Live updates: Governor: ‘Colossal losses’ in Ukrainian city

LVIV, Ukraine — The northern Ukrainian metropolis of Chernihiv has skilled “colossal losses and destruction” amid heavy bombardment from Russian artillery and air strikes, governor Viacheslav Chaus stated Thursday.

Chaus instructed Ukrainian TV that the our bodies of 53 folks “killed by the Russian aggressor from the bottom or from the air” had been delivered to metropolis morgues over the previous 24 hours.

The Ukrainian Common Prosecutor’s Workplace stated Wednesday 10 folks had been killed in Chernihiv whereas standing in line for bread. Russia has denied involvement.

Chaus stated civilians had been hiding in basements and shelters with out entry to utilities within the metropolis of 280,000 folks.

“The town has by no means recognized such nightmarish, colossal losses and destruction,” he stated.

Chernihiv, which is near the borders with Belarus and Russia, was among the many first Ukrainian cities to come back beneath assault from Russian forces when the invasion started three weeks in the past.

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KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:

— Russian airstrike hit Mariupol theater the place tons of had been sheltering; casualties unclear

— U.N. Safety Council to satisfy forward of vote on Russian humanitarian decision

— Biden flatly calls Putin a struggle prison, however investigations for figuring out which have solely begun

— Low-cost however deadly Turkish drones bolster Ukraine’s defenses

— Palestinians with Ukraine ties empathize with victims of struggle

— Zelenskyy unites Republicans and Democrats 2 years after that includes in US impeachment

— Go to https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine for extra protection

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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS TODAY:

LONDON — A Ukrainian lawmaker says there are experiences of accidents however not deaths in a strike on a theater in Mariupol the place tons of of civilians had been taking shelter.

Lesia Vasylenko stated between 1,000 and 1,500 folks had been sheltering on the theater when it was hit by an airstrike, and known as the assault the deliberate “destruction of a refuge.”

Vayslenko, an opposition lawmaker who’s a part of a delegation visiting the British Parliament, stated native officers report that 80-90% of all buildings in Mariupol have been broken within the relentless Russian assault.

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PRAGUE — Czech Republic’s Prime Minister Petr Fiala says his nation is struggling to assist greater than 200,000 refugees arriving from Ukraine.

Fiala stated Thursday some 270,000 refugees, most of them kids and girls, have arrived within the Czech Republic, an EU and NATO member that doesn’t border Ukraine, prior to now three weeks. “We’ve to confess that we’re on the very fringe of what we will take in with out main issues,” he stated.

The federal government is taking steps corresponding to serving to refugees achieve long run residency and entry to well being care and schooling for kids. Its parliament is debating a plan for the refugees to have the ability to get a job with no need any work allow.

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WARSAW, Poland — Britain’s protection secretary says his nation will deploy a missile protection system to NATO ally Poland in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Throughout a go to to the Polish capital, Protection Secretary Ben Wallace stated the UK is sending the Sky Sabre medium-range anti-air missile system to Poland with about 100 personnel. He stated the transfer is “to be sure that we stand alongside Poland in defending her airspace from any additional aggression from Russia.”

The choice comes days after Russian missiles struck a army base in Yavoriv, Ukraine, only a few miles from the border with Poland.

The British promise of army assist additionally comes as almost 2 million of the greater than 3 million refugees to flee Ukraine have arrived in Poland.

“As a NATO ally and a really previous ally, it is extremely proper that Britain stands by Poland as Poland carries a lot of the burden of the consequence of this struggle and stands tall and courageous to face as much as the threats from Russia,” Wallace stated.

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MOSCOW — Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says Moscow rejects the ruling of the Worldwide Courtroom of Justice that ordered Russia to halt its operation in Ukraine.

Throughout his day by day convention name with reporters, Peskov famous that either side have to agree on implementing the ruling, and on Russia’s facet “there might be no consent.”

Peskov additionally stated that talks between Russia and Ukraine will proceed on Thursday in some type. “I don’t know if they’re already underway or not, however they need to be as we speak, in a single route or one other,” Peskov stated.

The Kremlin spokesman harassed that the Russian delegation is able to work 24/7 and claimed that “sadly, we don’t see the identical zeal on Ukrainian facet.”

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VILNIUS, Lithuania — Lithuania’s parliament has unanimously adopted a decision calling for a no-fly zone over Ukraine, becoming a member of international locations together with Estonia and Slovenia within the attraction.

The decision stated a no-fly zone would enable United Nations peacekeepers to make sure the safety of humanitarian corridors and the protection of Ukraine’s nuclear energy vegetation and nuclear waste storage services.

NATO has categorically dominated out any position for the army alliance in organising and policing a no-fly zone over Ukraine to guard in opposition to Russian airstrikes on Ukraine. On Wednesday, NATO Secretary-Common Jens Stoltenberg stated “this could grow to be even worse if NATO (takes) actions that truly turned this right into a full-fledged struggle between NATO and Russia.”

Prime Minister Janez Jansa of Slovenia has publicly known as for a no-fly zone and Estonia’s Parliament additionally has urged its 29 NATO companions to contemplate the identical.

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BEIJING — A Chinese language Commerce Ministry official says Beijing will take “mandatory measures” to guard Chinese language corporations from actions by different governments associated to sanctions in opposition to Russia.

The remark was in response to questions on a U.S. warning of “penalties” for any strikes by Chinese language corporations to skirt such sanctions.

Ministry spokesman Gao Feng stated China opposes any type of unilateral sanctions and “long-arm jurisdiction” and not using a foundation in worldwide legislation.

“The imposition of financial sanctions is not going to solely fail to unravel safety issues, however can even hurt the conventional lives of the folks within the related international locations, disrupt the worldwide market, and make the already slowing world financial system even worse,” Gao stated Thursday.

He stated China will take mandatory measures to safeguard the conventional commerce pursuits and bonafide rights and pursuits of Chinese language corporations. He gave no particulars.

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Ukrainian refugees arriving in Sweden shall be provided COVID-19 pictures, the Swedish authorities stated Thursday.

Social Affairs Minister Lena Hallengren stated simply over a 3rd of Ukraine’s inhabitants has obtained two doses of the vaccine. “It’s of the utmost significance that as many as potential who come as refugees to Sweden get vaccinated as quickly as potential,” she stated.

“It’s about defending oneself but additionally about strengthening Sweden,” she added.

Earlier this month, Swedish authorities estimated that about 4,000 Ukrainian refugees arrive in Sweden daily.

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LVIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s workplace says Russia carried out additional airstrikes on the besieged port metropolis of Mariupol early on Thursday morning.

Zelenskyy’s workplace didn’t report casualties for the most recent strikes. They arrive amid rescue efforts within the metropolis after a theater the place tons of had been sheltering was destroyed Wednesday in what Ukrainian authorities say was a Russian air strike.

“Persons are escaping from Mariupol by themselves utilizing their very own transport,” Zelenskyy’s workplace stated, including the “danger of demise stays excessive” due to Russian forces beforehand firing on civilians.

The presidential workplace additionally reported artillery and air strikes across the nation in a single day, together with within the Kalynivka and Brovary suburbs of the capital, Kyiv. It stated preventing continues as Russian forces attempt to enter the Ukraine-held metropolis of Mykolaiv within the south and that there was an artillery barrage by the evening within the jap city of Avdiivka.

Ukraine says Russian forces are more and more resorting to artillery and air strikes as their advance stalls.

The Ukrainian Common Employees says “the enemy, with out success in its floor operation, continues to hold out rocket and bomb assaults on infrastructure and extremely populated areas of Ukrainian cities.”

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BANGKOK — A U.N. company is warning that the battle in Ukraine is prone to hinder entry to meals and gas for lots of the world’s most susceptible folks.

A report by the United Nations Convention on Commerce and Improvement notes that Russia accounted for almost a 3rd of wheat imports for Africa, or $3.7 billion, in 2018-2020, whereas 12%, price $1.4 billion, got here from Ukraine.

The report stated preliminary assessments level to a “substantive discount” in entry to meals and gas regardless of efforts to forestall disruptions of provides of key commodities corresponding to wheat. In the meantime, rising prices for delivery and for grains and different staple meals is pushing costs greater, hitting poorest folks the toughest, the report says.

The report stated as much as 25 African international locations, particularly the least developed economies, relied on wheat imports from Russia and Ukraine. The dearth of spare capability in Africa limits the power of these international locations to offset any misplaced provides, whereas surging prices for fertilizer shall be an additional burden for farmers.

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BERLIN — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Germany of placing its financial system earlier than his nation’s safety within the run-up to the Russian invasion.

In an deal with to Germany’s parliament Thursday, Zelenskyy criticized the German authorities’s assist for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline undertaking meant to convey pure gasoline from Russia. Ukraine and others had opposed the undertaking, warning that it endangered Ukrainian and European safety.

Zelenskyy additionally famous Germany’s hesitancy when it got here to imposing a few of the hardest sanctions on Russia for concern it may damage the German financial system.

The Ukrainian president known as on Germany to not let a brand new wall divide Europe, urging assist for his nation’s membership of NATO and the European Union.

He additionally known as for extra assist for his nation, saying 1000’s of individuals have been killed within the struggle that began virtually a month in the past, together with 108 kids.

Referring to the dire state of affairs within the besieged metropolis of Mariupol, he stated: “Every thing is a goal for them,” together with “a theater the place tons of of individuals discovered shelter that was flattened yesterday.”

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LONDON — Britain’s protection ministry says Russia’s invasion of Ukraine “has largely stalled on all fronts” amid stiff Ukrainian resistance.

The Ministry of Defence says Russian forces have made “minimal progress” on land, sea or air in current days, and are struggling heavy losses.

In an intelligence replace on social media. It says Ukrainian resistance stays “staunch and well-coordinated.” It says most of Ukraine’s territory, together with all main cities, stays in Ukraine’s fingers.

Earlier, U.Okay. protection officers stated Russia had in all probability used up “much more stand-off air launched weapons than initially deliberate” throughout its three-week invasion, and was resorting to older, much less exact weapons extra prone to trigger civilian casualties.

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KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian officers say the standing of individuals sheltering in a theater in Mariupol continues to be unsure as a result of the doorway was beneath the rubble attributable to a Russian airstrike.

Pavlo Kyrylenko, head of the Donetsk regional administration, stated on Telegram on Wednesday night that “a number of hundred” residents of Mariupol had been sheltering within the Drama Theater. He rejected the claims by the Russian army that the Azov battalion was headquartered within the theater, stressing that “solely civilians” had been in it when it was struck earlier Wednesday.

Kyrylenko stated the airstrike additionally hit the Neptune swimming pool complicated. “Now there are pregnant ladies and girls with kids beneath the rubble there. It’s pure terrorism!” the official stated.

Not less than as lately as Monday, the pavement exterior the once-elegant theater was marked with large white letters spelling out “CHILDREN” in Russian, in keeping with pictures launched by the Maxar house expertise firm.

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LVIV, Ukraine — Russian forces freed the mayor of the Ukrainian metropolis of Melitopol in trade for 9 of their captured conscripts, an official from Ukraine’s presidential workplace stated Wednesday.

Kyiv accused the Russians of kidnapping Mayor Ivan Fedorov a few week in the past. Surveillance video confirmed him being marched out of metropolis corridor apparently surrounded by Russian troopers.

Residents of Melitopol, a metropolis in southeast presently beneath Russian management, have been protesting to demand his launch.

Daria Zarivna, spokeswoman of the top of Ukraine’s president’s workplace, stated Wednesday that Fedorov has been launched from captivity, and Russia “received 9 of its captive troopers, born in 2002-2003, virtually kids, conscripts Russia’s Protection Ministry stated weren’t there.”

Moscow initially denied sending conscripts to struggle in Ukraine, however later the Russian army admitted that some conscripts have been concerned within the offensive and even received captured by Ukrainian forces.

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UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. Safety Council will meet Thursday on the request of six Western nations that sought an open session on Ukraine forward of an anticipated vote on a Russian humanitarian decision that they’ve sharply criticized for making no point out of Moscow’s struggle in opposition to its smaller neighbor.

“Russia is committing struggle crimes and focusing on civilians. Russia’s unlawful struggle on Ukraine is a risk to us all,” tweeted the U.N. mission of the UK, one of many six international locations that requested the assembly.

Russia circulated a proposed Safety Council decision Tuesday that might demand safety for civilians “in susceptible conditions” in Ukraine and secure passage for humanitarian help and folks in search of to depart the nation however with out mentioning the struggle or the events involved.

The decision is predicted to be voted on by the council Friday.

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LVIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian and Russian delegations held talks once more Wednesday by video.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s adviser Mikhailo Podolyak stated Ukraine demanded a cease-fire, the withdrawal of Russian troops and authorized safety ensures for Ukraine from quite a lot of international locations.

“That is potential solely by direct dialogue” between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, he stated on Twitter.

An official in Zelenskyy’s workplace instructed The Related Press the principle topic beneath dialogue was whether or not Russian troops would stay in separatist areas in jap Ukraine after the struggle and the place the borders could be.

Simply earlier than the struggle, Russia acknowledged the independence of two areas managed by Russian-backed separatists since 2014. It additionally prolonged the borders of these areas to areas Ukraine had continued to carry, together with Mariupol, a port metropolis now beneath siege.

The official, talking on situation of anonymity to debate the delicate talks, stated Ukraine was insisting on the inclusion of a number of Western nuclear powers within the negotiations and on the signing of a legally binding doc with safety ensures for Ukraine. In trade, the official stated, Ukraine was prepared to debate a impartial standing.

Russia has demanded that NATO pledge by no means to confess Ukraine to the alliance or station forces there.

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Related Press author Yuras Karmanau in Lviv contributed to this report.

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PANAMA CITY — Three Panama-flagged ships have been hit by Russian missiles within the Black Sea throughout Russia’s struggle in Ukraine and one sank, Panamanian authorities stated Wednesday.

The crews of the ships “are secure,” Maritime Authority Director Noriel Araúz stated.

The ship that sank was the Helt, however Araúz didn’t say when that occurred. The others hit had been the Lord Nelson and Namura Queen. Panamanian officers beforehand stated the Namura Queen, owned by a Japanese firm and operated by a agency within the Philippines, was hit in February.

Araúz stated 10 Panama-flagged ships had been within the Black Sea, together with the three hit. Mixed they’ve about 150 crew members of varied nationalities who haven’t been allowed to depart, he stated.

“We’re in fixed communication with the ships … as a result of we all know that the Russian navy shouldn’t be letting them depart the Black Sea,”Araúz stated.

Panama leads the world in registered service provider ships and has suggested its service provider fleet to be on excessive alert in Ukrainian and Russian waters.

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