Russia-Ukraine LIVE: Turkey blocks Finland and Sweden's NATO bid

Russia says it told Sweden on Wednesday that its response to the Nordic nation joining NATO will be based on how the alliance deploys its military strength in the future. In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said officials met with Swedish Ambassador Malena Mard at her request and that she notified Moscow about Sweden’s NATO ambitions. The Foreign Ministry said it responded that “the choice of ways to ensure national security is the sovereign right of each state, but together with that, it should not create threats to the security of other countries.”
 

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a law on the extension of martial law in the country for the next 90 days. Notably, Martial law has been in force in Ukraine since February 24 after the Russian forces attacked the country.
 

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday labelled the war in Ukraine as a conflict between Moscow and the West as he accused the United States and the UK of “blocking” the peace deal talks by manipulating the Ukrainian delegation in Istanbul. Speaking at an educational forum in Moscow on May 17, Lavrov publicly accused the United States and the United Kingdom of “exerting influence” over the Ukrainian negotiators and hindering the talks to allegedly "prolong the ongoing war" to kill more Russian soldiers.

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Hours after Finland and Sweden submitted applications to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Alliance, several countries came in support of the Nordic countries. In the latest development, Germany praised both the nations for their decision to join the US-backed military alliance despite Russia's apparent threat. Reacting to the membership application submitted to NATO, the first Deputy Spokesperson for the German government, Christiane Hoffmann, said Berlin wants Sweden and Finland to join the alliance as soon as possible. 

A pro-government Turkish newspaper says Turkey has drawn up a list of 10 demands it will reportedly ask Sweden and Finland to meet before it can approve their NATO membership. The list published by Sabah newspaper on Wednesday calls on the two countries to stop any financial support to groups linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party as well as to Syrian Kurdish fighters whom Ankara views as extensions of the banned group. There are also demands that these countries halt contact with members of the Syrian Kurdish group.

Sabah said Turkey furthermore wants the two countries to “expedite” extradition proceedings for suspects wanted by Turkey on terror charges. The list also includes a demand that Sweden clamps down on what Sabah called a “disinformation” campaign against Turkey led by followers of Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara claims was behind a coup attempt in 2016. Many followers of the Gulen movement have fled to Sweden.

AP

The Ukrainian Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence has claimed that Russian armed forces have been "increasingly refusing" to carry out orders of the commands to conduct active offensive operations. The Ukraine's military intelligence has claimed that several units of the 70th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment have "already openly refused" to participate in the war, according to the statement released by the Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine's Defence Ministry. According to Ukraine, Russian forces have refused to participate in the war and demanded that they must be returned to their places of permanent deployment. 

A 21-year-old Russian soldier facing the first war crimes trial since Moscow invaded Ukraine pleaded guilty Wednesday to killing an unarmed civilian. Sgt. Vadim Shishimarin could get life in prison for shooting a 62-year-old Ukrainian man in the head through an open car window in the northeastern Sumy region on Feb. 28, four days into the invasion. Shishimarin, a captured member of a Russian tank unit, was prosecuted under a section of the Ukrainian criminal code that addresses the laws and customs of war.

The Czech Republic’s government has unanimously approved NATO membership for Finland and Sweden — just hours after the two countries submitted their requests. Prime Minister Petr Fiala said Wednesday he welcomes the Scandinavian nations’ decisions to join the alliance. He added that their militaries fully meet all necessary accession criteria. The accession protocol still needs to be ratified by both chambers of Czech Parliament, which is expected to happen soon. Fiala said he doesn’t anticipate any obstacles, as governing parties hold the majority in both chambers of parliament.

Hours after Finland and Sweden submitted applications to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Alliance, Turkey has blocked the US-backed military alliance's initial process, Financial Times reported on Wednesday. Earlier today, NATO Secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg indicated the process of approving the first stage of Finland and Sweden’s application would be completed within one or two weeks, however, Turkey's latest move, has made it nearly "impossible".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took to the microblogging site to applaud the support package announced by the EU on Wednesday. Earlier today, the President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen announced a relief package of € 9 billion to Ukraine. 

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, on Wednesday, met the new Ambassador of Ukraine, Volodymyr Tolkach and assured him to provide all possible aid to the war-ravaged country. He said that the Balkans country will take part in the reconstruction of Ukraine. While speaking with the newly appointed ambassador, he expressed regret over the current situation in Ukraine and informed him about the positions of the Serbian government and the National Security Council.
The Serbian President said that he always respects the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine as per the basic principles of international law contained in the Charter of the United Nations. 

AS Finland and Sweden submitted applications to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Alliance, Canadian Prime  Minister Justin Trudeau vowed to support both countries in the accession process. “Canada strongly supports Finland and Sweden’s decision to pursue NATO membership. As a close friend and security partner, Canada will support Finland and Sweden through the accession process, including against threats to their security, " as per the statement released by PM's office. “Canada will continue to support the principles that have kept the countries on both sides of the Atlantic safe, free, and prosperous for over 70 years," it added. 

Ukraine is waiting for Israel to change its stance on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, a senior advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Speaking to the Times of Israel, David Arakhamia, said that first and foremost, the war-torn country is waiting for the Jewish administration to lift the ban on the sale of weapons to Ukraine. He emphasised that Israeli Kamikaze drones are the best in the world and that Kyiv needs to procure them to resist Russian strikes.

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Nearly hours after the Russian Foreign Ministry expelled at least 34 French diplomats and staff, it expelled 24 Italian diplomats in a retaliatory move on Wednesday. In April, Italy expelled at least 30 Russian diplomats.

Russia on Wednesday expelled at least 34 employees of French diplomatic missions". The development came a month after the expulsion of Russian diplomats from France. "Thirty-four employees of French diplomatic missions in Russia have been declared persona non grata," Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement released on May 18.

The United States has mobilized about three times as much support for Ukraine as the European Union, according to figures compiled by a German think tank.

The Kiel Institute for the World Economy said Wednesday that a new aid package passed by the U.S. House of Representatives takes American military, financial and humanitarian support for Ukraine to almost 43 billion euros (over $45 billion) between Jan. 24 and May 10.

Nearly hours after the Nordic countries submitted their applications to join the NATO military alliance, the UK’s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, said he is looking forward to welcoming Finland and Sweden for taking a "historic step". "This is a historic day for our alliance & the world. Not long ago nobody would have predicted this step, but Putin’s appalling ambitions have transformed the geopolitical contours of our continent. I look forward to welcoming Finland & Sweden into the @NATO family very soon," he tweeted. 

The local governor and head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, Pavlo Kyrylenko accused Russian forces of using banned phosphorus bombs on Avdiivka based schools. According to him, the incident happened on Wednesday and added people inside managed to escape before the school was burned to the ground.

As Finland and Sweden submitted their application for NATO membership, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan urged NATO allies to respect and support Ankara's concerns about its security. "We see that there is no such attitude towards us," he said.
Erdogan said Ankara always supported all kinds of military alliances but stressed he could not support 'yes' to every proposal. Earlier today,  NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that Finland and Sweden have officially applied to join the world's biggest military alliance, a move driven by security concerns over Russia's war in Ukraine.

Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman said the Russian military was holding more than 3,000 civilians from Mariupol at another former penal colony near Olenivka in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. Seven buses carrying an unknown number of Ukrainian soldiers evacuated from the Mariupol steel plant were seen arriving Tuesday at former penal colony No. 120 near Olenivka. Ombudsman Lyudmyla Denisova said on Telegram earlier Tuesday that the civilians were being held at former penal colony No. 52, also near Olenivka.

The Russian Defence Ministry says that nearly 1,000 Ukrainian troops holed up in their last stronghold in Mariupol have handed themselves over. Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Wednesday that 694 Ukrainian soldiers at the Azovstal steel plant have surrendered over the past 24 hours. That brings the total of Ukrainian troops who have left the plant this week to 959.

Donetsk separatist leader Denis Pushilin said that the Azovstal plant would be demolished. This is the same plant where the Russian Defence Ministry claimed that 694 Ukrainian soldiers surrendered in the past 24 hours.

Russian Defence Ministry shared Wednesday footage of heavy artillery firing at Ukrainian positions. The Msta-S and Akatsia-M self-propelled howitzers were said to fire at the Ukrainian armour, strongholds, and command centres. Earlier the ministry posted a video of a Tor-M2U air defence missile system in action.

Russian Defence Ministry has been requested by the country's investigative committee to provide information on “the illegal actions of Ukrainian armed formations related to the use of civilian objects for military purposes”, said the Russian ministry of defence in the latest update issued on Telegram. Without producing evidence, the ministry claimed that “the Azov Battalion used the buildings of kindergartens and schools to equip barracks."

After the bodies of at least 410 civilians recovered from towns around Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, the demand to prosecute Russian President Vladimir Putin has increased globally. The same has been echoed by UK’s foreign secretary Liz Truss while speaking to Times Radio. She said the UK is open to the idea of an international criminal tribunal trying Putin and other Russian leaders over the war in Ukraine. 

Amid the relentless war, Russian forces shelled the Donetsk Oblast region at least 28 times in the past 24 hours, Kyiv Independent reported. The continuous shelling killed one person, injured 9-year-old children and destroyed 52 civilian buildings.

UK Defense Ministry's intelligence update: Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov's cousin, Adam Delimkhanov has been serving as a field commander in Mariupol.

Ukrainian State Emergency Services on Wednesday reported a colossal fire at Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. 16 firefighters and 4 fire units were deployed in the region. 

According to a report by Wall Street Journal, Poland and Sweden have asked the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) to deploy more forces in their territories to fend off Russian threats. 

Vadim Shishimarin, 21, will appear at Kyiv’s Solomyansky district court from 2:00 pm (1100 GMT), charged with war crimes and premeditated murder, over the death of a 62-year-old man in northeastern Ukraine on February 28.

The soldier from Irkutsk in Siberia faces a possible life sentence, The Guardian reported.

The UK’s Ministry of Defence highlighted that Russian troops in Ukraine are facing “significant resourcing problems”, which it says “is likely contributing to a disunited command which continues to hamper Russia’s operations”.

The UK’s foreign secretary, Elizabeth Truss said that Russian assets seized in Britain could be used to help pay for the reconstruction of Ukraine.

“We will, of course, work to make sure that Russia has to contribute to the rebuilding of Ukraine,” she added while speaking to the UK today, and Times Radio.

The State Emergency Service of Ukraine has issued their latest daily update saying that yesterday they neutralised 685 explosive devices on Ukrainian soil. They say that the total number of munitions dealt with since Russia’s latest invasion began on 24 February has reached 110,593 explosive devices.

 Ukrainian fighters extracted from the last bastion of resistance in Mariupol were taken to a former penal colony in enemy-controlled territory, and a top military official hoped they could be exchanged for Russian prisoners of war. But a Moscow lawmaker said they should be brought to “justice.”

The Russian parliament planned to take up a resolution Wednesday to prevent the exchange of Azov Regiment fighters, who held out for months inside the Azovstal steelworks plant while Mariupol was under siege, according to Russian news agencies.

Ukraine’s deputy defense minister, Hanna Maliar, said negotiations for the fighters’ release were ongoing, as were plans to rescue fighters who are still inside the sprawling steel mill. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said “the most influential international mediators are involved” in the plans. Officials have not said how many remain inside.

Associated Press

As Sweden and Finland move forward with their NATO membership bid despite frowns from Turkey, Germany urged the bloc to weigh Ankara's concerns. "It is important now to have intensive talks with Türkiye" on the issue said German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht on Tuesday, as quoted by TRT World. Lambrecht's concerns came a day after Turkish Prez Recep Tayyip Erdogan said "will not say 'yes' to those (countries) who impose sanctions on Turkey to join security organisation NATO."

According to the UN’s human rights agency, as of May 16, Russia’s war against Ukraine has killed at least 3,752 civilians and wounded at least 4,062 since February 24.

Finland, Sweden have officially applied to join the world’s biggest military alliance, said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. The step is said to be driven by security concerns in Europe over Russia’s war in Ukraine. The application will now be assessed by 30 members of the bloc, which might take two weeks. 

“I warmly welcome the requests by Finland and Sweden to join NATO. You are our closest partners,” Stoltenberg told reporters after a receiving their application letters from the two Nordic countries’ ambassadors.

European Union (EU) top diplomat Josep Borrell, on Tuesday, asserted that if statistics and reports are true, the Russian army has suffered “impressive losses” while invading Ukraine. With Kyiv putting forward unprecedented resistance, Putin’s forces pull all stops to salvage their so-called military operation. On Tuesday, Borrell asserted that it was a “world record” for any army to suffer as many losses as Russia. 

"I wouldn't dare to make a hypothesis about how long Russia can resist... If it is true that Russia has lost 15% of their troops since the beginning of the war, this is a world record of the losses of an army invading a country," the European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters after a meeting of the bloc's defence ministers. Notably, Borrell chaired a meeting of defence ministers from 26 member states on Tuesday wherein he discussed announcing new military aid worth another 500 million euros ($527m) for Zelenskyy’s troops. 

Admiral Makarov will replace the sunken Russian cruiser Moskva. According to Governor of Odesa, Maksym Marchenko, the Moskva ship was targeted by two Ukraine-launched R-360 Neptune anti-ship missiles and suffered damage. On the other hand, advisor to Ukraine Defence Minister, Yuri Sak was unable to confirm if the Russian vessel was in fact hit by Ukrainian forces. Meanwhile, Russia in its narrative had claimed that the ship sank due to an onboard fire after an ammunition explosion. 

Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson, Major Gen. Igor Konashenkov, said 265 "militants," including 51 seriously injured, were evacuated on Monday night. This came after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the negotiation process on evacuating the remnant soldiers continue. 

In a key show if support, US President Joe Biden is set to host Swedish PM Magdalena Andersson and Finland President Sauli Niinisto at the White House as both countries move forward with their membership application for NATO. The leaders will also discuss the security situation in Europe in the purview of the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

Russian former President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday said that Moscow is well-equipped to "give an immediate and overwhelmingly powerful response to an attack on our country." On his Telegram handle, the ex-Russian Prez wrote, "We can repulse any aggression which threatens our stat." Medvedev's post came following his visit to the nuclear research center in Sarov, where he spoke to scientists at the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Experimental Physics. 

A military helicopter flew over buses reportedly carrying Ukrainian service members who surrendered at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol and were driven away under the escort of pro-Russian forces on Tuesday.

In an attempt to rachet up measures against Moscow, Australia on Tuesday introduced new sanctions on the Russian government officials and Russian journalists. The list of people sanctioned includes Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency Director General Dmitry Kiselev, FSB First Deputy Director Sergey Korolyov, RT Managing Director Alexey Nikolov, and acting Emergencies Minister Alexander Chupriyan, according to a document by Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The list also included the Wagner private military company and two Belarusian enterprises, Sputnik reported. 

During his late-night address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, the border regions of Ukraine saw Russian “sabotage activity." He further slammed Russian troops for firing missiles at the western Lviv region and the Sumy and Chernihiv regions in the northeast and carrying out airstrikes in the eastern Luhansk region.

“All of this is not just creating tension for our state, is not just a test of our strength,” Zelenskyy said, adding that “This is kind of an attempt to compensate the Russian army for a series of failures in the east and south of our country.”

Ukrainian guerrilla fighters reportedly have killed several high-ranking Russian officers in the southern city of Melitopol, the regional administration said on Telegram. Russian forces have occupied the city since early in the war. According to the regional administration, the occupiers are trying to conceal the situation but Russian troops were more actively checking private cars in the city Tuesday, most likely looking for the guerrillas. No details of the killings were given and the report could not immediately be confirmed. Throughout the war, the Ukrainians have claimed to have killed many Russian generals and other officers. A few of the deaths have been confirmed by the Russians.

Associated Press

Scrapping decades of neutralism, Finland and Sweden are set to hand in their membership applications to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) today, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said during a joint conference in Stockholm. "This whole spring has been A triumph for democracy in Finland," Niinisto said. Meanwhile, Andersson urged Turkey to co-operate with the potential development in the international military bloc.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) claimed that the Kremlin may have agreed to a conditional surrender of the Azovstal defenders to hasten its ability to declare full control of #Mariupol. It may also be seeking to deflect criticism of the failed Siverskyi Donets River crossings and the overall slow pace of the invasion.

The United States President Joe Biden's administration is working with its European allies to develop routes that would ensure the transport of wheat and corn out of the war-torn country after Russia blocked the Ukrainian ships from departing with grain that is crucial for food supplies across the world, especially to Africa and the Middle East. At least two US diplomats and four European diplomats told CNN that there is no silver bullet to tackle the complicated channel pertaining to wheat and corn supplies. As per the report, the officials are considering a range of options to get the food exports safely either by rail, sea or air. Additionally, possible scenarios are also being studied and devised whether Russia consents to the same or not. 

The export of food would be one of the major focuses of United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken when he would convene a ministerial meeting on food security and chair a discussion on the matter at the United Nations (UN) in New York on Wednesday and Thursday, the diplomats reportedly revealed. One official, familiar with the discussions, told the US media outlet, “This is far from a done deal. There are so many moving pieces, so many things could go wrong with these discussions”.

Ever since Russia announced its ‘special’ military operation in Ukraine on February 24, the conflict sparked concerns about global food shortage, and urgency around the effort as prices for wheat, grain, corn, soybeans and vegetable oil have soared. According to the report, there is no simple solution available to the said problem as major obstacles cloud all modes of transport with the Russia-Ukraine war not showing any signs of de-escalation. 

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The largest aircraft leasing giant, AerCap Holdings, lost 113 planes to Russia in response to sanctions on Moscow in the wake of the Ukraine war. The company faced a net loss of $2 billion, rather than the $500 million profit it would have made in absence of the penalties, CNN reported. AerCap Holdings was able to recover 22 jets and three engines before they were seized by Russia.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) in its latest assessment said that despite foiled attacks, Russian forces have continued to make "limited advances" in east Ukraine, Donbass region. 

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has sent a 42-member war crime investigating team to Ukraine which is also the largest such deployment in its history to look into the possible war crimes committed during the Russia-Ukraine war. ICC Prosecutor Karim AA Khan confirmed on Monday that his office has deployed the team which includes investigators, forensic experts and support personnel to Ukraine to advance the probe into the crimes that fall into ICC’s jurisdiction and provide support to Ukrainian national authorities. 

Against the backdrop of the burgeoning Russian war in Ukraine, the 75th Cannes Film Festival opened on Tuesday with a keynote address by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In a veiled jibe at his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, Zelenskyy in his virtual address quoted Charlie Chaplin's final speech from the epic 1940s movie -- The Great Dictator. "The hate of men will pass and dictators die, and the power they took from people will return to the people," Zelenskyy said, further urging filmmakers to celebrate satire on fascism.  

"It is necessary for cinema not to be silent... It is necessary for cinematography not to be dumb. We need a new Chaplin who will demonstrate that the cinema of our time is not silent..." the embattled Ukrainian President said while speaking to the audience gathered for the premiere of Michel Hazanavicius' zombie comedy Final Cut.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signs a decree creating a commission to analyze the damage caused by Russia's aggression in Ukraine. The purpose of the commission is to provide full compensation for the damages caused to Ukraine and the formulation of measures for the postwar rehabilitation of the state.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has received confirmation from French President Emmanuel Macron that Ukraine's application for EU membership will be examined at a European Council meeting in June.

While talking to Zelenskyy, Macron also inquired about the situation in Mariupol as people are being evacuated from the Azovstal plant, as well as Ukraine's needs and confirmed his firm commitment to responding to all requests for assistance from Ukraine, including defence technology, fuel, humanitarian aid, economic and financial assistance.

US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that Ukraine must decide for itself how to end the war waged by Russia, while the US is doing all necessary to help Ukrainians achieve their objectives. Price further said that their Ukrainian partners must decide how they want to end this crisis, adding that the US wants the 83 days of violence and murder to end.

Price reiterated that the US's role was to assist Ukraine in all relevant ways in order to boost Ukraine's negotiation position and help it accomplish its objectives.

US peace activist and coordinator of the Odessa Solidarity Campaign Phil Wilayto said that the decision by the governments of Finland and Sweden to apply for NATO membership has put their citizens at risk, adding to regional instability. Wilayto further stated that the governments of Sweden and Finland's plans to join NATO are a "major step back for international peace and European stability."

Mikhail Mizintsev, the head of Russia's National Defense Management Center stated that almost 18,000 individuals were evacuated from dangerous areas in Ukraine, as well as the Lugansk and Donetsk People's Republics, to Russia.

He said that despite the challenges and hurdles posed by Kyiv, a total of 17,733 people, including 1,797 children, were evacuated to Russia from dangerous zones in various Ukrainian areas, as well as the Lugansk and Donetsk People's Republics.

Since Russia's all-out war began, the WHO has documented 226 attacks on Ukrainian medical facilities. WHO Regional Director Hans Kluge stated that since February 24, there have been 226 attacks on Ukrainian medical facilities with almost three attacks every day. He also claimed that at least 75 people have been killed and another 59 have been injured.

US State Department announced that the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will not hold talks right now. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that there is currently no reason to believe that such discussions will be fruitful.

Price went on to say that in the current context, the Russian side has given no reason to expect that a conversation at this level between Secretary of State Blinken and Foreign Minister Lavrov would be beneficial. He further said that Washington is "ready to pick up the phone" if it believes such a dialogue will yield favourable outcomes.

At a meeting on May 17, Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers passed a resolution to seek a soft loan from the Credit Institute for Reconstruction (KfW), a German state-owned investment and development bank, for up to EUR 150 million.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stated that Germany will provide Ukraine with an additional EUR 150 million in financial aid, bringing the total amount of such assistance to EUR 300 million. These monies will be used to help Ukrainians in need and reconstruct key infrastructure as quickly as possible.

As part of its ongoing sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine, Canada introduced a measure in the Senate on Tuesday that will ban Russian President Vladimir Putin and 1,000 other members of his government and military from entering the country.

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino stated that banning close friends and major supporters of Putin's regime from entering the country, including those guilty for this unprovoked action, is one of the numerous ways they hold Russia accountable for its crimes.

Since Russia launched a "special military operation" in Ukraine in February, Canada, along with other Western partners has imposed a series of sanctions against the Russian Federation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated during the 75th Cannes Film Festival opening ceremony that the Russian military wants to be better Nazis than Hitler.

Talking about the war, Zelenskyy said that it began at 4 am on February 24, when they heard the first rocket explosions. He further said that they all want to be the better Nazis than Hitler. He claimed that every week, mass graves of dead and tortured people are discovered in areas where Russian troops have been or are stationed, stating that the Russian forces have killed 229 children.

The Czech government intends to extend the state of emergency caused by the flood of Ukrainian refugees for another month, until June 30. The government's proposal has yet to be approved by the House of Representatives. It enables the government to conduct far-reaching refugee crisis actions without parliamentary consent.

Czech Prime Minister Peter Fiala stated that they have been able to deal with the unprecedented surge of refugees so far. However, in order to continue to manage the situation, they have agreed that they will need to ask the Chamber of Deputies to prolong the state of emergency for another thirty days.

The besieged city of Mariupol is threatened by an outbreak of cholera, which is a bacterial disease usually spread through contaminated water, as per the reports. The World Health Organization (WHO) is prepared for a potential cholera outbreak in the occupied region.

At a press conference at the Ukraine Media Center, WHO Incident Manager in Ukraine, Dr Dorit Nitsan stated that many pipelines have been broken, and they heard from the local partners, non-governmental organizations that work around the clock, that there's a swamp on the streets, with sewage and drinking water mixed together, which could be the origin of cholera

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a phone conversation with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron where he discussed the situation in Ukraine. Zelenskyy stated that they talked about the hostilities in the country as well as the operation to rescue the soldiers from Azovstal and the outlook for the peace process. He also claimed that the subject of Ukraine's fuel supplies was brought up.

Ukrainian President went on to say that they also addressed French defence assistance, the upcoming 6th package of sanctions against Russia, and potential export routes for Ukrainian agricultural exports. He said that their application for the status of a candidate for EU membership was discussed in depth.

Mariupol City Council suggests that Russian authorities may hand over control of the besieged city of Mariupol to security forces controlled by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.

The City Council stated that in Mariupol today, a "high" Chechen delegation was present and that the Kadyrovites may be able to take control of the city. It stated that the Russians intend to hold the insurgent city in this manner and the fact that the inhabitants did not attend the May 9 celebration simply confirmed the maximum disloyalty to the occupying power.

US Treasury sources suggest that the US is discussing with the European Union measures to reduce the spike in global energy prices projected as a result of the European Union's embargo on Russian oil imports. The sources stated that one of the options being considered is imposing tariffs on energy imports from Russia, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The US recommends that the EU consider forming a buyer cartel, which would deny Russia the benefits of market expansion while allowing purchasers from Europe and other areas to maintain steady oil prices.

On Tuesday, the US State Department announced the initiation of a new program to gather and analyze evidence of Russian war crimes and other atrocities in Ukraine. The so-called "Conflict Observatory," will document, verify, and disseminate open source proof of Russian forces' atrocities in Ukraine.

Ukrainian soldiers who were at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol will be questioned by Russian Interior Ministry investigators.

The Russian Federation announced that as part of an inquiry into criminal cases of crimes committed by the Ukrainian regime against the civilian population of Donbas, investigators from the Russian Interior Ministry will question militants who surrendered and were at the Azovstal factory in Mariupol.

Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson announced on Tuesday that Sweden and Finland will submit their respective NATO membership bids on Wednesday. She said at a joint press conference in Stockholm with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto that they have agreed to go through this full process hand in hand in Sweden and Finland and that they will file the application together tomorrow.

The head of EU diplomacy Josep Borrell stated that the chiefs of the EU Defence Ministry met with Ukraine's Minister of Defense, Oleksiy Reznikov on Tuesday to discuss the Ukrainian army's defence needs and that the EU Defence Ministers continue their military support for Ukraine. He said that Oleksiy Reznikov addressed the situation in Ukraine and discussed the requirements of the Ukrainian military. He further stated that their assistance has an impact on the battlefield and the Ukrainian army's capabilities and that these initiatives must be supported, and resources and stockpiles must be replenished.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has thrown a spanner in the works of Sweden and Finland’s historic decisions to seek NATO membership, declaring that he cannot allow them to join due to their alleged support of Kurdish militants and other groups that Ankara says threaten its national security.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has voiced confidence that the alliance will move to admit Sweden and Finland swiftly. But Erdogan's declaration suggests that the two Nordic countries’ path to membership could be anything but smooth.

Turkey’s approval is crucial because the military alliance makes its decisions by consensus. Any of its 30 member countries can veto a new member.

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the NATO military alliance of using Sweden and Finland territories for expanding eastward. While speaking at the educational marathon conference New Horizons organized by the Russian Znanie (Knowledge) society on Tuesday, Lavrov said he found nothing new in both countries seeking NATO membership. As per Lavrov, Finland, Sweden and other neutral countries have for years participated in NATO’s military exercises and now the Intergovernmental organization will use their territories for its expansion. 
"Finland, Sweden and other neutral countries have for years participated in NATO’s military exercises. NATO has taken its territories into account in planning its eastward movement. In this context, it apparently makes no difference anymore in connection with their admission to NATO," TASS quoted Lavrov as saying.

The International Criminal Court prosecutor says he’s sent a team of 42 investigators, forensic experts and support personnel to Ukraine as part of a probe into suspected war crimes during Russia’s invasion.

ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan said Tuesday that the team “will significantly enhance the impact of our forensic and investigative actions on the ground.”

Khan says the team will improve the gathering of witness testimony, the identification of forensic materials and help ensure that “evidence is collected in a manner that strengthens its admissibility in future proceedings” at the Netherlands-based court.

AP

Russia will consider a draft resolution on the ban exchange of prisoners of war, head of the State Duma Defense Committee Andrei Kartapolov told RIA Novosti. "The Defense Committee proposes to include tomorrow in the procedure of the State Duma the consideration of a draft resolution on the instructions of the Chairman of the State Duma on preventing the exchange of Nazi criminals," he told the Russian state-owned news agency.
 

Russian forces struck the bridge across the Dniester estuary with a missile for the fifth time on Tuesday, Kyiv Independent reported. As per the reports, the bridge was badly damaged and will require costly and time-consuming repairs. Ukraine’s Southern Operational Command said it is impossible to start reconstruction at the moment. 

Russian forces struck the bridge across the Dniester estuary with a missile for the fifth time on Tuesday, Kyiv Independent reported. As per the reports, the bridge was badly damaged and will require costly and time-consuming repairs. Ukraine’s Southern Operational Command said it is impossible to start reconstruction at the moment. 

Russia says it is expelling two Finnish diplomats and will leave a multinational organization focused on the Baltic Sea, as tensions remain high over Finland and Sweden’s ambitions to join NATO. The Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday framed the expulsion of the two Finnish diplomats as a response to Finland expelling two Russians last month.

A Finland-based brewery has launched a NATO-themed beer. Dubbed "Otan", which is French for "North Atlantic Treaty Organization," the brand features a white-coloured cartoon figure wearing a metal armour suit, inscribed with the NATO flag's compass symbol on the beer's blue bottle. The manufacturer of NATO-themed beer is Olaf Brewing, a small brewery based in Savonlinna. 

Notably, the NATO-branded beer has been launched at a time when Finland is already seeking to become a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a move that is being supported by the majority of Finns. As per reports, the beer company had been considering launching a NATO-themed beer for some time, and it finally executed its idea when Finland officially announced its bid to become a part of the military alliance. 

President Joe Biden will host Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson of Sweden and President Sauli Niinistö of Finland at the White House for a meeting Thursday amid their push to join NATO in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The White House said they would discuss the two countries’ applications to join the mutual defence alliance, as well as European security broadly. The requests by the long-neutral nations to join NATO have been widely lauded within the alliance as a rebuke of Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, though Turkey has expressed reservations.

The Finnish lawmakers approved the proposal of applying for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) on Tuesday. The historic development came as the 188 MPs voted in favour of the proposal while eight were voted against it. Earlier today, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, who arrived in Sweden for an official two-day visit, while addressing Swedish Parliament, said, "Russia's grand offensive against Ukraine made it clear that Russia, once more, is ready to use its armed forces in nearby areas to reach its goals. The sum of these factors demonstrated that our traditional positioning was unsustainable."

As the escalating war between Russia and Ukraine entered day 83, the UK Ministry of Defence issued its latest intelligence update. The UK Defence Ministry has said that Russia has likely resorted to increase dependence on indiscriminate artillery bombardment due to "limited target acquisition capability" and the reluctance of the troops to risk flying combat aircraft. It further said that Russia will likely continue to depend heavily on massed artillery strikes in the coming weeks to regain momentum in its advance in the Donbass region.

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Finnish President Sauli Niinisto on Tuesday arrived in Sweden for an official two-day visit, welcomed by Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, who had invited him. During an address to the Swedish Parliament, Niinisto spoke of the historic significance of Sweden and Finland joining NATO, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. "Russia's grand offensive against Ukraine made it clear that Russia, once more, is ready to use its armed forces in nearby areas to reach its goals. The sum of these factors demonstrated that our traditional positioning was unsustainable," Niinisto said about the decision to join the alliance.

Sumy Oblast governor, on Tuesday, informed that the Russian forces bombarded the region at least 76 times on May 17. Governor Dmytro Zhyvytsky informed Moscow attempted to break through the Ukrainian border in the oblast, and there were fires along the border caused by shelling.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday called Ukraine "an expendable item in the hybrid war against the Russian Federation". "Nobody doubts that by now, it was announced publicly," Russia's top diplomat said. Lavrov also claimed Ukraine was being "physically dragged" into NATO. He spoke about the current priorities in Russia's foreign policy, which he said favoured "accelerating relations with the countries who respect the principles of UN regulations".

High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, hailed the courage shown by Ukrainian forces during the ongoing war. He appealed to the countries to support Ukraine with weapons. "Ukraine is showing a very strong resistance. The results of the war now in no way correspond to Russian expectations. The Ukrainians are stopping the Russian army. We must continue to support them with weapons," Borrell said.

Lviv Oblast Governor Maksym Kozytskyy said that a Russian missile attack hit the railway infrastructure in the Yavoriv district overnight. According to Kozytskyy, there were no casualties reported in the attack.

As the Moscow-Kyiv war has reached its 83rd day, war-torn Ukraine claimed that the nation’s Armed Forces have killed around 27,900 Russian soldiers since Russia's aggression commenced on February 24. Further, taking to Facebook, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces revealed that the invading army has lost over 1,235 tanks, 3,009 armoured fighting automobiles as well as 578 artillery systems.  

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Germany Chancellor Olaf Scholz held a telephonic conversation on the ongoing war. According to the statement released by the German Chancellor's Office, both leaders exchanged views on the current military and humanitarian situation in Ukraine. "They agreed that a negotiated diplomatic solution between Ukraine and Russia would require an immediate end to hostilities by Russia and a withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine," it said. "The Federal Chancellor and the Ukrainian President are also continuing their exchange on options for further support for Ukraine and agreed to remain in close contact," it added.

The leader of a Turkish nationalist party that is allied with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expressing concern that NATO’s expansion to include Sweden and Finland will provoke Russia and cause an expansion of the war in Ukraine.

Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Action Party, on Tuesday told his party’s lawmakers that the most “logical” option would be for the two countries to be kept in “NATO’s waiting room.”

Bahceli says that “Sweden and Finland’s entry into NATO will mean the lengthening of the war in Ukraine and even its geographical expansion.”

Amid speculations of Russia may block the video streaming platform, YouTube, Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media Maksut Shadayev clarified that Moscow has no plans to block the video platform. "We are not planning to block YouTube, this is all I can say. First of all, indeed, whenever we block anything, we should clearly understand that no harm will be done to our users," Interfax News Agency quoted Shadayev as saying on Tuesday.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko, on Tuesday, confirmed that no negotiations are going on between Ukraine and Moscow. According to a report by the Interfax News agency, the Russian Foreign Minister affirmed that Kyiv has virtually withdrawn from the negotiating process. "No, the negotiations are not continuing. Ukraine has practically withdrawn from the negotiating process," he told media persons. 

Amid the relentless war, Russia has said that the Western countries, including the United States, which is conducting a hybrid war against Russia, have become hostile states, TASS reported. According to the Russian news agency, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said this while he was at the educational marathon conference on Tuesday. As per Peskov, America has started a "hybrid war" against Russia. "It is true that we keep referring to them mildly as unfriendly states, but I should say that they are hostile states because what they are doing is war," TASS quoted Peskov as saying.

It seems the planning of the European Union has not progressed smoothly this time as there are several states which are opposing the EU's proposal to limit the export of Russian oil and gas. As per multiple media reports, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia – landlocked countries, which are heavily dependent on Russia for oil and gas – are opposing the EU's move, citing an abrupt increase in oil prices.

Until Monday, it was reported that the European Union would not announce any harsh measures that could destabilise the situation. However, a leaked policy document due to be adopted on Wednesday was accessed by Euractiv, a media network specialising in EU policies, which claimed that the European Commission will urge EU member states to step up preparations for a “full disruption of Russian gas supplies”.

The EU will try to convince the member states by considering emergency measures like a temporary cap on gas prices. Earlier in April, when Russia cut off gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria, the EU had asked its members to prepare for a full-scale supply shock. It is worth mentioning that the European countries are facing the worst-ever crisis as the prices of natural gas have increased seven-fold compared to long-time average prices.

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Amid the brutal Russia Ukraine war in Eastern Europe, embattled Ukraine has recently seized nearly $420 million in frozen assets which have been linked with Russian oligarchs. According to the Kyiv Independent, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office and the nation's Bureau of Economic Security have confiscated “Hr 12.4 billion from Cypriot company accounts in Alfa-Bank whose Russian beneficiaries tried to circumvent sanctions.”

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African Union chairman Macky Sall will travel to Russia and Ukraine "in the near future" to discuss the export the grains and fertilizers to the African continent, APS news agency reported. 

“We have received authority from Africa to ask President Vladimir Putin to create conditions to allow Ukraine to export the grains and fertilizers we need, and also to discuss the possibility of lifting some sanctions against Russia so that it can trade and supply us with fertilizers,” Sall said as quoted by the news agency.

Russian bombardment in the Donetsk and Luhansk areas killed 20 people, including a child, claimed the Joint Forces Task Force of Ukraine on May 16. According to a statement on the military task force's Facebook page, 25 towns in the region were targeted, with 42 residential buildings and a school among the targets.

Meanwhile, according to Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy, the evacuation of wounded Ukrainian troops from the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol is underway, with more than 260 fighters taken out of the factory. The troops have completed their combat mission, according to the military's general office. The deputy defence minister of Ukraine has stated that an "exchange procedure" will be used to return evacuees to their homes.

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Mayor of west Ukrainian city Lviv on Tuesday urged citizens not to film missile flights or air defence operations. "Such videos are needed by Moscow. Don’t be like the Russians, please," he said in a Telegram post. His appeal comes after Russia renewed shelling in the west Ukrainian city that is close to the Poland border. Last night, Russia struck railway infrastructure in one of the villages of Yavoriv district, which is a 20 km zone to the border with the European Union.

In a massive development, Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde finally signed the application for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). “Now this week, this application will be submitted, together with Finland, in a day or so, and then it will be processed by NATO," Linde said, as quoted by the Associated Press. 

"It feels very big, very serious, and it feels like we have arrived at a conclusion which is the best for Sweden," Linde said. "We don’t know how long it will take, but we calculate that it could take up to a year."

The head of Kharkiv's regional military administration, Oleh Syniehubov told Ukrainian television on Tuesday that Ukrainian soldiers are advancing to the north and northeast of Kharkiv as "fighting is underway" in the northeastern town of Vovchansk along the Russia-Ukraine border. "Active hostilities are taking place in settlements north of the region. The enemy is focused on holding positions. Our troops have to repel (them on) every inch of our territory," Syniehubov said.

Ukraine Armed forces in its latest operational briefing said that defenders have killed at least 27,900 Russian troops since February 24. Further, Ukraine has also destroyed over 1200 tanks and 3000 armoured personnel vehicles. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin is personally vested in Moscow's war to a level that he is making tactical decisions and micro-managing movement of the Russian troops in Ukraine, Western military intelligence believes. According to media reports, Putin is operating the war "at a level of a colonel or brigadier" alongside Russian Commander of Armed Forces General Valery Gerasimov, in contrast to Kyiv's claims that the commander was sidelined. "We think Putin and Gerasimov are involved in tactical decision making at a level we would normally expect to be taken by a colonel or a brigadier," the western military official told The Guardian, under conditions of anonymity.

Lviv’s governor, Maksym Kozytskyi, has posted to Telegram that overnight a missile hit the Yavoriv regional branch of the Lviv railway, and infrastructure was damaged. Kozytskyi also claims that Ukraine's air defence shot down three cruise missiles last night. The claims have not been independently verified, Kyiv Independent reported. 

The President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Francesco Rocca, on Monday, accused European nations of demonstrating "double standards"  in dealing with refugees, AP reported. Rocca pointed out European nations' speedy acceptance of millions of Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s aggression, whilst refusing to accept people fleeing violence in Africa, the Middle East, and elsewhere who cross the Mediterranean Sea.

“Those who are fleeing violence, those who are seeking protection, should be treated equally,” said Rocca

More than 6 million people have fled Ukraine, meanwhile, at least 19,000 people have died trying to cross the central Mediterranean to get to Europe since 2014, and those who arrive often face abuse and struggle to get access to essential services, Rocca compared. “Ethnicity and nationality should not be a deciding factor in saving life," he added. 

The Institute for the Study of War think tank reported that the Russian forces' withdrawal from around Kharkiv is different from previous ones like from Kyiv and other cities. "Russian troops may seek to retain positions in Ukraine and continue artillery strikes on Ukrainian positions in order to prevent Ukrainian forces from getting into a tube or rocket-artillery range of the outskirts of Belgorod, a major city in Russia and a key hub of the Russian military effort," ISW assessment said. 

Russia renewed shelling in the western part of Ukraine on Monday evening. The city of Lviv was rocked by a number of explosions. The night sky lit up with a glare of distant booms. Lviv City Council announced a curfew from from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. 

As the Russian war has entered day 83, the Western nations have continued their unilateral or conjoined efforts to isolate Moscow by imposing stringent sanctions on the financial and economic sectors. Noting the aggravated attempts, the Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday warned that such moves could escalate the global food shortages that are already all-time dangerous. In a statement released on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website, Moscow also flagged that "the unilateral actions of Western countries, primarily from the Group of Seven (G7), exacerbated the problem of breaking the logistics and financial chain or food supplies to the world market."  

"Attempts to divert Russia, economically financially and logistically from long-standing channels of international cooperation are only exacerbating economic and food crises," the Russian Foreign Ministry statement added.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday warned against the military expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). He stated that the entry of Sweden and Finland into the US-led alliance will not create a threat to Russia, however, if the bloc expanded its territorial positions it will "certainly cause our response." 

Russian defence columnist Mikhail Khodaryonok on Tuesday argued that Moscow's reports claiming that Ukrainian troops are demoralised do not paint a whole picture. "It is not indicative of the general mood," he said, adding that the defenders are highly motivated and "ready to die for their country," which is "one of the most important components."

The Uk Ministry of Defence (MoD) said Russia has likely resorted to an increasing reliance on indiscriminate artillery bombardment due to a limited target acquisition capability, and an unwillingness to risk flying combat aircraft routinely beyond its own frontlines.

In order to halt Russian invasion of Ukraine, Kyiv has urged the European Union (EU) to halt Russian oil and gas imports. Speaking on the sidelines of the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said it is important to suspend purchases from Russia as the EU is paying twice for its imports: "First by supporting Ukraine and then by paying to Russia." 

The European Union "then has to pay against for the destruction brought on the Ukrainian soil by Russian weapons," Kuleba said, as quoted by AP.

Earlier this week, Kuleba said there is "no guarantee" that the 27-nation bloc will be able to quickly agree to the sixth package of sanctions that are supposed to include an embargo on Russian oil imports. The proposal was forwarded by European Council President Ursula Von der Leyen on May 4 following the harrowing atrocities and war crime allegations against Russia. In the meeting of the EU leaders held yesterday, the commission failed to reach a unanimous decision, with Hungary opposing the ban, saying it will not agree until the EU sorts an alternative "solution to the problem that it will create."  

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"We have already almost ruled out the physical possibility of a #Russian landing by the sea - they simply do not have enough ships. And airborne landing is extremely risky," said Ukrainian military expert Colonel Serhiy Grabski in an interview with RBK.

Ukraine Deputy PM Iryna Vereshchuk on Tuesday informed that Kyiv is willing to allocate separate funds for women who were previously captured and detained by Russian soldiers. The initiative is in collaboration with Poland. Vereshchuk said, Ukraine and the head of Poland’s Prime Minister’s Office Michal Dowryzyk will set up Klymentii Sheptytsky Foundation to support those affected by Russia’s war.

Ukrainian soldiers have concluded their "combat mission" in the besieged Mariupol city and more than 260 soldiers have been evacuated, announced the country's military. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine noted in a statement on Facebook that commanders of troops who have been stationed near the city's enormous Azovstal steel plant were told "to save the lives of their personnel."  “Efforts to rescue defenders who remain on the territory of Azovstal continue,” Ukraine’s Armed Forces added.

“By concentrating the main forces of the enemy around Mariupol, we had the opportunity to prepare and create defensive lines, where our troops stand ready today to repel the aggressor. It provided us critical time to form reserves, regroup forces, and receive assistance from partners,” the statement continued.

“The most important common task of all Ukraine and the whole world is to save the lives of the defenders of Mariupol. We will fight for you on all fronts as faithfully as you defend the state! #stoprussia,” the statement concluded.

The planning of the European Union seems to be faltering as several obstacles are emerging while planning the Russian oil embargo. According to a report by Euronews, Lithuania's Foreign Affairs Minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, told them that some member states are holding the bloc "hostage". Notably, he was pointing fingers at Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia, which are mostly dependent on Russia for oil. 

European Commission on May 4, proposed the sixth package of Ukraine war sanctions that included a ban on oil imports from Russia. At that time, Hungary which is one of several landlocked countries opposed the EU's proposal of banning Russian oil. Since then, it has been leading the team, demanding an extension of the EU plan.

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Luhansk Governor Serhiy Haidai on Tuesday said that at least 10 people were killed in the latest shelling in Severodonetsk in the east of Ukraine. Russian troops “are shelling Severodonetsk without stopping,” Haidai said in a statement on Telegram.

Deputy Head of the Ukrainian President's Office Igor Zhovkva stated that President Vladimir Putin of Russia is not ready to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and has told some leaders that the moment is not yet right. The official emphasized that the Ukrainian president has already stated his willingness to meet directly with Putin.

Zhovkva further said that several heads and states have publicly urged President Putin to get down to the bargaining table. However, he is still not ready, and he informs some leaders that the time has not yet arrived.

Japan on Tuesday entered into an agreement with Ukraine to offer financial assistance to Kyiv as it faces an economic crisis amid the ongoing Russian war. Tokyo signed a $100 million loan deal for Ukraine, which will be co-financed by the World Bank. The fund will be incorporated into the Ukrainian government Budget and will not be used for military supplies, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, as quoted by Japan Today. 

In a key development, the United States has decided to impose restrictions on the export of radioactive material and deuterium to Russia. It was announced that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission of the United States has tightened regulations for the transfer of radioactive material and deuterium to the Russian Federation after a notice was published in the Federal Register's computerized database on Monday.

The notice suggests that the relevant general licenses that previously applied to the export of these radioactive products to the Russian Federation have now been suspended until further notice. It was further stated that the exporters are no longer eligible to use a general license to export these radioactive materials or deuterium for end use in the Russian nuclear industry. Alongside mounting pressure on Russia for its aggression in Ukraine, the national security of the United States and the desire to strengthen the overall defence and security of the country prompted Washington to take the action, according to TASS.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin, from the stage CSTO, has again reiterated his tough stance over Sweden and Finland's announcement of joining the NATO military alliance. Reacting to the recent announcements, Putin said he has no issues with these countries but warned both Sweden and Finland of suffering "the burnt of Moscow" if they wish to expand NATO's military infrastructure.

"The expansion of military infrastructure into this territory (Finland and Sweden) will certainly cause our response," TASS News agency quoted the head of the Russian state while speaking at the summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in the Kremlin. "We will look at what it will be based on the threats that will be created for us. Actually, the problem is being created from scratch. We will react accordingly to this," the Russian president said. However, he noted Russia has no issues with Sweden and Finland and therefore they do not pose a direct threat to the Russian Federation.

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As the war between Russia and Ukraine continues to escalate unabated, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko claimed that the "North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is aggressively building up military muscles" and acting on the principle "whoever is not with us is against us." Speaking at the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) summit in Moscow, Lukashenko stated that NATO is aggressively carrying out a demonstration of its weapons near the country's western frontiers and that the alliance is also bringing formerly neutral countries into its fold. His statement came after countries like Finland and Sweden officially announced their decisions to join the intergovernmental military alliance. 

The Belarusian President further stated that the collective West does not want to accept the departure of the unipolar system of the world order, and is waging a vicious struggle to maintain its positions. "Our meeting is taking place at a difficult time, a time of re-division of the world. The unipolar system of the world order is irretrievably a thing of the past but the collective West is waging a fierce struggle to maintain its positions," Lukashenko stated, as per the Ria Novosti news agency. 

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Bulgarian Prime Minister Kirill Petkov stated that in two years, Bulgaria will be able to diversify its oil imports and break its dependence on Russia.

He believes that Bulgaria should be exempt from the European oil embargo because it is currently 95% dependent on Russian oil. He also mentioned that Russia had previously ceased delivering gas to Bulgaria, and as a result, Sofia had cut funds to the Putin dictatorship.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russian troops continue to attack Ukraine's military forces, with Severodonetsk and other Donbas cities remaining their primary targets. He claimed that in places where Russia is still attempting to expand, Ukraine's armed forces are fending off relentless attacks but the occupiers continue to focus their efforts on Severodonetsk and other Donbas cities.

Ukraine Head of State Andrei Ermak on Monday held a coordinating meeting devoted to the implementation of international legal mechanisms for compensation for damage inflicted on Ukraine as a result of the Russian war. 

Russian occupiers introduced resident permits in Kherson Oblast to restrict the movement of citizens in and out of the region, said Deputy Head of Kherson Oblast Council Yuriy Sobolevsky. 

Ukraine's Prosecutor General’s Office and Bureau of Economic Security seized Hr 12.4 billion from Cypriot company accounts in Alfa-Bank whose Russian beneficiaries tried to circumvent sanctions, Kyiv Independent reported. 

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a late-night address confirmed that the evacuation of wounded Ukrainian troops from the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol is underway. So far more than 260 defenders have been transported. 

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has warned that at least 6 lakh additional children could be left under acute malnutrition and basic life-saving treatment globally due to the burgeoning Ukraine war. UNICEF said, due to the rise in fuel and raw material prices, the cost of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUFT) is projected to rise up to 16% over the next six months. meanwhile, other factors like supply-chain disruptions, pandemic-related difficulties and natural calamities will continue to impact food security. Currently, at least 10 million children do not have access to RUFT. 

The European Union on Monday could not reach unanimity on the proposal of banning Russian oil imports. Speaking to the press, Josep Borrell, high representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy expressed unhappiness over the failure to reach an agreement on the sixth sanctions package against Russia. "We are with the same difficulties about unanimity on oil ban," Borrell said. The meeting came after Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó on Wednesday flagged that Budapest will only vote for the ban if EU comes up with "solutions to the problems it would create."

The head of the Lviv regional military administration, Maksym Kozytsky on Tuesday morning reported targetted missile attacks on a Ukrainian military base about 15 km from the Poland border. A series of explosions were heard in central Lviv, in the direction of the Yavoriv military facility, around 12:45 a.m. local time. Shortly after air raid, sirens had sounded in the city.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Monday night said in a statement that the 'Mariupol' garrison has fulfilled its combat mission in the besieged city. 

“The defenders of Mariupol are heroes of our time. They will forever be marked down in history. This includes the special 'Azov' unit, the 12th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine, the 36th Separate Brigade of Marines, border guards, police, volunteers, the Territorial Defense of Mariupol,” the statement read.

Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar on Monday informed that over 260 people have been rescued from the besieged Azovstal plant — including 53 seriously wounded in the second round of evacuations. 211 people were taken to Olenivka through the humanitarian corridor. "An exchange procedure will be carried out to return them home," Malyar said, as quoted by CNN. The wounded soldiers have been shifted to a medical facility in Novoazovsk, Donetsk region.