Ukraine Today – Photos and Facts

Dozens of Houses Shelled in Donetsk: Officials in Donetsk have posted photographs of a small village in the region in which more than two dozen homes have been destroyed in Russian shelling. On his Telegram channel, the head of Donetsk regional military administration, Pavlo Kyrylenko, said that 27 houses in Lastochkine had been damaged by shelling. No information was provided on any casualties.

Ukrainians Executed: “We now have credible information that a Russian military unit operating in the vicinity of Donetsk executed Ukrainians who were attempting to surrender, rather than take them in custody,” US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice Beth Van Schaack told the UN. “If true, this would be a violation of a core principle of the laws of war: the prohibition against the summary execution of civilians and combatants who are hors de combat by virtue of surrender, injury, or other forms of incapacitation.” According to Van Schaack, the US has “credible reports of individuals killed execution-style with their hands bound; bodies showing signs of torture; horrific accounts of sexual violence against women and girls.”

Russian Gas in Europe: Two of Europe’s leading energy companies have confirmed they’re in talks with Russia’s state-controlled gas company, Gazprom, about how to pay for Russian gas while still complying with EU sanctions and Russia’s new rules demanding payment in rubles. Gazprom had already cut off the supply of natural gas to both Pjoland and Bulgaria after the two nations refused to pay in Russian rubles. “We consider a payment conversion compliant with sanctions law and the Russian decree to be possible,” German firm Uniper announced. The long-term plan, however, appears to be to do away with Russian gas in Germany entirely. Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck said it may not be realistic to completely ban Russian gas, but added, “nevertheless, we have to try the unrealistic in some ways now.” Austrian firm OMV announced: “We have analyzed the Gazprom request about payment methods in light of the EU-sanctions and are now working on a sanctions-compliant solution.” Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced that the nation would use the payment scheme put in place by Moscow to pay for its oil and gas.

New NATO Allies?: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday that, should Finland and Sweden apply to join the alliance, it would be able to “find arrangements” to help the two countries during the transition period. “The reality is that Finland and Sweden are already close to NATO and we work together, we operate together, we exercise together,” Stoltenberg explained. “And as soon as we take the decision to invite them, that will send a strong political message, that the security of Finland and Sweden matters for all NATO allies. I am also certain that we will be able to find arrangements for the interim period between Finland and Sweden [applying] and until the formal ratification is finalized in all 30 parliaments.” The Russian invasion of Ukraine and threats against other nations – both of military action and of cutting off the flow of oil and gas – has forced many European nations to consider new where they stand with Russia and NATO. While some may wish to join the alliance, Russia certainly doesn’t want that to happen – and protection from Russian aggression during during the transition phase from outsider to fully defended ally is a top concern.

Russia Cuts Gas to Poland and Bulgaria: In what is being regarded as a direct retaliation to Western interference in the war in Ukraine, Russia’s state-controlled gas company, Gazprom, announced that it had cut off the supply of natural gas to both Poland and Bulgaria. Gazprom cites the two nations’ refusal to pay for energy in Russian rubles. This is a part of a ratcheting pressure campaign to thwart sanctions and could prove effective as Russian gas supplies almost half of all European needs.

Putin Agrees to Red Cross Help: Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly agreed “in principle” to allow the Red Cross and other aid agencies help with the evacuation of civilians from a steel plant in the southern port city of Mariupol.

Zelensky Calls for Global Control of Russia’s Nuclear Arsenal: Whilst commemorating the anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested that Russia having a nuclear capability was unsafe for the world. He said, “Russia has forgotten what Chornobyl is, it means that global control over Russia’s nuclear facilities and nuclear technology is needed.”

NATO Proxy War: – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday issued a dire warning to the West, saying that nuclear war was a real possibility. He accused NATO of fighting a proxy war with Russia by supplying arms and aid to Ukraine. “I would not want to elevate those risks artificially. Many would like that. The danger is serious, real. And we must not underestimate it,” he said.

Zelensky Defiant: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky boldly claimed that despite continued attack, his nation would not fall to the Russian invasion. “In two months, they used more than 1100 missiles against us. Countless bombs and artillery. They tortured, robbed, executed. They mined our land,” he said. “Peaceful cities and villages were turned into hell. Some Ukrainian cities and communities were destroyed to the ground. But they did not achieve anything. And they will not achieve.”

Settlements Recaptured: According to President Zelensky, more than 900 settlements around Ukraine have been “recaptured.”  As the Russian military pulls back from Kyiv to refocus on the Donbas region, areas that were previously under Russian control now appear to be back under Ukrainian protection.

US Kyiv Embassy to Reopen: After a high-profile visit to Kyiv by Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, it seems the US is preparing to reopen its embassy in the region. Blinken said, “The reason we’re back is because of you, because of the extraordinary courage, leadership and success that you’ve had in pushing back this horrific Russian aggression.” This news follows swiftly behind the announcement that the US would provide a further $713 million worth of aid.

Russian Advances: According to British Intelligence, Russia has made some minor advances since it shifted to focus its war efforts on the Donbas region. The Ministry of Defence noted that “Without sufficient logistical and combat support enablers in place, Russia has yet to achieve a significant breakthrough.”

No Russian Oil Embargo: Depute assurances from the European Union that it would be taking steps to wean itself off Russian oil, the EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell revealed that this may not happen. He said, “At the moment, we in the EU do not have a unified position on this question.” Despite a strong stance from the EU top table, every member state needs to agree to measures and it seems that some countries are not willing to take this major step in escalation.

Civilian Evacuation Complications: According to Serhii Haidai, the head of the Luhansk region military administration, the evacuation of civilians has become “complicated” amid heavy Russian shelling. “Every trip to Popasna is full of danger – evacuation vehicles have repeatedly come under fire from the Russians,” Haidai explained. According to the administration, more than 100 people have been killed in shelling and more than 2,500 remain hidden in bomb shelters. Despite the complications, Haidai said that 60 locals were successfully evacuated already Thursday, bringing the three-day total up to 163.

A New Plan for the Plant: While most of Mariupol has been destroyed, an unknown number of Ukrainians continue to hold out in the Azovstal iron and steel plant, a massive complex in the southeastern corner of the port city. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Thursday that he has scrapped plans to storm the facility with Russian troops, instead it should be sealed, he says, and those inside should be offered the chance to surrender in exchange for their lives and “dignified treatment.”

White House to Clarify Refugee Rule: It has been almost a month since President Biden pledged to allow up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees into the US. In that time, over 5,000 have attempted to gain entry, including 3,274 at the southern border, coming up from Mexico. The Department of Homeland Security’s humanitarian parole program would require Ukrainians to be sponsored by a US citizen and the individual would need to undergo rigorous vetting, including biographic and biometric screening and a complete run of vaccinations, including for COVID-19. The Biden administration is expected to make the official announcement as early as today.

Russian Missile Test:The Russian defense ministry announced Wednesday that it conducted a test launch of a new Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The RS-28 Sarmat, which was fired from a silo launcher at 3:12 p.m. Moscow time, is expected to replace the Soviet-era Voevoda, known by the NATO designation SS-18 Satan. Vladimir Putin congratulated the military on the successful test, and said it would “give thought to those who are trying to threaten Russia.” Putin mentioned the Sarmat during a 2018 speech, in which he said Russia was developing new weapons to render NATO defenses “completely useless,” though the US downplayed the threat at the time.

People walk past a damaged building in Mariupol, April 14, 2022. (Photo by Victor/Xinhua via Getty Images)