The most important information at noon
- Pope Francis on Sunday called on “those who bear the responsibilities of nations” to hear “the people’s cry for peace” in this “Easter of War,” referring to “martyred” Ukraine.
- Moscow claims to control Mariupol, and the Russian Defense Ministry has urged the last Ukrainian militants holed up in the Azovstal metallurgical complex in that city to stop fighting.
- Ukrainian authorities have announced the suspension of humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians from eastern Ukraine due to a failure to reach an agreement with the Russian army to cease fire.
- Russian attacks were witnessed near Kyiv on Sunday, where a military factory came under fire as the Russians said they were stepping up attacks on the capital.
12:13 p.m.: The Pope calls for hearing the cry of peace on this Easter of War
Pope Francis this Sunday called “those who bear the responsibilities of nations” to “hear the cry of peace of the peoples” in this “Easter of War”, recalling the “martyred” Ukraine.
“We have seen too much blood, too much violence (…) Let’s stop showing our muscles while the people are suffering,” the high priest began at his traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing in front of around 50,000 believers in St. Peter’s Square Rome.
10.40 a.m .: Draghi complains about the ineffectiveness of the dialogue with Putin
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi regrets the apparent ineffectiveness of the “dialogue” with Vladimir Putin and notes that these contacts did not prevent the “grey” from staying in Ukraine. “I’m starting to think that those who say ‘it’s pointless for you to talk to him, you’re wasting time’ are right,” Mario Draghi said in an interview with the daily Il Corriere della Sera published on Sunday.
I have always defended (Emmanuel) Macron and I continue to say that as the current President of the EU he is right to try all possible avenues of dialogue. But I have the impression that the horror of the war with its slaughter, with what they have done to children and women, is completely independent of statements and phone calls between the Kremlin and foreign powers, he added.
10:32 a.m.: Russia claims to have “destroyed” a military factory near Kyiv
Russia’s Defense Ministry announced on Sunday that it had bombed a military factory on the outskirts of Kyiv as Moscow intensified its attacks on the Ukrainian capital. “Overnight, high-precision missiles fired from planes destroyed a munitions factory near Brovary in the Kyiv region,” the ministry said in a statement on its Telegram channel.
9:57 a.m.: No humanitarian corridor this Sunday due to lack of agreement with the Russians
Ukrainian authorities on Sunday announced the suspension of humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians from eastern Ukraine due to a failure to reach an agreement with the Russian army to cease fire. This morning we did not manage to negotiate a ceasefire with the occupying forces on the evacuation routes. For this reason, unfortunately, we will not open humanitarian corridors today,” Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk told Telegram.
9:35 a.m.: Shelling took place in Brovary near Kyiv
Explosions were heard in the early hours of Sunday in the Kyiv region. A rocket attack would have hit infrastructure in the town of Brovary near the Ukrainian capital, the mayor of Brovary said in a message published on the Internet. This bombardment is said to have damaged a plant and a power plant.
09:34 Gazprom says it will continue gas exports to Europe via Ukraine
Russian gas producer Gazprom said in a press release that it will continue to supply natural gas to Europe via Ukraine, in line with the requirements of its European customers. This requirement for April 17 amounted to 57 million cubic meters, Gazprom added.
8:19 am: Russia claims to control Mariupol
Moscow claimed to control almost the entire city of Mariupol and again ordered its last defenders to lay down their arms. The Russian Defense Ministry has ordered the last Ukrainian militants holed up in the Azovstal metallurgical complex to cease fighting this Sunday and evacuate the site. “All those who have given up their guns will have their lives saved,” the ministry assured on Telegram. “It’s her only chance.” Apart from this pocket of resistance, “the entire territory of the city of Mariupol was cleared of fighters of the Nazi Azov formation, foreign mercenaries and Ukrainian soldiers,” he said.
Early on Sunday morning, the Ukrainian general staff stated that the city had been attacked from the air by the Russians from the Donestk and Tavriya regions. “They also conducted offensive operations near the port,” he said in a statement, but without mentioning the call to lay down arms or Russia’s claim to take most of the city.
7:53 a.m .: Russia releases video supposed to show survivors of the cruiser Moskva
The Russian Defense Ministry on Saturday released a video purporting to show a meeting between the chief of the Navy and survivors of the cruiser Moskva that sank in the Black Sea. In this approximately 30-second video, we see a few dozen men in sailor uniforms standing at attention in front of Navy Chief Nikolaï Yévménov. These are the first images we have seen of suspected crew members of the Moskva since she sank on Thursday.
Russia claims that this flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet sank after a fire caused by the explosion of ammunition. Ukraine claims to have sunk it with rockets.
This content is blocked because you have not accepted trackers.
By clicking on “I accept” the trackers are stored and you can view the content.
By clicking “I accept all tracers”, you authorize deposits of tracers to store your data on our websites and applications for the purpose of personalization and targeted advertising.
I accept I accept all tracers
7:08 am: An “inhumane” situation in Mariupol
The situation in the strategic port of Mariupol is “inhuman”, the Ukrainian President said on Saturday evening and called on the West to “immediately” provide the heavy weapons that he has been demanding for weeks, while Russia says it controls almost all of the city and sets up one new appeal to the last defenders to lay down their arms.
The situation in Mariupol remains as serious as it gets
7 a.m.: Funeral of a Russian general in Saint Petersburg
General Vladimir Frolov, deputy commander of Russia’s 8th Army, was buried in Saint Petersburg on Saturday, Russian sites Fontanka and Kommersant report. His funeral took place at the Serafimovsky Cemetery in the presence of Alexander Beglov, the governor of Saint Petersburg.
A special flight to Roissy to repatriate 137 Russians expelled from France
A special flight chartered by Russia took off from Roissy airport on Saturday to repatriate 137 passengers expelled by France, a sanction that is part of a European approach. Some are accused of espionage.
You can read all the details about this in our article here.
6:48 a.m.: An ovation for the Ukrainian team during the Invictus Games in the presence of Prince Harry
Britain’s Prince Harry opened the Invictus Games, games for injured soldiers, in a moving ceremony on Saturday, praising the bravery of the Ukrainian team in the Netherlands.
“Your courage and decision to come and be here cannot be overstated,” the prince told the Ukrainian team from a boomerang-shaped stage. The team told the Prince the day before that they “came onto this world stage not just to show our strength, but to speak our truth,” Harry said.
Meghan, who was present on stage, also expressed her support for the Ukrainian team. “Slava Ukraine! (Glory to Ukraine!) she said.
Zelenskyy threatens to stop negotiations if Russia “eliminates” the last Ukrainian soldiers in Mariupol
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday threatened to end peace talks with Russia if the Russian army initiates the “annihilation” of the last Ukrainian soldiers in the besieged port city of Mariupol.
6:47 am: Zelenskyy calls on the world to “prepare” for a possible nuclear attack.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the world to “prepare” for a possible use of its nuclear weapons by Russia during an interview with several Ukrainian media outlets on Saturday.
We should not wait for Russia to decide to use its nuclear weapons. We need to prepare for that, he said in the interview, which was broadcast on Telegram by six Ukrainian news sites and the Ukrainian Presidency.
We need “medicines (against radiation), bomb shelters,” he said. We have to talk to them, sign contracts, take economic action. (The Russians) can use any weapon, I’m sure. »
Visactu infographic
What to remember from Saturday
• In particular, a military equipment factory producing tanks was bombed in Darnytsky, on the outskirts of Kyiv.
• Russian troops hit an oil refinery in Lysyhansk, a city near the front line in eastern Ukraine. A long black plume of smoke could be seen.
• A special plane chartered by Moscow took off from Roissy Airport to bring back to Russia nearly 140 Russian nationals expelled from France.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that the “elimination” of the last Ukrainian soldiers in the port city of Mariupol, which is besieged by Russian forces, would “end” all peace talks with Moscow.
• Russia sent a formal complaint to the United States, warning the US administration of “unpredictable consequences” after the sharp increase in military aid to Ukraine.
• British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and several other senior British officials will be banned from entering Russia in retaliation for the sanctions imposed.
• The Ukrainian President estimates the number of Ukrainian soldiers who died during the war at around 2,500 to 3,000, while Russia says the number of victims is 19,000 to 20,000.
6:45am: Hey everyone, welcome to this live where we will be following the situation surrounding the conflict in Ukraine this Sunday April 17th, the 53rd day of the Russian invasion.