Ukraine Russia Conflict: Russian officers to leave Mariupol combat positions to protect Victory Day parade in Moscow

Russian officers have been called on to leave their combat positions in Mariupol to Russia’s Victory Day parade in Moscow. The celebration on 9 May is in aid of 77th anniversary of the 1945 victory over Nazi Germany.

Meanwhile, Russia on 24th February launched its invasion of Ukraine. And, according to the latest updates, Evacuation operations are continuing from the besieged southern city of Mariupol with 40 civilians rescued on Friday, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskiy confirmed in his latest national address. Three evacuation buses left the besieged Azovstal steel plant in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol on Friday, according to Russian media reports.

However, the latest US military aid package to Ukraine, announced by president Joe Biden on Friday, is worth $150m. Germany will also send seven self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine, on top of five artillery systems the Dutch government has already pledged, the German defence minister, Christine Lambrecht, said. Also, the UK government has said it will give Ukraine 287 mobile generators in addition to 569 generators it had donated earlier.