Russian-backed forces have reportedly opened fire on civilians trying to flee the city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, blocking their evacuation for an unprecedented second day. The move has emerged as a major stumbling block for efforts by international mediators to end the conflict that has claimed over 10,000 lives since April 2014.
The “russian civilians protest” is a recent event that has occurred in Ukraine. The Russian military has blocked the evacuations of Ukrainian civilians for the second time.
Lviv, Ukraine (Ukraine) — A second effort to evacuate residents from a besieged city in southern Ukraine failed Sunday, according to a Ukrainian government official, as Russian airstrikes disrupted preparations to build a humanitarian corridor, and Pope Francis called for an end to the war’s “rivers of blood and tears.”
In the coastal city of Mariupol, where Russian and Ukrainian troops had agreed to an 11-hour cease-fire to enable civilians and the injured to be evacuated, food, water, medicine, and practically all other supplies were in very short supply. According to Ukrainian authorities, Russian strikes rapidly blocked the route.
“There can be no ‘green lanes,’ since the Russians’ diseased brains select when and where to fire,” Interior Ministry advisor Anton Gerashchenko stated on Telegram.
The news dampened expectations that more people might flee Ukraine’s battle, as Russia’s ambition to rapidly seize the nation has been thwarted by robust opposition. Many of Russia’s operations in southern Ukraine and along the coast have halted, including an enormous military convoy that has remained nearly stationary for days north of Kyiv.
The battle has forced 1.5 million people to escape the nation, which is currently in its 11th day. The migration has been dubbed “the fastest-growing refugee catastrophe in Europe since World War II” by the director of the United Nations refugee agency.
According to a Kremlin statement on the phone conversation, Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed Ukraine for the conflict, telling Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday that the invasion could only be stopped “if Kyiv ends hostilities.”
He said that Ukraine must meet “Russia’s well-known demands,” which include the “demilitarization” and “denazification” of the country.
People with children wait to cross the Irpin River in Irpin, Ukraine, on March 5, 2022. Image courtesy of Diego Herrera/Europa Press/Getty Images
Turkey’s and France’s presidents, as well as Pope Francis, have urged Putin to dialogue.
The pope said that he has send two cardinals to Ukraine, promising that the Vatican will do all possible to resolve the bloodshed.
“Rivers of blood and sorrow are pouring in Ukraine,” the pope stated in his Sunday benediction. “This is a conflict that sows murder, ruin, and suffering, not merely a military operation.”
According to Ukrainian authorities, when the cease-fire in Mariupol failed to hold on Saturday, Russian troops increased their bombardment of the city and dropped huge bombs on residential areas of Chernihiv, a city north of Kyiv.
Russian methods were likened by British military authorities to those employed by Moscow in Chechnya and Syria, when encircled cities were destroyed by aircraft and artillery.
“This is most certainly an attempt to demoralize Ukrainians,” the UK Ministry of Defense warned.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine renewed his call for international guardians to enforce a no-fly zone over the country. Putin warned on Saturday that a third-party declaration to restrict Ukrainian airspace would be considered hostile, and the West has so far turned down Zelensky’s appeals, fearful of a confrontation with Russia.
In a video speech on Sunday, Zelensky stated, “The world is powerful enough to block our skies.”
Ukrainian government and international humanitarian groups are working with Russia via intermediaries to build humanitarian corridors from Bucha and Hostomel, which are Kyiv suburbs where severe combat has occurred, according to Oleksiy Arestovich, a Zelensky aide.
While Russian soldiers encircled many Ukrainian towns on Saturday night, Zelensky spoke on television and urged his people to remain defiant.
“Ukrainians in all of our cities where the enemy has infiltrated — go on the attack!” Zelensky, dressed in his usual military green T-shirt, shouted. “You should go out on the town! You should engage in combat! … It is imperative that we go out and expel this evil from our communities and from our nation.”
According to the UK Ministry of Defense’s daily intelligence briefing, the level of Ukrainian resistance continues to surprise Russian troops, who have retaliated by attacking populous areas, including the cities of Kharkiv, Chernihiv, and Mariupol.
It’s difficult to estimate the number of people who have died. At least 351 people have been verified murdered, according to the United Nations Human Rights Office, although the total figure is likely far higher.
Despite the fact that Ukraine’s military is considerably outmanned by Russia’s, its professional and volunteer soldiers have battled back with ferocity. Volunteers queued up in Kyiv on Saturday to join the military.
Even in cities that had succumbed, there were evidence of Zelensky’s sought resistance.
According to footage published by the Ukrainian government, onlookers in Chernihiv rejoiced as they witnessed a Russian military jet fall from the sky and crash. Hundreds of demonstrators waved blue and yellow Ukrainian flags and chanted “Go home” in Kherson.
On Saturday, however, the battle to implement interim ceasefires in Mariupol and Volnovakha revealed the frailty of attempts to end the violence throughout Ukraine.
According to Davyd Arakhamia, a member of the Ukrainian team, the third round of discussions between Russia and Ukraine will take place on Monday. He did not provide any other information, including the location of the events. Belarus has hosted previous summits. These discussions resulted in a cease-fire agreement, which collapsed on Saturday but was resurrected on Sunday.
In its attempt to limit access to the Sea of Avrov, Russia has made substantial progress in southern Ukraine. Capturing Mariupol may enable Moscow to construct a land corridor to Crimea, which Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014 in a move that was widely seen as illegitimate by most other nations.
Meanwhile, the Chernihiv region’s governor said that Russia had landed strong bombs on residential parts of the city, which has a population of 290,000. Vyacheslav Chaus shared a picture of an undetonated FAB-500, a 1,100-pound bomb, on the internet.
“This weapon is often utilized against military-industrial complexes and protected installations,” Chaus said.
On the tenth day of Russian strikes on Ukraine, Ukrainian soldiers discovered an FAB-500 type aircraft bomb near Chernihiv, Ukraine on March 5, 2022. According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, a Russian military jet was shot down near Chernihiv, and three FAB-500 type aircraft bombs were discovered in the region. Ukraine’s State Emergency Service/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
On Saturday, Zelensky used a video hookup to address more than 300 members of Congress in an attempt to garner support. Even as he declared that Russia was vanquished, he appealed for further assistance, notably fighter jets to help protect the airspace above Ukraine.
According to Zelensky, Russian forces were approaching on a third nuclear power station. They have already seized control of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power facility, as well as Chernobyl, the world’s greatest nuclear tragedy.
President Biden contacted Zelensky early Sunday morning, Kyiv time, to discuss Russia sanctions and accelerating US aid to Ukraine. The White House said that the chat included discussions between Russia and Ukraine, but did not elaborate.
Blinken was in Moldova on Sunday, when he offered support for the western-leaning former Soviet republic, which is dealing with a refugee inflow and keeping a wary eye on Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
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The “bbc news” is reporting that the Russian assaults blocking evacuations of Ukrainian civilians for a second time. The article also includes links to the original source and a video.
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