– Russia targets east, south –
The Russian army will aim to take full control over eastern and southern Ukraine, Russian news agencies quote a top general as saying.
“Since the start of the second phase of the special operation… one of the tasks of the Russian army is to establish full control over the Donbas and southern Ukraine,” Major General Rustam Minnekaev says.
He adds that this would create a “land corridor” to annexed Crimea.
– ‘Kyiv blocking Mariupol surrender’ –
Russian President Vladimir Putin accuses Kyiv of refusing to allow Ukrainian troops to surrender in the besieged port city of Mariupol.
“All servicemen of the Ukrainian armed forces, militants of the national battalions and foreign mercenaries who lay down their arms are guaranteed life, decent treatment in accordance with international law, and the provision of quality medical care,” he says, adding: “But the Kyiv regime is not allowing this opportunity to be used.”
– Russian success ‘hinges’ on Mariupol –
The success of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine depends on its ability to capture the strategic port city of Mariupol, the regional governor tells AFP.
“The enemy’s offensive operation in the south hinges on Mariupol. The enemy is trying to focus all its efforts on it,” Donetsk governor Pavlo Kyrylenko says.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Mariupol “continues to resist” despite Russian claims of capturing it after besieging it for weeks.
Kyrylenko says remaining Ukrainian forces holed up inside the sprawling Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol are “holding on” and have ammunition but are “exhausted after two months of fighting”.
– Russia ‘ready’ for truce –
Russia’s defence ministry says it is ready for a humanitarian ceasefire at the Azovstal steel plant if Kyiv’s soldiers surrender.
The ceasefire would start with the “raising of white flags” by Ukraine’s forces “along the entire perimeter or in certain areas of Azovstal”, it says.
“If such signs are observed in any part of the Azovstal metallurgical plant, Russia’s Armed Forces… will immediately stop any hostilities and provide a safe exit,” it adds.
– EU chief calls for Mariupol access –
European Council president Charles Michel says he urged Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call to allow humanitarian access to Mariupol during Orthodox Easter.
– Russian actions may be ‘war crimes’: UN –
The United Nations accuses Russia of actions in Ukraine “that may amount to war crimes”.
“Russian armed forces have indiscriminately shelled and bombed populated areas, killing civilians and wrecking hospitals, schools and other civilian infrastructure, actions that may amount to war crimes,” said Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
From the start of the war on February 24 to midnight on April 20, the UN mission has documented and verified that 2,345 civilians have been killed and 2,919 wounded, it said.
– Civilian evacuations halted –
No evacuations of civilians will take place in Ukraine on Friday as the situation on the roads is too dangerous, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk says on the Telegram messaging app.
On Thursday, some 79 people, mostly women, were evacuated on three buses from Mariupol.
– War could last to end 2023 –
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson says there is a “realistic possibility.” that fighting in Ukraine could drag on until the end of next year because of the stiff resistance to Russia’s invasion.
Johnson tells reporters in New Delhi Russia’s Vladimir Putin had made a “catastrophic blunder”.
“The only option he now has really is to continue to try to use his appalling grinding approach,” he adds.
Johnson also says the UK is considering sending tanks to Poland so that Warsaw can send its own to Ukrainian forces fighting against Russia.
– France sending heavy artillery –
France is sending several heavy artillery pieces to Ukraine, President Emmanuel Macron says.
“We are delivering significant equipment, from Milan (anti-tank missiles) to Caesar (self-propelled howitzers),” Macron tells a regional newspaper.
“I think we have to continue on this route. Always with the red line that we will not become parties to the conflict.”
– Sham referendums planned: Zelensky –
Zelensky accuses Russia in a video address of planning to “falsify” an independence referendum in the partly occupied southern regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
Kherson was the first major city to fall to Russian forces after their February 24 invasion of Ukraine.
To the north, the Russian army also controls a vast area surrounding the city of Zaporizhzhia, which remains in Ukrainian hands.
