According to Ukrainian sources, Russia is planning a military parade in Mariupol on May 9. According to the Ukrainian secret service, an official from the Russian presidential administration has arrived in the port city, which has been largely destroyed by weeks of fighting, to oversee the plans for the parade. Mariupol will become a center of Russia’s “Victory Day” celebrations this year – central streets of the city are already being cleaned, according to a document from the Ukrainian secret service, according to AFP.
In this regard, the mayor of Mariupol Vadym Boichenko said on Ukrainian television that “work” was going on in the city, as if the Russians were preparing something. Boichenko also spoke of fierce fighting on the site of the Azov Steel Works, the last retreat for Ukrainian soldiers in the city. According to Ukraine, Russian troops have advanced to the site of the besieged Azov steel plant in Mariupol.
Russia had recently denied a major attack on the steelworks. “There is no storming,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. “The Commander-in-Chief has publicly given the order to cease all attacks,” Peskov said, referring to an April 21 order from Russian President Vladimir Putin. Almost three weeks ago, Putin ordered the plant to be besieged – so tightly that “a fly can no longer get out”.
Threatened to attack NATO transports
As far as the further course of the war is concerned, Russia now wants to focus more on weapon transports from the West to Ukraine. The Russian military will consider NATO arms shipments in Ukraine as targets to be destroyed. Several train stations were shelled during the night.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba firmly believes that after an oil embargo, the European Union will also decide on a gas embargo against Russia. “It’s inevitable. it will come It’s just a matter of time,” Kuleba said today. He rated the oil boycott proposed by the EU Commission as a success, but criticized the transition period of six months.
The sixth package of sanctions against Russia, including an oil embargo, is to be decided this week, but several details are still open. The main point of conflict is that in addition to Hungary and Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria are also pushing for an exception, a transitional period until the end of 2023 for the purchase of Russian oil. The EU also wants to put the Russian Orthodox Patriarch on the sanctions list. Kyrill has been a staunch ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin for decades and fully supports the war of aggression against Ukraine.
Debate: What resources does the West have?
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been at war in Ukraine for several weeks, and there is no end in sight. Solidarity with Ukraine welds Europe and the USA together. What means does the West have to end the war? What are the consequences of alleged crimes against civilians? What could a political solution look like?
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