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Zelensky's message to Russian troops as Ukraine war enters 67th day: 10 points
Ukraine war: Millions have been forced out of their homes and thousands of troops are reported to have been killed in the eight weeks of the conflict.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, in his nightly address, sent out a message - or rather a warning - to the Russian soldiers at the forefront of Moscow's offensive in the country. “Évery Russian soldier can still save his own life. It's better for you to survive in Russia than to perish on our land,” he was quoted as saying in reports. His remarks come as the Ukraine war enters the 67th day. This week, the war-battered nation has seen several important visitors with top US diplomats - US secretary of state Antony Blinken and defense secretary Lloyd Austin - and UN chief Antonio Guterres meeting the president, hoping for an end to the conflict soon.
Here are ten points on the Ukraine war.
1. “The Russian commanders are lying to their soldiers when they tell them they can expect to be held seriously responsible for refusing to fight and then also don't tell them, for example, that the Russian army is preparing additional refrigerator trucks for storing the bodies. They don't tell them about the new losses the generals expect,” the Ukrainian president said. More than 23,000 Russian troops have so far died in the war, according to Kyiv.
2. Some civilians have escaped the Azovstal steel plant in the port city of Mariupol, a city where the damage of the eight weeks of war is evident in photos.
3. Around 100,000 civilians remain in the city, and up to 1,000 are living beneath the sprawling Soviet-era steel plant, Ukrainian officials have been quoted as saying by news agency AP. The port city is marred with shortage of food and essentials in the midst of the conflict.
4. A missile also hit the airport, news agency AFP reported, in the Black Sea port city of Odessa.
5. On ceasefire talks, Russia foreign minister Sergey Lavrov has been reported to be saying that "progress has not been easy" even though negotiators from both sides talk every day.
6. Ukraine is likely to get the European Union member status by June, when a key meeting is planned, Ukrainian deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olga Stefanishyna said in a report. The country applied for EU membership four days after the war began on February 28.
7. Ukraine has been receiving support from the US and European nations to fight Russia. While Washington is closer to clearing a $33 billion assistance, UK PM Boris Johnson on Saturday reassured continued commitment to Zelensky. "He confirmed that the UK will continue to provide additional military aid to give the Ukrainians the equipment they needed to defend themselves," a spokesperson said, news agency Reuters reported.
8. Russia on Saturday said it had hit 17 Ukrainian facilities, Reuters reported, and killed over 200 troops.
9. The Kremlin has also claimed that more than 1 million people were evacuated to Russia since the war started on February 24.
10. Amid the Ukraine war, Sweden has accused Russia of violating its airspace. "A Russian AN-30 propeller plane violated Swedish airspace on Friday evening," the Swedish defence ministry said in a statement, news agency AFP reported.
(With inputs from Reuters, AFP, AP)
