Zelensky Calls For Firm Response After Kramatorsk Bombing – Follow Live

Zelensky says ‘goal is to be in the European Union’ after meeting European Commission officials

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the European Union for the “political, financial and military support of Ukraine” amidst the Russian invasion and called on the EU to “continue to impose sanctions” on Russia.

After meeting president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and high representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy, Josep Borrell, in Kyiv on Friday, Mr Zelensky said: “The goal is to be in the European Union. The most important thing is that we share the same values. And it is for them that we fight – for freedom, for the rights of our people.”

He added: “I know for sure that we will win and it will all work. And at this distance, right here, near us are the countries of the European Union and the EU leadership. And this financial support is very important today when the economy is not working yet.”

Maroosha Muzaffar9 April 2022 06:00

Russia under self-imposed pressure to win by 9 May, say European officials

Russia is feeling the “self-imposed pressure” to achieve some sort of victory in Ukraine before 9 May, when Russia celebrates Victory Day over Germany in the Second World War, according to two European officials.

“Consolidating and trying to at least have something to talk about is clearly in their interest,” one of the officials said.

The second official said that Russia’s bid to have some sort of victory before 9 May could lead to “military disaster as a consequence”.

The official said the timeline could force the Russian military to commit more atrocities. “The stench of these war crimes is going to hang over these Russian armed forces for many years,” the official added.

Maroosha Muzaffar9 April 2022 05:40

Hungary says ‘won’t mingle in the war’

Hungary has said that it will “not mingle in the war” and not supply weapons to support Ukraine.

Zoltan Kovacs, a spokesperson for Hungary’s prime minister, told CNN that the Hungarian standpoint was firm. “We are not going to mingle in this war by means of weapons and by supplying soldiers.”

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky had criticised the Hungarian prime minister Victor Orban for his lack of support. Mr Orban attacked the Ukrainian president by saying that his campaign “had to fight against a huge amount of opponents”.

Mr Kovacs, meanwhile, said: “We know what to do. We do everything at our disposal, but it’s not going to be by what you are trying to tell us to do. I believe Mr Zelensky is representing the Ukrainian national interest. We see the disturbing images and the tragedy that is happening in Ukraine.”

He added: “We are going to take care of everyone coming from Ukraine and the best effort is to bring these warring partners into a negotiating table.”

Maroosha Muzaffar9 April 2022 05:20

Ukrainian journalist describes Kramatorsk train attack

A Ukrainian journalist, who was present at the Kramatorsk train station when it was attacked, has described scenes of chaos and confusion in the aftermath.

Alex Merkulov’s footage for Ukraine’s Donetchina TV from the ground shows crowds trying to push in and out of the station when it came under attack from Russian forces. At least 52 people were killed in the attack on Friday.

He said: “One was on the street where people were queueing up to board the train and to be evacuated, and the other one was the waiting area in the train station itself where people were divided and organised into several groups.”

He continued: “Because all of these people, they come from areas that have been in the combat action for eight years already, they know what to do as soon as there is an explosion. So the moment the explosion went bang, everybody was on the floor.

“Although the explosion itself didn’t seem to be that hard, the wave was unbelievable. It’s as if something just hit you on your head. And your legs couldn’t keep you any longer. You couldn’t stand on them,” he continued.

“And you understand that something terrible happened but you’re not aware what it is. And you’re afraid to look up, but you know you have to do something.”

Maroosha Muzaffar9 April 2022 05:00

Japan bans coal imports from Russia after expelling eight diplomats

Japan said on Friday that it would ban coal imports from Russia and expelled eight diplomats following “outrageous” actions against civilians by the Russian forces in Ukraine.

Prime minister Fumio Kishida said: “Russia has repeatedly violated international humanitarian law by killing civilians and attacking nuclear power plants. These are unforgivable war crimes.”

“With decisive measures and support that meets the Ukrainian people’s needs, we will make it clear that the international community will never accept Russia’s outrage and Japan stands together with Ukraine,” he added.

Earlier in the day, Japan’s foreign ministry had announced that it was expelling eight diplomats and trade representatives as part of its condemnation of Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

“We call on Russian troops to immediately withdraw. Its propaganda that denies killing civilians and says these incidents are faked by the West are completely unacceptable,” foreign press secretary Hikariko Ono had said.

Maroosha Muzaffar9 April 2022 04:40

US rejects Russia’s denial of train station attack

The US said it is not buying “the denial by the Russians that they weren’t responsible” for the Kramatorsk train station attack, in which at least 50 people were killed.

A senior defence official in Washington said the US believed Russian forces had used a short-range ballistic missile in the train station attack, according to Reuters.

Russia has denied the attack — which has drawn global condemnation — and instead said that the missiles used to attack the train station were fired by the Ukrainian military as Russian forces had no targets assigned in Kramatorsk on Friday.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky said that “this is another war crime of Russia, for which everyone involved will be held accountable”.

Maroosha Muzaffar9 April 2022 04:20

EU leaders react sharply to Kramatorsk train station attack

Josep Borrell, EU’s foreign policy chief, “strongly condemned” the Kramatorsk train station attack in which more than 50 people, including five children, died.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, who visited Ukraine on Friday with Mr Borrell and other European leaders, also condemned the train station attack and said that it was “despicable”.

“I am appalled by the loss of life and I will offer personally my condolences to President [Zelensky],” she wrote on Twitter. “My thoughts are with the families of the victims.”

Maroosha Muzaffar9 April 2022 04:00

Russian forces behind Kramatorsk train station attack will be held accountable, Zelensky says

Volodymyr Zelensky said everyone behind the attack on the Kramatorsk train station — in which more than 50 people died — will be held accountable.

“This is another war crime of Russia, for which everyone involved will be held accountable,” he said.

He added that “we expect a firm, global response to this war crime.”

He added: “Like the massacres in Bucha, as well as many other Russian war crimes, the missile strike on Kramatorsk must be one of the charges at the tribunal, which is bound to happen.”

He continued: “All the efforts of the world will be aimed to establish every minute: who did what, who gave orders. Where did the rocket come from, who was carrying it, who gave the order and how the strike was coordinated. Responsibility is inevitable.”

Maroosha Muzaffar9 April 2022 03:40

Ukrainian mayor says 132 civilians killed by Russian forces in Makariv, near Kyiv

Russian forces have killed 132 people in Makariv in the Kyiv region, the town’s mayor said on Friday.

Mayor Vadym Tokar said local officials collected the bodies and that all infrastructure in Makariv has been destroyed by Russian forces. He added that apartment complexes and other buildings were bombed and a hospital destroyed.

“[For] more than a month now we are without electricity, water, gas, without telephone lines. We don’t even have essential goods at home,” he said, according to local media.

“Our deforested areas are heavily littered with mines, and so we will work first on demining these areas before we can begin the full-fledged restoration of our infrastructure,” he added.

Before the invasion, about 15,000 people lived in Makariv but now fewer than 1,000 remain, the mayor added.

Maroosha Muzaffar9 April 2022 03:21

UK councils report worrying rise in homeless Ukrainian refugees

Local authorities in the UK are seeing a “concerning increase” in Ukrainian refugees arriving and becoming homeless due to relationship breakdowns with their sponsors and problems accessing accommodation.

Ukrainian families who arrived under the family visa scheme are struggling to access cash while they wait for benefits, and some are being put in hotels because their relative is unable or unwilling to house them.

And dozens of matches under the separate Homes for Ukraine scheme are understood to have broken down, with local authorities having to put families in emergency accommodation while they wait to find a new sponsor.

Councils are calling for a way to get refugees whose matches have broken down back on the database so that they can be matched quickly with sponsors in the local area who have homes ready and waiting.

They are also exploring with the Government the possibility of matching people who cannot stay with their family sponsor with sponsors registered under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Local Government Association (LGA) chairman Cllr James Jamieson said the rise in such homelessness is “concerning” and that councils need to be told in advance who is arriving under the family scheme and given funding so they can support them.

PA

Jemma Crew9 April 2022 03:00