War in Ukraine: Latest developments

Here are the latest developments in the war in Ukraine:

– Russian flagship ‘seriously damaged’ –

The Russian navy’s Black Sea flagship is “seriously damaged” by an ammunition explosion, state media says. A Ukrainian government official claims the vessel was hit by the country’s missiles.

The “Moskva” gained notoriety early in the war when it called on Ukrainian border troops defending the strategic Snake Island to surrender, only to be defiantly refused.

– Genocide debate –

Leaders on either side of the Atlantic diverge on whether to label Russia’s actions in Ukraine as “genocide”.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says US President Joe Biden, who has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of genocide, was “right” in his choice of words.

But French President Emmanuel Macron, who is campaigning for re-election, said such “verbal escalations” were unhelpful, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz steers clear of using the term.

– $800mn US aid package –

The United States unveils a major new package of aid to Ukraine, including equipment such as helicopters, howitzers and armoured personnel carriers.

The package includes equipment Washington had previously refused to provide to Kyiv for fear of escalating the conflict with nuclear-armed Russia.

– Evacuations resume –

Ukraine says it is reopening humanitarian corridors on Thursday to facilitate the evacuation of civilians from war-scarred regions after a day-long pause that Kyiv attributed to Russian violations.

– Kharkiv offensive continues –

Russia’s offensive on Ukraine’s second city of Kharkiv claimed a further four lives on Wednesday, governor Oleg Synegubov says. The city near Russia has been on the eastern frontline since the start of the war and suffered massive destruction.

– Russia threatens Kyiv –

The Russian military threatens to strike Ukraine’s command centres in Kyiv as “we are seeing Ukrainian troops’ attempts to carry out sabotage and strike Russian territory”, Moscow’s defence ministry says.

“If such cases continue, the Russian armed forces will strike decision-making centres, including in Kyiv,” the ministry states.

– Ukraine a ‘crime scene’ –

The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor calls Ukraine “a crime scene” on a visit to the town of Bucha west of Kyiv, one of several towns where Russia is accused of massacring civilians.

The ICC investigates allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and aggression.

– Le Pen for NATO-Moscow rapprochement –

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen says she will back closer ties between NATO and Russia and pull Paris out of the alliance’s military command if elected president in an April 24 runoff with Emmanuel Macron.

Following accusations she is too close to President Vladimir Putin, Le Pen said a “strategic rapprochement” is required and questions need to be asked about the role of the alliance after the end of the Warsaw Pact.

– Ceasefire seems impossible: UN –

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says a “global ceasefire doesn’t seem possible”, indicating the UN is still awaiting answers from Russia to concrete proposals for evacuating civilians and delivering aid.

“That was our appeal for humanitarian reasons, but it doesn’t seem possible,” says Guterres.

– US warns China –

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warns that China’s stance towards Russia and its invasion of Ukraine could affect countries’ willingness to collaborate and trade with Beijing.

– 1,500 Russian soldiers in morgues –

An official in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro says the remains of more than 1,500 Russian soldiers are being kept in its morgues.

Dnipro deputy mayor Mikhail Lysenko tells reporters he hopes “Russian mothers will be able to come and pick up their sons”.