4:10 p.m. ET, May 13, 2023
It’s almost midnight in Kiev. Here’s what you should know:
By CNN staffers Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Rome on Saturday, where he met with his Italian counterpart, the Italian Prime Minister and Pope Francis.
If you’re just getting up to speed, here’s what you should know:
Zelenskyy’s visit to Italy: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke with Italian President Sergio Mattarella on Saturday about “the war and the meaning of Ukraine’s victory,” according to Zelenskyy’s chief of staff. Zelenskyy then arrived at the Vatican to meet Pope Francis, where the two discussed the humanitarian and political situation in Ukraine caused by the ongoing war, the Vatican said. During the meeting, the Pope assured “his constant prayer” for peace and stressed the need for “human gestures” towards the victims of war. And after what Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described as a “long and fruitful” meeting with Zelenskyy, she pledged unwavering support to Ukraine and said Italy was ready to support its partnership with NATO.
When asked by the Italian media about the eagerly awaited counter-offensive against Russian troops, Zelenskyy said:
“We believe in victory and believe that the first important steps will soon be taken.”
Russian attacks. At least 21 people were injured and two others hospitalized in the western Khmelnytskyi region of Ukraine after Russian attacks early Saturday morning, according to the deputy head of the regional military administration. The Ukrainian Air Force said on Saturday that 17 out of 21 Russian drones had been intercepted by its air defense system overnight. And in the eastern city of Kostyantynivka, Russian shelling killed two people – including a 15-year-old girl – and wounded 10 others, the Donetsk region prosecutor’s office said in a Telegram post.
Explosions in Luhansk. A day after the city was hit by two rockets, an explosion was heard Saturday morning in the suburbs of the eastern city of Luhansk, which is occupied by Russian forces and a key hub for the invasion of Moscow. The blast occurred around 10 a.m. local time in the village of Yubileiny, Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti reported.
Here is the latest control chart: