Local residents walk past Russian military vehicles in Mariupol, in territory under the government of the Donetsk People's Republic, eastern Ukraine, May 17, 2022. (AP)Russia Ukraine War Live: Concerns grew Wednesday for the welfare of more than 250 Ukrainian fighters who surrendered to Russian forces at the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol after weeks of desperate resistance. The surrender brought an end to the most devastating siege of Russia’s war in Ukraine and allowed President Vladimir Putin to claim a rare victory in his faltering campaign, which many military analysts say has stalled.
While Russia called it a surrender, the Ukrainians avoided that word and instead said the plant’s garrison had successfully completed its mission to tie down Russian forces and was under new orders.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden will host the leaders of Sweden and Finland at the White House on Thursday to discuss their Nato applications, and the Biden administration is confident the alliance can reach consensus to admit them amid pushback from Nato member Turkey. Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said Finland and Sweden joining Nato would probably make “not much difference” as the two countries had long participated in the alliance’s military drills.
For our new readers, here is a quick summary of the updates from Ukraine.
➡️ Russia's defence ministry said 265 fighters had surrendered at the Azovstal steelworks, including 51 who were seriously wounded and would be treated at Novoazovsk in the Russian-backed breakaway Donetsk region.
➡️ The defenders of Mariupol changed the course of the war with Russia by holding out for 82 days, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said, adding they had interrupted Russia's operation to seize swathes of territory in eastern and southern Ukraine.
➡️ Russian attacks killed seven civilians in the Donetsk region, the area's governor said on his Telegram channel.
➡️ Eight people were killed and 12 wounded in a Russian airstrike on the village of Desna in the northern Ukrainian region of Chernihiv, the regional emergency service said.
➡️ A village in Russia's western province of Kursk bordering Ukraine came under Ukrainian fire, the regional governor said, but there were no injuries.
➡️ Peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have stagnated, officials said, with both sides trading blame and Moscow indicating a return to talks may be difficult.
➡️ US President Joe Biden will host the leaders of Sweden and Finland at the White House on Thursday to discuss their Nato applications, and the Biden administration is confident the alliance can reach consensus to admit them amid pushback from Nato member Turkey.
➡️ Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said Finland and Sweden joining Nato would probably make "not much difference" as the two countries had long participated in the alliance's military drills.
Peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have stagnated, officials said on Tuesday, with both sides trading blame and Moscow indicating a return to talks may be difficult.
Russia accused Ukraine of hardening its stance and the West for bolstering the government in Kyiv, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov saying that Washington, London and Brussels want to use Ukraine to their strategic advantage. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak confirmed that talks are "on hold" as Russia is not willing to accept that it "will not achieve any goals" and that the war is no longer going according to the Kremlin's rules.
Ukraine and Russia have held intermittent peace talks since the end of February 2022, just days after Russia invaded its neighbour, but there has been little communication between them in recent weeks. (Reuters)
Concerns grew Wednesday for the welfare of more than 250 Ukrainian fighters who surrendered to Russian forces at the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol after weeks of desperate resistance.
Buses left the steelworks late on Monday in a convoy escorted by Russian armoured vehicles. Five arrived in the Russian-held town of Novoazovsk, where Moscow said wounded fighters would be treated. Seven buses carrying Ukrainian fighters from the Azovstal garrison arrived at a newly reopened prison in the Russian-controlled town of Olenivka near Donetsk, a Reuters witness said.
Russia said at least 256 Ukrainian fighters had "laid down their arms and surrendered", including 51 severely wounded. Ukraine said 264 soldiers, including 53 wounded, had left. (Reuters)