Overview: 2,500 to 3,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed and UN wants access to besieged cities
These are the main developments from Friday evening and the night from Friday to Saturday:
- According to president Volodymyr Zelensky 2,500 to 3,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in the war with Russia so far, he says in an interview with CNN† About 10,000 soldiers were also injured. He also said the world should prepare for the possibility that Russian President Vladimir Putin will use tactical nuclear weapons† “We should not be afraid, but be prepared. And that applies not only to Ukraine, but to the whole world, I think.”
- In cities all over Ukraine, at the end of the night the air raid siren went off, reports The Guardian† Among other places in the capital Kiev, Kharkov and Odessa, but also in cities more westerly such as Lviv, Rivne and Ivano-Frankivsk.
- The World Food Program of the United Nations (WFP) calls for unfettered access to families trapped in besieged Ukrainian cities. The organization says that poor access to the conflict zones is a major obstacle to “life-saving activities” in the country. “It’s one thing when people suffer the ravages of war. It’s different when they’re starving,” said WFP Director David Beasley.