The resistance lays down its arms in Mariupol
The Azovstal steel plant, which had become the last bastion of Ukrainian resistance in the southeastern city of Mariupol, fell into the hands of the Russian army on Friday, the regime’s defense ministry said. Vladimir Poutine. More than 2,300 Ukrainian fighters have surrendered since May 16, including more than 530 on Friday, according to this source. Mariupol would thus have fallen entirely into Russian hands.
According to the Ukrainian authorities, 90% of this city devastated by Russian bombardments has been demolished in recent months. The current war would have caused some 20,000 deaths there, according to kyiv.
A bombed cultural center
Faced with its failure to take control of kyiv and Kharkiv, the country’s second largest city, Russia is betting more and more on the east and south of the country. In particular, Moscow is seeking to take complete control of the Donbass region, which has been partly controlled since 2014 by pro-Russian separatists.
As strikes intensify in this area, kyiv reported on Friday that a Russian missile hit the cultural center of Lozova in the east of the country. This attack would have injured at least seven people, including a child. “The occupiers have identified culture, education and humanity as their enemies. And they spare neither missiles nor bombs,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky lamented on Telegram.
Tea ???????? are deliberately terrorizing the civilian population of Ukraine. Unique shots from surveillance cameras: a Russian missile hitting the Palace of Culture in Lozova, Kharkiv Region. 7 local residents were injured, including 1 child. #airdefenseforukraine. We need it today! pic.twitter.com/5luJWy3s7f
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) May 20, 2022
Sanctions and reactions
Canada announced on Friday a new wave of sanctions against the regime of Vladimir Putin. These include pausing imports of vodka and other alcoholic beverages from Russia. This will also be the case for fish and seafood, among others. Canada will also stop exporting various luxury products to Russia, as well as cigarettes and alcoholic beverages, in addition to sanctioning 14 additional people, including oligarchs close to Putin’s regime.
Russia, for its part, has announced that it intends to create twelve new military bases in the west of the country, in response to the steps taken by Finland and Sweden to join NATO. Moscow will also stop on Saturday to supply natural gas to Finland.