Azovstal bombing may put Azov Sea on the brink of extinction.

by The Kyiv Independent news desk May 18, 2022 10:29 PM 1 min read

This audio is created with AI assistance

Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight.

According to Mariupol City Council, Russia’s brutal bombing of the steel mill could severely damage its facilities for storing thousands of tons of hazardous chemicals. Their leakage could kill all marine life in the Azov Sea, threatening an ecological catastrophe in two other seas, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. The pictures published by the Mariupol City Council are a visualization of possible consequences of Russia’s bombing of Azovstal, not real photos.

The Kyiv Independent news desk

We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.Read more

Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight.

Freedom can be costly. Both Ukraine and its journalists are paying a high price for their independence. Support independent journalism in its darkest hour. Support us for as little as $1, and it only takes a minute.

Comments

News Feed

6:35 PM

PACE adopts resolution calling for transfer of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) voted unanimously on April 16 in support of a resolution calling for frozen Russian assets to be transferred to a new fund for Ukraine's reconstruction.

6:09 PM

Lifecell acquisition contract prohibits payment to sanctioned oligarch Fridman.

The contract on the sale and merger of the telecom businesses Lifecell and Datagroup-Volia prohibits any payment to sanctioned oligarch Mikhail Fridman, Datagroup-Volia CEO Mykhailo Shelemba told Interfax Ukraine on April 16.

6:01 PM

Judiciary council opens disciplinary proceedings against ex-Supreme Court chief.

Ukraine's High Council of Justice opened a disciplinary case regarding the conduct of Vsevolod Kniaziev, the former head of the Supreme Court suspected of corruption, the council's press service said on April 16.

5:03 PM

Polish farmers unblock Uhryniv-Dolhobychuv crossing with Ukraine.

Polish farmers protesting at the Polish-Ukrainian border have lifted their blockade at the Uhryniv-Dolhobychuv crossing point, Ukraine's State Border Guard Service announced on April 16.

4:47 PM

General Shapovalov appointed as new head of Southern Operational Command.

Brigadier General Hennadii Shapovalov has been appointed as a new commander of the Southern Operational Command's forces, the command said on April 16.

4:36 PM

Ombudsman: Almost 37,000 Ukrainians considered missing.

Ukraine registers almost 37,000 people who are considered missing, including children, other civilians, and military personnel, Ukraine's Chief Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said on April 16.

4:19 PM

War analysis

Russia prepares for a major offensive in Ukraine, eyes Chasiv Yar

4:12 PM

Military intelligence reports fire at substation in Russia's Bryansk Oblast, outages at military facilities.

Several military and industrial facilities were cut off from power in Russia's Bryansk Oblast after a fire at an electrical substation overnight on April 16, according to Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR).

3:54 PM

Video

How Zelensky became Ukraine's president in 2019

3:50 PM

Zelensky signs mobilization bill.

Ukraine's bill on mobilization has been signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to the online portal of Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, on April 16.

3:35 PM

Bloomberg: Russia does not have capability to launch offensive on Kharkiv.

Western officials do not believe that Russia has the capability to launch a new attack on Ukraine's second city of Kharkiv "without a major replenishment of Russian troops," Bloomberg reported on April 16.

3:17 PM

Zelensky: Russia fires 10 times more shells, uses 300 aircraft in Ukraine only.

Russia is firing shells at a ratio of around 10:1 to those of Ukraine and has 30 times more aircraft, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with PBS NewsHour published on April 16.

2:37 PM

Prosecutor's Office: 15 people suffer concussion after Russian attack on Beryslav in Kherson Oblast.

A total of 15 civilians suffered a concussion after Russian troops carried out an air strike on the city of Beryslav in Kherson Oblast on April 16, Kherson Oblast Prosecutor Office reported based on preliminary data.

2:22 PM

Mobilization bill submitted for presidential signature.

Ukraine's bill on mobilization has been submitted to President Volodymyr Zelensky for signature, according to the online portal of Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, on April 16.

1:53 PM

Ukrainian survivor of Russian torture files legal complaint in Argentina.

Argentina's constitution allows for trials on "international crimes, including crimes against humanity and war crimes, irrespective of where they took place," on the basis of universal jurisdiction, TRP said in a press release.

12:46 PM

Scholz, Xi meet in Beijing, discuss peace in Ukraine.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on April 16, and said before the meeting that he planned to discuss "how we can contribute more to a just peace in Ukraine."

12:17 PM

Source: Ukraine strikes Russian modernized long-range radar system in Bryansk Oblast.

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) attacked a Russian modernized Nebo-U long-range radar system in Russia's Bryansk Oblast, a source at SBU told the Kyiv Independent on April 16.

12:06 PM

Opinion

Opinion: A look at the drone arsenal Russia uses against Ukraine

11:27 AM

Zelensky: Russia destroyed key power plant near Kyiv since Ukraine 'ran out of missiles' for its defense.

Russian forces destroyed the Trypillia Thermal Power Plant (TPP) in Kyiv Oblast because Ukraine had run out of missiles to defend it during an attack, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with PBS NewsHour published on April 16.

10:15 AM

Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 3, injure 8 over past day.

Russia targeted a total of 13 Ukrainian oblasts — Chernihiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Luhansk, Odesa, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Kharkiv, and Donetsk. Casualties were reported in the latter three regions.

9:40 AM

Reuters: Ukraine, Russia almost reached Black Sea shipping agreement in March.

Ukraine and Russia negotiated for two months on a deal to ensure the safety of merchant shipping in the Black Sea and reached agreement on a text in March, but Kyiv pulled out of the talks "at the last minute," Reuters reported on April 16, citing four unnamed people familiar with the matter.

8:11 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 455,340 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022.

This number includes 920 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

7:33 AM

Air Force: Ukraine downs 9 out of 9 Russian drones launched overnight.

Mobile firing groups shot down the drones over Kherson, Mykolaiv, Khmelnytskyi, Poltava, Cherkasy, and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts.

6:58 AM

US expands sanctions against Belarus.

The latest sanctions package targets entities that profit from Russia's war in Ukraine, including a state-owned machine tool building company, a radio communications firm, and a software development company.

6:00 AM

Russia plans 'false flag' attacks on Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Kyiv tells UN.

"What happened at the ZNPP on 7th and 9th of April 2024 and thereafter was a well-planned false flag operation by the Russian Federation," Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Sergiy Kyslytsya said at a U.N. Security Council meeting on April 15.

MORE NEWS