Battle for Donbas

According to a report, a pivotal battle for eastern Ukraine is underway. Reportedly, the uk armed forces minister said it is not inevitable that Russia will take parts of eastern Donbas. According to a report, the u.s. and nato are rushing to get artillery and heavy weaponry to that area in time to make a difference. Reportedly, the russian president has cited nato expansion and the risk that Kyiv could join the alliance as reason for the conflict which has been described by the russian foreign minister as a nato proxy war. According to reports, in recent days Ukraine has fired on logistic targets in russian territory including a fuel depot in the western city of Bryansk, about 100 kilometres from the Ukraine border.

Reportedly, Russia’s invasion has worried several countries in eastern europe who fear they could be next. According to reports, securing southern Ukraine would open the door to the Moldovian separatist region of Transnistria. Moldova is not a member of nato. Article 11 of the constitution of Moldova proclaims its permanent neutrality.

Reportedly, in recent days Ukraine has fired on russian territory, including a fuel depot in the western city of Bryansk, about 100 kilometres from the Ukraine border.

No humanitarian corridor

According to a report, Russia announced the existence of a humanitarian corridor for evacuating civilians from the Azovstal steel plant where an estimated 1,000 citizens are hiding with 2,000 ukrainian fighters. Reportedly, Ukraine refused to agree, saying the u.n. should be the initiator and guarantor of any such deal. According to the report, Russia who have been attacking the largest steel plant in europe from the air and with artillery and tanks. have destroyed an oil refinery and fuel depots in central Ukraine along with 56 overnight targets .

Reportedly, the u.s. secretary of state and defence secretary visited Kyiv on Sunday, saying the fact they were able to come to Ukraine’s capital was proof of its tenacity in forcing Moscow to abandon an assault on Kyiv last month. According to the report, the two pledged further assistance worth €713 million to Ukraine and other countries in the region.

Goal to occupy eastern and southern Ukraine

Reportedly, Moscow wants to take full control over southern Ukraine. According to the report, the deputy commander of Russia’s central military district was quoted as saying that full control over southern Ukraine would give Russia access to Transnistria, described as a breakaway Moldovian state. Reportedly, this would mean pushing hundreds of miles from the front line through Mikolaiv and Odesa and would cut off Ukraine’s entire coastline, the goal being occupation of eastern and southern Ukraine.

According to the report, Ukraine’s general staff said Russia had increased attacks in the east. Reportedly, Russia said its forces had captured a large arms depot in the Kharkiv region, north of Donbas and hit dozens of targets in the Kharkiv and Donestk region.

Russian forces advancing in Donbas

According to a report, Russia launched dozens of airstrikes across eastern Ukraine on Monday night, followed by thousands of russian troops advancing in Donbas. Reportedly, russian attacks on cities across Ukraine show their intent to disrupt the movement of forces to the east. According to the report, Ukraine said they halted evacuation from frontline towns and cities in the east for two days.

Reportedly, Russia who gave ukrainian fighters holding out in Mariupol a new ultimatum to surrender by 2 pm Moscow time Wednesday were hitting the Avoztal steel plant, the main remaining stronghold in Mariupol with bunker buster bombs, a type of munition designed to hit targets deep underground. According to the report, Russia said they hit a logistics centre holding large batches of foreign weaponry delivered to Ukraine over the past six days. Reportedly, the u.s., Canada and the uk said they would send more artillery weaponry, and the u.s. are expected to announce a new military aid package following last weeks $800 million package.

Clashes on Temple mount

According to a report, 170 people have been injured since Friday in clashes on the Temple Mount in the al Aqsa mosque compound. Reportedly, the clashes which coincided with the Jewish passover and the month of ramadam resulted in Jewish worshipers leaving the site on Sunday morning protected by police. According to the report, police said early on Sunday morning hundreds of Palestinian protesters inside the mosque compound started gathering piles of stones. Reportedly, police entered the mosque compound to remove protestors and establish order.

According to reports, the Temple mount is considered the holiest place in Judaism. Reportedly, the al Aqsa mosque compound which houses the dome of the rock and the Masjid al Aqsa mosque, originally built by sunni muslims during the 7th and 8th Centuries contains the original site of the holy Temple of Jerusalem, of which the western wall, an extension of the second temple built by king Herod still stands.

Humanitarian law violations

According to a report, the presidents of four eastern european countries have visited Kyiv in a show of support for Ukraine. Reportedly, the presidents of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland who planned to discuss allegations into russian war crimes visited Berodyanka in the Bucha region. According to the report, a report commissioned by the organisation for security and cooperation in europe, published April 13 said it found clear patterns of humanitarian law violations committed by both Russia and Ukraine, but those committed by Russia far larger in scale and nature. Reportedly, Ukraine who have acknowledged there could be isolated incidents of violations have said it will investigate.

$800 million of military assistance

According to a report, the u.s. are to send $800 million of military assistance to Ukraine to bolster its defensive in the east. Reportedly, the new package of assistance will contain many of the highly effective weapons systems already provided.

According to the report, the ukrainian deputy defence minister said it was possible that phosphorus munitions had been used in Mariupol. Reportedly, phosphorus munitions are not classed as chemical weapons but are banned in civilian areas where firing would expose people to fumes and could breach the chemical weapons convention.

According to a report, russian missile strikes hit Kyiv and other cities on Saturday. Reportedly, the retreat of russian troops from towns around Kyiv have exposed the killing and execution of civilians, including women.

War in Ukraine

According to a report, Kyiv was hit by powerful explosions on Friday. Reportedly, Russia has warned missile strikes will increase, including on Kyiv following attacks and sabotage by ukrainian forces within Russia’s borders. According to the report, russians claim they have hit 13 military facilities in different areas and shot down a ukrainian helicopter.

Reportedly, street battles are continuing in Mariupol which russian forces have not managed to capture. According to the report, nine humanitarian corridors were to be open on Friday, including Mariupol if residents drove their own vehicle.

Reportedly, Ukraine said it strook Russia’s Moskva warship on Wednesday which sunk while being towed to a port following an explosion. According to the report, Captain of the Black sea fleet Anton Kuprin died during the explosion and fire on board.

Ukraine

According to a report, the deputy prime minister of Ukraine said it was not possible to open any humanitarian corridors on Wednesday as Russia can not properly control their people on the ground. Reportedly, 1,025 soldiers surrendered in Mariupol according to the russian defence ministry. According to the report, the last ukrainian soldiers defending Mariupol said they were running out of ammunition. Reportedly, Russia said 151 wounded ukrainian soldiers have been taken to Mariupol’s city hospital.

According to a report, satellite images show tents, troops and vehicles in the village of Soloti in western Russia said to be preparing to deploy into eastern Ukraine. Reportedly, Russia’s u.s. embassy has called on Washington to stop spreading disinformation about chemical weapons.

According to the report, Ukraine’s secret services said it has detained Viktor Medvedchuk a pro russian ukrainian politician whom president Zelensky has offered to swap for prisoners of war held by Russia

Ukraine

According to a report, Ukraine warned that russian troops withdrawing from areas to the north of Kyiv are refocusing on the country’s east. Reportedly, shelling has intensified in the east and authorities have urged residents of the Donbas region to evacuate. According to reports, a missile strike outside a railway station in Donetsk killed atleast fifty people.

Reportedly, russian operations are focusing on Donbas, Mariupol and Mykolaiv. According to reports, the eu will respond to Ukraine’s application to join the eu in a matter of weeks.