Russia expels 40 German diplomats
Russia declared 40 diplomats “persona non grata” on Monday in retaliation for the same measure adopted by Berlin on April 4, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
“The German ambassador was handed a note about the declaration of ‘persona non grata’ to 40 members of the German diplomatic representations in Russia,” the official note says.
Washington confirms the election of Bridget Brink as Ukraine’s ambassador
The president of the United States, Joe Biden, has chosen the diplomat Bridget A. Brink as the new ambassador of Ukraine, the White House confirmed in a statement on Monday.
The US government will this week reopen its embassy in Ukraine, closed after the beginning of the Russian invasion, and Brink, who is currently the ambassador to Slovakia, will head the US diplomatic representation in Ukraine.
Bridget Brink is a career diplomat and prior to her post as ambassador to Slovakia, she held posts such as Under Secretary for Europe and Eurasia at the State Department, with responsibility for Eastern European and Caucasus affairs. She was also deputy chief of mission in Uzbekistan and Georgia.
Ukraine claims there was “no agreement” on humanitarian corridor from Azovstal to Mariupol
Ukraine said on Monday that it had not reached any agreement with Russia to create a humanitarian corridor that would allow the evacuation of civilians locked up with Ukrainian fighters in the Azovstal metallurgical complex in Mariupol, in the southeast of the country.
“Officially and publicly stated that unfortunately there is no agreement concerning a humanitarian corridor from Azovstal today,” Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk wrote on Telegram, shortly after Russia’s announcement that it would cease hostilities to allow the evacuation of civilians. .
UK says Russia has made minor progress in some areas of Ukraine
Russia has made minor gains in some areas of Ukraine since its focus on fully occupying Donbas, but lacking sufficient logistical support, Russian forces have yet to make a significant breakthrough, according to the latest intelligence report released Monday by the United Kingdom.
The Kremlin’s decision to besiege rather than attack Mariopol’s Azovstal steel plant means many Russian units remain stationed in the city, the report, released by Britain’s Defense Ministry, added.
Zelensky congratulates Macron on his re-election as French president
Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky today congratulated his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron for winning the presidential elections held in France.
“I congratulate Emmanuel Macron, a true friend of Ukraine, on his re-election!” he tweeted. Zelensky wished his counterpart “new successes for the benefit of the French people,” the Russian news agency Sputnik reported.
“I value your support and I am convinced that together we are moving towards new common victories. Towards a strong and united Europe!” he said.
kyiv: Russia continues to focus its attacks on eastern Ukraine
The Russian Army continues one more day focusing its attacks on towns in the pro-Russian regions of Lugansk and Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine, where there have been assaults and bombings of various kinds, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced on Monday in your Facebook page.
In the early hours of April 25, 2022, “the enemy continued to conduct offensive operations within the Eastern (Ukrainian) Operational Zone to defeat the Joint Forces Operations (JFO) group, gain full control over the Donetsk region and the Luhansk region,” the General Staff said.
With these attacks, Moscow intends to occupy areas of these regions and establish a route between those territories and the Crimean peninsula, in the south of the country and occupied by the Russians since 2014.
The US believes that Ukraine “can win” the war if it has “adequate equipment”
Ukraine can win the war against Russia if it has the right equipment, said Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin, returning from a trip to kyiv yesterday with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
“The first thing to win is to believe that you can win. And they are convinced that they can win,” Austin told reporters, referring to the Ukrainians. “They can win if they have good equipment, the right support,” he added after the visit during which the two officials met with Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky.
Blinken and Lloyd announced the progressive return of a US diplomatic presence in Ukraine and new military aid to kyiv, direct and indirect, of $700 million.
Russia claims to have shot down two Ukrainian drones near the border
Russia shot down two Ukrainian drones near the border with that country, in which Moscow has been conducting a military operation for more than two months, local authorities in the Kursk region said.
“The anti-aircraft defense shot down two Ukrainian drones today at 04:15 in the morning (01:15 GMT)” in the Rylsk district bordering Ukraine, the governor of the Kursk region, Romain Starovoit, said on Telegram.
“There are no deaths or injuries, no material damage. The situation is completely under control,” he added.
Russia announces ceasefire in Mariupol to evacuate civilians from Azovstal
Russia announced its intention to cease hostilities on Monday to allow the evacuation of refugee civilians with Ukrainian fighters at the besieged Azovstal metallurgical complex in Mariupol, southeastern Ukraine. Ukraine.
Russian forces and their pro-Russian separatist allies in Ukraine they commit to “unilaterally cease hostilities at 2:00 p.m. Moscow time (11:00 GMT), withdraw units to a safe distance and guarantee the departure” of civilians “in the direction they choose,” the Russian Defense Ministry said. it’s a statement.
Putin congratulates Macron on his re-election in France and wishes him “success”
The President of Russia, Vladimir Putincongratulated his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron for his re-election and wished him “success” in his new term, despite the strong tensions linked to Ukraine, according to the Kremlin.
“I sincerely wish you success in your public action, as well as good health,” Putin said in a telegram sent to Macron.
Macron was re-elected on Sunday for a second five-year term by defeating Marine Le Pen, a far-right candidate who has said in the past that she wants to develop relations with Moscow and whose party asked for a loan of 9 million euros (9, $7 million) in 2017 to a Russian bank.