May 8, 2022: Russia-Ukraine news

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has honored the country's most famous dog, Patron, for his dedication.

Patron, a Jack Russell terrier mix, has become a national figure since the Russian invasion for his work with bomb disposal teams in the northern city of Chernihiv. He is credited with uncovering some 150 munitions as one of a team working for the State Emergency Service.

Zelensky presented Patron and his owner, Myhailo Iliev, with the state award "For Dedicated Service" at a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The Chernihiv demining team has used Canadian technology in its work.

At Sunday's ceremony, Trudeau appeared to search his pockets for treats -- but without success.

At previous media appearances, Patron appears to have been unimpressed by the attention his work has generated.

UN Crisis Coordinator for Ukraine and UN Assistant Secretary-General Amin Awad issued a statement in response to the bombing of a school serving as a shelter in Luhansk, saying the incident is “yet another stark reminder of the cruelty of this war.”

“Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be spared in times of war; these obligations under international humanitarian law are non-negotiable,” Awad said. “The sooner we seek a peaceful end to the war, the better for the people here in Ukraine and everywhere in the world.”

“UNICEF strongly condemns yet another attack on a school in Ukraine amid reports that civilians, including children, had sought shelter in the school’s bunker,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a statement Sunday. “We do not yet know how many children might have been killed or injured in the reported bombing, but we fear this attack has just added to the hundreds of children who have already lost their lives in this war.”

The International Committee for the Red Cross says that more than 170 civilians from Mariupol have arrived safely in the Ukrainian controlled city of Zaporizhzhia.

In a tweet late Sunday, the ICRC, said that "after weeks of living largely underground, over 170 civilians from Azovstal [steel plant] and Mariupol area have arrived in Zaporizhzhia."

It added: "This is the 3rd safe passage operation we’ve coordinated with @UN. We’re deeply relieved we could help more civilians get to a safer place."

It wasn't clear how many of the evacuees had been trapped at Azovstal.

Mariupol City Council said that a total of 173 people had been rescued from Azovstal and Mariupol.

It said "10 buses with Mariupol residents are already on the territory of free Ukraine."

"Thank you to all the heroic defenders of Azovstal for this. At the cost of three lives of our soldiers and six wounded, soldiers managed to get and remove civilians from the plant." t said.

"The Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Azov Regiment are not only defending themselves at the cost of their efforts but are also rescuing civilians," the Council said.

View the tweet from the ICRC here:

In a joint news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Sunday, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the reopening of the Canadian embassy in Kyiv. 

Trudeau also announced more military assistance for Ukraine would be given including drone cameras, satellite imagery, small arms, ammunition and funding for de-mining operations.

The Canadian prime minister also announced Canada will be removing trade tariffs on all Ukrainian imports coming to Canada for the next year. 

Trudeau’s comments came during a surprise weekend visit to Ukraine announced by his office Sunday morning.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin visited Mariupol Sunday, the most senior government official yet to set foot in the Ukrainian city after weeks of Russian bombardment.

On his Telegram channel, Khusnullin said "I visited the liberated territories of the DNR [Donetsk People's Republic] and LNR [Luhansk People's Republic]. I visited Mariupol, Volnovakha, Luhansk and other cities and chatted with the locals."

"In the regions, the restoration of peaceful life begins — a lot of work. We will help. In particular, it is necessary to carry out large-scale work to provide humanitarian assistance."

Video showed Khusnullin meeting with Denis Pushilin, the leader of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic. 

In response, Petro Andrushenko, an adviser to the elected Ukrainian mayor of Mariupol, said that Khusnullin had visited Mariupol's seaport.

US President Joe Biden met virtually with G7 leaders on Sunday and tweeted a photo of the call.

With a close examination of the tweeted G7 photo, you can also make out Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the frame with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. 

In a joint statement earlier Sunday, members of the G7 confirmed Zelensky participated in Sunday’s call, while Trudeau’s office confirmed that the Canadian PM was meeting with Zelensky in Ukraine.

The Group of 7 Leaders (G7), including US President Joe Biden, met virtually with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and reassured him that they will continue to provide military and economic assistance "to help Ukraine secure its free and democratic future" and will increase financial aid "in the coming weeks," according to a G7 Leaders' statement of the meeting passed along by the White House. 

Zelensky, according to the statement, told the leaders that Ukraine will continue to protect itself and that his "ultimate aim" is a complete Russian withdrawal from Ukraine.  

The G7 also pledged to "step up" short-term financial aid to Ukraine in the weeks ahead, as well as continue to develop options for the country's long-term reconstruction. 

The 17-point statement also announces that all G7 countries agree to phase out Russian oil in a "timely and orderly fashion," and that Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion brings "shame on Russia and the historic sacrifices of its people."

Here are more of the latest headlines from the Russia-Ukraine war:

The Group of 7 Leaders (G7), including US President Joe Biden, met virtually with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and reassured him that they will continue to provide military and economic assistance "to help Ukraine secure its free and democratic future" and will increase financial aid "in the coming weeks," according to a G7 Leaders' statement of the meeting passed along by the White House. 

Zelensky, according to the statement, told the leaders that Ukraine will continue to protect itself and that his "ultimate aim" is a complete Russian withdrawal from Ukraine.  

"[Zelensky] stated that Ukraine’s ultimate aim is to ensure full withdrawal of Russia’s military forces and equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine and to secure its ability to protect itself in the future and thanked G7 members for their support," the statement reads, continuing: "Ukraine remains committed to working closely with G7 members to support Ukraine’s macroeconomic stability in the face of the challenges posed by the full-scaled Russian invasion, massive destruction of critical infrastructure and disruption of traditional shipping routes for Ukrainian exports."

The G7 also pledged to "step up" short-term financial aid to Ukraine in the weeks ahead, as well as continue to develop options for the country's long-term reconstruction. 

"In the coming weeks, we will step up our collective short-term financial support to help Ukraine close financing gaps and deliver basic services to its people, while also developing options – working with the Ukrainian authorities and international financial institutions – to support long-term recovery and reconstruction," the statement reads. 

The seventeen point statement also announces that all G7 countries agree to phase out Russian oil in a "timely and orderly fashion," and that Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion brings "shame on Russia and the historic sacrifices of its people."

The US State Department on Sunday announced visa restrictions on more than 2,000 Russian and Belarusian military officials for violations related to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and a new visa restriction policy targeting Russian officials for human rights abuses, violations of international humanitarian law and corruption in Ukraine. 

The department also announced sanctions on eight Russian maritime-related companies, including the Russian Ministry of Defense’s shipping company for its involvement in Russia’s “illegal seizure and occupation of Ukraine,” and added 69 vessels to the US Treasury Department’s list of specially designated nationals and blocked persons.

It also sanctioned three Belarusian officials “for their involvement in a gross violation of human rights.”

According to a fact sheet from the State Department, they imposed “visa restrictions on 2,596 members of the Russian Federation military and 13 Belarusian military officials pursuant to a policy under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act that applies to those who are believed to have supported, been actively complicit in, or been responsible for ordering or otherwise directing or authorizing actions that threaten or violate the sovereignty, territorial integrity, or political independence of Ukraine.”

The newly created visa restriction, announced in the fact sheet, “applies to Russian Federation military officials and Russia-backed or Russia-installed purported authorities who are believed to have been involved in human rights abuses, violations of international humanitarian law, or public corruption in Ukraine, including in the so-called ‘Donetsk People’s Republic’ or ‘Luhansk People’s Republic.’”

“Family members of those who fall under the policy will also be ineligible for visas,” it said.