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A30 world news
Diaranson 23 Maart 2022

Ukraine thwarts Russian advances; fight rages for Mariupol

(AP) — Ukrainian forc- month ago. Kremlin Komsomolskaya
es fought off continuing Pravda newspaper, citing the
Russian efforts to occupy A Western official, speaking Defense Ministry, reported
Mariupol and claimed to on condition of anonymity to that almost 10,000 Russian
have retaken a strategic discuss military assessments, soldiers had been killed. The
suburb of Kyiv on Tues- said Ukrainian resistance has report was quickly removed,
day, mounting a defense brought much of Russia’s and the newspaper blamed
so dogged that it is stok- advance to a halt but has not hackers. The Kremlin refused
ing fears Russia’s Vladimir sent Moscow’s forces into re- to comment. The Western
Putin will escalate the war treat. official said the figure is “a
to new heights. reasonable estimate.”
Western officials say Rus-
“Putin’s back is against the sian forces are facing serious Facing unexpectedly stiff re-
wall,” said U.S. President Joe shortages of food, fuel and sistance that has left the bulk
Biden, who is heading to Eu- cold weather gear, leaving of Moscow’s ground forces
rope this week to meet with some soldiers suffering from miles from the center of Kyiv,
allies. “And the more his back frostbite. Ukrainians have Putin’s troops are increas-
is against the wall, the greater The hands of one exhausted reported hungry soldiers ingly concentrating their
the severity of the tactics he Mariupol survivor were shak- Early Tuesday, Ukrainian looting stores and homes for air power and artillery on
may employ.” ing as she arrived by train in troops drove Russian forc- food. Ukraine’s cities and civilians.
the western city of Lviv. es from the Kyiv suburb of
Biden reiterated accusations Makariv after a fierce battle, The invasion has driven Talks to end the fighting have
that Putin is considering re- “There’s no connection with Ukraine’s Defense Ministry more than 10 million people continued by video. Ukrai-
sorting to using chemical or the world. We couldn’t ask said. The regained territory from their homes, almost a nian President Volodymyr
biological weapons, though for help,” said Julia Krytska, allowed Ukrainian forces to quarter of Ukraine’s popula- Zelenskyy has said he would
Pentagon spokesman John who was helped by volun- retake control of a key high- tion, according to the United be prepared to consider waiv-
Kirby said the U.S. has seen teers to make it out with her way and block Russian troops Nations. ing any bid by Ukraine to
no evidence to suggest that husband and son. “People from surrounding Kyiv from join NATO — a key Russian
such an escalation is immi- don’t even have water there.” the northwest. Thousands of civilians are demand — in exchange for a
nent. believed to have died. Esti- cease-fire, the withdrawal of
Explosions and bursts of gun- Still, the Defense Ministry mates of Russian military ca- Russian troops and a guaran-
The warnings came as attacks fire shook Kyiv, and heavy said Russian forces partially sualties vary widely, but even tee of Ukraine’s security.
continued in and around artillery fire could be heard took other northwest sub- conservative figures by West-
Kyiv and Mariupol, and peo- from the northwest, where urbs, Bucha, Hostomel and ern officials are in the low U.N. Secretary-General An-
ple escaped the battered and Russia has sought to encircle Irpin, some of which have thousands. tonio Guterres said he saw
besieged port city. and capture several the capi- been under attack almost progress in the talks.a
tal’s suburban areas. since Russia invaded nearly a On Monday, Russia’s pro-

Rohingya refugees welcome US calling repression genocide

(AP) — Rohingya refugees expressed their enthusiasm. and “concrete steps” follow. cratically elected government was politically motivated and
in Bangladesh welcomed in February 2021. Thousands amounted to interference in
Monday’s announcement “We are very happy on the “Just by saying that geno- of civilians throughout the Myanmar’s internal affairs.
by the United States that declaration of the genocide; cide had been committed in country have been killed and
it considers the violent many many thanks,” said Myanmar against the Ro- imprisoned as part of ongo- However, a statement from
repression of their largely 60-year-old Sala Uddin, who hingya is not good enough. ing repression of anyone op- Myanmar’s main opposition
Muslim ethnic group in lives at Kutupalong camp. I think we need to see what posed to the ruling junta. group, the National Unity
Myanmar a genocide. would follow from that state- Government, which con-
“It has been 60 years starting ment,” Ahmed said. Currently Bangladesh is siders itself to be the coun-
Myanmar’s military govern- from 1962 that the Myanmar hosting more than 1 million try’s legitimate administra-
ment, which has already been government has been tortur- He said it was too early to say Rohingya refugees. More tive body, said it welcomed
sued in the International ing us and many other com- how the new development than 700,000 Rohingya have Washington’s declaration.
Court of Justice on genocide munities including Rohing- would ensure the recognition fled from Buddhist-majority The group was established
charges, said it categorically ya,” he said. “I think a path of the Rohingya refugees, Myanmar to refugee camps by lawmakers who were not
rejected the U.S. declaration. to take action by the inter- who have long been denied in Bangladesh since August allowed to take their seats
national community against citizenship in Myanmar, and 2017, when the military when the army seized power
As news of the announce- Myanmar has opened up be- the fundamental questions launched an operation aimed from the elected government
ment by U.S. Secretary of cause of the declaration.” remained how and when they at clearing them from the of Aung San Suu Kyi.
State Antony Blinken spread would go back to Myanmar. country following attacks by
across the sprawling camps in The U.S. made the deter- a rebel group. “The NUG acknowledges
Cox’s Bazar district that are mination Monday to call the He also said that going for that discriminatory practices
now home to about 1 million repression a genocide based harsh economic sanctions by Bangladesh’s Prime Minister and rhetoric against the Ro-
Rohingya, many residents on confirmed accounts of the U.S. against Myanmar Sheikh Hasina said repeat- hingya also laid the ground
mass atrocities on civilians could be the next outcome. edly that their repatriation for these atrocities,” said
by Myanmar’s military in He said it was also equally to Myanmar is the solution a statement, issued in the
a widespread and system- important to see whether to the crisis but the govern- name of the group’s acting
atic campaign against the the U.S. would take interest ment would not force them president, Duwa Lashi La.
Rohingya, Blinken said in a in supporting the Interna- to leave Bangladesh. “The impunity enjoyed by
speech at the U.S. Holocaust tional Court of Justice in The the military’s leadership has
Memorial Museum. Hague where Myanmar is In its first official reaction since enabled their direction
facing a trial put forward by following the U.S. action, the of countrywide crimes at the
Imtiaz Ahmed, director of the Gambia. foreign ministry of Myan- helm of an illegal military
Centre for Genocide Studies mar’s military government junta.”
at the University of Dhaka, Myanmar’s government is firmly rejected the accusa-
said the declaration was “a already under multiple layers tions. The statement issued “Justice and accountability
positive step,” but it would be of U.S. sanctions since a mil- Tuesday evening charged must follow this determina-
important to see what actions itary coup ousted the demo- that Blinken’s declaration tion,” it said.