Blinken and Austin flash visit to Kyiv: New military funding, US diplomats to return to Ukraine from next week Zelensky: Use great friends and partners. President of Ukraine congratulates Macron on his re-election. British intelligence: Moscow will hold fake referendum in Kherson
Ukraine, Kyiv: Orthodox Easter celebrated in Saint Volodymyr
12:06
Moscow, Armistice at Azovstal Steel Plant
Moscow today announced a ceasefire to allow civilians to evacuate the besieged Azovstal Steelworks in Mariupol, Ukraine. This was announced by the Russian Ministry of Defense. Interfax says the humanitarian corridor will be in effect at 2 p.m. local time today.
11:50
Kyiv, “21,900 Russian soldiers dead since the beginning of the war”
21,900 Russian soldiers have been killed in fighting since the start of the war, Ukrainian forces claim. On the other hand, on March 25, Russia admitted the loss of 1,351 soldiers.
11:25
Former Chancellor Schröder is to leave the party to become SPD leader
Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder is expected to leave the Social Democratic Party. That said the co-chair of the SPD, Saskia Esken, in an interview with Deutschlandfunk. “It would have been necessary to give up his mandates in Russian companies in order to save his reputation as a successful former chancellor. Unfortunately, he didn’t follow that advice,” Esken commented on the interview published to the New York Times, in which Schröder stated that he would only give up his positions with the Russian energy giants if Putin stopped supplies to Germany and Europe. “Unfortunately, Schröder has only acted as a businessman for many years and we should stop seeing him as a statesman and former chancellor. He makes his living working for Russian companies and his defense of Vladimir Putin against war crimes charges is simply absurd,” he added. When asked if Schröder should leave the party, Esken replied, “He should.”
