Russia-Ukraine battle newest updates: Front line ‘getting tougher’; prisoner swap introduced

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated Saturday night that the scenario on the battle entrance is “getting tougher.” The warning got here as Russia and Ukraine introduced the discharge of almost 180 troops in a prisoner swap.

Here’s the newest on the battle and its ripple results throughout the globe.

• Ukraine and Russia swapped prisoners of battle, releasing 116 Ukrainian troops from Russian captivity and 63 Russians from Ukrainian custody, the international locations introduced individually on Saturday. Zelensky stated that Ukraine has managed to return 1,762 Ukrainians from Russian captivity since Feb. 24.
• A big accident at a substation in Odessa left a half-million folks within the southern metropolis out of energy, Ukrainian officers stated Saturday. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stated the “technological accident” occurred at a substation that had been broken by Russian strikes. The regional governor, Maksym Marchenko, stated that the accident precipitated a hearth and that the harm was “complex and very severe.” Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko, who was dispatched to the town over the scenario, stated energy had been restored to a couple of third of consumers who misplaced it.

• The scenario on the battle entrance is “getting tougher,” particularly in Bakhmut and Vuhledar, Zelensky stated. Ukraine has vowed to combat for Bakhmut, at the same time as Russia is tightening its grip on the town. Ukrainian losses are mounting in Bakhmut, the place a U.S. citizen, Pete Reed, was killed whereas working as a volunteer paramedic with an outreach group.
• The United Nations has tallied greater than 18 million border crossings at Ukrainian exits for the reason that begin of the battle final 12 months on Feb. 24. Nearly 10 million folks have crossed into Ukraine, in response to U.N. information. About one-third of Ukrainians have been compelled from their properties, The Washington Post reported final month.

• Germany has collected proof to prosecute potential battle crimes in Ukraine, German media reported Saturday, citing the nation’s prosecutor basic. He stated in a newspaper interview that there was a necessity for a judicial course of on the worldwide degree and that Germany started amassing proof in March, together with by interviewing Ukrainian refugees. Prosecutors had items of proof within the “three-digit range,” he added, with out offering additional particulars.
• China is sending expertise comparable to navigation tools and fighter jet components to Russia, the Wall Street Journal reported Saturday night, citing data offered by the D.C.-based analysis group C4ADS. The United States beforehand accused a number of Chinese firms and analysis institutes of aiding Russia’s army. Mao Ning, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, stated Friday that Beijing’s relationship with Moscow was “based on non-alliance, non-confrontation and non-targeting of any third party.”
• Zelensky thanked British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for offering Challenger 2 tanks and coaching. Sunak tweeted that he was “focused on ensuring this [aid] reaches the front line as quickly as possible.” In January, Britain grew to become the primary nation to pledge Western heavy battle tanks. Britain additionally introduced that it will ship AS90 self-propelled artillery programs to Ukraine.

4. From our correspondents

Attacking Vuhledar, Russia previews new push to grab southeastern Ukraine: About 70 miles southwest of Bakhmut in Ukraine’s embattled Donetsk area, a Russian offensive is unfolding within the metropolis of Vuhledar. The Post’s Steve Hendrix and Serhii Korolchuk report that Vuhledar holds geographical significance: The abandoned coal-mining metropolis lies the place the japanese entrance of the battle meets Russia’s line of management to the south.