First modification:
Moscow announced this Friday that its fleet will go on high alert and carry out surprise training in the Pacific, exercises that will coincide with the Chinese Defense Minister’s visit to Russia. In Ukraine, at least five civilians have been reported killed by a Russian attack in Donetsk, as heavy fighting continues in Bakhmut.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered military exercises in the Pacific, calling for the Russian fleet to be placed on high alert amid rising tensions with the West.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stated that the Russian Pacific Fleet, based in Vladivostok, will work “shortly” on combat exercises in “near and far” sea zones.
They will aim to “strengthen the capacity of the Armed Forces” and will be supervised by Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov, who leads the entire Russian fleet. The ships will be trained to “repel massive air attacks,” “search for and destroy submarines,” as well as fire torpedoes, cannons and missiles, Shoigu said.
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov added that the maneuvers are “not related” to NATO’s presence in the Asia-Pacific. “This is a normal and routine training of the army, a development of our armed forces, an inspection of their readiness for combat,” he said, adding that “the practice of unannounced inspections continues, it is common” and that “in recent years they have taken place constantly”.
These statements were made on the same day that Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu announced his forthcoming visit to Moscow, where he will be from April 16 to 19. Beijing often holds joint maritime exercises with Russia.
Heavy fighting in Bakhmut
On the Ukrainian front, Russian and Ukrainian troops are still fighting a fierce battle, especially in Bakhmut where the Russians claimed to block and surround the entrances to the city.
On Thursday, Russia hinted that it was about to take the city and that it was blockading Ukrainian forces and preventing reinforcements from entering. “(Russian) airborne troops support assault groups on the flanks, blocking the delivery of Ukrainian army reserves to the city and the possibility of a withdrawal of enemy units,” the Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.
However, the Ukrainian Army denied these claims and clarified that it was still resupplying its troops in the city. “Our forces maintain their defense by inflicting insane losses on the enemy every day,” the military entity ratified, specifying that the Ukrainian artillery was “constantly” carrying out counter-battery fire against the Russian cannons.
For his part, the head of the Russian Wagner paramilitary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, declared that it was still “premature” to talk about a complete siege. His troops, deployed in this region on the front line, continue their battles. “Wagner’s assault groups continue high-intensity military operations to drive the enemy out of the central Artiomovsk (Bakhmut) districts,” the Russian Defense Ministry said.
Bakhmut has become a symbol of the struggle between the Russians and the Ukrainians for control of the industrial region of Donbass, the target of Moscow. The city is almost completely destroyed and is the scene of the deadliest battle of this war.
At least 5 civilian deaths in Sloviansk
In Donetsk, a Russian shelling raid on Sloviansk left at least five dead and 15 wounded, according to the province’s governor, Pavlo Kyrylenko.
The leader explained that the Russian missiles hit five buildings, five single-family houses, a store and a shopping center and that there could be more people buried among the remains. “It is possible that seven people, including a child, are under the rubble,” he said.
On Thursday, two Russian missiles had already hit the same town, causing damage to a school and several private homes.
Ukraine banned its teams from competing against Russians and Belarusians
In response to the war, Ukraine has officially banned its national athlete teams from participating in sports competitions involving their Russian and Belarusian counterparts. The Ministry of Sports published a decree on April 12 to make the decision official.
Ukrainian athletes who do not respect this prerogative will be penalized and could lose all state subsidies.
The move drew criticism from some athletes who fear losing out on qualifying competitions or losing money.
According to Oksana Baiul-Farina, a former figure skater and Olympic champion, Ukrainians “make money by going to compete.” “If they can’t make money, Ukrainian sport will shut down. And only God knows when he will be able to get back on his feet,” she told Reuters.
At the end of March, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ruled in favor of the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international competitions under a neutral flag, despite threats by Ukrainian representatives to boycott the 2024 Paris Olympics if they were to be held. allowed Russia to participate.
With AFP and EFE
