After meeting Ukrainian officials, the visiting U.S delegation headed by the country’s Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Mr. Blinken said Russia failing in its war aims and “Ukraine is succeeding.” 

The United States’ top diplomat and defence chief were in Ukraine’s capital Sunday, Kyiv said, making the first high-level visit by US officials since Russia invaded two months ago as hundreds remain trapped in the besieged city of Mariupol.

The trip by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin comes as the war enters its third month, with thousands dead and millions displaced.

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky met the US officials Sunday, as Mariupol’s defences were “already on the brink of collapse” and Ukraine was in dire need of offensive weapons.

On Sunday, the United Nations’ Ukraine crisis coordinator Amin Awad called for an “immediate stop” to fighting in Mariupol to allow trapped civilians to leave.

The call came a day after the latest attempt to evacuate civilians from Mariupol failed.

Mariupol

Russia made minor advances after shifting focus on Donbas, says U.K. Defence Ministry

Britain’s Ministry of Defence said in an intelligence update said that “without sufficient logistical and combat support enablers”, Russia was yet to achieve a breakthrough, after shifting the focus of its incursion to the Donbas region, and had only made minor advances.

The Ministry Ukrainian troops at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol were tying down Russian forces and keeping them from being deployed to the offensive elsewhere in the Donbas.

“Many Russian units remain fixed in the city and cannot be redeployed…Ukraine’s defence of Mariupol has also exhausted many Russian units and reduced their combat effectiveness,” it wrote in a Twitter update.

Western and Central Ukraine

Five railway stations come under fire, says state railway company

State-run Ukrainian Railways said on television that five railway stations came under fire in western and central Ukraine on Monday, causing casualties; the number was not specified.

Oleksander Kamyshin, the railway company’s chief, said the attacks took place within the timespan of an hour, adding that details were being checked.

Kyiv

U.S. Secretary of State Blinken says Russia is failing in war aims, promises more arms

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pose for a picture during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

After the highest-level American delegation’s visit to Kyiv, headed by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Mr. Blinken said Russia failing in its war aims and “Ukraine is succeeding.”

“When it comes to Russia’s war aims, Russia is failing. Ukraine is succeeding. Russia has sought as its principal aim to totally subjugate Ukraine, to take away its sovereignty, to take away its independence. That has failed.”

The delegation told Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and his advisers that the U.S. would offer more than $300 million in foreign military financing and had approved a $165 million sale of ammunition.

In total, Mr. Austin and Mr. Blinken announced $713 million in foreign military financing for Ukraine and 15 allies and partner countries. Out of this, some $322 million, they said, was earmarked for Kyiv. The remainder would be split among NATO members and other nations that provided Ukraine with critical military supplies since the the Russian incursion began in February.

“We had an opportunity to demonstrate directly our strong ongoing support for the Ukrainian government and the Ukrainian people. This was, in our judgment, an important moment to be there to have face-to-face conversations in detail,” Blinken told reporters near the Polish-Ukrainian border.

U.S. Defence Sec Austin said Zelenskyy’s response to the aid was deep appreciation for what was being given but “he has the mindset that they want to win and we have the mindset that we want to help them win.”

Blinken, in footage released by the Ukrainian Presidency, praised the “extraordinary courage and leadership and success that you’ve had in pushing back this horrific Russian aggression.”

Mr. Blinken also said U.S. diplomats coming back to Ukraine would likely be restaffing the consulate in Lviv in western Ukraine before returning to the capital, Kyiv. The U.S. previously said its diplomats would start returning this week. The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv will remain closed for the moment. – AP

Moscow

Russia shoots down two Ukrainian drones, says no casualties

 A regional Governor in Russia said Monday that the Russian forces had shot down two Ukrainian drones near the border overnight.

Roman Starovoyt, Kursk region Governor, said on Telegram: “Today at 4:15 am Russian air defence crews shot down two Ukrainian drones”. The drowns were downed in the Rylsky district on the border with Ukraine.

“There are no casualties, injuries or damage. The situation is completely under control,” the Governor wrote.- AP

Bryansk

Large fire at oil depot in Russia’s Bryansk, near Ukraine

A large fire broke out early on Monday at an oil storage facility in the Russian city of Bryansk, the emergencies ministry said, adding that no one was injured.

“A fire has been reported at the Transneft Bryansk-Druzhba fuel depot in Bryansk,” around 150 kilometres (93 miles) from the Ukraine border, which serves as a logistics base for Moscow’s military operation in its pro-Western neighbour, the agency quoted the ministry as saying.

Kyiv

Zelenskyy meets top-level US delegation

The U.S. secretaries of state and defense met Sunday night with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the highest-level visit to the war-torn country’s capital by an American delegation since the start of Russia’s invasion.

The meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was confirmed by presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych in an interview on Ukrainian TV.

KYIV

Zelenskyy congratulates Macron on winning a second term as president of France — and beating a far-right rival seen as close to Russia

Ukraine’s leader has congratulated Emmanuel Macron on winning a second term as president of France — and beating a far-right rival seen as close to Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Macron “a true friend of Ukraine” on Sunday and expressed appreciation for his support.

Tweeting in French, Zelenskyy said: “I’m convinced that we will advance together toward new joint victories. Toward a strong and united Europe!”.