US lawmakers visit Kyiv with message: “America stands firm with Ukraine”
A delegation from the US Congress visited Ukraine on Sunday, the first to do so since Russia’s invasion of the country in February.
“Our delegation is traveling to Kyiv to send an unmistakable and resounding message to the world: America stands firm with Ukraine,” the group said in a statement.
Lawmakers met with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky in Kyiv, who published a visit to their meeting in the Telegram.
“He conveyed the clear need for continued security, economic and humanitarian assistance from the United States to address the devastating human damage inflicted on the Ukrainian people by Putin’s diabolical invasion – and our delegation proudly conveyed the message that additional US support is on the way. we are working to transform President Biden’s strong funding request into a legislative package, “the statement said.
The delegation consisted of President Nancy Pelosi, President Jim McGovern, President Gregory Meeks, President Adam Schiff, Congressman Barbara Lee, Congressman Bill Keating and Congressman Jason Crowe. All members, Bar Lee and Keating, entered Ukraine.
Now they are in Poland and will visit the capital Warsaw.
“Katrina Bishop.”
Russia wants to impose “strong political and economic influence” on Kherson, says the United Kingdom
A Ukrainian soldier stands in front of a school hit by Russian missiles in a village in southern Ukraine. The UK Ministry of Defense said Russia was seeking to legitimize its control of Kherson after taking it in March.
Bulent Kilic Afp | Getty Images
Russia is introducing its currency in the Ukrainian city of Kherson today, according to the UK Ministry of Defense.
In its latest intelligence update on Twitter, the ministry said Russia was seeking to legitimize its control of the city after taking it in March and was seeking to exert “strong political and economic influence” in the region.
“Recent statements by this administration include declaring the return of Ukrainian control” impossible “and declaring a four-month currency transition from the Ukrainian hryvnia to the Russian ruble. “The Russian ruble should be used in Kherson as of today,” the tweet said.
Kherson is a strategically important port city for Russia, just over 100 km from Crimea, which the Kremlin annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
“Sustained control of Kherson and its transport links will increase Russia’s ability to sustain its offensive in the north and west and improve the security of Russian control over Crimea,” the United Kingdom added.
Also Sunday, Russian-controlled media claimed that Ukrainian “nationalists” had shelled the villages of Kiselevka and Shiroka Balka in the Kherson region. These allegations cannot be verified independently of NBC.
Separately, the Kyiv Independent announced this weekend that mobile and Internet services had been suspended in the Kherson region (or administrative region).
“Katrina Bishop.”
Nancy Pelosi visits Kyiv
President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in the Ukrainian capital.
Posting a video in the Telegram showing the couple’s meeting and handshake, Zelensky described the United States as a “leader in strong support” for Ukraine.
“Meeting with the President of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi in Kyiv. The United States is a leader in Ukraine’s strong support in the fight against Russian aggression. Thank you for helping to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country!” he wrote, according to a NBC translation.
“Katrina Bishop.”
“Every Russian soldier can still save his own life”: Zelensky urges invading troops not to fight
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke in Russian in his evening video address urging Russian troops not to fight in Ukraine, saying even their generals expect thousands to die.
He said Russia was recruiting new troops “with little motivation and little combat experience” for units that had been gutted in the first weeks of the war so that those units could be returned to battle.
He said Russian commanders fully understood that thousands of them would die and thousands more would be injured in the coming weeks.
“Russian commanders lie to their soldiers when they are told that they can expect to be held seriously responsible for their refusal to fight, and then they are not told, for example, that the Russian army is preparing additional refrigerated trucks to store their bodies. they are talking about the new losses that the generals expect, “Zelenski said late Saturday.
“Every Russian soldier can still save his own life. It is better to survive in Russia than to die on our land,” he said.
– Associated Press
Poland is struggling to shelter 2.9 million refugees; Rental prices in Warsaw are rising
A Ukrainian boy walks past temporary beds at a refugee center in Warsaw on April 19th.
Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images
More than 5 million Ukrainians have fled their country since the Russian attack in late February, and the country, which has accepted more than half of them, is showing signs of tension.
NBC News reported over the weekend that Poland has sheltered about 2.9 million Ukrainians, but the NATO country is running out of everything from classrooms to housing.
The population of Warsaw, the capital of Poland, has grown by 15 percent since the start of the war.
Mayor Rafal Tschaskovski visited the United States this week to seek more help from the international community, NBC News reported. He warned that Warsaw was unable to take on a new wave of refugees.
Thousands of Poles have welcomed Ukrainians into their homes, but many have already filled their vacant rooms.
The number of apartments for rent in Warsaw has fallen, NBC News reported, with rental prices rising by more than 30 percent since the end of February.
Read the full NBC News report here.
“Ted Camp.”
Sweden claims that a Russian plane violated its airspace
Two Swedish Air Force planes fly over their homeland in 2021.
Picture Alliance | Picture Alliance | Getty Images
Sweden says a Russian military plane has violated Swedish airspace.
The incident happened late Friday in the Baltic Sea near the island of Bornholm.
In a statement on Saturday, the Swedish armed forces said a Russian AN-30 propeller plane had flown into Swedish airspace and entered it briefly before leaving the area.
The Swedish Air Force has castrated fighter jets that were filming a Russian plane.
Swedish Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist told Swedish public radio that the violation was “unacceptable” and “unprofessional”.
In a similar incident in early March, four Russian warplanes violated Swedish airspace over the Baltic Sea.
Sweden and neighboring Finland are considering NATO membership following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Moscow has warned that such a move would have consequences, without giving details.
– Associated Press
Ukraine says 20 civilians evacuated from besieged Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol
View shows Azovstal Iron and Steel Plant during the conflict between Ukraine and Russia in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine, April 26, 2022.
Alexander Ermochenko Reuters
A Ukrainian commander said 20 civilians were evacuated on Saturday from the Azovstal steel plant in the besieged city of Mariupol, according to a video published in the Telegram and translated by NBC News.
Earlier in the day, Russian state media reported that 25 civilians had been evacuated from the plant. CNBC could not independently confirm any of the allegations.
In recent weeks, Russian forces have almost surrounded the strategic coastal city of Mariupol, making the steel facility the city’s last stronghold.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said he has personally asked Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to coordinate the evacuation of civilians trapped at the steel plant during private talks in Moscow last week. After discussions in Moscow, Guterres left for Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.
“Amanda Macias.”
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