Putin declares Mariupol ‘successful’, asks forces not to storm Azovstal steel plant

Ukraine’s tiny neighbor is worried that they might be next on Putin’s list

BENDER, Moldova – On a journey to the Black Sea from its source in Ukraine Close to the Polish border, the Dniester River flows through the small country of Moldova. Its banks are inhabited by wild boars, pheasants and Russian soldierswho nominally defends a secessionist part of the country.

Passing a checkpoint manned by the Russian Forces Tactical Group en route to Transnistria in early April, a blue-eyed soldier reclined in a chair, his camouflage uniform on the shoulder of his camouflage uniform with a flag of the Russian Federation. Another stood, black shoelaces loosely tied, with a rifle in hand. Next to them was an armored personnel carrier. A third uniformed man watched from the shade.

The river not only separates the Russian-speaking region from the Republic of Moldova, but it also separates two competing ideological visions for the region’s future: a Russian-backed region under Russian control and the other. located in the European part of the Western democracies. Following Russia’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine, the specter of armed conflict is bigger than ever for Moldova.

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Biden begins discussions on Russia, Ukraine from the White House on Thursday morning

President Joe Biden will “provide updates on Russia and Ukraine” on Thursday, the White House said.

The President will make remarks from the Roosevelt Room at 9:45 a.m. ET.

US officials say the Biden administration is prepare another military aid package for Ukraine. On Wednesday, Mr. Biden called the attack and invasion of Ukraine “Putin’s brutal and unjustified war”, referring to Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Ukraine says urgent evacuation at Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol

Ukrainian officials have requested an urgent humanitarian corridor from the Azovstal steel plant, the last stronghold in Mariupol, for Ukrainian fighters.

“There are about 1,000 civilians and 500 wounded soldiers. They all need to be withdrawn from Azovsteel today! ” Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said in a Telegram post on Thursday.

She called on the international community to focus efforts on the plant, calling it a “critical moment” for humanitarian efforts. Earlier on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Defense Minister that Russian forces should not storm the factory but instead blockade it.

Djokovic lifts Wimbledon ban on Russian, Belarusian players is ‘crazy’

World No 1 Novak Djokovic said Wimbledon’s decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players because of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine was “crazy”.

“I will always condemn war, I will never support war because I am a child of war,” Djokovic told reporters at the Serbia Open, an ATP 250 event in Belgrade.

“However, I can’t support Wimbledon’s decision, I think it’s crazy,” he said. “When politics interferes with sport, the results are not good.”

Resistance in Mariupol

4 evacuation buses left Mariupol on Wednesday

Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said four buses carrying Mariupol residents left the besieged city through a humanitarian corridor on Wednesday.

“They spent the night in Berdyansk and are now heading to Vasylivka. We are waiting for them in Zaporizhia soon,” she said in a Telegram post early Thursday. The number of people who were able to escape was far from the 6,000 Kyiv expected, with fighting continuing around the besieged city.

Ukraine will try to evacuate more women, children and the elderly on Thursday via bus, Vereschuk said. Authorities will also try to arrange evacuation routes from Kherson, she added.

Putin declares Mariupol ‘successful’, orders forces not to storm Ukraine stronghold

Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared the “success” in Mariupol strategically important but has ordered his forces not to storm the site where the last Ukrainian resistance force is holding.

In a move that would seem to deprive the Kremlin of the ability to declare it had fully captured the vital port city, Putin told his defense minister that in order to save Russian lives, they should ensure that “not even a fly” can enter or exit the Azovstal Steel Plant.

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told Putin that the stronghold was “completely sealed off” while the rest of the city was “liberated”.

Russian forces advance towards Kramatorsk as eastern offensive continues, UK says

The UK Ministry of Defense said that Russian forces were moving towards the city of Kramatorsk, in eastern Ukraine, which was hit by rockets.

The ministry said in an intelligence update early Thursday, forces had moved away from staging areas in the Donbas and this move, coupled with high Russian air activity in support of the attack New Eastern Public of Moscow.

“Russia can look forward to showing significant successes ahead of their annual May 9 Victory Day celebrations,” the ministry said. “This could affect how quickly and aggressively they try to get their operations underway.”

China’s Xi Jinping reiterates his opposition to the use of economic sanctions

Chinese President Xi Jinping has reiterated his country’s opposition to unilateral sanctions and “long-term jurisdiction”, without directly referring to Western punitive actions against the US. Russia for the invasion of Ukraine.

Speaking via video at the annual Boao Forum for Asia gathered on the southern Chinese island of Hainan, on Thursday, Xi warned that economic “decoupling” and pressure tactics such as cutting off supply chain will be inefficient.

“China wants to launch a global security initiative” that upholds the “principle of indivisible security,” Xi said. “We should uphold the principle of security indissolubility, build a balanced, efficient and sustainable security architecture, and oppose building national security on the basis of loss of security. security in other countries”.