April 28, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

United Nations secretary-general António Guterres urged on Thursday for evacuation corridors to open up in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, saying that the besieged city is a “crisis within a crisis.”  

“Today the people of Mariupol are in desperate need for such an approach. Mariupol is a crisis within a crisis,” Guterres said in Kyiv, speaking at news conference alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky .

The UN chief met with Zelensky and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Thursday following a visit to Moscow where he met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday. 

Guterres cited his meeting with Putin and said that the Russian president agreed “in principle” for the involvement of the United Nations, and international committee for the Red Cross in the evacuation of civilians in Mariupol’s Azovstal steel plant.  

He added that he had “intense discussions” with Zelensky to make evacuation from Mariupol a reality.  

In a message to the Ukrainian people, Guterres said he wanted them to know that “the world sees you, hears you, and is in awe of your resilience and resolve.” 

“I also know that words of solidarity are not enough. I am here to zero in on needs on the ground and scale up operations,” he continued.  

He said the UN Security Council “failed to do everything in its power to prevent and end this war” and that the failure is “a source of great disappointment, frustration and anger.” 

During a news conference with Guterres, Zelensky said he believes that UN secretary general's mission would be effective in the evacuation of civilians in Mariupol. 

Zelensky also said, "We believe that part of the mission of the Inspector General would be effective and we're ready to support this in whatever matters possible."

Earlier, the UN chief had visited the town of Borodianka and “expressed his sadness in seeing the destroyed buildings there," according to deputy spokesperson for the secretary-general Farhan Haq said.

“He added that the war is an absurdity in the 21st century. The war is evil. And when one sees these situations our heart of course stays with the victims,” Haq said.

CNN teams in Kyiv observed two large explosions Thursday evening several kilometers east of the city center.

The explosions came soon after talks between President Volodymyr Zelensky and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres ended in the Ukrainian capital.

"The enemy fired on Kyiv. There were two hits in the Shevchenkivskyi district. All services are working on the scene. Information about casualties is being clarified," Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

Democratic and GOP in the US sources said that there are many issues that need to be sorted out over the country's Ukraine package — including drafting the legislative language — and the whole process will take weeks until there are final votes in both chambers.

The likely goal at this point is to pass this package before the Memorial Day recess. But there are added complications to sort out — namely what to do with the stalled Covid-19 aid.

A senior Democratic House aide said US President Joe Biden’s supplemental request still has a long road ahead in both chambers, "There will be bicameral, bipartisan talks on the supplemental request. Language must also be drafted. It is also unresolved which Chamber will work to advance the supplemental first. This will not be an instant process."

In a sign of the potential roadblocks ahead, many Republicans are already signaling they need more information about Biden’s supplemental before they could commit to voting on it in the Senate.  

Republicans are still going through the President’s supplemental for Ukraine, but Sen. Jim Risch, the top Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee, said he has concerns about a provision in the package that authorizes International Monetary Fund (IMF) to spend roughly $20 billion. It’s not new money. This money has previously been appropriated, but it had not been authorized. It is an issue that Republicans and Democrats have been fighting about for months and Republicans say Biden slipped in this package. 

It’s still early and Risch said many Republicans are still inclined to support the package, but he warned that Republicans want to take a few days to more carefully consider what is included. 

“I have to go through the details,” Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, said. “I don’t fixate as much on the amount. It’s more about what is it that you intend to provide to them? Is it what they need right now for the foreseeable future?” 

Another divide emerging is Republicans view the high price tag for the humanitarian aid as potentially being misdirected. Sen. Steve Daines, a Republican from Montana who traveled to Ukraine during the recess, told reporters that he believes the better place to spend the money is on military assistance. 

“The war crimes that are being committed as we speak won’t end until Ukraine wins this war. So while humanitarian aid is very important, the most important thing Ukrainians want is lethal aid to beat the Russians. I am not convinced the White House understands that,” Daines said. 

“I want to know what we are investing in. I want to make sure between lethal aid and humanitarian aid, it is actually getting where it’s supposed to go. The devil is in the details,” Ernst said.  

Sen. Roger Wicker, a Republican from Mississippi, said he’s comfortable with the package’s price tag. 

“We need to send a strong signal that we intend for Ukraine to win this war against Vladimir Putin’s illegal war crimes,” Wicker said. 

While members on both sides recognize there is an urgency to pass this legislation quickly, the mechanics of how this gets through the House and Senate are still very much in flux with some Democrats still insisting money should be wrapped into one package with Covid-19 money that has been held up over Biden’s immigration policy on Title 42. 

“It needs to be done,” Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat from Washington, said. 

Republicans, including whip John Thune, has already said adding Covid-19 funding to this bill is a nonstarter.

Russian forces occupying much of the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson are trying to extend their grip over the area and eradicate its Ukrainian identity.

They have made modest advances on the battlefield, with the Ukrainians acknowledging a loss of territory in the direction of Mykolaiv to the northwest.

In recent days the Russians have appointed their own officials to run Kherson, replacing elected Ukrainian officials. On Thursday one of those newly installed officials said Kherson would begin to use the ruble from next week and the Ukrainian currency, the hryvnia, would be replaced within four months.

Additionally, Russian television channels have taken the place of Ukrainian networks.

Now one of the Ukrainian representatives on Kherson's regional council has accused the Russian forces of threatening educators.

Serhii Hlan said the message to principals from the occupiers had been simple: "Either give us the keys and documents, or we’ll send you 'to rest' in the basement."

"This is what the occupiers are telling the school administration in Kakhovka," he said.

The town of Kakhovka has seen several protests against the Russian military presence.

Hlan said the Russians were demanding all school equipment be surrendered. 

"The workers are scared. They did not leave, remained in the occupied territories, guarded the school property," he added.

The bodies of 1,150 civilians have been recovered in Ukraine's Kyiv region since Russia's invasion started, Kyiv regional police chief Andriy Nebyton said Wednesday.

Nebyton emphasized that "these were civilians, not military, who had no involvement with Territorial Defense or other military entities."

The majority of casualties are from the Bucha region and Bucha leads in the number of bodies they have found, Nebyton said, adding that "50-70% died of firearm wounds, shot with automatic rifles."

If you're just joining us, here's a look at other key updates about the invasion and the global response on Thursday so far:

The UN secretary general visited Bucha: Antonio Guterres visited the war-ravaged town of Bucha, which was associated with war crimes by Russian troops in Ukraine on Thursday. Guterres toured residential areas in the suburb of Kyiv and nearby town of Borodianka, that were left largely in ruins when Russian troops pulled out. He also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, according to a spokesperson. Some officials in Kyiv have criticized his itinerary after he first met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday.

Ukrainian prosecutor names 10 Russian soldiers suspected of Bucha crimes: In a Facebook post, Iryna Venediktova said 10 soldiers had been identified as being "involved in torture of peaceful civilians" during their occupation of Bucha. They were from the 64th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade, she added. Earlier this month, the 64th Brigade was awarded an honorary title by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The attacks and destruction continue: An official in southern Ukraine has said that an important bridge in a part of southern Ukraine occupied by the Russians has been destroyed. A photograph of the bridge suggests that at least part of it was brought down by an explosive charge. The bridge connects Russian-occupied Crimea with the city of Melitopol. Meanwhile, a Ukrainian official in Mariupol has told CNN that the last holdout of Ukrainian forces in Mariupol — the Azovstal steel complex — was hit on Wednesday night by the heaviest Russian airstrikes yet. CNN cannot independently confirm the extent of Russian airstrikes nor the casualties they caused. 

The US is looking at sending more money to Ukraine: The Biden administration is sending a $33 billion supplemental funding request to Congress aimed at supporting Ukraine through a new phase over the next several months as Russia continues its brutal and unrelenting war. It includes funding for security, economic, and humanitarian aid. "We need this bill to support Ukraine in its fight for freedom," he said. "The cost of this fight is not cheap, but caving to aggression is going to be more costly if we allow it to happen."

NATO chief thinks the war in Ukraine could continue for months: North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday that the alliance is ready to support Ukraine against the Russian invasion in a war that can “drag on and last for months and years.”  

The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres visited with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Thursday in Kyiv, according to the secretary-general’s deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq.

Haq added that Guterres plans to speak to journalists in Kyiv shortly.

“They have met, I don’t frankly know if at this stage whether the meeting is over, but they are expected to be going into a press encounter very soon," Haq said while speaking at a news briefing at the UN Headquarters in New York,

The spokesperson noted that earlier on Thursday, the secretary-general visited the town of Borodianka and “expressed his sadness in seeing the destroyed buildings there.” 

Guterres then visited the St. Andrew’s Church in Bucha. After seeing the massacre site there, the secretary-general said that it was important to have a thorough investigation and accountability, Haq told reporters.

“He expressed his support for the work of the International Criminal Court and appealed to the Russian Federation to cooperate with that court,” Haq said. 

Guterres also visited the destroyed Lipki residential complex in the town of Irpin and said that innocent civilians have been living in these buildings, according to Haq. “Wherever there is a war, he said, the highest price is paid by civilians,” the UN secretary-general’s spokesperson said. 

Guterres met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday. He proposed that the Russian leader create a three-party humanitarian group between the UN, Russia, and Ukraine regarding cooperation in creating humanitarian corridors in Ukraine. 

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday that the alliance is ready to support Ukraine against the Russian invasion in a war that can “drag on and last for months and years.”   

“We will continue to put maximum pressure on [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin to end the war by imposing sanctions, by providing economic support but also military support to Ukraine, and we need to be prepared for the long-term,” Stoltenberg said during a NATO Youth Summit taking place in Brussels. 

Stoltenberg also said that NATO allies are preparing to help Kyiv advance form an “old Soviet-era equipment to more modern standard-weapons and systems,” but added that it will “require more training.” 

The United States and some European countries including Netherlands and France have recently announced that they will be supplying Ukraine with howitzers, long-range weapons, to help defend itself against Russia.  

Germany has said they will supply anti-aircraft tanks to Ukraine, as it attempts to deflect criticism that the government has been slow to provide military equipment to the war-torn country.  

On Wednesday, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said they will support the Ukrainian military by providing “training and maintenance.” 

Baerbock added that Germany had chosen not to make public all the weapons it had previously sent to Ukraine. “We have supplied anti-tank weapons, Stingers and many other weapons that we haven’t spoken about in public,” the foreign minister said. 

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss rallied for support for the United Kingdom to send warplanes and other heavy weapons in a keynote speech on Wednesday.    

“Heavy weapons, tanks, aeroplanes – digging deep into our inventories, ramping up production. We need to do all of this,” Truss said.  

“Our sanctions have already seen Russia facing its first external debt default for a century. We need to go further,” she added. 

US President Joe Biden said that Russian comments about the possibility of a nuclear war were “irresponsible.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said earlier this week that nuclear deterrence is Russia’s “principled position," but he added “the danger is serious, it is real, it cannot be underestimated.”

Biden also said it’s “not true” that the US and NATO are in a proxy war with Russia – and that Russian claims of a proxy war are “an excuse for their failure” in Ukraine.

“I think it's more of a reflection not of the truth, but of their failure,” the President continued, “and so instead of saying that the Ukrainians are equipped with some capability to resist Russian forces, they got to… tell their people the United States and all of NATO is engaged in taking out Russian troops, and tanks, et cetera.”

Asked later about possible Russian aggression against NATO and its allies, he said the US is “prepared for whatever they do.”

The US assesses that Russian forces are making “slow and uneven” and “incremental” progress in the Donbas region, in part because of Ukrainian resistance, as well as continued logistics problems, according to a senior US defense official.

The official said Russia now has 92 battalion tactical groups in Ukraine, up from 85 last week.

However, the official also said that continued “logistics and sustainment challenges” prevent Russian forces from making more than “several kilometers or so progress on any given day, just because they don’t want to run out too far ahead of their logistics and sustainment lines.”

Russia is making some advances to the east and south of Izium, while still facing pushback from Ukrainian forces, said the official.

In the south, the official said that the US has seen some Russian forces departing the besieged city of Mariupol and heading to the northwest towards Zaporizhzhia, despite the fact that Mariupol still has not fallen to Russia as indicated by continued Russian strikes against the city. 

The official said that Russia has now launched more than 1,900 missiles against Ukraine since the beginning of the February invasion.

Russian forces are still facing “morale and cohesion problems,” according to a senior US defense official, particularly as they are using conscripts to reinforce their battalion tactical groups that they are sending back into the Donbas region.

“We have some early indications that while the conscripts start out with high morale because they’ve been feasting on Russian propaganda, it doesn’t take very long before that morale is sapped once they get put into combat and face Ukrainian resistance,” said the official on a background call with reporters.