'Deliberate Terror Against Civilians': Ukraine's Zelenskyy Lashes Out at Russia

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine

Photo: Facebook

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday, 17 April, lashed out at Russia's "deliberate terror against ordinary civilians" as Moscow continued shelling the country's northeastern city of Kharkiv and the southern port city of Mariupol.

Eighteen people have been killed and over 100 injured in shelling in the past four days in Kharkiv.

"This is nothing but deliberate terror: mortars, artillery against ordinary residential quarters, against ordinary civilians," he said late on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Russia denied targeting civilians. It also termed Ukraine's evidence of atrocities as 'staged', and meant to undermine peace talks. Russia called its action a special military operation to demilitarise Ukraine and remove 'dangerous nationalists' from the country.

Kyiv and the West, meanwhile, accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of unprovoked aggression.

Russia refocused its ground offensive on Donbas after it failed to overcome the Ukrainian resistance in the north. The country also launched long-distance strikes at other targets, including Kyiv.

Fight for Mariupol

Ukrainian authorities also condemned the Russian artillery attacks on cities in the northeast and Mariupol. After nearly two months of bloody fighting, Moscow said it had taken almost full control of Mariupol.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal informed that troops were still fighting in Mariupol on Sunday, despite Russia demanding a surrender by dawn.

"The city still has not fallen," he told ABC's "This Week" programme.

He also said that Ukrainian soldiers were still controlling some parts of the southeastern city.

Russia had said on Saturday that it was controlling the urban areas, with Ukrainian soldiers only remaining in the Azovstal steelworks.

If Russia manages to capture Mariupol, it would help them link the territory in the east, held by pro-Russian separatists, with the Crimea region that Moscow had annexed in 2014.

Meanwhile, the governor of the neighbouring region of Luhansk, Serhiy Gaidai, once again asked people to evacuate.

"The next week will be difficult," he said on his Facebook page. "It may be the last time we have a chance to save you."

War's Economic Impact on Ukraine: Budget Deficit $5 Billion a Month

About four million Ukrainians have fled the country since the start of the Russian invasion on 24 February.

Meanwhile, Shmyhal asked Western governments for more financial help as Ukraine's budget deficit was about $5 billion a month.

Zelenskyy had informed on Twitter that he held discussions with International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director Kristalina Georgieva concerning Ukraine's financial stability and preparations for post-war reconstruction.

Meanwhile, Pope Francis criticised Russia in a speech at St Peter's Square on Easter Sunday.

"May there be peace for war-torn Ukraine, so sorely tried by the violence and destruction of the cruel and senseless war into which it was dragged," he said.

(With inputs from Reuters.)