In Ukraine, on Tuesday, April 5, its Armed Forces pointed to the mass movement of Russian occupation forces through Belarus. EU prepared groups of investigators to go to liberated towns in the Kyiv Region to document alleged war crimes. Journalists will also be allowed to work in these areas under curfew, Ukrainian public broadcaster Ukrinform and British BBC report.
The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces wrote in its report on the military situation in and around Ukraine in the 24 hours to Tuesday morning wrote that Russian forces were regrouping troops and focusing their efforts on preparing an offensive operation in the east of Ukraine.
«The goal is to establish full control over the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Russian enemy is trying to improve the position of units in the Tavriya and Pivdennobuzhsky operational areas,» the General Staff claimed.
It pointed to the movement of columns of armaments and military equipment on the territory of Belarus in the direction of the railway stations Gomel, Yelsk, and Mozyr for loading onto rail cars. A significant part of the aircraft and helicopters of Russia’s air and space forces were relocated from Belarus airfields to Russia, it wrote.
«The Russian enemy focused its main efforts on preparations for resuming the offensive with the help of separate units of the [Russian] 6th and 20th All-Armies, 1st Tank Army, Baltic and Northern Fleets, as well as on the attempts to encircle [in the Donbas region] the [Ukrainian] Joint Forces. The enemy is replenishing supplies of food, fuel, and ammunition,» the report reads.
In the north-east, the invaders pursued their efforts to besiege Kharkiv, further destroying residential neighborhoods and infrastructure in artillery shelling.
In the direction of Sloviansk, the Russian military was trying to resume offensive operations. In the direction of Barvinkove, they had partial success, having advanced 7 km and taken control of the village of Brazhkivka. Also, they attacked the area toward the settlement of Sulyhivka, where their advance was repulsed.
As to air strikes and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities and towns, Russian troops carried out attacks in the south on Mykolayiv, using cluster munitions proscribed by the Geneva Convention. Civilian quarters and medical facilities, including a children’s hospital, came under enemy fire. A number of civilians, including children, were killed and injured in the strikes, the General Staff claimed.
Activity in international organisations
The Untied Kingdom has called a UN Security Council meeting in New York to take place on Tuesday with a video address of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom Barbara Woodward announced London’s plans on Twitter.
The UK will call a #UNSC meeting tomorrow on #Ukraine. We will discuss the mounting evidence of war crimes, including from #Bucha.
We’ll use our Presidency of the Security Council to ensure there is transparency, accountability and that justice is done. pic.twitter.com/eyQoDne7tX
— Ambassador Barbara Woodward (@BWoodward_UN) April 4, 2022
As to a potential international investigation and tribunal for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission has said the EU was ready to send investigators to document atrocities in Ukraine, especially in liberated towns of the Kyiv Region.
Germany announced that expelled 40 Russian envoys but rejected an embargo on energy imports from the aggressor country.
Press access to areas left by Russian troops
Representatives of the press will be granted secure routes for movement in the territories to the north and north-east from Ukraine in order to have the opportunity to document the situation there.
Oleksandr Pavliuk, head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration, decided to assist the media in their operations during the hard curfew imposed until April 7 on the territories liberated from the invaders.
«It is very important that the whole world sees the horrors that the invaders brought to our land. Therefore, it was decided to allow journalists to work in the liberated settlements across Kyiv region and during the hard curfew, given that the local authorities and national police approve safe routes,» noted Pavliuk.
Finally, here is the latest video address by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
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