On Tuesday, May 3, in Ukraine, the evacuation of civilians from the occupied part of the southern Zaporozhia region was announced. On World Press Freedom Day, we commemorate journalists killed in Ukraine since the start of the invasion. British and US officials assume Russia could formally declare war on Ukraine to carry out general mobilisation in Russia, Ukrainian public broadcaster Ukrinform, American broadcaster CNN and Belarusian Nexta TV report.
On Tuesday, Nexta TV reported that the evacuation of civilians has been announced in Ukraine from occupied Tokmak and Vasylivka in the Zaporizhzhya region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also said that evacuation of civilians from Mariupol’s Azovstal metal works would continue if circumstances permitted.
On the World Press Freedom Day, the BNN commemorates journalists killed in Ukraine since the start of Russia’s invasion. According to the EU’s foreign policy service, ten Ukrainian and foreign media workers have been killed in the country since February 24.
EU defence and foreign policy chief Josep Borell stated in a declaration: «By reporting from the front lines and shedding light on the gross human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law committed by the Russian armed forces, journalists importantly contribute to counter disinformation and information manipulation surrounding the invasion. (..) They play a crucial role in ensuring that these atrocities do not remain unpunished. Those responsible will be held accountable for their actions».
The non-governmental organisation Committee to Protect Journalists has counted seven journalists killed in Ukraine.
.#WPFD2022 #pressfreedom pic.twitter.com/tqlcvXmx4C
— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) May 2, 2022
Putin looking toward mobilisation in Russia
CNN reports quoting British and US officials that Russian President Vladimir Putin could formally declare war on Ukraine as soon as May 9, a move that would enable the full mobilization of Russia’s reserve forces as invasion efforts continue to falter.
Thus far, Putin has insisted on referring to his invasion of Ukraine as a «special military operation,» and speaking about invasion and war has been banned in the aggressor state. Now, with the Donbas offensive not giving the political results Russia sought, the Russian military needs more troops to try to accomplish Putin’s agenda.
«I think he will try to move from his ‘special operation’,» CNN quoted British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace as saying to LBC Radio last week. «He’s been rolling the pitch, laying the ground for being able to say ‘look, this is now a war against Nazis, and what I need is more people. I need more Russian cannon fodder.»
Zelenskyy calls for more restrictions on Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeated his call for the EU to end all trade with Russia and pointed to the considerable income Russia receives from it.
See the Ukrainian President’s video address with English subtitles.