Ukraine Briefly

April 12, 2022

Ukraine, Briefly

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• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that “tens of thousands” of people may have been killed in the besieged city of Mariupol, adding that Russian forces “are not halting their onslaught,” Sky News wrote. Since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, United Nations officials estimate that nearly 1,800 civilians have been killed and more than 2,400 have been wounded, according to Al Jazeera. The death toll also includes more than 180 children, according to Ukraine’s ombudsman.

• Russia appointed General Alexander Dvornikov as the new commander to oversee Moscow’s incursion into Ukraine, a move that some military analysts warn could start a brutal new phase as Russia readies a major offensive in the east, NBC News reported. Dvornikov most recently oversaw Russian troops in Syria and has a history of targeting civilians. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy appealed to South Korea on Monday to send weapons and military gear, including anti-aircraft artillery, to the war-torn country, the South China Morning Post added.

• Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday in the first Western-sit down with the Russian leader since the invasion, CNN noted. Nehammer said that the meeting was “not a friendly visit,” as the Austrian leader expressed concerns over alleged Russian atrocities in Ukraine. Meanwhile, pro-Russian demonstrators marched in a number of German cities to protest the prejudice they claim to have faced since the invasion, according to Euronews.

• Russia has cautioned Finland and Sweden against joining NATO, claiming that such a step would not bring European stability, the BBC reported. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that “the alliance remains a mechanism aimed for conflict.”

This story originally appeared in the April 12, 2022 newsletter, Shopping Around.