The international criminal court (ICC) has confirmed it is opening an investigation into possible war crimes in Ukraine and begun collecting evidence. The ICC process was sped up after 38 countries formally referred reports of atrocities to it, the largest referral the court has ever received.
Russia has claimed to have captured the strategically important southern city of Kherson on the Black Sea. US intelligence and Ukrainian officials have disputed the claim. In a Facebook post, Kherson’s mayor, Igor Kolykhaiev, said “there were armed visitors in the city council”. and Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said:“We’re not in a position to call it either way. It appears to us that the Ukrainians are certainly fighting over that town.”
The strategically important Sea of Azov port city of Mariupol is reportedly surrounded by Russian troops. “We cannot even take the wounded from the streets, from apartments, since the shelling does not stop,” its mayor said.
The Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, has come under more heavy shelling as Russian forces step up their offensive and move forces closer towards the capital in an apparent attempt to encircle it.
Police in Moscow detained two women and five children holding a poster outside the Ukraine embassy that said “No to war”. Police allegedly threatened to strip the women of custody of the children. In St Petersburg, Yelena Osipova, an activist said to have survived the infamous wartime siege of Leningrad was stopped for protesting against the war.
Russian paratroopers landed in Ukraine’s second city, Kharkiv, following several days of bombardment that has killed or wounded dozens of civilians. Four more people died on Wednesday, local authorities said, adding the city was still under their control.
More than 350 Ukrainian civilians have been killed and more than 2,000 injured, according to Ukraine’s emergency service. Hundreds of structures including transport facilities, hospitals, kindergartens and homes have been destroyed, it said.
Ukraine claimed nearly 7,000 Russian troops had been killed in the first six days of Moscow’s invasion. Russia’s defense ministry said 498 Russian soldiers had died in Ukraine since the start of its campaign, its first statement on casualties.
The UN general assembly voted overwhelmingly to deplore Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and called for the immediate withdrawal of its forces. on wednesday, 141 of the 193 member states voted for the resolution, 35 abstained and five – Russia, Belarus, Syria, North Korea and Eritrea – voted against.
A second round of talks is reportedly to get under way on Thursday. A Russian negotiator said a ceasefire was on the agenda, but Ukraine has said Moscow’s demands are unacceptable and Russia must stop bombing Ukrainian cities before any progress can be expected.
Police in Poland warned that fake reports of violent crimes being committed by people fleeing Ukraine are circulating on social media after Polish nationalists attacked and abused groups of African, south Asian and Middle Eastern people who had crossed the border.
www.theguardian.com
George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism