Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 56

As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its 56th day, we take a look at the main developments.

Local resident Tamara, 71, cries in front of an apartment building destroyed during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine April 19, 2022. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Local resident Tamara, 71, cries in front of an apartment building destroyed during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol [File: Reuters]

Here are the key events so far on Wednesday, April 20.

Get the latest updates here.

Fighting

  • Russia called on Ukrainian troops at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol to surrender, saying its troops will observe a ceasefire while the proposal is in effect. No Ukrainian fighters responded to a similar call on Tuesday, Russia said. About 120 civilians living next to the plant left via humanitarian corridors, the Interfax news agency reported, quoting Russian state TV.
  • Russian forces seized Kreminna, an administrative centre of 18,000 people in Luhansk, one of the two Donbas provinces.
  • Russia also tried unsuccessfully to storm the towns of Rubizhne and Sievierodonetsk in the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk, the Ukrainian General Staff of the Armed Forces has said.
  • Russia handed over 60 soldiers and 16 civilians to Ukraine in the fifth such exchange of prisoners of war, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister said.
  • The British Ministry of Defence says fighting is intensifying in Ukraine’s Donbas “as Russian forces seek to break through Ukrainian defences”.
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Diplomacy

 

  • President Joe Biden will host US military leaders in an annual gathering that takes on extra significance as the war enters a risky new phase. Biden, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have pledged to send more artillery weaponry to Ukraine.
  •  European Council President Charles Michel is on an unexpected visit to Kyiv. Latvia said the EU was preparing new measures to prevent Russia from evading sanctions.
  • Norway has donated about 100 Mistral air defence missiles to Ukraine, the Norwegian defence ministry said.
  • Western nations are preparing to stage coordinated walk-outs to protest Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at Wednesday’s meeting of G20 finance ministers in Washington, DC.
  • UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a four-day humanitarian pause in fighting over Orthodox Easter.
  • Russian players will not be allowed to compete at Wimbledon this year, according to a report in Sportico.
INTERACTIVE Russia Ukraine War Who controls what Day 56
(Al Jazeera)

Economy

  • Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, who started transitioning to the IMF’s economic counsellor role in January, said the war in Ukraine may damage expectations for decades-high inflation to start to subside this year.
  • Russia’s war in Ukraine is to blame for exacerbating “already dire” world food insecurity, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said.
  • World Bank President David Malpass will host a meeting on Thursday with Ukraine’s prime minister and finance minister to discuss further aid.
  • Oleg Tinkov, a Russian billionaire sanctioned by the West over the Ukraine war, has denounced Moscow’s “massacre” in its neighbouring country and called on Western leaders to help end this “crazy” conflict.
  • State-owned Russian lender Rosselkhozbank said British sanctions had prevented it from making a $21.25m interest payment on Eurobonds maturing in 2023, the latest Russian company to flag debt servicing issues.
  • President Vladimir Putin is due to meet representatives of the metals industry, which the Kremlin said was facing “hostile attitudes”. Gold miner Petropavlovsk said sanctions-hit Russian lender Gazprombank had called on it to immediately repay a term loan worth $201m.
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Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies

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