Today at 1:05 a.m. EDT|Updated today at 5:37 p.m. EDT
Today at 1:05 a.m. EDT|Updated today at 5:37 p.m. EDT
ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine — This Ukrainian-held city is awaiting the expected arrival of about 100 evacuees from the besieged Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, setting up a reception center for those who faced a fraught journey to reach a safer location. The United Nations-backed “safe passage” was organized after weeks of cease-fire negotiations. Despite the deal, the chief of the Donetsk regional patrol police said Russia is still shelling the plant, even though civilians remain inside. One family from Mariupol told The Washington Post they passed through more than 20 Russian checkpoints over four days.
Meantime, an official from the Pentagon said Russia was making minimal progress in Donbas, an area which its military has focused on since failing to take Kyiv. The official described Russia’s operations as “very cautious” and “very tepid.”
In Brussels, European Union energy ministers are meeting to discuss the energy crisis and debate a ban on imports of Russian oil. Talks were making quick progress Monday, with holdout Germany no longer opposing an embargo and suggesting it does not depend on Russian crude anymore. However, Hungary and Slovakia — both more reliant on Russian oil — were holding up the deal with objections, according to officials.
Here’s what else to know
- A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows a large, bipartisan majority supporting increased sanctions against Russia and most also backing military and humanitarian support for Ukrainians, with almost three-quarters saying the United States is doing the right amount or too little to support Ukraine.
- Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelensky downplayed attempts to have him assassinated, saying that many fellow Ukrainians have it worse.
- Later this week, first lady Jill Biden will travel to Romania and Slovakia, where she will meet with displaced Ukrainian families.
- In Belgorod, a Russian city near Ukraine’s eastern border, the regional governor said he was awakened early Monday by two explosions, the latest in a series of unexplained fires and blasts at strategic locations in Russia.
- The Post has lifted its paywall for readers in Russia and Ukraine. Telegram users can subscribe to our channel.
Photos: Ukrainians from Mariupol and beyond arrive in Zaporizhzhia
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Ukrainians fleeing Mariupol and Russian-occupied territories arrived Monday in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, recounting long journeys. Photographer Nicole Tung captured the scene for The Washington Post.
Much of the world’s attention has focused on Mariupol, the southern port city where Russian forces have mostly taken control. Some Ukrainian soldiers remain there at a steel plant, holed up with civilians who began to leave the factory this weekend. But steel plant evacuees had yet to arrive late Monday night, and families at a Zaporizhzhia center for the displaced came from many cities. Some cars bore “children” signs meant to discourage attacks.
200 civilians still at Mariupol steel plant, official says
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MUKACHEVO, Ukraine — About 200 civilians, including 20 children, remain at the Mariupol steel plant where Ukrainian soldiers have refused Russian demands to surrender, a Ukrainian official told The Washington Post late Monday local time.
Mykhailo Vershynin, head of the Donetsk regional patrol police, said a convoy of buses was supposed to leave Monday for Zaporizhzhia, a city to Mariupol’s northwest and a hub for Ukrainians fleeing areas under Russian occupation or blockade.
But “something didn’t work out,” Vershynin said, and now the convoy is set to leave Tuesday.
Civilians at the steel plant began evacuating this weekend, according to Ukrainian officials, but had yet to arrive in Zaporizhzhia Monday. Ukrainians say Russia has continued shelling the plant despite President Vladimir Putin’s claims last week that he had ordered no further attacks.
“Today all day there was shelling,” Vershynin said Monday, adding that he expected another round of shelling.
The Russian Defense Ministry said Monday on Telegram that civilians left the steel plant Saturday and Sunday. Some of them left for Kyiv-controlled territory with representatives of the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross, the ministry said, while others chose to stay in Moscow-backed separatist territory.
Vershynin said Ukrainians hope to extract not only civilians from the plant but also “the wounded and possibly the military contingent.” However, he also described a possible “negative” scenario in which Russia “just levels completely from the face of the earth everything that’s left at the factory.”
“This won’t be easy, because one way or another we’ll defend to the last fighter,” Vershynin said. “There will be losses for Russia.”
Russia plans to annex more Ukrainian territory in coming days, U.S. envoy says
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The Russian government plans to annex more of Ukraine’s territory in the coming days, including the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk and the southern city of Kherson, the U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said Monday.
Moscow plans to give the annexations a “veneer of democratic or electoral legitimacy” by holding “sham” votes or referendums, Michael Carpenter told reporters at the State Department, noting: “This is straight out of the Kremlin’s playbook.”
“Just as Russia engineered these quasi statelets — the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic — now we believe that the Kremlin may be trying to organize a Kherson People’s Republic,” he said.
Donetsk and Luhansk were taken over by pro-Russian separatists after Moscow’s 2014 invasion of Ukraine and recently recognized as independent states by Russia. Kherson was captured by Russian forces as part of its ongoing war in Ukraine, which began in late February.
Carpenter declined to explain the intelligence undergirding the U.S. assessment, saying he did not want to compromise intelligence sources and methods. He underscored that although the United States believes the Kremlin has plans to annex the territories, it does not know whether Moscow will succeed.
He said the United States has “highly credible” reports of tactics Russia is using to carry out this plan, including abductions of mayors, local officials, journalists, school directors and activists.
“There have been reports of plans to impose a Russian school curriculum in the south and east,” Carpenter continued. “Russia plans to force the local population to use the ruble. More recently, there have been reports, as well, that Russian forces have cut off Internet and some cellular phone access in these regions in order to disable the flow of reliable information.”
NATO not fighting a ‘proxy war’ with Russia in Ukraine, White House says
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White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Monday rejected the assertion by Russian officials that NATO was fighting a proxy war with Russia through Ukraine, saying such notions were talking points used by the Kremlin.
“It is not a proxy war,” Psaki told reporters at a White House briefing. “This is a war between Russia and Ukraine. NATO is not involved. The United States is not fighting this war … It’s important and vital for all of us to not repeat the Kremlin talking points on this front.”
Psaki stressed, as she has for weeks, that President Biden’s position continues to be that the United States will not send American troops to Ukraine to fight this war on the ground. She also emphasized that Russian officials have, as recently as last year, made clear that a nuclear war could not be won.
“We agree with that, and that is important for every country to restate and every elected official to restate around the country here as well,” Psaki said.
They support Ukraine. So they can’t support Alex Ovechkin.
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Lynn Kessler began attending Washington Capitals games in the 1970s, growing to love her hometown team more with each passing year. The 58-year-old has rooted for generations of Capitals players and has turned many of her friends into die-hard followers of the franchise, at one point splitting a season ticket package with some of them. Rooms in her home are lined with memorabilia, and her Facebook page is a shrine to recent players.
But when the Capitals hit the ice to begin the Stanley Cup playoffs Tuesday at the Florida Panthers, Kessler won’t be watching. She has not watched a Capitals game since February, when Russia invaded Ukraine.
Her husband’s family is from Ukraine, and Kessler is conflicted about rooting for the team because of its Russian captain, Alex Ovechkin. Like other fans from Ukraine or with ties to the country interviewed for this story, Kessler is angry about Ovechkin’s support for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I still love the Caps, but I don’t love Alex Ovechkin,” Kessler said. “It’s going to be really strange to not watch the playoffs, but I don’t think I can do it.”
Evacuees from Mariupol plant could be taken to Russian territory, Zelensky says
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday in an interview with Greek state television that the civilians being evacuated from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol risked being taken to Russian territory against their will, stating that a half-million Ukrainians have been “illegally, forcefully deported to other cities in Russia” since the invasion.
In an interview with TV ERT, Zelensky said he had warned United Nations Secretary General António Guterres that when civilians board the buses outside the plant, “there’s a possibility of Russia taking these people to Russian Federation territory.”
Zelensky said Guterres assured him that the civilians will get to Ukrainian-controlled territory safely. But the Ukrainian leader said he remained wary because of “low” trust in Russia.
Despite the challenges and risks, there are around 50 buses at Azovstal’s gates ready to take people from Mariupol to Zaporizhzhia, Zelensky added.
The “safe passage” operation is being led by the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The Russian military said Monday that since the Mariupol evacuations began this weekend, 57 people who left the steel plant and surrounding areas chose to stay in areas under Russian control, while 69 civilians decided to leave for Ukrainian-controlled territory and were handed over to U.N. and ICRC personnel.
The figures could not be independently verified.
More than 70 U.S. howitzers have been delivered to Ukraine, Pentagon says
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More than 70 of the 90 American howitzers that the Pentagon has earmarked for Ukraine have been delivered, the Pentagon said Monday, part of a stepped-up international effort to flow weapons to Ukraine to help it defend against Russia.
The cannons have been delivered along with about half of the 140,000 155 mm artillery rounds that the United States has promised Ukraine, a senior U.S. defense official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the Pentagon.
Additional weapons are on their way each day. In the past 24 hours, the United States made 14 weapons flights to the region, while five other Western nations made 23 more, the official said.
The West also continues to train Ukrainian forces on how to use the artillery it is delivering. Fifty more artillerymen were expected to complete a roughly one-week familiarization course on Monday, bringing the total number to have received the instruction to about 220, the official said.
About 20 Ukrainian troops began training Sunday on how to use unmanned Phoenix Ghost aircraft, the official said. They are a loitering munition that can be flown directly into enemy vehicles or troop formations.
The United States also is expected to begin delivering Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters in the next few days, the official said. They were promised in a previous weapons package approved by President Biden, but the Pentagon and Ukrainian officials have prioritized the delivery of other weapons and equipment.
Russia making ‘minimal progress, at best,’ in Donbas, Pentagon assesses
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The Russian military, risk-averse and still struggling with logistical issues, is making “minimal progress, at best,” in the Donbas region of Ukraine, the Pentagon assessed Monday.
The assessment came after Russian forces launched offensive operations east and south of Izyum, a midsize eastern city that they seized in late March. But in numerous towns and villages, Russia often seems to attack, declare victory, then withdraw its troops and allow Ukrainian forces to reclaim control, said a senior U.S. defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the Pentagon.
The official described Russia’s operations as “very cautious” and “very tepid.”
“In some cases, quite frankly, the best way to describe it would be anemic,” he added.
The majority of Russian airstrikes remain concentrated in Mariupol. Russian forces continue to withdraw an unknown number of troops from the largely destroyed southern port city and send them northwest for expected participation in the Donbas offensive, the official said.
Russia’s top general visited Ukraine last week, Pentagon says
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Russia’s top military officer, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, visited Ukraine for a few days last week, the Pentagon said Monday, but is believed to have returned home.
Gerasimov visited the eastern region of Donbas, where Russia has shifted its military operations after failing to capture Kyiv and other cities in its nine-week-old invasion of Ukraine, said a senior U.S. defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the Pentagon. The official added that he cannot confirm reports that Gerasimov was injured while in Ukraine.
Gerasimov was in Ukraine to probably assess Russia’s operations, the Pentagon official said.
“It’s certainly possible that his trip was a manner of oversight,” he said.
Ukrainian villages mark days with funerals as bodies found, identified
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OZERA, Ukraine — The sun had broken through the clouds as Nadia Voznenko, a black veil tied around her head, stepped over trash left by Russian soldiers to receive the body.
She recognized the vehicle waiting at her shrapnel-pocked home. It was a delivery truck once driven by her son, Andriy, now transformed into a makeshift hearse. Voznenko’s eyes locked on the casket wrapped in black-and-orange cloth. It would remain closed to conceal the signs of torture.
“My sonny, my dear!” she cried. “My God!” Her screams echoed inside the truck.
German interior minister asks people to stock up in case of power outages
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BERLIN — Germany’s interior minister said Monday that it “makes sense” for people to keep emergency stockpiles of food and medicine at home, as the war in Ukraine threatens energy supplies and increases the risk of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure.
“If the power goes out for a longer period of time or daily life is restricted in some other way, then it definitely makes sense to have an emergency supply at home,” Nancy Faeser said in an interview with Handelsblatt newspaper.
“We have to get up to speed here in order to be able to cope with the various crises — pandemics, the consequences of climate change, the dangers of war,” the interior minister added.
Faeser said her ministry is also making an inventory of the 599 bomb shelters in the country. “It makes sense if we reactivate some of them,” she said.
Danish foreign minister makes Ukraine trip, visits devastated Irpin
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Denmark’s foreign minister, Jeppe Kofod, toured the ruined Kyiv suburb of Irpin on Monday during a visit to the Ukrainian capital to reopen the Danish Embassy.
Most homes in Irpin were destroyed in March during the early weeks of Russia’s invasion as its forces attacked the suburb and shelled it with heavy artillery. In nearby Bucha, scenes of massacred civilians have sparked calls from Ukraine and its allies to investigate Russia for war crimes.
On his tour, Kofod met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. They planned to discuss Denmark’s continued humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine, as well as “long-term reconstruction plans, and the investigation and prosecution of war crimes during the Russian invasion,” the Danish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Kofod said in a statement that reopening the Danish Embassy in Kyiv was a way to signal Denmark’s support for Ukraine.
“Our diplomatic staff has been working tirelessly on strengthening Danish-Ukrainian relations and helping both Danes and Ukrainians in the highly challenging situation following Russia’s invasion,” he said. “Today, I am happy to announce that we are back in the heart of the Kyiv.”
Zelensky discusses assassination attempts, threats to his family
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President Volodymyr Zelensky opened up about Russian threats to his life and his family in an interview with “60 Minutes Australia” that aired Sunday.
When asked by journalist Tom Steinfort about reports of at least 10 foiled attempts to kill him, Zelensky replied: “Ten assassination attempts means that there’s only 10 people willing to have me killed. That’s not bad.”
Zelensky also said his personal situation could not be compared to the fate suffered by Ukrainians in towns such as Bucha, where mass graves were discovered and civilian bodies lay in the streets after Russian troops retreated in April. Ukraine accused the Russian military of committing atrocities, killing hundreds of civilians in the area.
“When people are being tortured, when the bodies of people are found in the wells, I think, considering all of that, my situation is not that horrible,” Zelensky said.
Last week, Ukraine said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces twice attempted to storm Zelensky’s family compound at the beginning of the invasion. According to Time magazine, Zelensky was told by advisers that a Russian squad had been sent to abduct him.
Olena Zelenska, Zelensky’s wife, has since fled Kyiv with their 17-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son, while the president has remained in the capital, meeting with world leaders and heading to devastated towns to survey the damage.
U.S. diplomats to resume limited activities in Ukraine
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U.S. diplomats will resume limited activities in Ukraine, based out of the western city of Lviv, with the goal of returning to Kyiv within a month, Kristina Kvien, the U.S. chargé d’affaires for Ukraine, announced Monday.
Kvien said she and U.S. Embassy personnel will continue making day trips from neighboring Poland to Lviv for the next week or two and, depending on security conditions, plan to extend those trips to Kyiv, the capital. The goal, she said, is to eventually reestablish a “long-term permanent presence” in Kyiv, where several foreign diplomatic missions already have reopened.
“When they tell us we can go back, we go back,” Kvien said of security updates, speaking in front of the sandbagged walls of the city hall in Lviv.
Lviv will serve as a base for U.S. personnel to meet with Ukrainian officials, civil society groups and humanitarian agencies, as well as to perform basic consular work to assist U.S. citizens. For now, that work is not expected to include visa processing related to the Biden administration’s pledge to admit up to 100,000 people fleeing Ukraine.
In mid-February, just before the Russian invasion, the State Department temporarily moved operations to Lviv, with U.S. personnel commuting from Poland. Although Lviv has come under sporadic attack, its relative calm has made it a hub for United Nations staff, aid groups and Western diplomats who deemed the capital too risky.
At the time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the move as “a big mistake,” saying it sent the wrong message to Russia about Western support for Kyiv.