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Russia-Ukraine War: Russia plans long-range attacks on Ukraine; bombs Lviv, strikes Kyiv and Kharkiv
LIVE Updates: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russian troops occupying parts of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions in the south of terrorizing civilians and hunting for anyone who served in Ukraine’s military or government.
LIVE: As Russia and Ukraine enter its day 52 of the war, several parts of the war-torn country continue to be bombed. While over hundreds of people have died in the war, several have been forced to flee the country. The bodies of more than 900 civilians have been discovered in the region surrounding the Ukrainian capital following Russia's withdrawal — most of them fatally shot, police said Friday, an indication that many people were "simply executed.”...Read More
Moscow continued preparations for a renewed offensive in eastern Ukraine.
Fighting also went on in the pummelling southern port city of Mariupol, where locals reported seeing Russian troops digging up bodies, news agency Reuters said.
In the northeastern city of Kharkiv, shelling of a residential area killed seven people, including a 7-month-old child, and wounded 34, according to regional Gov. Oleh Sinehubov.
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his troops into Ukraine on what he calls a "special military operation" to demilitarise and "denazify" Ukraine.
Kyiv and its Western allies say those are bogus justifications for an unprovoked war of aggression that has driven a quarter of Ukraine's 44 million people from their homes and led to the deaths of thousands.
A peaceful Spanish village now called ‘Ukraine’ to show solidarity amid war
A peaceful white-walled village in southern Spain has changed its name to Ukraine in solidarity with those caught up in the conflict more than 4,000 km (2,500 miles) away.
On a sign at a roundabout at the village's entrance, Ukraine has replaced Fuentes de Andalucia and the country's blue and yellow flag has been painted alongside.
Streets have been renamed City of Kyiv, Odesa and Mariupol in the village of more than 7,100 inhabitants east of Seville.
"The main objective is to raise awareness about the conflict in Ukraine but also about where countries are at war in current times," Francisco Martinez told Reuters as he stood in City of Kiev street.
Russia plans long-range attacks on Ukraine; bombs Lviv, strikes Kyiv and Kharkiv
Russia's warplanes bombed Lviv and its missiles struck Kyiv and Kharkiv on Saturday, as Moscow followed through on a threat to launch more long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities after its Black Sea Fleet's flagship was sunk.
In besieged Mariupol, scene of the war's heaviest fighting and worst humanitarian catastrophe, Russian troops pressed recent advances, hoping to make up for their failure to capture Kyiv by seizing their first big prize of the war. Moscow said its planes had struck a tank repair factory in the capital, where an explosion was heard and smoke seen in the southeastern Darnytskyi district. Kyiv's mayor said at least one person had died and medics were fighting to save others.
Putin, Saudi Crown Prince Upbeat About OPEC
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman gave a “positive assessment” of their cooperation in the OPEC producers group to stabilize the world oil market, the Kremlin said in a statement on Saturday.
Russia bans entry to UK PM Johnson, top officials over sanctions: Report
Russia has banned the entry to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, top officials over sanctions, reports AFP citing foreign ministry.
Kyiv's Darnytsky district hit by Russian shelling
Russia has targeted Kyiv's Darnytsky as explosions were reported in the district on Thursday, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
"Darnytsky district in Kyiv hit by Russian shelling. According to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, explosions were reported in Darnytsky district in the morning of April 16. There is no information on casualties yet," tweeted The Kyiv Independent.
Ukraine military factory in Kyiv targeted in strikes, reports AFP
A military hardware factory in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv was hit by strikes early Saturday, an AFP journalist said, a day after Russian forces bombed a missile unit outside the city.
Smoke rose from the area and there was a heavy police and military presence after Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on social media there had been explosions in the city's Darnyrsky district.
9 evacuation corridors, including Mariupol, agreed for Saturday: Ukraine officials
Ukraine Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said nine humanitarian corridors had been agreed for Saturday to evacuate civilians, including from the besieged city of Mariupol by private cars.
Vereshchuk said in a statement that five of the nine evacuation corridors were from Ukraine's Luhansk region in the east of the country, which local officials have said is under heavy shelling.
Rescuers and medics on site of explosion in Kyiv's outskirts: Mayor
Rescuers and medics were working on the site of an early Saturday blast on the outskirts of Kyiv, the mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, said in an online post as per Reuters.
The explosion took place in Kyiv's Darnytskyi district, Klitschko said in a post on the Telegram messaging app. It is the southeastern district of Kyiv, on the left bank of Dnipro river.
Blasts heard in Ukraine's capital Kyiv and western city of Lviv: report
Explosions were heard in the early hours on Saturday in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, and the western city of Lviv, local media reported. Air raid sirens were going off over most of Ukraine early on Saturday. There has been no official confirmation of the explosions.
Russia says US aid to Ukraine will have ‘unpredictable concequences’
Russia formally complains to the United States over its military aid to Ukraine, warning of "unpredictable consequences" if shipments of advanced weaponry go forward, US media report.
The diplomatic note comes the same week that US President Joe Biden pledged a new $800-million military aid package for Ukraine, including helicopters, howitzers and armoured personnel carriers.
Ukrainian leaders to go to World Bank, IMF meetings in Washington
Ukraine is sending top officials to Washington for next week’s spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, where discussion will focus on the Russian invasion and its impact on the global economy.
Coming to the gathering are Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko and central bank governor Kyrylo Shevchenko, according to a World Bank official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the visit had not been officially announced.
Zelensky tells Western nations, “It is in your hands to stop the war”
President Volodymyr Zelensky, renewing calls for the West to deliver more weapons to Ukraine and expand sanctions on Russia, said Ukraine’s allies have it in their hands to avoid a drawn-out war. “It is in your hands to make the war significantly shorter. The more and the faster we will get all the weapons we asked for, the stronger our positions will be and the sooner peace will come,” he said in a late-night video address on Friday.
2,500 to 3,000 Ukrainian troops have died in war, says Zelensky: report
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday told news outlet CNN that between 2,500 to 3,000 Ukrainian troops have died so far in the war with Russia and another 10,000 have been injured.
‘The situation in Mariupol is difficult and hard,’ says Ukrainian defence ministry
"The situation in Mariupol is difficult and hard. Fighting is happening right now. The Russian army is constantly calling on additional units to storm the city," defence ministry spokesperson Oleksandr Motuzyanyk told a televised briefing, although he said the Russians have not completely captured it.
Mariupol, on the Sea of Azov in southeastern Ukraine, has seen the worst fighting of the seven-week-long war. Home to 400,000 people before Russia's invasion, the city has been reduced to rubble. Thousands of civilians have died and tens of thousands remain trapped in the city.
Ukraine's prime minister, finance officials to visit Washington next week: report
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and top Ukrainian finance officials will visit Washington next week during the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, Reuters reported citing sources close to the matter.
Shmyhal, Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko and central bank governor Kyrylo Shevchenko are slated to meet bilaterally with finance officials from the Group of Seven countries and others, and take part in a roundtable on Ukraine to be hosted by the World Bank on Thursday, the sources told Reuters.
