War in Ukraine: Latest developments

Kyiv, Ukraine, April 12 (AFP/APP): Here are the latest developments in the war in Ukraine:

– Invasion going ‘calmly’: Putin –

President Vladimir Putin says Russia’s offensive is proceeding “calmly” and according to plan, with the goal of “minimising losses”.
During a televised press conference with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko he dismisses reports of the discovery of hundreds of bodies of civilians in the town of Bucha as fake.

– Ukrainians ‘surrounded’ in Mariupol –
Ukrainian forces are “surrounded and blocked” in Mariupol as Russian forces push to take the southeastern port city, Myhaylo Podolyak, an official from President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office, tweets.
Zelensky says he believes “tens of thousands” of people in the city have been killed and makes another plea for weapons.

– Over 400 bodies in Bucha –
The mayor of the town of Bucha where dozens of bodies were found after Russia’s withdrawal from northern Ukraine says that more than 400 people had been found dead so far and 25 women had reported being raped.
Zelensky says investigators have received reports of “hundreds of cases of rape” in areas previously occupied by Russian troops, including sexual assaults of small children.

– Over 870,000 returnees –
More than 870,000 Ukrainians who fled abroad since the start of the war have returned to the country, Ukraine’s border force says.
Spokesman Andriy Demchenko said that 25,000 to 30,000 Ukrainians are returning each day, with growing numbers of women, children and elderly among them.

– German president ‘not wanted’ in Kyiv –
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier says he that offered to visit Ukraine with other EU leaders but was told by Kyiv his trip was “not wanted”.
Steinmeier, a former foreign minister under ex-chancellor Angela Merkel, was long known for championing ties with Moscow. The snub comes as Chancellor Olaf Scholz is under increasing pressure for not having visited Ukraine.

– Talks ‘extremely difficult’: Kyiv –
Kyiv says talks with Russia to end the war are “extremely difficult” after Moscow accuses Ukrainian negotiators of changing position on key Russian demands.
“Negotiations are extremely difficult,” Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhaylo Podolyak says, describing it as “heavy” in emotional terms.
Putin says Ukraine’s “inconsistency on fundamental points” is creating “certain difficulties in reaching final agreements”.

– ‘All options on table’ –
Britain’s armed forces minister James Heappey tells Sky News that if evidence of chemical weapons use emerges, “all options are on the table” as a response.
“There are some things that are beyond the pale, and the use of chemical weapons will get a response,” he says.

– Russians reinforce in Donbas –
The Pentagon says Russia is building up its forces in the eastern Donbas region, notably near the town of Izyum, as it switches its focus to a region where pro-Russian rebels have been fighting Ukrainian forces since 2014.
Ukraine’s defence ministry says Russian preparations are almost over and that it believes a major assault will happen soon.

– More than 4.6 million flee –
More than 4.6 million Ukrainians have now fled their country, the United Nations says.