Battle of Day 66: Russia ‘downplays’ the risk of nuclear war, explosion in Odessa

Russia “downplays” the risk of nuclear war

TASS news agency quoted Boris Yermakov, director of the Department of Non-Proliferation and Arms Control of the Russian Foreign Ministry, as saying that all nuclear powers have an obligation to comply with the content of the official document to avoid nuclear war.

Vladimir Yermakov. Reuters

“The risk of nuclear war, which should never be allowed to happen, must be kept to a minimum, especially through the prevention of any armed conflict between nuclear powers. Russia is clear. clearly adhere to this perception,” Yermakov said on April 30.

The official document that Mr. Yermakov mentioned was a joint statement issued by Russia, ChinaBritain, the United States and France announced in January. These five countries, who are also five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, have agreed not to allow the proliferation of nuclear weapons and not to let another one happen. nuclear war.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that the risk of nuclear war was “real”, although the United States later said it did not believe Russia would use nuclear weapons.

Yermakov also said that the West has openly chosen the strategy of waging a proxy war against Russia and policy This will lead to very serious consequences.

Satellite images show that the Azovstal steel plant was severely damaged

New satellite images from the company Maxar show that nearly every building on the vast campus of the Azovstal steel plant, the last shelter of Ukrainian forces in the city of Mariupol, has been destroyed, according to CNN.

Satellite images show destroyed buildings on the Azovstal factory premises. maxar

There are large holes in the roof, a sign of an attack military. Some roofs collapsed completely and some buildings turned into rubble. Many residential houses and government buildings located just east of the factory were also completely destroyed.

Hundreds of people are hiding in the basements here. Mariupol Mayor Vadim Boichenko said the United Nations and the Red Cross were in talks to evacuate them, and he was awaiting the outcome of these negotiations. He said there are signs that a breakthrough is possible regarding the establishment of a humanitarian corridor in Mariupol.

Meanwhile, TASS news agency said a group of 25 civilians “left” the Azovstal factory on April 30, but did not specify where they went.

Multiple explosions in Odessa, damaged airport runway

Ukrainian media and witnesses reported that several explosions occurred in the southern city of Odessa shortly after 18:00 local time on April 30. One witness told CNN she saw at least one fighter jet over the city.

The Ukrainian Army’s (Southern) Operations Command said on Telegram that the runway at Odessa’s airport had been damaged and was no longer usable. The witness heard the explosion shortly after the air raid sirens sounded across the city.

Russia and Ukraine talk about ceasefire negotiations

In two separate interviews with China’s Xinhua news agency, the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine offered different views on the ceasefire negotiation process.

Mr. Lavrov (left) and Mr. Kuleba. Russian Foreign Ministry, reuters

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said NATO, with its backing of the Kyiv government, “is doing everything to prevent” a political agreement in Ukraine from being reached. “If the US and NATO are really interested in solving the Ukraine crisis, they should first change their mind and stop supplying Kyiv with weapons and ammunition,” he said, adding that Russia supported the move. continue to negotiate.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba accused Russia of not wanting to de-escalate the conflict, admitting negotiations with Russia had been “significantly complicated”. He also expressed hope that China will call on Russia to cease fire to maintain peace and prevent further humanitarian disasters.

Also on April 30, Lavrov said lifting sanctions against Russia was part of peace talks with Ukraine, but senior Ukrainian negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak denied this. According to Podolyak, the Russian foreign minister has not attended a round of negotiations and Ukraine does not need lessons on “de-fascism”.