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Live updates
Issued on: 14/05/2022 – 07:45Modified: 14/05/2022 – 08:11
A Ukrainian serviceman patrols in Popasna in the Donbas region, on April 14, 2022. © Ronaldo Schemidt, AFP
Russian forces appeared to be stalled in Ukraine’s eastern Donbass region despite “significant efforts” in the Izium and Severodonetsk areas to make a breakthrough to Kramatorsk, the major city in the Ukrainian-controlled part of the coal basin. Follow FRANCE 24’s live blog for all the latest developments. All times are Paris time (GMT+2).
8:05am: Moscow-administered Kherson to ask to be included in Russia: UK The Russian-imposed military-civilian administration in Ukraine’s Kherson region said it will ask Russia to include it in the Russian federation, according to the British defence ministry.
If Russia carries out an accession referendum in Kherson, it will almost certainly manipulate the results to show a clear majority in favour of leaving Ukraine, Britain said in a regular Twitter bulletin.
7:43am: Duma deputy head visits Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Kherson: reportsSenior Russian lawmaker Anna Kuznetsova visited the Russian-occupied region of Kherson in Ukraine to discuss social and healthcare needs of the local population, the state RIA news agency reported on Saturday.
The report could not be independently confirmed.
Kherson is the first region set to be annexed after Moscow said in April it had gained full control of the region, which has seen sporadic anti-Russian protests.
Kuznetsova, deputy head of Russia’s Duma or lower house of parliament, discussed the supply of foodstuffs as well as medical and other products needed for children, RIA reported.
4:33am: Heavy fighting in Donbas regionIntense fighting is raging in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, according to a local officials.
“There is heavy fighting on the border with the Donetsk region, near Popasna,” said Lugansk regional governor Sergei Gaidai in a Facebook post late Friday. There were heavy losses in personnel and equipment on the Russian side, he added.
The British Ministry of Defense (MoD) on Friday said Ukrainian forces had “successfully” repelled a Russian attempt to cross the Siverskyi Donets river west of Severodonetsk.
(FRANCE 24 with AP, AFP and REUTERS)
