War in Ukraine: Latest developments

By: 3 years ago

People walk their bikes across the street as smoke rises above a plant of Azovstal Iron and Steel Works during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine May 2, 2022. REUTERS FILE PHOTO

KYIV鈥擧ere are the latest developments in the war in Ukraine:

鈥楬eavy fighting鈥� at Azovstal

The mayor of the destroyed Ukrainian city of Mariupol says contact has been lost with Ukrainian forces holed up in the Azovstal steel plant amid 鈥渉eavy fighting鈥� with Russian troops.

City officials have no way of knowing 鈥渨hat鈥檚 going on, whether they are safe or not鈥�, Vadym Boichenko tells Ukrainian television.

The Kremlin denied Russia was storming the plant after Ukraine accused Moscow of launching a 鈥減owerful鈥� assault on the industrial zone, the last redoubt of Ukrainian forces.

20 bodies found in Kyiv region

The bodies of another 20 civilians were found in the past 24 hours in the Kyiv region, police say, raising the total number found there so far to 1,235.

Kyiv regional police chief Andriy Nebytov says the latest discoveries were found in Borodianka and the surrounding villages, some 25 kilometers (15 miles) from Bucha, the town near Kyiv now synonymous with allegations of Russian war crimes.

Biden 鈥榦pen鈥� to more sanctions

US President Joe Biden says he is 鈥渙pen鈥� to imposing more sanctions on Russia and will discuss measures with allies from the G7 in the next few days.

鈥淲e鈥檙e always open to additional sanctions,鈥� Biden says shortly after the European Union announced plans for banning Russian oil imports and other new measures punishing Moscow for its bloody invasion of Ukraine.

EU states opposing embargo 鈥榗omplicit鈥欌€揔yiv

Ukraine says EU countries blocking an embargo on imports of Russian oil would be complicit in crimes committed by Russian troops on Ukrainian territory by funding Moscow鈥檚 military.

鈥淚f there is any country in Europe who will continue to oppose the embargo on Russian oil, there will be good reason to say, this country is complicit in the crimes committed by Russia in the territory of Ukraine,鈥� Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says in a briefing on social media.

Mariupol military parade planned鈥揔yiv

Ukraine accuses Russia of planning to hold a military parade in the destroyed city of Mariupol on May 9 to celebrate victory over the Nazis in World War II.

Kyiv says an official from Russia鈥檚 presidential administration has arrived in the strategic southern port city, to oversee plans for the Victory Day parade.

New EU sanctions, oil ban take shape

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen says the bloc will impose a gradual Russian oil ban, as part of new sanctions to punish Russia for invading Ukraine.

鈥淲e will phase out Russian supply of crude oil within six months and refined products by the end of the year,鈥� she tells the European Parliament.

Eastern assault continues

Russian forces continue to pound sites to the east of the country, Ukraine鈥檚 general staff says, as Moscow seeks to establish 鈥渇ull control鈥� of the regions of Lugansk and Donetsk, and to maintain a land corridor to occupied Crimea.

In Lugansk, governor Sergiy Gaiday says two people have died in the last 24 hours, and 鈥渢he whole region is under fire completely, there is no safe place鈥�.

Evacuees reach Zaporizhzhia

Further evacuations from Mariupol are expected Wednesday, a day after 156 people arrived in the Ukrainian-held city of Zaporizhzhia.

Belarus launches maneuvers

Belarus, a Moscow ally that shares a border with Ukraine, launches 鈥渟urprise鈥� military manoeuvres, to test the reactive capacity of its army, its defence ministry says.

Belarus military units were testing their capacity to 鈥済o on the alert, move to predetermined zones and undertake combat training,鈥� it says.

EU to support Moldova

European Council President Charles Michel pledges to increase EU military aid to Moldova, Ukraine鈥檚 neighbour that has seen a series of attacks in a pro-Moscow separatist region.

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