Ukraine seeks more weapons as Russia retreat continues in parts

In a significant development, the UN General Assembly on Thursday voted to suspend Russia over the Ukraine war, which has now entered the 44th day.

This is only the second time in history that the UNGA has taken such a move after Libya was suspended in 2011. Kyiv has been pleading for more weapons from the United States to defend their country. The war-hit country says it needs planes, anti-aircraft systems, heavy artillery, tanks, rockets systems and long-range missiles that can target Russian ships in the Black Sea. After withdrawing from the shattered outskirts, the Russian forces have reportedly regrouped now at the rebel region of Donsak – in the east – and have intensified fighting there.

On Friday, officials in north-eastern Ukraine’s Sumy said the region was completely freed of the Russian troops. “But explosions may still be heard as rescue service workers dispose of ammunition left by the Russian military,” a top official was quoted as saying in reports. As Moscow retreats, it has been accused of multiple war crimes.

Here are the latest developments from the ongoing conflict:

1. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) suspended Moscow from the Human Rights Council over the brutal killings of civilians during the siege. The UNGA suspended Russia in a 93-24 vote, with 58 countries abstaining. Moscow rejected the suspension as “illegal”, while Ukraine said it was “grateful”.

2. Despite the UNGA move, Moscow continued overnight shelling, targeting fuel storage sites around Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv and Chuguev using cruise missiles fired from ships in the Black Sea, reports said.

3. After failing to take over Kyiv, the Russian troops are now regrouping around Donbas, a mostly Russian-speaking, industrial region in eastern Ukraine where Moscow-backed rebels have been fighting Ukrainian forces for eight years.

4. Meanwhile in the areas north of the capital, Ukrainian officials gathered evidence of Moscow atrocities. The authorities say that there are signs that Moscow’s troops killed people indiscriminately before retreating over the past several days.

5. Seeking to isolate Russia further, the European Union countries agreed to ban coal imports from Russia, making it the first time the bloc’s sanctions targeted Moscow’s crucial energy revenues.

6. The International Energy Agency on Thursday said its member countries are releasing 60 million barrels of oil from their emergency reserves on top of previous US pledges to tackle the soaring energy prices due to the Ukraine conflict.

7. US defense secretary Lloyd Austin said that Russia’s Vladimir Putin has given up on conquering Kyiv. “I think Putin has given up on his efforts to capture the capital city and is now focused on the south and east of the country,” said Austin at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee in Congress.

8. In the wake of Ukraine’s plea for more arms, Australia said it will donate 20 Bushmaster armoured combat vehicles to help repel the Russian invasion.

9. The World Health Organization (WHO) said it had confirmed over 100 attacks on health services in Ukraine, as it called for humanitarian access to the besieged city of Mariupol.

10. European Council chief Charles Michel has backed a proposal to release an additional 500 million euros ($540 million) to provide arms for Ukraine. The EU has already agreed a 1 billion euro package to provide arms for Kyiv. The money comes from a 5 billion euro European peace fund set up by member states.