Daily Updates: April 2022
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*** MSK = Moscow Standard Time
We report from just outside the Azovstal factory in Mariupol, where Ukrainian nationalist forces continue to hold civilians as human shields. Russia’s top diplomat slams aggressive anti-Russia rhetoric, which the West fosters with supplies of weapons to Ukraine. However, some in Europe are not pleased with the donations. As the World Bank praises India for slashing the country’s poverty rate, some observers say NATO is worried that New Delhi is doing far too well without any help from the West. Joe Biden expands the US government’s authority to suppress dissent online, just days after the purchase of Twitter by free-speech advocate Elon Musk. — Back to top
Russia’s top diplomat warns that all the weaponry that Western powers supply to Kiev will be considered legitimate military targets. Anti-aircraft tanks that Germany wants to give Ukraine could be useless as the available ammunition would be enough to cover only 20 minutes of combat. While Ukrainian refugees are warmly welcomed in the EU, an anti-fraud investigation claims that asylum seekers from other countries were deported from the bloc on a massive scale for years, without due process. The EU border guard agency’s chief resigns over the scandal. — Back to top
Bulgarian businessmen plead for talks with Russia’s Gazprom, two days after Moscow stopped supplying gas to Bulgaria, over the country’s refusal to pay in rubles. We hear from locals who are bearing the brunt of the backlash. The US plans to seize Russian assets to fund Kiev’s war effort but maintains a freeze on Afghan money despite a UN warning that millions in the country face starvation. New video of two 9/11 hijackers partying with a Saudi national with alleged ties to Riyadh intelligence is released by US media. That’s as relations between the countries reach a breaking point. — Back to top
The US plans to seize Russian assets to fund Kiev’s war effort, but still maintains its freezes on Afghan money despite millions of Afghan people facing starvation, as the UN warns. A Ukrainian news outlet is caught red handed trying to pass off photos of children sheltering from a shelling attack in Donetsk three years ago as a supposed current story in Kharkov. Our correspondent explores the story of a medic who has become a legend in Mariupol, having operated on hundreds of wounded people while sheltering in a basement with scarce equipment during ongoing fighting. — Back to top
At least 5 civilians are dead and 23 injured, two children among them, after Ukrainian forces shelled the city of Donetsk with 6 rockets. That’s according to local health authorities, who say that four people died in an initial blast. With Washington’s blessing, Poland is plotting to take over Western Ukraine under the pretext of ‘protecting it’ from Russia. That’s according to Russian Foreign Intelligence. With calls for NATO’s global expansion to the Pacific coming from the UK, the US threatens action if China sets up a military base in a tiny country in the region. — Back to top
This is what Vladimir Putin declares will be Moscow’s response to any outside interference against its offensive in Ukraine. A former German senior agriculture official predicts one of the largest famines in human history next year due to supply lines being fractured by the Ukraine conflict and sanctions against Russian transport services. A wake-up call for European governments to consider crises elsewhere in the world, as India’s top diplomat refuses to take a hard stance against the war in Ukraine and calls on Western nations to pay more attention to problems in Asia. Poland, refusing to pay in rubles, is still able to get its natural gas from Russia by buying it through Germany, at a higher price. — Back to top
What Vladimir Putin declares will be the response to any outside interference against Russia’s offensive in Ukraine. No gas for Poland and Bulgaria until they pay for their imports in rubles as Russia turns off the taps. The EU commission chief slams the decision as “unjustified” and “unacceptable“. As the US continues to send thousands of its weapons to Ukraine, some defense contractors are warning of shortages ahead, but that’s as they clock up huge profits. — Back to top
Global multi-polarity, Russia’s security concerns and peace efforts – some of the topics discussed on the UN chief’s first visit to Russia since the conflict in Ukraine began, with the Russian president reiterating hopes of a negotiated agreement with Kiev. The UK’s Armed Forces Minister says Ukraine should be able to target Russia with Western weapons. The Russian foreign ministry says NATO countries are competing to send more lethal weapons to Ukraine. Drive less, turn down the heating and work from home – just some steps Europeans are being asked to take to stop reliance on Russian energy. We hear from Italian locals. — Back to top
The UN chief calls for multi-polarity in the world during his first visit to Russia since the conflict began in Ukraine. But the trip itself has seen the Secretary General facing criticism from Western countries for simply talking to Moscow. Germany announces it will, after all, provide Kiev with anti-aircraft tanks while the UK’s Armed Forces Minister says Ukraine should be able to target Russian territory and can do so with NATO’s weapons. More evidence appears to emerge about Ukrainian forces using anti-personnel mines, despite claims the munitions were destroyed years ago under international treaties. — Back to top
After some criticism by Western leaders for not doing enough, the UN Secretary General heads to Moscow for talks with President Putin for the first time since the start of the war in Ukraine. NATO is entering a proxy war with Russia in Ukraine — that’s according to the Russian Foreign Minister as he slammed Western countries for supplying Kiev with more weapons. Our correspondent reports from a village in the Donetsk Republic where a number of banned explosive weapons are left behind by Ukrainian troops, despite claims they were destroyed years ago under international treaties. — Back to top
Russia opens a humanitarian corridor from a besieged steel works in Mariupol, as Kiev claims civilians remain trapped there. Vladimir Putin accuses Kiev and its western backers of launching a terror campaign against Russia. We look into chilling words of warning from a Ukrainian governor, who says he will find and ‘execute’ people who support Moscow. The EU ups the ante on India, trying to pressure New Delhi to turn its back on Russia. That’s as a high-profile delegation lands in the country to talk trade. — Back to top
As fighting in the Donbass region continues, an RT crew visits an abandoned school used by Ukrainian troops as a defensive position. Barricades, fires and violent clashes with the police are seen on the streets of Paris and other French cities after incumbent president Macron wins the presidential race. Western media pushes for harsh sanctions for the EU countries refusing to cut off Russian gas as the EU agrees to Moscow’s demand for gas payments in rubles. — Back to top
RT and independent journalists find no evidence of a mass-grave near Mariupol despite Western media reports and Kiev’s own claims that up to 9,000 people could be buried there. President Putin cancels the storming of a steel works in the city of Mauripol, ordering a blockade instead. The site holds the last pockets of resistance in the area. That’s as locals claim evacuation routes were sabotaged by nationalist forces. The UN warns the Ukraine conflict could have a devastating impact on countries right around the world because of disruptions in crucial food supply chains. People in Kenya we spoke to say they’re already struggling badly. — Back to top
Eight civilians are killed, with around 20 more injured after an apartment building is allegedly hit by debris from a Russian missile intercepted by Ukrainian air defenses in the southern city of Odessa. Russian forces claim control of the city of Mariupol. President Putin cancelled the storming of an underground factory holding the last pocket of Ukrainian forces. That’s as locals claim evacuations were sabotaged by nationalist forces. Amid the ongoing conflict, the UN raises concerns about rising levels of global hunger. Veteran Italian journalist Angelo d’Orsi questions the Western narrative, claiming the US shares the blame for the war in Ukraine. He shares his thoughts with us in an interview. — Back to top
Latest reports from the southern Ukrainian city of Odessa claim three civilians were killed after their apartment building was hit by debris from a Russian missile intercepted by Ukrainian air defense. RT finds no evidence of mass graves near Mariupol despite Western media reports and Kiev’s own claims that up to 9,000 people could be buried there. Moscow claims the United States is preparing staged provocations in Ukraine that could be aimed at persuading India and China to join its anti-Russia sanctions. The UN says it has not documented patterns that amount to genocide in Ukraine, contrary to the repeated claims of Western leaders. — Back to top
Moscow accuses Washington of attempting to escalate the conflict in Ukraine, as the US claims Kiev’s forces still hold ground in Mariupol, despite Russian forces controlling the city. The UN says it has not documented patterns that amount to genocide in Ukraine by Russia, adding it’s up to a court of law to determine widespread allegations of crimes in the country. The EU’s top diplomat admits there’s no unity in Europe on cutting energy ties with Russia while US President Joe Biden claims NATO countries are actually more united than ever. — Back to top
Moscow accuses Washington of attempting to escalate the conflict in Ukraine, as the US claims Kiev’s forces still hold ground in Mariupol, despite Russian forces controlling the city. The UN says it has not documented patterns that amount to genocide in Ukraine by Russia, adding it’s up to a court of law to determine widespread allegations of crimes in the country. The EU’s top diplomat admits there’s no unity in Europe on cutting energy ties with Russia while US President Joe Biden claims NATO countries are actually more united than ever. — Back to top
An RT crew reports from outside the embattled Azovstal factory in Mariupol, where Russian forces have blockaded Ukraine troops inside, upon orders by Vladimir Putin to avoid storming the facility. Fears mount that a Chilean journalist in Ukraine who criticized Kiev’s leadership may have been abducted or even killed, after a Ukrainian blogger was apparently murdered outside his home. The EU violates its own treaties as it sends heavy artillery to Ukraine. — Back to top
Vladimir Putin calls off the assault on the Azovstal factory in Mariupol, warning it would lead to casualties among Russian troops while the remaining Ukrainian forces inside the fortified plant are expected to run out of supplies and surrender. That’s as Russia’s Defense Minister says the civilian areas of Mariupol have been fully cleared of radical troops and residents can now start going back to normal life. We heard from some of the locals who’ve managed to flee the fighting around the Azovstal factory. Amid overwhelmingly anti-Russian coverage of the war in Western media, a veteran Italian journalist defies the mainstream narrative and says the US is actually to blame for provoking the conflict. — Back to top
Moscow says Kiev has rejected a safe zone at the besieged steel factory in Mariupol and has refused to release civilians and surrender. That’s as fighting for the nationalist stronghold rages on. We report from the battleground. Veteran Italian journalist Angelo d’Orsi stands up against the Western narrative and says the US is to blame for the war in Ukraine. He shares his thoughts with us in a broad interview. China’s president slams the West’s sanctions policy against Russia, as BRICS countries prepare to introduce their own alternative to the Western-led SWIFT financial system, which has restricted Russian access. “A death sentence”: That’s how WikiLeaks describes a London court’s decision to extradite whistle-blower Julian Assange to the US, where he faces up to 175 years in prison on espionage charges. — Back to top
Russian-led forces close-in on remaining Ukrainian positions inside the Donbass city of Mariupol, where at least five nationalist soldiers are said to have surrendered on Wednesday. We report from the front-line. As Russia successfully test-fires a brand-new ballistic missile, President Putin says the deterrence weapon is food for thought for those seeking to threaten the country. British court rules to extradite jailed Wikileaks founder Julian Assange to the US on espionage charges. That’s despite an earlier decision by the same court, saying Assange could be treated harshly in American custody. — Back to top
Moscow calls on Kiev to order its troops in a besieged steel factory in Mariupol to release any civilians and surrender. However, in the vicinity, scores of civilians have managed to flee through safe routes set up by Russia. A safe evacuation route for Ukrainian troops to surrender in Mariupol has gone unused as fierce fighting continues in the Azovstal industrial area, but another ceasefire regime is planned for later on Wednesday. A tense exchange at the UN Security Council, as the Russian ambassador says that while Western powers claim to be peacekeepers, they’re really fueling the conflict with fresh supplies of weapons. — Back to top
Russia’s Defense Ministry says it has opened another exit window for Ukraine’s remaining forces inside the Donbass city of Mariupol, who’ve been offered a fresh chance to surrender peacefully. Russian-led forces inside Mariupol have seized more Ukrainian weapons, during the assault on the last stronghold of neo-Nazi Azov troops there. Russia’s Foreign Minister says the country had no choice but to send troops to protect Donbass after the West refused to respect the red lines set by Moscow. A Chilean-American journalist and Kiev critic is reported to have gone missing inside Ukraine, while one of the country’s nationalist leaders claims the reporter might have been captured and killed. — Back to top
Ukrainian positions at several towns in the Donbass frontlines are reportedly under fire, while Kiev’s forces allegedly shell outskirts of the city of Donetsk. An Italian journalist slams Ukraine’s President Zelensky as an obstacle in the way of peace and says Kiev’s leader is neglecting civilian casualties. French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen says the U.S. should compensate France for any economic losses if Russian energy supplies are cut off, as Europeans already struggle with skyrocketing costs. We discuss the issue with a panel of guests. — Back to top
RT witnesses the capture of expensive Ukrainian weapons inside the Donbass city of Mariupol, as Russian-led forces continue their advance there. Some of the fighters say pro-Kiev radicals are still using civilians as human shields. The UN warns over one fifth of the world’s population could plunge into poverty and hunger – as the conflict over Ukraine disrupts crucial international food supply chains. An Italian journalist calls Ukraine’s President an obstacle towards peace, accusing Vladimir Zelensky of neglecting civilian casualties. — Back to top
Moscow’s deadline for Kiev to withdraw its forces from their last stronghold in Mariupol passes as Ukraine’s President Zelensky escalates his rhetoric, saying Kiev is ready to fight Russia for another 10 years. Internationally banned landmines are found after Ukrainian forces abandon part of a major factory in the embattled city of Mariupol as Russian and Donbass troops continue their advance. The UN warns that the Ukraine conflict could have a grave impact on other countries around the world because of disruptions in crucial food supply chains. We discuss the issue with the anti-poverty organization OXFAM. Monuments to Soviet soldiers who defeated Nazi Germany are defaced and dismantled in Ukraine and other European countries, while the Ukrainian media glorifies Hitler collaborators as heroes. — Back to top
Moscow’s deadline for the withdrawal of Kiev’s forces from a besieged steel plant in Mariupol passes with explosions now reported in the industrial area. That’s as the Russian Defense Ministry says almost all of the port city has been reclaimed. RT’s Murad Gazdiev visits another metal works in Mariupol where Kiev forces had been hiding out, reportedly using civilians as human shields. Public support for the ousted Pakistani Prime minister continues with mass protests, after a no-confidence vote earlier removed him from power, a move the former PM claims Washington helped bring about. Vladimir Putin slams European countries for delaying their energy payments to Moscow, adding it’ll be European people hit hardest by the anti-Russian sentiment of their leaders. — Back to top
Russia’s Foreign Minister slams as ‘fake’, disturbing footage from Bucha, which had prompted Kiev to blame Russian forces for the mass killing of civilians. We hear from a reporter who covered the situation on the ground from the outskirts of the Ukrainian town. Ukraine’s media pulls its own fake news reports, blaming Russia for the gruesome killing of a woman in the Donbass city of Mariupol. We’ll speak with the American journalist who first broke the story, later this hour. A Latvian energy company mulls the possibility of paying in rubles for Russian gas. That’s amid outcries from its EU neighbors to stop importing any Russian energy supplies at all. — Back to top
Germany is involved in the work of bio-weapons labs in Ukraine, together with its US allies. That’s the latest revelation coming from Moscow on the West’s alleged biological military activities in the region. An investigation claims the Ukrainian Security Service used Guantanamo-style torture techniques on political opponents of President Vladimir Zelensky. We speak to the author behind the probe, who says the practice was supervised by the CIA. As top US officials once again pressure India to abandon its neutral stance with Russia and refrain from any further cooperation. We’ll have a live panel discussion about it later in the program. — Back to top
As Russian troops take control over most of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, civilians begin to leave their basements and receive aid after weeks of fierce battles. An investigation reveals alleged plans by the Ukrainian Security Service to assassinate Zelensky’s political opponents, with allegations of torture in a detention center. We speak to the author behind the investigation. The US says it won’t return the frozen Russian assets of private individuals back to their owners, even when the conflict in Ukraine ends. Thousands take to the streets of Belgrade to protest against the government’s vote to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council. — Back to top
Russian forces target military facilities on the outskirts of Kiev. That’s after several provocations from Ukraine were reported on Russian territory. The latest was prevented earlier by air defense systems in the border region of Belgorod. As the battle for Mariupol enters its final stages, an RT crew takes a closer look at positions left by Ukrainian soldiers. Washington is upping its arms shipments to Ukraine – all in spite of such weapons ending up in the hands of criminals and extremists. The wife of a captured Ukrainian opposition leader claims her husband has been tortured and beaten by authorities. It comes as Kiev banned all opposition in the country. — Back to top
Multiple explosions are reported in the Ukrainian capital Kiev early on Friday as parts of the city are left without electricity. As the battle for Mariupol enters its final stages, an RT crew takes a closer look at positions left by Ukrainian soldiers. The head of the European central bank warns the EU faces rising inflation and economic instability if they abandon Russian gas imports. — Back to top
Russia says its border region of Bryansk has been shelled in a Ukrainian airstrike, leaving a number of people – including a child – seriously injured. That occurring despite warnings from Moscow that any further attacks on its territory, could see Kiev’s ‘decision making centers’ targeted in response. Vladimir Putin accuses so-called ‘unfriendly states’ of delaying payments for Russian energy supplies. The president also highlighted that ordinary Europeans will be the ones hardest hit by the anti-Russian rhetoric of their leaders. Russia reveals new evidence of what it claims is the activity of US-funded bio-labs in Ukraine, saying dangerous substances were tested on the patients of psychiatric clinics, with plans to then use drones to deploy the material from the sky. — Back to top
With the Azov battalion reportedly on the brink of defeat in the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol we take a closer look at how the west is praising some Ukrainian units despite their neo-Nazi background. As fighting in Mariupol is focused on the city’s steelworks some residents hope of finding their relatives who they haven’t heard from in weeks, stuck in the besieged city. In Pakistan ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan launches a campaign to mobilize his supporters on the streets – demanding new elections that could return him to power. — Back to top
Vladimir Putin accuses the west of provoking ‘energy chaos’ among its citizens, due to its refusal to trade with Russia. German officials warn reserves will only last until the Autumn if Russian gas supplies are cut – while some EU members mull returning to coal. Austria’s former foreign minister also states Europe’s stance to cut itself off from Russian energy may be costly. Around a thousand Ukrainian marines reportedly surrender to Russian-led forces in Mariupol. That’s as some members of Kiev’s nationalist battalions try to flee the battleground in the key Donbass city. RT follows Russian troops as they seize suspected radicals. — Back to top
The Russian president comments on allegations of Russian war crimes in the Ukrainian town of Bucha, dismissing them as ‘fake’. That’s as the West pledges new sanctions over civilian deaths, with some officials calling on the courts to apportion blame. Around a thousand Ukrainian marines reportedly surrender to Russian-backed Donetsk Republic forces in Mariupol as suspected members of nationalist battalions apparently try to flee the battleground. RT follows Russian troops as they find suspected fighters. “Impossible to replace” – OPEC warns of an unprecedented energy shortage in Europe if it suspends Russian oil supplies. Our panel of guests weigh in on the prospects of the bloc cutting Russian energy. A study finds that US news coverage of the war in Ukraine surpassed that of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We dig into the some of the reasons why it’s gripped so many households. — Back to top
Vladimir Putin slams accusations of Russia’s involvement in the killing of civilians in Ukraine’s Bucha, calling the incident a staged ‘fake’. Russian-led forces edge closer to victory in the Donbass city of Mariupol, saying they’ve now taken full control of the local port. Our correspondent is on the ground, as tanks roll in to assault the final stronghold of Ukrainian radical troops there. The OPEC group of oil-exporting countries warn the EU of a potentially worst-ever supply shock, if Brussels intensifies its sanctions against Russia. — Back to top
“Not in India’s interest.” That’s how Washington describes India’s imports of Russian arms and oil, as the US ramps up pressure on New Delhi during a summit between the two countries. Intense fighting continues in the battle for Mariupol, as Donbass forces now say they have taken control of the city’s port. Meanwhile, RT follows a tank battle near the city’s Azov Steel factory, a stronghold of Ukrainian nationalist troops. A Ukrainian propaganda video calling for the killing of Russian troops spreads on social networks. It depicts a woman in a field, slitting a Russian soldier’s throat with a sickle, in a style resembling that of the terrorist group Islamic State. Ukraine’s parliament celebrates the desecration of a Berlin memorial to Soviet soldiers, as Germany prevents Russian officials from attending the anniversary of the liberation of the Buchenwald Nazi concentration camp. We ask people around the globe what they think about the history surrounding the liberation of such camps. — Back to top
Pakistan’s Parliament elects Shehbaz Sharif to replace Imran Khan as Prime Minister after thousands of the ousted leader’s supporters took to the streets to protest his removal from power in what Khan has called a US-backed coup. US President Biden’s tipped to up the pressure on New Delhi against supporting Russia, as he holds a virtual summit with Indian Prime Minister. Russia says Kiev is making last-ditch attempts to evacuate its remaining radical troops from Mariupol with the Donbass city now almost completely under Russian control. We report from inside the battle-zone. — Back to top
Mass protests erupt in Pakistan, with tens of thousands taking to city streets around the country in support of the recently ousted Prime Minister, Imran Khan, who says Washington pushed for his removal because of his close ties with Russia and China. Joe Biden is to hold talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the US escalates pressure for India to distance itself from Moscow and “downscale” purchases of Russian weaponry. Russia says Kiev is trying to pull Azov nationalists out of the battle for Mariupol as the Ukrainian side loses control over the city. RT hears from locals who describe harrowing experiences under the neo-Nazi Azov fighters who previously held the city. Western media once again show Ukrainian forces displaying Nazi symbols, without mentioning that fact, as an icon of an SS division is clearly seen in images of Ukrainian soldiers praying for victims of the war. — Back to top
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan is removed from office in a vote of no confidence following a weeks-long political standoff. He says the US orchestrated the ouster. Detained Ukrainian nationalist fighters admit to war crimes, such as murdering unarmed civilians, including women. They describe how they committed the atrocities in exclusive footage. Western powers ramp up accusations against Russia over a massacre in the Kiev suburb Bucha. Moscow says it was a provocation committed to derail peace talks and prolong the conflict. — Back to top
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan is removed from office in a vote of no confidence following a weeks-long political standoff. He says the US orchestrated the ouster. Detained Ukrainian nationalist fighters admit to war crimes, such as murdering unarmed civilians, including women. They describe how they committed the atrocities in exclusive footage. In this week’s major stories, Western powers ramp up accusations against Russia over a massacre in the Kiev suburb Bucha. Moscow says it was a provocation committed to derail peace talks and prolong the conflict. — Back to top
As fierce fighting continues in Mariupol, Ukrainian nationalist soldiers apparently confirm more war crimes committed by Kiev’s troops as RT obtains exclusive footage of militants admitting their brutal murder of civilians including women. Ukraine’s president expects EU politicians to blindly accept his claims on the Bucha massacre and is shocked as they demand proof that Russia’s to blame, as all evidence points to Kiev’s responsibility. Pakistan’s Prime Minister calls on his nation to stand up to foreign interference as he faces a historic no-confidence vote for his refusal to come out against Russia. — Back to top
RT correspondent Roman Kosarev visits a suburb of Mariupol where federal Russian medical personnel have been assisting local doctors, amid efforts to return to peaceful life in the area. The US has threatened India with “significant and long-term” consequences if it doesn’t fall in line against the Kremlin, saying it’s not in India’s best interest to maintain close ties with Russia. In India’s neighbor Pakistan, the prime minister says the US has orchestrated a plot to oust him after he stood up against pressure to denounce Russia. — Back to top
Moscow says a Kiev Tochka-U missile has killed dozens and injured more than a hundred at a Donetsk region train station as Ukraine’s president and his own adviser contradict each other in a bid to blame Russia. RT’s Murad Gazdiev reports from the heart of the besieged Donetsk region city of Mariupol, as Russia and allied forces try to pin down remaining Ukrainian nationalist troops. The US broadens its pressure on China, with NATO expanding in the east and Washington sending weapons to Taiwan. — Back to top
RT’s Murad Gazdiev reports from the heart of the besieged city of Mariupol, outside the Azov Steel factory, in which Russia and its allied forces are trying to pin down the remaining Ukrainian nationalist troops. Obtained audio recordings purport that Ukrainian civilians often suffer from the country’s own volunteer troops. The US broadens its pressure on China, with NATO expanding in the east and Washington sending weapons to Taiwan. — Back to top
As final battles rage on in Mariupol, Russian troops continue to evacuate civilians from residential buildings and hospitals, previously controlled by Ukrainian forces. Survivors claim they were used as human shields by nationalists. Russia’s Foreign Minister claims Washington is pushing Kiev to continue fighting despite ongoing peace talks. Thousands of Europeans protest against the EU’s weapons shipments to Ukraine, with some members of the European parliament openly saying the bloc has become an instrument of NATO. Two former heads of the ‘Sputnik Media’ news outlet have been detained by police in Estonia – after claims they didn’t adhere to recent EU financial sanctions on Russian individuals. — Back to top
Our correspondent reports from Mariupol as the battle for the city enters its final phase. Thousands of Europeans protest against the bloc’s weaponry shipment to Ukraine as NATO unveils plans to speed up the arming of the country. The Washington Post accuses some NATO members of being unconstructive in paving the way for an end to the war in Ukraine. — Back to top
Harrowing testimony from locals in the devastated city of Mariupol alleges nationalist forces and the neo-nazi Azov battalion have been directly targeting civilians. Russia calls on the United Nations to consider its information on American-funded biolabs in Ukraine. That’s as some members of the UN Security Council reject Moscow’s claims. Some NATO countries want Ukrainians to keep fighting and dying instead of brokering an end to the conflict, according to a new report from the Washington Post. China warns of a potential Ukraine-like crisis if the US, and its British and Australian allies, proceed with their newly announced plans to build nuclear-capable hypersonic weapons. — Back to top
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov dismisses the killings in the Ukrainian city of Bucha as “a provocation aimed at derailing Moscow’s peace talks with Kiev”. It emerges a far-right nationalist battalion was among the forces who entered Bucha right after the Russian withdrawal. We take a closer look at the unit’s leader. As the US calls for justice and a trial for alleged Russian war-crimes, we examine why the US itself has historically not been subject to some international norms or human rights bodies. — Back to top
Russia’s Ambassador to the UN says Moscow is set to shed light on the deaths of civilians in the Ukrainian town of Bucha as he slams the disturbing footage from there as ‘fake’. That is as the UN Security Council is scheduled to meet later this hour to discuss the events in Bucha and the conflict overall. We also hear on the program from a former officer in the Ukrainian security services. He explains the potential motivation of those behind what he calls ‘a staged provocation’ in Bucha. And a Spanish journalist claims most of the reports of crimes by Ukrainian forces against Donbass residents are true, after heading to the region himself to investigate. He also voices concern over why such incidents are going unreported by many Western media outlets. — Back to top
The Russian Ambassador to the UN says the country will seek to shed some light on the deaths of civilians in the Ukrainian city of Bucha, despite the UK rejecting Russia’s call for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the incident. Ukrainian media pulls its own fake news report, which blamed Russia for the killing of a woman whose body was found with a swastika carved in her stomach in a Ukrainian nationalist stronghold. We speak to the American journalist who broke the story. — Back to top
Russia’s Foreign Minister slams as ‘fake’, disturbing footage from Bucha, which had prompted Kiev to blame Russian forces for the mass killing of civilians. We hear from a reporter who covered the situation on the ground from the outskirts of the Ukrainian town. Ukraine’s media pulls its own fake news reports, blaming Russia for the gruesome killing of a woman in the Donbass city of Mariupol. We’ll speak with the American journalist who first broke the story, later this hour. A Latvian energy company mulls the possibility of paying in rubles for Russian gas. That’s amid outcries from its EU neighbors to stop importing any Russian energy supplies at all. — Back to top
Russia has called a UN Security Council meeting following what Moscow calls a “provocation by Ukrainian radicals” in the town of Bucha near Kiev. That’s after Ukraine released images of bodies in the streets, blaming Russian forces for the killings. The Russian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal investigation into calls by the mayor of the Ukrainian city of Dnepr for the killing of Russians “all over the world” and “in the largest possible quantities”. Fighting continues in the Donetsk Republic’s city of Mariupol as Russian forces move to capture city’s metallurgical plant, allegedly the last stronghold of the Azov battalion in the area. Pakistan is headed for fresh elections after a vote of no-confidence in Prime Minister Imran Khan was rejected as unconstitutional and its parliament dissolved. Khan alleges the US is behind the political turmoil. — Back to top
“They are what they are” – that’s the answer from the Ukrainian president when quizzed about the alleged atrocities of the neo-Nazi Azov battalion, which Vladimir Zelensky admitted in the same interview, fights as part of the country’s forces. The latest efforts to evacuate civilians trapped in the devastated port city of Mariupol end in failure as fighting intensifies. That’s as Russia accuses Ukraine of breaking pledges. The EU feels the heat of soaring fuel and food prices, as the crippling sanctions against Russia impact more than just the energy sector. — Back to top
“They are what they are” – that’s the Ukrainian president’s response to the far-right Azov battalion’s alleged atrocities. This comes as Human Rights Watch urges an investigation into alleged torture of Russian soldiers by the Ukrainian military. The woman whose photos appeared in Western media after what Kiev officials claimed to be Russian airstrike on a Mariupol maternity home sheds more light on the incident, claiming the building was occupied by Ukrainian soldiers at the moment of attack. An angry crowd boos German Chancellor Olaf Schozl during his speech in the city of Essen. That, as German politicians ask people to reduce energy use amid soaring prices, following anti-Russian sanctions. We get reaction on the streets. — Back to top
Donetsk Republic officials say Mariupol is now almost completely controlled by Russian forces and the battle for the city may soon be over. An RT correspondent on location meets with a tank crew following an attack on the Ukrainian neo-Nazi Azov Battalion. The Head of Russia’s space agency slams a response to his request for economic sanctions to be lifted on the agency, stressing that International Space Station co-operation is only possible if restrictions are removed. The UN condemns Britain’s censorship of Russian media outlets, including RT, as the West launches yet another volley of sanctions against Moscow. — Back to top
Donetsk Republic officials say Mariupol is now almost completely controlled by Russian forces and the battle may soon be over. An RT correspondent on location meets with a tank crew following an attack on the Ukrainian neo-Nazi Azov Battalion. Western media reports accuse Russia of abducting Mariupol residents and sending them to labor camps in remote Russian regions. That’s amid evacuation efforts as more people flee to the east. We asked some refugees what they think of the claims. The UN condemns Britain’s censorship of Russian media outlets, including RT, as the West launches yet another volley of sanctions against Moscow. — Back to top
An oil depot is bombed in the Western Russian city of Belgorod. Moscow says Kiev carried out the attack, Ukrainian authorities have yet to comment. An RT crew survives a sniper ambush while reporting on the streets of Ukraine’s war-torn city of Mariupol. Russia’s foreign minister visits India and says Western unreliability will grow bilateral trade in their own national currencies, adding that efforts to press New Delhi to oppose Moscow will fail. The Kremlin says Europe has a month to adjust to new rules for gas contracts to be paid in rubles – or risk a shut-off in supply. That’s as companies across Europe warn they can’t survive without Russian energy. — Back to top
An RT crew survives a sniper ambush while reporting from the streets of the war-torn city of Mariupol. Russia’s top diplomat meets with his counterpart in India as the countries strengthen their relations, but Britain’s foreign secretary has also travelled to India in a reported effort to derail the talks. Germany’s chancellor pledges to end EU dependence on Russian gas by the end of this year, brushing off Putin’s warning that cutting supplies could plunge the bloc into recession. We look at how Middle Eastern powers are switching focus from the US to China as they pursue better business deals. — Back to top