Ukraine announced the rapid withdrawal of Russian troops from the north of the country.

Zaporizhzhya, Ukraine, April 2, 2022 (AFP) – Ukraine said on Saturday that Russian troops were “rapidly withdrawing” from the north of the country, while in the south of the country the Red Cross is trying to evacuate civilians from Mariupol. , a city surrounded by Moscow, after the bombing note in various regions.

After five weeks of military action ordered by Vladimir Putin on February 24 that devastated parts of Ukraine, Russia recently announced that it will reduce attacks on Kyiv and the city of Chernihiv (north).

On Saturday, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mikhaylo Podoliak confirmed that a “rapid withdrawal” from Russia was observed in the regions.

“With the rapid withdrawal of the Russians from Kyiv and Chernihiv (…) it is quite clear that Russia has chosen another priority tactic: to retreat east and south, maintain control of the vast occupied territories and conquer a strong foothold. He wrote to Telegram, reiterating his warning about the reorganization of Russian forces.

Viacheslav Chaus, governor of the Chernihiv region, said the town of the same name, which had been devastated by fighting in the past weeks, did not suffer any further attacks in the early hours of Saturday.

“The Russians are withdrawing from the Chernihiv region,” he said.

But the horrors of war do not end in the capital. Ukrainian photographer and documentary filmmaker Maks Levin was found dead near Kyiv after being reported missing for more than two weeks.

“He disappeared in the hostilities zone in the Kyiv region on March 13. On April 1, his body was found near the town of Gouta Mezhyguirska,” said Andrey Yrmak, Secretary of the Presidential Cabinet.

Ukrainian troops were advancing in the southern Kherson region, the only major city Russia had managed to occupy since February 24, as well as regaining control around Kyiv.

“If we want to liberate the east and Kherson and push the Russians as far as possible, we certainly cannot avoid the use of heavy weapons,” said Podoliak.

– Mariupol – The situation is different in the south of the country, on the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov, in the strategic port of Mariupol, which is surrounded and the humanitarian conditions are disastrous.

Mariupol endured weeks of intense Russian bombardment, which according to local authorities killed at least 5,000 people and the 160,000 remaining in the city suffered from a lack of food, water and electricity.

“We managed to rescue 6,266 people, 3071 of whom were from Mariupol,” President Zelensky said in a video message on Saturday. Said.

Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Friday that 42 buses with speakers from Mariupol left Berdiansk, 70 km southeast, and 12 buses left Melitopol with the residents of the city.

Dozens of buses carrying Ukrainians fleeing the devastation in Mariupol arrived in Zaporizhzhia, 200km northwest, on Friday.

Carrying her little daughter in her arms, Olena said, “We cried when we came to this region. We cried when we saw the soldiers at the checkpoint with Ukrainian flags in their arms.”

“My house was destroyed, I saw it in the pictures. Our city no longer exists,” he added.

The International Red Cross announced on Friday it plans to make another effort to evacuate civilians from Mariupol, following a failed attempt “where conditions made progress impossible”, according to the organization.

The UN reported that more than 4.1 million people have fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion.

During his visit to Malta this Saturday, Pope Francis called for “broad and shared responses to the growing immigration emergency”.

“Expanding the immigration emergency – let’s think about refugees from martyred Ukraine – requires broad and concerted responses. Only a few countries can’t afford to take on the whole problem, while others remain indifferent,” the Pope said. The presidential palace in Valletta.

– New American aid – Peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials continued via videoconference on Friday, but the Kremlin warned it would affect talks if a Ukrainian helicopter attacked a fuel depot in Belgorod, Russia.

“This cannot be seen as creating favorable conditions for the continuation of negotiations,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

The airstrike hit a fuel tank belonging to the Rosneft energy group, 40 km from the Ukrainian border.

Kyiv refused to take responsibility for the attack. “Sorry, I’m not arguing with any of my orders as commander-in-chief,” said Zelensky, who was interviewed by Fox News about the Russian accusation.

The Ukrainian president reiterated his call for the West to provide more military support to the country.

The Pentagon has announced that it will allocate $300 million in “security aid” to support Ukraine’s defense, in addition to the $1.6 billion Washington has provided since the start of the Russian invasion.

The package includes laser-guided rocket systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, ammunition, night vision devices, tactical communication systems, medical equipment and spare parts.

– Economy – Russia is facing unprecedented Western sanctions that have forced multinational companies to leave the country. US officials said the Russian economy could face a 10% contraction.

China, Russia’s biggest trading ally, denied it was “deliberately” avoiding Western sanctions on Moscow, a day after Beijing received an EU warning that any support of the Kremlin would harm economic relations with Europe.

The Ukrainian economy is also suffering from the devastating effects of the war: GDP fell by 16% in the first quarter compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, according to the estimates of the Ministry of Economy.

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