Russia's defence ministry said Saturday it had resumed "offensive actions" in Ukraine after announcing a ceasefire earlier in the day to allow residents of two besieged cities of Mariupol and neighbouring Volnovakha to evacuate. The Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said that "not a single civilian" was able to exit via the humanitarian corridors. "The population of these cities is held by nationalist formations as a human shield," he added.
- The Ukrainian port city of Mariupol had delayed a planned evacuation of residents Saturday, blaming Russian forces for breaking their temporary ceasefire to allow civilians to flee one of the war's fiercest battles.
- Israel prime minister Naftali Bennett stepped into the role of mediator on Saturday, holding a three-hour meeting at the Kremlin with Vladimir Putin before calling Ukraine's president and flying to Berlin.
- The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting Monday on the humanitarian crisis triggered in Ukraine by the Russian invasion and discuss a possible draft resolution.
- Invading Russian troops have blockaded the strategic Ukrainian port city Mariupol, its mayor announced Saturday.
- Russia and Ukraine are set to hold a third round of talks over the weekend as an attack on a nuclear plant in Ukraine triggered widespread condemnations.
- The mayor of Mariupol issued a plea for help as water, heating and electricity remained cut in the southern Ukrainian port city. “We are simply being destroyed,” he said.
- More than 1 million people have fled Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion, the United Nations said, amounting to the swiftest refugee exodus this century.
- Thousands of people participated in rallies across the world including Paris, London and Cape Town in support of Ukraine
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(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS, AFP and AP)
