William Molinié (special envoy to Ukraine), edited by Juline Garnier 11:13 a.m., April 14, 2022

In Mariupol, Ukrainian soldiers have been fighting for forty days to defend the city, 90% destroyed according to the authorities.

For a few days, the Russians have been claiming the capture of its port, a major strategic asset in eastern Ukraine for Russia.

Since the invasion of Ukraine by the Russians, Mariupol has become the symbol of Ukrainian resistance, and the city will undoubtedly fight to the last soldier.

While the city has been under siege for nearly forty days, Moscow announced on Wednesday that more than a thousand Ukrainian soldiers had surrendered to Russian forces.

The fall of Mariupol not yet confirmed by kyiv

Mariupol is strategic for Vladimir Putin.

This allows him to ensure territorial continuity with Donbass and to brandish a military victory that he needs.

However, the fall of Mariupol this Thursday morning is not confirmed by kyiv.

Conversely, units of the 36th brigade have joined the Azov regiment, according to the Ukrainian authorities, to regroup the last fighters, even if Mariupol will probably end up giving way.

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The Ukrainian army wants to show that it is fighting until the end, while intense fighting is preparing on the eastern front. 

New threats to the Ukrainian capital

Further west, Russia is again threatening to strike kyiv, the Ukrainian capital.

Moscow wants to hit specific targets, namely military command or decision-making centers.

A threat formulated by Moscow when one of its ships was hit by missile strikes, according to kyiv, and Washington promised massive new aid in the order of 800 million dollars.

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The American president has announced that he wants to send heavy military equipment such as artillery, armored vehicles, missiles or even coastal defense vessels.

And this may be a turning point in this war since until now, even the United States was reluctant to deliver this type of material for fear of aggravating tensions with Vladimir Putin and of being considered a direct actor in this conflict.