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U.S. first lady Jill Biden paid a surprise visit to Ukraine and held
a Mother’s Day meeting with her Ukrainian counterpart, Olena
Zelenskyy.

Biden’s visit comes after recent trips to the country by House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as well as U.S. Secretary of State Antony
Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Her visit also comes as dozens are feared dead after reports that a
school in the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine has been hit by
Russian shelling. Luhansk is one of the two regions that make up the
Donbas, where Russian troops are now concentrating their efforts.

Meanwhile, the last women, children and elderly people have been
evacuated from the Azovstal steel plant, the final holdout for
Ukrainians in the besieged port city of Mariupol, according to
Ukraine’s deputy prime minister.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented Ukraine’s famous mine
sniffing dog Patron and his owner with a medal to recognize their
dedicated service since Russia’s invasion.

The pint-size Jack Russell terrier has been credited with detecting
more than 200 explosives and preventing their detonation since the
start of the war on Feb. 24, quickly becoming a canine symbol of
Ukrainian patriotism.

Zelenskyy made the award at a news conference in Kyiv with Canadian
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Patron barked and wagged his tail,
prompting laughter from the audience. Trudeau patted his pockets as
though looking for a dog treat.

“Today, I want to award those Ukrainian heroes who are already
clearing our land of mines. And together with our heroes, a
wonderful little sapper - Patron - who helps not only to neutralize
explosives, but also to teach our children the necessary safety
rules in areas where there is a mine threat,” Zelenskyy said in a
statement after the ceremony.

The award also went to Patron’s owner, a major in the Civil
Protection Service, Myhailo Iliev.

— Reuters

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/08/russia-ukraine-live-updates.html

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