Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday, April 17, accused Russia of wanting to ” wreck “ the entire eastern region of Donbass, promising that everything would be done to defend it, starting with the strategic port of Mariupol where the encircled soldiers are summoned to fight ” till the end “† “Russian soldiers are preparing for an offensive in the east of our country in the near future. They literally want to finish and destroy the Donbass”hammered Mr. Zelensky in a video message.
“Just as the Russian army destroys Mariupol, they want to destroy other cities and other communities in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions”he continued, before launching: “We are doing everything we can to defend.” “Sabotage the orders of the occupiers.” Do not cooperate with them. † you have to persevere”he said again, adding for westerners that: “the need for an embargo on oil shipments from Russia is becoming more important every day”†
In the east, the Russian Defense Ministry assured on Sunday that: “precision missiles had destroyed fuel and ammunition warehouses” in Barvinkove (Izium region) and Dobropillia (not far from Donetsk). “The constant bombardment of the region [de Louhansk] continues “, at the same time lamented the Ukrainian governor, Serguii Gaïdaï. the place of “Zolote was hit hard today. They deliberately targeted a five-storey building. † Two people were killed and five injured.†
“Deliberate terror”
In this regard, the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister announced the suspension of the humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians from the eastern part of Ukraine, in the absence of agreement with the Russian army on the cessation of fire. Further north, in Kharkov, Ukraine’s second-largest city, at least five people were killed and 20 others injured in a series of Russian attacks on Sunday, regional governor Oleg Sinegoubov said. “In the past four days alone, 18 people have been killed and 106 injured” at the bombing of this city, Herr Zelensky, for his part, remarked, “deliberate terror”†
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Chmygal ignored Russia’s ultimatum on Sunday asking the last Ukrainian soldiers in Mariupol to lay down their arms, and assured the resistance would continue. “No, the city did not fall. Our soldiers are still there. They will fight to the end. As I speak to you, they are still in Mariupol”he told the American television channel ABC.
Moscow had asked the last Ukrainian fighters, entrenched in the Azovstal metallurgical complex, to cease fire in the morning and vacate the premises in the afternoon. “All those who have given up their weapons are guaranteed to save their lives”promised the Russian Defense Ministry on Telegram. “It’s Their Only Chance”† In the early morning of Sunday, the Ukrainian General Staff reported Russian airstrikes on Mariupol, stating: “attack operations near the port”without further details.
Mariupol, strategic objective
The capture of this city would be an important victory for the Russians, as it would allow them to consolidate their territorial gains on the coast along the Sea of Azov by linking the Donbass region, partly controlled by their supporters, with the Crimea which Moscow annexed in 2014 For Volodymyr Zelensky, “The situation in Mariupol remains as serious as it gets. just inhumane”†
He believes that there is only “two options” : either the westerners immediately supply heavy weapons to help him lift the siege of this 441,000-inhabited city before the start of the Russian offensive on February 24, or they help him end the fighting through negotiations . “There is no food, water or medicine” in Mariupol, he got carried away by the media and accused Moscow of ” refuse “ setting up humanitarian corridors.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk, for her part, on Sunday demanded the opening of an evacuation route for the wounded soldiers who are still there. More than 100,000 civilians are on the brink of starvation in Mariupol, even without heating, according to the executive director of the World Food Program, David Beasley.
In the Kiev region, Russia’s defense ministry announced on Sunday that it fired high-precision missiles at a munitions factory near Brovary. The mayor of this place, Igor Sapojko, confirmed that: “Some infrastructure elements were affected” in the early hours of the day. Over the past three days, Russian forces have launched several attacks on military factories in the capital after the downing of the cruiser Moskva in the Black Sea. And the talks between Russians and Ukrainians have been stalled for several days.
