- In the Ukrainian town of Barkinkove, west of Kramatorsk, where a rocket hit a train station full of evacuees on Friday, volunteers are arming themselves to join the front line against Russian troops expected to regroup in eastern Ukraine.
- The death toll from the bombing of a train station in Kramatorsk has risen to 52. Russia denies responsibility, saying the missiles responsible for the attack were only used by the Ukrainian military.
- Ukraine says more than 4,500 people have been evacuated from their cities through humanitarian corridors.
- YouTube blocked Duma TV, which broadcasts from the Russian lower house.
(Al Jazeera)
Here are the latest updates:
23 minutes ago (02:51 GMT)
Ukrainian-Chilean families protest in Santiago
Dozens have gathered outside the Russian embassy in Santiago to denounce Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with protesters – including Ukrainian residents of Chile – unfurling a large banner in the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
Some lay down and clutched stuffed animals to honor the child victims of war. A large banner read “Rise with Ukraine”.
“We are doing everything to help my people,” said Alina Prus, a Ukrainian living in Chile. “Being here is a very emotional situation for many of us. Some of us have families who are now experiencing the horror of what war means.”
A boy holds the Ukrainian flag during an anti-war protest in Santiago [File: Pablo Sanhueza/Reuters]
58 minutes ago (02:16 GMT)
Third prisoner swap underway
According to Kyiv, 26 Ukrainians are returning home after a prisoner swap with Russia.
“By order of President Zelenskyy the third exchange of prisoners took place. Twelve of our soldiers are returning home, including one female officer,” Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk told Telegram.
Fourteen civilians, including nine women, are also on their way home, she added.
2 hours ago (01:15 GMT)
Zelenskyy: “It is important to end this war”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he is determined to push for peace as he renewed his plea for countries to send more arms ahead of an expected surge in fighting in the east of the country.
He made the comments in an interview with The Associated Press a day after at least 52 people were killed in a strike at a train station in the eastern city of Kramatorsk.
“No one wants to deal with one or more people who have tortured this nation. It’s all understandable. And as a man, as a father, I understand that very well,” said Zelenskyy. But “we don’t want to miss opportunities, if we have them, for a diplomatic solution”.
“We must fight, but fight for life. You can’t fight for dust when there’s nothing and no people. That’s why it’s important to end this war,” he said.
3 hours ago (00:30 GMT)
Expelled Ukrainian football club opens tour
Ukrainian football club Shakhtar Donetsk has opened a series of charity matches at a government-backed ‘Global Tour for Peace’, which has the names of heavily bombed cities on its jerseys.
The club’s tour aims to raise money for the Ukrainian military in the war against Russia and to help Ukrainian refugees displaced by the war.
The first game on Saturday was a 1-0 defeat against Greek leaders Olympiakos.
Football clubs across Europe have offered to play against Ukrainian clubs and host youth players following the Russian invasion in February.
The match between Olympiakos and Shakhtar Donetsk was played at Karaiskaki Stadium in Piraeus, Greece [Louiza Vradi/Reuters]
4 hours ago (23:41 GMT)
Residents of the Kiev suburb are lining up to eat
Civilians remaining in Bucha are lining up for food donated by the local church in the stricken Kyiv suburb, where Ukrainian forces and journalists reported evidence of war crimes after Russian soldiers pulled out.
Volunteer Petro Denysyuk told The Associated Press that he and other friends of the Church had begun providing food, with a wide range of basic necessities and hot meals.
“We gathered with the youth of our church and prepared food for the needy,” Denysyuk said. “We prepared pilaf, boiled eggs, prepared meat, sausages, pasta.”
4 hours ago (23:15 GMT)
Russia’s “imperial illusions” must be defeated: Ukraine
Ukrainian negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak said President Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin would only meet after the country defeated Russia in the east, which would strengthen its negotiating position.
“We are paying a very high price. But Russia needs to get rid of its imperial illusions,” he said, according to Ukraine’s Interfax news agency.
Ukrainian officials have urged civilians in the east of the country to flee. On Friday, officials said more than 50 people were killed in a rocket attack on a train station in the Donetsk region’s town of Kramatorsk, where thousands of people had gathered to evacuate.
5 hours ago (22:38 GMT)
“Never bullied again,” says the British Prime Minister, offering guns
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has offered financial and military support during a surprise visit to Ukraine.
At a meeting in Kyiv, Johnson told President Zelensky that Britain would provide armored vehicles and anti-ship missile systems, as well as additional support for World Bank loans.
The support is intended to ensure that “Ukraine can never again be bullied, never again be blackmailed, never again be threatened in the same way,” Johnson said.
5 hours ago (22:38 GMT)
“Hard fight” ahead, warns the President of Ukraine
Ukraine is ready for a tough battle with Russian forces massing in the east of the country, says Zelenskyy.
The Ukrainian leader met with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer in Kiev and warned in a joint press conference that while the threat to the capital has receded, it is increasing in the east.
“It’s going to be a tough fight, we believe in this fight and in our victory. We are ready to fight and look for diplomatic ways to end this war at the same time,” said Zelenskyy.
6 hours ago (20:55 GMT)
Ukraine says 4,532 people have been evacuated from cities
A total of 4,532 people were evacuated through humanitarian corridors from Ukrainian cities on Saturday, according to a senior official, fewer than the 6,665 who fled on Friday.
Kyrylo Tymoshenko, Deputy Head of Ukraine’s Presidential Administration, announced this in an online post.
7 hours ago (20:41 GMT)
Five dead in shelling in eastern Ukraine: Governor of Donetsk
Russian shelling has killed five civilians and wounded five others in two eastern Ukrainian cities, the local governor said on Telegram.
“Today five people were killed after Russian shelling in Donetsk region,” Donetsk Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko wrote on Telegram. Four of them died in the city of Vuhledar and one in the city of Nowomykhalivka, he added.
7 hours ago (20:30 GMT)
YouTube blocks Russian Parliament channel
YouTube has blocked Duma TV, which broadcasts from Russia’s lower house of parliament, prompting an angry reaction from officials who said the world’s most popular streaming service could face restrictions in response.
On Saturday, a message on YouTube said that the Duma channel was “terminated for violating YouTube’s terms of service.”
YouTube, owned by Alphabet Inc.’s GOOGL.O, was pressured by Russia’s communications regulator Roskomnadzor, and officials were quick to respond.
Here you will find the news updates from April 9th.