RUSSIA,UKRAINE: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday warned that Russia could use chemical weapons in the war-hit country and called on the West to impose tougher sanctions to deter Moscow from such acts. Zelenskyy’s warning came amid unconfirmed reports suggesting chemical weapons were used in the southern Ukrainian port of Mariupol.
“We treat this with the utmost seriousness,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address.
“I would like to remind world leaders that the possible use of chemical weapons by the Russian military has already been discussed. And already at that time it meant that it was necessary to react to the Russian aggression much harsher and faster.”
The Ukrainian President did not say whether chemical weapons had already been used.
An aide to the mayor of Mariupol had said that reports about the chemical attack had not been confirmed and that he would provide details and clarifications later.
Meanwhile,Russia was poised Monday to take the strategic city of Mariupol and unleash a massive offensive in eastern Ukraine, as fresh diplomatic efforts with Moscow to broker a peace offered little hope of de-escalation.
With the war grinding toward its seventh week, Austria’s leader said he had raised alleged Russian atrocities as he became the first European leader to visit President Vladimir Putin since the invasion began.
Ukraine says more than 1,200 bodies have been found in devastated areas around Kyiv, with authorities pursuing “500 suspects” including Putin and other top Russian officials.
Meanwhile, Russia was poised Monday to take the strategic city of Mariupol and unleash a massive offensive in eastern Ukraine, as fresh diplomatic efforts with Moscow to broker a peace offered little hope of de-escalation.
With the war grinding toward its seventh week, Austria’s leader said he had raised alleged Russian atrocities as he became the first European leader to visit President Vladimir Putin since the invasion began.
Meanwhile, the Mayor of the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol said Monday that more than 10,000 civilians have died in the Russian siege of his city, and that the death toll could surpass 20,000, with corpses that were “carpeted through the streets.”
Speaking by phone Monday to The Associated Press, Mayor Vadym Boychenko also said Russian forces brought mobile cremation equipment to Mariupol to dispose of the bodies, and he accused Russian forces of refusing to allow humanitarian convoys into the city in an attempt to conceal the carnage. – THE HINDUSTAN TIMES, THE MALAY MAIL
Wednesday, April 13, 2022 – 01:00