INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The United States believes Kyiv can win the war against Russia if it has the "right equipment," Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said Monday, as
strikes on railway infrastructure in the central Ukraine killed at least five.A landmark visit by Austin and Secretary of State Antony
Blinken to Ukraine came as the war entered its third month, with thousands killed and millions displaced by the fighting.The bloody conflict
has triggered an outburst of support from Western nations that has seen a deluge of weapons pour into Ukraine to help beat back the Russian
And so they believe that we can win," Austin told a group of journalists after he and Blinken met Ukrainian President Volodymyr
lasted three hours and was "very productive and detailed", according to a Pentagon spokesman, adding that Zelensky was also briefed on a
security summit in Germany on Tuesday among Western allies
for heavy weapons -- including artillery and fighter jets -- from Western countries, vowing his forces could turn the tide of the war with
more firepower.The calls appear to be resonating now, with a host of NATO countries pledging to provide a range of heavy weapons and
equipment to Ukraine, despite protests from Moscow.The U.S
has been a leading donor of finance and weaponry to Ukraine and a key sponsor of sanctions targeting Russia, but had not yet sent any top
officials to Kyiv, while several European leaders have travelled there to underscore their support."Many countries are going to come forward
and provide additional munitions and howitzers
So we're going to push as hard as we can, as quickly as we can, to get them what they need," Austin later said in reference to Tuesday's
diplomats will begin a gradual return to Ukraine this week and announced $700 million (653 million euros) in additional military
aid.CeasefireThe highly sensitive trip by two of President Joe Biden's top cabinet members came as fighting continued across swathes of
people were killed and another 18 injured on Monday after a Russia rocket attack targeted railway infrastructure in the central Ukraine
of the Ukrainian prosecutor general said in a statement on social media.Russian forces have been widely accused of targeting civilian
infrastructure throughout the Kremlin's two-month military assault on its pro-democratic neighbour, allegations Moscow denies.The attacks
came as Russia's defence ministry announced a ceasefire around the sprawling Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, following calls over the
weekend to pause fighting to allow civilians to leave.Ukraine says hundreds of its forces and civilians are holed up inside Azovstal, and
Kyiv has repeatedly called for a ceasefire to allow civilians to safely exit the shattered city.Russian troops "from 14:00 Moscow time (1100
GMT) on April 25, 2022, will unilaterally stop any hostilities, withdraw units to a safe distance and ensure the withdrawal of" civilians,
countered the announcement, saying Moscow had not agreed to its request for a humanitarian corridor to let wounded soldiers and civilians
Vershchuk said on Telegram."It is important to understand that the humanitarian corridor is opened by agreement of both parties
The corridor announced unilaterally does not provide security, and therefore, in fact, is not a humanitarian corridor," Vershchuk added.The
ceasefire debacle comes a day after Kyiv said it had invited Moscow to hold talks near the steel plant, after an attempt to evacuate
ordered his forces not to assault the plant, but the Ukrainians say that attacks from the land, sea and air continue to rain down on the
steel works unabated.'No water, no food'A video posted by the far-right Azov Regiment, whose fighters are based in Azovstal, showed
I don't even know what the weather is like there
war plans to forge a land bridge to Russian-occupied Crimea -- and possibly beyond, as far as Moldova.
