The reported attack comes just days before Russia's Victory Day parade and three-day "truce." MPs will be able to ask questions and learn more about the details of the agreement in meetings with Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko May 6-7 MP Serhii Sobolev told the news outlet Suspilne The ratification vote is scheduled for May 8 Attacks against the border villages of Bilopillia and Vorozhba damaged civilian infrastructure and triggered emergency evacuations the regional military administration reported "I look forward to working with President Erdogan on getting the ridiculous war between Russia and Ukraine ended — now!" U.S Putin's Victory Day truce "doesn't sound like much if you know where we started from," Trump told reporters at the White House on May 5 Far-right Euroskeptic candidate George Simion head of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan placed second with 20.99% of the vote and the candidate from the ruling coalition "It requires the continuation of contacts between Moscow and Washington which have been launched and are now ongoing," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said set to operate within the Council of Europe will focus on Russia's political and military leaders up to 20 Russian soldiers were killed and their equipment destroyed The move represents an apparent violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions passed in the wake of North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests "We are ready to deepen our contribution to the training of the Ukrainian military," Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on May 5 by Tim ZadorozhnyyPeople are seen by the sea in Berdiansk 2022 (Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)An explosion in Russian-occupied Berdiansk on Feb deputy head of the local occupation administration Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) claimed The intelligence agency accused him of committing multiple war crimes against Ukrainian citizens. Bogdanov oversaw financial management for the occupation administration and coordinated the construction of fortifications in Russian-occupied areas of Zaporizhzhia Oblast A gray Renault Duster exploded and burned completely, according to HUR Bogdanov reportedly arrived in Berdiansk immediately after Moscow's troops occupied the city in early 2022 and was appointed to the local administration on orders from Russian special services Berdiansk, a key transport hub on the Azov Sea, remains strategically important for Russia, particularly for shipping looted Ukrainian grain and resources Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion multiple assassinations of Russian-appointed officials and military commanders in occupied Ukraine have been reported In December, Vasyl Nechet, the Russian-installed head of Berdiansk, was injured in a similar car explosion. In October, Russian Major Dmitry Pervukha was killed in occupied Luhansk under similar circumstances Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent he is pursuing studies in International Relations Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor Ukrainian forces hit the occupied port of Berdyansk with repeated drone strikes It is the second time this week that Ukraine has targeted Russian assets in the area.  Local residents reported explosions in the port area beginning at about 0600 hours accompanied by the sound of Russian air defenses Ambulance activity was also reported near the seaport and Russian occupation authorities advised residents to remain at home and avoid travel.  and certain streets in the city center leading to the port are closed off The occupiers claim everything is fine and under control yet they declared a day off and advised everyone to stay home supposedly because everything is ‘indeed’ under control," Berdiansk council-in-exile member Viktor Dudukalov told local media.  Ukrainian military intelligence agency HUR claimed that a sabotage group had destroyed a small rail bridge over a road near Berdyansk The action to sever the rail bridge cut off fuel and weapons supplies to Russian forces in the port city Ukraine has launched large-scale strikes on the port before It destroyed the Russian amphib Sarotov at the pier in Berdyansk in March 2022 the Tsezar Kunikov and Novocherkassk.  The port of Berdyansk was captured by Russia in February 2022 It is now a hub for Russian occupation forces especially for shipping Ukrainian farmers' grain out of the occupied territory Russia exports millions of tonnes of grain from seized farms in eastern Ukraine every year primarily to customers in Russian-allied Syria and Iran The Wall Street Journal estimates that Russia has earned at least $1 billion in profits from Ukrainian grain theft since the launch of the invasion in 2022.  The Yellow Ribbon resistance movement announced this on Telegram accompanied by members of the so-called "military prosecutor's office," are seizing tools and machinery without providing any documentation or compensation They justify the confiscations as necessary for "special military operation repairs." Those who resist face threats of searches and accusations of "discrediting the Russian army." Many locals fear reporting these actions to the occupation authorities Earlier reports said that Russian forces continued to seize civilian homes and mineral deposits in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories While citing and using any materials on the Internet links to the website ukrinform.net not lower than the first paragraph are mandatory citing the translated materials of foreign media outlets is possible only if there is a link to the website ukrinform.net and the website of a foreign media outlet Materials marked as "Advertisement" or with a disclaimer reading "The material has been posted in accordance with Part 3 of Article 9 of the Law of Ukraine "On Advertising" No 1996 and the Law of Ukraine "On the Media" No 2023 and on the basis of an agreement/invoice Online media entity; Media identifier - R40-01421 Inside it was the "deputy head" of the city's occupation administration This was reported by the Main Intelligence Directorate on Telegram the Renault Duster exploded at 06:05 near building 96 on East Avenue in occupied Berdyansk "Inside the car was the military criminal Bohdanov Yevhen Yuriyovych – a citizen of the aggressor state Russia who formally held the position of the so-called deputy head of the occupation administration of Berdyansk," the Main Intelligence Directorate report says overseeing finances in the occupation administration and organizing the construction of fortifications in the temporarily occupied areas of Zaporizhzhia region The Main Intelligence Directorate clarified that Bohdanov had repeatedly committed war crimes against Ukrainian citizens He arrived in Berdyansk immediately after the Russians occupied it in 2022 Bohdanov was appointed to the occupation administration by the Russian intelligence services Jasmine Laws is a US News Reporter at Newsweek based in London Her focus is reporting on health insurance Jasmine joined Newsweek in 2024 from News UK and had previously written for the Metro The Human Perspective magazine and The Express She has previously extensively covered stories within the U.K She was one of the nominees for Best News Piece at the U.K's Anti-Slavery Day 2023 Awards in Parliament She is a graduate of Durham University and completed her NCTJ at News Associates You can get in touch with Jasmine by emailing jasmine.laws@newsweek.com either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content A railway bridge in a Russian-occupied city in Ukraine has reportedly been sabotaged by Ukraine's military intelligence and pro-Kyiv resistance A source from the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine (GUR) told The Kyiv Independent on Monday that the bridge had been blown up in Berdiansk The bridge was reportedly between a Vodokanal utility company building and a car wash at Skhidnyi Avenue, the Ukrainian outlet reported. On Google maps a building named Berdyanskvodokanal on Skhidnyi Avenue is next to a car wash called Atlantida Images of the reported location, which the social media users said was part of the bridge targeted in the attack, were posted on X, formerly Twitter. It appears to be part of the bridge directly behind the car wash and utility building Newsweek was unable to find images of the bridge after the explosions and cannot confirm the claims Newsweek reached out to the Ukrainian and Russian Ministries of Defense via email for comment Sinoć se čula snažna eksplozija u okupiranom Berdyansku, posebno u naselju Koloniya. Preliminarna izvješća pokazuju da je u blizini zgrade Vodokanala dignut u zrak željeznički most. pic.twitter.com/6TGnCqzcC2 A post by the Berdyansk city military administration on Telegram on October 28 said that a loud explosion had been heard in the city and that it was believed the bridge had been blown up The administration added that it was "waiting for detailed information." A source told Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform that the bridge explosion had destroyed the railway line's connection with Berdiansk the source said that "it is impossible to deliver fuel and lubricants weapons and ammunition for the occupying forces in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian city." The source reportedly added that the Russian media has reported that all bridges are still intact but that no photos of the whole bridge have been shown Russian state media described reports of the bridge explosion as a "blatant disinformation campaign The Kyiv Post reported that the GUR's operations in occupied territories like Berdiansk were to damage strategic objects like bridges ammunition depots and supply bases of their opponent to undermine the Russian war effort Ukrainian authorities reported that Russia dropped a glide bomb on the landmark Derzhprom building in Kharkiv city center were also reportedly targeted by Russian drones killing four civilians and wounding 15 others Do you have a story Newsweek should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact LiveNews@newsweek.com Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsletters in your inbox See all This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page by Kateryna HodunovaThe car of Vasyl Nechet the Russian-installed head of occupied Berdiansk in Zaporizhzhia Oblast was burned to ashes in an explosion on Dec an advisor to the exiled mayor of Mariupol / Telegram)Vasyl Nechet acting head of the Berdiansk city military administration The cause of the explosion has not been reported, but Russian officials, their proxies, and collaborators have been routinely targeted in both occupied parts of Ukraine and inside Russia Kyiv does not typically comment on the attacks or claim responsibility Nechet's car exploded in a yard outside a house. As a result of the explosion, Nechet was hospitalized, according to the Telegram channel of the women's resistance movement Zla Mavka (Angry Mavka) The Kyiv Independent could not immediately verify the claims Before the occupation of Berdiansk, Nechet ran a house of culture. Later, he contributed to establishing the pro-Russian regime in the city, joined Russian President Vladimir Putin's ruling United Russia party and was appointed head of the occupation council Ukrainian authorities have accused Nechet of collaborationism Russia has occupied Berdiansk since early 2022. The city lies at the Azov Sea and serves as a key transport hub for occupying authorities, namely to ship out looted grain and other resources from occupied Ukraine Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy they (Russians) are using the ports of Mariupol and Berdiansk They’ve even enhanced their capacity they still use these ports for export purposes they illegally export Ukrainian grain and metal transferring it to foreign vessels at their official ports," Pletenchuk said The Russian invaders are also illegally using ports in Crimea for similar purposes "Sometimes foreign ships enter these ports," Pletenchuk added He emphasized that Ukraine's Navy is doing everything possible to hold the perpetrators accountable for their involvement in illegal trade both countries agreed on measures to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea preventing the use of commercial vessels for military purposes and deterring Russia from using force against civilian shipping by Martin FornusekPeople are seen by the sea in Berdiansk 2022 (Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) and the Ukrainian resistance sabotaged a railway bridge in the occupied city of Berdiansk a HUR source told the Kyiv Independent on Oct The bridge between the Vodokanal utility company building and a car wash at Skhidnyi Avenue was blown up after several explosions overnight The port city of Berdiansk in Zaporizhzhia Oblast has been occupied by Russia since early 2022 The city lies at the Azov Sea and serves as a key transport hub for occupying authorities, namely to ship out looted grain and other resources from occupied Ukraine A military intelligence source told Ukrinform that the bridge's destruction paralyzed Russia's railway connection with Berdiansk This allegedly prevents Moscow from supplying fuel and ammunition to its forces in the occupied city via railway Older satellite imagery of the railway bridge allegedly targeted by HUR and the Ukrainian resistance in Russian-occupied Berdiansk, Ukraine, on Oct. 28, 2024. (Google Maps)Explosions at the bridge were also reported by the exiled local authorities on Telegram "According to preliminary information, the railway bridge between the Vodokanal building and the car wash on Skhidnyi Avenue was blown up," the exiled Berdiansk city military administration said The Russian state media dismissed the reports as a "blatant disinformation campaign," connecting the blasts to exercises of Russian forces in the city and claiming that all bridges in Berdiansk stand intact Ukrinform's source refuted claims by the Russian media The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims as neither Ukraine nor Russia provided footage of the bridge after the supposed explosions Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies a gray Renault Duster exploded near the 96th house on Vostochnyi Avenue in the temporarily occupied Berdiansk burning to the ground; the russian occupation services arrived at the scene a citizen of the aggressor state of russia who formally held the position of the so-called deputy head of the occupation administration of Berdiansk The russian invader's responsibilities included controlling finances in the occupation administration and organizing the construction of fortifications in the temporarily occupied districts of the Zaporizhzhia region During his stay in the occupied Ukrainian territories Yevgeny Bogdanov repeatedly committed war crimes against Ukrainian citizens The war criminal was born on 11.08.1970 in Pikalovo He arrived in Berdiansk immediately after the aggressor state's troops captured the city in 2022 He was appointed to the occupation administration based on instructions from the russian special services Yana Suchikova is the vice-rector for research at Berdyansk State Pedagogical University in Ukraine Natalia Tsybuliak is an associate professor at Berdyansk State Pedagogical University in Ukraine After Berdiansk in eastern Ukraine was occupied by Russian forces in March 2022 living and working safely became nearly impossible especially for those unwilling to work under the Russian authorities Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-03428-9 This is an article from the Nature Careers Community, a place for Nature readers to share their professional experiences and advice. Guest posts are encouraged Tsybuliak, N., Kolomiiets, U., Lopatina, H., Popova, A. & Suchikova, Y. Preprint at Research Square https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4603070/v1 (2024) Download references The authors declare no competing interests. Want to supercharge your science? Turn to technicians How we call out the infuriating mistakes we spot in school science textbooks My fight to unlock cannabis and psychedelic drugs for use in medical research Star ecologist ‘blurred boundaries’ in lab — but colleagues criticize investigation Huge reproducibility project fails to validate dozens of biomedical studies HT is an interdisciplinary research institute, created and supported by the Italian government, whose aim is to develop innovative strategies to pr... UNIL is a leading international teaching and research institution, with over 5,000 employees and 17,000 students split between its Dorigny campus, ... Department of Energy and Environmental Materials, Suzhou Laboratory Lead bold science at ONJCRI. Shape strategy, drive impact, and advance cancer research in a leading translational institute. Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute We are seeking a tenure-track associate professor to promote interdisciplinary research in nanoprobe life sciences or related interdisciplinary field. Nano Life Science Institute, Kanazawa University An essential round-up of science news, opinion and analysis, delivered to your inbox every weekday. Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily. Lloyd's List is part of Maritime Intelligence This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Maritime Insights & Intelligence Limited, registered in England and Wales with company number 13831625 and address c/o Hackwood Secretaries Limited, One Silk Street, London EC2Y 8HQ, United Kingdom. Lloyd’s List Intelligence is a trading name of Maritime Insights & Intelligence Limited. Lloyd’s is the registered trademark of the Society Incorporated by the Lloyd’s Act 1871 by the name of Lloyd’s. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use. For high-quality copies or electronic reprints for distribution to colleagues or customers, please call UK support at +44 (0)20 3377 3996 / APAC support at +65 6508 2430 Berdiansk port was closed by the Ukrainian government after the city was seized by Russian troops in the early days of the 2022 incursion. The port has since been reopened and is in active use by the occupying administration A subscription is required to continue reading this content. Your username does not meet the requirements. Sorry - public email accounts are not allowed. Please provide a work email address. An account with that username already exists. Unfortunately we've not been able to process your registration. Please contact support. Your question has been successfully sent to the email address below and we will get back as soon as possible. my@email.address. All set! This article has been sent to my@email.address. Russia continues to use the Ukrainian ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk for the illegal export of Ukrainian grain and metal. Ukrainian Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk stated this on a television broadcast. "Regarding the ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk, unfortunately, they are using them. They have even carried out some work to enhance their capabilities, but once again, they are using them for export purposes. From there, they are illegally exporting Ukrainian grain and metal, transferring it to foreign vessels in their official ports," the spokesperson said. Pletenchuk added that Russia is also illegally using Crimean ports. "Sometimes ships enter those ports, and of course, Ukraine, including the Navy, is doing everything possible to hold those responsible accountable," he said. © 2024, odessa-journal.com | Created by WIBE [email protected] Former TV-Berdyansk presenter Yulia Vachenkova (occupied Berdyansk who has been working for the occupiers since 2022 spoke about her decision to collaborate with the Russians of the Russian propaganda show SolovievLIVE The show featured a clip of her song “Of You The 13-minute excerpt of Vachenkova’s speech was posted by the pro-Russian Telegram channel “Za!TV Zaporizhzhia region news” and was viewed by the Institute of Mass Information representative in Zaporizhzhia oblast Yulia Vachenkova speaking on the propaganda show SolvievLIVE Screenshot from the Telegram channel Za!TV by the IMI Vachenkova told propagandist Alexander Malkevich host of “Malkevich New Regions” on SolovievLIVE that she had no doubts about choosing a side in the conflict I come from the “DPR” (the part of Donetsk oblast occupied by Russia I sincerely hoped to the last moment that our entire television team would accept the current reality and continue their sincere and genuine journalistic work I simply couldn’t have done anything else And that’s why I do what I do at the moment,” the collaborator said She says she has been at the center of all events since the first days of the occupation and saw that the “real patriots” “were doing everything sincerely and truly.” Vachenkova is now a special correspondent for the pro-occupation media holding Za!Media founded and curated by the Russian propagandist Alexander Malkevich Vachenkova was also an educator at the Azov Pedagogical University (the Berdyansk Pedagogical University under Russian occupation is a deputy of the Russia-installed Berdyansk city government and a songwriter Vachenkova says she has also been a representative of Putin’s political initiative “Popular Front”, founded in Russia in 2011, since the first days of the occupation. In 2023, the occupiers created its official headquarters at the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Public Theater to simulate public activism for the locals glorifies the Russian occupiers murdering Ukrainian soldiers the idea to write this song came to her in 2022 when she was providing humanitarian aid to “our boys” It was produced in collaboration with the band ZOV whose members supported the Russian invaders from the first days of the occupation installing the Russian flag in the Berdyansk Palace of Culture Vachenkova’s song is called "a prayer for all of you boys from all of us girls." Vachenkova performs it in a jacket with a Z badge on the sleeve "how did it come down to the war calling my beloved," "who would have thought that war would come to our land," remembers "our boys blessed by the state" and says that "together we can do anything," with "we" meaning "our mother Vachenkova and ZOV have been singing Russian soldiers' praise since the start of the full-scale war Vachenkova and ZOV have been writing and performing songs in support of the Russian army releasing an entire album of such tracks in 2023 which propagandist Alexander Malkevich has been building in the Zaporizhzhia oblast TOT since 2022 Vachenkova also became an official and a local deputy with the party “United Russia” According to the pro-occupation media outlet ZOV Berdyansk Yulia Vachenkova's husband is an officer of a Russian special forces unit [email protected] (050) 447-70-63 Ідентифікатор медіа: R40-01250 Reprinting and disseminating our information is allowed but under strictly condition of reference to the source explosions have been heard in the temporarily occupied Berdiansk “Our drones have been attacking Berdiansk since 6 a.m Smoke from a large fire is visually visible above the port A large number of ambulances and firefighters are there,” he says the local Russian occupation authorities not only recognized the hit for the first time but also reported that the building of the Russian occupiers' administration in the city was attacked and the work of official budgetary bodies has been canceled,” Andriushchenko states was occupied by Russian troops during Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine into a place where a large number of resources Ukraine's Defense Forces continue to strike at Russian military targets in Berdiansk The Russians allegedly had air defense systems in operation In addition, the Ukrainian Defense Forces blew up a railway bridge in the temporarily occupied Berdiansk It was a special operation of the local resistance movement and the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine The Russian occupiers used this bridge to transport military cargo Explosions were heard near the port in Berdiansk on January 29. Local occupation authorities reported a drone attack and a fire, claiming it was successfully extinguished, according to the Berdiansk Military Administration "Explosions were heard near the port in Berdiansk," the statement reads residents observed drone activity and explosions in the port area "The statement from the gauleiter (occupation authorities - ed.) in the Zaporizhzhia region mentions at least three drones which were allegedly shot down," the Administration added a fire was reported on the territory of the port which was allegedly promptly localized without any consequences for the main activities of the enterprise Russian forces seized Berdiansk in Zaporizhzhia region in February 2022 the city has been used as a base to concentrate troops and equipment to support Russian military operations in Ukraine The city has frequently experienced explosions as Ukrainian defense forces have repeatedly targeted Russian facilities in Berdiansk a strike on the port was reported in November 2024 On October 31, explosions were also heard in Berdiansk It resulted in power outages and smoke rising over the port area Russian war criminal Yevgeny Bogdanov was killed in Berdyansk This was reported by the Main Intelligence Directorate a gray Renault Duster car exploded near house 96 on Vostochny Avenue in temporarily occupied Berdyansk and burned to the ground; Russian occupation services arrived at the scene Inside the car was the war criminal Bogdanov Evgeny Yuryevich who formally held the position of the so-called deputy head of the Berdyansk occupation administration The responsibilities of the Russian invader included control over finances in the occupation administration and organizing the construction of fortifications in the temporarily occupied areas of the Zaporizhzhia region Yevgeny Bogdanov During his stay in the occupied Ukrainian territories He arrived in Berdyansk immediately after the city was captured by the troops of the aggressor state in 2022 He was appointed to the occupation administration on the instructions of the Russian special services The most important from online.ua in your mail By staying online, you consent to the use of cookies files which help us make your stay here even better  Based on your browser and language settings you might prefer the English version of our website An explosion occurred in Berdyansk overnight Preliminary reports indicate that the "strike" was recorded at the port according to the Berdyansk City Military Administration and the Telegram channel of Mariupol Mayor's advisor "It's loud in the port area," the city council stated According to the City Military Administration (CMA) residents of Berdyansk heard a loud explosion at approximately 11:40 PM "Preliminary reports indicate a strike on the port," the administration noted the explosion occurred around 11:38 PM in the port area there was visible glow and signs of a fire "The occupiers have not commented on the explosion The Russian Ministry of Defense reported shooting down a UAV over Crimea overnight No information was provided regarding an attack or UAV downing in the Berdyansk area," said the mayor's advisor is located on the coast of the Sea of Azov During Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 The occupiers turned the town into a cluster of military sites which is used for exporting stolen grain and products from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine Ukrainian defense forces regularly strike Berdyansk. The port is frequently targeted as well. For example, on October 31, explosions rocked Berdyansk, and the city was attacked by drones, causing power outages and smoke rising over the port. Explosions also occurred in Berdyansk on October 12, where Russian air defense systems were reportedly active. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. The railway bridge in temporarily occupied Berdyansk was blown up thanks to a special operation by the local resistance movement and the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. This bridge was used by the Russian army for transporting military cargo, according to an informed source. Local residents reported several powerful explosions on social media on the evening of October 27. "As a result of successful sabotage actions, the railway viaduct (bridge) located between the Vodokanal (water channel) building and the car wash on Skhidnyi Avenue was blown up," the source stated. According to the source, the destruction of the bridge completely paralyzed rail traffic to Berdyansk, resulting in the inability to transport fuel, lubricants, weapons, and ammunition for the occupying forces in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian city. "And although local occupation resources and propagandists claim that 'all the bridges are intact,' they show no photos of the supposedly intact bridge," the source added. Russian troops captured Berdyansk in February 2022. Since then, a partisan resistance movement against the Russian invaders has been actively operating in the city. In just the last month, there have been reports of such actions. In particular, in early October, the traitorous judge Vitalii Lomeiko was eliminated in Berdiansk while he was in a blown-up car. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved The employees of the SBI detained and served a notification of suspicion to an operative officer of the state institution «Berdyansk Correctional Colony (№77)» who participated in the systematic torture of prisoners that the extortions and tortures in the penitentiary institution were carried out during 2016-2020 The leadership implemented the whole procedure for torturing convicts in the colony and extorting money from them and their relatives each of the convicts went through a tough admission procedure during which they were subjected to sophisticated types of tortures the main purpose of which was to break the will of the person and force to unquestioningly follow any instructions the convict fell into the hands of other convicts that were selected in advance by the administration of the institution who had agreed to participate in the criminal organization and had been determined to be the perpetrators of illegal actions The convicts were subjected to the numerous tortures on the daily basis during the first 14 days of their stay in the quarantine and distribution section They were beaten with a plastic or wooden stick on the feet fists in the area of the vertebrae of the neck beaten with the stick on the gluteal region beating off the phalanges of the fingers with the plastic or wooden sticks and fungal infections were brought under the nails with the contaminated sewing needle They also used binding and immobilization of a person for a long time standing in one position for several hours unreasonably mopping of the floor during the whole daylight hours the victims were offered to call their relatives and ask them to transfer funds to the card the amounts of which ranged from one to hundred thousand hryvnias depending on the financial situation of the relatives the victims and their relatives were forced to comply with the demands of the torturers and send money The collected funds were sent monthly to the penitentiary institution in parcels for specific convicts then were withdrawn from them and handed over to the leaders of the criminal organization The detained operative officer was served a notification of suspicion of participation in a criminal organization and torture under Part 1 of Article 255 (as amended by Law № 671-IX of 04.06.2020) Part 2 of Article 127 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine The sanctions of the Articles provide for imprisonment for up to 12 years indictments have already been sent to the court against the former head of the state institution «Berdyansk Correctional Colony № 77 » and his first deputy as well as 7 convicts who voluntarily agreed to become participants in a criminal organization and perpetrators of torture and extortion Procedural guidance is provided by the Office of the Prosecutor General Report corruption in the DBR Submit an appeal Fuel oil spilled after a Russian tanker accident in the Kerch Strait has reached the Ukrainian shores of the Azov Sea Satellite images captured an oil slick near occupied Berdiansk A 300-square-kilometer oil slick has been recorded in the Azov Sea Russia reported pollution along more than 14 kilometers of the Berdiansk coast the fuel oil will likely drift further toward Mariupol," the statement reads The Center for Investigative Journalism reported that as of January 11 the slick was located 10 km south of the Berdiansk Spit stretching nearly 100 km along the Bilosarayska Spit There is also a possibility of the oil drifting westward toward the Arabat Spit Satellite images from Sentinel-2 showed the slick reaching the Berdiansk Spit on January 10 occupation authorities in the Zaporizhzhia region confirmed a fuel oil spill in Berdiansk and a small contamination site on the Peresyp Spit Photo: satellite image of the Azov coast near Berdiansk (investigator.org.ua) Russia’s data on shoreline pollution may be understated It is likely that more fuel oil spills should be expected in the northern Azov region in the near future two Russian tankers were damaged in a severe storm in the Kerch Strait the oil slicks were located on the Russian coast but eventually they began to approach the coast of the occupied territories of Ukraine Greenpeace Ukraine estimates that about 4,300 tons of fuel oil have been spilled into the sea Russia is still unable to eliminate the consequences Read more in the material by RBC-Ukraine 13 new pollution sites were discovered in the occupied Crimea in Kerch The Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine Svitlana Hrynchuk said that there is no threat to the Odesa coast so far the spill has already killed more than 15,000 birds and 30 dolphins in the Black Sea ecosystem The coastal city would be preparing for the tourist season and you can be killed for refusing to give a soldier your phone The journey from the relatively safe west of the country to the capital reveals destruction Russia attacked Ukrainian cities with missiles including on a military unit in the southern Ukrainian port city of Berdyansk The first rockets killed two Ukrainian soldiers and wounded six is located on the coast of the Sea of Azov and lies between the Russian-controlled areas of Donbass and Crimea Russia has long wanted to create a land corridor between these territories in order to improve the supply of goods and troops That is why Russian soldiers were very quick to appear in Berdyansk cautiously watching from the windows as armoured personnel carriers and the armed infantry that accompanied them move through the streets The Russian military combed the whole city in search of Ukrainian soldiers and provisions Some went into the yards of civilians and asked for food There have never been any of the Nazis or fascists which Russian propaganda talks about in Berdyansk the city's residents would be busy preparing for the upcoming tourist season the inhabitants of Berdyansk considered their only enemies to be the jellyfish and mosquitoes that scare away holidaymakers And now the Russians can kill a Ukrainian for refusing to give them his phone so that they can call home Such an incident occurred on the very first day of the occupation "Russians have brute force on their side." The first thing the Russians did after capturing the city was to occupy the TV tower and turn off all broadcasts the local Point internet provider stopped working To access objective information and not be left in an information vacuum residents turned en masse to a 4G mobile operator Prices for starter packages for this service jumped from 80-90 to 500-1000 hryvnias (from 2.5-3 to 16-31 US dollars) In the first days after the Russians captured the city Due to problems with the gas supply and lack of flour and yeast Around 20 or 30 rolls were brought into the stores 30 tonnes of flour for the bakery were delivered to the city Other products began to run out rapidly due to the occupation and prices for scarce goods increased significantly which in peacetime cost an average of 28 hryvnias is now sold for 100-150 hryvnias (from one to 3.5 dollars) is difficult to find sugar and you will have to stand in a line of several hundred people Russians prepare hot meals located in kindergartens where about 7,000 people can eat daily Shops are refusing to accept payment cards and almost all ATMs do not work Huge queues line up in front of those three or four that are still giving out cash It is better to get in the queue in the early morning people write their numbers in line on their hands Those who arrive around 9am can count on being 500th in line The banks announced they would stop working next week The Russians say that soon the hryvnia in the city will be replaced by the Russian rouble the Russians introduced a 7pm to 4am curfew in the city employees of the Ukrainian executive committee of the local council created an operational headquarters this was located in the building of the local administration But the Russian military drove out the local government occupied the main building themselves and posted guards in front of it The Russians also seized the buildings of the prosecutor's office Local officials are forced to work from the building of the children's art centre The Russians appointed a little-known local collaborator as head of the city Now he publishes his messages on the Berdyansk ZaVtra (Berdyansk Tomorrow) Telegram channel Ukrainian officials write in the Berdyansk Seychas (Berdyansk Now) Telegram channel But Russians have brute force on their side Berdyansk was an outpost of the Ukrainian Cossacks many residents remain Ukrainian patriots even under occupation The most activist residents of openly expressed their pro-Ukrainian position in the early days Every day they went to the central square with Ukrainian flags and chanted “Berdyansk is Ukraine!” “Home!” and “Russian warship But soon the Russians began to detain the most vocal people and take them away to an unknown destination The occupiers led someone out of the cafe at gunpoint in the middle of the day; they came straight to other peoples’ homes video messages were released from those abducted stating that they had no problems with the Russian authorities and asking others to stop holding patriotic protests Berdyansk has become a filter city for the inhabitants of Mariupol which has been besieged and almost destroyed by the Russians People who were lucky enough to get out have to make a difficult choice in Berdyansk: to try to move further into the territory controlled by Ukraine about 6,000 people arrived in Berdyansk from Mariupol Most have moved on to the Ukrainian-controlled territories but some remain in the city or are trying to leave for Russia or other Russian-occupied regions Mariupol residents told locals in Berdyansk about the horrors of life under blockade: about many days of living in basements about escaping the city by car and on foot with babies in their arms These terrible stories made many Berdyansk residents reconsider whether to remain under occupation The morning of March 24 provided a ray of hope a Ukrainian missile hit Russian warships in the Berdyansk port This means that the Ukrainians had not forgotten about their citizens in the southern city who are still waiting for liberation from their supposed Russian liberators Journalists need training and support to properly cover war crimes trials Activists warn that vulnerable domestic workers risk abuse often returning with serious health conditions sacrifice and luck secured a vital early win in the south-eastern campaign Some women face Adana's male-dominated traffic chaos for a living Recent murder highlights widespread discrimination and violence against LGBTI people Open source intelligence (OSINT) can provide facts – but impatient Tel +44 (0)20 7831 1030 Tel +1 202 393 5641 IWPR is registered as a charity in the United Kingdom (charity reg no: 2744185); in the United States as a not-for-profit organisation with tax-exempt status under IRS section 501(c)(3); and as a charitable foundation in The Netherlands The opinions expressed on iwpr.net are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Institute for War & Peace Reporting Site design by IWPR. Developed by AG Prime Home page » Topics » War » Ukrainian Cities Awaiting Liberation from Russian Occupation: Berdiansk and Melitopol Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and Russia’s plan to quickly seize the entire country failed Its focus then shifted to specific cities in the east and south of Ukraine where it embarked on a campaign of systematically destroying infrastructure in order to create fear among the local population Berdiansk is a resort town in southeast Ukraine and a sandy spit adorned with the Lower Berdiansk lighthouse the sea and the tang of salt are interwoven into the very fabric of every resident’s identity breathe in the fresh air and stroll along the sandy spit Observing ships as they entered the port was a customary common experience for each inhabitant of Berdiansk tirelessly unloaded and replenished the immense cargo holds of these vessels The Berdiansk seaport welcomed thousands of ships managing a cargo volume exceeding four million tons annually Berdiansk’s origins trace back to settlements that emerged in the mid-16th century. The initial inhabitants were Zaporizhian Kozaks who established an outpost and the settlement of Zaporizhzhia Sich (historical and cultural complex related to the semi-autonomous Kozak settlements — ed.) The city’s history began with the opening of the pier on July 1 after which the settlement was named Novo-Nogaysk the construction of the port was completed and in 1838 the Lower Berdiansk lighthouse was built to improve shipping safety Berdiansk became one of the most important trade centres in the Azov region the city also became an important centre of Ukrainian culture Berdiansk was actively involved in Stalin’s industrialization Berdiansk was recognized as one of the best seaside resorts in Ukraine The city is well-connected by road and rail making it accessible from other parts of Ukraine The warm sea and shallow water used to provide ideal conditions for family activities it would attract up to 1.5 million tourists Lighthouses play a crucial role in ensuring their destinations safely The risk of running aground in the Sea of Azov is considerable poses the highest danger across the entire Azov region narrowing toward the middle and widening again to the southwest Two operational lighthouses exist within the city: the Upper Lighthouse and the Lower Lighthouse guides ships entering Berdiansk Bay en route to the port the Upper Lighthouse utilised kerosene lamps and a Fresnel system apparatus as its light source the lighthouse underwent extensive modernization transitioning from kerosene to electric illumination and eventually incorporating a radio beacon Positioned at a more distant location on the edge of Berdiansk Bay the Lower Lighthouse served as a guide towards the bay itself The lighthouse dates back to 1838 when a 23-metre-high stone structure was erected on the orders of Count Vorontsov painted in white and adorned with an orange stripe was designed for clear visibility from the sea which was replaced with electric lamps three decades later The Floodplain of the Berda River Reserve is designated as a site of national importance It operates under a specific regimen to safeguard propagate and manage its natural resources This reserve encompasses an exceptional and intact natural habitat which stands resilient amidst the altered environment of the Northern Azov region a selection of protected plant species flourish alongside plant communities that are representative of the Steppe zone notably characterized by a preponderance of hemlock The reserve is also home to diverse wildlife and supports bird nesting and fish spawning habitats The Berdiansk kenasa is an architectural marvel in the town Erected in 1899 upon the foundation of its predecessor this building is of historical significance it ranks among the most intriguing constructions within the city The interior embellishments and ornate details of this temple were brought to life through the contributions of the local Karaites Berdiansk’s population included 141 Karaites a new building emerged on the grounds of its predecessor Since the beginning of the occupation in late February 2022 Berdiansk has been under the control of Russian troops Residents of Berdiansk were not happy with the invaders they demonstrated resistance and tried to preserve their identity singing the Ukrainian national anthem and expressing their support for their motherland Photo: Telegram channel “Pravda_Gerashchenko” The people of Berdiansk are still not giving up and through their actions they show that resistance to tyranny and occupation does not depend on age or time and work to preserve their city until the day Berdiansk regains its freedom Melitopol (from the Greek word meaning “honey city”) is a city in the south of Ukraine located near the Molochny estuary and the coast of the Sea of ​​Azov Every Ukrainian knows the taste of Melitopol’s sweet cherries this city’s charm is not limited to its delectable honey-infused fruits Melitopol boasts a welcoming and diverse community comprising 105 different nationalities Catholics andMennonites form a tapestry of unity These people’s strength lies in their unity a visionary who ignited the Ukrainian national ethos over a century ago Even in the face of a comprehensive invasion the resolute spirit of Melitopol’s residents is unwavering The Scythians once inhabited the steppes of this territory The city’s outskirts are marked by numerous mounds which revealed two Scythian burials from the 4th century B.C Over 3,500 gold ornaments were discovered in these ancient tombs including a golden embellishment adorning a quiver intricately depicting scenes from ancient Greek mythology the Sarmatian-Alan burial from the 4th century BC in Kyziyarska Balka and a resplendent golden diadem adorned with precious gems The city’s historical record traces back to 1769 marking the establishment of a redoubt where Zaporizhzhia Kozaks served the settlement struggled with water shortages rendering the Melitopol land scarcely habitable until the late 19th century Near Melitopol lies an extraordinary relic of ancient culture known as the Stone Tomb This enigmatic site captivates not only scholars but also curious travellers a sacred altar for millennia where pagan rituals were enacted boasts an extensive collection of ancient rock depictions called petroglyphs Spanning a vast timeframe from the late Paleolithic era to the Middle Ages (around 24,000 BC to the 10th-13th centuries) the chronology of these petroglyphs renders this monument unparalleled The Stone Tomb is a natural formation towering up to 12 metres and covers across 1.6 hectares Approximately 3,000 slabs are meticulously arranged within this expanse forming a deliberate configuration resembling a broken stone shell The caves and grottoes created by this arrangement have facilitated convenient spaces for ceremonial practices Etched onto these slabs are drawings executed not with paint but through the meticulous rubbing of stones these abrasions were adorned with mineral-based black and red pigments adding further depth to the ancient artwork The Melitopol Regional History Museum stood as a treasury of heritage before the 2022 Russian invasion More than 60,000 artifacts were stored there The museum was home to an unparalleled assortment including a rare assemblage of Scythian gold dating back to the 4th century BC This exceptional collection had been discovered through exploring the Melitopol barrow the museum fell victim to the pillaging hands of the invading Russian forces An irreplaceable array of historical and cultural treasures were stolen from the Melitopol Regional History Museum preliminary information suggests that this included the collection of Scythian gold The church’s origins trace back to a poignant past beginning with the Nogai people’s displacement from their ancestral lands under the looming presence of Russian firearms in 1863 This forced migration led them to the southern lands of Ukraine It wasn’t until 1870 that the Orthodox community of Tykhonivka established a wooden place of worship upon a sturdy stone foundation dedicated to the Archangel Michael Despite the growth of the community throughout the early 20th century they continued to occupy the confines of their original modest wooden structure Much like its predecessor,it was dedicated to the Archangel Michael Protest action against Russia's invasion of Ukraine in March 2022 the inhabitants of Melitopol were jolted awake by resounding explosions the city found itself in the ominous presence of Russian tanks The townspeople swiftly rallied for mass protests against the encroaching occupation forces in a remarkable display of unity and resilience They took to the streets dressed in Ukrainian flags and exuberantly voicing patriotic slogans Residents attached cautionary leaflets to the windshields of Russian military vehicles vehemently demanding the immediate departure of the intruders The spirit of resistance burned brightly as Melitopol’s brave partisans tirelessly undermined the occupiers Melitopol stands as an emblem of Ukraine’s unwavering spirit in its steadfast defiance Editor-in-Chief of Ukraїner International: Involved in the preparation of the material 7 volunteers Project support: Fundacja Euromaidan-Warszawa Use of materials is only permitted upon providing the source: Ukrainer.net Дизайн — Артем Зубкевич Розробка — Deluxcode