WAR IN UKRAINE: Russia Launches Airstrike on Steel Plant in Mariupol
Ukraine officials said Sunday Russia has launched an airstrike on the Azovstal steel factory in the besieged Southern port city of Mariupol.
Last week Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a tight blockade of the facility that Russian forces have struggled to take over from perhaps thousands of Ukraine fighters and civilians who have remained in control of the plant.
Meanwhile, The International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement Sunday that it is “deeply alarmed by the situation in Mariupol, where the population is in dire need of assistance.” The ICRC said, “Immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access is urgently required to allow for the voluntary safe passage of thousands of civilians and hundreds of wounded out of the city, including from the Azovstal plant area.”
The bombing of the factory comes as Ukraine is observing Orthodox Easter Sunday and as Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine “is expecting specific things and specific weapons,” as an outcome of the first official visit by U.S. government officials since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.
There has been no confirmation of the trip from U.S. officials.
On Thursday, Zelenskyy meets with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Before the U.N. chief’s meeting with Zelenskyy, the secretary general is scheduled to meet with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara Monday and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow Tuesday…
Turkey Closes Airspace to Russian Planes Flying to Syria
ISTANBUL, TURKEY — Turkey has closed its airspace to Russian civilian and military planes flying to Syria, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was quoted as saying Saturday by local media.
The announcement marks one of the strongest responses to date by Turkey, which has cultivated close ties with Moscow despite being a member of the NATO defense alliance, to Russia’s two-month military assault on Ukraine.
“We closed the airspace to Russia’s military planes — and even civilian ones — flying to Syria. They had until April, and we asked in March,” Turkish media quoted Cavusoglu as saying.
Cavusoglu said he conveyed the decision to his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, who then relayed it to President Vladimir Putin.
“One or two days later, they said: Putin has issued an order, we will not fly anymore,” Cavusoglu was quoted as telling Turkish reporters aboard his plane to Uruguay.
Cavusoglu added that the ban would stay in place for three months.
There was no immediate response to Turkey’s announcement from Russia, which together with Iran has been a crucial supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during the war-torn country’s civil war.
Turkey has backed Syrian rebels during the conflict.
Sean Penn joins Sean Hannity to discuss Russian invasion of Ukraine - FOX NEWS
Ukraine leader pushes for more arms; US officials to visit
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pressed the West for more powerful weapons as he prepared to meet with top U.S. officials in the war-torn country’s capital.
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pressed the West for more powerful weapons as he prepared to meet with top U.S. officials in the war-torn country’s capital Sunday, while Russian forces concentrated their attacks on the east, including trying to dislodge the last Ukrainian troops in the battered port of Mariupol.
Zelenskyy announced the planned visit by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at a news conference Saturday night in a Kyiv subway station. The White House has not commented.
Zelenskyy said he was looking for the Americans to produce results, both in arms and security guarantees. “You can’t come to us empty-handed today, and we are expecting not just presents or some kind of cakes, we are expecting specific things and specific weapons,” he said.
The visit would be the first by senior U.S. officials since Russia invaded Ukraine 60 days ago. Blinken stepped briefly onto Ukrainian soil in March to meet with the country’s foreign minister during a visit to Poland. Zelenskyy’s last face-to-face meeting with a U.S. leader was Feb. 19 in Munich with Vice President Kamala Harris.
While the West has funneled military equipment to Ukraine, Zelenskyy has stressed repeatedly that the country needs more heavy weapons, including long-range air defense systems, as well as warplanes.
His meeting with Austin and Blinken was set to take place as Ukrainians and Russians observed Orthodox Easter, when the faithful celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Speaking from Kyiv’s ancient St. Sophia Cathedral, Zelenskyy, who is Jewish, highlighted the significance of the occasion to a nation wracked by nearly two months of war.
Ukraine War: Heavy weapons heading to Ukraine? - Sky News
New skills to entertain Piano for all
Piano ©Creative Spades | Sergio D. Spadavecchia
Nature is for everyone—so is defending Her
© Pixabay – Pexels
Stop Shell’s seismic blasting
News and ways to get involved. ©Desiree Laverne.
Bribery, fraud and large-scale greenwashing: WHY PLASTIC? exposes the grim reality of plastic ‘recycling’
Greenpeace Plastic Crisis – Nina, a young plastic activist from Indonesia picks up plastic trash (The Recycling Myth). © a&o buero
How Creative Professionals Use Side Gigs to Make Extra Cash
All images © Creative Spades www.creativespades.com | Sergio David Spadavecchia
In frame:
Sarah Siddiqui https://soundcloud.com/sarah-siddiqui-music
Kelvin Wetherell https://kelvinwetherell.com/
Skutch Tully https://www.instagram.com/skutchtully/
Julie Sun Lee Music https://www.instagram.com/juliesunlee/
Call on Canada to pass a strong nature protection law
© Joshua Woroniecki – Pexels
UPS and Sephora’s Bad Business Practices Borderlining SCAMS. Learn From The Best. Report The Worst!
Two of the many companies that you need to be aware of. © Miguel Á. Padriñán – pexels
Are COVID-19 Vaccines to help humanity or to enrich the few?
COVID-19 Vaccines. These are the fluctuations of the stocks regarding Pfizer and Moderna. I always like to ask questions when I don’t have the answer,
The Russians shot at the Sumy region from a helicopter.
A Russian helicopter shelled the territory of the Sumy Oblast Photo: PAP / EPA / ROMAN PILIPEY
Poland has sent over 200 tanks to Ukraine: IAR
The T-72 battle tank (R). © PAP/EPA/Zsolt Czegledi
Caribou Crisis: Minister Dufour reverts to gaslighting
Caribou Crisis: Montreal – In reaction to Quebec Minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks (MFFP) Pierre Dufour’s comments and finger-pointing, which attack the Innu of Nutashkuan and their
Greenpeace Canada reaction to Federal Emissions Reduction Plan
On March 29, the federal government released its long-awaited emissions reduction plan that charts a course for the country to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent by 2030. Photo by Chris LeBoutillier / Unsplash
