"Many wounded" at Azovstal complex after bombardment, says Ukrainian commander
From CNN's Tim Lister in Lviv
Ukrainian soldiers trapped in the Azovstal steel plant say there was heavy shelling overnight and, for a while, they lost contact with the field hospital at the complex in Mariupol.
The deputy commander of the Azov Regiment, Captain Svyatoslav Palamar, said the bombardment had gone on all night long, and had included Russian planes.
"There are wounded, many are badly wounded," he said, adding that they needed immediate evacuation.
Kateryna Polishchuk, one of the soldiers trapped at the steel plant, has issued a defiant message via Facebook that the plant's defenders will fight to the last.
A former music student, the 21-year-old combat medic was seen last week leading the soldiers in singing the army's battle hymn. Since then she has become known on social media as "The Bird."
"Azovstal is holding on against the Russians. While they are here, we are fighting to the last," she said.
The video was uploaded to the Facebook page of another soldier at Azovstal, as the last holdout of resistance in the southern city continues to endure heavy shelling.
8:00 a.m. ET, May 10, 2022
Greece reopens embassy in Kyiv with essential staff
From CNN's Katharina Krebs in London
Greece's Consul General Manolis Androulakis, center, talks to the media after arriving back in Athens, Greece, on March 20 after evacuating the city of Mariupol, Ukraine. (Louiza Vradi/Reuters)
The Greek foreign ministry announced on Tuesday that its embassy in Kyiv will resume operations.
According to the statement, as of now, the embassy in Kyiv will work only with key staff, while the Consulate General of Greece in Odesa will work as usual to provide all possible assistance to Greek citizens and expatriates in Ukraine.
Manolis Androulakis, who was the consul general of Greece in Mariupol, has been appointed head of the embassy in the Ukrainian capital.
The reopening is the latest in a number of planned reopening announcements from multiple countries, including the UK, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden and South Korea. On Sunday, acting US Ambassador to Ukraine Kristina Kvien and a group of US diplomats returned to the embassy in Kyiv for the first time since the war began in February.
7:44 a.m. ET, May 10, 2022
What to know about hypersonic missiles fired by Russia at Ukraine
From CNN's Brad Lendon
A shopping mall is destroyed as a result of rocket strikes in Odesa, southern Ukraine, on May 10. (Nina Liashonok/Ukrinform/Abaca/Sipa USA/AP)
A Russian bomber fired three hypersonic missiles at the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa on Monday night, Ukrainian officials said, as part of a barrage that leveled a number of civilian targets including hotels and a shopping mall.
It is not the first time Moscow has deployed its Kinzhal hypersonic missile during its invasion, but it does appear to be a relatively rare occurrence.
Russia said it used Kinzhal missiles Ukraine in mid-March -- a claim later confirmed by US officials to CNN -- in the first known use of the weapon in combat.
In March, US President Joe Biden confirmed Russia's use of the Kinzhal missile, describing it as "a consequential weapon ... it's almost impossible to stop it. There's a reason they're using it."
Biden's defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, has downplayed the effectiveness of the missile, telling CBS in March that he "would not see it as a game-changer."
And the UK defense ministry has previously said the Kinzhal missile is really just an air-launched version of the Iskander short-range ballistic missile (SRBM), which Russia has used repeatedly in its war on Ukraine.
UK prime minister vows to remain "steadfast friend" to Ukraine
From CNN’s Sarah Dean in London
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson processes through the House of Commons Members' Lobby during the State Opening of Parliament, at the Houses of Parliament, in London, England, on May 10. (Toby Melville/AFP/Getty Images)
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson vowed to remain a "steadfast friend of Ukraine as it continues its heroic struggle against Russia’s invasion," in a written foreword to the Queen’s Speech, marking the state opening of Parliament on Tuesday.
"We will not waver — and we will not let up — until Putin fails," Johnson said.
Johnson added: "This country has risen to challenges with no precedent in recent history. We have led the way in responding to Putin’s brutal attack on Ukraine, rallying the world against his aggression and imposing punishing sanctions on Russia."
The Queen's Speech, which is written by the government, is a significant event in both the royal and political calendars.
The speech is one of the monarch's most important symbolic duties and forms the centerpiece of the State Opening of Parliament ceremony.
The speech is also used to introduce the government's legislative agenda, and its contents are fiercely debated by lawmakers for days afterwards.
Queen Elizabeth II was not in attendance due to what the Palace described as "mobility problems" on Monday. The speech was instead read by Charles, the Prince of Wales.
8:14 p.m. ET, May 10, 2022
It's 2 p.m. in Kyiv. Here's what you need to know
A Ukrainian firefighter works near a destroyed building on the outskirts of Odesa, Ukraine, on May 10. (Max Pshybyshevsky/AP)
Odesa and the surrounding area has seen a sharp uptick in strikes in the last week, with Russian forces using submarines, surface ships and aircraft to launch missiles.
The southern city came under attack again on Monday while, elsewhere, Ukrainian soldiers continue to hold out in the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol.
Here are some of the latest developments:
Odesa under fire: Russian aerial strikes hit two hotels and a shopping mall in the southern city of Odesa overnight. Ukraine says hypersonic missiles were used in the attack. One person died and five were hospitalized, according to Ukrainian officials. Fires caused by strikes have since been extinguished
Ukrainian counterattack in Kharkiv: The Ukrainian military says Russia is holding back some of its forces within its borders to prevent a Ukrainian counterattack that has made some headway east of Kharkiv. Inside Ukraine, the general staff says the most intense activity is in the Donetsk region, where Russian forces are trying to advance toward the town of Lyman, a major transport hub.
Bodies of civilians recovered: The bodies of 44 civilians were found in the rubble of a five-story building in the town of Izium, which is currently controlled by Russian troops. It’s not clear when the building was destroyed, but the eastern town has been heavily contested and intensively shelled in recent weeks.
WHO verifies healthcare attacks: The World Health Organization (WHO) has verified 200 attacks on healthcare facilities in Ukraine since the start of the war. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he discussed the health situation in the country with Ukrainian officials and said the WHO will continue to support Ukraine's healthcare system.
Holding out at Azovstal: At least 100 civilians, thought to be mainly men, are still trapped in the Azovstal steel plant complex in Mariupol, an adviser to the mayor of the city said. It comes as Ukrainian soldiers continue to fight in the last holdout of resistance in the southern city.
Russian journalists write posts critical of Putin: Two Russian reporters appear to have posted at least 30 articles that appeared briefly on a pro-Kremlin news site, lenta.ru, criticizing Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and his government’s suppression of critics. "Putin and his circle are doomed to face a tribunal after the end of the war," they wrote on lenta.ru. "Putin and his associates won’t be able to justify themselves or flee after losing this war."
Finland edges closer to NATO: It is "highly likely" that Finland will apply for membership in NATO, the country's Minister for European Affairs Tytti Tuppurainen told CNN on Monday. The nation’s likely membership is “a very natural response” to Russia’s war in Ukraine, she said, adding that if her country does indeed apply, she hopes "the ratification process would be as brief as possible."
6:57 a.m. ET, May 10, 2022
US ambassador to UN says Ukrainian aid bill is "critical" for Ukrainians to defend their democracy
From CNN's Kylie Atwood in Brussels
Press briefing by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield President of the Security Council for the month of May at UN Headquarters in New York on May 3. (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket/Getty Images)
US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that passing the Ukrainian aid bill is critical because it will enable the country to defend itself in the face of ongoing Russian aggression.
"This is about Ukrainians on the ground, being able to defend their democracy, defend their sovereignty and defend their people," Thomas-Greenfield told reporters in Brussels Tuesday.
"So it's critical that we continue to provide that support."
Thomas-Greenfield noted the bipartisan support that has gone into providing support to the Ukrainians and said she believes that Congress knows how high the stakes are.
"Both sides had been supportive of the President's initiative. And I think that they all understand that if we are not there to continue that support, what it would mean for the Ukrainian effort to defend themselves against the Russians," she said.
7:27 a.m. ET, May 10, 2022
German foreign minister visits Ukraine following diplomatic tensions
From CNN's Stephanie Halasz
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visits a church where a mass grave was found after Russian forces retreated from the area, Bucha, Ukraine, on May 10. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is visiting Ukraine today, starting with a trip to Bucha.
Baerbock gave brief comments in a church in the town where prosecutors are investigating whether war crimes were committed by Russian troops.
She also took a walk around the town to get a picture of the situation on the ground, accompanied by the Ukrainian prosecutor general Iryna Venediktova.
Following her visit, Baerbock tweeted that Bucha had become a symbol "for unimaginable crimes, for torture, rape, murder."
She added: "The unimaginability makes this place seem far away. And then you stand here and realize: Bucha is a completely normal, peaceful suburb. It could have happened to anyone."
Baerbock also pledged Germany's support for the war crimes investigation.
Baerbock is the first German cabinet member to travel to the Ukraine since the outbreak of war in the country, and her trip comes after a period of diplomatic tension between Germany and Ukraine.
Some background: German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier had offered to visit Kyiv in April on a joint trip with the heads of state of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, but Ukrainian officials said they didn't want him to come.
The decision came amid sustained criticism over Steinmeier's close relations with Russia in his previous role as foreign minister, as well as criticism from Kyiv that Germany was hesitant to provide much-needed military support to Ukraine.
At the beginning of May, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he had no plans to visit Ukraine following Kyiv's rejection of Steinmeier.
"This stands in the way," said Scholz in an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF. Democrats do not treat each other like that, Scholz added. "This cannot be done."
But the row was resolved on May 5 when Steinmeier and Zelensky spoke on the phone, according to the German President's office.
5:02 a.m. ET, May 10, 2022
The scars of war: Lviv hospital learns to cope amid influx of patients spirited from war-torn regions
From CNN’s Isa Soares, Madalena Araujo, Sofiya Harbuziuk and Lauren Said-Moorhouse in Lviv
As the doctor enters the room on rounds, Dmytro Kaliuzhnyi sits quietly on his hospital bed. He absent-mindedly answers their routine questions as his bandages and wounds are carefully checked.
The 19-year-old still appears to be in a state of shock. It’s hardly surprising, given that less than a month ago his body was riddled with shrapnel from shelling outside his home in Kharkiv in north-eastern Ukraine.
"I never could have imagined that something like that could happen to me," he says softly. "At first it was very tough and then I came to terms with everything that happened to me."
Dmytro Kaliuzhnyi, 19, is slowly recovering from injuries sustained outside his home in Kharkiv, northeastern Ukraine. (Alessandro Gentile/CNN)
Kaliuzhnyi, who lost both of his parents before the war, is yet another civilian who has been caught in the crossfire as fighting has escalated. In a whisper, he adds that he wishes he’d listened to others and protected himself better.
"I never thought that I would say it, you have to protect yourself to the maximum and follow all the rules that are told by adults."
Kaliuzhnyi has spent the last several weeks here at Lviv Clinical Emergency Hospital, western Ukraine’s largest medical facility. According to doctors, he is just one of a rapidly growing number of patients being treated in the hospital’s intensive care units.
His doctor, Hnat Ihorovych Herych, tells CNN that treating civilian injuries such as these has become all too common as Russia’s invasion of the country continues into its third month.
"I’ve done some operations that I only read from the books," Herych adds, recalling some of the recent procedures he’s had to carry out.
Trains have been refurbished with mobile ICUs to help transport critically injured patients away from the frontlines for treatment in the west. (Alessandro Gentile/CNN)
Kaliuzhnyi is part of a steady stream of patients who have made terrifying and increasingly dangerous journeys across the country aboard makeshift medical trains.
One of those to make the treacherous trip with a head injury was 9-year-old Sofiya Hurmaza. From the southern city of Mykolaiv, she was caught by shelling near her home in early April -- a piece of shrapnel striking her head and lodging deep in her brain.
Miraculously, after successful operations to remove the broken fragment, she is now recuperating in a hospital cot in Lviv under the watchful eye of her mother, Nina Vavryniuk.
"She is very strong, she didn’t even cry when she got wounded," Vavryniuk says, before recalling the moment she was reunited with her daughter.
"When I walked in, I thought maybe she had lost some of her memory. I walked in and unexpectedly she said, 'Mommy,' with tears in her eyes.
"I was so happy that she remembers me and she didn't lose her memory. The doctor told me the fragment went right through the center [of her brain]. If it went one millimeter left or right, she wouldn't make it."
WATCH:
4:45 a.m. ET, May 10, 2022
WHO verifies 200 attacks on healthcare facilities in Ukraine since start of war
From CNN's Radina Gigova in London
Mariana Vishegirskaya, an injured pregnant woman, walks downstairs in a maternity hospital damaged by shelling in Mariupol, Ukraine, on March 9. (Evgeniy Maloletka/AP)
The World Health Organization (WHO) has verified 200 attacks on healthcare facilities in Ukraine since the start of the war, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Tuesday, urging Russia "to stop this war."
Speaking from Kyiv after spending two days in Ukraine, Tedros said he was "deeply moved" by what he'd seen and heard.
Tedros said attacks on healthcare facilities "must stop," adding: "There is one medicine WHO cannot deliver, and which Ukraine needs more than any other, and that is peace."
"So we continue to call on the Russian Federation to stop this war," he said.
Tedros said he discussed the health situation in the country with Ukrainian officials and said the WHO will continue to support Ukraine's healthcare system.
"My message to all the people of Ukraine is that WHO stands with you," he said.
The WHO chief said that, despite the devastation, he has also seen "extraordinary resilience" in Ukraine as people try to restore their lives.
"My time here has affected me very personally," he said.
As someone, myself, who grew up in a war zone I understand only too well how the people of Ukraine feel."
"I know the impact, I know the devastation of war firsthand and I felt very, very sad when Russia invaded Ukraine."
