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Russia pushed for a crucial early victory in its new eastern offensive Wednesday, pressuring the last pocket of Ukrainian resistance in the besieged port city of Mariupol to surrender as its forces sought to advance in the Donbas industrial heartland.
The push came as Russia said it had test-launched its new Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile.
As his country’s invaders take the war into a decisive new phase, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said attacks in the east had increased significantly and called the situation in Mariupol “extremely severe.”
He urged no delay in the supply of heavy weapons that Kyiv has said could ultimately decide the fate of the battle for the Donbas — a request that looks set to be met by his allies.
The U.S. is expected to announce another package of military aid, multiple officials said, while other Western countries have also moved to shore up Ukraine’s defenses for a fight that is expected to look very different from the war’s first two months.
German animal park renames Putin the pig
MEHLMEISEL, Germany — An animal park in Bavaria that had named one its wild boars Putin due to its Russian genetic heritage held a ceremony on Tuesday to rechristen the hairy hog with a German name following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Eckard Mickish, operator of the park just outside the town of Mehlmeisel, said he named the boar after Russian President Vladimir Putin three years ago upon its arrival given it had been bred from pure-race boar from Russia.
At nearly 441 pounds, the hog weighed around three times as much as those typically found in Germany, he said.
But lately whenever Mickish had to do a roll call of the boar for visitors, a shiver went down his spine when mentioning Putin given the war unfolding just west. He also worried how Ukrainian visitors would feel.
He soon came to the conclusion that no pig deserved this name so the park announced on social media a search for a new name. About 2,700 suggestions poured in, and Eberhofer — the name of a policeman from a popular Bavarian book series — won the vote.
The boar was rechristened on Tuesday in a ceremony that included a marzipan and biscuit cake decorated with five pink smiling pigs.
Russia controls 80 percent of Luhansk region, governor says
LVIV, Ukraine — The Luhansk governor said Russian forces now control 80 percent of the region, one of two that make up the Donbas in eastern Ukraine.
One of Russia’s stated goals is to expand the territory in the Donbas under the control of Moscow-backed separatists.
Before Russia invaded on Feb. 24, the Kyiv government controlled 60 percent of the Luhansk region.
Gov. Serhiy Haidai said the Russians, who renewed their offensive this week in eastern and southern Ukraine, have strengthened their attacks in the Luhansk region.
After they seized Kreminna, Haidai said, the Russians are threatening the cities of Rubizhne and Popasna, and he has urged all residents to evacuate immediately.
The Donetsk region, also part of the Donbas, has seen extremely heavy fighting, as well — particularly around the port city of Mariupol.
Biden set to discuss Russia, Ukraine from White House on Thursday
President Joe Biden will make remarks about Russia and Ukraine on Thursday at the White House.
U.S. officials have said the Biden administration is preparing another military aid package for Ukraine.
Biden on Wednesday called the attack and invasion of Ukraine “Putin’s brutal and unjustified war,” referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. He made the comments before a meeting with Defense Department officials.
Last week the Biden administration announced $800 million in additional military aid for Ukraine, which includes howitzers, artillery ammunition, radar systems and helicopters.
Zelenskyy says situation in east, south ‘remains very tough'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that the situation in his country’s east and south “remains very tough” amid Russian attacks and a new offensive focus on the region.
Russian forces “do not give up on trying to win at least some victory for themselves via the new expansive offensive,” Zelenskyy said in a video address Wednesday.
He again called for Russia to be labeled a state sponsor of terrorism.
Zelenskyy said that the European Union is preparing a sixth round of sanctions. He met Wednesday with the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, in Kyiv.
Michel visited Borodyanka, northwest of Kyiv, and said that he witnessed evidence of Russian atrocities there.
“These are atrocities. These are war crimes,” Michel said. “It must be punished. It will be punished.”
Residents of the devastated village have described apartment buildings’ being bombed and Russian soldiers’ shooting anyone who tried to help those trapped inside.
Ukrainian presidential adviser willing to hold negotiations with Russia in Mariupol
An adviser to Ukraine’s president said Wednesday that he and others are ready to meet for talks in the besieged city of Mariupol without conditions.
There was no apparent response from Russia to Mykhailo Podolyak’s statement on Twitter.
“Without any conditions. We’re ready to hold a ‘special round of negotiations’ right in Mariupol,” Podolyak tweeted in part.
Podolyak wrote that the goal was “To save our guys, Azov, military, civilians, children, the living & the wounded. Everyone.”
Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia had also said he and Podolyak were ready to go to Mariupol to hold talks about the evacuation of the military garrison and civilians.
Mariupol has been beleaguered and devastated by Russian strikes. A Ukrainian commander in the city said his soldiers were down to their last days or hours unless they get help. Civilians are also reported to be trapped.
U.S. expands sanctions against Russians, including against crypto miner
The U.S. announced sanctions Wednesday against Russians and entities involved in attempts to evade previously imposed sanctions.
The Treasury Department’s sanctions arm also for the first time announced a designation against a “virtual currency mining company,” it said.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control designated the Russian bank Transkapitalbank and people and organizations connected to Russian oligarch Konstantin Malofeyev, the Treasury Department said. Malofeyev was added to the sanctions list in 2014 for allegedly providing financial support to Russian separatists in Crimea.
The department also said it was targeting Bitriver AG, the holding company for the cryptocurrency mining company Bitriver, as well as 10 of its subsidiaries in Russia.
“Treasury can and will target those who evade, attempt to evade, or aid the evasion of U.S. sanctions against Russia, as they are helping support Putin’s brutal war of choice,” Brian E. Nelson, Treasury’s undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a statement.
The State Department also announced visa restrictions on more than 600 people, including lawmakers who it said have been involved in repressing independent media.
G7 finance ministers pledge additional $24B for Ukraine
WASHINGTON — Finance ministers of the Group of Seven leading industrial nations said they have provided and pledged, along with the international community, additional support to Ukraine exceeding $24 billion for 2022 and beyond, adding that they were prepared to do more as needed.
In a statement, the ministers said they regretted Russia’s participation in international forums, including the Group of 20 industrial and emerging nations and the International Monetary Fund and meetings of the World Bank this week.
“International organizations and multilateral fora should no longer conduct their activities with Russia in a business-as-usual manner,” the ministers said.
Russia’s Navalny accuses Le Pen of Kremlin ties before French vote
PARIS — Imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny stepped abruptly into France’s tight presidential campaign Wednesday, urging voters to back incumbent Emmanuel Macron and alleging that far-right challenger Marine Le Pen is too closely linked to Russia.
Le Pen has faced scrutiny before over a $9.7 million loan that her party received in 2014 from the First Czech-Russian Bank.
Questions about Le Pen’s ties to Moscow arose during her presidential bid five years ago, which she lost to Macron, and they have emerged again in Russia's war in Ukraine. She reiterated in a debate with Macron on Wednesday that the Feb. 24 Russian invasion was “inadmissible.”
The tweet by Navalny’s team threatened Le Pen’s relatively smooth ride toward Sunday’s runoff against Macron.
During the debate, Macron attacked Le Pen as being dependent on Russia.
“You are speaking to your banker when you speak of Russia. That’s the problem, Madame Le Pen,” Macron said.
Le Pen bristled at the suggestion she is beholden to the Kremlin, saying she was a “totally free woman.”
Earlier in the campaign, she dismissed questions about the loan to her National Front party, which has been rebranded as the National Rally. The bank has since been dissolved.
