Russia-Ukraine War Updates 04/20

From CNN
Updated 12:24 AM ET, April 20, 2022​

CN

It's 12:30 p.m. in Kyiv. Here's what you need to know

Fighting in the Donbas region continues to escalate, with Ukrainian forces repelling "numerous attempted advances" by Russia, according to UK defense intelligence.

The battle for the Donbas represents a new and potentially decisive phase in the conflict, with the besieged southeastern port city of Mariupol a key battleground.

Referenced as a "critical logistics hub" for Ukrainian forces, Mariupol continues to be in Ukrainian control despite weeks of Russian bombardment, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said the situation remains "brutal and unchanged."

With tens of thousands of civilians remaining in Mariupol, the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister said Wednesday that a corridor had been agreed on with Russia for the evacuation of women, children and the elderly from the city.

Here are the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine conflict:

• Besieged Mariupol under heavy bombardment: Ukrainians continue to defend Mariupol despite heavy attacks as Russia seeks to "close the circle" around the city. Mariupol's strategic position on the coast of the Sea of Azov makes it a key target, said Retired Lt. General and CNN military analyst Mark Hertling, as taking it would allow Russia to create a continuous land bridge from Donbas to Crimea.

• Last stand for those trapped at steel plant: Ukrainian troops and civilians remain trapped in Mariupol's Azovstal steel plant under heavy Russian bombardment. It's not clear how many troops are holding out. An estimated 1,000 civilians, including women, children and the elderly were sheltering inside the plant, Myhailo Vershynin, chief of the Mariupol patrol police, told CNN earlier this week.

 

• Humanitarian corridor agreed for Mariupol: Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said Wednesday that a humanitarian corridor had been agreed on with Russia for the evacuation of women, children and the elderly from Mariupol. She said the convoy is set to move from the besieged city toward Manhush and then onward through the Russian-held city of Berdyansk, then north toward the Ukrainian-held city of Zaporizhzhia.

 

• Zoo employees who stayed behind to care for animals found dead: Two employees of a zoo in Kharkiv who stayed behind last month to take care of animals amid heavy shelling from Russian forces were found dead, the zoo said in a statement Tuesday. Feldman Ecopark zoo said it had received confirmation that the employees had been shot and killed by Russian soldiers and found barricaded in a room.

​

• Major German manufacturer to quit Russia: German manufacturer Henkel will cease operations in Russia, the company announced on Tuesday. Producer of various consumer goods, such as laundry and cleaning products, Henkel said its 2,500 employees in Russia will continue to be employed and paid.

Read more on CNN here.​

A local resident walks along a street past burnt out buses in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine, on April 19. (Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters)

--------ADVERTISEMENT--------
​​

Create well-crafted SEO-friendly content

All-in-one Online Marketing Tools  
​
​​Top Email Marketing Platforms 

​The No.1 Marketing Tools on SEO, PPC, Competitors' Analysis & more!​​
​​​

Do you want to reach the top of the SERP? Start with learning what works best for your competitors.

The ADs on this page are posted by Affiliate of corresponding companies (not their employee) 

---

TIPs: Retail Item prices & shipping costs for the same products may differ among different countries. Price comparison is suggested.
​New experience! Shopping around different countries, while sitting at home.​

Promotions in different country:
​USA | Canada | India | UK | Germany | Japan

Home pages in different country:

Home Page