Humanitarian ‘catastrophe’ widens as Russia continues assault
Russia continues its offensive across Ukraine, pounding populated areas with artillery and airstrikes and deploying siege tactics on the 18th day of the attack.
Northwestern suburbs of Kyiv, such as Irpin and Bucha, have been under Russian shelling and shelling for more than a week, prompting residents to leave their homes. (AP)
Sunday, March 13, 2022
Humanitarian ‘catastrophe’ widens as Russia continues assault
Russian forces have increased pressure on Kiev and struck civilian areas in other Ukrainian cities, in new efforts to bring aid to the devastated port city of Mariupol.
Ukrainian and Russian officials described the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation as “catastrophic”.
In Moscow, the Defense Ministry described a relentless push on the ground, reporting that Russian forces had advanced 12 kilometers (7 miles) on “a broad front” during the day, without specifying exactly where.
Zelensky warns against ‘pseudo-republics’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a message that “the occupiers of the Kherson region are trying to repeat the sad experience of forming pseudo-republics.”
“Ukraine will resist this challenge.”
Ukraine’s gas reserves at 9.5 billion cubic meters – PM
Ukraine’s gas reserves stand at 9.5 billion cubic meters (bcm) and production continues at all facilities except plants located in areas where fighting is taking place, said Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal.
Before the Russian assault, Ukraine consumed around 30 Gm3 of gas per year, produced 20 Gm3 and imported the rest of the volumes from Europe (Hungary, Slovakia, Poland).
Ukraine used to import Russian gas but switched to European energy in November 2015 after Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014 and the outbreak of conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine corrects statement: ten civilians killed outside agreed area
The seven women and children who Ukraine says died when Russian forces attacked a convoy fleeing a village in the Kyiv region were not, as previously reported, within an agreed evacuation corridor, the report said. Department of Defense.
Ukrainian intelligence initially said those who died outside Peremoha on Friday were in a “green corridor” agreed with Russia.
A Ministry of Defense statement later said that people had in fact attempted to escape on their own, “so they began to evacuate without the ‘green corridor’ agreed by the parties”.
Satellite images show fire in residential areas of Mariupol
Satellite images taken on Saturday morning showed extensive damage to civilian infrastructure and residential buildings in the southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol, a private US company said.
Maxar Technologies said fires were seen in the western part of the Black Sea port city and dozens of apartment buildings were badly damaged. World TRT could not independently verify the images.
This multi-spectral satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows a close-up view of apartment buildings and fires that caused damage in the area of Zhovtnevyi district in western Mariupol, Ukraine, during the Russian assault , Saturday, March 12, 2022. (AP)
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Source: TRTWorld and agencies
