after the talks.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says after the meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin is responsible for war crimes in Ukraine that have already left thousands of civilians dead.
Easter truce call
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres denounces Russia’s fresh offensive in eastern Ukraine and calls for a four-day truce to mark Orthodox Holy Week.
“Hundreds of thousands of lives hang in the balance,” the United Nations chief says, adding a truce would allow safe passage for civilians to flee the eastern war zone, and for humanitarian aid to be delivered to the hardest-hit areas.
New US arms delivery
The first shipments of a new US military aid package have arrived at Ukraine’s borders to be handed over, a senior Pentagon official says.
The package includes 18 155mm howitzers for the first time, as well as 40,000 artillery rounds, 200 M113 armoured personnel carriers, 11 Mi-17 helicopters and 100 armoured multi-purpose vehicles.
Growth hit
The “seismic” impact of the war in Ukraine is spreading worldwide, causing the IMF to sharply downgrade its 2022 global growth forecast to 3.6 percent, 0.8 points lower than in January.
The latest World Economic Outlook shows Ukraine suffering a 35 percent collapse this year, while Russia sees a drop of 8.5 percent.
Diplomats expelled
Russia says it is expelling 36 diplomats from Belgium and the Netherlands in retaliation for similar measures taken against its envoys in the two EU countries.
Nearly 5 mn have fled Ukraine: UN
More than 4.9 million Ukrainians have fled their country following the Russian invasion, says the UN’s refugee agency.
the UNHCR says 4,980,589 Ukrainians had left since Russia invaded on February 24 — a figure up 46,174 on Monday’s total.
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