– Russia turns attention to Donbas –
In a potentially significant shift, the Russian army says the first phase of its military campaign in Ukraine is over and troops will now focus on the complete “liberation” of the eastern Donbas region.
“The combat potential of Ukraine’s armed forces has been significantly reduced, which allows (us)… to focus our main efforts on achieving the main goal — the liberation of Donbas,” a senior representative of the General Staff, Sergei Rudskoi, says.
– Mariupol operation – –
French President Emmanuel Macron says that France is working with Turkey and Greece on a “humanitarian operation” to evacuate people from the devastated city of Mariupol.
Earlier Ukrainian officials in the strategic port city said around 300 people could have died in last week’s Russian strike on a theatre where hundreds were sheltering.
– Biden in Poland –
US President Joe Biden meets US soldiers stationed in Poland close to the border and aid workers helping to deal with the massive refugee crisis caused by the conflict in Ukraine.
He compares Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to China’s crushing of protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989, and says he thinks President Vladimir Putin is a “war criminal”.
– Fighting in Kherson –
Ukrainian forces have launched a counter-offensive in Kherson, the country’s only major city seized by Russian troops, and it is once again “contested”, a senior US defence official says.
– Ukrainian command centre hit –
Russian missiles hit a military command centre in the city of Vinnytsia in central Ukraine, Kyiv officials say, adding it is unknown if there were any casualties.
It posts an image on Telegram of the alleged centre in rubble and says missiles hit “several buildings, causing significant damage to infrastructure”.
– Talks ‘very difficult’ –
Ukraine says that talks with Moscow are “very difficult” and vows not to back down on its demands.
“We insist, first of all, on a ceasefire, security guarantees, and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says.
Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky says there was little progress at the talks saying “on major political issues we are actually marking time”.
– No US chemical strike –
The US has “no intention” of using chemical weapons under any circumstance even if Russia uses such weapons in Ukraine, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan says.
– Russia puts losses at 1,351 –
Russia’s army has put its official losses in Ukraine to date at 1,351 soldiers, adding it has evacuated more than 400,000 civilians.
Ukraine and Western intelligence say it is many thousands more.
– Putin signs ‘fake’ news law –
Putin signs into law a bill introducing jail terms of up to 15 years for publishing “fake” information about Russia’s actions abroad.
– EU targets Russian energy –
The US and EU announce a task force aimed at reducing Europe’s reliance on Russian fossil fuels.
And Germany says it is drastically slashing energy purchases from Russia, with oil imports to be halved by June and coal deliveries to end by the autumn.
– Russia says hits key fuel storage site –
Russia says it has destroyed Ukraine’s largest remaining military fuel storage site in a Kalibr cruise missile strike.
Further east, Russian strikes targeting a medical facility in Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv kill four civilians and wound several others, police say.
