April 17 (Reuters) – There were no signs of Ukrainian forces in Mariupol laying down their arms three hours after an 0300 GMT surrender ultimatum by Russia took effect in the strategic southeastern port.
FIGHTING
* A missile attack in early hours of Sunday damaged infrastructure in the city of Brovary, near Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv, Igor Sapozhko, mayor of Brovary said in an online post.
* Russia said on Saturday its troops had cleared most of Mariupol with only a small contingent of Ukrainian fighters in the giant Illich steelworks, as missiles hit Kyiv and other cities.
*Russia is transporting military equipment from Belarus to eastern Ukraine, Britain’s Ministry of Defence reported on Sunday.
* The head of the Russian navy, Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov, met with crew from the sunken Black Sea flagship Moskva, saying they would continue to serve in the navy, the defence ministry said on Saturday.
Watch #Ukraine colors being projected on the Russian Embassy in DC. The Russians didn't like this and tried to wash it out with their own flashlights, but didn't really succeed. https://t.co/MxfehCi5jN
* Pope Francis, marking an “Easter of war” urged leaders to hear the people’s plea for peace in Ukraine and implicitly criticised Russia for dragging the country into a “cruel and senseless” conflict.
* Russia said on Saturday it has barred British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and 10 other officials and politicians from the country.
* The EU will sanction Russian banks, particularly Sberbank, and is seeking “clever mechanisms” to include oil, said European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.
I'm in touch with one of the last defenders of Mariupol. He's wounded. After Bucha massacre, he says, "surrender is not an option." He feels their stand accomplished its mission. They tied up so much Russian firepower it gave other cities a chance to survive.
*Ukraine has asked G7 nations for $50 billion in financial support and is also considering issuing 0% coupon bonds to help it cover a war-linked budget deficit over the next six months, the president’s economic adviser Oleh Ustenko said on Sunday.Speaking on national television, Ustenko said these options were being actively discussed.
Wishing Christians around the world a happy and blessed #Easter, including the Christians of Ukraine – whether you are marking Easter today or later this month.
May the risen Christ’s message of hope bring you strength.
“All of us pray for you and with you. We pray because there is so much suffering. We can only give you our company, our prayers and say to you ‘courage, we accompany you,'” Pope Francis told an Easter vigil, departing from his text to address Ivan Fedorov, the mayor of Melitopol, and other Ukrainians.
Irpin, near Kyiv, in Ukraine. This is what Russia’s war against Ukraine looks like. If you teach Russian literature, culture, and history, you need to teach this side of Russia and its “greatness,” too. Photo: David Guttenfield / The New York Times. pic.twitter.com/0KYhLriL8Q
