Free Republic

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a presidential address given Thursday that violence by Russian troops in the Donbas region of Ukraine could eventually “make the region uninhabited.” “The current offensive of the occupiers in Donbas can make the region uninhabited. They want to burn Popasna, Bakhmut, Lyman, Lysychansk and Severodonetsk to ashes. Like Volnovakha, like Mariupol,” Zelensky warned. He added: “All this, including the deportation of our people and the mass killings of civilians, is an obvious policy of genocide pursued by Russia.”

After being accused of using the food supply as blackmail and a bargaining chip, Russia said Wednesday its military will open up protected sea corridors for international shipping to pass through from seven Ukrainian ports that have thus far been blockaded. According to a defense ministry statement reported by Bloomberg late in the day, “Humanitarian maritime corridors from ports on the Black Sea and Azov Sea, including Odesa, will operate from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.” Black Sea port of Constanta, Romania recently had a drifting mine nearby. Image: AlamyThe announcement comes two days after the head of the...