Ukraine can’t last long?

Fighting is still going on throughout eastern and southern Ukraine as the operation military Russia entered its third month. The current focus is on the city of Mariupol on the Azov coast, where Ukrainian forces are entrenched in the Azovstal steel factory area. Ukrainian officials announced that Russian forces have resumed attacks on the factory, which is believed to contain civilians.

The leader of the separatists “Donetsk People’s Republic” Denis Pushilin stated that the “neo-fascist” forces at the Azovstal factory would not be able to last long, according to Sputnik.

The people below the bunker at the Azovstal factory Reuters

The United Nations Ukraine crisis coordinator Amin Awad has called for an immediate ceasefire in Mariupol to evacuate stranded civilians. “The lives of tens of thousands of people, including women, children and the elderly, are at stake in Mariupol. We need an armistice right now to save lives,” Awad said.

See more: Russia and Ukraine “struggle” in Donbass

Referendum in Kherson?

In the southern Kherson province, the leader of the city of Kryvyi Rih Oleksandr Vilkul said that Ukraine perceives the preparation of Russian forces for an attack from Kherson, according to CNN. Mr. Vilkul also said that the barracks at Kryvyi Rih were in a state of readiness and were prepared to defend.

According to a report by the British Ministry of Defense, Russia plans to hold a referendum in the city of Kherson to justify control of the place. The city is an important part of the goal of establishing a land corridor to Crimea and control of southern Ukraine.

In 2014, a referendum was held in Crimea, which was later annexed to Russia.

Russian oil storage on fire

A large fire broke out at a Russian oil depot in the city of Bryansk, more than 150 kilometers north of the Ukrainian border. RT reported that explosions and fires also occurred in many districts of Bryansk province, including one at the ammunition depot of the Russian Defense Ministry. The cause of the fires is unknown, but in early April, Russia accused Ukrainian helicopters of attacking an oil depot in the city of Belgorod, about 40 kilometers from the border. Ukraine has denied the allegation.

See more: What did the Ukrainian Defense Ministry say after the alleged air strike on a fuel depot in Russia?

US Secretary to Kyiv

On the morning of April 25 (Vietnam time), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky received US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Minister Lloyd Austin in Kyiv, according to information from the office of the president of Ukraine.

This is the first visit of senior officials in the Presidential administration Joe Biden since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a special military operation in Ukraine from February 24.

A senior US defense official confirmed the two ministers’ visit

The two ministers pledged to provide a new military aid package worth $713 million to Ukraine and countries in the region, including $322 million to Ukraine, according to AP. At the same time, the two ministers said that American diplomats would gradually return to Ukraine and that the US would nominate a new ambassador to Kyiv.

See more: US Secretary of State and Defense Secretary arrives in Kyiv