Rome is preparing to welcome the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who is visiting Italy for the first time since the start of the Russian invasion, under maximum security measures. The leader, who has been wearing a sweatshirt and camouflage for a year now, will see President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. And he will go to Pope Francis.
At Bakhmut Ukrainian forces advance. This is supported by several army commanders, who speak of the reconquest of about 2 kilometers of territory. But in addition to the declarations of Kiev there is more: Yevgeny Prigozhin, the number one of the Wagner group of Russian mercenaries who is leading the bloody battle for Bakhmut, denounces a “flight” of the Russians, denying the version of the retreat in more defensive positions advantageous supported by the Russian Defense Ministry. What is not clear is whether or not this advance on Bakhmut marks the beginning of the expected Kiev counter-offensive.
The words of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who in an interview with the BBC declared that time is still needed for the start of the counter-offensive, have been interpreted by many as a way to keep Vladimir Putin’s Russia on its toes. «The Russian occupiers are already internally ready for defeat. In their minds they have already lost this war. We have to put pressure on them every day so that their sense of defeat turns into their escape, their mistakes, their losses,” Zelensky said yesterday.
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Prigozhin, the millionaire owner of private military group Wagner, who is often critical of the Russian military, argued that Russian forces have lost ground around Bakhmut. And in a video he then mocked the version given by the Russian Defense Ministry, asking him to “stop lying immediately”.
Meanwhile, the announcement by Eurovision that it will not broadcast a message from Zelensky is causing discussion: the participation of the Ukrainian president would violate “the non-political nature of the event”, the organizers of the European Broadcasting Union said.
Russia-Ukrainian War: Friday 12 May
Blinken hears Kuleba discuss counter-offensive preparations
US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken had a telephone conversation with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. The two – reads a note from Washington – “discussed the ongoing preparations for the counteroffensive” of Kiev, including “the way in which the contributions of international partners can support its success”. Blinken also noted that Ukraine’s sovereignty is “vital to peace and security in Europe” and reaffirmed the commitment of the United States and President Joe Biden.
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine: “740 anti-aircraft sirens sounded in Kiev since the beginning of the war”
«740 air alerts have been triggered in Kiev since February 24, 2022»: thus begins a tweet published by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry account. “In total, the alarms lasted 851 hours and 38 minutes.”
Pro-Russians in Lugansk, “six children injured in Ukrainian attack on city”
Six children were injured in a rocket attack on Lugansk by the Ukrainian armed forces. This was stated by the pro-Russian head of the self-proclaimed Lugansk Republic, Leonid Pasechnik. Ria Novosti reports it. “As a result of the barbaric bombing of Lugansk by nationalists, six children were injured,” he wrote on his Telegram channel. Two teenagers are in hospital in conditions of “moderate gravity”, she explained.
Russian Duma deputy Vodolatsky injured in Lugansk
First Deputy Chairman of the Russian Duma’s Committee on Interethnic Affairs Viktor Vodolatsky was injured following a shelling of Lugansk in Donbass by the armed forces of Ukraine. This was reported by the Russian news agency ‘Tass’. “Following the missile attack on the city of Lugansk – always reports the Russian press agency which quotes the representative office of the Lugansk People’s Republic -, six children and State Duma deputy Viktor Vodolatsky were injured”. states the report.
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