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Those 103 belong to a complete of some 400 Czechs who’ve utilized for an exemption from the ban, in accordance to the Defense Ministry. The authorities nonetheless have to course of many of the requests.

It’s not clear what number of Czech have already been combating on the Ukrainian facet in opposition to invading Russian troops.

The president’s approval has to be co-signed by Prime Minister Petr Fiala who mentioned by way of his spokesman he would signal all requests which were authorised by the Czech authorities.

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KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:

— Ukrainians make good points in east, cease Russian fuel at one hub

— Wartime start amid the air raid sirens in Ukraine hospital

— US, Western Europe fret over unsure Ukraine battle endgame

— Fighters attraction for evacuation of wounded from Mariupol mill

— House approves $40B in Ukraine assist, beefing up Biden request

— Leonid Kravchuk, unbiased Ukraine’s 1st president, dies

— Ambassador nominee for Ukraine seeks fast embassy reopening

— Follow all AP tales on Russia’s battle on Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:

COPENHAGEN, Denmark – Britain has pledged to defend Sweden if the nation got here underneath assault, with Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Magdalena Andersson signing a safety assurance deal outdoors Stockholm on Wednesday.

Sweden and neighboring Finland are pondering whether or not to join NATO following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. Johnson is later anticipated to make an identical protection dedication to Finland, the place he’ll meet with President Sauli Niinisto.

The British-Swedish settlement will “fortify northern Europe’s defenses, in the face of renewed threats,” Johnson mentioned, including “whether it’s in the event of a disaster or a military attack…we would come to the other party’s assistance.”

Andersson mentioned that Russian President Vladimir “Putin thought he could cause division, but he has achieved the opposite. We stand here today more united than ever.”

The Kremlin has warned of “military and political repercussions” if Sweden and Finland resolve to join NATO.

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BERLIN — The German authorities has dismissed ideas that it would activate the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia to Germany to compensate for diminished flows through Ukraine.

A spokeswoman for the Energy Ministry mentioned Wednesday that Germany is presently receiving 1 / 4 much less fuel by way of Ukraine after Ukrainian authorities shut down a pipeline saying it not controls a key compressor station that’s in Russian palms.

Annika Einhorn, the ministry spokeswoman, mentioned the shortfall is being partly compensated for by way of elevated provides from Norway and the Netherlands.

“Nord Stream 2 has really died after Russian attacked Ukraine and nobody is thinking about switching to that,” she mentioned.

She additionally famous that almost all of Russian fuel reaches Germany by way of a sister pipeline, Nord Stream 1, fairly than through Ukraine.

Germany has pledged to finish imports of Russian pure fuel by 2024 on the newest.

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MOSCOW — A senior Russian official has denounced the U.S. assist for Ukraine as a part of Washington’s proxy battle in opposition to Russia.

Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy head of Russia’s (*103*) Council who served as president in 2008-2012 when Vladimir Putin shifted to prime minister’s place due to time period limits, mentioned Wednesday on a messaging app that the $40 billion assist package deal for Ukraine authorised by the U.S. Congress was pushed by a want to “inflict a heavy defeat on our country, restrict its economic development and political influence in the world.”

He described the help package deal as a part of the U.S. “proxy war” in opposition to Russia and predicted that the United States will fail whereas the objectives of Russia’s “special operation” in Ukraine might be fulfilled.

In one other assertion Wednesday, Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the decrease home of Russian parliament, accused the United States of utilizing the help package deal to “drive Ukraine deeper into debt” and check out to take management of the nation’s grain reserves.

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PRAGUE — Czech President Milos Zeman has authorised a request of 103 Czechs to join Ukraine’s armed forces to assist them combat the Russian aggression.

Czech residents are banned from service in overseas armies — a criminal offense punishable by a jail time period of up to 5 years.

Those 103 are from a complete of some 400 Czechs who’ve utilized for an exemption from the ban, in accordance to the Defense Ministry. The authorities nonetheless have to course of many of the requests.

It’s not clear what number of Czech have already been combating on the Ukrainian facet in opposition to invading Russian troops.

The president’s approval has to be co-signed by Prime Minister Petr Fiala who mentioned by way of his spokesman he would signal all requests which were authorised by the Czech authorities.

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PARIS — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia’s battle in Ukraine is “pushing a number of countries” towards NATO membership.

With Finland and Sweden shifting towards becoming a member of the alliance, he mentioned, “These countries want to be protected from Russia” as a result of their individuals see what’s taking place in Ukraine and need “to live in security, in their own house, and spend time calmly with their family.”

Russia has cited NATO’s growth towards its borders as a cause for invading Ukraine.

Speaking Wednesday to French college college students through video hyperlink, Zelenskyy additionally proposed “preventive sanctions” in opposition to Russia and any nations that threaten to use nuclear weapons. He additionally known as for worldwide debate about nuclear disarmament.

He mentioned Russia’s ideas that it might use nuclear power within the battle in Ukraine shouldn’t go unpunished, however didn’t elaborate.

He urged extra unity in European coverage, because the EU’s 27 members haggle over a sixth spherical of sanctions that embody an oil embargo.

Asked how the battle might finish, he mentioned, “The war will end when we restore our unity and territory…when we get back what belongs to us.”

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LVIV, Ukraine — Satellite pictures analyzed by The Associated Press present {that a} Russian ship believed to be carrying stolen Ukrainian grain has docked in Syria.

The picture taken Tuesday by Planet Labs PBC confirmed the Russian-flagged Matros Pozynich at dockside in Latakia, Syria.

The ship seen within the picture matched recognized traits of the majority provider, in addition to its dimensions.

The ship turned off its transponders practically per week in the past off the island of Cyprus within the Mediterranean Sea.

Samir Madani, the co-founder of the web analysis agency TankerTrackers.com, additionally advised the AP that he believed the ship docked in Latakia was the Matros Pozynich, primarily based on its dimensions and last-known place.

Ukraine has alleged that the ship had 27,000 tons of grains Russia stole from the nation. It alleged Russia initially tried to ship the grains to Egypt, which refused to take the cargo. Ukrainian diplomats had been asking nations not to settle for the grain.

The ship’s registered homeowners, Crane Marine Contractor LLC of Astrakhan, Russia, didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

A Russian bombing marketing campaign and help from Iran beat again insurgents who practically toppled Syrian President Bashar Assad after the 2011 Arab Spring. Russia nonetheless maintains a navy and air base in Syria, although it has reportedly rotated forces in another country to assist its battle on Ukraine.

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WARSAW, Poland – Poland’s ambassador in Moscow has been summoned to Russia’s Foreign Ministry, Polish overseas minister mentioned, hinting on Wednesday at a reciprocal transfer by Warsaw.

Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau was answering media questions in regards to the state of Polish-Russian relations after Russia’s Ambassador Sergey Andreev was splattered earlier this week with pink paint, symbolizing the bloodshed in Russia’s battle in opposition to Ukraine.

The relations have been very tense since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which borders Poland. The Polish authorities has been urging for robust worldwide sanctions.

“Regarding our relations with the Russian federation we know that Poland’s ambassador in Moscow has been summoned to Russia’s Foreign Ministry,” Rau mentioned.

He added that “in international relations there is the principle of reciprocity,” which steered that his ministry will summon Andreev.

Andreev was splattered on Monday with pink paint thrown at him by protesters opposed to the battle in Ukraine at a Warsaw cemetery holding the stays of Red Army troopers who died on Polish territory throughout World War II. The protest prevented him from paying his respects on the Russian patriotic “Victory Day” vacation marking the defeat of Nazi Germany.

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VIENNA — The United Nations chief says that whereas it’s clear that “at the present moment there are no immediate chances of a peace agreement or immediate chances for local cease fire” in Ukraine, the group remains to be engaged on bettering the tough circumstances of the individuals affected by the battle.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres mentioned Wednesday throughout a go to to Vienna that the U.N. has concentrated all its diplomatic efforts on bettering the civilians’ residing circumstances and helps with the evacuations of Ukrainians from battle zones in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Guterres advised reporters after a gathering with the Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen that “there is still a lot we can do in diplomacy to save lives and to improve the humanitarian situation in the conflict.”

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LVIV, Ukraine — The Azov Regiment of Ukraine’s National Guard says Russian troops on Wednesday continued to pound the Azovstal steelworks, the final pocket of resistance of Ukrainian forces within the port metropolis of Mariupol.

In a social media assertion, Azov, which is holed up on the sprawling metal plant with different items of Ukraine’s navy and regulation enforcement, mentioned that over the previous 24 hours the Russians carried out 38 airstrikes “on the territory” of Azovstal, together with with using strategic bombers. The Russian troops have been additionally utilizing barrel artillery, tanks and different weapons, the assertion mentioned.

The huge Azovstal metal mill, with its community of underground tunnels and bunkers, has sheltered lots of of Ukrainian troops and civilians. Scores of civilians have been evacuated in current days, however Ukrainian officers mentioned on Tuesday that at the very least 100 civilians might nonetheless be trapped there.

Azovstal is the final holdout of Ukrainian items which have develop into broadly often known as “defenders of Mariupol.”

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A Russia-installed official in Ukraine’s Kherson area says the area’s administration will ask Russian President Vladimir Putin to annex the area.

The deputy head of the Russia-installed administration in Kherson, Kirill Stremousov, advised reporters on Wednesday that there are not any plans to create a self-proclaimed “Kherson People’s Republic,” akin to those in Donetsk and Luhansk areas of Ukraine. But, he mentioned, there are plans to ask Putin to annex it.

“The city of Kherson is Russia,” Stremousov was quoted as saying by the state RIA Novosti information company. “There will be no (Kherson People’s Republic) on the territory of the Kherson region, there will be no referendums. It will be a decree based on an appeal from the Kherson regional leadership to the Russian president, and there will be a request to include the region into a proper region of the Russian Federation.”

Taking management of Kherson, a metropolis in southern Ukraine, and far of the encircling area early on the battle has been arguably Russia’s most vital achieve within the battle.

Ukrainian officers have speculated that Russia plans to stage a referendum within the area to declare its independence, comparable to those that came about in japanese Donetsk and Luhansk areas in 2014. Moscow acknowledged the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics two days earlier than invading Ukraine and used it as a pretext to ship troops to its ex-Soviet neighbor.

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Ukraine’s pure fuel pipeline operator has stopped Russian shipments by way of a key hub within the east of the nation.

Wednesday’s transfer was the primary time pure fuel provide has been affected by the battle that started in February. It might power Russia to shift flows of its fuel by way of territory managed by Ukraine to attain its purchasers in Europe.

Russia’s state vitality big Gazprom initially mentioned it couldn’t reroute the fuel, although preliminary circulation knowledge steered larger charges shifting by way of a second station in Ukrainian-controlled territory.

The pipeline operator mentioned Russian shipments by way of its Novopskov hub, in an space managed by Moscow-backed separatists, can be minimize due to interference from “occupying forces,” together with the obvious siphoning of fuel.

the Ukrainian pipeline operator mentioned the hub handles a few third of Russian fuel passing by way of Ukraine to Western Europe. Russia’s state-owned pure fuel big Gazprom put the determine at a few quarter.

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VATICAN CITY — The wives of two Ukrainian troopers defending the Mariupol metal mill have met with Pope Francis and requested him to intervene to assist organize for a third-party evacuation of the troops earlier than Russian troopers would possibly seize or kill them.

Kateryna Prokopenko and Yuliia Fedusiuk greeted Francis on Wednesday on the finish of his weekly public viewers in St. Peter’s Square.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, they mentioned Francis made no commitments however mentioned he was praying for them.

Prokopenko, whose husband, Denys Prokopenko, is the commander of the Azov Regiment within the Azovstal mill, mentioned the lads can be prepared to journey to a 3rd nation — they talked about Turkey or Switzerland — if an evacuation could possibly be organized.

She mentioned: “Our soldiers are ready to be evacuated to a third country. They are ready to lay down their arms in case of evacuation to a third country. We all are ready to help them, I hope.”

The ladies have been in Italy looking for to rally worldwide help for a diplomatic decision to the standoff at Azovstal.

The United Nations and International Committee of the Red Cross have organized a collection of evacuations of civilians from the mill, however not the troops, who stay holed up with diminishing water, meals and medical provides.

Fedusiuk mentioned her husband, Arseniy Fedusiuk, had just lately requested her to analysis how to survive with out water.

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Russia’s overseas minister has made a shock go to to the Gulf Arab state of Oman for conferences with officers about Moscow’s battle on Ukraine.

Sergey Lavrov briefed Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said on the battle Wednesday in Muscat, Oman’s state-run information company reported.

Sultan Haitham burdened the necessity to adhere to worldwide regulation and intensify efforts to obtain a diplomatic answer to the disaster “in a manner that preserves the independence, sovereignty and coexistence of countries and peoples,” the assertion added.

Oman, a rustic of 4.6 million on the Arabian Peninsula, has lengthy served as an island of neutrality in a area torn by sectarian and political conflicts. Sultan Haitham has continued the insurance policies of his predecessor in pursuing quiet diplomacy to assist resolve worldwide crises.

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The British navy says Ukraine’s focusing on of Russian forces on Snake Island within the Black Sea helps disrupt Moscow’s makes an attempt to increase its affect within the Black Sea.

In a each day intelligence briefing posted to Twitter on Wednesday, the British Defense Ministry mentioned “Russia repeatedly (is) trying to reinforce its exposed garrison located there.”

It added: “Ukraine has successfully struck Russian air defenses and resupply vessels with Bayraktar drones. Russia’s resupply vessels have minimum protection in the western Black Sea, following the Russian Navy’s retreat to Crimea after the loss of the Moskva.”

This corresponds to satellite tv for pc pictures analyzed by The Associated Press this weekend displaying the combating there.

The British navy warned: “If Russia consolidates its position on (Snake) Island with strategic air defense and coastal defense cruise missiles, they could dominate the northwestern Black Sea.”

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WASHINGTON — The U.S. House emphatically authorised a contemporary $40 billion Ukraine assist package deal Tuesday as lawmakers beefed up President Joe Biden’s preliminary request, signaling a magnified, bipartisan dedication to thwart Russian President Vladimir Putin’s bloody three-month-old invasion.

The measure sailed to passage by a lopsided 368-57 margin, offering $7 billion greater than Biden’s request from April and dividing the rise evenly between protection and humanitarian applications.

The invoice would give Ukraine navy and financial help, assist regional allies, replenish weapons the Pentagon has shipped abroad and supply $5 billion to tackle world meals shortages attributable to the battle’s crippling of Ukraine’s usually strong manufacturing of many crops.

The new laws would carry American help for the hassle to practically $54 billion, together with the $13.6 billion in help Congress enacted in March.

That’s about $6 billion greater than the U.S. spent on all its overseas and navy assist in 2019, in accordance to a January report by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, which research points for lawmakers.

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