“Russia used white phosphorus bombs in Hostomel and Irpin”. This is what the Mayor of Irpin Oleksandr Markushin said, quoted by The Kyiv Independent. “Russian forces aimed phosphorus bombs at the satellite cities of Kyiv on the night of March 22 said Markushin The use of such weapons against civilians is prohibited by the Geneva Conventions”. For his part, Kyiv’s deputy police chief released a video accusing Russia of using phosphorous shells against the eastern city of Kramatorsk, reports The Independent.
Russia’s use of chemical weapons is a real threat: said the American President Joe Biden before leaving for Europe.
Poland expels “45 Russian spies disguised as diplomats”. announced the Polish Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski. “We are absolutely consistently and resolutely dismantling the network of Russian special services in our country,” he said on Twitter.
Speaking to reporters as he left Poland’s Foreign Ministry, Russia’s Ambassador to Poland Sergei Andreev confirmed the expulsions and said those involved should leave Poland within five days. He said the spying allegations were “unfounded” and announced as much Russia reserves the right to take retaliatory action.
Diplomatic relations between Warsaw and Moscow have not been interrupted, the diplomat added: “The embassies remain, the ambassadors remain.”
Kyiv is calling on the West to send Ukraine “offensive weapons” as a “deterrent” against Moscow. This is the call by Andriy Yermak, head of the cabinet of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, on the eve of the extraordinary summit of NATO leaders in Brussels, where Zelenskyy will speak via videoconference. “Our armed forces and our citizens resist with superhuman courage, but without offensive weapons, without mediumrange missiles that can be a means of deterrence, we cannot win a war,” Yermak said in a video on Telegram, citing the air defense fighter systems.
“The city is clearly under the control of the Ukrainian army, Mykolaiv is relatively safe at the moment. There were bombings. Russian troops are 40 kilometers from here, they have captured villages around the city. The Ukrainian army stays to get them as far away as possible. This was stated by the spokesman for the Ukrainian amphibious assault forces Yaroslav Chepurnoy, who was contacted by ANSA. “We don’t think the Russians will attack from the sea because they are quite far away at the moment. Attacks could increase, but for now everything is under control. From the antiaircraft system, he added.
Troops from Russia and the Donbass separatist republic entered the city of Mariupol where, according to Pentagon sources, “Ukrainians are fighting very hard not to bring down the city.” Ukrainian President Zelensky is demanding the release of a humanitarian convoy of 11 empty buses ‘hijacked’ by the Russians 15km from the city center to prevent the evacuation of civilians. HRW describes the city as “a frozen hellscape covered with corpses and ruined buildings.” Zelenskyy renewed his call on Russia to allow safe humanitarian corridors. Kyiv today announces deals for 9 of these corridors, but not for Mariupol.
During the night, a bridge was bombed in Chernihiv, 130 kilometers from Kyiv, which was seen as crucial to the delivery of humanitarian aid and the evacuation of civilians. This is reported by The Kyiv Independent. Ukrainian Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko reported the news on his Telegram account this morning, citing the confirmation from the head of the Chernihiv regional state administration, Vyacheslav Chaus.
Nine humanitarian corridors were agreed today in Ukraine, but they should not leave Mariupol. This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchuk, who was quoted by several international media as claiming that there was no agreement with Russia to set up a safe corridor from the heart of Mariupol.
Russian forces seized a humanitarian convoy of 11 empty buses en route Mariupol to rescue the Ukrainians fleeing the city, who are making the drivers of the vehicles and various emergency services “prisoners”: A few hours after his speech to the Italian parliament, the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj denounces the Moscow maneuver and assures that Kyiv will “do everything for it do”. set our people free”.
“One hundred thousand people the Ukrainian president denounced were trapped in the destroyed city of Mariupol, in the face of starvation under “constant” Russian bombing.” Zelensky renewed his demands for Russia to allow safe humanitarian corridors, saying civilians were being subjected to “inhumane conditions: no food, no water, no medicines” in an allout siege. More than 7,000 people have fled the city in the past 24 hours, he said.
On the 28th day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the time had come 121 children were killed and 167 others injured. This was reported by the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine on their Facebook page, quoted by UNIAN agency. The bombings hit 548 educational institutions, 72 of which were completely destroyed, he said. “The bombed schools are more than 220 schools, 155 kindergartens. The situation is worst in Donetsk, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Kyiv, Kherson, Chernihiv and Kyiv regions. Medical faculties, arts and sports, libraries were also hit by the Russian bombs,” the prosecutor said.
Speaking to Sky Tg24, Ukrainian Ambassador to Italy Yaroslav Melnyk said he “very appreciates the role of the Holy See and the Pope’s words on Ukraine. We will do our best to organize Pope Francis’ visit to Kyiv but not everything depends on us, security must be organized, we will do everything that is possible “, adding that a truce should be reached first to ensure the safety of the Pope.