Mariupol says it appears that about 300 people died in the Drama Theater attack, based on eyewitness accounts
The Mariupol City Council has condemned the “inhuman cruelty” of a Russian airstrike on a theater in Mariupol earlier this month, adding that “there will never be forgiveness for those who brought devastation, pain and suffering to our home.”
The council’s statement, posted Friday in an update on Telegram, said that based on eyewitness accounts, it appeared that about 300 people died in the attack. It did not provide further details on how the council arrived at the figure.
However, a Mariupol news site published an interview Thursday with two eyewitnesses who survived the blast, including one who estimated that at least 300 people were killed. The Washington Post could not independently verify the figure.
Read the full story here.
The Mariupol City Council has condemned the “inhuman cruelty” of a Russian airstrike on a theater in Mariupol earlier this month, adding that “there will never be forgiveness for those who brought devastation, pain and suffering to our home.”
The council’s statement, posted Friday in an update on Telegram, said that based on eyewitness accounts, it appeared that about 300 people died in the attack. It did not provide further details on how the council arrived at the figure.
However, a Mariupol news site published an interview Thursday with two eyewitnesses who survived the blast, including one who estimated that at least 300 people were killed. The Washington Post could not independently verify the figure.
Read the full story here.
Biden arrives in Poland as refugee crisis intensifies
President Biden landed in Rzeszow, 60 miles from the Ukraine border, for his starkest confrontation yet with the intensifying refugee crisis, saying he was disappointed he could not cross the border into Ukraine to see the effects of the war being waged by Russia firsthand.
Polish President Andrzej Duda spoke before Biden and other top U.S. officials received a briefing on the humanitarian efforts to address the suffering of civilians inside Ukraine and respond to the growing flow of refugees leaving the country.
Biden lauded the Polish efforts in playing a leading role in the humanitarian response, just a day after the U.S. significantly stepped up its commitments. Biden pledged Thursday to accept 100,000 Ukrainian refugees and providing $1 billion in new humanitarian aid.
Read the full story here.
President Biden landed in Rzeszow, 60 miles from the Ukraine border, for his starkest confrontation yet with the intensifying refugee crisis, saying he was disappointed he could not cross the border into Ukraine to see the effects of the war being waged by Russia firsthand.
Polish President Andrzej Duda spoke before Biden and other top U.S. officials received a briefing on the humanitarian efforts to address the suffering of civilians inside Ukraine and respond to the growing flow of refugees leaving the country.
Biden lauded the Polish efforts in playing a leading role in the humanitarian response, just a day after the U.S. significantly stepped up its commitments. Biden pledged Thursday to accept 100,000 Ukrainian refugees and providing $1 billion in new humanitarian aid.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine.
- President Biden, in Warsaw on the final leg of his European trip, will spend Saturday focusing on the humanitarian crisis triggered by the Russian invasion. After talks with his Polish counterpart, Biden will meet with the mayor of Warsaw — who has warned that the capital is struggling to cope with the refugee influx — as well as displaced Ukrainians.
- The Pentagon said Russia has halted ground operations toward Kyiv and is instead focusing attacks on the eastern Donbas region. The move has been seen as a sign Moscow might be paring back its ambitions for the invasion, but air attacks continue.
- A senior U.S. defense official confirmed that Ukraine has destroyed a Russian landing ship docked in the occupied port city Russia has been using for resupplies. Ukraine's president lauded the attack and also mockingly speculated about the whereabouts of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who has only briefly been seen in public in the past month.
More live updates here.
- President Biden, in Warsaw on the final leg of his European trip, will spend Saturday focusing on the humanitarian crisis triggered by the Russian invasion. After talks with his Polish counterpart, Biden will meet with the mayor of Warsaw — who has warned that the capital is struggling to cope with the refugee influx — as well as displaced Ukrainians.
- The Pentagon said Russia has halted ground operations toward Kyiv and is instead focusing attacks on the eastern Donbas region. The move has been seen as a sign Moscow might be paring back its ambitions for the invasion, but air attacks continue.
- A senior U.S. defense official confirmed that Ukraine has destroyed a Russian landing ship docked in the occupied port city Russia has been using for resupplies. Ukraine's president lauded the attack and also mockingly speculated about the whereabouts of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who has only briefly been seen in public in the past month.
More live updates here.
Inside the terror at Mariupol’s bombed theater: ‘I heard screams constantly’
The theater in Mariupol was supposed to be safe. Its walls were thick and sturdy. People had packed into the basement, foyer and the dressing rooms backstage in the hope of escaping Russia’s bombardment of Mariupol.
“We thought maybe they’d see there were kids there and not bomb it,” said Alexiy, 34, who left with his wife and 7-year-old son the day before an apparent Russian attack March 16 left parts of the building in ruin.
The Post spoke to seven people who were in the theater building in the 24 hours before it was hit.
Two of the three people present at the time of the blast said that the basement, crammed with families with young children, was unscathed and people were able to flee afterward. They also said that those in the three-level foyer at the front of the building survived. But concerns remain for those in the backstage, the main hall and the kitchen, which were all heavily damaged.
Read the full story here.
The theater in Mariupol was supposed to be safe. Its walls were thick and sturdy. People had packed into the basement, foyer and the dressing rooms backstage in the hope of escaping Russia’s bombardment of Mariupol.
“We thought maybe they’d see there were kids there and not bomb it,” said Alexiy, 34, who left with his wife and 7-year-old son the day before an apparent Russian attack March 16 left parts of the building in ruin.
The Post spoke to seven people who were in the theater building in the 24 hours before it was hit.
Two of the three people present at the time of the blast said that the basement, crammed with families with young children, was unscathed and people were able to flee afterward. They also said that those in the three-level foyer at the front of the building survived. But concerns remain for those in the backstage, the main hall and the kitchen, which were all heavily damaged.
Read the full story here.
Biden says Putin ‘cannot remain in power’ as he ends European trip
President Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin “cannot remain in power” in a forceful speech Saturday wrapping up a trip to Europe meant to bolster NATO’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The president’s remark initially seemed to suggest support for regime change — something the Biden administration has taken pains to avoid — though the White House later said Biden only meant Putin should not be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region.
His words capped a fiery speech in which Biden also called Putin a “dictator,” warning him not to encroach on NATO territory and urging Ukrainians to steel themselves for a long battle. He framed the Kremlin’s invasion as the “test of all time” for democracy.
Read the full story here.
President Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin “cannot remain in power” in a forceful speech Saturday wrapping up a trip to Europe meant to bolster NATO’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The president’s remark initially seemed to suggest support for regime change — something the Biden administration has taken pains to avoid — though the White House later said Biden only meant Putin should not be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region.
His words capped a fiery speech in which Biden also called Putin a “dictator,” warning him not to encroach on NATO territory and urging Ukrainians to steel themselves for a long battle. He framed the Kremlin’s invasion as the “test of all time” for democracy.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- In a fiery speech marking the end of his European tour, President Biden called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “dictator,” saying, “For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power.” The unscripted remark at the end of a 27-minute speech on Saturday reverberated around the world and sparked a terse response from the Kremlin.
- The White House later clarified that Biden wasn’t calling for a regime change — which would be a major reversal of U.S. policy — and meant only that Putin should not be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region.
- The Russian onslaught continued with two powerful rockets striking Lviv. The western Ukrainian city had been largely spared from attacks during the first month of the war, making it something of a haven for Western diplomats and others. Russian forces also entered Slavutych, a northern city of about 25,000 people that houses workers from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
Read the full story here.
- In a fiery speech marking the end of his European tour, President Biden called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “dictator,” saying, “For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power.” The unscripted remark at the end of a 27-minute speech on Saturday reverberated around the world and sparked a terse response from the Kremlin.
- The White House later clarified that Biden wasn’t calling for a regime change — which would be a major reversal of U.S. policy — and meant only that Putin should not be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region.
- The Russian onslaught continued with two powerful rockets striking Lviv. The western Ukrainian city had been largely spared from attacks during the first month of the war, making it something of a haven for Western diplomats and others. Russian forces also entered Slavutych, a northern city of about 25,000 people that houses workers from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
Read the full story here.
Rockets strike Lviv, indicating Russia’s unrelenting barrage
Two powerful rockets struck the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on Saturday, injuring at least five and leaving an industrial facility where fuel is stored on fire, as Russia ramped up its offensive on a day when President Biden was delivering a forceful speech on democracy in neighboring Poland.
The attacks came as a surprise and were a clear indication of escalation by Russian troops in a city that had been largely spared intense bombardment during the month-long invasion. Although Russian advances have seemingly slowed, the day’s events again proved how the war is just a hair’s breadth away from engulfing NATO nations or global powers in a catastrophic nuclear scenario.
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chief of the Russian Security Council, reiterated in an interview on state media on Saturday that Russia could use nuclear weapons if there was any kind of attack that threatened the nation’s existence.
Read the full story here.
Two powerful rockets struck the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on Saturday, injuring at least five and leaving an industrial facility where fuel is stored on fire, as Russia ramped up its offensive on a day when President Biden was delivering a forceful speech on democracy in neighboring Poland.
The attacks came as a surprise and were a clear indication of escalation by Russian troops in a city that had been largely spared intense bombardment during the month-long invasion. Although Russian advances have seemingly slowed, the day’s events again proved how the war is just a hair’s breadth away from engulfing NATO nations or global powers in a catastrophic nuclear scenario.
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chief of the Russian Security Council, reiterated in an interview on state media on Saturday that Russia could use nuclear weapons if there was any kind of attack that threatened the nation’s existence.
Read the full story here.
Why Russian troops are using tree branches for camouflage in Ukraine
Russian troops in Ukraine have scrambled to avoid detection and attack by using tree branches and straw, even swaths of carpeting, to conceal tanks and other armored vehicles, in what analysts call a surprising lack of sophistication for such an advanced military and further evidence of how ill-prepared some commanders were for the sustained fight that has unfolded.
Camouflage, whether for personnel or equipment, is a fundamental part of warfighting, even as technological advances such as drones, satellite imagery and infrared scopes have made it harder to hide on modern battlefields. It works by distorting shapes and reducing heat signatures, in effect fooling the eye to create doubt and confusion.
Yet to some observers who’ve closely tracked the conflict in Ukraine, Russian forces, despite their military superiority, have exhibited a breathtaking degree of amateurism.
Read the full story here.
Russian troops in Ukraine have scrambled to avoid detection and attack by using tree branches and straw, even swaths of carpeting, to conceal tanks and other armored vehicles, in what analysts call a surprising lack of sophistication for such an advanced military and further evidence of how ill-prepared some commanders were for the sustained fight that has unfolded.
Camouflage, whether for personnel or equipment, is a fundamental part of warfighting, even as technological advances such as drones, satellite imagery and infrared scopes have made it harder to hide on modern battlefields. It works by distorting shapes and reducing heat signatures, in effect fooling the eye to create doubt and confusion.
Yet to some observers who’ve closely tracked the conflict in Ukraine, Russian forces, despite their military superiority, have exhibited a breathtaking degree of amateurism.
Read the full story here.
U.S. official: Putin feels misled by Russian military on Ukraine issues
U.S. intelligence believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin feels misled by the Russian military, a U.S. official said in a statement Wednesday, describing “persistent tension” between Putin and the Russian Defense Ministry’s leadership.
“Putin didn’t even know his military was using and losing conscripts in Ukraine, showing a clear breakdown in the flow of accurate information to the Russian President,” the U.S. official said in the statement, speaking on the condition of anonymity under rules set by the Biden administration.
“We believe that Putin is being misinformed by his advisers about how badly the Russian military is performing and how the Russian economy is being crippled by sanctions, because his senior advisers are too afraid to tell him the truth,” the U.S. official added.
Read the full story here.
U.S. intelligence believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin feels misled by the Russian military, a U.S. official said in a statement Wednesday, describing “persistent tension” between Putin and the Russian Defense Ministry’s leadership.
“Putin didn’t even know his military was using and losing conscripts in Ukraine, showing a clear breakdown in the flow of accurate information to the Russian President,” the U.S. official said in the statement, speaking on the condition of anonymity under rules set by the Biden administration.
“We believe that Putin is being misinformed by his advisers about how badly the Russian military is performing and how the Russian economy is being crippled by sanctions, because his senior advisers are too afraid to tell him the truth,” the U.S. official added.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine.
- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in China in their first face-to-face meeting since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The two discussed the situation in Ukraine, and a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman later stressed there were “no limits” to Sino-Russian cooperation, state media outlets reported.
- Ukraine has accused Russia of forcibly relocating thousands of residents from Mariupol. One Ukrainian woman told The Post she and her family were transferred to what the Russians called a “filtration camp” before being sent to Russia.
- A NASA astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts landed in Kazakhstan Wednesday after undocking from the International Space Station and flying back to Earth in a historic mission that came amid persistent questions about whether the partnership in space between the U.S. and Russia can endure.
More live updates here.
- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in China in their first face-to-face meeting since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The two discussed the situation in Ukraine, and a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman later stressed there were “no limits” to Sino-Russian cooperation, state media outlets reported.
- Ukraine has accused Russia of forcibly relocating thousands of residents from Mariupol. One Ukrainian woman told The Post she and her family were transferred to what the Russians called a “filtration camp” before being sent to Russia.
- A NASA astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts landed in Kazakhstan Wednesday after undocking from the International Space Station and flying back to Earth in a historic mission that came amid persistent questions about whether the partnership in space between the U.S. and Russia can endure.
More live updates here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine.
- The movement of some Russian troops away from Kyiv shouldn't be seen as a de-escalation, the Pentagon said Wednesday. The repositioning more likely points to an intention to refit and resupply troops and possibly deploy them elsewhere, it said.
- As Russian airstrikes continued to batter cities, President Zelensky said Wednesday night in a video address that the war was nearing “a turning point,” as Ukraine braces for fresh assaults in the eastern Donbas region.
- Ukrainian and Russian negotiators are set to resume talks online Friday, head Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia said in a Telegram post, adding that he hopes to see Zelensky and President Putin meet if diplomatic efforts progress.
- Top U.N. human rights official Michelle Bachelet said Wednesday that Russia may have committed war crimes in Ukraine, in her strongest condemnation of the conflict.
More live updates here.
- The movement of some Russian troops away from Kyiv shouldn't be seen as a de-escalation, the Pentagon said Wednesday. The repositioning more likely points to an intention to refit and resupply troops and possibly deploy them elsewhere, it said.
- As Russian airstrikes continued to batter cities, President Zelensky said Wednesday night in a video address that the war was nearing “a turning point,” as Ukraine braces for fresh assaults in the eastern Donbas region.
- Ukrainian and Russian negotiators are set to resume talks online Friday, head Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia said in a Telegram post, adding that he hopes to see Zelensky and President Putin meet if diplomatic efforts progress.
- Top U.N. human rights official Michelle Bachelet said Wednesday that Russia may have committed war crimes in Ukraine, in her strongest condemnation of the conflict.
More live updates here.
Here is the status of Ukrainian cities under attack.
Kyiv: Less than 20 percent of Russian forces near Kyiv have started to move away to other areas, including northern Ukraine and Belarus, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday. U.S. defense officials believe Russia aims to move those soldiers to other parts of Ukraine, rather than returning them home, a sign that Russians have not de-escalated efforts.
Chernihiv: Small groups of Russian troops near the northern city have also begun heading north, Kirby said, following Ukrainian reports of strikes targeting the city, the latest in near-constant attacks that have cut power and decimated resources. Russian forces “spent the whole night striking Chernihiv,” the regional governor said Wednesday.
Irpin: The mayor of Irpin said hundreds of civilians had died before the town was taken back from Russians this week. While the Ukrainian military said it now controls most of the city, U.S. officials have not confirmed that.
More live updates here.
Kyiv: Less than 20 percent of Russian forces near Kyiv have started to move away to other areas, including northern Ukraine and Belarus, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday. U.S. defense officials believe Russia aims to move those soldiers to other parts of Ukraine, rather than returning them home, a sign that Russians have not de-escalated efforts.
Chernihiv: Small groups of Russian troops near the northern city have also begun heading north, Kirby said, following Ukrainian reports of strikes targeting the city, the latest in near-constant attacks that have cut power and decimated resources. Russian forces “spent the whole night striking Chernihiv,” the regional governor said Wednesday.
Irpin: The mayor of Irpin said hundreds of civilians had died before the town was taken back from Russians this week. While the Ukrainian military said it now controls most of the city, U.S. officials have not confirmed that.
More live updates here.
Russian soldiers in Ukraine sabotaged own equipment, U.K. says
Russian soldiers short on morale and weapons have refused orders, sabotaged their own equipment and shot down one of their own aircraft, Britain’s spy chief said Thursday, painting a picture of chaos on Russia’s front lines as the war in Ukraine enters its second month.
The efforts are evidence of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s miscalculation when he decided to invade Ukraine, Jeremy Fleming, head of Britain’s signals intelligence agency, said in a speech Thursday at Australian National University. U.S. and British officials have said Putin, more isolated than ever, was misinformed by his aides, further stoking tensions.
“It’s clear he misjudged the resistance of the Ukrainian people,” Fleming said. “He underestimated the strength of the coalition his actions would galvanize. He underplayed the economic consequences of the sanctions regime. He overestimated the abilities of his military to secure a rapid victory.”
Read the full story here.
Russian soldiers short on morale and weapons have refused orders, sabotaged their own equipment and shot down one of their own aircraft, Britain’s spy chief said Thursday, painting a picture of chaos on Russia’s front lines as the war in Ukraine enters its second month.
The efforts are evidence of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s miscalculation when he decided to invade Ukraine, Jeremy Fleming, head of Britain’s signals intelligence agency, said in a speech Thursday at Australian National University. U.S. and British officials have said Putin, more isolated than ever, was misinformed by his aides, further stoking tensions.
“It’s clear he misjudged the resistance of the Ukrainian people,” Fleming said. “He underestimated the strength of the coalition his actions would galvanize. He underplayed the economic consequences of the sanctions regime. He overestimated the abilities of his military to secure a rapid victory.”
Read the full story here.
Voices from the siege of Mariupol
Even amid the barbarity of Russia’s month-long assault on Ukraine, nowhere has suffered such a cruel fate as Mariupol, the coastal port city that President Vladimir Putin appears set on capturing at any cost.
Once a thriving community on the Sea of Azov, Mariupol is now described by the local city council as “the ashes of a dead land." It reports 5,000 have been killed, although such figures are impossible to verify. After a brutal three-week siege, the battle moved into the city streets, where Ukrainian forces now fight house-to-house with Russian and separatist forces present in every neighborhood.
With communications from the city blocked, those who escape bring with them stories of hunger, fear and survival. Some tremble with emotion as they arrive to safety in Zaporizhzhia, 140 miles to the northwest.
The Washington Post interviewed more than 50 people who escaped the horrors of the city.
Here are some of their stories.
Even amid the barbarity of Russia’s month-long assault on Ukraine, nowhere has suffered such a cruel fate as Mariupol, the coastal port city that President Vladimir Putin appears set on capturing at any cost.
Once a thriving community on the Sea of Azov, Mariupol is now described by the local city council as “the ashes of a dead land." It reports 5,000 have been killed, although such figures are impossible to verify. After a brutal three-week siege, the battle moved into the city streets, where Ukrainian forces now fight house-to-house with Russian and separatist forces present in every neighborhood.
With communications from the city blocked, those who escape bring with them stories of hunger, fear and survival. Some tremble with emotion as they arrive to safety in Zaporizhzhia, 140 miles to the northwest.
The Washington Post interviewed more than 50 people who escaped the horrors of the city.
Here are some of their stories.
‘Butcher of Mariupol’ earned reputation for brutality in Syria
Col. Gen. Mikhail Mizintsev long ago earned notoriety for exceptional brutality as a key commander of Russian forces in Syria, where much of the northern city of Aleppo was obliterated in a Russian-Syrian bombing campaign during the country’s civil war.
Now the three-star general, reputed to be one of President Vladimir Putin’s favorites, has a new nickname: the Butcher of Mariupol.
Ukrainian and Western officials have identified him as the architect of a devastating siege of the southern Ukrainian port city that, according to its mayor, has killed thousands of civilians and destroyed many of its buildings.
Read the full story here.
Col. Gen. Mikhail Mizintsev long ago earned notoriety for exceptional brutality as a key commander of Russian forces in Syria, where much of the northern city of Aleppo was obliterated in a Russian-Syrian bombing campaign during the country’s civil war.
Now the three-star general, reputed to be one of President Vladimir Putin’s favorites, has a new nickname: the Butcher of Mariupol.
Ukrainian and Western officials have identified him as the architect of a devastating siege of the southern Ukrainian port city that, according to its mayor, has killed thousands of civilians and destroyed many of its buildings.
Read the full story here.
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Here is the latest from Ukraine.
- Biden on Thursday speculated that Putin has fired or put under house arrest some of his advisers and could be “self-isolated” as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues.
- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed doubt Thursday about Russia’s claim that it is withdrawing from the area around Kyiv, saying Moscow has lied about its intentions before and appears to be repositioning troops for fresh attacks.
- The death toll has risen to 20 in Tuesday’s Russian missile strike on the regional government headquarters in the southern city of Mykolaiv, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said. New strikes were reported in Mariupol and Chernihiv.
- Ukrainian and Russian negotiators are set to resume talks online Friday, head Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia said in an overnight Telegram post. He added that he hopes to see Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet if diplomatic efforts progress.
More live updates here.
- Biden on Thursday speculated that Putin has fired or put under house arrest some of his advisers and could be “self-isolated” as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues.
- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed doubt Thursday about Russia’s claim that it is withdrawing from the area around Kyiv, saying Moscow has lied about its intentions before and appears to be repositioning troops for fresh attacks.
- The death toll has risen to 20 in Tuesday’s Russian missile strike on the regional government headquarters in the southern city of Mykolaiv, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said. New strikes were reported in Mariupol and Chernihiv.
- Ukrainian and Russian negotiators are set to resume talks online Friday, head Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia said in an overnight Telegram post. He added that he hopes to see Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet if diplomatic efforts progress.
More live updates here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine.
- The International Committee of the Red Cross said Friday it was ready to lead a “safe passage operation” in Mariupol, and the Kremlin on Thursday declared a humanitarian cease-fire there, but civilians in the devastated port city are struggling to flee unrelenting Russian artillery fire and airstrikes.
- Ukraine and Russia are set to resume peace talks online Friday after limited progress in Istanbul earlier in the week. On the battlefield, the Kremlin appeared to be pulling forces out of the Chernobyl nuclear plant and moving some units away from the Kyiv area, but Western officials remain skeptical of Russia’s pledge to reduce military operations in northern Ukraine.
- European leaders rejected President Putin’s demand that “unfriendly countries” pay for natural gas in rubles, an apparent bid to help stabilize the Russian currency amid sanctions.
- The European Union will hold a virtual summit with Chinese leaders on Friday.
More live updates here.
- The International Committee of the Red Cross said Friday it was ready to lead a “safe passage operation” in Mariupol, and the Kremlin on Thursday declared a humanitarian cease-fire there, but civilians in the devastated port city are struggling to flee unrelenting Russian artillery fire and airstrikes.
- Ukraine and Russia are set to resume peace talks online Friday after limited progress in Istanbul earlier in the week. On the battlefield, the Kremlin appeared to be pulling forces out of the Chernobyl nuclear plant and moving some units away from the Kyiv area, but Western officials remain skeptical of Russia’s pledge to reduce military operations in northern Ukraine.
- European leaders rejected President Putin’s demand that “unfriendly countries” pay for natural gas in rubles, an apparent bid to help stabilize the Russian currency amid sanctions.
- The European Union will hold a virtual summit with Chinese leaders on Friday.
More live updates here.
A Belarusian battalion fights in Ukraine ‘for both countries’ freedom’
or more than a decade, Pavel Kulazhanka has sought to overthrow the authoritarian regime of Alexander Lukashenko in his native Belarus.
First, it was simple street protests. Then, sabotaging train lines and bombing military outposts. Eventually, he had to flee — and landed in New York City, where he became a mixed martial arts fighter.
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But he thinks the best shot yet at toppling Lukashenko — and Russian President Vladimir Putin, without whose support many in Belarus think Lukashenko would quickly fall — has come with the war in Ukraine.
He is one of hundreds of Belarusians who have joined the fight here, inspired by their neighbor’s battlefield successes and determined to carry that momentum back into Belarus to end Lukashenko’s 28-year rule.
Read the full story here.
or more than a decade, Pavel Kulazhanka has sought to overthrow the authoritarian regime of Alexander Lukashenko in his native Belarus.
First, it was simple street protests. Then, sabotaging train lines and bombing military outposts. Eventually, he had to flee — and landed in New York City, where he became a mixed martial arts fighter.
Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia's war in Ukraine.
But he thinks the best shot yet at toppling Lukashenko — and Russian President Vladimir Putin, without whose support many in Belarus think Lukashenko would quickly fall — has come with the war in Ukraine.
He is one of hundreds of Belarusians who have joined the fight here, inspired by their neighbor’s battlefield successes and determined to carry that momentum back into Belarus to end Lukashenko’s 28-year rule.
Read the full story here.
Why Russia’s military is bogged down by logistics in Ukraine
Ambushed convoys and broken-down tanks. Generals killed close to the front. Long-expired rations. Frostbite.
Russia’s military was built for quick, overwhelming firepower, experts say, but its weakness is logistics. And on the roads of Ukraine a month after the first invasion, that weakness is showing.
Many analysts say the Russians assumed they would quickly capture the capital city of Kyiv and force President Volodymyr Zelensky out of power. Whatever the strategy, that outcome did not happen, and Russia has been plagued by an inability to keep supplies flowing to troops in a longer ground war.
After weeks of little success except in southeastern Ukraine, despite relentless shelling and thousands of military and civilian casualties, Moscow said during peace negotiations on Tuesday that it would “drastically reduce” military activity in the northern part of the country, near Kyiv and Chernihiv.
Read the full story here.
Ambushed convoys and broken-down tanks. Generals killed close to the front. Long-expired rations. Frostbite.
Russia’s military was built for quick, overwhelming firepower, experts say, but its weakness is logistics. And on the roads of Ukraine a month after the first invasion, that weakness is showing.
Many analysts say the Russians assumed they would quickly capture the capital city of Kyiv and force President Volodymyr Zelensky out of power. Whatever the strategy, that outcome did not happen, and Russia has been plagued by an inability to keep supplies flowing to troops in a longer ground war.
After weeks of little success except in southeastern Ukraine, despite relentless shelling and thousands of military and civilian casualties, Moscow said during peace negotiations on Tuesday that it would “drastically reduce” military activity in the northern part of the country, near Kyiv and Chernihiv.
Read the full story here.
Russian troops have withdrawn from Chernobyl, Ukraine agency says
No Russian troops were near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant site early Friday, Ukraine’s State Agency on Exclusion Zone Management said, following reports a day earlier that the site has been handed back to Ukrainian personnel.
“At the present moment there are no outsiders at the Chernobyl NPP site,” the agency said in a Facebook post, referring to Russian troops and using a Ukrainian spelling for the defunct nuclear facility.
Ukraine’s state-owned atomic energy firm, Energoatom, said in a statement on Telegram that all technological equipment at the plant and systems for monitoring radiation were “working normally” on Friday.
The Chernobyl plant, the scene of a major 1986 disaster, was among the first strategic facilities seized by Russian troops at the start of their invasion of Ukraine in February. Its capture sparked international alarm and raised fears of a nuclear accident in Europe.
Read the full story here.
No Russian troops were near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant site early Friday, Ukraine’s State Agency on Exclusion Zone Management said, following reports a day earlier that the site has been handed back to Ukrainian personnel.
“At the present moment there are no outsiders at the Chernobyl NPP site,” the agency said in a Facebook post, referring to Russian troops and using a Ukrainian spelling for the defunct nuclear facility.
Ukraine’s state-owned atomic energy firm, Energoatom, said in a statement on Telegram that all technological equipment at the plant and systems for monitoring radiation were “working normally” on Friday.
The Chernobyl plant, the scene of a major 1986 disaster, was among the first strategic facilities seized by Russian troops at the start of their invasion of Ukraine in February. Its capture sparked international alarm and raised fears of a nuclear accident in Europe.
Read the full story here.