Russia-Ukraine war: Ukraine warns Russia may briefly freeze war for sanctions relief

Russia is "deliberately using starvation as a weapon" by shutting Ukrainian ports, German Agriculture Minister Cem Zdemir said on Friday. During a visit to Kyiv on June 10, Cem Ozdemi told CNN affiliate N-TV that Russia is engaging in a particularly horrible kind of warfare. "Alternative routes cost an insane amount of money," he continued.

Russian forces controlling the damaged Ukrainian city of Mariupol bulldozed 1,300 high-rise apartment buildings without meticulously removing hundreds of dead bodies trapped beneath the wreckage, according to Vadym Boychenko, the Ukrainian mayor of Mariupol.

Boychenko, who has escaped Mariupol for Ukrainian-controlled area, said on the municipal council's Telegram channel that at first, the occupants involved Mariupol locals in meticulously clearing the rubble. However, Boychenko adds that when the Russians discovered the exact number of victims under the rubble, they swiftly relocated the local population.

Boychenko claimed, "The real number of bodies under the rubble of destroyed houses is frightening. Almost 50 to 100 people were killed under almost every destroyed house, and 1,300 high-rise buildings were destroyed in Mariupol."

According to Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska, 37,000 women serve in the Ukrainian army, with over 1,000 becoming commanders. Zelenska stated, "Most of our doctors are women as well as 50% of our entrepreneurs who work to support the economy at war."

US President Joe Biden responded to the June 10 Consumer Price Index report, which highlighted ongoing high inflation. However, Biden stated that reducing inflation is his "top economic priority," while at the same time blaming the persistent high prices on Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

Biden, in a statement, remarked, "Even as we continue our work to defend freedom in Ukraine, we must do more—and quickly—to get prices down here in the United States. Putin’s Price Hike hit hard in May here and around the world: high gas prices at the pump, energy, and food prices accounted for around half of the monthly price increases, and gas pump prices are up by $2 a gallon in many places since Russian troops began to threaten Ukraine."

Ukrainian Defence Ministry has claimed that around 31,900 Russian troops have lost their lives since the onset of the invasion on February 24. The Russian forces have lost 1409 tanks, 3450 armoured combat machines, 222 multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) and 712 artillery systems. In addition, the Defence Ministry of Ukraine stated that Russia has lost 97 anti-aircraft warfare systems, 212 aircraft, 178 helicopters, 2438 vehicles and fuel tanks, 13 ships or boats, 125 cruise missiles, 572 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and 54 special equipment.

In the latest development amid the ongoing war in Eastern Europe, a Russian lawmaker alleged that Pentagon used Ukraine as a testing ground for the lethal military biological plan. According to Russian State Duma Deputy Speaker Irina Yarovaya, the Pentagon's claims of apparently peaceful cooperation with the now-infamous Ukraine-based biolabs only show that the US was executing a dangerous global military biological programme in that East European country.

Notably, Yarovaya is co-chairing a parliamentary commission probing the operations of biological laboratories in Ukraine.  

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Ukraine’s military intelligence directorate on Friday warned the Western nations that Russia may briefly freeze war in Ukraine in exchange for the sanctions relief. The conflict however may drag into another year, Ukraine’s military intelligence said in a Telegram post adding that Ukrainian troops are critically outnumbered with respect to the weapons by the Russian soldiers. 

“The Kremlin leadership probably will try to freeze the war for a while in order to convince the West to lift sanctions, but then continue the aggression,” the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense’s Main Intelligence Directorate said in a Telegram post. “Russia's economic resources will allow the occupying country to continue the war at its current pace for another year.”

UN’s human rights office (OHCHR) on Friday opposed the death sentences handed to three foreign fighters by a court in the separatist-controlled Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR). “Such trials against prisoners of war amount to a war crime,” said OHCHR spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani in statement. 

“Since 2015, we have observed that the so-called judiciary in these self-proclaimed republics has not complied with essential fair trial guarantees, such as public hearings, independence, impartiality of the courts and the right not to be compelled to testify,” she furthermore added, condemning pro Russian separatist officials' move. 

UK has been prioritizing the talks with Ukraine over the two British nationals sentenced to death in the DPR, a spokesman for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told reporters in Britian on Friday.  “Our priority is working with the Ukrainian government to try and ensure their release as quickly as possible,” the spokesman said. he added "We don’t have regular interaction with the Russians" when asked whether the British government will speak with Russia for release of Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin. 

UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has vowed to work “even more closely” with Ukraine during meetings with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov. “The three agreed to work even more closely going forward in support of their shared goal of enabling Ukraine to liberate itself from illegal Russian occupation,” UK Ministry of Defence said in a press release.

“They also discussed the range of equipment and training the UK is currently providing and what further support we can offer to help Ukrainian forces to defend their country.”

As UK and Russia engaged in a tussle over the death sentence of the foreign British fighters caught by Russian troops during Mariupol battle, Russia’s foreign ministry asked the UK to "speak directly to authorities in the DPR." British nationals were “mercenaries sent by the West to help the Kyiv nationalist regime … and do not have the right to prisoner of war status," spokeswoman for Russia’s foreign ministry Maria Zakharova said in a statement posted on the ministry’s website. 

A junior sergeant of Ukraine's 95th Air Assault Brigade has destroyed nine Russian drones being one of the most effective anti-aircraft gunners in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, press service of the Air Assault Brigade informed on Telegram. "This young paratrooper has already shot down nine enemy air reconnaissance vehicles that were correcting artillery fire on Ukrainian positions online," the statement said. The paratrooper used the British Starstreak MANPADS to destroy Russian drones. 

Russia’s Central Bank has slashed the interest rates for the second time in two months to 9.5% from the previous 11% as the inflation was slowing at a much faster rate than was predicted earlier. There was a smaller decline in the spending and economic activity than it was forecasted in the month of April, the bank said in a statement. With new changes, the rate will decrease to between 5% and 7% in 2023, the bank predicts. 

British government on Friday blasted the Russian Federation for what it labelled the "sham trial" of two Briton fighters that enlisted under the Ukraine's military's foreign legion. Aiden Aslin, 28, and Shaun Pinner, 48, were handed the death sentence by a court in the DPR by pro Russia separatist leaders. Officials in Moscow-backed breakaway republic accused the three foreign fighters including Brahim Saadoun, a Moroccan national, of being mercenaries and committing the war crimes. 

UK has called on Russia to take responsibility for the “sham trial” of the two British nationals who have been sentenced to death.

Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has said that two British nationals and one Moroccan citizen that were handed the death sentence in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic  (DPR) committed crimes. “The trials … are being held on the basis of the legislation of the Donetsk People’s Republic, because the crimes in question were committed on the DPR’s territory,” Sergey Lavrov told state affiliated press. 

Ukraine has said that the war in Ukraine's eastern region 'is an artillery war now' and 'everything depends on what West gives us.' Vadym Skibitsky, deputy head of Ukrainian military intelligence, told the Guardian that Ukraine is losing in terms of artillery, with one artillery piece to 10 to 15 Russian ones. 

Russian troops are "destroying everything" as the intense fighting continues in Sievierodonetsk and in the settlements of the Hirske and Popasna in Luhansk region. Head of the Luhansk Regional Military Administration, Serhii Haidai, informed in a Facebook post that Russian forces have also attempted to carry out assault operations toward Nyrkove and Mykolaivka. 

"They haven't rebuilt anything for eight years in Luhansk, they aren't even trying to restore water or electricity supply in Popasna and Rubizhne - they are just destroying everything," said Haidai. 

"The ‘Russian world’ is a desert. The enemy is trying to achieve this aim. The Ice Palace or the ammonia production plant at Azot, one of the company's main divisions did not disturb anyone. Thousands of people have been freed from their hope to work," Haidai further stressed.

Street  fighting is ensuing for the control of the eastern Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk, Ukrainian officials have said on the national television.  “The situation in Severodonetsk is very tense,” Roman Vlasenko, head of the Severodonetsk district military administration, told Ukrainian national television. 

“Fighting continues, street fighting continues. The dynamics are very great. The Russians are heavily using artillery. They have a certain advantage in terms of artillery, in terms of personnel. But they have no real success. They can't beat the guys out of Severodonetsk.”

Separatists in the Russian occupied Luhansk plan to send the seized Ukrainian grain to Russia via rail on Friday, as Russian troops continue the key ports blockade in the Black Sea that has disrupted Ukraine's grain export to global markets sparking food insecurity worldwide. 

“More than 3,000 tons” of grain will be shipped out of the eastern region after Russian forces “liberated” a slew of grain elevators," Yuri Pronko, the agriculture minister of the self-declared Luhansk People’s Republic, said Thursday, according to Russian state-owned news agency Tass.

Russia's troops are blocking evacuation of the civilians trying to escape the intensely shelled Kherson, Zaporizhzhia Oblasts, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk told the Suspilne media outlet. "Russia is blocking the evacuation of civilians from occupied Kherson and partially occupied regions of Zaporizhzhia Oblast," she said, adding that Russia is "shamefully lying when it says that residents don’t want to escape." 

"Ministry of Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories hotline receives hundreds of calls daily from civilians asking for an evacuation corridor," informed Iryna Vereshchuk. "Then they accuse Ukraine of restoring human shields," she continued. 

Russian troops are targetting the Ukrainian defences near the Siverskyi Donets river in eastern region, trying to take control of the Luhansk region, a spokesman for Ukraine’s defence ministry said on national television. Id Russians capture the key Severodonetsk and Lysychansk region, situated on the eastern and western bank of the Siverskyi Donets, the entire Luhansk will fall to them, he said. 

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has justified the war in Ukraine, by comparing himself to Peter the Great, the ruler who led 18th-century territorial expansion in the Baltic coast. In a speech made during the economic summit involving the start ups, Putin underscored his ambitions by drawing parallels between Peter the Great’s founding of St Petersburg and his own agendas for the military intervention in Ukraine.  

“It’s impossible — do you understand — impossible to build a fence around a country like Russia,” Putin said Thursday. 

European Union’s parliament stands firmly behind Ukraine's bid for the membership into the bloc, president Roberta Metsola said. “The EU parliament stands firmly behind Ukraine’s bid to receive EU candidate status,” Metsola stressed speaking at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit.

In the latest batch of sanctions against Moscow, Japan on Thursday announced a temporary ban on the export of trucks, dump trucks and bulldozers to Russia, RIA Novosti reported.

Noting the dire hygiene situation in Mariupol, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) in its latest briefing warned that there is a potential cholera outbreak threat in the port city. While clustered cases have been reported, the risk is increased due to the occupier's incapacity to provide adequate healthcare services to those in need.

Ukraine Armed Forces in its latest operational update informed that invading Russian troops have shelled at least 23  settlements in Luhansk and Donetsk regions, including Severodonetsk, Borivske, Lysychansk, Belogorovka, Zolote, Gorskoye, Komyshuvakha, Toshkivka, Vrubivka, Ustynivka, Orikhove, Synetsky, Nyrkove, Mykolayivka (Luhansk region), Bakhmut, Khromove, Yoreske, Torekiv, Toretsk, Newtsk Kurakhove, Mykilske (Donetsk region). As many as 3 people were killed and one injured in Avdiivka and Kostiantynivka in past 24 hours, Ukraine's Joint Forces Task Force said. 

More than 700 children have been affected by Russia's invasion since February 24, said Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office in a Telegram post. As of June 10,  as many 263 children have reportedly been killed and over 490 injured in the burgeoning Russian war. According to the received data, the most children were affected in the Donetsk region – 192, Kharkiv region – 132, Kyiv region – 116, Chernihiv region – 68, Luhansk region – 53, Kherson region – 52, Mykolaiv region – 48, Zaporizhzhia region – 30, Sumy region – 17, Kyiv city – 16, Zhytomyr region – 15.

The European Union is set to draft tentative plans for the reconstruction of the strategic port city of Mariupol in Ukraine. " "We must do so and we will do it because it is our moral obligation," Ursula von der Leyen said, as quoted by Ukrinform. For long, Mariupol remained a focal point of Russian attacks due to its geographical location. Mariupol provides a land link to the Russian-occupied territory of Crimea from Donbass, where Russia is setting the momentum for its "second phase" of the invasion. 

"The European Union will help rebuild Ukrainian Mariupol. The plan for reconstruction after the de-occupation is already being drafted," the Mariupol City Council posted on Telegram with reference to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Ukraine Armed Forces in its latest war briefing claimed to have eliminated at least 31,900 Russian troops since the Russian invasion began. Further, the defenders have also destroyed over 3,400 armoured personnel vehicles and over 1,400 tanks. 

US State Secretary Antony Blinken on Friday condemned the decision to a death sentence given to British, and Moroccan nationals by the court in DNR. Taking to Twitter, the top US diplomat expressed grave concern over the verdict, calling the trial a "sham."

In its latest retaliation to the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine, Canadian police on Thursday froze at least $310 billion in Russian assets and transactions. The seizure included assets of those sanctioned previously for having links to the war or the Kremlin. 

Ukrainian Armed Forces in its latest briefing on the position of defenders stated that the forces thwarted at least 7  Russian attacks in Donetsk and Luhansk region. They have also continued defensive actions in the Kharkiv region. In the update, the authorities informed that Russian troops have concentrated their troops in the Slovyansk region to "create a condition for the resumption of offensive."

In an entrepreneurial meeting in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday compared his invasion of Ukraine to that of tsar Peter the Great, who invaded eastern and central Europe in the early 18th century. On the 350th birthday of the Russian conqueror, Putin recalled his great annexations along the Baltic coast during the war against Sweden. "It is our responsibility also to take back and strengthen," Putin said, as quoted by Sky News.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) in its latest war briefing claimed that Russian forces are deploying old and rusted military equipment to Ukraine in order to "replace losses." The US-based think tank further added that the invading troop are facing pervasive issues with force generation. 

Ukraine cannot remain in the "shadow part of our economic life," said Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his usual night address to the nation. 

On the 107th day of the Russia Ukraine war in Eastern Europe, embattled President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced embargoes on 236 Russian colleges as well as 261 college heads, as per the presidential website. President Zelenskyy has signed a decree imposing sanctions on 261 Russian higher education heads, as well as banning cultural exchanges, scientific collaboration, educational and sporting connections, and entertainment activities with 236 Russian higher educational institutions. 

According to a report by TASS, the Lomonosov State University (MSU), the Bauman Moscow State Technical University (MGTU), the HSE University, the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), as well as the Sechenov First Moscow State Medical Medical University are among the 236 colleges which are on the sanctions list. Furthermore, among the 261 sanctioned college heads, MSU rector Viktor Sadovnichiy is present on the list. 

It is pertinent to mention here that blocking assets in Ukraine, suspending financial commitments, revoking Ukrainian state honours, prohibiting the acquisition of property, and a variety of other limitations have also been imposed on college heads. 

In addition to this, the relevant decree No. 401/2022, which was published on the Office of the President of Ukraine's website, will put into effect the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC)'s decision of June 9, 'On the Application of Personal Special Economic and Other Restrictive Measures (Sanctions)', Ukrinform reported. Furthermore, the sanctions are imposed indefinitely. 

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As the Russian offensive against Ukraine continues unabated even after 100 days, a top Ukrainian official noted that the country requires Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) to deter the military aggression of the Russian forces. While speaking to BBC Radio, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's advisor and negotiator, Mykhailo Podoliak alleged that the Western governments lack intelligence over the use of MLRS by the Russian military. He accused that the West has provided advanced weapons in insufficient numbers and affirmed that the war-torn country desperately needs at least 150-300 similar weapons to counter the Russian forces.

According to Zelenskyy's advisor, the Western officials need a clearer sense of the number of weapons used by Putin's forces, including MLR systems. During the conversation, Podoliak stated that he believes if "Ukraine gets the desired number of MLRS, its Army will be able to effectively regain its territories". Furthermore, pointing fingers at the Biden administration that recently denied providing advanced weapons that could reach the Russian territory, he added that Ukraine is well aware of the fears of Western partners in providing long-range weapons to Kyiv. He, however, assured the West that this won’t happen as the Ukrainian army is strictly directed to protect its country and drive the aggressive Russian forces.

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In a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council on Thursday in Vienna, the permanent representative of Ukraine Yevhen Tsymbalyuk called for an international naval mission to "patrol export routes in the Black Sea" and ensure grain shipments from the ports, Ukrinform reported. 

Governor of Sumy Oblast Dmytro Zhyvytsky on Thursday claimed that Russian troops struck the villages in the region with Kamikaze drones. No one was reportedly injured, however, the bombs dropped with the help of the quadcopter severely damaged buildings, the head of Sumy oblast said.

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss on Thursday slammed the court verdict that ordered a death sentence for two Britons in Russia-occupied Donetsk. "It is a sham judgment with absolutely no legitimacy," she said. 

Ukraine Finance Ministry on Thursday stated that it will receive $1.49 billion in loans from World Bank. Kyiv will use the money to ensure payments to employees of state education institutions at national and regional levels, NEXTA reported. 

According to a French government statement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron addressed humanitarian and military support during a telephonic conversation on June 9. 

According to a statement outlining the tone of the call between Zelensky and Macron, the French president stated that his country "will remain mobilized to meet Ukraine's needs, including heavy weapons." Macron also inquired about Zelensky's requirements "in terms of military equipment, political support, financial support and humanitarian aid."

Ukrainian soldiers are holding their positions in the eastern city of Severodonetsk, where Russians are "dying like flies," according to the regional governor, although they confront a "catastrophic" lack of weaponry. The struggle for Severodonetsk, a minor industrial city, has become one of the bloodiest of the war, with Russia focusing its invasion force there. Both sides claim to have inflicted massive casualties.

"They (Russians) are dying like flies. Fierce fighting continues inside Severodonetsk," stated Serhiy Haidai, governor of Luhansk, in an online post.

According to Valentyn Reznichenko, the leader of Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk area military administration, the city of Kryvyi Rih, located in the country's centre, is currently under constant fire from Russian forces. 

Reznichenko claimed, "The communities of Zelenodolsk and Shyrokiv suffer the most. Unfortunately, six people died there — 179 houses, two schools, a kindergarten and a hospital were destroyed or damaged."

Meanwhile, according to Oleh Syniehubov, the chief of Kharkiv's regional military administration, five people were killed and 14 were injured in Russian strikes in Kharkiv.

During his latest national address, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy provided a quick update on the situation in Donbass, saying, "The frontline situation today is without significant changes. Sievierodonetsk, Lysychansk and other cities in Donbas, which the occupiers now consider key targets, are holding on. We have a certain positive in the Zaporizhzhia region, where we manage to thwart the plans of the occupiers. We are gradually moving forward in the Kharkiv region, liberating our land. We are keeping defence in the Mykolaiv direction."

According to a senior Ukrainian presidential adviser, between 100 and 200 Ukrainian forces are killed on the front lines every day. Mykhaylo Podolyak stated that Ukraine required hundreds of Western artillery systems to compete with Russia in the eastern Donbas region. He also stated that Kyiv is unwilling to resume peace negotiations with Moscow. Russian soldiers are relentlessly bombarding Ukrainian troops as they strive to seize control of the entire Donbass region.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on June 9 that producing goods locally to avoid Western sanctions related to Moscow's military campaign in Ukraine is not a panacea and that Russia is looking for new business partners. Following the commencement of the Ukraine conflict in February, Western nations imposed crippling sanctions on Russia, including import and export restrictions that have jammed supply lines.

He said, "The substitution of imports is not a panacea. We are not trying to completely replace imports. Russia must collaborate with those it is possible to collaborate with. But for critically important technologies, we have to have our own know-how. We are developing them."

On the 106th day of the Russia-Ukraine war in Eastern Europe, the embattled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday urged companies who have not shuttered operations in Russia to depart the nation and start operating in Ukraine. While addressing the United States business leaders at the Yale CEO meeting, he also warned of severe famine if Moscow does not break its blockade of Ukrainian ports, which has impeded the shipment of grains.  

According to a statement from the President of Ukraine's office, 100 top executives from across the world, as well as notable academics from American universities such as Yale, Harvard, and Columbia, attended this year's event which took place in New York. President Zelenskyy who joined the summit via video conference mode further expressed his gratitude to the people, businesses, and government of the United States for their support for Ukraine.

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A regional Ukrainian official has claimed that Ukraine will be able to "clean up Severodonetsk in two or three days" if they receive Western long-range weapons. Serhiy Haidai, Governor of Luhansk, in a post on Telegram said that Russian forces continue with their "primitive tactics" like heavy artillery firing. He said that the industrial zone in Severodonetsk remains under constant shelling.

"If we get Western long-range weapons quickly, an artillery duel will begin, the Soviet Union will lose to the West, and our defenders will be able to clean up Severodonetsk in two or three days," Serhiy Haidai said in the post on Telegram.

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UK is “deeply concerned” about the two British soldiers and the Morracan soldier sentenced to death. The foreign fighters were captured by Russian forces while fighting in the port city of Mariupol. Briton fighter Aiden Aslin, 28 and Shaun Pinner, 48, were sentenced to death on charges of “terrorism” in a court in Russian-controlled territory in Donetsk.

“We are obviously deeply concerned by this. We have said continually that prisoners of war shouldn’t be exploited for political purposes,” a spokesperson from the UK told Guardian newspaper.  “You will know that under the Geneva Convention prisoners of war are entitled to combatant immunity and they should not be prosecuted for participation in hostilities," he said. 

“So we will continue to work with the Ukrainian authorities to try to secure the release of any British nationals who were serving in the Ukrainian armed forces and who are being held as prisoners of war," said the official from number 10 Downing Street. 

On June 9, a telephone conversation took place between the Chief of the General Staff of the Russia Federation Armed Forces - First Deputy Minister of Defense, General of the Army Valery Gerasimov and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the French Republic, Army General Thierry Burcard, Russian defense ministry said in a Telegram update. During the talks, the situation in Ukraine was discussed. There was also an exchange of views on the situation in the Sahel region, the Russian MoD revealed. 

Montenegro’s prime minister says he has spoken on the phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and expressed readiness to visit Kyiv. Dritan Abazovic also told Zelenskyy on Thursday that he will suggest to other leaders of countries in the Western Balkans that they should all travel to Ukraine together to show support.

Small Montenegro in 2017 defied Russia’s strong opposition to join NATO, and is viewed as the next in line for EU membership.The country, along with North Macedonia and Bulgaria, prevented the visit of Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to neighboring Serbia earlier this week by refusing to grant permit for his plane to fly through their airspace.

Abazovic hopes that Ukraine, too, will soon become a formal EU candidate, said a statement from his office. Abazovic offered Montenegro’s help on Ukraine’s accession path. The statement also says that Zelenskyy invited Abazovic to visit Kyiv as soon as possible.

Associated Press report

Russian appointed officials in the occupied regions have sentenced to death two British men and a Moroccan national captured during the combat for the Ukrainian army's Foreign Legion in Mariupol, Russian state media reported. A Russian court has sentenced British nationals Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner to death for committing the war crimes against Russian soldiers in Kyiv.

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has predicted victory of Ukraine in the ongoing war with Russia. In a recorded video, Ukraine's leader said that the battle in the eastern city of Sievierodonetsk will decide the fate of Donbass region.

"The war continues. But we withstood a powerful blow. We defend our territory. And we are moving towards one of the greatest military successes in Europe. We will win this war," he said. 

United States has sent another batch of M777 howitzers as part of a military aid package to Ukraine to combat Russian aggression. "The US Marine Corps M777 howitzer is being loaded onto a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III at March Air Force Base, California, as part of US assistance in Ukraine's security," a statement from the US State Department read. The aid comes just a day before the Norwegian Ministry of Defense announced that it had handed over 22 self-propelled M109 artillery units to Ukraine. 

Russia has begun paying pensions to the residents of the occupied Mariupol port city in the Donbass region in its own currency  rubles in cash, an adviser to that city’s Ukrainian mayor said on the national television.  “It is now known that the occupiers have already delivered trucks with cash,” Petro Andrushchenko told the state channel. “Russian pensions are being handed to pensioners in Russian rubles – which shows very well what the Russian economy is, that such a sum of money can be stupidly brought in cash and start handing out.”

Residents in Bucha have "been through hell", Britain's ambassador to Ukraine has said during her visit to the city. Melinda Simmons visited a mass grave, heard the survivors' testimonies, and accounts from children about the atrocities inflicted by the Russian troops. 

"Residents have been through hell. I visited a mass grave. Talked with parents and children. Kids talked of sirens and shootings," she said. 

Britain’s prime minister, Boris Johnson,on Thursday has said that abandoning Ukraine would be “morally repugnant” and it would encourage Russia’s president Vladimir Putin to expand the conflict. Johnson iterated that the rising cost of living in the UK should not be a reason to abandon support for Ukraine, as he delivered a speech in Blackpool. 

Even when the ongoing war has driven up prices, abandoning Ukraine would be “morally repugnant”, said UK PM. 

"[Putin] would be able to continue to twist the knife in the wound, the crocodile would simply come back for more and he would be able to claim that his aggression and his violence had paid off. That would be a disaster for Ukraine and all the other parts of the former Soviet Union that he might attack," said Boris Johnson. 

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has contracted shingles and has cancelled his visits to Berlin and Bucharest, a NATO representative reportedly said on Thursday.  Secretary-General of the NATO alliance’s planned visit to Germany and Romania has been cancelled, and the discussions will be held remotely, not in person,” he said, adding that he is down with shingles. 

Polish President Andrzej Duda on Thursday slammed Germany and France for making phone calls to Russian President Vladimir Putin and compared maintaining direct line with Putin to Adolf Hitler during World War II. In an interview published in Thursday's edition of German newspaper Bild, Duda questioned Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Emmanuel Macron for speaking with Putin. He condemned Macron for making remarks that  EU must prevent Moscow from being "humiliated." 

"Did anyone speak like this with Adolf Hitler during World War Two?" Duda said. "Did anyone say that Adolf Hitler must save face? That we should proceed in such a way that it is not humiliating for Adolf Hitler? I have not heard such voices."

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in a video message has said that the battle in the eastern city of Sievierodonetsk will decide the fate of Donbass region. He called the fighting in the region as the "most difficult phase" since Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24.

“Sievierodonetsk remains the epicentre of the confrontation in Donbas,” Zelenskiy said in a late-night address. Ukraine has inflicted “significant losses on the enemy” he added. 

The Russian Embassy in Canada on Thursday has responded to the Joint statement on limited resumption of Arctic Council cooperation following its release by the Canadian Foreign Ministry. "There is no Arctic Council without Russia," Kremlin said in response to "limited resumption" of the Arctic Council for circumpolar cooperation among the partner countries that did not include Moscow. 

Credit: Russian Foreign Ministry 

Canada, Finland, Iceland, the Kingdom of Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the United States, had issued the statement earlier yesterday saying that in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine—a flagrant violation of the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, based on international law, the member nations decided to pause the cooperation in March. But these states have examined modalities to allow a resumption of the work of the Arctic Council. 

“We remain convinced of the enduring value of the Arctic Council for circumpolar cooperation and reiterate our support for this forum and its important work," Arctic Council member countries said in a joint statement.

“We intend to implement a limited resumption of our work in the Arctic Council on projects that do not involve the participation of the Russian Federation."

Russia has started the integration of Ukraine’s Kherson region into its own territory, the Russian-appointed leader of the region Vladimir Saldo claimed on Telegram messaging app. 

“We are sure that Russia is with us, and we are with Russia forever. Integration has begun and will continue intensively," said  Vladimir Saldo via Telegram.

Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov on Thursday said at a defense briefing that the Ukrainian armed forces are ready to attack the Russian troops with the Polish self-propelled howitzers "Crab" 155 mm caliber on frontlines. Warsaw has provided more than 150 155-mm artillery platforms to the Ukraine that have been delivered to the Ukraine’s military already. 

Stockpile of shells of Polish howitzers ‘Crabs’ caliber is already 10% more than the stockpiles of large-caliber shells of the Soviet type, Reznikov notified. 

 "I am glad to announce that the Polish Crab ACS is ready to carry out combat missions at the front. After the M777 and FH70 guns, the Ceasar and M109A3 are the 5th type of 155-mm artillery we have managed to attract." .

No agreement has been reached with Turkey on Ukrainian grain exports, Kremlin told moscow reporters on Thursday. Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that the talks are continuing on grain shipments across the Black Sea, although no agreement had yet been reached yet. Peskov's remarks came after the Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu hosted his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Ankara to hold discussions on the United Nations' proposal to free the Ukrainian grain from blockaded Odesa ports in Black Sea. 

Ukraine Armed Forces in its latest war briefing on Thursday stated that at least 31,700 Russian troops have been "liquidated" in Ukraine since the war began on February 24. In addition, the defending troops also destroyed over 3,400 armoured tanks, over 550 UAV operators, and more. 

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday compared the ongoing Russian war with the COVID pandemic. Speaking at the TIME 100 Gala, he stated: "Weapons and sanctions are also a vaccine: a vaccine from COVID-22, which (the disease - ed.) Was brought by Russia. Hate is a virus, and it is even more deadly than COVID-19," Ukrinform reported. 

The UK Ministry of defense (MoD) in its latest briefing stated that Russia has "likely attempted to reconstitute EGF" after they suffered very heavy casualties in the failed advance on Kyiv, but its units likely remain understrength.

At least 11 people were killed and 16 others injured in Donetsk and Luhansk Oblast in the past 24 hours, said summary information of the military-civil administrations, as quoted by Ukrinform. Meanwhile, the invading troops have continued shelling in Severdonetsk, targeting a nitrogen plant and ammonia production plant. Separately in Toshkivka, at least four people were killed and five severely wounded.

Amid the Russia-Ukraine war in Eastern Europe, the Norwegian government has provided nearly 22 'M109 155mm tracked self-propelled howitzers' to assist Ukraine in repelling Russian strikes. Apart from this, the government also donated equipment, spare parts and ammunition. Norway has also provided training to Ukrainian soldiers on how to utilise the device.

As per an official statement, the Norwegian Army has recently replaced its M109 artillery pieces with new South Korean artillery, although the M109 remains in storage. It added, "22 of these have been donated, along with gear, spare parts and ammunition. Norway has also trained Ukrainian soldiers on how to use the system. This training has taken place in Germany."

Earlier in April, Norway had decided to supply 100 anti-air missiles to Ukraine. According to Sputnik, Norwegian Defence Minister Gram had asserted that Ukraine might receive a supply of 100 Mistral missiles from Norway. The missiles are meant to assist Ukraine in its war against Russia. According to the Norwegian Minister Of defense, the Mistral air defence system is a potent weapon that the Norwegian Navy has used and will be of tremendous use to Ukraine.

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The Group of Seven (G7) countries are discussing possible limitations on the price of Russian oil. 

Russian-backed occupation authorities are attempting to set conditions for the political integration of occupied areas into the Russian Federation but are likely acting independently and in an incoherent manner due to the lack of a unifying occupation authority, the Institute for Study of War (ISW) said in its report. 

The Institute of the Study for War (ISW) in its latest operational update claimed that Russia is attempting to "demoralise" Ukrainian troops by ramping up its psychological and informational operation. The US-based thin tank also said that the invading troops are also spreading disinformation and threatening messages.

Amid the ongoing brutal war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asserted that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, does not want to end the war as he still "feels strong" despite numerous efforts of preventing his unlawful actions. While speaking with the US corporate leaders on Wednesday, he reiterated that to negotiate with Putin, it is necessary to seize the "muscle power" of Moscow.

"For Russia to join in negotiations is simply not possible now because Russia can still feel its power," he told the corporate leaders. "We need to weaken Russia and the world is supposed to do it," he added.

Further, he appealed to all the world leaders to impose stringent sanctions on Russia for its unlawful action against his country. Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine has been doing its part on the battlefield since the onset of the war and now the world needs to impose even tougher sanctions to weaken Russia economically. He told the business leaders, "We need to switch Russia off the global financial system completely." Putting his staunch stand over the freedom of Ukraine, the Ukrainian President said he is willing to negotiate with Russia to end the war, but "not at the expense of Ukraine's independence".

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Ukraine State Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday opened a probe into 480 cases of treason and collusion with Russian troops that were recorded since the war began, Ukrinform News Agency reported. 

Ukrainians will receive compensation for property destroyed or damaged due to Russian aggression from Moscow's assets seized in the country, said Kyiv Justice Minister Denis Malyuska in a statement. 

"If we talk about working abroad, our success depends on the political decisions made by Western leaders. So far, there is a consensus in the West to freeze Russian assets, citizens and businesses of the aggressor country. This sanctions policy is standard but large-scale. However, our task is to create such a mechanism so that these assets and funds can be selected and transferred to Ukraine. Such a mechanism has been developed, brought to the attention of international partners and is in the negotiation stage, "Malyuska said.

A 13-year-old from Ukraine was forced to depart the UK after London Home Office denied her a visa, claimed UK PM Boris Johnson's opposition, as reported by BBC. 

Lithuania on Wednesday agreed to remove six Soviet-era sculptures (memorial of WWII soldiers in Anrakalno cemetery) from its capital city of Vilnius. "Today we can put an end to this story: on Monday we received approval from the Department of Cultural Heritage that these stelae, works of art not related to burials, not related to tombstones… After such an explanation, we can dismantle steles, "said Vilnius Mayor Remigius Shimashius, as quoted by Delfi. 

As the Russian war enters day 106, US security services on Wednesday issued warnings to key companies over potential cyber threats by Russia-based hackers. "According to intelligence, the threat was and remains real. The Russians have opportunities that we need to be careful about, and they are now in the decision-making process, "said Robert Joyce, director of cybersecurity at the US National Intelligence Agency, as quoted Wall Street Journal.

In a bid to prevent Russia from circumventing the sanctions imposed on it amid war, the UK has decided to implement stricter measures. According to a Wall Street Journal report, beginning June 16, the UK Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (FSI) will no longer evaluate the knowledge on violations available by the companies or individuals who have violated the sanctions, instead, they will only judge the measures breached. 

US National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan, during a press briefing on Wednesday, stated that "both the G7 and NATO will be very impressive proofs of (joint) strength and determination" in order to resist Russian aggression. 

The advisor to the Mariupol mayor, Petro Andriyushchenko, on Wednesday, claimed that at least "50-100 bodies" are found in "every 5 seconds"  under destroyed apartment buildings in the strategic port city. 

Just for context, Mariupol - an important port on the Sea of Azov- had remained a key target of the Russian invaders due tp its geography. The port city provides a land bridge between the Crimean Peninsula (which Russia annexed in 2014) and Donbass (the industrial east Ukrainian region that Russia now seeks to occupy). 

In Mariupol, residents have to queue up for basic food supplies at least 2-3 days ahead. 

US ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget Brink on Wednesday informed that the first $1bn from the $40 billion tranches from the US arrived in Kyiv. 

On Wednesday, Ukraine Operational Command 'South' claimed to have killed 30 Russian soldiers in last 24 hours. It also struck  3 ammunition depots, 2 armoured trucks, and four military vehicles. In all, Ukraine has claimed to launch at least 1,100 strikes on Russian forces since Feb 24.  

US envoy to Kyiv, Bridget Brink on Wednesday stated that $7.5 billion in grants are "on the way" for Ukraine. The amount to be disbursed is a part of the $40 billion in packages signed by US President Joe Biden in May. 

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy took part in the Yale CEO Summit in a video conference mode. The President thanked the American people, businesses, and the state for their support of Ukraine saying an official statement from Zelenskyy's office. "The war was not over after driving the Russian troops out of the Kyiv region and some other occupied areas. Fighting continues in the east...This is our common war. Companies that are in the market of the Russian Federation must leave, and leave fully. The most important thing for us is that their taxes will not finance the weapons with which the Russians are killing us," he said at the convention of 100 top managers of global companies. 

The fight for Severodonetsk- the largest city in Donbass region- is the "most difficult" battle seen so far, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy. Addressing the nation in his usual nightly address, the embattled president stated that 'Severodonetsk remains the epicenter of the confrontation in Donbas. We defend our positions, and inflict significant losses on the enemy."

"[The] battle for Sievierodonetsk is probably one of the most difficult during this war, and in particular, the fate of Donbas is being decided there. This is a very fierce battle, very difficult. Probably one of the most difficult throughout this war," Zelenksyy added. 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, on Wednesday, met with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu and discussed key issues pertaining to the situation in Ukraine. Addressing a joint press conference in Ankara, Lavrov said that Russia is ready to ensure the safety of ships leaving Ukrainian ports. He also assured Cavusoglu that Moscow will not take advantage of Ukrainian ports for military purposes. The Russian minister also went on to say that problem lies with Ukraine, as it has refused to clear its own territorial waters. 

"But if now, as our Turkish friends tell us, the Ukrainian side is ready to ensure the passage, then let's hope that the problem will be solved. If the Kyiv authorities have matured, we will only be happy to cooperate," Lavrov asserted, the TASS news agency reported. 

On the possibility of Russian leader Vladimir Putin meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Lavrov said that it would only be possible after the resumption of the negotiation process as a whole. "First, it is necessary that the negotiating teams resume work," he said.

Italy is demanding that Russia release grain from Ukrainian silos to ease the global food crisis, saying the continued blockade of Ukraine’s ports “is sentencing to death millions of children, women and men, far from the battleground.” Speaking at a conference in Rome, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio also warned that increased food insecurity in the developing world will trigger political instability and migratory flows.

Many countries in Africa and the Middle East, including Somalia, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, import much of their grain from Ukraine. Drought and high fuel prices even before the war in Ukraine already had threatened food availability for many developing countries.

Di Maio described the following weeks as crucial. “I want to say clearly that we expect a sign from Russia because blocking exports of wheat means holding hostage and sentencing to death millions of children, women and men far from the battleground.”

Associated Press