The perpetrators face up to 15 years in prison for cooperating with the invaders or displaying public support for them. Not all Ukrainians oppose the invasion, and pro-Moscow sentiment is more common among Russian-speaking residents of Donbas, an industrial area to the east. Although the Zelensky government has widespread support, even among many Russian-speakers, not all Ukrainians oppose the invasion. Support for Moscow is more common among some Russian-speaking residents of Donbas, an industrial area to the east. An eight-year conflict there between Moscow-backed separatists and Ukrainian government forces had killed more than 14,000 people even before this year’s invasion. Some businessmen, politicians and government officials and members of the military are among those who have gone to the Russian side, and the State Investigation Bureau of Ukraine has reported that more than 200 criminal cases have been opened for cooperation. Zelensky has even stripped two SBU generals of their rank, accusing them of treason. A “register of partners” is being prepared and will be made public, said Oleksiy Danilov, head of the Security Council of Ukraine. He declined to say how many people have been targeted nationally. By martial law, authorities banned 11 pro-Russian political parties, including the largest with 25 seats in the 450-member parliament – the Opposition Platform for Life, founded by Viktor Medvedchuk, a jailed oligarch you put in.
KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: Former US Marine becomes first known American to die fighting for Ukraine – Ukraine condemns attack in Kyiv amid new rescue effort in Mariupol – New gas pipeline to reduce Europe’s dependence on Russian fuel – Ukraine says Russian offensive in the east is intensifying – NATO chief says Finland and Sweden could join very soon Follow all the AP stories about the Russian war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: KHARKIV, Ukraine – Hundreds of people have been evacuated in Kharkov from the nearby Russian-occupied village of Ruska Lozava for more than a month. Nearly half the village has escaped by bus, shrapnel or on foot after fierce fighting that saw Russian troops repulsed and Ukrainian forces take full control of the village, according to the Kharkiv regional governor. A video released by the Azov Battalion shows troops raising the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag over the government building in the center of the village, although fighting continues in the suburbs. Upon arrival in Kharkov, less than 20 kilometers away, those who fled described to the Associated Press reporters the miserable conditions they faced while living underground with little water and food and no electricity. “We hid in the basement, it was a horror. “The basement was shaking from the explosions, we were screaming, crying and praying to God,” said Ludmila Bocharnikova.
WASHINGTON – A former U.S. Marine was killed while fighting alongside Ukrainian forces, according to his relatives, the first known death of an American citizen while fighting in the war against Russia. Willy Joseph Cancel, 22, was killed Monday while working for a military company that sent him to Ukraine, his mother, Rebecca Cabrera, told CNN. Cancel joined the Marines after graduating from the Newburgh Free Academy in New York and served from 2017-21. Most recently he worked as a prison officer in Tennessee. Cabrera said her son had registered to work with the private military contractor shortly before the fighting in Ukraine began on February 24 and that he had agreed to go to Ukraine. He said he flew to Poland on March 12, entered Ukraine shortly afterwards and fought alongside men from various countries. “He wanted to go because he believed in what Ukraine was fighting for and he wanted to be a part of it to limit it there so that he would not come here, and that maybe our American soldiers should not be involved in that,” he said. Cabrera said her son’s body had not been recovered. Cancel had also volunteered as a firefighter in New York and left behind a wife and 7-month-old son, according to a fundraising website created by a man who identifies himself as Cancel’s father. Cancel’s wife received the call informing her of his death on Tuesday, the page reported.
KIEV, Ukraine – A leading Ukrainian political analyst says Russia’s missile strike on Kyiv signaled its intention to continue fighting despite international efforts to mediate an end to hostilities. Volodymyr Fesenko, head of the Kyiv-based Penta Center think tank, said Thursday’s strike in Kyiv while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was visiting the city showed Moscow’s intention to put pressure on it. “Russia is sending a clear message of its intention to continue the war despite international pressure,” Fesenko told the Associated Press. “With this missile strike, the Kremlin is sending a warning to all international structures and organizations trying to influence or deter Russia’s aggressive military plans,” Fesenko said. “While Russia has so far failed to make significant gains in Ukraine, it intends to continue its attack and continue to hit cities with missiles.” The attack reportedly killed at least one person and injured at least 10 others, and was the first in Kyiv since Russia resumed its efforts in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Guterres and his team were not injured.
LVIV, Ukraine – The mayor of the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol says those hiding in a huge steel plant have run out of food, water and medicine. Vadym Boichenko described the situation at the Avozstal steel plant as tragic. The steel plant is the last place occupied by Ukrainian fighters, who are also civilians. Soviet-era facilities have a vast underground network of warehouses capable of withstanding air raids. But the situation has become more extreme after the Russians dropped a series of bombs called “bunker buster” and unguided ammunition. “Locals who manage to leave Mariupol say it’s hell, but when they leave this fortress, they say it ‘s worse,” Boichenko was quoted as saying by a translator. “Please be saved.” He added: “There, it is not a matter of days, it is a matter of hours.” Bojchenko said he hoped a ceasefire would allow those inside the steel plant to leave safely. Russia had earlier proposed a ceasefire that was rejected by Ukrainians, who said Moscow had previously violated other agreements. “We hope there is a little humanity in the enemy,” the mayor said. Boichenko spoke Friday at a government-sponsored teleconference.
MOSCOW – The head of the Russian Central Bank says the outlook is “extremely uncertain”, as the country’s economy is expected to shrink by up to 10% this year. International sanctions and falling consumer demand are squeezing the economy as inflation rises. The central bank cut its key interest rate from 17% to 14% on Friday and forecast that the economy would shrink between 8% and 10% this year. “The current situation is extremely uncertain. At the same time, supply trends and the factors driving overall demand are also changing dramatically, “said Central Bank chief Elvira Nabiulina. The central bank said annual inflation was 17.6% on April 22 and forecast it would rise between 18% and 23% by the end of the year. “After a temporary increase, consumer demand is declining in real terms, accompanied by an increase in households’ tendency to save. “The decrease in imports due to the import of foreign trade and economic constraints exceeds the decrease in exports,” the Central Bank said in a statement. “Despite the gradual change in the country and the structure of exports and imports as new suppliers and sales markets emerge, companies face significant difficulties in production and logistics.”
JAKARTA, Indonesia – Indonesian President Joko Widodo says both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to attend the G20 summit in Bali in November. Widodo, the current chairman of the G20, made the remarks in a televised statement on Friday, in which he said he had telephone conversations this week with Zelenskyy and Putin. He said he urged both Ukrainian and Russian leaders to end the war through negotiations. “I reiterated the importance of an immediate end to the war,” he said. “I also emphasize that peace efforts must continue and Indonesia is ready to contribute to these peace efforts.” He said he had invited Putin and Zelensky to the G20 summit as the war in Ukraine had a significant impact on the world economy. “We understand that the G20 is playing a catalytic role in the recovery of the global economy,” Widodo said. Widodo said he had rejected the Ukrainian leader’s request for weapons, but would send humanitarian aid. “The mandate of the Indonesian constitution and the principles of our foreign policy prohibit us from providing arms assistance to other countries,” Widodo said. “However, we are ready to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.”
MADRID – The Spanish government announced on Friday that its largest military equipment shipment to Ukraine so far is well on its way to delivery after a ship carrying 200 tonnes of material docked in a Polish port. The Spanish Ministry of Defense confirmed the arrival of the ship in Poland. The Spanish newspaper El País, citing the Polish port authorities, reported that the ship had docked in the port of Gdynia, where the material will be unloaded and transported …
