LONDON – Britain’s Defense Ministry says Russian forces have failed to take the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol despite weeks of bombing and days of street fighting.
In an update published on social media, British officials say that “despite heavy fighting, Ukrainian forces continue to repel Russian attempts to occupy the city”.
It said Russian forces had made “limited progress” elsewhere in Ukraine over the last day and “largely stalled”.
Ukrainian military said on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces were still defending Mariupol and destroyed a Russian patrol boat and an electronic warfare complex. But the Defense Ministry said Russia is now controlling the land corridor from Crimea, the peninsula it annexed in 2014, and is blocking Ukraine’s access to the Sea of Azov.
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KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:
— Residents of Mariupol described their escape in street-to-street firefights
– US President Joe Biden will thank the Polish President for the country’s efforts to take in Ukrainian refugees
— The UN is at odds over mentioning Russia’s invasion in a resolution deteriorating the humanitarian situation in Ukraine
— The extent of the horror is not yet known as Mariupol is resisting Russian demands for surrender
For more coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:
PARIS — France’s foreign ministry has announced that the country has sent 55 tonnes (60 tons) of humanitarian aid to Ukraine via Poland, including computers, medical equipment, baby food and generators.
The 2.4 million euros ($2.6 million) in emergency aid was sent from Paris to Warsaw, the Polish capital, on an A330 cargo plane, France said in a statement late Monday. It said that “in connection with the Polish authorities, the material will be immediately handed over to the Ukrainian authorities”.
The medical equipment – which weighs about 10 tonnes (11 tons) – is said to contain 10 oxygen generators for intensive care units, in addition to 9 tons (10 tons) of medicine.
The aid includes 31 generators, six of which are high-power generators “aimed at strengthening electrical safety of Ukrainian healthcare facilities.”
Eight tons (9 tons) of computing and internet access supplies – such as smartphones, computers, routers and 60 kilometers (37 miles) of fiber optics – were also included in the package.
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TOKYO – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will virtually deliver his speech to the Japanese parliament on Wednesday to rally international support for his country’s fight against Russian invasion.
Unlike in the past, Japan, in line with other Group of Seven countries, has cracked down on Russia, although Tokyo’s moves have prompted Moscow’s retaliation. A compromise could set a bad precedent in East Asia, where China is becoming increasingly militarily assertive.
Zelenskyy’s speech, which is expected to last about 10 minutes, is screened in a chamber of the lower house – the more powerful of Japan’s bicameral parliament, where Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sits. Zelenskyy has delivered virtual addresses to the US Congress as well as to parliaments in Europe, Canada and Israel.
Foreign dignitaries, including former US President George W. Bush and former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, have delivered addresses in person during visits to Japan as guests of state, but an online speech by a foreign leader is unprecedented.
On Monday, Russia announced a decision to halt peace treaty talks with Japan over the disputed Kuril Islands and withdraw from joint economic projects there, citing Tokyo’s sanctions against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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TOKYO – Japan on Tuesday denounced Russia for its decision to halt peace treaty talks on the disputed Kuril Islands and withdraw from joint economic projects in retaliation for Tokyo’s sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The two countries never signed a peace treaty that officially ended World War II hostilities because of their dispute over the Russian-held islands north of Hokkaido that Moscow captured at the end of the war.
“The recent situation was solely caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” Cabinet Chef Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters on Tuesday. He called Russia’s response “extremely unjustified and absolutely unacceptable”.
Japan has imposed a series of sanctions on Russia in recent weeks, including freezing some individual assets, banning exports of luxury goods and high-tech equipment to the country, and removing Russia’s trade status as most-favoured-nation nation.
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KIEV, Ukraine – The Ukrainian army said it drove Russian troops out of Makariv, a strategic suburb of Kyiv, after a fierce battle. This prevents Russian forces from encircling the capital from the northwest, the Defense Ministry said.
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KIEV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Monday he was ready to discuss a pledge by Ukraine not to seek NATO membership in exchange for a ceasefire, the withdrawal of Russian troops and a guarantee of Ukraine’s security.
“It’s a compromise for everyone: for the West, which doesn’t know what to do with us in relation to NATO, for Ukraine, which wants security guarantees, and for Russia, which doesn’t want any further NATO expansion,” Zelenskyy said late Monday in an interview with Ukrainian TV channels.
He also reiterated his call for direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. If he doesn’t meet with Putin, it’s impossible to understand whether Russia even wants to end the war, Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy said Kyiv will be ready to discuss the status of Crimea and the eastern Donbass region held by Russian-backed separatists following a ceasefire and steps to provide security guarantees.
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LVIV, Ukraine – Russian forces shelled a humanitarian corridor on Monday, wounding four children who were among evacuated civilians, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his late night video address to the nation. He said the shelling took place in the Zaporizhia region, the original destination of the Mariupol refugees.
The Ukrainian government said about 3,000 people were evacuated from Mariupol on Monday.
Zelenskyi said he had spoken with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and French President Emmanuel Macron to coordinate their positions before Western leaders meet on Thursday.
“Our position is being expressed and is being strongly expressed, believe me,” Zelenskyi said.
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Corrected this element to show that the French President’s name is spelled Emmanuel, not Emmanual.