A convoy of vehicles carrying evacuees from Mariupol and Melitopol in southern Ukraine arrived in Zaporizhzhia late on Friday, escaping hardships that began with a barrage of attacks in the early days of Russia’s five-week-old invasion.
A convoy of vehicles carrying evacuees from Mariupol and Melitopol in southern Ukraine arrived in Zaporizhzhia late on Friday, escaping hardships that began with a barrage of attacks in the early days of Russia’s five-week-old invasion.
Some of the passengers had to stand throughout the 12-hour journey, via the Russian-controlled port of Berdyansk, due to the high number of people trying to escape Russia’s siege.
“There wasn’t enough space. There were too many children, too many elderly people,” said truck driver Igor Lobintsev.
Many of the passengers looked tired and drawn, some spoke of their experiences: “We made it, thank God,” said Sasha, who made the journey with her dog.
Encircled since the early days of Russia’s invasion, Mariupol has been Moscow’s main target in Ukraine’s southeastern region of Donbas.
Tens of thousands there are still trapped with scant access to food and water. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) sent a team on Friday to lead a convoy of about 54 Ukrainian buses and other private vehicles out of the city, but they turned back, saying conditions made it impossible to proceed.
A second Red Cross convoy is heading to Mariupol in another attempt to try to rescue civilians from the besieged port as Russian forces looked to be regrouping for new attacks in the southeast.
Landmines left behind near Kyiv, Zelensky says
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces were leaving behind “a complete disaster” as they retreat from the north, including towns just outside Kyiv, and he warned residents to beware of more Russian shelling and of landmines.
“They are mining the whole territory, they are mining homes, mining equipment, even the bodies of people who were killed,” he said in his nighttime video address to the nation late Friday.
WATCH | What happened this week in Russia’s assault on Ukraine:
What happened in Week 6 of Russia’s assault on Ukraine: Peace talks, Mariupol evacuation
Russia’s vow to scale down its military activity near Kyiv was met with skepticism, and a humanitarian convoy attempted to evacuate Mariupol. Here’s a roundup of events in Ukraine, and how world leaders reacted, from March 26 to April 1. 8:21
He urged residents to wait to resume their normal lives until they are assured that the mines have been cleared and the danger of shelling has passed.
“By all accounts, we are seeing a strategic retreat of Russians, who are still shelling Kyiv,” said Peter Zalmayev, director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative.
“Rockets are still landing and smack in the middle of the city, and the places that they have left, they have mined,” Zalmayev said.
Zelensky warned of difficult battles ahead as the Russians redeploy troops in eastern Ukraine.
He said he spoke Friday with French President Emmanuel Macron by telephone and with the president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, during her visit to Kyiv.
“Europe doesn’t have the right to be silent about what is happening in our Mariupol,” he said. “The whole world should respond to this humanitarian catastrophe.”
Zelensky said 3,071 people were able to leave Mariupol on Friday.
Pope speaks out against war
Pope Francis on Saturday appeared to speak out against Russian President Vladimir Putin — without naming him — over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying a “potentate” was fomenting conflicts for nationalist interests.
Moscow says the action it launched on Feb. 24 is a “special military operation” designed not to occupy territory but to demilitarize and “denazify” its neighbour. Francis has already rejected that terminology, calling it a war.
“From the east of Europe, from the land of the sunrise, the dark shadows of war have now spread. We had thought that invasions of other countries, savage street fighting and atomic threats were grim memories of a distant past,” the Pope said in an address to Maltese officials after arriving on the Mediterranean island nation for a two-day visit.
“However, the icy winds of war, which bring only death, destruction and hatred in their wake, have swept down powerfully upon the lives of many people and affected us all,” he said.
“Once again, some potentate, sadly caught up in anachronistic claims of nationalist interests, is provoking and fomenting conflicts, whereas ordinary people sense the need to build a future that, will either be shared, or not be at all,” he said.
The Pope has already strongly condemned what he has called an “unjustified aggression” and denounced “atrocities” in the war.
PHOTOS | Day 37 of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine:
But he has only referred to Russia directly in prayers, such as during a special global event for peace on March 25.
“Now in the night of the war that is fallen upon humanity, let us not allow the dream of peace to fade!” he said on Saturday.
Earlier, Francis said he was considering a trip to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
Asked by a reporter on the plane taking him from Rome to Malta if he was considering an invitation made by Ukrainian political and religious authorities, the Pope answered: “Yes, it is on the table.” He gave no further details.
Francis has been invited by the Ukrainian president, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk of Ukraine’s Byzantine-rite Catholic Church and Ukraine’s ambassador to the Vatican, Andriy Yurash.
A convoy of vehicles carrying evacuees from Mariupol and Melitopol in southern Ukraine arrived in Zaporizhzhia late on Friday, escaping hardships that began with a barrage of attacks in the early days of Russia’s five-week-old invasion.Internally displaced people from Mariupol and nearby towns arrive in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on Friday. (Felipe Dana/The Associated Press)A convoy of vehicles carrying evacuees from Mariupol and Melitopol in southern Ukraine arrived in Zaporizhzhia late on Friday, escaping hardships that began with a barrage of attacks in the early days of Russia’s five-week-old invasion. Some of the passengers had to stand throughout the 12-hour journey, via the Russian-controlled port of Berdyansk, due to the high number of people trying to escape Russia’s siege. “There wasn’t enough space. There were too many children, too many elderly people,” said truck driver Igor Lobintsev. Many of the passengers looked tired and drawn, some spoke of their experiences: “We made it, thank God,” said Sasha, who made the journey with her dog. Women and children disembark as a convoy of buses carrying evacuees from Mariupol and Melitopol arrive at the registration centre in Zaporizhzhia late Friday. (Emre Caylak/AFP/Getty Images) Encircled since the early days of Russia’s invasion, Mariupol has been Moscow’s main target in Ukraine’s southeastern region of Donbas. Tens of thousands there are still trapped with scant access to food and water. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) sent a team on Friday to lead a convoy of about 54 Ukrainian buses and other private vehicles out of the city, but they turned back, saying conditions made it impossible to proceed. A second Red Cross convoy is heading to Mariupol in another attempt to try to rescue civilians from the besieged port as Russian forces looked to be regrouping for new attacks in the southeast. Landmines left behind near Kyiv, Zelensky says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces were leaving behind “a complete disaster” as they retreat from the north, including towns just outside Kyiv, and he warned residents to beware of more Russian shelling and of landmines. “They are mining the whole territory, they are mining homes, mining equipment, even the bodies of people who were killed,” he said in his nighttime video address to the nation late Friday. WATCH | What happened this week in Russia’s assault on Ukraine: What happened in Week 6 of Russia’s assault on Ukraine: Peace talks, Mariupol evacuationRussia’s vow to scale down its military activity near Kyiv was met with skepticism, and a humanitarian convoy attempted to evacuate Mariupol. Here’s a roundup of events in Ukraine, and how world leaders reacted, from March 26 to April 1. 8:21 He urged residents to wait to resume their normal lives until they are assured that the mines have been cleared and the danger of shelling has passed. “By all accounts, we are seeing a strategic retreat of Russians, who are still shelling Kyiv,” said Peter Zalmayev, director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative. “Rockets are still landing and smack in the middle of the city, and the places that they have left, they have mined,” Zalmayev said. Ukrainian soldiers approach a trench that had been used by Russian soldiers as they retake an area on the outskirts of Kyiv on Friday. (Rodrigo Abd/The Associated Press) Zelensky warned of difficult battles ahead as the Russians redeploy troops in eastern Ukraine. He said he spoke Friday with French President Emmanuel Macron by telephone and with the president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, during her visit to Kyiv. “Europe doesn’t have the right to be silent about what is happening in our Mariupol,” he said. “The whole world should respond to this humanitarian catastrophe.” Zelensky said 3,071 people were able to leave Mariupol on Friday. Pope speaks out against war Pope Francis on Saturday appeared to speak out against Russian President Vladimir Putin — without naming him — over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying a “potentate” was fomenting conflicts for nationalist interests. Moscow says the action it launched on Feb. 24 is a “special military operation” designed not to occupy territory but to demilitarize and “denazify” its neighbour. Francis has already rejected that terminology, calling it a war. Ukrainian rescue workers carry an elderly woman under a destroyed bridge in Irpin, close to Kyiv, on Friday. (Efrem Lukatsky/The Associated Press) “From the east of Europe, from the land of the sunrise, the dark shadows of war have now spread. We had thought that invasions of other countries, savage street fighting and atomic threats were grim memories of a distant past,” the Pope said in an address to Maltese officials after arriving on the Mediterranean island nation for a two-day visit. “However, the icy winds of war, which bring only death, destruction and hatred in their wake, have swept down powerfully upon the lives of many people and affected us all,” he said. “Once again, some potentate, sadly caught up in anachronistic claims of nationalist interests, is provoking and fomenting conflicts, whereas ordinary people sense the need to build a future that, will either be shared, or not be at all,” he said. The Pope has already strongly condemned what he has called an “unjustified aggression” and denounced “atrocities” in the war. PHOTOS | Day 37 of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: But he has only referred to Russia directly in prayers, such as during a special global event for peace on March 25. “Now in the night of the war that is fallen upon humanity, let us not allow the dream of peace to fade!” he said on Saturday. Pope Francis greets reporters during his flight from Rome to begin a two-day visit to Malta on Saturday. (Remo Casilli/The Associated Press) Earlier, Francis said he was considering a trip to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. Asked by a reporter on the plane taking him from Rome to Malta if he was considering an invitation made by Ukrainian political and religious authorities, the Pope answered: “Yes, it is on the table.” He gave no further details. Francis has been invited by the Ukrainian president, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk of Ukraine’s Byzantine-rite Catholic Church and Ukraine’s ambassador to the Vatican, Andriy Yurash.