9,000 Russian troops killed, says Ukraine as onslaught enters Day 10

Russia’s onslaught on Ukraine has entered the tenth day. After attacking the Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine, a US envoy said on Friday, the Russian troops were 20 miles from the second largest nuclear facility in the country – the Yuzhnoukrainsk Nuclear Power Station.

The Kremlin on Friday seized the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant hours after shelling caused a fire that had set alarm bells ringing across the world capitals. The nuclear facililty, however, was undamaged. Moscow has been accused of ‘nuclear terrorism’ by the world leaders.

Here are ten points on the Ukraine war:

1. In a televised speech, Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday said: “Do not be silent, support Ukraine. Because if Ukraine does not survive, the whole Europe will not survive. If Ukraine falls, the whole Europe will fall.” He also called the US-led NATO alliance “weak” for declining to impose a no-fly zone over the country to counter Russian air power. The alliance failed to make use of its powerful weapons, the Ukrainian president underlined, and said that “all the people who die after this day will die because of you.” He will talk to US senators on Saturday morning in a conference call.

2. More than 9,000 Russian troops have died, Kyiv has claimed, since the start of onslaught last week. The United Nations has said that over 1,000 people in Ukriane have been killed.

3. Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Friday cleared a law under which up to 15 years of jail term can be given over “fake news against the country’s army. Soon after the law was cleared, BBC, CNN, Bloomberg among other news networks announced they would be limited the Russia operations.

4. Russia media watchdog has also cut access to Facebook and Twitter as the country continues to witness protests against the Ukraine war. Moscow has repeatedly insisted on not using the term “war” for the Ukraine conflict but a “special military operation”.

5. The US is weighing measures to announce a potential ban on Russian crude oil. “If you reduce supply in the global marketplace, you are going to raise gas prices, you’re going to raise the price of oil — and that is something that the president is very mindful of and focused on,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki was quoted as saying in reports.

6. In an intelligence update, the UK’s ministry of defence said that “Russia’s ability to fully suppress Ukrainian air and air defence forces is hindering their ability to provide effective support to Russian troops. This is likely contributing to overall delay in Russian advance.”

7. After the fall of port city of Kherson, the port city of Mariupol – a key prize for the Russian forces – has been encircled and shelled, news agency Reuters reported. There is no water, heat or electricity and it is running out of food after five days under attack, according to Mayor Vadym Boychenko.

8. In a phone call with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Putin on Friday denied bombing Ukrainian cities. The reports about “the alleged ongoing air strikes of Kyiv and other large cities are gross propaganda fakes,” Putin was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.

9. Russia “is open to dialogue with the Ukrainian side, as well as with everyone who wants peace in Ukraine. But under the condition that all Russian demands are met,” the Kremlin said.

10. Two rounds of ceasefire talks have already happened and the third round is expected to be held next week.