Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Ukraine warned that peace talks with Moscow were in danger of collapse and said Russia was pounding areas in the east. Russian forces have turned their focus toward Ukraine’s east and south after failing to capture the capital in a nine-week assault that has turned cities to rubble, killed thousands and forced 5 million Ukrainians to flee abroad.
Moscow captured the city of Kherson in Ukraine’s south and its forces have mostly occupied the eastern port city of Mariupol, where United Nations efforts are underway to evacuate civilians and fighters holed up in a large steel plant. Ukraine has acknowledged losing control of some eastern towns and villages but says Moscow’s gains have come at a heavy cost to a Russian force already worn down from its earlier defeat near the capital.
Ukraine and Russia have not held face-to-face peace talks since March 29th, and the atmosphere has soured over Ukrainian allegations that Russian troops carried out atrocities as they withdrew from areas near Kyiv. Moscow has denied the claims. The two sides have since held talks by video link. Ukraine will return to the field for the first time since the Russian invasion when it plays a friendly against German club Borussia Mönchengladbach on May 11th ahead of a crucial World Cup qualifier.
Ukraine will soon stamp out fuel shortages, even though Russian forces have damaged a number of oil depots, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday. This week, Russia struck Ukraine’s main fuel producer, the Kremenchuk oil refinery, as well as several other large depots. Lifting sanctions imposed on Russia is part of peace negotiations between Moscow and Ukraine, which are “difficult” but continue daily, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in remarks published early on Saturday.