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Return prisoners if you want top ally back -Breaking

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© Reuters. Pro-Russian soldiers ride in an armored vehicle in fighting in Ukraine-Russia conflict close to Azovstal iron and steel Works plant in Mariupol, Ukraine. April 12, 2022. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko

By Oleksandr Kozhukhar

LVIV, Ukraine (Reuters – Ukraine requested Russia to free its highest-ranking ally in Russia. As the United States prepares to ship more weapons following Russia’s strong signal, the war will continue.

U.S. President Joe Biden referred to Russia’s attack on Ukraine as genocide for the first time, saying “we’ll let the lawyers decide internationally whether or not it qualifies, but it sure seems that way to me.”

Russia repeatedly denies targeting civilians, and claims that Western and Ukrainian allegations of war crimes are fabrications to discredit Russian forces.

On Tuesday, Ukraine declared that Viktor Medvedchuk (the leader of the Opposition Platform-For Life party) had been captured. After a case for treason was opened, authorities stated that he had managed to escape house arrest.

According to the pro-Russian leader, President Vladimir Putin was godfather of his daughter. He has since denied any wrongdoing. An spokesperson could not be reached immediately for comment.

In an early morning speech on Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zilenskiy stated that he proposed to Russia: “Exchange this man for our boys and girls currently held in Russian captivity.”

The photo shows Medvedchuk holding a handgun. Ivan Bakanov (head of Ukraine’s security agency) said that special operatives carried out the “flashy and deadly multi-level operation” to get him arrested.

Tass News Agency quoted a Kremlin spokesman as saying that he had taken the picture and was not sure if it was real.

Putin made his first public comment on the conflict for more than one week hours earlier to say that Russia would “rhythmically, calmly,” continue its operations, and that he believed his security goals would be met.

In his speech, Zelenskiy ridiculed Putin: “How can a plan which provides for the death tens to thousands of their soldiers in just over a month be possible?”

Putin stated that the on-and-off negotiations for peace “have once again returned to an end situation for us.”

On Tuesday, his comments seemed to be rambling or stammering.

He did not adopt that confident, icy demeanour in public appearances during his 22-year tenure as Russia’s leader.

Putin, who appeared on Russian television throughout the conflict, was now largely absent from the public’s view after Russia pulled out of northern Ukraine just two weeks earlier.

In light of the ongoing battle, officials from the United States told Reuters that $750million more is likely to be announced by the United States in military assistance. These will include, according to two sources, heavy ground artillery systems for Ukraine and howitzers.

Zelenskiy, who was lauding Biden’s remarks on genocide, wrote that “we urgently require more heavy weapons to stop further Russian atrocities.”

MARIUPOL

Moscow’s almost seven-week-long invasion, which was the most severe attack on any European country since 1945, saw over 4.6 million fleeing abroad. This led to thousands being killed and injured, as well as Russia’s isolation from the rest of the world.

Russia claims it has launched a special military operation on February 24th to “denazify and demilitarize” Ukraine. This is not true, Kyiv says and Western allies also reject it as a pretext.

Numerous towns Russia had to flee from in the north Ukraine were littered by the remains of victims of a massacre, torture and rape campaign.

Moscow refutes the claims.

Russia now claims that it wants to take more territory in support of separatists operating from the Donbas, two provinces located east. This includes Mariupol port which was reduced to an inaccessible area under Russian siege.

Ukraine claims that tens to thousands of civilians are trapped in the city without access to food and water. Russia is accused of blocking aid convoys.

On Tuesday, Ukrainian marines were hiding in the Azovstal district industrial area. Reuters reporters who were accompanying Russian-backed separatists witnessed flames rising from Azovstal.

Pavlo Kyrylenko (the governor of eastern Donetsk, Mariupol included) said that he’d seen reports about possible chemical weapon use in Mariupol but couldn’t confirm it.

Ukraine claimed that its east forces had defeated six Russian strikes, including two vehicles and three artillery system destructions and the shooting down of a helicopter as well as two drones and a helicopter. Reuters was unable to verify this report immediately.

Britain and the United States have both stated that they are trying to confirm reports that Russia used chemical weapons.

Zelenskiy stated Wednesday that it wasn’t possible to make a definitive conclusion about the use of these agents in Mariupol due to inability to conduct a thorough probe.

Chemical weapons use, production and stockpiling are prohibited under the Chemical Weapons Convention 1997.

Russia’s defense ministry did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment. The Interfax news agency reports that Russian-backed separatists forces in the eastern denied using chemical weapons to attack Mariupol.

Russia intensifies its eastward efforts, the Luhansk region Governor Serhiy Gaidai exhorted residents to leave.

On social media, he said that “it’s much more frightening to remain in your bed and burn from a Russian Shell,”

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