By The Related Press
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — Prime Minister Eduard Heger says Slovakia has donated its Soviet-era S-300 air protection system to Ukraine.
The feedback from Heger got here as he was visiting the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv with high EU officers forward of a deliberate assembly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday.
Zelenskyy talked about S-300s by title when he spoke to U.S. lawmakers by video final month, interesting for protection methods that will permit Ukraine to “shut the skies” to Russian warplanes and missiles.
NATO members Bulgaria, Slovakia and Greece have the S-300s, which may hearth missiles tons of of kilometers (miles) and knock out cruise missiles in addition to warplanes.
Slovakia beforehand mentioned it was prepared to offer its S-300 to Ukraine provided that it has a correct substitute.
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KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:
— Officers say Russian missile kills 30 civilians at prepare station
— Congress votes to droop Russia commerce standing, enact oil ban
— U.N. Common Meeting votes to droop Russia from UN rights council
— UN support chief: ‘I’m not optimistic’ about Ukraine cease-fire
— Russia is transferring troops and focus towards the east, however that technique carries dangers as nicely
— Ukrainian refugees discover quickest route into US goes via Mexico
— Go to https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine for extra protection
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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:
LVIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian officers are elevating the loss of life toll from a missile strike on a packed prepare station within the jap metropolis of Kramatorsk, as native hospitals buckled beneath an inflow of injured victims.
Donetsk regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko mentioned an up to date rely confirmed 39 individuals have been killed in Friday’s strike. Ukrainian officers had earlier put the determine at round 30. Officers put the variety of injured anyplace from 87 to as many as 300.
Kramatorsk mayor Oleksandr Goncharenko instructed Ukrainian TV that between 30 and 40 surgeons have been treating the wounded, and hospitals have been unable to deal with the surge in admissions.
The workplace of Ukraine’s prosecutor-general mentioned about 4,000 civilians have been in and across the station, most of them ladies and youngsters. The Ukrainian authorities has been urging to go away the realm earlier than an anticipated new offensive by Russian forces.
Russian-backed separatists management a part of the Donestsk area, however Kramatorsk stays beneath Ukrainian authorities management.
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BRUSSELS — The European Union has returned its ambassador to Ukraine to the capital, Kyiv, in a transfer that underscores the improved safety scenario there and the 27-nation bloc’s dedication to the beleaguered nation.
EU overseas coverage chief Josep Borrell made the announcement Friday throughout a go to to Kyiv the place he joined EU Fee President Ursula von der Leyen for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Borrell mentioned the ambassador’s return would assist be certain that the EU and Ukraine’s authorities can work collectively extra straight and intently.
Russian forces sought to enter Kyiv within the days after its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine however regardless of extreme losses and harm, the town withstood the assaults and the federal government was in a position to proceed performing from there.
Borrell referred to as it “spectacular” that Ukraine’s authorities was totally functioning beneath “the very troublesome circumstances.”
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ROME — The United Nations says costs for world meals commodities like grains and vegetable oils reached their highest ranges ever final month as a result of fallout from the struggle in Ukraine.
The U.N. Meals and Agriculture Group mentioned Friday its Meals Worth Index, which tracks month-to-month modifications in worldwide costs for a basket of commodities, recorded a double-digit percentage-point improve in March from the report stage already set the earlier month.
FAO mentioned the index got here in at 159.3 factors final month, up 12.6% from February’s all-time excessive for the reason that index was created in 1990.
The Rome-based company says the struggle in Ukraine was largely answerable for the 17.1% rise in costs for cereals, together with wheat and all coarse grains. Russia and Ukraine collectively account for round 30% and 20% respectively of worldwide wheat and maize exports.
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LONDON — Britain has added two grownup daughters of Russian President Vladimir Putin to its sanctions listing, following related strikes by the U.S. and the European Union.
The federal government mentioned Friday it's imposing asset freezes and journey bans on Putin’s daughters Katerina Tikhonova and Maria Vorontsova, in addition to Yekaterina Vinokurova, daughter of Russian International Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Britain says it has sanctioned greater than 1,200 Russian people and companies for the reason that invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, together with 76 oligarchs and 16 banks.
It says Western nations have collectively frozen 275 billion kilos ($360 billion), amounting to 60% of Russian overseas forex reserves.
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KYIV, Ukraine — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says about 30 individuals have been killed and round 100 injured following a rocket strike on the railway station in Kramatorsk within the east of the nation.
Writing on social media platforms, Zelenskyy mentioned hundreds of individuals have been current within the station on the time of the strike. The top of the Ukrainian railway service, Olexander Kamyshin, made related feedback concerning the strike.
Kramatorsk is a metropolis in a part of the Donetsk area that's managed by the Ukrainian authorities, and its railway station was getting used to evacuate civilians.
Zelenskyy lashed out at Russian forces, saying they have been “cynically destroying the civilian inhabitants” and referred to as it “an evil with out limits.”
Russian-backed separatists in Donetsk have claimed that Ukrainian forces have been accountable.
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KYIV, Ukraine — The regional governor of Ukraine’s Sumy area that borders Russia is urging native residents to keep away from utilizing forest roads, strolling on roadsides, or approaching destroyed army gear after Russian troops pulled out of the area.
Dmytro Zhyvytskyy warned Friday on the messaging app Telegram that locals are nonetheless in peril due to mines and different ammunition that the Russian forces left behind.
In a message apparently directed to native residents, Zhyvytskyy mentioned any explosions within the space within the brief time period have been prone to be sounds of rescuers and mine-clearing specialists at work deactivating the ammunition and different explosives.
He had mentioned earlier this week that Russia not managed any settlements within the area.
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BRUSSELS — The European Union imposed has sanctions on two grownup daughters of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a part of a brand new package deal of measures concentrating on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, in accordance with two EU officers.
The EU included Maria Vorontsova and Katerina Tikhonova in its up to date listing of people dealing with belongings freeze and journey bans. The 2 EU officers from totally different EU member international locations spoke on situation of anonymity to The Related Press as a result of the up to date listing of sanctions has not been printed but.
The transfer from the European bloc follows an analogous transfer two days earlier by the USA.
— By Samuel Petrequin and Raf Casert in Brussels.
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BRUSSELS — Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger and two high European Union officers are in Kyiv trying to shore up the bloc’s help for war-torn Ukraine.
Heger mentioned in a tweet Friday that he, EU Fee President Ursula von der Leyen and EU overseas coverage chief have include commerce and humanitarian support proposals for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his authorities.
A part of that, Heger says is “to supply choices for transporting grains, together with wheat.” Ukraine is a significant world wheat provider and Russia’s struggle on Ukraine is creating shortages, notably within the Center East.
He provides that the three wish to assist Ukraine on its path towards nearer ties with the EU by “making a ReformTeam.” Ukraine has utilized to affix the EU, however was already sorely in want of reforms, notably to root out rampant corruption, years earlier than Russian troops invaded in February.
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LONDON — Britain’s Protection Ministry has assessed that at the very least among the Russian forces who had pulled out from northern Ukraine will probably be transferred to the jap Donbas area to proceed preventing.
In a every day replace, the ministry says that many of those forces would require vital replenishment earlier than being able to deploy farther east, with any mass redeployment from the north prone to take at the very least every week minimal.
It says Russian shelling of cities within the east and south continues and Russian forces have superior farther south from the strategically essential metropolis of Izium, which stays beneath their management.
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COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Latvia says it has blacklisted 15 residents of Russia and Belarus on grounds that their actions pose a risk to the nation’s nationwide safety.
A listing of 9 Russians and 6 Belarus residents was given by Latvia’s State Safety Service — the counterintelligence company — to Inside Minister Marija Golubeva.
The State Safety Service mentioned Friday they embody individuals who “could also be concerned in acquiring intelligence or offering help for Russia’s overseas coverage pursuits.” It says amongst them are those that regardless of the crimes dedicated by Russian forces in Ukraine specific help for the Kremlin.
Earlier this month, Latvia mentioned it would shut two Russia’s consular missions and expel a complete of 13 Russian diplomats and staff at present stationed within the Baltic nation.
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MOSCOW — Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has acknowledged that Russia has suffered “vital losses of troops” throughout its army operation in Ukraine.
Peskov mentioned: “Sure, we now have vital losses of troops and it's a enormous tragedy for us.”
Talking in an unique interview with British broadcaster Sky on Thursday, Peskov additionally hinted that the operation could be over “within the foreseeable future.” He mentioned that Russian forces have been “doing their greatest to carry an finish to that operation.”
He mentioned: “And we do hope that in coming days, within the foreseeable future, this operation will attain its targets, or we’ll end it by the negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations.”
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CANBERRA, Australia — The primary of 20 Bushmaster armored autos has left Australia for Ukraine, one week after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy particularly requested the Australian-manufactured four-wheel drives.
A Boeing C-17 Globemaster transport jet that may carry 4 Bushmasters left the east coast metropolis of Brisbane for Europe on Friday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison mentioned.
The 20 Bushmasters price 50 million in Australian dollars, which is $37 million in U.S. dollars.
The autos are along with $116 million in Australian dollars ($87 million in U.S. dollars) in army and humanitarian support beforehand dedicated to Ukraine.
Zelenskyy requested Bushmasters when he made a video deal with to the Australian Parliament on March 31.
“And as quickly as he requested, we mentioned sure,” Morrison mentioned.
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WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Thursday introduced it's levying sanctions in opposition to Russia’s largest army shipbuilding and diamond mining corporations.
The transfer blocks their entry to the U.S. monetary system as the USA appears to actual extra financial ache on President Vladimir Putin for the invasion of Ukraine.
Alrosa is the world’s largest diamond mining firm and accounts for about 90% of Russia’s diamond mining capability, in accordance with the U.S. Treasury Division.
Alrosa generated over $4.2 billion in income in 2021. Diamonds are certainly one of Russia’s high 10 non-energy exports by worth.
The State Division additionally mentioned it was blacklisting the United Shipbuilding Company, in addition to its subsidiaries and board members.
The strikes in opposition to the two-state owned corporations come a day after the U.S. introduced it was concentrating on the 2 grownup daughters of President Vladimir Putin, two of Russia’s largest banks and banning new American funding in Russia.
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LVIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned Thursday evening that work has begun to dig via the rubble in Borodianka, one other metropolis northwest of Kyiv that was occupied by the Russians.
He additionally mentioned “it's a lot scarier” there, with much more victims of the Russian troops.
In his every day nighttime video deal with to the nation Thursday, Zelenskyy mentioned the Russians have been getting ready to shock the world in the identical method by exhibiting corpses in Mariupol and falsely claiming they have been killed by the Ukrainian defenders.
In the meantime, Bucha Mayor Anatoliy Fedoruk mentioned Thursday on Ukrainian tv that investigators have discovered at the very least three websites of mass shootings of civilians throughout the Russian occupation.
Fedoruk mentioned tons of have been killed and investigators are discovering our bodies in yards, parks and metropolis squares.
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PHOENIX — A Ukrainian diplomat pleaded for the USA to ship weapons to his beleaguered nation in a speech to the Arizona Legislature on Thursday.
Dmytro Kushneruk, Ukraine’s consul normal in San Francisco, instructed Arizona lawmakers that Ukraine wants three issues to repel Russian invaders and forestall extra civilian deaths — “weapons, weapons and weapons.”
Kushneruk mentioned it’s a “struggle for the soul of humanity” and time is of the essence as Russia regroups for an anticipated offensive on the Donbas area of Jap Ukraine.
In response to Kushneruk, immediate American assistance will save civilian lives and he pleaded for individuals to not look away even because the struggle drags on.
Kushneruk mentioned Ukraine wants planes, anti-aircraft methods, heavy artillery, tanks, rockets methods and long-range missiles that may goal Russian ships within the Black Sea.
The speech continued the outreach by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s authorities to political and cultural establishments around the globe.
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WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden calls the United Nations vote Thursday to droop Russia from the physique’s Human Rights Council “a significant step by the worldwide group.”
He additionally mentioned that it additional demonstrates how Russian President Vladimir Putin’s struggle “has made Russia a world pariah.”
The U.N. Common Meeting voted Thursday to droop Russia from the U.N.’s main human rights physique over allegations of horrific rights violations by Russian troopers in Ukraine.
The vote on Thursday was 93-24 with 58 abstentions
America and Ukraine have referred to as Russia’s alleged rights violations tantamount to struggle crimes.
In an announcement, Biden mentioned the pictures out of Bucha and different areas of Ukraine as Russian troops withdraw are “horrifying” and “an outrage to our widespread humanity.”
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BRUSSELS — European Council president Charles Michel says the bloc’s high diplomat has proposed including a further 500 million euros ($544 million) to Ukraine beneath the “European Peace Facility,” the fund which has been used for the primary time throughout the struggle to ship defensive deadly weapons to a 3rd nation.
The EU has beforehand agreed to spend 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) on army provides for Ukrainian forces in an unprecedented step of collectively supplying weapons to a rustic beneath assault.
EU international locations and NATO have to date excluded the choice of a direct army intervention in Ukraine.
“As soon as swiftly accredited this can carry to 1.5 billion the EU help already supplied for army gear for Ukraine,” Michel mentioned in a message posted on Twitter by which he thanked EU overseas affairs chief Josep Borrell.
The proposal must be accredited by the 27 EU international locations. The EU mentioned the instrument ought to assist Ukraine armed forces “defend the nation’s territorial integrity and sovereignty” and defend the civilian inhabitants.
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The World Well being Group has verified greater than 100 “assaults on well being care” in Ukraine for the reason that nation was first invaded greater than a month in the past, the group’s high official mentioned Thursday.
At the least 103 assaults on hospitals and different health-care services within the nation, and at the very least 73 have been killed and 51 injured in these incidents, mentioned WHO Director-Common Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, talking at a information convention in Washington, D.C.
The toll contains medical staff in addition to sufferers, he mentioned.
He praised the USA for supporting worldwide well being efforts in Ukraine, together with the supply of extra 180 metric tons of medical provides to hard-hit areas. “We're outraged that assaults on well being care (in Ukraine) proceed,” he mentioned.
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BRUSSELS — European Union nations have accredited new sanctions in opposition to Russia, together with an EU embargo on coal imports within the wake of proof of torture and killings rising from struggle zones exterior Kyiv.
The ban on coal imports would be the first EU sanctions concentrating on Russia’s profitable power trade over its struggle in Ukraine, mentioned an official on situation of anonymity as a result of the official announcement had not but been made.
The EU ban on coal is estimated to be price 4 billion euros ($4.4 billion) per 12 months. Within the meantime, the EU has already began engaged on further sanctions, together with on oil imports.
— Reported by Raf Casert.
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PARIS — The Worldwide Vitality Company says its member international locations are releasing 60 million barrels of oil from their emergency reserves on high of earlier U.S. pledges to take purpose at power costs which have soared since Russia invaded Ukraine.
The Paris-based group mentioned Thursday that the brand new commitments made by its 31 member nations, which embody the USA and far of Europe, quantity to a complete of 120 million barrels over six months. It’s the most important launch within the group’s historical past.
Half of that can come from the U.S. as a part of the bigger launch from its strategic petroleum reserve that President Joe Biden introduced final week.
The IEA agreed final Friday so as to add to the quantity of oil hitting the worldwide market. It comes on high of the 62.7 million barrels that the company’s members mentioned they might launch final month to ease shortages.