05.55 am – Ukraine, USA: Russia plays a dangerous game in Zaporizhzhia
The United States reiterates its «conviction that Russia is playing a very dangerous game with the military seizure of the Ukrainian nuclear power plant” in Zaporizhzhia, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said last night. «It is dangerous that they did this and we continue to ask Russia to withdraw its military and civilian personnel from the facility, to restablish full control over it to the competent Ukrainian authorities and to refrain from any action that may result in a nuclear accident at the plant,” Miller added. “We are aware of the news of a drone attack” against the Zaporizhzhia plant and “we continue to monitor the conditions also through official reports” from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the US official said .
05.34 am – Russian media, China will strengthen cooperation with Moscow
China «will strengthen the strategic cooperation» with Russia and will support its «stable development under the leadership of President Putin. Beijing and Moscow will continue to strengthen strategic cooperation on the world stage and provide each other with a strong mutual support». Foreign Minister Wang Yi said this while meeting his counterpart Serghei Lavrov, according to Russian media. Lavrov noted that the two sides will continue cooperation in fight against terrorismalso through multilateral mechanisms: «I thank the Chinese side for the condolences expressed on the terrorist attack in the Moscow region on March 22».
05.46 am – Russian raids in various Ukrainian regions: 5 dead
Five people were killed in the raid Russians conducted on Monday in several regions of Ukraine. A rocket attack killed three people and wounded at least eight in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, Governor Ivan Fedorov said. An industrial building, seven apartment buildings, and medical and educational facilities were damaged. Authorities said four guided bombs hit the town of Bilopillia in the northern Sumy region, killing one woman and leaving three other people injured.
01.20 am – Ukraine, media: Moscow asks Astana for petrol in case of shortages
Russia has asked Kazakhstan to be ready to supply it with 100,000 tons of gasoline in case of shortcomings caused by the attacks of Ukrainian drones, say sources from the British news agency Reuters. The Minister of Energy in Astana said he had not received such a request from his side Russian counterpartwho for his part did not want to comment on these press indiscretions.
00:32 – Ukraine: Moscow embassy in the USA, Kiev’s entry into NATO unacceptable
Ukraine’s membership of NATO is “categorically unacceptable” for Russia «under any circumstances. It’s about a threat for the national security of Russia.” This was stated by Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov. Ria Novosti reports it. «Only politicians who absolutely do not understand the fundamental positions of the Russian Federation can expect us to accept Kiev’s participation in a block hostile to us», he added again.
10.34pm – Kiev, “at least six dead in today’s Russian attacks”
At least six people were killed today by Russian bombings in several Ukrainian regions, including the southern Zaporizhzhia oblast, which had already been the victim of deadly attacks yesterday, local authorities announced. According to Ivan Fedorov, governor of the Zaporizhzhia region, three people were killed and eight injured when a Russian missile targeted “an industrial plant”. «According to preliminary data, 14 buildings were damaged, including 7 condominiums, a health facility and a cultural institution,” he said on Telegram. In the Sumy region (north), one person was killed and five injured in Russian bombing of the capital of the same name and the city of Bilopillia, which damaged buildings administrative and residential, police said.
