UKRAINE WRAP | Shelling kills five, injures 13 in Kharkiv city centre

April 17 2022 - 22:00

Mariupol ‘basically encircled’ yet hasn’t fallen

 The city of Mariupol hasn’t fallen but its defenders are encircled by Russian forces, Ukrainian officials said, hours after Kyiv warned of a possible naval landing operation and additional air strikes.

Many of the remaining Ukrainian troops in the besieged city are thought to be within the giant Azovstal steelworks.

Air raid sirens were heard in Kyiv for a second day, with a missile strike reported nearby.

Five deaths were reported from shelling in Kharkiv.

Troops continue to move from positions within Russia and from Belarus toward eastern Ukraine ahead of what’s likely to be a protracted conflict.

– Bloomberg

April 17 2022 - 21:10

Ukrainian flag projected onto Russian Embassy in Washington D.C.

April 17 2022 - 20:30

WATCH | Heartbroken Bucha residents mourn the dead on Palm Sunday

April 17 2022 - 18:50

Ukrainian soldiers hold out in Mariupol as pope laments 'Easter of War'

Ukrainian soldiers resisted a Russian ultimatum to lay down arms on Sunday in the pulverised port of Mariupol, which Moscow said its forces had almost completely seized in what would be its biggest prize of the nearly two-month war.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said troops in Mariupol were still fighting despite a Russian demand to surrender by dawn.

“The city still has not fallen,” he told ABC's “This Week” programme, adding that Ukrainian soldiers continue to control some parts of the city.

Russia said on Saturday it had control of urban parts of the city, with some Ukrainian fighters remaining in the Azovstal steelworks overlooking the Sea of Azov.

- Reuters

April 17 2022 - 18:20

WATCH | Semblance of normality in Kyiv after nearly two months of war

April 17 2022 - 17:43

Ukrainian foreign minister says situation in Mariupol may be 'red line' in talks

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said there had not been any recent diplomatic communications between Russia and Ukraine at the level of their foreign ministries and that the situation in the port of Mariupol, which he described as "dire", may be a "red line" in the path of negotiations.

"Mariupol may be a red line", he told CBS News in an interview on Sunday.

Ukrainian soldiers resisted a Russian ultimatum to lay down arms on Sunday in the pulverized port of Mariupol, which Moscow said its forces had almost completely seized in what would be its biggest prize of the nearly two-month war.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said troops in Mariupol were still fighting despite a Russian demand to surrender by dawn.

"We didn't really have any contacts with Russian diplomats in recent weeks at the level of foreign ministries", Kuleba said in the interview.

"The only level of contact is the negotiating team that consists of the representatives of various institutions and members of parliament. They continue their consultations at the expert level but no high level talks are taking place," he added.

The foreign minister said he was expecting "intensification of heavy fighting in eastern Ukraine" in the coming weeks.

When asked about prospects of U.S. President Joe Biden visiting Ukraine, the foreign minister said Ukraine would be happy to welcome him and that a visit from him will send "an message of support".

The White House, however, said earlier this week there were no plans for Biden to visit the country that Russia invaded in late February.

"We are not sending the president to Ukraine," White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said on Friday

- Reuters

April 17 2022 - 17:19

WATCH | Pope implicitly criticises Russia over Ukraine

April 17 2022 - 16:08

Luhansk region governor says shelling kills two, injures four in eastern town of Zolote

At least two people were killed and four have been injured on Sunday in the shelling of the eastern Ukrainian town of Zolote, the local governor said.

"In one of the high-rise buildings, two floors were destroyed ... We have at least two dead citizens, four more wounded," said Serhiy Gaidai, the governor of the Luhansk region.

Reuters could not immediately verify his remarks.

- Reuters

April 17 2022 - 15:35

Ukrainian prime minister says forces in Mariupol have not surrendered -ABC

Remaining Ukrainian forces in the southern port of Mariupol are still fighting and continue to defy a Russian demand that they surrender, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Sunday.

"The city still has not fallen," Shmyhal told ABC's "This Week" program, adding that Ukrainian soldiers continue to control some parts of the city.

Shmyhal said that he will attend the International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings in Washington this week and will seek more financial assistance for Ukraine.

- Reuters

April 17 2022 - 14:54

Shelling kills five, injures 13 in Kharkiv city centre - report

Five people were killed in shelling of the city centre of Kharkiv on Sunday, and 13 were injured, the Ukrainian Suspilne public broadcaster reported citing local health authorities.

"Rescuers are operating in the sites (affected by shelling)," the report said

- Reuters

April 17 2022 - 13:30

Russia calls increased Nato military activity in the Arctic worrying, warns of 'unintended incidents' — TASS

Russia is worried about increased activity of Nato forces in the Arctic and sees risks of “unintended incidents” occurring in the region, TASS news agency cited Russian ambassador-at-large Nikolai Korchunov as saying on Sunday. 

In March, Finland and Sweden, which are both considering joining the US-led military Nato alliance, conducted combined Nato military drills. The exercise was long planned, but Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24 added intensity to the war game. Moscow describes its actions in Ukraine as a “special military operation”.

“The recent increase in Nato's activity in the Arctic is a cause for concern. Another large-scale military exercise of the alliance was recently held in northern Norway. In our view, this does not contribute to the security of the region,” Korchunov said.

According to Korchunov, such activity raises the risk of “unintended incidents”, which, in addition to security risks, can also cause serious damage to the Arctic ecosystem.

April 17 2022  12:45

'You cannot show your tears to anyone': Ukrainian ambassador to SA Liubov Abravitova

Tears well up in Ukrainian ambassador to SA Liubov Abravitova’s crystal blue eyes when she speaks about the atrocities being committed by the Russian forces in her country. 

But, she says, she cannot show any signs of weakness as millions of her fellow countrymen are pinning their hopes on her to convince world leaders to condemn the Russian invasion and provide support to her war-torn country.

“You have to keep it moving. You cannot show your tears to anyone. You can maybe cry when you are at home but it gives you a lot of courage to see how our people, men and women, are fighting.

“Some are cooking warm food for people and making nets for the soldiers. You think to yourself, I am here, safe and my children are sleeping in a bed. Those children are sleeping in shelters on the floor. You cannot allow yourself to be weak,” said Abravitova, holding back tears.

April 17 2022  12:30

On 'Easter of war,' pope implicitly criticises Russia over Ukraine

Pope Francis, marking an "Easter of war" on Sunday urged leaders to hear the people's plea for peace in Ukraine and implicitly criticised Russia for dragging the country into a "cruel and senseless" conflict.

The 85-year-old pope made his comments in his twice-yearly "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) address to about 50,000 people in St. Peter's Square after a long Mass. It was the first Easter since 2019 that the public was allowed to attend following two years of Covid-19 restrictions.

Francis dedicated much of the address, traditionally an overview of world conflicts, to Ukraine, comparing the shock of another war in Europe to the shock apostles who the gospel says saw the risen Jesus.

"Our eyes, too, are incredulous on this Easter of war. We have seen all too much blood, all too much violence. Our hearts, too, have been filled with fear and anguish, as so many of our brothers and sisters have had to lock themselves away in order to be safe from bombing," he said.

Ukraine, he said, was "sorely tried by the violence and destruction of the cruel and senseless war into which it was dragged".

Moscow describes the action it launched on Feb. 24 a "special military operation". Francis has already rejected that terminology, calling it a war and previously using terms such as unjustified aggression and invasion.

"Let there be a decision for peace. May there be an end to the flexing of muscles while people are suffering," Francis said on Sunday, going on to thank those who had taken in refugees from Ukraine, most of whom have gone to Poland.

Earlier this month in Malta, Francis implicitly criticised Russian President Vladimir Putin over the invasion, saying a "potentate" was fomenting conflict for nationalist interests.

SHOUT 'PEACE' FROM THE STREETS

Francis, who suffers from leg pain, held up well during the long Mass and then toured the crowd in the square and a nearby street while sitting in an open white popemobile.

Later, he read most of the "Urbi et Orbi" address from the balcony sitting down, standing only at the start and for the final blessing.

On Saturday night he attended but did not preside at an Easter vigil service, apparently to rest up for Sunday, the most important day in the Christian liturgical calendar.

"Please, let us not get used to war!" Francis said, looking down on the square bedecked by tens of thousands of flowers donated by the Netherlands. "Let us all commit ourselves to imploring peace, from our balconies and in our streets! May the leaders of nations hear people’s plea for peace."

"I hold in my heart all the many Ukrainian victims, the millions of refugees and internally displaced persons, the divided families, the elderly left to themselves, the lives broken and the cities razed to the ground," he said.

He called for reconciliation among Israelis and Palestinians ad among the people of Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Libya, Myanmar, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which he is due to visit in July.

Reuters

April 17 2022  12:00

Spanish village renamed 'Ukraine' in solidarity

A village in southern Spain has been renamed Ukraine for the duration of Holy Week, in solidarity with those caught up in the conflict.

April 17 2022  11:20

Ukraine has asked G7 for $50 bln to cover budget deficit, says senior official

Ukraine has asked G7 nations for $50 billion in financial support and is also considering issuing 0% coupon bonds to help it cover a war-linked budget deficit over the next six months, the president's economic adviser Oleh Ustenko said on Sunday.

Speaking on national television, Ustenko said these options were being actively discussed.

Reuters 

April 17 2022  10:34

Russia demands Ukrainian surrender in Mariupol

Russia gave holdout Ukrainian soldiers an ultimatum on Sunday to lay down arms in the pulverised southeastern port of Mariupol which Moscow said its forces nearly completely controlled in what would be its biggest capture of the nearly two-month war.

Several hours after the 0300 GMT deadline there was no sign of compliance by Ukrainian fighters holed up in the vast Azovstal steelworks overlooking the Sea of Azov.

April 17 2022 - 07:00

ANC learnt from Moscow how to lie about almost everything

African liberation movements of the Left, such as the ANC, Algeria’s National Liberation Front and Zimbabwe’s Zanu-PF, which have been intellectually influenced by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, all appear to have imbibed the Soviet strategy of maskirovka, a doctrine that makes deliberate deception, dishonesty and doing the opposite of what one says a policy in itself.

This is one way to explain what often appears as ANC policy somersaults, where the governing party and its leaders publicly say one thing, but either do not implement what they say or do the opposite.

This is one reason for the government's indecision, implementation paralysis and state incapacity. In fact, it is at the heart of public service delivery failures. It leaves the private sector, civil society and ordinary citizens in perpetual confusion about the real intentions of the government.

April 17 2022 - 06:30

SA must show some balance on Ukraine

SA’s position on the war in Ukraine has been problematic.

We first abstained at the UN General Assembly when it passed a resolution condemning Russian aggression, demanding that it withdraw troops from its neighbour’s territory.

We then tried to sponsor a controversial resolution on ending the conflict without mentioning Russia as the aggressor. It was defeated before it could even make the floor.

When our international relations & co-operation minister Naledi Pandor issued a statement when the invasion began in February, calling on Russia to withdraw its troops, President Cyril Ramaphosa was reported to be unhappy, causing her department to adopt a softer line. 

April 17 2022 - 06:00

Ukrainians ignore Ramaphosa’s Please-Call-Me request

President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Ukraine counterpart, President Volodymyr Zelensky, have not spoken because diplomats from both countries are bickering about SA's handling of the Russia/Ukraine conflict.

The Ukrainians are said to be unhappy that SA requested a call between the two presidents a week after Ramaphosa had a telephone conversation with Russia's President Vladimir Putin.

Department of international relations and co-operation (Dirco) spokesperson Clayson Monyela told the Sunday Times that it was Ukraine's ambassador to SA Liubov Abravitova’s responsibility to facilitate the meeting after a request was made on March 11.