EU to Russia: ‘War crimes must stop immediately’ in Ukraine
European Union says invasion of Ukraine ‘grossly violates international law’, calls on Russia to end attacks.
- Russia says it is now focused on fully capturing Donbas in apparent shift in strategy.
- Ukraine says 7,331 people were evacuated from cities on Friday.
- UN nuclear watchdog says staff members at Chernobyl’s radioactive waste facilities have not been rotated in four days.
- French President Emmanuel Macron to hold talks with Russia’s Vladimir Putin over Mariupol evacuation initiative.
- President Vladimir Putin accuses West of trying to cancel Russian culture.
Here are all the latest updates:
Ukraine says 7,331 people were evacuated on Friday
A total of 7,331 people were evacuated from Ukrainian cities through humanitarian corridors on Friday, a senior official said, more than double the 3,343 who managed to escape the previous day.
Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said in an online post that 2,800 people had left the besieged city of Mariupol using private transport.
Macron to hold talks with Putin over Mariupol evacuation initiative
Macron has said he will hold talks with Putin in the next 48 to 72 hours regarding the situation in Ukraine and an initiative to help people leave the besieged city of Mariupol.
Macron said he is coordinating efforts with Greece and Turkey and hopes to convince Russia to allow the evacuation.
EU to Russia: ‘War crimes must stop immediately’
European Union leaders have urged Russia to fully respect its obligations under international law and abide by the recent order by the International Court of Justice that told Moscow to withdraw from Ukraine.
“Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine grossly violates international law and is causing massive loss of life and injury to civilians,” the leaders of the 27-nation EU said in a joint statement.
“Russia is directing attacks against the civilian population and is targeting civilian objects, including hospitals, medical facilities, schools and shelters. These war crimes must stop immediately.”
Russian focus on ‘liberating’ Donbas hints at shift in strategy
Russia has claimed that the first phase of its “military operation” in Ukraine was mostly complete, and that it would focus on fully “liberating” eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region.
The announcement appeared to indicate that Russia may be switching to more limited goals after running into fierce Ukrainian resistance in the first month of the war.
“The combat potential of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has been considerably reduced, which … makes it possible to focus our core efforts on achieving the main goal, the liberation of Donbas,” Sergei Rudskoi, head of the Russian General Staff’s Main Operational Directorate, said.
Read more here.
Read all the updates from Friday, March 25 here.
