On Friday, April 28, rescuers in Kyiv continued to dig through rubble left by missile attacks on Kyiv that injured at least ten people, while UN Secretary-General António Guterres was meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Organisation of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) announced the end to its eight-year peace-keeping mission under Moscow’s influence, but the US Congress passed a law to streamline its military and other assistance to Ukraine, Ukrainian public broadcaster Ukrinform, British public broadcaster BBC and Belarusian Nexta TV report.
On Friday rescuers in Kyiv were working on the sites of numerous missile attacks to find survivors and victims after missiles hit buildings in the evening of Thursday, April 28. The attacks took place during the visit of UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
The UN head spoke to reporters in Borodyanka, in the part of the Kyiv region recently held by the Russian troops. Guterres called the war unacceptable and «an absurdity in the 21st century.» Later, he expressed being shocked by the missile attack on Kyiv.
OSCE to close its peace-keeping mission
The Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) of the OSCE began its work on March 21, 2014, following a request from the Government of Ukraine and a consensus decision made by all 57 member states of the organisation.
This week the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Foreign Minister of Poland Zbigniew Rau and OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid announced that the OSCE would take immediate steps to implement the closure of the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine.
The decision was taken after Russia had not allowed the OSCE SMM mandate to be extended at the OSCE Permanent Council on March 21.
«This is not an easy decision to take. We have explored all possible options through political dialogue with participating States to achieve the renewal of the Special Monitoring Mission’s mandate, but the position of the Russian Federation left us with no choice, but to take steps to close down the Mission,» explained Chairman-in-Office Rau.
The official noted, however, the OSCE would seek to continue its engagement in the country in line with existing OSCE commitments.
US to streamline its war-time aid to Ukraine
The US House of Representatives has passed a draft law that would facilitate a military lend-lease program to more quickly provide Ukraine and other Eastern European countries with American equipment to fight the Russian invasion.
Earlier this month On April 7, the draft law was approved by the US Senate and will come into force after US President Joe Biden signs it into law.
The lend-lease program is geared to speed up the transfer of weapons, military equipment, medicines, food and other things to Ukraine.
Zelenskyy thanks for US support and condemns attack on Kyiv
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed his gratitude to US legislators for the lend-lease program decision. He also condemned the missile attack on Kyiv blaming it on Russia.
Watch Zelenskyy’s latest video address.
Day 65 of war in Ukraine: Rescue effort after Kyiv attacks, OSCE ends Ukraine mission, US to streamline support Ukraine
