A captured Russian soldier who pleaded guilty to killing a civilian was sentenced by a Ukrainian court on May 24 to life in prison — the maximum — amid signs the Kremlin may, in turn, put on trial some of the fighters who surrendered at Mariupol’s steelworks.
Meanwhile, in a rare public expression of opposition to the war from the ranks of the Russian elite, a veteran Kremlin diplomat resigned and sent a scathing letter to foreign colleagues in which he said of the invasion, “Never have I been so ashamed of my country as on February 24.”
Also, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for “maximum” sanctions against Russia in a video address to world leaders and executives at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He also revealed one of the deadliest single strikes of the war, a missile attack on a village near Kyiv that killed almost 90 people.
Read more news on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis here.
MOSCOW
Russia may set up military base in Ukraine’s Kherson region
The Russia-appointed administration of Ukraine‘s Kherson region will ask Moscow to set up a military base on its territory, Russia‘s RIA news agency quoted a local government official as saying.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February, seizing, in particular, the Kherson region which is adjacent to Crimea, the peninsula which Moscow has controlled since an earlier conflict in 2014.
It has installed a new administration there and started introducing the Russian rouble as a currency. – Reuters
UNITED NATIONS
Russia accused of spreading disinformation
The United States and Britain are accusing Russia of spreading disinformation online and manipulating public opinion about the war in Ukraine and vehemently rejecting Russian claims that the West is aiming to control all information flows and define what is true or not true.
Britain’s Deputy Ambassador James Roscoe told a U.N. Security Council meeting on the use of digital technologies in maintaining the peace that Russia has conducted cyber-attacks and used “an online troll factory to spread disinformation and manipulate public opinion about their war.” – AP
TOKYO
Ukraine a global issue, not regional one, Biden says in Asia
The crisis in Ukraine is a global issue, not a regional one, U.S. President Joe Biden said at a meeting of the Quad grouping of countries in Tokyo on May 24.
“This is more than just a European issue. It’s a global issue,” Mr. Biden said.
Stressing that Washington would stand with its “close domestic partners” to push for a free and open Indo-Pacific region, he said: “Russia‘s assault of Ukraine only heightens the importance of those goals of fundamental principles of international order, territorial integrity and sovereignty.” – Reuters
BERLIN
EU oil embargo ‘in days’ as Ukraine isolation drives Russia closer to China
The European Union will likely agree on an embargo on Russian oil imports “within days,” according to its biggest member Germany, as Moscow said it saw its economic ties growing with China after being isolated by the West over its invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told global business leaders in Davos that the world must increase sanctions against Russia to deter other countries from using “brute force” to achieve their aims. – AP
WASHINGTON
Pentagon says more high-tech weapons going to Ukraine
Nearly 50 defence leaders from around the world met and agreed to send more advanced weapons to Ukraine, including a Harpoon launcher and missiles to protect its coast, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters.
And Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that “low-level” discussion is underway on how the U.S. may need to adjust its training of Ukrainian forces and on whether some U.S. troops should be based in Ukraine.
The U.S. withdrew its few troops in Ukraine before the war and has no plans to send in combat forces. Mr. Milley’s comments left open the possibility troops could return for embassy security or another non-combat role. – AP
KYIV
Attack on Desna leaves 87 dead
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says last week’s attack on the town of Desna resulted in 87 deaths.
Besides Russia’s bombing strike at a movie theater in Mariupol, Desna may be one of the largest death tolls of any single strike during the war.
Desna is 55 kilometres (34 miles) north of Kyiv. Zelenskyy said the debris removal in Desna, in the Chernihiv region, has been completed and the deaths and destruction was caused by only four missiles. – AP
