Russia-Ukraine war LIVE: Russian cruise missiles target a railway in western Ukraine

According to Ukrainian officials, Russian cruise missiles have struck a railway in western Ukraine. The strikes occurred near the Beskyd tunnel in the Carpathian mountains, not far from the Slovakian border. This is the second time Russian cruise missiles have attacked the route. According to Maksym Kozytskyi, the chief of the Lviv region military administration, two individuals were injured. 

CEO of state-owned Ukrainian Railways, Oleksandr Kamyshin, stated, "We are checking out the level of infrastructure damage. There are no victims among the railway workers. Three passenger trains are delayed. They are in safe places, and passengers are safe."

Serhiy Hayday, the commander of the regional military administration in Luhansk stated that street combat continues in the eastern city of Severodonetsk, although Russian forces currently control almost 80% of the city. According to Hayday, the remaining sections of the Luhansk region under Ukrainian control are being shelled, although local volunteers have delivered humanitarian supplies to many communities and evacuated civilians.

Hayday said, "On some streets, our defenders are successful. Six Russian soldiers have been captured."

Further, according to the Ukrainian official, the neighbouring city of Lysychansk is under Ukrainian hands. "This is a militarily advantageous position. The location of the city on a hill gives many opportunities. The city's defense is strong."

On June 2, US President Joe Biden will meet NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House to discuss the next steps in the Ukraine conflict. Biden will attend a meeting with Stoltenberg and national security advisor Jake Sullivan, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, to discuss NATO's next meeting in Spain.

According to British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, the UK would supply multiple-launch rocket systems to Ukraine to help it defend itself against Russia. According to a British Foreign Office statement, Britain would deploy M270 launchers capable of hitting targets up to 80 kilometres (49.7 miles) away, providing a major boost in capacity for Ukrainian forces.

The move has been "closely coordinated" with the US plan to equip Ukraine with its High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) — a derivative of the multiple-launch rocket systems that the UK will provide, according to the statement. The British government further stated that Ukrainian troops will be taught in the UK on how to utilise the launchers, maximising their efficacy.

"The UK stands with Ukraine and has taken a leading role in supplying its heroic troops with the vital weapons they need to defend their country. As Russian’s tactics change, so must our support to Ukraine. These highly capable multiple-launch rocket systems will enable our Ukrainian friends to better protect themselves against Russia’s brutal use of long-range artillery, which Putin’s forces have used indiscriminately to flatten cities," Wallace stated.

On June 1, Ukraine defeated Scotland 3-1 at Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland, in the World Cup playoff semifinal. They are now one win away from officially qualifying for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022.

Ukraine will now play Wales on June 5 in Cardiff to determine whether team will compete in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The 2022 World Cup will be held in Qatar from November 21 to December 18.

On June 1, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a $700 million drawdown in armaments and equipment sent to Ukraine. The 11th drawdown is part of the $40 billion supplementary appropriations package.

Blinken stated, "US military assistance will strengthen Ukraine’s position to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity, secure victories on the battlefield, and ultimately strengthen Ukraine’s position at the negotiating table."

Ukraine's Defense Ministry on Wednesday said that the situation in the city of Severodonetsk was "very difficult" as Russia's forces have intesified assaults.  "The enemy reached central Severodonetsk and is trying to establish positions. The situation is very difficult," Defense Ministry spokesperson Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said at a briefing. "I don't want to estimate or give any percentage ratios of what we control and don't control," Motuzyanyk added.

"We know the enemy's goals and we are doing everything to stop them from achieving them."

As many as 15,000 Russian troops have been killed and 40,000 others wounded since the war started in Ukraine, western officials have estimated in an update. 

Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, has said that the US' decision to supply advanced rocket systems to Ukraine raises the risks of a "third country" being drawn into the war. Russia's foreing minister denounced Washington for its move that he asserted will result in spreading the war outside Ukraine. 

US military hackers have “conducted a series of operations” in response to  Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, head of US cyber command, General Paul Nakasone told sky news. Nakasone said: "We’ve conducted a series of operations across the full spectrum; offensive, defensive, [and] information operations." 

The latter added that the activities were lawful, and were carried out with civilian oversight of the military by the defence department in adherance to all existing policies. 

Russia is planning to integrate Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine into the Russian Federation,  state media outlet RIA Novosti reported, quoting Sergei Tsekov, a member of the Federation Council. The referendums may be held this year in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, he said.  “I think that all the territories controlled by Russia have a very good chance of being reunited with the Russian Federation. These are originally Russian territories, ” Tsekov added. 

Swiss government has blocked Denmark's request to supply Swiss-made armored vehicles to Ukraine. Danish government had proposed to hand over about 20 units of its Piranha III combat vehicle fleet to Ukraine as military aid. Switzerland's State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) said that they had not agreed to the request for Denmark in line with neutrality and the War Material act. Earlier in April, SECO did not allow Germany to provide ammunition for the Gepard tank to Ukraine. However, the government is facing pressure to review its policy of not allowing countries to provide military equipments to Ukraine. 

Read full report here 

Kremlin has said on Wednesday that a meeting between Presidents of Russia and Ukraine is possible only to finalize a "certain document," but the work on it has long been halted. "No one has ruled out such a meeting, but it must be prepared. Presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy meeting solely to finalise a certain document makes sense. But development on the document was put on hold a long time ago and hasn't been resumed yet," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters, as per the TASS news agency. 

Read full report here 

Turkey did not receive any "concrete proposal" that addresses its concerns about Finland and Sweden's NATO bid, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday at the parliament. Turkey had needed a "sincere" approach from the two Nordic countries, and Ankara will not change its view unless a concrete proposal is presented that highlights all the concerns voiced, said Erdogan. The objections raised by Ankara were not "opportunism" said Turkish leader, but a matter of national security.

Poland’s prime minister says the European Union member country will serve as an “economic hub” for neighboring Ukraine, helping it export grain and other products while Russia blocks Ukraine’s export routes, chiefly its ports. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki spoke Wednesday in the Ukrainian town of Borodyanka, near Kyiv. Morawiecki was in the heavily damaged settlement to inaugurate a series of container houses for homeless residents that was funded by Poland.

Morawiecki said Poland is working on expanding its infrastructure and capacity to facilitate the export of millions of tons of Ukrainian grain and other agriculture products. Poland is receiving EU funds for the purpose, Morawiecki said. He stressed that North Africa’s countries rely heavily on Ukraine grain and could face problems feeding their populations without it. 

Source: Associated Press

Portugal has sent 146 Marines to join a NATO force stationed in Lithuania as part of efforts to bolster the alliance’s eastern flank in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The deployment includes divers specializing in deactivating mines and other explosive devices.

Portugal’s defense ministry said the aim of the mission is to “support high levels of readiness and discourage direct or indirect threats” against NATO members, especially in the Baltic Sea region. The detachment which departed Wednesday is to remain in Lithuania for three months.

Source: Associated Press 

Russia's military units ahve deployed its Air Force to focus on the efforts of conducting offensive operations on the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. In order to deplete the personnel and military equipment of the Ukraine troops, Russia's military has launched intense firing along the line of contact from mortars, artillery, and MLRS, General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine informed. In Slovyansk, Russia's armed forces have once again concentrated its troops, as well as redeployed a battalion tactical group in the village of Kupyansk, Kharkiv Oblast. 

A view of a Tu-22M3 bomber of the Russian air force seen from the cockpit. Credit: Associated Press

Russia's air force has bombed Ukraine's Bilopillia, Sumy region from Su-35 aircraft, causinng artillery fire that damaged the area of Seredyna-Buda locality, Sumy region. In an update, General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that Russian troops have rigorously intensified assault operations from multiple fronts in the northern, southern, and eastern districts of the town of Sievierodonetsk.

"In Volyn and Polissya directions, the units of the armed forces of the Republic of Belarus continue to strengthen the protection of the Ukrainian-Belarusian border in Brest and Gomel regions," General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said on June 1. Russian troops held strategic positions in city of Slobozhansky and launched fire from rocket and tube artillery on Oleksandrivka, Slatyne, and Tsyrkuny. 

SU-35 Russian fighter jet. Credit: Associated Press

Ukraine is losing up to 100 soldiers every day, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, adding that the situation remains very difficult in the eastern Donbass region. In an interview with the American broadcaster Newsmax, Zelesnkyy said that the fighting has intensified in mainly Severodonetsk and Lysychansk region. If Severodonetsk is entirely captured, it will be one of the biggest victories for Russian troops in eastern Ukraine. 

"The situation in the east is very difficult. We are losing 60 to 100 soldiers every day and there are around 500 wounded in action. So we are holding our defensive perimeters," said Zelenskyy. 

Russian forces are pushing into the city center of Severodonetsk, a city in Ukraine’s Luhansk region, making an effort to capture it. If the attempts of taking control of the center succeed, Russian troops will have a major victory in the eastern Ukraine. "Russia's soldiers are pushing closer to the town centre,"  the British Defense Ministry said in its intelligence update. Severodonetsk is “at the epicenter of the confrontation," Ukrainian president Zelenskyy said. 

Credit: Associated Press

 Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov strongly reacted to President Joe Biden's agreement of sending the long range rocket systems to Ukraine's military. Putin's spokesperson said that US is escalating the risk of a direct confrontation. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov meanwhile accused the United States of adding fuel to the fire, adding that Russia does not trust that Kyiv will not to fire the weapons into Russia. 

 "We believe that the US is deliberately pouring oil on the fire. The US is obviously holding the line that it will fight Russia to the last Ukrainian," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. 

Russia on Wednesday responded to President Biden announcement that he was sending advanced long range rocket systems HIMARS to Ukraine. The move, said Moscow, would be viewed “extremely negatively” and could be “dangerous,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told state media. Russia also started nuclear drills with Yars, an intercontinental ballistic missile, and about 1,000 military soldiers in the northeast of Moscow. 

Without naming Russia, Pope Francis has indirectly urged it not to use grain supplies as a "weapon" amid its ongoing war against Ukraine. "The blockage of grain exports from Ukraine, on which the lives of millions of people depend, is especially alarming," he stated, as per the Kyiv Independent. 

In its latest operational update, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry claimed that Russia has lost nearly 30,700 soldiers, 3,343 Armored Personnel Vehicles (APV), 1,361 tanks, 659 artillery systems and 207 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), and at least 94 anti-aircraft warfare. In addition, the invaders also lost as many as 2,290 vehicles and fuel tanks, 519 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), 208 aircraft, 175 helicopters, 120 cruise missiles, and 49 special equipment and 13 boats, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry stated on Twitter. 

Australian graphic design platform Canva has halted its services for residents of the Russian Federation. “We stand vehemently opposed to the Russian government’s continued acts of aggression, and we’re committed to standing for peace and safety everywhere, which is why we’re blocking access to Canva in Russia and foreseeable future,” the company said in a statement. 

Russia has launched exercises with nuclear missile forces. According to the country's defence ministry, about 1,000 servicemen and more than 100 vehicles are involved in the exercises. The Russian Federation's strategic forces include the Russian Aerospace Forces' Long-Range Aviation and the Russian Navy's ballistic missile submarines. 

Russian troops have centred their focus on the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk, British intelligence said. “On May 30-31, fighting intensified in the streets of Sieverodonetsk, with Russian forces pushing closer to the town centre". About other areas beyond Donbas, it said that the “invaders” continue to annihilate infrastructure, including critical bridges. 

Ukrainian military shared a video clip which showed soldiers growing plants on the frontline. As the battle inched closer to completing 100 days, the Ukrainian army said, "Soldiers not only defend their country against occupiers but also grow vegetables on the frontline."

Dmytro Kuleba said, "Russia plays hunger games with the world by blocking Ukrainian food exports with one hand and trying to shift the blame on Ukraine with the other. Ukraine is working on an international UN-led operation with navies of partners ensuring a safe trade route with no security risks."

"The situation on the Eastern Front is currently difficult due to the lack of necessary weapons, but Ukraine will liberate its territories, focusing on the effectiveness of hostilities and the maximum preservation of people's lives," Zelenskyy said on Tuesday night. His remarks came as Russians struck a nitric acid tank in Severodonetsk, Luhansk. 

Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov, on Tuesday, held a telephone conversation with his American counterpart Lloyd Austin. "We discussed perspectives of weaponry supply and strengthening of #UAarmy defense capabilities," Reznikov wrote on Twitter following the conversation. Notably, this came as Biden announced an additional US$700 million in military aid to Ukraine.

In addendum to a partial oil embargo, the sixth package of sanctions by the European Union also bans three Kremlin-owned TV channels namely- Rossiya24, TV Centre international and RTR Planeta. Notably, the measure has been adopted to curb “propagandist” broadcasters in the European Union (EU). After a debate for over a fortnight, European state members finally agreed on the sanctions on May 31. 

Russians bolstered their strike on Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), striking a nitric acid tank at a chemical plant in Severodonetsk. Announcing the same on Telegram, LPR Governor Sergiy Gaiday warned residents in the vicinity of the site to stay inside their homes and shelters. He also elaborated on the ill effects of the chemical substance saying that it could be lethal if “inhaled, swallowed” as it gets on skin and mucous membranes. 

‘Ukraine losing 60-100 soldiers per day in combat,' President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said as the war nears its 100 days. In an interview with Newsmax TV Channel on Tuesday, Zelensky said the situation in the east of Ukraine and southern Donetsk and Luhansk remains the most tense.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said has welcomed the sixth sanction package of the European Union (EU) against Moscow, but criticized the bloc for the gap of more than 50 days between the fifth and sixth round of sanctions.   

"It's more than 50 days since the fifth package of sanctions, this is unacceptable for us," Zelensky said while addressing a joint new conference alongside Slovakian Prime Minister Zuzana Caputova in Kyiv on Tuesday.  

German Minister of Economy Robert Habek expressed his dissatisfaction with the compromise on the oil embargo by the EU, adopting the sixth package of sanctions against Russia. "Orban ruthlessly played his own interest. European strength and determination suffered as a result of the dead grip around the sixth package of sanctions," he said at a meeting of the CDU. 

He added, "It's a compromise, and perhaps we live in a time when too many compromises not only cloud but destroy clarity in the end. I’m certainly not happy about that." 

African Union warned EU leaders that Moscow’s blockade of Ukraine’s ports risks “a catastrophic scenario” of food shortages and price rises. Senegal’s president, Macky Sall, who chairs the union, said “the worst is perhaps ahead of us” if current global food supply trends continue. It comes days after President Zelenskyy called for unblocking of Ukraine's port, where thousands of tonnes of food grains have been stored. 

Russian forces now control of most of the eastern city of Sievierodonetsk. The governor of Ukraine’s Luhansk province has said as heavy fighting continued in and around the key city and civilians were told to stay underground. Serhiy Gaidai said in an online post late on Tuesday that Russian shelling had made it impossible to deliver humanitarian supplies or evacuate people.

As the battle for Kyiv's sovereignty continues for the 98th day, Associated Press shared photographs which showcase the on-ground conditions in Ukraine. 

Defensive constructions in the city of Odessa were removed. According to authorities, the dismantling was carried out in order to change the format of the city's defence, as well as to restore infrastructure, so that the port city could develop in war conditions and fill the budget of Ukraine.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Moscow "crazy" on Tuesday after Russian troops bombed a chemical plant in their bid to take a key eastern city. The battle for Severodonetsk has intensified this week, with heavy casualties on both sides, as EU leaders negotiate a ban on Russian gas to punish the Kremlin for its three-month invasion of its pro-Western neighbour.

Brent crude oil closed at its highest level in nearly three months on May 31, after the European Union agreed to ban 90% of its Russian oil imports by the end of the year. However, oil finished well off its day's highs after a new report indicated that OPEC may be preparing to finally ramp up much-needed production.

Brent crude, the global benchmark, rose 1% on the day, closing at $122.84 per barrel, the highest close since March 8. Brent reached a high of $125.28 earlier in the session. Following an initial rally, US crude closed at $114.67 per barrel, down 0.4% on the day.

This follows the EU's agreement to impose a partial ban on Russian oil imports in order to punish Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. Despite the fact that new sanctions were widely anticipated, this move will further disrupt global energy supplies. According to the International Energy Agency, Europe is the largest buyer of Russian energy, with approximately 2.4 million barrels of Russian crude being shipped to Europe every day in 2021.

According to a State Department spokesperson, the United States welcomes the European Union's announcement of a proposed ban on Russian oil.

State Department spokesperson Ned Price, stated, “We applaud the steps by our European allies and partners to reduce their reliance on Russian oil and natural gas by diversifying their sources of energy and reducing consumption in line with our shared climate goals.”

According to Serhiy Hayday, the Head of the Military Administration of the Luhansk Region, Russian troops currently control the majority of the city of Severodonetsk, but he dismissed concerns that Ukrainian troops in the area will be surrounded.

He said, "We are constantly communicating. There is an opportunity to maneuver, so the military is now calmly holding the defense in the positions they occupy now. The city at this stage has 90% of all houses damaged. Of these, 60% are almost impossible to restore. And all the critical infrastructure is completely destroyed."

The Russian intention, according to Hayday, was to encircle all of Ukrainian soldiers. If Russian forces take control of Severodonetsk, Lysychansk, a nearby city, will be the only large urban region in Luhansk that remains under Ukrainian control.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday urged the European Union to adopt the sixth sanctions package against Russia “as soon as possible.” Zelenskyy reiterated that more than 50 days elapse in reaching a consensus for the approval of the Russian oil embargo, and the long gap between the fifth and sixth packages “is unacceptable.” Tap here to read full story.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry shared a video of a Ukrainian soldier playing a folk song on a flute. Taking to Twitter, the Ministry captioned the video, "Volodymyr Boliestiev, Marine of the 503rd Battalion, creates a fighting mood with the #Ukrainian folk song “Oh, on the hill the reapers reap (sic)”.

Slovakia has officially joined the international investigation team to probe war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Ukraine by the Russian armed forces. Dalibor Skladan, the General Prosecutor's Office of Slovakia, stated that this decision was taken during a coordination meeting between representatives of Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, the Slovak Republic and the International Criminal Court. Read more.

President of the European Council, Charles Michel stated that the process of authorizing the sixth set of sanctions on Russia will conclude on Wednesday or Thursday at a news conference following the EU meeting in Brussels.

He said that the legal draft has been submitted and the approval process will begin the following day and the text will be sent out tomorrow morning and approved either tomorrow evening or the next day as it will only take a few hours.

As the war rages unabated in Eastern Europe, a Ukrainian court sentenced two Russian soldiers to over eleven years imprisonment for committing war crimes in the Kharkiv region. According to a report by the Ukrainian Pravda, the accused have been identified as Alexander Bobykin and Alexander Ivanov who have been sent to jail for 11.5 years for shelling civilian areas of Kharkiv. It further stated that Russian soldiers were found guilty of violating the laws and customs of war and the prosecutor's office had demanded 12 years in prison for violating the laws of war.

Read more here

Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the invaders have committed around 15,000 war crimes. Ukraine's Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova said during a news conference in The Hague with the attendance of Karim Khan, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) that in Ukraine, there are roughly 15,000 cases of war crimes. Prosecutor Khan, for his part, stated that Ukraine is a country where crimes are committed and that the International Criminal Court (ICC) will investigate them.

The elimination of the Ukrainian state was one of the key objectives of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but the enemy's intentions failed, as Prime Minister Denis Shmygal mentioned said at a government meeting.

Shmygal stated that the annihilation of the Ukrainian state and institutional capability was one of the key goals of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He also said that It is not only about the authorities' ability to organize a defence, but also about their ability to fulfil all other state functions, such as ensuring the stability of the energy system, financial institutions and the continuation of social benefits.

Slovak President Zuzana Chaputova stated that Ukraine requires military assistance and that Slovakia will cooperate in this regard.

Chaputova said that with their shipments of medications and food, they know the occupiers will not be ejected from their land. She further said that Ukrainian defenders require military equipment and supplies, thus they are assisting them and will continue to do so. She claimed that the S-300 defensive system, retractable equipment and ammunition were just introduced and Zuzana howitzers will be introduced soon.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has chastised Russia for limiting food exports. He stated that Russia is playing a hunger game with the rest of the world by limiting Ukrainian food exports on the one hand and attempting to blame Ukraine on the other. He further said that Ukraine is working on an international UN-led operation with partner navies to ensure a secure commerce route.

Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday stated that Kremlin can guarantee the safe passage of grain vessels to the Mediterranean Sea as long as Ukraine demines the nearby coastal waters. Speaking at a press conference during a visit to Bahrain, Lavrov said that it is crucial that the Ukrainian representatives clear the coastal waters from mines for the ships to transit through the water.

Read more here

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been chastised by German Federal Economy Minister Robert Habeck for his activities in the EU's attempt to agree on the sixth package of sanctions against Russia, including an oil embargo. Despite the compromise struck on the sanctions package, Habeck expressed dissatisfaction with it, claiming that Orban was pursuing his interests till the very end and that the countries' inability to reach an agreement for such a long period had harmed European unity and determination.

The Verkhovna Rada requests that the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) consider stripping Russia of its UNESCO membership status as soon as possible.

Olena Shulyak, the leader of the Servant of the People political party and deputy chairman of the same-named parliamentary faction stated that Russia continues to fire on Ukraine, destroying historic landmarks in the country's majority of regions. More than 250 cultural monuments have been damaged or destroyed, according to the most recent data. Churches, museums, monuments, parks, cultural centres, theatres, libraries, and historic structures are among them and Russia should lose its UNESCO membership

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has stated that Germany will build the largest army in Europe among NATO members. The Baltic Sea is expected to be led by Germany's naval, according to NATO. Germany intends to invest 100 billion euros in the Bundeswehr, and the defence minister will draft a solid military purchase strategy.

The Verkhovna Rada has asked the National Security and Defense Council to impose personal sanctions on Russian Orthodox Church leaders who support the war against Ukraine in a systematic and active manner. 292 MPs voted for Resolution No. 7332, according to People's Deputy Yaroslav Zheleznyak.

Sanctions against eight members of the Russian Orthodox Church are being proposed, which include, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill, Head of the Department for External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Deputy Head of the Department for External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church, Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, Metropolitan of Pskov and Porokhov ROC Tikhon, Archbishop of Syktyvkar and Komi-Ziryansk Russian Orthodox Church Pitirim, Archpriest of the Russian Orthodox Church, preacher and teacher Vladimirov Artemy Vladimirovich, Archpriest of the Russian Orthodox Church, preacher, TV presenter Andrey Yuryevich Tkachev and Russian theologian, teacher and publicist, Doctor of Theology, Professor of the Moscow Orthodox Theological Academy and Seminary of the Russian Orthodox Church Alexey Ilyich Osipov.

The Verkhovna Rada passed legislation designating July 28 as Ukraine's Statehood Day as a national holiday. According to Ukrinform, 257 people's deputies voted for the relevant document No 5864.

The law is expected to promote the continuation of Ukrainian statehood, protect Ukraine's national interests, preserve historical justice and level fake narratives about historical aspects of Ukrainian statehood by the Russian Federation as an aggressor state, all of which will meet high public expectations and demands for justice. The document becomes effective on the day following its publication.

Poland is attempting to grab territory in western Ukraine, according to Russia's Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev. He claimed that the partners of the "Kyiv regime" are happy to take advantage of the current situation for their own gain and have specific plans for Ukrainian territory.

Patrushev warned that Poland appears to be on the verge of seizing western Ukrainian territory. He claims that this was proven by Polish President Andrzej Duda's visit to Kyiv and his declaration that "the Polish-Ukrainian border would soon cease to exist."

Russia’s military forces on Monday, May 30 claimed that its troops have recovered a van with the dead bodies of at least 152 Azov battalion fighters from the Azovstal steelworks that were attached with four mines. These bodies were piled up in the van on orders of the Ukrainian government to stage a provocation against Russia, Major General Igor Konashenkov, spokesman for the Russian Defence Ministry, informed in a briefing.

Read more here

Before the start of the second day of the EU summit in Brussels, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas warned that imposing further sanctions against Russia is becoming increasingly difficult because they already have a significant impact on the interests of EU countries. She further said that it will be far more difficult to agree on any fresh sanctions. She acknowledged that the sanctions have harmed Russia thus far, but they are increasingly affecting Europeans as well and making such judgments is significantly more challenging politically.

The UK may reopen its largest natural gas storage facility in the face of a likely worsening of the country's energy crisis this winter. The British government and local gas supplier Centrica are investigating the prospect of storing fuel in the Rough storage facility, as well as the option of converting it to hydrogen storage in the future, according to the media reports.

Residents of the Kherson region are being warned not to give passport data for the purchase of SIM cards from Russian mobile operators until Ukrainian mobile communication is restored.

Kherson OVA stated that in the city, the occupiers are selling Russian cell operator SIM cards and people have to provide their passport information in order to purchase them. It further said that they strongly advise the people not to do so and not to furnish the occupants with their personal information.

Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's Deputy Security Council Chairman, claimed that the latest sanctions targeted the Russian people, not the Russian leadership, and accused the West of anti-Russian sentiment, but he did not mention that the sanctions were in response to Russia's conflict against Ukraine.

He a Telegram message, he said, "In the endless tango of economic sanctions against Russia, the question of who they are aimed at is somehow lost. Who did their authors want to punish? The president, the political and military leadership of the country? No. It is obvious. And this is recognized by their creators. None of us has foreign property, accounts and significant interests abroad. We do not go there to rest and work."

Mateusz Morawiecki, the Polish Prime Minister, has stated that he wants to see Russian President Vladimir Putin removed from power.

Morawiecki stated that they will no longer be safe if Europe and the free world lose this battle, this war because they will always be threatened and blackmailed by Putin. He further said that they would want to see him removed from power totally, but Putin is a brutal force, and Russia is a superpower, and if Ukraine survives as a sovereign state, which is Europe's ultimate goal that will be their win.

The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell stressed that the EU needs to remove the shortcomings in their security and have closer coordination in the defence matters following the Russian offensive in Ukraine. He made the remarks at the special session of the European Council in Brussels on May 31. Borrell said that the members of the European Union need to increase funds for defence capabilities in a "coordinated way," Ukrinform reported.

Read more here

The visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Turkey is scheduled for June 8, according to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Yavuşolu, who also said that the formation of a "security corridor" for the supply of Ukrainian wheat over the Black Sea will be discussed during the meeting with Lavrov, among other things.

Ankara had been in talks with Kyiv and Moscow to build a corridor for grain shipments from Ukraine through Turkey, according to media reports. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his willingness to host a meeting between Ukraine, Russia, and the United Nations in Istanbul during a phone discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In the latest development amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu claimed that the Ukrainian President has expressed his desire to meet his Russian counterpart.

Cavusoglu stated that Volodymyr Zelenskyy informed this to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan when both leaders held a telephonic conversation on Monday. "Just yesterday (May 30), during the talks, Zelenskyy expressed his desire to meet with Putin. Turkey continues its aspirations," Cavusoglu told reporters, RIA Novosti news agency reported. 

The talks between Zelenskyy and Erdogan came just hours after the latter spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which he reaffirmed Ankara's commitment to continue contributing for peace in war-torn Ukraine. During the talks, Erdogan told Zelenskyy that Turkey is doing everything possible to keep the discussions between Ukraine and Russia going.

Read more here

Olena Kondratyuk, the deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, expressed her gratitude to the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola for supporting Ukraine's status as a candidate for membership in the European Union.

The European Parliament may accept the decision on Ukraine's position as a candidate for membership in the European Union since it is in the best interests of Europe. A positive and consistent decision has been reached on how to provide Ukraine with the status of a candidate for EU membership as early as 2022.

Russia's top military officers have been given orders to conquer the whole Luhansk region by June 1 and the deadline for Donetsk is July 1, according to media reports. The Russians are currently trying everything they can to take control of Severodonetsk, which they already have a large portion of. Currently, there are street brawls.

The Russian occupiers are continuing their onslaught in the areas of Severodonetsk, Bakhmut, Toshkivka, and a number of other communities in eastern Ukraine, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The adversary is attacking the Armed Forces and civilian targets with artillery and air strikes, and in certain areas is seeking to undertake reconnaissance to better its own positions.

Bulgaria's Prime Minister, Kiril Petkov declared that his country would be exempted from the EU's oil embargo against Russia until the end of 2024. He stated that in the conclusion, which will be released in 2-3 days the exemption for the country will be outlined in full.

Simultaneously, he also highlighted that the EU's decision to impose a 90% ban on Russian oil is a huge step forward.

The Russians are removing children from captured Mariupol and transporting them in an unknown direction. According to Mariupol Mayor's Adviser Petro Andryushchenko, the Russians are attempting to identify and gather children who became orphans or lost their parents during the occupation.

Andryushchenko stated that it is known, in particular, that roughly 15 children who were being housed by Mariupol locals on Meotida Avenue were taken away by 18 Russian militaries and brought away to an unidentified place. He further said that Ukraine is actively striving to determine the destination and care of Ukrainian orphans and missing children.

In the latest development pertaining to the ongoing war in Eastern Europe, Ukraine’s Institute of Mass Information revealed that nearly 32 journalists have lost their lives while reporting on the conflict since the onset of the invasion on February 24. The tally further increased following the tragic death of a 32-year-old French journalist, who died on Monday in Russian shelling. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy grieved the death of the French journalist, Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff. As per French and Ukrainian officials, Leclerc-Imhoff was killed in the Luhansk region after the armoured bus he was travelling in was hit by shrapnel from a shell. 

Read more here

Governor of Donetsk Oblast, Pavlo Kyrylenko stated that the majority of villages in the Bakhmut district, including Bakhmut, are not in the affected area and are therefore not in danger. The village of Travneve, which is located in the zone of ongoing hostilities is the only site where information concerning the ammonia smell comes from as of the morning of May 31. He further said that 35 individuals reside here.

Kyrylenko claimed that State Emergency Service rescuers are on the scene 24 hours a day, and in the event that the situation worsens, 9 tank trucks and 45 professionals are ready to respond at any time to mitigate the accident's consequences.

"There's always a possibility of escalation" in the Russia-Ukraine war, said the United States Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley who also stressed that it is essential to maintain constant contact with Kyiv to ensure active risk management. In an interview with Fox News, the Pentagon official said the US has to “closely” manage the chances of escalation of ongoing conflict and assess the situation.

Milley said, “I think there's always a possibility of escalation, we have to closely manage chances and assess the chances of escalation, so we do that”.

The US General also stressed that US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin is in constant contact with the Ukrainian Defence Minister. According to Milley, this shows "to manage the escalation and prevent it from expanding into something much more horrific than it already is." Additionally, the US official noted the operational battles between Moscow and Kyiv in eastern Ukraine and stated that the next few days are expected to “shape the outcomes of what would happen”. 

After the European Union revealed the sixth round of sanctions against the Russian Federation, the High Representative of the EU, Josep Borrell believes that Patriarch Kirill of Moscow should be included in a list of new individual EU sanctions to be enacted as part of the sixth sanctions package.

Head of the military administration in Severodonetsk, Oleksandr Stryuk, on Tuesday informed that Russian troops have captured "half of" Severodonetsk as Ukrainian defenders stage a heavy resistance in the region. 

After securing a compromise overnight to slap an embargo on most Russian oil imports, European Union leaders will focus Tuesday on how to help Ukraine export millions of tons of grain blocked by the war.

The leaders are expected to call on Russia to halt its attacks on transport infrastructure in Ukraine and lift its blockade of Black Sea ports so that food can be shipped out, notably from Odessa.

Ukraine says Russia has prevented the export of 22 million tons of its grain and is fueling a global food crisis. The U.N. says African countries imported 44% of their wheat from Russia and Ukraine between 2018 and 2020.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says the EU's sanctions are making things worse. Putin has said he would be willing to help ease concerns if the restrictive measures are lifted.

Associated Press

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki says Europe will always face a threat of "blackmail" from President Vladimir Putin if Ukraine were to lose the war against Russia. Speaking to Sky News on the sidelines of the European Union summit in Brussels on Monday, he said Europe and the free world would not be safe it it "loses this battle, loses this war". Putin represented a "brutal power", Morawiecki continued, adding that "we would like him to be totally removed, of course". He said the "sole objective" of Europe's support for Ukraine was its survival as a sovereign state, which would be "our victory".

(AP)

The leader of Russia-backed separatists who control part of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region says his administration will nationalize some of the ships in the port of Mariupol.

Denis Pushilin was quoted by Russian state news agency RIA Novosti on Tuesday as saying that “some of the vessels will come under the jurisdiction of the Donetsk People’s Republic. The relevant decisions have been made.” It wasn’t immediately clear whether he was referring to Ukrainian vessels or ships from other countries.

Kyiv has accused Russia of blocking its sea ports and hindering grain exports, fueling a global food crisis. Moscow has sought to pin the blame on the West and the sanctions it imposed on Russia.

Russian forces encircled Mariupol, a strategic port city on the Azov Sea, early in the war. They took full control of it this month after capturing nearly 2,500 Ukrainian fighters who had been holed up in the sprawling Azovstal steel mill, the last remaining pocket of Ukrainian resistance.

(AP)

Amid constant fighting in  Sievierodonetsk, Serhiy Haidai, governor of Luhansk said on Telegram, "The situation is extremely complicated – part of Sievierodonetsk is controlled by the Russians. They cannot move freely through the city – our fighters still remain in the settlement. The enemy is planning an operation to clear the surrounding villages. Wounded volunteers were taken out of Sievierodonetsk."

According to a Deutsche Welle report, at least 86.8% of Russian companies have been affected by the sanctions imposed by the Western nations on Moscow. Of these, 11.7% were unable to adapt to the current situation and were forced to partially or completely suspend business.

In the latest intelligence update, the British Defence Ministry said, "Elements of Russia’s Southern Grouping of Forces are likely leading the most successful axis in the sector, supported by the Central Grouping of Forces attacking from the North."

"Progress has been slow but gains are being held," it added.

Due to its refusal to pay in rubles, Russia's Gazprom has halted supplies to Dutch company GasTerra as tensions continue to soar between Moscow and the West.

According to preliminary reports, three people were killed and six more wounded in  Sloviansk after the Russian rocket attack.

United States will provide Ukraine with MLR systems with a range of 70 kilometres and not 300 kilometres, according to the Ukrinform report. The Ukrainian outlet further noted that even the shorter-range rockets would more than double the reach of Ukrainian firepower. Kyiv’s forces are already using US-delivered M777 howitzers, which have a range of about 30 km as the war with Russia continues to escalate. 

Valentin Yumashev, the son-in-law of former Russian leader Boris Yeltsin on Monday stepped down from the position of Russian President Vladimir Putin's advisor as the war entered day 97. "It was his initiative. I know it from him," Lyudmila Telen, deputy executive director of Yeltsin Center, confirmed the news while speaking to the TASS news agency. Yumashev was appointed as Putin's "unsalaried" advisor in August 1996. From March 1997 to December 1998, Yumashev was chief of staff of the Russian presidential executive office.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken dialed Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on Tuesday (local time). According to the statement released by State Department spokesperson Ned Price, both diplomats talked about the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and stressed the importance of international support for the war-ravaged nation. He noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s brutal war is causing a food crisis. Besides, the diplomats discussed the challenge posed by Iran’s nuclear program and its destabilising behaviour in the region. Blinken underlined the opportunities for greater cooperation on regional issues. 

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, who was in Ukraine on Monday, has called for an urgent investigation into the death of journalist Frederic Leclerc-Imhoff who was killed in Ukraine's Luhansk region. In a statement, Colonna said, "I am deeply saddened & shocked by the death of our compatriot Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff, killed by a Russian bombardment on a humanitarian operation while exercising his duty to inform."

The French Foreign Minister also spoke to Serhiy Haidai, the governor of the Luhansk region, and requested an investigation from Ukrainian President Voldoymyr Zelenskyy. Apart from Colonna's remarks posted on Twitter, the French Foreign Ministry also separately issued a statement demanding a probe into the death of the media personnel.

At least 1,037 companies have shut operations in Russia in retaliation to the ongoing war in Ukraine. According to data analysed by the Kyiv School of Economics, the closure of the manufacturing firms and service providers has cost $32.5 billion in revenues and $19.9 billion in capital to the Russian Federation.  

The vice president of a Russian multinational energy corporation headquartered in Moscow, Lukoil,  Leonid Fedun suggested reducing oil production in Russia by 20-30% amid sanctions, reported TASS.

Russian army's attack on Severodonetsk is taking longer than they had hoped, said a Moscow-backed separatist leader quoted in a TASS news agency report. Leonid Pasechnik, the leader of the Luhansk People's Republic, as per the report, said, "We can say already that a third of Severodonetsk is already under our control...We want, above all, to maintain the city's infrastructure".

At least 32 journalists have been killed while reporting on Russia’s war in Ukraine since February 24, according to Ukraine’s Institute of Mass Information. Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had also lamented the most recent death of a French journalist in the Luhansk region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy has responded to the European Union (EU) banning two-thirds of Russian oil imports in the bloc's sixth sanction package and said, he was grateful to Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, for "trying to find the necessary compromises" to make the measures possible.

Zelenksyy said, "Russia must feel a much higher price for its aggression. The key point is, of course, the oil. I believe that Europe will have to give up Russian oil and oil products in any case."

He added, "Because this is about the independence of Europeans themselves from Russian energy weapons. And the sooner this happens, the more complete the abandonment of Russian oil will be, the greater the benefit will be for Europe itself in the end."

Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvidas Anushauskas announced that his country will deliver more military assistance to Ukraine and the next shipment will include anti-drone and thermal imaging equipment, and Bayraktar drone, according to Kyiv Independent.

Putin on Sunday held a telephone call with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan and discussed "safe navigation" through the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, in the wake of water mine threats amid its ongoing 'military operation' in Ukraine, Kremlin said in a statement. During the talks, Putin expressed his readiness to allow maritime transit of food grains in coordination with Turkey after world leaders over the days flagged serious concerns about global food insecurity in developing countries.

"During the discussion or the situation in Ukraine, emphasis was placed on ensuring safe navigation in the Black and Azov seas and eliminating the mine threat in their waters," the Russian presidency said in a statement.

Read more here

Russians filed a class-action lawsuit against Sony for 280 million rubles for shutting down PlayStation Store, according to Gazeta.ru.
 

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree simplifying the procedure for Ukrainian orphans or children left without parental care with Russian citizenship, especially in its occupied territories, according to a document published by news agency RIA Novosti. The decree, as per the Ukrayinska Pravda report, stated that orphans and children who are left without parental care, people without legal capacity who are Ukrainian citizens, can obtain Russia’s citizenship through a fairly simplified procedure. 

Moreover, the guardians or organisations will be able to request Russian citizenship for children who are in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories such as Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson Oblasts. The decree, signed by the Kremlin leader, even determines who can apply to be a Russian citizen. 

Russian energy firm Gazprom will cut off gas supplies to the Netherlands' partly state-owned energy firm GasTerra on May 31 after the Dutch company refused to pay in rubles. Notably, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, Moscow has asked clients from "unfriendly countries," including EU member states, to pay for gas in rubles, allowing it to avoid Western financial sanctions against its central bank.

GasTerra, a Dutch energy company, announced on May 30 that it had refused to pay for Russian gas in rubles, after which Gazprom informed it that deliveries would cease on May 31, resulting in approximately 2 billion cubic metres of gas not received under the current contract.

GasTerra stated, "In response to this decision by GasTerra, Gazprom has announced that it will discontinue supply with effect from May 31, 2022."

Read more here

US President Joe Biden has said that Washington will not supply Ukraine with rockets that can reach Russia to prevent further deterioration of relations with Moscow. “We are not going to send to Ukraine rocket systems that can strike into Russia,” Biden told reporters on Monday after arriving back at the White House after a weekend in Delaware.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said, "The situation in Donbas remains extremely difficult. The Russian army is trying to gather overwhelming forces in certain areas to put more and more pressure on our defenders. There, in Donbas, the maximum combat power of the Russian army is now gathered."

"Severodonetsk, Lysychansk, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Kurakhove, Slovyansk and some other settlements remain key targets for the occupiers in this direction," he added. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin opened a meeting of his Security Council from Moscow on Monday. He introduced Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as the first up to report to the meeting. The president said Russian security and foreign policy were the two leading topics to be discussed, the "most prolific subjects" within the Council's remit. Just before the meeting, the Russian Defence Ministry shared footage of an airstrike on what was described as Italian-made howitzers deployed at Ukrainian military positions.

(AP)

Doctors have given Russian President Vladimir Putin only three more years to live as a growing number of reports claim that the Kremlin leader’s deteriorating health and that he has cancer. While the Russia-Ukraine war continues to escalate without any signs of a ceasefire, a Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) officer claimed that Putin “has no more than two to three years to stay alive” and that he has a “severe form of rapidly progressing cancer”, according to Mirror. 

The media outlet stated that the messages regarding Putin’s health are said to be from the ‘unidentified’ Russian spy to FSB defector Boris Karpichkov, now living in UK. In another shocking claim, Karpichkov said that Vladimir Putin is losing his sight and even suffering from headaches. 

Mirror further quoted its Russian intelligence source as saying, “We are told he is suffering from headaches and when he appears on TV he needs pieces of paper with everything written in huge letters to read what he’s going to say.”

“They are so big each page can only hold a couple of sentences. His eyesight is seriously worsening. And his limbs are now also shaking uncontrollably,” the FSB agent also said, according to the report. 
 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on May 30 over the current situation in Ukraine, peace talks with Russia and the building of safe corridors. The call came just hours after Erdogan spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which he reaffirmed Ankara's commitment to continue contributing for peace in Ukraine.

Erdogan informed Zelenskyy that Turkey is doing all possible to ensure the continuation of talks between Ukraine and Russia, emphasising the country's willingness to provide more assistance, including mediation, Turkey's Communications Directorate said in a statement. Further, both the leaders also discussed efforts to establish a safe corridor for Ukrainian agricultural product sea exports.

According to a statement released by Erdogan's office, the Turkish President said he, "especially valued the project to create a safe sea route for exporting Ukrainian agricultural goods."

Read more here

Belarus will conduct military mobilisation exercises in June and July in the Gomel region which is near the country's border with Ukraine, according to state news agency BelTA. Notably, the Gomel region borders Ukraine in the south and, in places, the area's exclusion zone around the site of the Chornobyl nuclear reactor disaster. On the eastern side, the Belarusian region borders Russia. The military exercises will take place from 22 June-1July, BelTA reported, citing Andrey Krivonosov, military commissar of the Gomel region.

Welcoming the bloc's latest move against Moscow, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the new sanctions will cut around 90% of the oil imports from Russia to the EU by the end of the year. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of stealing half a million tons of grain. The president of the war-torn nation said Russia’s blockade of Ukraine’s ports prevents the country from exporting about 22 mln tons of grain, creating a threat of famine in countries dependent on the grain.

French journalist Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff was ‘fatally shot’ and killed in Ukraine, said French President Emmanuel Macron said on May 30 as the Moscow-Kyiv war entered day 97. Macron said that the journalist, who worked for BFM TV, was in Ukraine to show the “reality of war” and was on board a humanitarian bus alongside civilians forced to flee to escape Russian bombs. However, Leclerc-Imhoff was killed on Monday as the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to escalate with no signs of a ceasefire. 

“I share the grief of the family, friends and colleagues of Frederic Leclerc-Imhoff, to whom I send my condolences. To those who carry out the difficult mission of providing information in theatres of operation, I want to reiterate France's unconditional support,” Macron said on Twitter.

Following Macron’s statement on Twitter, BFM TV said that Leclerc-Imhoff was one of their journalists. On air, the channel reportedly said that the journalist was 32 years old and was working with them for six years. 
 

In the nightly daily address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy on Monday condoled Leclerc-Imhoff’s death and said, “Today in the Luhansk region, the occupiers disrupted the evacuation from the areas of hostilities by firing at a car following the locals. French journalist Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff was killed by the shelling. He worked for the French TV channel BFM TV.”

Ukrainian President also said, “A little over a month ago, I gave an interview to this particular TV channel. This was my first interview with the French media during a full-scale war. My sincere condolences to Frédéric's colleagues and family.”

“He became the 32nd media representative killed after February 24,” he added. 
 

After the sixth sanctions package against Russia was stalled for several days, European Union has agreed on a partial ban on Russian oil imports, according to European Council chief Charles Michel. He announced on Twitter, "Agreement to ban export of Russian oil to the EU. This immediately covers more than 2/3 of oil imports from Russia, cutting a huge source of financing for its war machine".

Michel's announcement came following the rare meeting European Council summit attended by EU leaders in Brussels on Monday to discuss a sixth package of sanctions against Russia.  EU council head said, "This sanctions package includes other hard-hitting measures: de-Swifting the largest Russian bank Sberbank, banning 3 more Russian state-owned broadcasters, and sanctioning individuals responsible for war crimes in Ukraine". 

European Council President Charles Michel tweeted on Monday night, "#EUCO will continue helping #Ukraine with its immediate liquidity needs, together with @G7. EUCO is ready to grant #Ukraine EUR 9 billion. Strong and concrete support to #Ukraine’s reconstruction".