The Washington Post - USA (2022-04-03)

SUNDAY,APRIL 3 , 2022 .THEWASHINGTONPOST EZ RE A

warin ukraine

peaceful protesthere.” Tens of thousandsof peoplein recentweekshave fled Ukrainian cities underattackby Russian forces after Kyiv and Moscow agreed on fragile evacuation deals. AcrossUkraine,seven humani- tariancorridorshave beenestab- lished, according to Ukrainian DeputyPrimeMinister Iryna Vereshchuk, including the one fromMariupol.She said in aTele- gram postthatmore than6, people were evacuated from front-linecitiesto otherparts of the countryonFriday. Vereshchuksaidthoseevacu- eesincludedmorethan1,400peo- plewholeftintheirvehiclesalong plannedroutesfromthe southern citiesofBerdyanskandMelitopol, whichare underRussiancontrol, to the nearbyZaporizhzhiare- gion. Amongthemwerehundredsof peoplefromMariupolwhohad managed to escapein privateve- hicles.Separately,she said,acon- voy of 42 busescarriedMariupol residentsto Zaporizhzhiafrom Berdyansk,whichtheyhad previ- ouslyreachedon theirown. In southernUkraine,the death toll fromamissilestrikethathit a maingovernmentbuildingin the cityofMykolaivthisweek has risento 32, the governorof the region,VitaliyKim,said Saturday on Telegram. Dozensof peopleremainunac- countedforafterthatattackblast- ed ahole through partofthe building,Dmytro Pletenchuk,a pressofficer of the Mykolaiv Re- gionalState Administration, said earlier.Morethan30peoplewere injured,he said as rescue workers continuedto clearrubbleFriday and funerals wereheldfor many of the victims. Thewar continuestostir tensions globally and could have ramificationsin low Earth orbit: Thedirector of Russia’sspace agencysuggested he wouldsub- mitaproposaltoendhiscountry’s cooperation in the International SpaceStation program. In tweets on Saturday, Dmitry Rogozin,headof the agencyRos- cosmos, pointed to sanctions againsta“numberof enterprises in the Russianrocket and space industry.”Hesaid thatheap- pealedto the headsof NASA,the CanadianSpaceAgencyand the European SpaceAgencytolift sanctionsandthatintheir re- sponses,the “positionof our part- nersis clear:Thesanctionswill not be lifted.” “I believe thatthe restoration of normalrelationsbetween part- nersin the InternationalSpace Station and otherjointprojects is possibleonlywiththe complete and unconditionallifting of ille- gal sanctions,”Rogozin wrote. Rogozinhas frequentlyused threateningand blusteryrheto- ric, includingto repeatedlysug- gestRussiacouldexitthepartner- ship. Hislatestremarks came threedays after twoRussiancos- monautsand aNASAastronaut returnedfromthe spacestation, a symbolof partnershipin space even amid mounting tensions over thewar in Ukraine. SinceRussianforcesinvaded Ukraineon Feb. 24,NASAhas maintainedthatthe station has beenoperating as normal,unaf- fected by the conflict. NASA has said it wouldbe unableto operate thespacestationwithouttheRus- siansbecausethe nation provides the propulsionnecessarytokeep the station in orbit.

In China, officialson Saturday renewedtheircriticismof sanc- tionsplacedon Russia.There- markscameaday afterahigh-lev- el virtual summitbetween China and the EuropeanUnion. “Weopposesanctions,and the effects of thesesanctionsalso risk spillingto the restofthe world,” Wang Lutong,director general of Europeanaffairsat China’sFor- eignMinistry, toldreporters on Saturday. SinceRussianforcesinvaded Ukraine,E.U. leadershavetaken a tougherstanceonChina,urgingit to dropits tacitsupportfor the invasionandworkforpeace—but Beijing is pushingback. “Chinais not arelated party on thecrisisof Ukraine.We don’t thinkour normaltrade withany othercountryshouldbe affected,”

Wangsaid.He addedthatChinais contributingto the globalecono- my by conductingnormaltrade withRussia. PopeFrancissaidSaturdaythat heisconsideringmakingatrip to Kyiv.While travelingfromRome to Malta, the leaderof the Roman CatholicChurchwas asked by a reporter on his planewhethera visit to Ukrainewas apossibility followinginvitationsfromUkrai- nianpoliticaland religiousoffi- cials. “Yes, it is on the table,”Francis answered,but he offeredno fur- ther details,accordingto Reuters. Zelenskyhasspokentwicewith the popeby telephone,according to the Vatican,andalongwith Kyiv Mayor VitaliKlitschkohas extendedinvitationsto Francisto visitUkraine.Thecountryhas a

sizableRomanCatholicpopula- tion. However,mostUkrainian Catholicsidentifywiththe Ukrai- nianGreekCatholicChurch. Francishas vocallycondemned the war in Ukraine,callingit a “senselessmassacrewhereevery dayslaughtersand atrocitiesare beingrepeated.”

Achenbachreportedfrom Washington;Dixonreportedfrom Riga,Latvia;andSulimanreported fromLondon.DaltonBennettin Dnipro,Ukraine; Isabelle Khurshudyanin Odessa,Ukraine;Liz SlyandEllenFrancisin London;Amy ChengandAndrewJeonginSeoul; andClaireParker,MegKelly,Frances SteadSellers, PaulinaFirozi,Lateshia Beachum,ChristianDavenportand ZacharyNelsonin Washington contributedto thisreport.

HHHIINNGGGGGGGGTONNNNNNNPPPPPPPPPPOOOOOOOOSSSSSSTTTTTT

Black Sea

Seaof Azov

Mykolaiv

Kherson

Kyiv

Kharkiv

Enerhodar

Sumy

Chernihiv Chernobyl

Lviv

Mariupol

Separatist- controlled area

Crimea Annexedby Russia in 2014

Russian-heldareas and troopmovement

As of April2, 12 p.m.EST

Sources:InstitutefortheStudyofWar,AmericanEnterpriseInstitute’s CriticalThreatsProject,Postreporting THEWASHINGTONPOST

UKRAINE

RUSSSSIA

BELARUS

POLAND

M O L D O V A M O L D O V

ROMANIA A

100 MILES

Activenuclearpowerplantswith power-generatingcapabilities

TheInternationalCommittee of theRedCrosscontinued itsattemptsto enter MariupolonSaturday,after previousfailedeffortssince ahumanitariancease-fire wasdeclaredintheregion thispastweek.

Russianforcescontinueto withdrawfromKyivas Ukraniantroopssteadily regaincontrol.

Russianforcesfiredmortars at peacefulprotestersin Enerhodar,severely injuringfourcivilians.

Slavutych

BYDAVIDL.STERN, JOELACHENBACH, ROBYNDIXON ANDADELASULIMAN

mukachevo,ukraine—Ukrai-
niantroopsrecapturedterritory
aroundKyiv on SaturdayasRus-
sian forces pulled back from
townstheyhadseizedintheopen-
ing days of the war and left in
theirwakescenesof destruction
and horror,including theaban-
donedbodiesof deadcivilians.
Journalists enteredthe townof
Bucha,asuburbnorthwestofthe
capital,and sawnumerouscorps-
es strewn on the streets. Video
posted to socialmediaand veri-
fied by TheWashington Post
showedwhatappearedto be at
leastninedead,including one
child.
Bucha’smayor,Anatoly Fedo-
ruk, said in an interviewthat
about 270 local residents had
been buried intwo mass graves.
He estimated that40peoplewere
lyingdeadin the streets. Some
had beenboundand executed—
shotin the backof the head,he
said.
Themayor addedthatofficials
are worriedthatthe bodies could
be booby-trapped with explo-
sives.In avideo addressto Ukrai-
niansearlySaturday, Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelensky
said Russia was “mining the
wholeterritory.”
“Theyare mininghomes,min-
ing equipment,even the bodiesof
peoplewhowerekilled,”hesaid.
ThePosthas not verified those
claims.
Revelationsof atrocitiesand
alleged war crimes,includingre-
ports of soldiersfiring on civilian
protesters in the east, castapall
overwhathasinsomewaysbeena
hopeful periodfor Ukrainiansas
theyresistthe Russianinvaders.
Thecapitalappearssafe for the
moment,but at the sametime,
shellingand intensefightingin
the eastand southof the country
are continuing.Efforts to rescue
civiliansin besieged citieshave
been slowed by the extremely
dangerous conditions on the
ground.
Thewar,inits 38th day, re-
mainedagrindingconflictwith
no clearresolutionin sight.The
Russianstrategic pivotmayfore-
shadowalong war of attrition.
That wouldprolongthe already
severe humanitarian crisis in
which millions of Ukrainians
have fled theirhomes,becoming
refugees in neighboring coun-
tries.
Acease-fire in the largely de-
stroyedcoastal cityofMariupol
has beenin placefor several days,
creatingacorridorto leave the
city. Ateamfromthe Red Cross
failedto reachthe cityFridayor
Saturday, citingthe unsafe envi-
ronment.ARed Crossspokesper-
son emailedanotewithfew de-
tailssayingteamsareenroutebut
have yettoreachMariupol.
Western militaryanalysts are
still tryingto interpretthe deci-
sionby Russian militarycom-
mandersto repositiontheirforc-
es.Russianofficialshavesaidthey
are concentrating theirforcesin
the easternpartofthe country.
Therepositioningcouldsignalan
intensebattle for controlof the
Donbasregion.It appears that,at
leastfor now,RussianPresident
VladimirPutin has recalculated
whathecan andcan’t achieve
withhis invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine’s deputydefensemin-
ister,Anna Malyar,said late Sat-
urdaythatthe entire Kyiv admin-
istrative region is fully under
Ukrainiancontrol.
Zelenskyhad said earlierthat
the movementof Russianforces
was “slow but noticeable.”
But he continuedhis ongoing
appealto alliednations to do
more to aid his war-scorched
country. He citedthe sufferingin
Mariupol, wheretens of thou-
sandsof residentshave beentry-
ing to survive amidthe rubble.
“Europehas no rightto reactin
silenceto whatishappeningin
our Mariupol.Thewholeworld
mustreacttothishumanitarian
catastrophe,”Zelenskysaid in his
videoaddress.
Zelensky’sdemand for help
came amidsignificantbattlefield
developmentsthatcould alterthe
geographyofthe war.
If,assomeWestern analysts
believe, Putin focuses on expand-
ing his controlof territoryinthe

east, it wouldopenabroad corri- dor between Russia and the CrimeanPeninsula annexed by Russiain2014.Butamorelimited strategicgoal couldundermine supportwithinRussiafor the war effort. But after Moscow’s negotiators agreedin talkswithUkraineto de-escalate the fightingaround Kyiv and Chernihiv,and focus insteadon the easternDonbas region,propagandists and pro- war politiciansexpresseddismay. Prominent statetelevision an- chor Vladimir Solovyov said Thursdaythat“thatany negotia- tion withthe Nazis untilthe boot is on theirthroatisweakness.You shouldn’t shake handswiththis creep,”hesaid, apparentlyrefer- ring to Zelensky. Anotherpro-Kremlinjournal- istand blogger, Semyon Pegov fromthe outletWar Gonzo, which reports fromthe Russianside of the war,said the invasion was just beginningand thatRussiawould continue“tothe end.”Hecalled Russiansoldiers“realRussianhe- roes.” “Noone andnothingwill take away their feat from them,” he posted to Telegram on Friday. “It’s alreadygone downin history.” Aspartoftheir retreat,Russian forces abandoned an airport seizedat the startofthe invasion. Near the borderwith Belarus, Ukrainianforcesregainedcontrol of the disabledChernobylnuclear powerplantthathad beenat- tacked and capturedby Russian forces. Thenationalflag once againwas raised over the plant. Therepositioningof troopsso farhasbeenrelativelymodestand is possiblyatactic to foolthe Ukrainiansinto lowering their defensiveposturein the capital, Brookings Institution defense analystMichael O’Hanlon said Saturday. He addedthe Russians maybehopingthatZelenskyre- vealshis whereabouts. “If theycan getthe Ukrainians to lowertheirguard,thatwould be for thempotentiallyan oppor- tunitytomakeastrikeagainst Zelenskyand/or his innercircle and the top tier of the govern- ment,”O’Hanlon said. “I still think there’s apossibility that they’re trying to lure the Ukraini- ans into makingamistake.” On-and-offnegotiationsfor a broadcease-fire have been on againin recentdays, but the sin- cerityofthe Russiansat the table has been questioned by their Ukrainian counterparts. They fear,asdosecurityanalysts in the West,thatRussian gestures towardacease-fire and anegoti- ated peacecouldbe adiversionto helptheattackersrepositiontheir forcesafter the initialthrustof the invasionyieldeddisappoint- ing results. Accordingto Ukrainianmedia reports, David Arakhamia,the headof the Ukrainiandelegation to the talks,said officialsare pre- paringfor apossiblemeeting between Zelenskyand Putin in Tur- key. Ukrainianpresidentialadviser OleksiyArestovych told national televisionthatUkrainiansshould prepare for “difficult fights” aheadin Mariupoland in the southernand easternregionsof the country. In the east, fourpeoplewere “injuredand severelyburned”af- terRussianforcesfiredmortarsat protesters in acitynear Zaporizh- zhia,the site of anuclearplant thatRussiacapturedlastmonth, accordingto Ukraine’s human rights ombudswoman. Residentsof Enerhodar,asat- ellitetownofZaporizhzhia,which has beenoccupiedby Russian forcesfor nearlyfour weeks,held arally in supportofUkraine on Saturday. Russiansoldiersused lightand noisegrenadesto dis- rupt the protestand openedmor- tar fire on residents,the ombudswoman,Lyudmyla Denisova, said in astatementposted to Tele- gram. “Suchtreatmentofciviliansisa crimeagainsthumanityandawar crimeas definedby the Rome Statute of the InternationalCrim- inal Court,”Denisovasaid. TheWashington Post verified twovideosrecordedby witnesses and posted to Telegram. Theim- ages werefilmedat the sametime fromseparateanglesand showat leastnineflashesfollowed by largebooms.Gunfire is audibleas peoplerun away from the site of the protest. “Thereis afight in the city center!”aman yellsin athird video,verified by ThePost, while rushingaway frommultipleloud booms. “Russian occupiers at- tacked civilians. There was a

As Russia pulls back

from Kyiv, horrors

of war are exposed

Revelationscast pall as retreatgives Ukrainianshope

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