Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- The International Committee of the Red Cross will make another attempt Saturday to evacuate civilians from the war-torn port city of Mariupol after Friday’s efforts failed.
- Online peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv took place Friday, in the aftermath of a fuel depot fire in a Russian border city that the Kremlin blamed on a Ukrainian strike. Moscow called the alleged attack an “escalation” that might harm negotiations; Kyiv would not confirm or deny its role, though some military experts said it was probably responsible.
- The Pentagon on Friday announced a new $300 million security assistance package for Ukraine that will include drones, counter-drone systems and armored vehicles.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a video posted early Saturday, threatened to punish Ukrainians who collaborated with Russian occupying forces. He also urged Russian families to keep their sons away from Moscow’s latest conscription draft.
More live updates here.
- The International Committee of the Red Cross will make another attempt Saturday to evacuate civilians from the war-torn port city of Mariupol after Friday’s efforts failed.
- Online peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv took place Friday, in the aftermath of a fuel depot fire in a Russian border city that the Kremlin blamed on a Ukrainian strike. Moscow called the alleged attack an “escalation” that might harm negotiations; Kyiv would not confirm or deny its role, though some military experts said it was probably responsible.
- The Pentagon on Friday announced a new $300 million security assistance package for Ukraine that will include drones, counter-drone systems and armored vehicles.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a video posted early Saturday, threatened to punish Ukrainians who collaborated with Russian occupying forces. He also urged Russian families to keep their sons away from Moscow’s latest conscription draft.
More live updates here.
4,000 letters and four hours of sleep: Ukrainian leader wages digital war
Weeks after Russia invaded, Ukraine’s youngest cabinet minister launched a complaint to the Chinese drone company DJI, claiming that Russia’s military was using its popular technology to target missile attacks.
“@DJIGlobal are you sure you want to be a partner in these murders?” tweeted Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s minister of digital transformation. “Block your products that are helping russia to kill the Ukrainians!”
DJI has long attempted to keep an arms-length from geopolitics. But the company responded within hours, offering to attempt to block drone flights by installing a geofence throughout the country. With a single provocative tweet, Fedorov had notched another victory.
“Following these attacks, you would get a growing and a burning sense of injustice and a sense of just preservation of yourself, your nation and your freedom,” he said during an exclusive Zoom interview with The Washington Post.
Read the full story here.
Weeks after Russia invaded, Ukraine’s youngest cabinet minister launched a complaint to the Chinese drone company DJI, claiming that Russia’s military was using its popular technology to target missile attacks.
“@DJIGlobal are you sure you want to be a partner in these murders?” tweeted Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s minister of digital transformation. “Block your products that are helping russia to kill the Ukrainians!”
DJI has long attempted to keep an arms-length from geopolitics. But the company responded within hours, offering to attempt to block drone flights by installing a geofence throughout the country. With a single provocative tweet, Fedorov had notched another victory.
“Following these attacks, you would get a growing and a burning sense of injustice and a sense of just preservation of yourself, your nation and your freedom,” he said during an exclusive Zoom interview with The Washington Post.
Read the full story here.
As Russia drafts young men, some fear ending up on Ukraine’s front line
The Russian military began its spring draft Friday, aiming to sign up 134,500 conscripts and stoking fears among young men that they may end up on the front lines of the invasion of Ukraine.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has vowed that none of them will be used to reinforce Russian troops now fighting in Ukraine. “Please note that conscripts will not be deployed to any hot spots,” he said in televised remarks Tuesday.
But amid the significant losses suffered by Russian forces in their Ukrainian campaign, which appears to have lasted longer than the Kremlin anticipated, Shoigu’s assurances have not put all prospective conscripts and their families at ease.
All Russian men between 18 and 27 must serve one year in the military, and recruitment campaigns are usually held each spring and fall. Dodging the draft is punishable by heavy fines and sentences of up to two years in prison.
Read the full story here.
The Russian military began its spring draft Friday, aiming to sign up 134,500 conscripts and stoking fears among young men that they may end up on the front lines of the invasion of Ukraine.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has vowed that none of them will be used to reinforce Russian troops now fighting in Ukraine. “Please note that conscripts will not be deployed to any hot spots,” he said in televised remarks Tuesday.
But amid the significant losses suffered by Russian forces in their Ukrainian campaign, which appears to have lasted longer than the Kremlin anticipated, Shoigu’s assurances have not put all prospective conscripts and their families at ease.
All Russian men between 18 and 27 must serve one year in the military, and recruitment campaigns are usually held each spring and fall. Dodging the draft is punishable by heavy fines and sentences of up to two years in prison.
Read the full story here.
Despite Russian assurances, aid still blocked for hard-hit Mariupol
Treacherous ground conditions tempered hopes of humanitarian relief on Friday for the bomb-ravaged southern city of Mariupol, where tens of thousands of Ukrainians remained trapped under Russian siege as aid workers tried desperately to reach them.
About 6,200 civilians, many of whom apparently had fled Mariupol on their own in recent days and weeks, were transported Friday from Russian-held territory outside the city into a Ukrainian-controlled area. But the International Committee of the Red Cross said its nine-person team was unable to enter Mariupol itself, despite earlier assurances from Moscow of a cease-fire and safe passage for civilians.
Ukrainian officials said the proposed humanitarian corridor was “essentially not operational” and accused Russia of breaking its promise to allow aid into the sealed-off port city, where witnesses have described families starving and buried in rubble.
Read the full story here.
Treacherous ground conditions tempered hopes of humanitarian relief on Friday for the bomb-ravaged southern city of Mariupol, where tens of thousands of Ukrainians remained trapped under Russian siege as aid workers tried desperately to reach them.
About 6,200 civilians, many of whom apparently had fled Mariupol on their own in recent days and weeks, were transported Friday from Russian-held territory outside the city into a Ukrainian-controlled area. But the International Committee of the Red Cross said its nine-person team was unable to enter Mariupol itself, despite earlier assurances from Moscow of a cease-fire and safe passage for civilians.
Ukrainian officials said the proposed humanitarian corridor was “essentially not operational” and accused Russia of breaking its promise to allow aid into the sealed-off port city, where witnesses have described families starving and buried in rubble.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine.
- A high-ranking Ukrainian official said the entire Kyiv region was no longer under Russian control Saturday, as signs mounted that Moscow’s troops were pulling back from cities and towns across the capital region.
- Still, an adviser to the president urged Ukrainians to prepare for “difficult fights” ahead in Mariupol and in southern and eastern parts of Ukraine, where evacuation efforts were still underway. The Red Cross said Saturday it had not yet reached the hard-hit port city where 100,000 are trapped.
- Four people were “injured and severely burned” after Russian forces fired mortars at protesters in a city near Zaporizhzhia, the site of a nuclear plant that Russia captured last month.
- In the latest sign that Ukrainian personnel have regained control of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the nation’s state-owned atomic energy firm Energoatom reported Saturday that the country’s flag has been raised again over the site.
More live updates here.
- A high-ranking Ukrainian official said the entire Kyiv region was no longer under Russian control Saturday, as signs mounted that Moscow’s troops were pulling back from cities and towns across the capital region.
- Still, an adviser to the president urged Ukrainians to prepare for “difficult fights” ahead in Mariupol and in southern and eastern parts of Ukraine, where evacuation efforts were still underway. The Red Cross said Saturday it had not yet reached the hard-hit port city where 100,000 are trapped.
- Four people were “injured and severely burned” after Russian forces fired mortars at protesters in a city near Zaporizhzhia, the site of a nuclear plant that Russia captured last month.
- In the latest sign that Ukrainian personnel have regained control of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the nation’s state-owned atomic energy firm Energoatom reported Saturday that the country’s flag has been raised again over the site.
More live updates here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Russian troops appear to be regrouping and shifting their focus away from Kyiv. That is setting the stage for a new phase in the conflict — centered on the country’s south and east — that military analysts warn could be long and bloody as Moscow compensates for its earlier failures with more strikes on civilian areas.
- Explosions were heard throughout the southern city of Odessa on Sunday morning, marking the first major Russian strikes on the Black Sea city’s downtown. Two dark plumes of smoke could be seen on the skyline near one of Odessa’s major ports and a fuel depot.
- The apparent drawdown of Russian troops around Kyiv is leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Burned-out vehicles and bodies line the streets of nearby towns that had been at the forefront of Moscow’s unsuccessful attempt to encircle the capital and overthrow the government.
More live updates here.
- Russian troops appear to be regrouping and shifting their focus away from Kyiv. That is setting the stage for a new phase in the conflict — centered on the country’s south and east — that military analysts warn could be long and bloody as Moscow compensates for its earlier failures with more strikes on civilian areas.
- Explosions were heard throughout the southern city of Odessa on Sunday morning, marking the first major Russian strikes on the Black Sea city’s downtown. Two dark plumes of smoke could be seen on the skyline near one of Odessa’s major ports and a fuel depot.
- The apparent drawdown of Russian troops around Kyiv is leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Burned-out vehicles and bodies line the streets of nearby towns that had been at the forefront of Moscow’s unsuccessful attempt to encircle the capital and overthrow the government.
More live updates here.
Russian retreat exposes dead bodies in Bucha, outside Kyiv
Ukrainian troops recaptured territory around Kyiv on Saturday as Russian forces pulled back from towns they had seized in the opening days of the war and left in their wake scenes of destruction and horror, including the abandoned bodies of dead civilians.
Journalists entered the town of Bucha, a suburb northwest of the capital, and saw numerous corpses strewn on the streets. Video posted to social media and verified by The Post showed what appeared to be at least nine dead, including one child.
Bucha’s mayor, Anatoly Fedoruk, said in an interview that around 270 local residents had been buried in two mass graves. He estimated that 40 people were lying dead in the streets. Some had been bound and executed — shot in the back of the head, he said.
The mayor added that officials are worried that the bodies could be booby-trapped with explosives.
Read the full story.
Ukrainian troops recaptured territory around Kyiv on Saturday as Russian forces pulled back from towns they had seized in the opening days of the war and left in their wake scenes of destruction and horror, including the abandoned bodies of dead civilians.
Journalists entered the town of Bucha, a suburb northwest of the capital, and saw numerous corpses strewn on the streets. Video posted to social media and verified by The Post showed what appeared to be at least nine dead, including one child.
Bucha’s mayor, Anatoly Fedoruk, said in an interview that around 270 local residents had been buried in two mass graves. He estimated that 40 people were lying dead in the streets. Some had been bound and executed — shot in the back of the head, he said.
The mayor added that officials are worried that the bodies could be booby-trapped with explosives.
Read the full story.
Signs of massacre in Bucha spark calls for war-crime probes
Ukrainian officials said they have asked the International Criminal Court to visit the mass graves seen in Bucha, a suburb northwest of Kyiv, so that experts can gather evidence of possible Russian war crimes.
The request comes as Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said the discovery of the graves — made as Ukrainian troops recaptured territory and Russian forces pulled back from towns they had seized in the war’s earliest days — could “only be described as genocide.”
Condemnation of the alleged assault on civilians resounded around the world, with numerous countries demanding investigations and accountability, Russia’s Defense Ministry, however, questioned the authenticity of some of the photos from Bucha.
Read the full story here.
Ukrainian officials said they have asked the International Criminal Court to visit the mass graves seen in Bucha, a suburb northwest of Kyiv, so that experts can gather evidence of possible Russian war crimes.
The request comes as Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said the discovery of the graves — made as Ukrainian troops recaptured territory and Russian forces pulled back from towns they had seized in the war’s earliest days — could “only be described as genocide.”
Condemnation of the alleged assault on civilians resounded around the world, with numerous countries demanding investigations and accountability, Russia’s Defense Ministry, however, questioned the authenticity of some of the photos from Bucha.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- The discovery of civilians’ bodies on the streets of Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv, has sparked international condemnation, calls for an investigation into possible Russian war crimes and vows that new sanctions are coming.
- Russia’s chief negotiator on Sunday shut down the idea of a possible meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky, a day after his Ukrainian counterpart said such a sit-down between the leaders was possible.
- Biden administration officials have discussed intensifying their sanctions campaign against Russia as evidence emerges of the apparent execution of civilians in a suburb near Kyiv, according to two people familiar with the matter.
More live updates here.
- The discovery of civilians’ bodies on the streets of Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv, has sparked international condemnation, calls for an investigation into possible Russian war crimes and vows that new sanctions are coming.
- Russia’s chief negotiator on Sunday shut down the idea of a possible meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky, a day after his Ukrainian counterpart said such a sit-down between the leaders was possible.
- Biden administration officials have discussed intensifying their sanctions campaign against Russia as evidence emerges of the apparent execution of civilians in a suburb near Kyiv, according to two people familiar with the matter.
More live updates here.
Here is the status of Ukrainian cities under attack.
Kyiv region: The departure of Moscow’s troops from around the capital has revealed alleged atrocities in nearby towns, sparking a global outcry. Video verified by the Post showed bodies on the streets of Bucha. Journalists and Ukrainian officials said the hands of some corpses had been bound.
Donbas region: Moscow’s forces are moving their focus from the capital to the south and east, setting the stage for a new phase in the conflict that military analysts warn could be long and bloody.
Mariupol: The Red Cross said Sunday that it had not reached this hard-hit port city, where as many as 100,000 people remain trapped after weeks of heavy fighting. It continues to face “intense, indiscriminate” strikes, according to Britain’s Defense Ministry.
Mykolaiv: Missile strikes were reported Sunday in this southern port city that has been on the front lines of Ukraine’s fight against Russian artillery.
More live updates here.
Kyiv region: The departure of Moscow’s troops from around the capital has revealed alleged atrocities in nearby towns, sparking a global outcry. Video verified by the Post showed bodies on the streets of Bucha. Journalists and Ukrainian officials said the hands of some corpses had been bound.
Donbas region: Moscow’s forces are moving their focus from the capital to the south and east, setting the stage for a new phase in the conflict that military analysts warn could be long and bloody.
Mariupol: The Red Cross said Sunday that it had not reached this hard-hit port city, where as many as 100,000 people remain trapped after weeks of heavy fighting. It continues to face “intense, indiscriminate” strikes, according to Britain’s Defense Ministry.
Mykolaiv: Missile strikes were reported Sunday in this southern port city that has been on the front lines of Ukraine’s fight against Russian artillery.
More live updates here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine.
- President Zelensky called Russian forces “butchers, rapists and looters” and asked the international community to help investigate alleged war crimes, as haunting images emerged over the weekend of bodies lining the streets. Zelensky also made a surprise video appearance Sunday at the Grammy Awards, where he urged millions to “support us in any way you can.”
- Several top European officials responded to signs of a massacre in Bucha on Sunday, saying they plan to impose tighter economic sanctions against Russia. U.S. Secretary of State Blinken vowed to use “every tool available” to hold those responsible accountable.
- President Putin appeared to be shifting his focus away from Kyiv, toward the south and east, setting the stage for a new phase that military analysts warn could be long and bloody. Explosions rocked Odessa early Sunday, and missile strikes were reported in Mykolaiv.
More live updates here.
- President Zelensky called Russian forces “butchers, rapists and looters” and asked the international community to help investigate alleged war crimes, as haunting images emerged over the weekend of bodies lining the streets. Zelensky also made a surprise video appearance Sunday at the Grammy Awards, where he urged millions to “support us in any way you can.”
- Several top European officials responded to signs of a massacre in Bucha on Sunday, saying they plan to impose tighter economic sanctions against Russia. U.S. Secretary of State Blinken vowed to use “every tool available” to hold those responsible accountable.
- President Putin appeared to be shifting his focus away from Kyiv, toward the south and east, setting the stage for a new phase that military analysts warn could be long and bloody. Explosions rocked Odessa early Sunday, and missile strikes were reported in Mykolaiv.
More live updates here.
Human Rights Watch report finds evidence of war crimes
Human Rights Watch said it has documented “several cases” of war crimes it says were perpetrated by Russian soldiers, including allegations of repeated rape, executions without proper trials and “other cases of unlawful violence.”
The organization said it interviewed 10 people, including witnesses, victims and residents, to document the events. The Washington Post has not independently verified the accounts.
Among the interviewees was a woman who told the rights organization that she was raped repeatedly by a Russian soldier inside a school where she had been sheltering near Kharkiv, in Ukraine’s east. She told the organization that her face and neck were cut with a knife.
“The cases we documented amount to unspeakable, deliberate cruelty and violence against Ukrainian civilians,” the rights organization’s Hugh Williamson said in the report.
Read the full story here.
Human Rights Watch said it has documented “several cases” of war crimes it says were perpetrated by Russian soldiers, including allegations of repeated rape, executions without proper trials and “other cases of unlawful violence.”
The organization said it interviewed 10 people, including witnesses, victims and residents, to document the events. The Washington Post has not independently verified the accounts.
Among the interviewees was a woman who told the rights organization that she was raped repeatedly by a Russian soldier inside a school where she had been sheltering near Kharkiv, in Ukraine’s east. She told the organization that her face and neck were cut with a knife.
“The cases we documented amount to unspeakable, deliberate cruelty and violence against Ukrainian civilians,” the rights organization’s Hugh Williamson said in the report.
Read the full story here.
Russia and Ukraine take their dispute of Bucha events to the U.N. Security Council
The U.N. Security Council is scheduled to discuss the situation in Ukraine on Tuesday — but will not meet Monday on Russia’s request to rebut allegations that its troops committed atrocities near Kyiv.
As Ukrainian officials and many Western governments alleged over the weekend that Russia committed war crimes in Bucha — a suburb northwest of Kyiv where mass graves full of what appeared to be dead civilians were found following the retreat of Russian forces — Moscow has sought to blame the atrocities on Ukraine and asked for an earlier meeting of the U.N. body.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the Security Council rejected Russia’s request for a meeting Monday.
U.N. Secretary General António Guterres said he was “deeply shocked by the images of civilians killed in Bucha” and called for “an independent investigation” and “effective accountability.”
Read the full story here.
The U.N. Security Council is scheduled to discuss the situation in Ukraine on Tuesday — but will not meet Monday on Russia’s request to rebut allegations that its troops committed atrocities near Kyiv.
As Ukrainian officials and many Western governments alleged over the weekend that Russia committed war crimes in Bucha — a suburb northwest of Kyiv where mass graves full of what appeared to be dead civilians were found following the retreat of Russian forces — Moscow has sought to blame the atrocities on Ukraine and asked for an earlier meeting of the U.N. body.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the Security Council rejected Russia’s request for a meeting Monday.
U.N. Secretary General António Guterres said he was “deeply shocked by the images of civilians killed in Bucha” and called for “an independent investigation” and “effective accountability.”
Read the full story here.
This media is not supported in your browser
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
World is ‘bearing witness’ to Bucha images, says U.S. envoy to Poland
U.S. Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski said the world is “bearing witness” to the gruesome scenes out of Bucha.
Reports and photos are emerging from the suburb northwest of Kyiv, where Ukrainian authorities in recent days have described mass graves and where a Post photographer witnessed volunteers placing and carrying away bodies in bags.
“This is an effort to terrorize and intimidate the people of Ukraine, who are standing up for their nation, for their people, to fight back against invaders,” Brzezinski said in an interview with The Washington Post’s David Ignatius. “These images may have local roots, but they have global reach. We are all bearing witness.”
Read the full story here.
U.S. Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski said the world is “bearing witness” to the gruesome scenes out of Bucha.
Reports and photos are emerging from the suburb northwest of Kyiv, where Ukrainian authorities in recent days have described mass graves and where a Post photographer witnessed volunteers placing and carrying away bodies in bags.
“This is an effort to terrorize and intimidate the people of Ukraine, who are standing up for their nation, for their people, to fight back against invaders,” Brzezinski said in an interview with The Washington Post’s David Ignatius. “These images may have local roots, but they have global reach. We are all bearing witness.”
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine.
- The International Committee of the Red Cross said a team helping with evacuation efforts was stopped in the town of Manhush, 20 kilometers west of Mariupol. A Ukrainian official said earlier that members of a Red Cross team had been detained, and Ukrainian officials were working to secure their release.
- The Ukrainian military reported that several villages in the northern Chernihiv region had been cleared — though its mayor said 70 percent of the city had been destroyed. The governor of the neighboring Sumy region said Monday that Russian forces no longer occupied any settlements there, though he warned some soldiers remained and more could return “at any moment.”
- Russian officials denied harming civilians in Bucha and attempted to discredit extensive reporting documenting a strike on a maternity hospital in Mariupol.
More live updates here.
- The International Committee of the Red Cross said a team helping with evacuation efforts was stopped in the town of Manhush, 20 kilometers west of Mariupol. A Ukrainian official said earlier that members of a Red Cross team had been detained, and Ukrainian officials were working to secure their release.
- The Ukrainian military reported that several villages in the northern Chernihiv region had been cleared — though its mayor said 70 percent of the city had been destroyed. The governor of the neighboring Sumy region said Monday that Russian forces no longer occupied any settlements there, though he warned some soldiers remained and more could return “at any moment.”
- Russian officials denied harming civilians in Bucha and attempted to discredit extensive reporting documenting a strike on a maternity hospital in Mariupol.
More live updates here.
Here is the latest on key battlegrounds in Ukraine.
Northern Ukraine: Officials here continued to report Monday that Russian forces have withdrawn, as the Kremlin appears to be refocusing its attacks on southern and eastern Ukraine. The governors of the Zhytomyr and Sumy regions said Russian forces had left the areas. The Ukrainian military said over the weekend that some villages in the Chernihiv region had been cleared.
Kharkiv: A spokesman for Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said Russian forces continue to shell this city and may be preparing a renewed offensive to “take” the hub — a target just 25 miles from the Russian border.
Mariupol: As many as 130,000 people remain trapped and shelling has destroyed most infrastructure as fighting continues, the mayor said Monday. A humanitarian convoy has struggled to reach the city for four days and hit more roadblocks Monday when team members were stopped and held just west of Mariupol, the Red Cross said.
More live updates here.
Northern Ukraine: Officials here continued to report Monday that Russian forces have withdrawn, as the Kremlin appears to be refocusing its attacks on southern and eastern Ukraine. The governors of the Zhytomyr and Sumy regions said Russian forces had left the areas. The Ukrainian military said over the weekend that some villages in the Chernihiv region had been cleared.
Kharkiv: A spokesman for Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said Russian forces continue to shell this city and may be preparing a renewed offensive to “take” the hub — a target just 25 miles from the Russian border.
Mariupol: As many as 130,000 people remain trapped and shelling has destroyed most infrastructure as fighting continues, the mayor said Monday. A humanitarian convoy has struggled to reach the city for four days and hit more roadblocks Monday when team members were stopped and held just west of Mariupol, the Red Cross said.
More live updates here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine.
- President Zelensky will give a wartime address to the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday in a meeting that is expected to focus on the massacres in Bucha. There is global outrage amid mounting evidence that Russian forces slaughtered civilians — a Post photographer witnessed corpses with their hands tied behind their backs.
- White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday the Kremlin was moving its military focus to Ukraine’s south and east. The next stage of the conflict is likely to be “protracted,” and Russia will continue to use brutal tactics, he warned.
- In interviews with The Post, residents in Russian-controlled regions near Kyiv and Mykolaiv recounted how they were terrorized by their new Russian overlords.
- The International Committee of the Red Cross said a team helping with evacuation efforts was stopped about 12 miles west of Mariupol. It is not clear who was detaining them.
More live updates here.
- President Zelensky will give a wartime address to the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday in a meeting that is expected to focus on the massacres in Bucha. There is global outrage amid mounting evidence that Russian forces slaughtered civilians — a Post photographer witnessed corpses with their hands tied behind their backs.
- White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday the Kremlin was moving its military focus to Ukraine’s south and east. The next stage of the conflict is likely to be “protracted,” and Russia will continue to use brutal tactics, he warned.
- In interviews with The Post, residents in Russian-controlled regions near Kyiv and Mykolaiv recounted how they were terrorized by their new Russian overlords.
- The International Committee of the Red Cross said a team helping with evacuation efforts was stopped about 12 miles west of Mariupol. It is not clear who was detaining them.
More live updates here.
As Russia retreats from Kyiv, U.S. sees uglier fights to come
Russia’s apparent retreat from Kyiv and retrenchment into Ukraine’s easternmost regions marks the latest sign that the war is at an inflection point — one that U.S. officials believe could portend even uglier fighting to come.
“The next stage of this conflict may very well be protracted,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters Monday.
The ferocious resistance has claimed Russian materiel, momentum and troops’ lives in quantities that far exceeded expectations — forcing Moscow to scramble so much that now its armed forces have largely sapped readily available reinforcements in Ukraine, according to military analysts. That leaves Russian commanders in the short term to fight with the resources at their disposal. U.S. officials believe that about two-thirds of the units that had been focused on Kyiv are heading north, back to Belarus and Russia, for expected repositioning in Donbas.
Read the full story here.
Russia’s apparent retreat from Kyiv and retrenchment into Ukraine’s easternmost regions marks the latest sign that the war is at an inflection point — one that U.S. officials believe could portend even uglier fighting to come.
“The next stage of this conflict may very well be protracted,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters Monday.
The ferocious resistance has claimed Russian materiel, momentum and troops’ lives in quantities that far exceeded expectations — forcing Moscow to scramble so much that now its armed forces have largely sapped readily available reinforcements in Ukraine, according to military analysts. That leaves Russian commanders in the short term to fight with the resources at their disposal. U.S. officials believe that about two-thirds of the units that had been focused on Kyiv are heading north, back to Belarus and Russia, for expected repositioning in Donbas.
Read the full story here.
Red Cross says its team is released after convoy was blocked near Mariupol
The International Committee of the Red Cross, which has for days been struggling to enter the devastated southern city of Mariupol to help evacuate citizens, said Tuesday that members of its team who were detained had been released.
“The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) team that was held by police in Manhush on Monday was released last night,” spokeswoman Caitlin Kelly told The Washington Post by email. “This is of great relief to us and to their families.”
Kelly said the incident shows “how volatile and complex the operation to facilitate safe passage around Mariupol has been for our team, who have been trying to reach the city since Friday.” The team is now focused on continuing the humanitarian evacuation operation, she added.
More live updates here.
The International Committee of the Red Cross, which has for days been struggling to enter the devastated southern city of Mariupol to help evacuate citizens, said Tuesday that members of its team who were detained had been released.
“The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) team that was held by police in Manhush on Monday was released last night,” spokeswoman Caitlin Kelly told The Washington Post by email. “This is of great relief to us and to their families.”
Kelly said the incident shows “how volatile and complex the operation to facilitate safe passage around Mariupol has been for our team, who have been trying to reach the city since Friday.” The team is now focused on continuing the humanitarian evacuation operation, she added.
More live updates here.
Bucha massacre tests Europe’s red lines on Russian energy
Europe is united in its outrage over evidence of Russian atrocities in Ukraine. But the European Union is not sure what it is willing to do about it, especially when it comes to energy.
As photographs of bodies in the streets of the town of Bucha circulated online over the weekend, horrified Ukrainian and European officials called for the E.U. to finally stop buying Russian oil and gas.
Every barrel of oil and ton of gas is “soaked in the blood” of those killed, the speaker of Ukraine’s parliament said. Lithuania’s foreign minister warned other E.U. countries not to become “accomplices.”
With scenes of the devastation splashed across newspapers, French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that indications of “war crimes” in Ukraine warranted new sanctions. The Élysée later confirmed that France would back an embargo on Russian oil and coal and that the proposals will be discussed on a European level on Wednesday.
Read the full story here.
Europe is united in its outrage over evidence of Russian atrocities in Ukraine. But the European Union is not sure what it is willing to do about it, especially when it comes to energy.
As photographs of bodies in the streets of the town of Bucha circulated online over the weekend, horrified Ukrainian and European officials called for the E.U. to finally stop buying Russian oil and gas.
Every barrel of oil and ton of gas is “soaked in the blood” of those killed, the speaker of Ukraine’s parliament said. Lithuania’s foreign minister warned other E.U. countries not to become “accomplices.”
With scenes of the devastation splashed across newspapers, French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that indications of “war crimes” in Ukraine warranted new sanctions. The Élysée later confirmed that France would back an embargo on Russian oil and coal and that the proposals will be discussed on a European level on Wednesday.
Read the full story here.