Russia invades Ukraine
Russian airstrike damages historic Ukrainian monastery
An airstrike damaged Ukraine's historic Holy Dormition Sviatogirsk Lavra, an Orthodox monastery in the Donetsk Oblast region of eastern Ukraine, the country's Parliament said on Telegram.
Several people were wounded and taken to a hospital in the eastern town of Sviatogirsk, while others were treated on site. No one was killed, the parliament statement said.
The blast, which went off around 10 p.m. local time Saturday, hit 50 meters away from a bridge connecting the right and left banks of the Siverskyi Donets River, near an entrance to the monastery.
The explosion damaged the monastery's temple windows and smashed windows and doors of a nearby hotel.
Some 520 refugees were seeking shelter in the monastery, including 200 children. There are around 10,000 refugees and locals in Sviatogirsk town, the statement said.
The monastery's bishop, Metropolitan Arseny, said there are no military units in Sviatogirsk and the attack was inflicted on a "peaceful city," and on one of Ukraine's holiest sites.
The Holy Dormition Sviatogirsk Lavra is a member of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. It dates back to as early as the year 1526 and houses relics of St. John the Hermit of Sviatohirsk.
Russia is attempting to envelop Ukrainian forces in the east and advance westward, says UK MOD
From CNN's Wayne Chang
Russian troops are attempting to “envelop” Ukrainian forces in the east of the country and “circumvent” the southern city of Mykolaiv as they advance from Crimea westwards toward Odessa, the Britain's Ministry of Defense said Sunday in its latest intelligence assessment.
“Russian forces are attempting to envelop Ukrainian forces in the east of the country as they advance from the direction of Kharkiv in the north and Mariupol in the south,” the ministry said.
“Russia is paying a high price for each advance as the Ukrainian Armed Forces continues to offer staunch resistance across the country."
Zelensky speaks with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett
From CNN's Hadas Gold in Jerusalem
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett spoke Saturday evening about ways to stop the fighting in Ukraine and Israeli's efforts to resolve the conflict, according to a statement by the Israeli Prime Minister's office.
The conversation between the two leaders lasted over an hour, Bennett's office said.
Following the call, Zelensky tweeted he spoke with Bennett about "Russian aggression and the prospects for peace talks" and asked for assistance in securing the release of the "captive mayor of Melitopol and local public figures."
Earlier, Israeli and Ukrainian officials denied reports that Bennett pressured Zelensky to accept Russia’s terms to end the war
