This is the 16th day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Ukrainian armed forces report that Russia has shelled a Belarusian town near the border with Ukraine and that Lukashenko’s army is preparing for an attack. This information is denied by the Belarusian Ministry of Defense. President Zelenski addressed deputies and senators at the National Assembly. The humanitarian situation is catastrophic in Mariupol, which has been cut off by the Russians but remains controlled by Ukrainian forces. Bad news is coming from Melitopol, from where the Russians kidnapped the city’s mayor.
– When there is someone who beats you like a cattle prod, you need to have someone you can count on. Someone who will extend a helping hand to you. On the morning of 24 February, I had no doubt who that person would be,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski during the National Assembly, thanking Poles for their helpThe Ukrainian Border Service has reported that Russian aircraft left Dubrovica airport in Belarus, entered Ukrainian airspace, then turned back and shelled the town of Kopani in Belarus, reports the Verkhovna Rada of UkraineUkraine assumes a scenario in which the Russian provocation could be followed by Belarusian troops joining the war. About helicopters and trucks moving near Gomel near the Belarusian-Ukrainian border reports MotolkoHelpRussians have kidnapped Ivan Fedorov, the mayor of the city of Melitopol in southeastern Ukraine, adviser to Ukraine’s Interior Ministry head Anton Herashchenko told Telegram on FridayBritain has announced sanctions against 386 members of the Russian parliament who voted to recognize the independence of two self-proclaimed “people’s republics” in UkraineData from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine show that up to and including Thursday, Russian losses are more than 12,000 soldiers – these statistics include those killed, wounded and taken prisoner– Frost is a theme in Ukraine. People greet each day with low temperatures euphorically as they say Russians are standing in columns and freezing, Onet correspondent Marcin Wyrwał reports from Kiev
