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LAST UPDATE | 11 May 2022
PRO-KREMLIN AUTHORITIES in Ukraine’s Kherson urged President Vladimir Putin to annex the region, as Moscow accused Kyiv of shelling a Russian city in the latest flashpoint of their bloody war.
One person was killed and three injured in the shelling of Belgorod, according to governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, who said it was “the most difficult situation” facing the border region since Russia sent its troops into Ukraine 11 weeks ago.
With war raging, fears of broader international implications swelled as gas supplies to energy-starved Europe were disrupted by a halt in Russian gas flows through Ukraine.
The stoppage caused supplies to plunge by 25% in Germany, which is dependent on Russia for its energy and has rejected an immediate full embargo on Russian gas.
The developments came as Ukraine said the military was holding its own and pushing Russian troops back from the country’s second city Kharkiv in the northeast.
Russia has focused on eastern and southern Ukraine since it failed to take Kyiv in the first weeks after the 24 February invasion, and US intelligence has warned Putin is ready for a long war.
Kherson, the first major Ukrainian city to fall, is north of Crimea, which itself was annexed by Moscow in 2014.
Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of Kherson’s Moscow-installed administration, said there would be a “request to make Kherson region a full subject of the Russian Federation.”
But the Kremlin replied it was up to the residents of Kherson to “determine their own fate”.
Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak said Kyiv’s forces would liberate Kherson and “the invaders may ask to join even Mars or Jupiter.”
Ukraine’s fierce fight back has come with a heavy cost.
In a rare release of battle casualty figures, Ukraine’s National Guard, which falls under the interior ministry, said today that 561 of its members have been killed and nearly 1,700 wounded since the invasion began.
Neither the defense ministry in Kyiv nor its counterpart in Moscow have provided official death counts, but in mid-April Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said between 2,500 and 3,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed.
‘They come in waves’
On the battlefield, Ukraine’s forces were boosted by what Kyiv says is the recapture of four villages around Kharkiv.
Zelenskyy said in his nightly address Tuesday that he had “good news” from Kharkiv and praised the “superhuman strength” of Ukrainian defenders.
Ukraine is engaged in what appears to be an increasingly desperate effort to hold the Russian-speaking Donbas region in the east.
“They come in waves,” volunteer fighter Mykola said of the Russians’ repeated attempts to push past a strategic river near a rural settlement called Bilogorivka.
Nearby, Ukrainian medics rushed a bleeding soldier from the eastern front, an AFP correspondent saw. A doctor reassured the wincing fighter that the tourniquet being squeezed above his knee did not mean he was about to lose part of his leg.
US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines on Tuesday said Putin was “preparing for prolonged conflict” and “still intends to achieve goals beyond the Donbas.”
Much of the world has moved to isolate Putin, but Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi –visiting Washington today – urged the United States to engage Moscow on Ukraine, saying “there has to be a table with everyone.”
Ukraine today said Russia had halted gas supplies through a key transit hub in the east of the country, a day after the Ukrainian state energy company Naftogaz said it was no longer responsible for gas coming through Russian-occupied territory.
Compounding the strain, Russia imposed sanctions on more than 30 EU, US and Singaporean energy companies in a retaliatory move following Western penalties over Ukraine, a government decree said today.
A mother mourns
Russia’s invasion has prompted Sweden and Finland to consider joining NATO, with both countries set to decide this week.
Ukraine has been pushing Western countries for more military and economic support, despite Russian warnings to the West.
As President Joe Biden warned that Ukraine within days would likely run out of funds to keep fighting, the House of Representatives voted Tuesday to send a $40 billion aid package to the country. The Senate is expected to rubber-stamp the bill.
Sanctions on Russia are biting, with its foreign currency reserves declining and new car sales sinking over 78% in April.
As Russia cracks down internally, a member of the band Pussy Riot, Maria Alyokhina, said she left Russia by disguising herself as a food delivery courier to escape police.
Music has become a rallying point too for Ukrainians, ahead of this Saturday’s final of the Eurovision song contest, the world’s biggest live music event.
Ukraine’s rap folk band Kalush Orchestra is the favourite to win the camp celebration.
Despite the potential for such moments to unite Ukrainians, the war remains a personal tragedy for many, including Iryna Yegorchenko, 43, who learned today that her soldier son Artem died protecting the Azovstal steel plant in devastated Mariupol.
“This morning they wrote me that he is dead. And I suddenly felt relieved,” Yegorchenko told AFP in an interview.
The 22-year-old was crushed during a structure collapse and “quickly went to God”, his mother said.
“It would have been worse if he had been captured,” she added. “It is easier to know that your son is dead than to know that he is in captivity, that he is wounded or starving”.
Yegorchenko, who lives in Kyiv, appeared grief-stricken yet proud of her son.
“He decided to defend his homeland, his people,” she said. “And I have nothing to be ashamed of as a mother”.
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What did you edit it with, 5 litres of tipex………..
Colour trend French white ,tippex is so
last season .
Kid with black marker makes headlines
We are becoming very easily outraged. Political posters have always been subject to vandalism. Who hasn’t drawn a Hitler moustache on a photograph of someone or other?
Nothing worse than getting a ‘sneaky hitler’ when as hungover as a judge!!
Good “respectful” debate they cry
Whoever did this is a raging homophobe but not necessarily representative of the no campaign as a whole. This is a bye-election poster not a referendum poster. The defacers are filth but it is unfair to use this act to tar all no supporters.
If it was a poster of Ronan Mullen and vote yes and homophobe was written on it the no side would be the first to call it and claim that it silences their speech. Why apply double standards?
Was ‘vote no’ written on paddy’s poster? I think it is disingenuous to use this as a stick to beat the no campaign with when we criticise them for introducing straw men such as surrogacy. This sort of hate will continue long after May 22nd regardless of the vote. Paddy is not the first, nor will he be the last, candidate subject to bigotry.
It’s weird that they would write this on his poster and not on a Yes poster
But then again, it’s weird that they would do this at all!
Well sorry, just homophobe then. The no side would still be up in arms. I’m not saying that makes it ok either as people are entitled to their opinion. If anything, the passing of this referendum will make this hate less acceptable in general society. It’s a step in the right direction.
Todd in fairness, have you seen the state of the No Posters outside Glasnevin cemetery, im suprised there is any black spray paint left in Dublin…..
Well if a yes vote is carried we will have voted to say we all like gay people and homophobia will cease to exist remember.
No I haven’t, but that’s not right either. I’ll be glad to see the back of this so we can all just get on with our lives. I hope to be congratulating my brother and my gay friends next Saturday evening.
The difference is Mullen isn’t running in a bye election so I don’t think you’re analogy is fair
It was hypothetical. You’re saying that it was ok for this candidates poster to be defaced with homophobic comments because he is running is that it? Sound logic ya got there
Im very much in favour of SSM but to me this does not look like something the No side would do.Its not their style.This was probably just some little oik with no connection to the SSM debate or an idiot outsider.
I’m guessing its a “soft yes ” voter expressing their new found outrage ,or could be that new group family apartheid or whatever their calling themselves .
Who’s the new group with the bible quotes on the posters ?another Iona shell corporation or is there actually a separate group ,can’t remember the name bit like an anti ageing cream but religious
Who ever did this is a stupid kid. Who cares!
No joe, homophobia will not be wiped out but lgbt kids will feel less marginalised. 29,000 kids called childline last year with issues surrounding sexuality. A yes vote will give the lgbt kids hope
John,
Totally agree that this isn’t a “no campaign” issue. This is a homophobe. Simple as.
He’s probably gonna vote no, but I don’t think the two are necessarily related.
There are homophobes in Ireland. These homophobes will vote no.
It is not necessarily the case that every vote supporter of NO is a homophobe but we can say that the homophobes and the No side share a common interest for now, at least.
Now I’m really confused. Renua is the only Dáil party not in favour of the amendment (it takes a neutral position)…..
The party is neutral but the candidate is pro.
Technically all politicians should take a neutral position on everything -
They should be able to present both sides of the argument and let the people decide ….
Anything else is nothing more than a distinct lack of understanding what a legislator is – hence the calamities such as …
Beef Crisis – no export allowed within the E.U.
People getting their electricity cut off while the E.S.B workers get huge pensions , salaries and shares and special sweet little deals with MIchael Noonan’s outfit – Was Josephine Feehily head of the Revenue commissioners when this deal was done ? If so she is entirely unsuitable as a Chairwoman of the Garda Commissioner whatever it was she got moved to !
If all politicians took a neutral stance on everything then how would anything get done? Sorry maybe that’s a naive question? But just something I thought when I read your comment Hermes
look at the swiss system Todd
easiest job in the world to let the wisdom of the people decide the future rather than shoving laws down one’s throat !
Hermes,
The government proposes legislation and you expect them not to speak to it?
Really?
Although this is wrong, there is posters constantly vandalised. Everything from swastikas to slurs, yet they don’t make the news. It’s almost like there is a referendum that concerns homosexuals on the horizon.
There are, plural.
Poor “No” supporters being “bullied” and “silenced” by having their hatred publicised.
Could have been worse. Could have pulled the poster down altogether which has been done by some in the yes camp.
Vote yes for equality.
How do you know that it was “No” supporters? Could have been disgruntled FF supporters or just ordinary homophobes with no interest in politics. COuld even have been someone with a personal grudge against the man. That is unless you know more than we know.
True, Brian. Could even have been environmentalists protesting the use of paper. Or some religious group that’s opposed to using photographs because they steal people’s souls.
I would say it was done by a yes supporter to deliberately reflect poorly on No voters as the yes side grows concerned with the shift towards a no vote.
It is possible that it was a passionate NO supporter who harbours homophobic attitudes.
What “shift towards no”? Show me one poll that shows that? Yawn.
brian .ordinary homophobes..? how many types of homophobes are there
To be fair, you see this kind of vandalism at nearly every bus-top in the country. A few bored teenagers with nothing better to be doing. What next…..a moral outcry when someone writes ‘Mr. Casey is gay’ on the school toilet wall?
Kids are kids
Ah you should have said. That’s ok then.
All teachers called Mr Casey getting knowing looks in the staff room today now.
Good point. It could be something as innocent and irrelevant as, for example, Mr Casey getting discriminated against because of his sexuality.
Mr Casey has instructed his solicitor!
WTF is wrong with people? Some seriously pathetic people out there.
Posters are so 80s aren’t they ?
Dominate the psyche – “There can be no one else !”
Meanwhile 10% of the Irish control and own 50% of the wealth –
What was the distribution before Enda the Evicter took office to throw Irish people out on the street for Vulture funds to provide cover for the wealthy to keep talking more than they will ever need !
I can’t manage to get outraged over this since you didn’t bother to tell me or show me what was written on the poster.
It looks like someone drew a frog near his mouth. Is it a frog? A homophobic frog?
He’s still not going to get elected .
He used this trick in the local elections as well, I think he is looking for sympathy votes, this is the same Mr McKee who said on being elected that he would not claim expenses if elected, but according to today’s Kilkenny people he still claimed over €11,000 in expenses and over €2000 for being vice chairman, not a guy to be trusted
Renua are nothing than right wing religious conservatives of the ruling elite
With an openly gay candidate representing them in a by election.
Married Fathers and Mothers have an openly gay representative. Being gay doesn’t automatically mean one is liberal.
I just want to record my highest commendation to Mr. Denis O’Brien (since I can’t comment on any thread actually associated with him). A man who has the courage to take up the cudgels on behalf of an embattled minority – i.e., the ten per cent or so who are billionaires – someone has to speak up on behalf of these unfortunates and it gives me special pride to know that their champion hails from our own Island. Well done, DOB.
He done that himself
Being from Kilkenny I no that this is the un mistakeable work of silly school kids who just think its funny! They probably write the same and draw the same on public toilets and school toilets. I wouldn’t have thought it was even news worthy meself to be honest. Im pretty sure they don’t even no or could no what a homophobe is.
Nice censoring job you did with Paint there, lads.
Jesus if I got in the news every time someone kid drew a penis or wrote a vulgar name on one of my election posters there would be no room for any other news on the papers!
declan dont be saying jesus otherwise youll be called a homophobe and the warriors of yes will all gang up on you
To be honest, it looks like this guy is being targeted given that this has happened to him before.
http://www.thejournal.ie/posters-defaced-local-elections-1442335-May2014/
Or done by his.own camp.to gain sympathy votes.like last time..
Oh Paddy like you’re not delighted to have the opportunity & media platform now to play the heroic victim of hate crime!, kids take the pi** everyday, it’s standard business, this particular sign is just round the corner from my house. Ride that train Paddy!
Kid’s acting the bollox.. or self sabotage. . ?
Yes…. No…. Who really cares…
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