Rome, May 1st, 2022 – That’s not all war in Ukrainenow reached day number 67. As well as the attacks of the Russian missiles, which did not stop yesterday destroyed a runway at Odessa Airport. New satellite images show debris from buildings in the complexAzovstal Steelworks out of Mariupol, where a first group of about twenty civilians, including women and children, managed to evacuate while hundreds of soldiers and other civilians remain trapped inside. And mayor Vadym Boychenko denounces on Telegram: “In two years, the Nazis have killed about 10,000 civilians in Mariupol. The Russian occupiers killed 20,000 in two months. Over 40,000 people have been forcibly displaced.”
Copenhagen denounced Violation of Danish airspace by a Russian reconnaissance plane and summoned the Russian ambassador on the matter. “The Russian ambassador will be summoned to the Foreign Ministry tomorrow. Another Russian violation of Danish airspace. This is totally unacceptable and of particular concern in the current situation,” Jeppe Kofod, head of Danish diplomacy, wrote on Twitter. The incident happened on Friday evening when a Russian reconnaissance plane flew into Danish airspace east of Bornholm (Danish Baltic Sea island) before invading Swedish airspace, with the last part of the episode announced by the Swedish defense yesterday. “Completely unacceptable” episode according to Stockholm Swedish Defense Minister Hultqvist.
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Blocked diplomacy
Nothing is moving on the diplomatic front, however. That President Volodymir Zelenskyy he returned to the statement that “Ukraine will be free” and that “all temporarily occupied cities” will again fly the Ukrainian flag. His foreign minister Dmitry KulebaIn an interview with Xinhua, he called on China to become part of a group of countries guaranteeing the peace process, but stressed that “Kiev’s sovereignty must be restored.”
L’European Unionfor its part, is preparing to introduce a sixth package of sanctions that could include a reduction in gas and oil imports. and in Kyiv has also arrived Nancy Pelosi. The Speaker of the US House of Representatives met Zelenskyy. “We make this visit to thank you for your fight for freedom. Your fight is for everyone. Our obligation is to be here until the fight is over,” he said in a video posted to Twitter by the Ukrainian president himself. “Let me speak for myself. Don’t let bullies intimidate you, if they threaten you can’t back down. We are for the fight, and one cannot bow to a tyrant‘ he said at the press conference.
Russian threats
New threats to the West are emerging from Moscow. Corresponding Chairman of the Duma (Parliament), Vyacheslav Volodin, Russia should react symmetrically to the freezing of Russian assets by “unfriendly nations” by confiscating their assets located in Russia, i.e. companies. “It is fair to reflect the action taken against those companies in Russia whose owners are from unfriendly countries where similar action has been taken: by confiscating those properties,” he wrote on Twitter.
Ports closed, the ruble circulates in Kherson
The Kyiv government ordered it closure of ports Berdyansk, Mariupol, Kherson and Skadovsk “until control is restored” over these cities. Meanwhile, Moscow has released a video claiming to have evidence of an attack by Ukrainian nationalists in the Kherson region; it would have targeted a school and kindergarten with dead and wounded. According to British military intelligence, the ruble is to start circulating in the city and throughout the territory occupied by Russia from today.
Pope asks for corridors for Mariupol
Pope Francis asked for humanitarian corridors for Mariupol. “Today begins the month dedicated to Our Lady. I would like to invite all believers and communities to pray the Rosary for Peace every day in May. My thoughts immediately go to the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, the barbaric city that is bombing and destroying Maria,” he told Regina Coeli the appeal.