Donbass civilians held hostage

12 апреля 2022

Ukrainian Armed Forces and NATO officers try to escape from the encircled Mariupol after the port was liberated by Russian troops. On the previous day, the Russian army with air and artillery strikes thwarted the nationalists' attempt to break out of Mariupol. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, as a result, up to 50 militants were killed and 42 laid down their arms. The city has almost been liberated, but according to various sources, from 1,500 to 3,000 nationalists are still hiding at the Azovstal plant. The authorities are now checking the information that foreign mercenaries are also present in the ranks of the militants at the plant. The Ukrainian Armed Forces and the National Guard continue fire. 

The operation to liberate Donbass continues. According to the head of the DNR, it will become more intense in the near future, because "the more it drags on, the more the civilian population suffers, being held hostage by the situation."

Denis Pushilin, commander-in-chief of the DNR Armed Forces:

Cities such as Donetsk, Makeevka, Yasinovataya, Dokuchayevsk, Gorlovka and a number of other communities are subjected to almost daily shelling by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Just like during  all those eight years, this is the civilian population that suffers from shelling of residential areas of Donetsk districts. The  shelling was carried out using a hurricane multiple rocket launcher.  As  a result, a nine-story building, which you can see behind you, was destroyed.  Two people were killed and four were wounded including a 1.5-year-old boy.

More than 4.6 million refugees from Ukraine arrived in neighboring countries 

More than 4 million 600 thousand refugees from Ukraine have arrived in the neighboring countries since the start of a special military operation. In the past 24 hours alone, the number increased by more than 68,000, according to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.