A large convoy of cars and vans carrying refugees from badly damaged Mariupol arrived safely in the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhya last night. After waiting for days, they received permission from Russian troops to leave.
The hundreds of refugees had to leave the port city on their own beforehand and first travel to Berdyansk, about 80 kilometers to the west. From there they were transported by rescue vehicles to Zaporizhzhya, 200 kilometers away.
An aide to the mayor of Mariupol had previously said the convoy contained between 500 and 1,000 cars, making it the largest evacuation operation in the city since the Russians invaded on Feb. 24. The Russians have almost completely taken over the ruined city. With the exception of the Azov steel plant. Hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers are still in this area. Some of them are injured and there is a shortage of food and medicine. The soldiers have begged several times for them to be evacuated from the complex, but so far it has not been possible to let them go safely.
The group of residents who were able to leave Mariupol are happy that they are in a relatively safe area. “I stayed in an air-raid shelter for a month. I had no choice, my apartment was destroyed by a bombing. The flight here was a terrible experience, but I’m glad it worked,” 74-year-old Nikolai Pavlov told reporters from the news agency last night. Reuters. 63-year-old Iryna Petrenko also traveled in the convoy. ,,I was not able to flee earlier because of the care of my 92-year-old mother. But she recently passed away. We buried her next to her house, there was no other option.”
Song Contest
If it is up to Ukrainian president Volodimir Zelensky, the Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Mariupol next year. “We will do our best to receive Eurovision participants and guests in Mariupol,” Zelensky said on Instagram last night on Ukraine’s win. The band Kalush Orchestra won the 66th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest thanks to votes from the public. The men from the band return home as soon as possible where they are expected to help in the fight against the Russians.
The country that wins the Eurovision Song Contest gets to organize the international event the following year. Due to the war with Russia, it remains to be seen whether the artists, delegations, Eurovision fans and press will actually travel to Ukraine next year. The EBU, responsible for organizing the Eurovision Song Contest, has not yet made a decision.
Battle for the Donbas
Zelensky emphasized the Donbas in his daily video speech, a very fierce battle is being fought over this area to the east. ,,The situation in the Donbas is very difficult”, says Zelenski. According to him, the Russian troops are trying to declare victory in this area. “That seems particularly crazy on the 80th day after the invasion.” The Ukrainian army reports in an update on Facebook that the battle for the Donbas continues and that a large part is still under control. The army said 12 Russian attacks in the Donbas region were repulsed yesterday, destroying eight tanks, five artillery systems, nine armored fighting vehicles and six drones.
Russian forces concentrate their attacks on this part of eastern Ukraine after failing to advance towards Kiev. Zelensky is confident that the Russians will also lose in the Donbas. “Step by step we are forcing the occupiers to leave our country.”
Situation in Kharkiv
Kharkov Mayor Ihor Terekhov told the BBC that the Ukrainian army has expelled the Russians from the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkov. “It is now quiet, the citizens are gradually returning to the city,” Terekhov said. According to witnesses, the Russian army is still carrying out air strikes on villages in the vicinity of Kharkov.
Kharkiv is the second largest city in Ukraine. There has been heavy fighting in the metropolis since the start of the war in February. It is unknown how many civilians and soldiers from both sides have been killed since February. However, the withdrawal does not mean that the danger for Kharkov has completely passed. The Russian troops may be regrouping to launch another attack on the city. In addition, the Russians are gaining ground in southeastern Ukraine. From Mariupol, the troops are advancing northwards towards Zaporizhzhya.
According to the Russian ambassador to the US, Russian diplomats in the US are threatened with violence. “Our embassy is in a hostile environment. Embassy personnel are threatened, including physical violence,” Ambassador Anatoly Antonov told the Russian news agency TASS. US authorities have not yet commented on the allegations.
NATO membership
Finland is likely to submit its application to join NATO on Wednesday. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said. Sweden would already take this step tomorrow. Finland and Sweden want to join the military alliance in response to the Russian attack on Ukraine. All thirty NATO countries must give the green light for new members to join. On Saturday, the foreign ministers of Sweden and Finland met with their counterpart from Turkey in Berlin in an attempt to clear the air about the accession of the two northern European countries. Turkey is sending mixed signals as to whether it will agree to an application from them to join. Turkey is critical of the countries’ accession because, according to President Erdogan, they are home to “many terrorist organizations”. He is referring to Kurdish organizations such as the PKK and YPG.
Today in Berlin, discussions continue on the accession of the Scandinavian countries and NATO’s long-term strategy in Europe. In addition, Sweden’s largest ruling party announced today whether it wants the country to join the military alliance. An approval from the Social Democrats paves the way for an official membership application. The Finnish coalition has already agreed to join. The end of Finnish neutrality is not going well in Moscow. Russian President Putin calls it “a mistake.”
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