The Ukraine update: what happened last night
At least eleven dead after Russian horror attack – including a small child
According to official figures, the death toll after the Russian missile attack on the eastern city of Sloviansk rose to 11 civilians. In his speech, Zelenskyy also commemorated the victims of the rocket hit in a residential area last Friday. According to the Ukrainian authorities, a two-year-old child is among the eleven dead in the Donetsk region. More than 20 people are said to have been injured. The search for missing persons continued.
Selenskyj calls for NATO security guarantees
With a view to the next NATO summit in July in Lithuania, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj is calling for clearer accession prospects and security guarantees for his country. “Effective security guarantees for Ukraine (…) are needed even before we join the alliance,” said Zelenskyy in his evening video address on Saturday.
In the fall of 2022, Zelenskyy had applied for Ukraine’s accelerated entry into the western military alliance. However, a prerequisite for joining NATO is that the accession candidate must not be involved in international conflicts and disputes over borders. Ukraine was invaded by Russia on February 24 last year and has been defending itself against the neighboring country’s war of aggression ever since.
Poland bans grain imports from Ukraine
Poland has banned grain and other food imports from Ukraine. The government decided that, said the chairman of the Law and Justice party (PiS), Jaroslaw Kaczynski. Poland must protect the interests of its own citizens, even if it supports Ukraine in its defense against Russia.
Poland is among the staunchest political and military supporters of Ukraine. But the farmers of the EU member state feel their existence threatened by the duty-free import of large quantities of Ukrainian grain made possible by the European Union.
Kiev sanctions Russian companies, athletes and daughter of ministers
Meanwhile, hundreds more Russian companies and individuals have been added to Ukraine’s sanctions list. Internet companies Yandex and VK are among the more than 240 companies affected, according to President Zelenskyy’s decrees. The daughter of Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Xenia Shoigu, is also on the list.
For example, those affected are no longer allowed to do business in Ukraine and are no longer allowed to enter the country. If they exist, their assets in Ukraine are usually also frozen. In many cases, however, the sanctions are likely to have symbolic value above all.
What will be important on Sunday
All over the world, Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter this Sunday, including in Russia and Ukraine. The day is overshadowed, especially for the people in eastern Ukraine, by the heavy fighting, which is likely to continue on this important holiday.
Also Read: The Ukraine Update of April 15th.
