Pavel Polityuk

KYIV (Reuters – After all of the elderly, children, and women trapped at the steelworks in Mariupol were evacuated, the President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that the evacuation efforts would focus on the injured and medical personnel.

Ukrainian resistance fighters have made it clear that they will not surrender to the Russians. Russian forces want to proclaim victory in their long-running battle for the huge plant before Monday’s Victory Day Celebrations in Moscow. This commemorates the time when the Soviet Union defeated Nazi Germany in World War Two.

This Soviet-era Azovstal Steel mill was the last standout in key port city for Ukrainian forces. It has been a symbol of resistance against the Russian attempt to seize large swathes of Ukraine’s eastern and southern parts in the ongoing 10-week war.

In a display of unity, President Joe Biden of the United States and G7 leaders will call Zelenskiy via video on Sunday. This is in preparation for Victory Day in which Vladimir Putin inspects large military parades in Moscow.

“Putin’s brutal attack is not only causing untold devastation in Ukraine – it is also threatening peace and security across Europe,” Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a statement on Saturday pledging more military aid.

Britain committed to spending an additional $1.3 billion ($1.6 billion) which is twice the amount it had previously pledged. This was the largest spending rate on a conflict in the history of the United Kingdom since the two wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Putin’s Victory Day speech may offer insight into the future war that he started on February 24th with an unsuccessful attack on Kyiv, the capital. Russia’s attempts have met with resistance and suffered from logistical and equipment difficulties, as well as high numbers of casualties.

William Burns, Director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency said that Putin believed “doubling down” would help Russia win the conflict.

Burns said that Burns is in a state of mind where he doesn’t think he can lose.

Some observers believe Putin could declare the “mission completed”. According to Ukraine’s defense intelligence agency, Kremlin officials may be in Mariupol to prepare for the Victory Day Parade in the devastated city.

SAFE FOR AZOVSTAL CIVILIANS

Zelenskiy stated in Saturday’s late-night address that over 300 civilians were rescued from Azovstal and that the authorities will now concentrate on helping the injured and the medics and residents in Mariupol to safety.

Russian-backed separatists claim that there were 176 civilians who had been evacuated from the site. However, it was unclear if any civilians were left behind.

Reuters was unable to independently verify either party’s accounts.

Fighters and civilians were trapped in tunnels and bunkers for several weeks under heavy bombardment. There was no food, water, or medical care. Mariupol has been left in ruin by Russian bombardment for weeks. Mariupol’s steel mill was largely destroyed.

Moscow describes the war as a “specially military operation”, to dearm Ukraine and eliminate anti-Russian nationalism that was fomented by Western powers. Both Russia and Ukraine say Russia initiated an unprovoked military conflict.

The World Health Organization announced that it has documented 200 attacks against Ukrainian healthcare facilities on Saturday. This is the latest evidence of Russian war crimes. Russia denies attacking civilian targets.

Mariupol lies between parts of the Crimean Peninsula that Moscow took in 2014 and those taken by Russia-backed separatists in 2015. It is crucial to link the Russian-held territories with Ukraine and block Ukrainian exports.

According to Ukraine’s General Staff, Russia’s attack on eastern Ukraine is designed to take full control of the Donetsk-Luhansk areas – which pro-Russian separatists declared independent republics – and preserve the land corridor linking these regions and Crimea.

MOLDOVA DRONE TRIKES

Vyacheslav Voodin, the speaker of Russia’s lower house, charged Washington with coordinating military operations against Ukraine. This he claimed was direct U.S. involvement.

Officials from the United States claim that intelligence has been provided to Ukraine by the United States to counter Russian aggression, but deny this intelligence contains precise targeting data.

Washington and European NATO allies have given Kyiv heavy weapons, but said they would not be involved in fighting.

According to a senior Russian commander, Russia plans to seize control of the southern Ukraine in order to increase Russian access to Transdniestria (a region that is part of Moldova).

Pro-Russian separatists from Moldova claimed that Transdniestria had been hit by four suspected drones close to the Ukrainian border on Saturday.

Ukraine repeatedly claimed it was not responsible for these events, stating that Russia orchestrated them to incite war. Moscow has also denied any responsibility.