On the 54th day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, all eyes are still on the east of the country, where the Russian army is concentrating its efforts in the Donbass and in particular in the besieged city of Mariupol, but also in the west. The city of Lviv, relatively spared from the fighting so far, was targeted by five shots ” powerful of missiles. The provisional toll is at least seven dead and eleven injured.
► Moscow has blocked the RFI website, which broadcasts information in fifteen languages including Russian. An alternative URL allows access to the site in French and Russian. RFI in Russian is also available on Telegram: https://t.me/RFI_Ru, via a VPN and in Russia in French by satellite on Hotbird.
► RFI’s Russian editorial site broadcasts Ukrainian public radio (in the Ukrainian language) from the homepage
The main points:
► The Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, accuses Russia of wanting ” complete and destroy » the entire eastern region of Donbasspromising that everything would be done to defend it, starting with the strategic port of Mariupol.
► To Mariupol, a port city in the south-east, the last Ukrainian defenders are still resisting in certain sectors. These soldiers seem to have ignored the ultimatum issued by the Russian army on Sunday. ” They will fight until the end », warns Denys Chmygal, the Prime Minister of Ukraine.
► According to Mykhailo Vershynin, police officer of Mariupol, there is ” many civilians entrenched in the Azovstal complex, where they protect themselves from the bombardments. ” They don’t trust Russians. They’ve seen what’s going on in the city and that’s why they’re in the factory “, he explains.
► Karl Nehammerthe Austrian Chancellor who met Vladimir Poutine Monday, April 11, confides that the Russian president is ” now in its own logic of war “. The master of the Kremlin ” thinks he’s winning the war “, he adds.
Times are given in Universal Time (UT)
10:15 a.m .: the toll is growing in Lviv
The local authorities communicated a new provisional assessment after the “ powerful » Russian missile strikes on Lviv: we deplore at least seven dead and eleven wounded in the city. ” Five powerful one-hit missile strikes on the civilian infrastructure of the old European city of Lviv “, announced on Twitter Mikhaïlo Podoliak, adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The regional governor, Maksym Kozitsky, mentioned four cruise missile strikes, fired from the Caspian Sea: three on military infrastructure and one on a tire garage, which caused fires. All targets are badly damageds” according to him.
9:35 am: Spain will reopen its embassy in kyiv
Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish Prime Minister, announces the reopening of the Spanish Embassy in Kyiv in a few days “. It will be a ” new proof of the commitment of the Spanish government, of Spanish society, alongside the Ukrainian people “, he confides to the television channel Antena 3.
The Spanish embassy had been evacuated from the Ukrainian capital the day after the start of the Russian invasion on February 24. She had since settled in Poland. The French embassy, relocated from kyiv to Lviv in early March, moved back to the capital on Friday and reopened its doors.
8:28 a.m .: no evacuations of civilians for the second consecutive day
Like Sunday, there will be no humanitarian corridor in place on Monday for the evacuation of civilians from combat zones in Ukraine, announced the Ukrainian authorities. Iryna Vereshchouk, Deputy Prime Minister, indicates this on Telegram. Mariupol, a besieged city in the east, is concerned. Ukraine accuses Russia of blocking and bomb convoys.
7:40 am: at least six dead and eight injured in Lviv
Russian missile strikes on Lviv on Monday morning left at least six people dead and eight injured and “ badly damaged of military infrastructure, announced Maksym Kozitsky, the regional governor. ” At this time, we have identified six dead and eight injured. There is a child among the victims “, indicated Maksym Kozitsky on Telegram. The strikes hit military infrastructure and a tire garage, causing fires.
06h16: Lviv targeted by five “ powerful » missile strikes
Lviv, located in western Ukraine and less than 70 kilometers from the Polish border, was targeted by missile fire early in the morning. There were five strikes” powerful in this city usually relatively spared from the fighting, according to Mayor Andriï Sadovy. Andriï Sadovy indicated on Telegram that the help goes on the spot. On the same social network, Governor Makysm Kozytskyi invited residents to “ stay in the shelters “.
” The Russians continue to barbarically attack Ukrainian cities from the air, cynically declaring to the world their “right” to…kill Ukrainians “, lambasted Mikhaïlo Podoliak, adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
3:45 a.m .: Ukraine has completed a questionnaire for membership of the European Union
Ukraine has completed a questionnaire which will serve as starting point to the European Union for decide on membership to it, announced Sunday evening a high representative of the presidency in kyiv, Ihor Zhovkva, on Ukrainian public television.
This questionnaire was given to Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, during her visit to the capital on April 8. On this occasion, the leader promised to speed up Ukraine’s application process.
Ihor Zhovkva indicated that Brussels should transmit its recommendations on the respect by Ukraine of the criteria necessary to pretend to integrate the community bloc. He said he expected the EU executive to give a favorable opinion. ” Then the ball will be in the court of the EU Member States “, he added.
3:20 am: perhaps a “last chance” to evacuate civilians from Luhansk
Serguiï Gaïdaï confided on Sunday that the region of Luhansk, of which he is the governor, is under “ constant bombardment “. The locality of Zolote was thus again ” hard hit “. On Facebook, he urges civilians to evacuate the area. ” This week may be difficult. This may be the last time we have a chance to save you “, he hammered.