Russia also said it struck areas around Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro west of the Donbas with missiles. In Mariupol, the now-devastated port city in the Donbas, Ukrainian troops said the Russian military dropped heavy bombs to flatten what was left of a sprawling steel plant and hit a hospital where hundreds were staying. Military experts said the Russians' goal is to encircle Ukrainian troops from the north, south and east. It would also free up Russian troops to move elsewhere in the Donbas. There was no immediate response from the Ukrainian troops, but they have repeatedly vowed not to give up.

Source: Libya Today April 19, 2022 20:34 UTC