- Washington says it’s “assured” that Turkey’s issues in regards to the admission of Sweden and Finland into NATO will likely be addressed.
- Russia’s defence ministry says the final group of Ukrainian forces holed up in Mariupol’s Azovstal steelworks has surrendered.
- A Russian missile hit a cultural centre within the Kharkiv area, the Ukrainian authorities says.
- A US consular officer visited detained American basketball star Brittney Griner in Russia, the US Division of State confirms.
Listed here are all the most recent updates:
Russia “digging in” for protracted warfare: Institute for the Research of Battle
In its newest replace on the preventing in Ukraine, the Institute for the Research of Battle (IOW) says Russian forces look like “digging in” round Kharkiv and alongside the southern axis in preparation for Ukrainian counter-offensives and a protracted warfare.
The important thing developments on Might 20, in keeping with IOW:
- Preventing was targeted on the realm between Izyum and the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts
- Important Russian offensives proceed round Severodonetsk with “marginal positive factors” within the north, west and south of town particularly close to Popasna
- Russia might be overstating the variety of troopers evacuated from Azovstal with a purpose to “maximise” any POW change with Ukraine
Russia removes our bodies from bombed Mariupol theatre
An adviser to the mayor of Mariupol says Russia on Friday eliminated the final our bodies from the Drama Theatre the place tons of of civilians had been sheltering when Russian forces bombed it in March.
“At this time, the occupiers accomplished the removing of the our bodies of the lifeless,” Petro Andriushchenko wrote on Telegram.
He mentioned he felt “rage” and “anger” over what he mentioned was a warfare crime.
“Now we are going to by no means know what number of civilians have been really killed,” he mentioned, including that the our bodies had been buried in a mass grave.
Ukraine Contact Group to fulfill once more on Might 23
The Ukraine Contact Group, led by US Secretary of Protection Lloyd Austin and made up of greater than 40 nations, will meet once more – on-line – on Might 23.
They’ll focus on additional army assist for Ukraine.
Wimbledon relegated over ban on gamers from Russia, Belarus
Tennis’s governing companies have mentioned gamers who participate in Wimbledon received’t get rating factors as a result of the UK match’s organisers banned athletes from Russia and Belarus.
The world’s most prestigious tennis match excluded Russian and Belarusian gamers after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, citing UK authorities steering.
It’s the primary time Wimbledon has excluded gamers on the grounds of nationality because the fast post-World Battle Two period when German and Japanese gamers have been banned.
Russia ought to pay for destruction, Zelenskyy says
Zelenskyy devoted his nightly video deal with to Ukraine’s demand that Russia be held financially answerable for the harm its forces are inflicting on Ukraine.
Within the jap Donbas, the place the Russian assault has been fiercest, he mentioned Russian troops turned the cities of Rubizhne and Volnovakha into ruins, simply as they did with Mariupol, and have been attempting to do the identical with Severodonetsk.
Zelenskyy mentioned Russia must be made to pay for each dwelling, faculty, hospital and enterprise it destroys. He mentioned a authorized mechanism must be created via which everybody who suffered from Russia’s actions would be capable to obtain compensation.
Prime EU official decries ‘unspeakable crimes’ by Russian forces
The European Union’s overseas coverage chief Josep Borrell has decried what he known as “unspeakable crimes”, together with sexual violence, by Russian forces being reported in areas not too long ago recaptured by Ukraine.
“Perpetrators have to be held accountable,” Borrell wrote on Twitter.
Unspeakable crimes are being reported from liberated areas in Ukraine. Sexual violence as weapon of warfare towards ladies & kids amongst atrocities dedicated by Russian troops. Perpetrators have to be held accountable.
EU works globally to get rid of conflict-related sexual violence
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) May 20, 2022
Greater than 2,400 Ukrainian fighters surrendered in Mariupol: Russia
Russia’s state information company RIA Novosti has quoted the nation’s defence ministry as saying a complete of two,439 Ukrainian fighters who had been holed up at Mariupol’s metal plant had surrendered since Monday, together with greater than 500 on Friday.
Blinken to debate Ukraine throughout Japan go to: Division of State
The Division of State has introduced that Secretary of State Antony Blinken will journey to Japan to accompany Biden on his Asia journey.
“Whereas in Tokyo, the Secretary will meet with Overseas Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa and different senior Japanese officers,” the Division of State mentioned in an announcement.
“The Secretary and the Overseas Minister will focus on our international response to President Putin’s continued brutal warfare on Ukraine, the Democratic Individuals’s Republic of Korea’s more and more destabilizing habits, and US-Japan cooperation below the brand new Financial Coverage Consultative Committee (EPCC), together with on regional financial improvement.”
Zelenskyy says high-risk flights delivered provides to besieged Azovstal
Zelenskyy has revealed a weeks-long thriller in regards to the siege of the Azovstal in Mariupol: How have been provides delivered to fighters within the metal mill?
Ukrainian pilots risked Russian anti-aircraft fireplace to fly medication, meals and water to the metal mill on helicopters, struggling a lot of casualties, Zelenskyy mentioned in an interview on the third anniversary of his inauguration as president.
He mentioned the trouble additionally included retrieval of our bodies and choosing up the wounded.
“They’re completely heroic folks, who knew that it could be troublesome, knew that to fly could be nearly inconceivable,” Zelenskyy mentioned.
Russian missile hits cultural centre in Kharkiv area, Ukraine says
A Russian missile has struck a Ukrainian cultural centre within the Kharkiv area, injuring seven folks, together with an 11-year-old youngster, Kyiv has mentioned.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s social media channel launched a video exhibiting a big explosion hitting the newly renovated Palace of Tradition in Lozova. The constructing was partly destroyed and the roof caught fireplace, Ukraine’s emergency companies reported.
“The occupiers recognized tradition, training and humanity as their enemies,” Zelenskyy wrote. “What’s within the minds of people that select such targets? Absolute evil, absolute stupidity.”
US says basketball begin detained in Russia obtained consular go to
A US consular official has visited detained basketball star Brittney Griner in Russia, US Division of State has mentioned, whereas urging Moscow for extra common consular entry.
Griner, 31, a two-time Olympic champion and member of the Ladies’s Nationwide Basketball Affiliation (WNBA), was arrested at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport in February on accusations of carrying vape cartridges that contained hashish oil in her baggage.
“I can affirm {that a} Consular Officer visited Brittney Griner in detention yesterday on Thursday, Might nineteenth. The consular officer discovered her persevering with to do in addition to might be anticipated below these exceedingly difficult circumstances,” Worth mentioned in a briefing.
“However once more, our message is a transparent and easy one. We proceed to insist that Russia permit constant and well timed consular entry to all US citizen detainees. One-off visits are usually not enough.”
Germany to ship anti-aircraft weapons to Ukraine: Report
German information company DPA has reported that the nation will ship the primary 15 Gepard anti-aircraft weapons to Ukraine in July.
DPA reported that the supply, which incorporates coaching and nearly 60,000 rounds of ammunition, was agreed upon following talks between Germany’s defence minister and her Ukrainian counterpart.
Gepard — German for “cheetah” — is taken into account extremely efficient towards low-flying plane and calmly armoured floor targets. It was decommissioned by the German army in 2012 however some 50 mothballed models are being restored by producer KMW to be used by Ukraine.
US ‘assured’ Turkey’s issues on NATO enlargement will likely be addressed
The US Division of State has mentioned Washington is “assured” that Turkey’s issues in regards to the admission of Sweden and Finland into NATO will likely be addressed.
“Turkey is a longstanding, valued NATO ally,” mentioned spokesperson Ned Worth. “We perceive Turkey’s longstanding issues, and we’ll proceed to work collectively in our efforts to finish the scourge of terrorism.”
Turkey has accused Finland and Sweden of harbouring “terrorists”, referring to the Kurdistan Employees’ Celebration (PKK) and the Gulen motion, the latter of which Ankara accuses of being behind a 2016 failed coup towards the federal government.
Final Ukrainian fighters in Mariupol metal mill give up: Russia
Russia’s defence ministry has mentioned the final group of Ukrainian forces holed up in Mariupol’s Azovstal steelworks have surrendered, marking an finish to a weeks-long siege.
“The territory of the Azovstal metallurgical plant … has been fully liberated,” the ministry mentioned in an announcement.
Good day and welcome to Al Jazeera’s persevering with protection of the warfare in Ukraine.
Learn all of the updates from Friday, Might 20 right here.
