INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The Ukrainian port city of Mariupol delayed a planned evacuation of residents Saturday, blaming Russian forces for breaking their temporary
ceasefire to allow civilians to flee one of the war's fiercest battles
food and water in the dead of winter."Due to the fact that the Russian side does not adhere to the ceasefire and has continued shelling both
Mariupol itself and its environs, and for security reasons, the evacuation of the civilian population has been postponed," city officials
said in a statement posted on social media.Civilians who gathered to leave were told to return to shelters.Negotiations were underway "to
establish a ceasefire and ensure a safe humanitarian corridor," Mariupol authorities added.An evacation had been seen as a prelude to a
final assault that, if successful, would see the Russian army push north from occupied Crimea and link up with their forces from the east
and take control of Ukraine's coast on the Sea of Azov.After Russia's defense ministry declared a ceasefire to allow humanitarian corridors
out of Mariupol and neighboring Volnovakha, officials announced that the port city's 450,000-strong population could begin to leave by bus
and private cars.Mariupol mayor Vadim Boychenko said: "This is not an easy decision, but ..
Mariupol is not its streets or houses
Mariupol is its population, it is you and me."An aid worker in Mariupol for Doctors Without Borders said: "Last night the shelling was
We collected snow and rain water yesterday..
encountering stiff resistance and shelling the western suburbs and the northern town of Chernihiv, where there have been heavy civilian
insistence it is not targeting civilian areas.Fears are rising in Kyiv that the capital will suffer the same fate once Russian missile
artillery is deployed within range.Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov alleged that Russia had changed tactics after encountering
tough resistance.Ukraine, he said, had defeated Russia's plan to quickly storm major cities and overthrow President Volodymyr Zelensky's
forces were counter-attacking around Kharkiv, the country's second largest city, which has seen incursions by Russian forces and fierce
bombardments."Ukrainian armed forces bravely hold all the key areas of our defense," he declared
"We inflict such losses on the invaders that they have not seen even in their worst dream."Since Putin's army invaded on Feb
24, Russia has pummelled Ukrainian cities, with officals reporting hundreds of civilians killed
Europe's largest atomic power plant has even come under attack sparking fears of a catastrophic nuclear accident.But Moscow has so far only
a bigger prize for Russian forces as it would deal a severe blow to Ukraine's maritime access and connect with troops coming from annexed
Crimea and the Donbas.The Kremlin said late Friday that Moscow was waiting for a third round of talks with Ukraine in Belarus, and one of
Kyiv's negotiators said it hoped to hold them this weekend."The third leg could take place tomorrow or the day after, we are in constant
contact," Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Friday.In a Kyiv hospital, wounded soldiers told AFP of their grim battle
against the Russian advance, and vowed to return to the frontline."We were on reconnaissance and came across an enemy column that had made a
breakthrough," said Motyka, 29, who was hit by shrapnel."We fought them and killed their soldiers on foot, but they showered us with mortar
fire."Zelensky was to appeal to Washington for more assistance Saturday with an address to the U.S
Senate after some lawmakers urged President Joe Biden to take tougher measures, including banning Russia's oil imports.No no-fly
zoneZelensky had earlier criticized NATO for ruling out imposing a no-fly zone, saying the Western military alliance had essentially given
"the green light for further bombing of Ukrainian cities and villages."With fears growing of direct conflict between Western forces and
and Moscow have set up a new direct phone line to reduce the risks of "miscalculation," the Pentagon said Friday.Russian forces attacked and
seized the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant on Friday, pushing Kyiv to accuse Moscow of "nuclear terror."Ukrainian monitors say there has been no
Twitter was restricted and Facebook blocked.The BBC and Bloomberg said they were suspending work in Russia after lawmakers in Moscow passed
legislation to impose fines and jail terms of up to 15 years for publishing "fake news" about the army.CNN said it would halt broadcasting
in Russia, while independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta said it would remove Ukraine content.The Kremlin on Saturday defended the new
law, saying it was "necessary as the country was facing "an unprecedented information war."Global hungerPutin has been unmoved as Russia has
become isolated in economic, sporting and cultural fields.But UN prosecutors at The Hague are investigating a possible war crime in Kharkiv,
where authorities say residential areas were indiscriminately shelled.The UN says more than 1.2 million refugees have flooded into
hunger crisis to levels beyond anything we've seen before," said agency director David Beasley.At the Winter Paralympics in Beijing,
biathlon race, Vitalii Lukianenko took gold and said: "I want to dedicate this medal to the guys who protect our cities."
