- Russian forces continue to grow closer to Kyiv, according to satellite images
- The United States has accused Russia of violating nuclear safety principles in Ukraine
- Ukrainian authorities accuse Russia of obstructing evacuations by continuing bombings
Find out about Friday’s developments in the Ukraine-Russia crisis here.
This article was last updated at 01:45 UTC / GMT
Zelenskyy: The abduction of the mayor of the city “a crime against democracy”
The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy demanded the release of the mayor of the city of Melitopol in southern Ukraine.
The Ukrainian parliament had earlier said that civilian leader Ivan Fedorov had been seen being taken over by Russian soldiers who had taken control of the city.
Fedorov allegedly refused to cooperate with the occupying forces.
Zelensky confirmed the abduction, calling Fedorov “a mayor who bravely defends Ukraine and members of his community” and said it exposed Russia’s weakness and was a crime against democracy.
“This is obviously a sign of the invaders’ weakness … They have entered a new phase of terror in which they are trying to naturally kill the representatives of the legitimate local Ukrainian authorities,” he said.
“The arrest of the mayor of Melitopolis is, therefore, a crime, not only against a specific person, against a specific community and not only against Ukraine. It is a crime against democracy itself.
“The actions of the Russian invaders will be seen as those of the Islamic State terrorists,” he said.
Russian forces captured Melitopolis, home to 150,000 people, on February 26.
Mariupol under siege
Ukrainian President Zhelensky has accused Russia of not allowing people to leave the besieged city of Mariupol, arguing that Moscow is torturing its inhabitants.
The Ukrainian president said there would be a new attempt to deliver aid to Mariupol on Saturday, although the Russians refused to allow supplies.
“The Russian troops have not left our aid in the city and continue to torture our people … tomorrow we will try again, we will try again to send food, water and medicine.”
Zelensky said a total of 7,144 people were evacuated from four other Ukrainian cities on Friday, a sharp drop in each of the previous two days.
In the same speech, Zelensky called on the mothers of Russian soldiers to prevent their sons from being sent to fight in the war in Ukraine.
“I want to say this once again to Russian mothers, especially to conscript mothers. Do not send your children to war in a foreign country.”
“Ukraine never wanted this terrible war. And Ukraine does not want it. But it will defend itself as much as it needs to,” he added.
Satellite imagery shows Russian military units approaching closer to Kyiv
Maxar Technologies, a US-based private company, said satellite images taken on Friday showed that Russian military units were continuing to grow closer to the Ukrainian capital.
According to Maxar, Russian forces fired artillery at residential areas, leaving many houses and buildings burning and extensive damage in the northwestern city of Moschun.
The United States condemns Russia’s “reckless actions” regarding nuclear safety
Washington has accused Russia of violating the principles of nuclear safety in Ukraine, criticizing “Moscow’s reckless actions.”
US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm has said that radioactivity monitors in much of Ukraine are still working, but expressed concern about the lack of data from security screens in Chernobyl or Zaporizhia.
Both sites have been occupied by Russian forces, but are still operated by Ukrainian personnel.
“We remain concerned about Russia’s reckless actions and breaches of nuclear safety principles,” Granholm wrote on Twitter.
“We are monitoring reports of damage to a research facility in Kharkov. The short-term security risk is low, but the ongoing Russian fire at nuclear facilities must stop,” he said.
Summary of events in the Ukraine-Russia crisis on Friday
Russia has expanded its attack on Ukraine, hitting airports in the west for the first time.
Russian airstrikes also targeted for the first time the eastern city of Dnipro, a major industrial hub, and Ukraine’s fourth largest city on the river.
So far, Russian forces have made the most progress in cities in the south and east, while stopping in the north and around Kyiv.
New satellite images also showed that the huge Russian convoy outside the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, had spread.
The 40-mile (64-kilometer) range of tanks and other vehicles had gathered outside the city earlier last week. The Russian military is widely expected to try to encircle Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said his country has reached a strategic turning point in its war with Russia.
But he warned that it still took time and patience to win.
At least 1,582 civilians were killed in Mariupol in southeastern Ukraine as a result of Russian bombing and a 12-day blockade, the city council said in an online statement.
Russia’s Defense Ministry announced on Friday that its attack, led by militants from the separatist-controlled Donetsk region, is further squeezing Mariupol, which is located in the Azov Sea and flows into the Black Sea.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says 2.5 million people have already fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion 15 days ago.
Europe has allocated another 500 million euros ($ 550 million) for military aid to Ukraine, European Council President Charles Michel said at the end of a meeting of EU leaders in Versailles, France.
The leaders also said they were ready to impose tougher economic sanctions on Russia and possibly give Ukraine more arms funds. But they rejected Ukraine’s request to join the bloc.
US President Joe Biden has said the G7 industrialized nations will revoke Russia’s normal trade regime and announced a US ban on imports of Russian seafood, alcohol and diamonds.
U.S. lawmakers also approved a huge spending bill that includes nearly $ 14 billion (about $ 12.7 billion) in humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine.
rc / fb (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)
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