Ukraine war: The latest news

April 13 (Reuters) – Fighters of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group have captured two extra areas of the Ukrainian metropolis of Bakhmut, Russia’s Defence Ministry mentioned on Saturday. Wagner has spearheaded Russia’s try to take Bakhmut since final summer time in what has been the longest and deadliest battle of the warfare for each side.

Reuters couldn’t independently verify the report.

FIGHTING

* A Russian missile strike killed a minimum of 9 folks in japanese Ukraine on Friday, Ukrainian officers mentioned.

* 4 folks had been killed and 10 wounded by Ukrainian shelling of a residential space in a Russian-controlled city in japanese Ukraine, the highest Russian-installed official within the area mentioned. Reuters was unable to independently confirm the shelling or the casualties within the city of Yasynuvata.

RUSSIA’S MILITARY DRAFT

* Russia’s common spring navy draft marketing campaign is continuing as scheduled and there aren’t any plans to ship out mass digital notices below a brand new system simply signed into regulation by President Vladimir Putin, a high official mentioned on Saturday.

DIPLOMACY

* U.S. consular officers haven’t been granted entry to Wall Avenue Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, detained in Russia, Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned on Saturday, including that Moscow ought to present entry “now”.

* China’s Defence Minister Li Shangfu will go to Russia from April 16-19, and meet Russian navy officers, the Chinese language defence ministry mentioned. U.S. officers have expressed concern China may provide arms to Russia, one thing Beijing has denied.

* European Union international coverage chief Josep Borrell mentioned it will be exhausting for Europe to belief China if it didn’t attempt to discover a political resolution to the Ukraine disaster primarily based on Russia’s withdrawal from Ukrainian territory.

* Fifteen Russian diplomats expelled by Norway this week had sought to recruit sources, intercept communications and purchase superior expertise, the Norwegian PST safety police mentioned on Friday.

* Finland’s embassy in Moscow obtained a letter containing an unknown powder and has reported the matter to the Russian authorities, Russian international ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova mentioned on Friday.

PLAYING ON, DESPITE WAR

* Ukrainian pianist Roman Lopatynskyi rehearsed at nighttime and performed live shows by candlelight as air raid sirens resounded throughout his native Kyiv. The 29-year-old is taking part within the Worldwide Competitors for Younger Pianists in Reminiscence of Vladimir Horowitz, which is being held exterior Ukraine for the primary time since its inception in 1995 as a result of Russian invasion.

* Ukraine’s nationwide ice hockey gamers have been pressured to coach with air raid sirens interrupting apply, sending them underground for canopy as they fear about their family members, however they’ve managed to maintain their focus.

ECONOMY

* U.N. Secretary-Common Antonio Guterres has written to Russia, Ukraine and Turkey to boost issues concerning the implementation of a deal that permits the secure wartime export of grain from a number of Ukrainian Black Sea ports, a U.N. spokesman mentioned on Friday.

* Ukraine secured guarantees of $5 billion in extra funding to assist its struggle towards Russia amid “fruitful conferences” in Washington this week, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal mentioned on Friday.

IN-DEPTH STORIES

* ANALYSIS-Russia’s navy manufacturing, state splurge ease sanctions ache

* INSIGHT- Ukraine’s tech entrepreneurs struggle warfare on completely different entrance

* Ukraine says it’s discovering extra Chinese language elements in Russian weapons

Compiled by Reuters editors

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Belief Ideas.