By The Related Press
ROME — Pope Francis has presided over a particular prayer for Ukraine that harked again to a century-old apocalyptic prophecy about peace and Russia.
Francis invited bishops, monks and bizarre devoted around the globe to hitch him within the consecration prayer on Friday.
An estimated 3,500 folks, together with cardinals, ambassadors and pilgrims, attended the service at St. Peter’s Basilica and the textual content of the prayer was translated into three dozen languages.
The ritual is of deep religious significance to many Catholics and a supply of fascination to others.
It offers with a few of the extra controversial elements of the Catholic religion: purported visions of the Madonna, prophecies of hell, Soviet communism and the dying of a pope.
The service was Francis’ newest effort to rally prayers for an finish to the struggle. The pope has but to publicly condemn Russia by identify, although his denunciations have grown more and more outraged.
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KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:
— U.S. President Joe Biden visits American troops in Poland, a posh ally at Ukraine’s doorstep
— Russian President Vladimir Putin faces stark selections in Ukraine invasion as armed forces stall
— Ukraine says 300 lifeless in airstrike on theater in Mariupol; starvation stalking besieged areas
— Some distinguished Russians stop jobs, refuse to assist the struggle on Ukraine
— EU, US announce partnership to undercut Russian vitality
Go to https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine for extra protection
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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:
FRANKFURT, Germany — Greater than 130 refugees from Ukraine have arrived at a German airport, the primary of two,500 as a consequence of arrive through Moldova.
Greater than 376,000 folks fleeing the struggle in Ukraine have arrived in Moldova, in line with the U.N. refugee company.
However the inflow has been a problem for the small, former Soviet republic, which is wedged between Ukraine and Romania.
Overseas Minister Annalena Baerbock has mentioned Germany is working with allies to airlift refugees to nations farther away from the struggle.
She deliberate to welcome the brand new arrivals on Friday together with Inside Minister Nancy Faeser, who mentioned in an announcement that Germany “is usually a hub for honest distribution in Europe” of refugees. Greater than 3.7 million folks have fled Ukraine because the Russian invasion began a month in the past.
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LONDON — Writer J.Ok. Rowling is pushing again after Russian President Vladimir Putin dragged her right into a rant in opposition to Western efforts to “cancel’ Russian tradition.
“Critiques of Western cancel tradition are probably not greatest made by these at the moment slaughtering civilians for the crime of resistance, or who jail and poison their critics,” the Harry Potter creator mentioned Friday in a tweet linked to an article about jailed Putin critic Alexei Navalny.
Putin earlier in contrast latest Western criticism of Russia with efforts to “cancel” Rowling over her views on transgender points. Rowling has been criticized after saying she supported transgender rights however didn’t consider in “erasing” the idea of organic intercourse.
“The infamous cancel tradition has grow to be a cancellation of tradition. Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Rachmaninov are excluded from live performance posters, and Russian writers and their books are additionally banned,’ Putin mentioned throughout a videoconference with cultural figures.
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RZESZOW, Poland — President Joe Biden has given a pep speak to U.S. troops stationed in Poland close to the border with Ukraine.
Biden mentioned he wished to go to Friday to thank members of the U.S. Military’s 82nd Airborne Division for his or her service. He added that it’s “not hyperbole” when he says they’re the “best preventing pressure on this planet.”
The president instructed the fatigue-clad women and men that they’re an “wonderful group” and he reminisced about his late son, Beau, who served within the Delaware Military Nationwide Guard.
Biden visited some troops at lunch at their non permanent headquarters in Rzeszow and chowed down on a slice of pepperoni and jalapeno pepper pizza. He additionally visited others who have been getting haircuts on the barbershop.
Poland is the second cease on Biden’s four-day journey to Europe. He’s scheduled Saturday to fulfill individually with Poland’s president and Ukrainian refugees earlier than he heads again to Washington.
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COPENHAGEN, Denmark — 4 Nordic vitality firms say they’re prepared to assist the three Baltic nations within the occasion Russia curbs or fully cuts electrical energy exports to its smaller neighbors.
Denmark’s Energinet, Statnett of Norway, Sweden’s Svenska kraftnat and Fingrid Oyj of Finland mentioned in an announcement they’ve “secured routines and recognized eventual ambiguities in a situation the place the Baltics are disconnected from the Russian grid.”
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are nonetheless reliant on their Russian neighbor for a lot of their electrical energy wants.
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NEW YORK — The deputy head of Russia’s navy common workers says that 1,351 Russian troopers have died in Ukraine.
Col.-Gen. Sergei Rudskoi additionally mentioned Friday that 3,825 have been wounded.
NATO estimated on Wednesday that 7,000 to fifteen,000 Russian troopers have been killed in 4 weeks of struggle in Ukraine.
The Russian determine didn’t seem to incorporate the Moscow-backed separatists preventing in japanese Ukraine, and it was not clear whether or not the toll encompassed Russian forces not a part of the Protection Ministry, such because the Nationwide Guard.
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WARSAW, Poland — Polish President Andrzej Duda was unable to welcome U.S. President Joe Biden on his arrival in Rzeszow due a technical downside with the Polish presidential aircraft taking him from Warsaw.
Jakub Kumoch, a high adviser to Duda, mentioned Friday that the Polish presidential aircraft needed to make an emergency touchdown in Warsaw.
The aircraft landed safely and Duda was ready for a substitute aircraft.
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MEDYKA, Poland — Refugees from the struggle in Ukraine are amongst those that will likely be watching the go to of U.S. President Joe Biden to Poland, which started on Friday afternoon with a cease within the japanese Polish metropolis of Rzeszow.
Some hope the go to would possibly carry concrete steps to assist their homeland as it’s underneath assault.
Lyra Syniavska, 42, from Lviv, mentioned that Ukrainians count on extra assist than what they’ve obtained up to now.
“We’re getting quite a lot of assist now, actually lots. However our persons are nonetheless struggling, particularly those that lives within the japanese half (of Ukraine),” she mentioned.
Alina Sylkina, 26, from the japanese Luhansk area, says she needs NATO would shut the airspace over Ukraine — although the alliance has mentioned it gained’t take that step.
Throughout his go to to Rzeszow, Biden will likely be briefed on the humanitarian response to the refugees streaming out of Ukraine. He will even meet U.S. service members. Biden is due in Warsaw on Saturday.
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VILNIUS, Lithuania — An exhibition of photographs of civilian victims and shelling in Kyiv and Mariupol has been put up on the Vilnius railway station in order that vacationers on trains crossing Lithuania for the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad will see the pictures.
The Lithuanian railway mentioned Friday that the 24 pictures have been chosen by the Lithuanian Press Photographers Membership. A textual content on the photographs says in Russian that President Vladimir “Putin is killing harmless folks in Ukraine right this moment. Are you OK with that?”
Lithuanian Railways CEO Egidijus Lazauskas mentioned that the exhibition is a symbolic present of assist.
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COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Finland’s nationwide railway firm says it’ll droop companies between Helsinki and the Russian metropolis of St. Petersburg from this weekend, closing one of many final public transport routes for Russians who wish to attain the European Union.
Citing the sanctions imposed on Russia, the pinnacle of passenger site visitors with state-owned VR, Topi Simola, mentioned that “individuals who wished to depart from Russia have had enough time to go away.”
Solely the morning practice from Helsinki to St Petersburg will likely be operated on Sunday whereas the afternoon practice will likely be cancelled. Each companies from St Petersburg will likely be operated. After that, trains will likely be suspended till additional discover.
VR mentioned prospects can cancel their tickets for gratis.
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GENEVA — The U.N. human rights workplace says its strict methodology in counting casualties in Ukraine’s battle has yielded “only a few” confirmed casualties in Mariupol, largely due to difficulties getting entry in and data out of the besieged port metropolis.
Matilda Bogner, who heads the rights workplace’s Ukraine department, famous that council leaders in Mariupol have estimated greater than 2,000 civilian deaths within the metropolis following Russia’s navy invasion on Feb. 24.
General, the rights workplace has counted at the very least 1,035 civilians killed in Ukraine and 1,650 injured however Bogner mentioned it doesn’t have a “the complete image of areas which have seen intense preventing, specifically Mariupol and Volnovakha.” The workplace has acknowledged that its tally is prone to underestimate the precise toll.
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MOSCOW — Russian Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov says Russia is dealing with complete struggle declared by the West.
Lavrov mentioned at a gathering on Friday that “an actual hybrid struggle, complete struggle was declared on us.” He mentioned the objective was “to destroy, break, annihilate, strangle the Russian economic system, and Russia on the entire.”
In the course of the first month of what Russia describes as a “particular navy operation” in Ukraine, the West imposed robust measures concentrating on Russia’s economic system and monetary system in addition to President Vladimir Putin and Russian oligarchs.
Regardless of that, Lavrov mentioned Russia was not remoted.
“We’ve many pals, allies, companions on this planet, an enormous variety of associations through which Russia is working with nations of all continents, and we are going to proceed to take action,” Lavrov mentioned. He added that the overwhelming majority of states gained’t be part of the Western sanctions coverage in opposition to Russia.
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KYIV, Ukraine — Mariupol’s metropolis authorities says the Kremlin’s essential political celebration has opened a political workplace in a shopping center on the outskirts of the besieged metropolis.
In keeping with the publish on town’s Telegram channel, the United Russia workplace is distributing promotional supplies in addition to cell phone playing cards for an operator that capabilities within the close by Russia-backed separatist areas.
Mariupol’s communication hyperlinks have been all however severed because the siege started in early March. Cellphone, tv and radio towers have been focused in Russian airstrikes and artillery barrages.
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COPENHAGEN, Denmark — NATO Secretary-Basic Jens Stoltenberg says that any use of chemical or nuclear weapons “will completely change the character of the struggle in Ukraine. It will likely be completely unacceptable.”
Stoltenberg spoke throughout a go to to the long-planned Chilly Response drill in his native Norway and known as Russia’s struggle in Ukraine “a watershed second.” He additionally regretted that Moscow had declined to look at the drill, saying that NATO “all the time invite different nations to look at.”
The drill going down in southeastern, central and northern Norway consists of round 30,000 troops from 27 nations. Non-NATO members Finland and Sweden are additionally taking part. The train began March 14 and ends April 1.
The primary Chilly Response train was held in 2006. It’s performed each two years.
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KYIV, Ukraine — The federal government of the Ukrainian metropolis of Mariupol says 300 folks died in a Russian airstrike on March 16 on a theater getting used as a bomb shelter.
The publish Friday on town authorities Telegram channel cited eyewitnesses for the toll of “about 300.” It was not instantly clear whether or not emergency employees had completed excavating the location or how the eyewitnesses arrived on the horrific dying toll.
When the theater was struck, an unlimited inscription studying “CHILDREN” was posted exterior in Russian, meant to be seen from the skies above.
Quickly after the airstrike, Ludmyla Denisova, the Ukrainian Parliament’s human rights commissioner, mentioned greater than 1,300 folks had been sheltering within the constructing.
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BRUSSELS — The USA and the European Union have introduced a brand new partnership to scale back Europe’s reliance on Russian vitality. Prime officers characterised the step as the beginning of a years-long initiative to additional isolate Moscow after its invasion of Ukraine.
U.S. President Joe Biden asserted Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin makes use of vitality to “coerce and manipulate his neighbors” and makes use of the income from its sale to “drive his struggle machine.”
Biden mentioned the partnership he introduced collectively with a high European Union official will flip that dynamic on its head by lowering Europe’s dependence on Russian vitality sources, in addition to the continent’s demand for fuel total.
Below the plan, the U.S. and different nations will improve liquified pure fuel exports to Europe by 15 billion cubic meters this 12 months. Even bigger shipments can be delivered sooner or later.
On the similar time, they may attempt to hold their local weather targets on monitor by powering fuel infrastructure with clear vitality and lowering methane leaks that may worsen international warming.
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ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Ukraine and Russia look like making progress on 4 points being negotiated for an finish of the preventing however variations stay on two different key points.
Talking to reporters on his return from a NATO summit late Thursday, Erdogan mentioned Kyiv has expressed readiness to surrender on its want to be part of NATO, is able to settle for Russian as an official language, and can even settle for “sure concessions” regarding disarmament and “collective safety.”
However Erdogan mentioned Ukraine “shouldn’t be so comfy“ concerning Russian calls for on Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014, and the japanese Donbas area, the place it has acknowledged separatist entities as impartial. His feedback have been reported by Hurriyet newspaper and different Turkish media on Friday.
NATO member Turkey has been making an attempt to steadiness its relations with each Ukraine and Russia, positioning itself as a mediator between the 2. It has hosted a gathering between the 2 nations’ overseas ministers earlier this month.
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BERLIN — Germany’s economic system minister says his nation has solid contracts with new suppliers that can enable it to considerably cut back its reliance on Russian coal, fuel and oil within the coming weeks.
Robert Habeck instructed reporters in Berlin on Friday that Russian oil will account for about 25% of Germany’s imports within the coming weeks, from at the moment about 35%. Habeck mentioned imports of Russian coal will likely be halved from about 50% of Germany’s complete to 25% within the coming weeks.
He mentioned Germany additionally expects to have the ability to grow to be nearly fully impartial of Russian fuel by mid-2024. To do that the federal government has secured the usage of three “floating” terminals able to regasifying LNG introduced in by ship and is working laborious to construct everlasting LNG terminals for long-term imports.
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JERUSALEM — A Ukrainian who fled the nation together with her daughter has completed first amongst girls on this 12 months’s Jerusalem marathon.
Valentyna Veretska, 31, competed in Friday’s race after fleeing together with her 11-year-old daughter from the southern metropolis of Mykolaiv shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. Her husband stayed behind.
Organizers say Veretska completed the 26.2-mile (42.2-kilometer) race in two hours, 45 minutes and 54 seconds. Ageze Guadie, 33, from Israel, completed first within the males’s class with a time of two:37:17.
Veretska, 31, is ranked 444th worldwide amongst feminine marathon runners and most just lately completed first within the October 2021 Tirana Marathon, in line with World Athletics.
She was invited to participate within the Jerusalem marathon earlier this month. Organizers say round 40 Ukrainian immigrants and refugees competed amongst 1000’s of runners.
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BUDAPEST, Hungary — Hungary’s prime minister on Friday rejected an emotional attraction from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to produce Ukraine with weapons and assist sanctions on Russia’s vitality sector.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban mentioned in a video posted to social media that Zelenskyy’s requests have been “in opposition to Hungary’s pursuits.”
He mentioned 85% of Hungary’s fuel and greater than 60% of its oil comes from Russia, and that blocking Russian vitality exports would pressure Hungarians to “pay the worth of the struggle.”
The rejection got here after Zelenskyy on Thursday addressed a gathering of European Union leaders in Brussels the place he particularly appealed to Orban, who’s broadly thought-about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest ally within the EU.
Hungary, alone amongst EU nations bordering Ukraine, has declined to produce its neighbor with weapons and refused to permit weapons shipments to cross its border into Ukraine.
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KHARKIV, Ukraine — About half the inhabitants of the japanese metropolis of Kharkiv has left, and meals and different necessities are dwindling for individuals who keep behind. A line shaped Thursday at an condominium block as neighbors waited for help from the Pink Cross.
“Amongst those that stayed, there are individuals who can stroll on their very own, however many who can not stroll, the aged,” mentioned Hanna Spitsyna, who distributed the meals to the sound of explosions behind her.
Kharkiv has been underneath siege by Russian forces because the begin of the invasion, with relentless shelling that has compelled folks to sleep in metro stations and in basements.
Ukraine’s authorities mentioned shelling on a bunch of individuals awaiting help elsewhere within the metropolis killed six folks on Thursday. It was not instantly potential to confirm the allegation.
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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Satellite tv for pc photographs from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by The Related Press present thick black smoke rising Thursday over the port within the Ukrainian metropolis of Berdyansk, with a big ship on fireplace.
The timing of the photographs correspond with what the Ukrainian navy described as a profitable assault that noticed a Russian touchdown craft ferrying armored autos to town sink off the port.
The picture additionally corresponds to on-line movies purportedly displaying the assault on the port within the metropolis held by Russia on the Sea of Azov.
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LVIV, Ukraine – Russian forces fired two missiles late Thursday at a Ukrainian navy unit on the outskirts of Dnipro, the fourth-largest metropolis within the nation, regional emergency companies mentioned.
The strikes destroyed buildings and set off two fires, it mentioned, whereas the variety of these killed and wounded was nonetheless being established.
Dnipro is west of the areas alongside the Russian border which have been managed by Russian-backed separatists since 2014.
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LVIV, Ukraine — With the struggle headed into its second month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of hope and dedication in his nighttime video handle to the nation late Thursday.
“It’s already night time. However we’re working,” he mentioned in a quiet voice. “The nation should transfer towards peace, transfer ahead. With every single day of our protection, we’re getting nearer to the peace that we’d like a lot. We’re getting nearer to victory. … We are able to’t cease even for a minute. For each minute determines our destiny, our future, whether or not we are going to reside.”
He reported on his conversations that day with leaders of NATO and European Union nations gathered in Brussels, and their guarantees of much more sanctions on Russia.
“We have to search for peace,” he mentioned. “Russia additionally must search for peace.”
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LVIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked EU leaders for working collectively to assist Ukraine and impose sanctions on Russia.
However he lamented that these steps weren’t taken earlier, saying there was an opportunity Russia would have thought twice about invading.
He then appealed to the EU leaders, who had gathered Thursday in Brussels, to maneuver shortly on Ukraine’s software to hitch the bloc. He appealed significantly to Hungary to not block Ukraine’s bid.
“Right here I ask you, don’t delay. Please,” Zelenskyy mentioned by video from Kyiv. “For us it is a probability.”
Hungarian President Viktor Orban is broadly thought-about to be Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest ally amongst EU leaders.
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BRUSSELS — European nations have reacted sharply to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s menace to have “unfriendly” nations pay for its pure fuel exports solely in rubles.
A number of EU leaders have come out saying it might be a gross violation of their contracts. From German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, they mentioned they might not meet such calls for.
The EU imports 90% of the pure fuel used to generate electrical energy, warmth houses and provide trade, with Russia supplying nearly 40% of it.
Economists say Putin’s menace appears designed to attempt to bolster the ruble, which has collapsed in opposition to different currencies since Russia invaded Ukraine and Western nations responded with far-reaching sanctions in opposition to Moscow.