A man who left a shelter in the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol walks to a bus between Russian army servicemen and Donetsk People’s Republic militia on Friday. Alexei Alexandrov/AP hide caption
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Alexei Alexandrov/AP
As Friday draws to a close in Kyiv and in Moscow, here are the key developments of the day:
Ukrainian forces inside Mariupol’s besieged Azovstal steel works continue resistance. United Nations aid workers are pushing to evacuate more people from the bunkers and tunnels inside the plant, saying that 50 more civilians — including 11 children — were rescued in the latest operation.
The United Nations Security Council issued its first statement on Ukraine since Russia invaded on Feb. 24. The Security Council members, which include Russia, reached an agreement to express “deep concern regarding the maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine” as well as “strong support” for efforts to find “a peaceful solution.”
Global human rights group Amnesty International said it has documented war crimes by Russian troops in Ukraine. In a new report based on an “extensive on-the-ground investigation,” the group cited unlawful attacks and willful, extrajudicial killings of civilians in the region northwest of Kyiv. Russia has denied all such accusations. Amnesty alleged that shootings, torture and other crimes were “part of a pattern” for areas controlled by Russian forces.
Blocked ports and transport disruptions have trapped almost 25 million tons of grain exports in Ukraine, according to a U.N. food agency official. This is one of the key reasons behind global food prices hitting an all-time high in March, though new data show they eased slightly in April.
First lady Jill Biden will spend Mother’s Day along the Slovakia-Ukraine border, meeting with Ukrainian mothers and children who fled their country after Russia’s invasion. During a four-day visit to Romania and Slovakia, she will also tour schools that have taken in Ukrainian refugees and will meet with U.S. troops stationed along NATO’s eastern flank.
In-depth
How a massive steel plant became the center of Ukraine’s resistance in Mariupol.
What’s a good word for the reception and medical care given to Ukrainian refugees in Europe? “Generous.”
Ukrainian farmers struggle as Russian forces wreak havoc, mining fields and stealing equipment.
Earlier developments
You can read more daily recaps here. For context and more in-depth stories, you can find NPR’s full coverage here. Also, listen and subscribe to NPR’s State of Ukraine podcast for updates throughout the day.
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