Russia-Ukraine war LIVE: Italian leader warns of "bread war" in Africa amid food crisis

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russian artillery has destroyed more than 113 churches across the country, days after he admitted that 200 heritage sites were also obliterated. The war between what was once the third-largest nuclear power in the world and the immediate successor of the USSR has now continued for over 14 weeks with thousands of casualties reported on both sides. On Saturday, Zelenskyy said that amongst dozens of annihilated churches were those which withstood Nazis in the second world war and those which were constructed after the disintegration of the Soviet Union. 

A performance was held outside the Hungarian Embassy in Poland to protest against Hungary's stance on European Union sanctions against Russia on Saturday, June 4. People participated in a performance where participants played the roles of Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, Ukrinform reported. The people showed the leaders and Patriarch Kirill dancing and even placed a dummy Druzhba oil pipeline which symbolically showed 'Ukrainian blood flowing instead of oil.' 

Amid reports of Ukrainian soldiers being in the captivity of Russia, the wife of Azov regiment commander Denis Prokopenko said she had not spoken to her husband for the last one week. According to her, Prokopenko is in a detention centre in the DPR (Donetsk People's Republic). She said that she had spoken for only 30 seconds during her last call.

As the Russian offensive continues even after 100 days of the war, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State, Pope Francis, on Sunday, urged both countries to return to the negotiations table for the shake of humanity.
While speaking after the Queen of Heaven prayer on Pentecost, Francis called the current situation "a nightmare" and said it is a "denial of God's dream".

Reinforced Russian troops backed by airstrikes pummeled a portion of eastern Ukraine on Saturday, blowing up bridges and shelling apartment buildings as they fought to capture two cities that would put a contested province under Moscow’s control, Ukrainian officials said.

Russian and Ukrainian forces battled street-by-street in Sievierodonetsk and neighbouring Lysychansk, regional governor Serhiy Haidai said. Russian strikes killed four people, including a mother and child, in the nearby village of Hirske, Haidai said.

The cities are the last major areas of Luhansk province still held by Ukraine. The Russian attacks are central to the Kremlin’s reduced wartime goal of seizing the entire Donbas region, where Moscow-backed separatists have fought Ukrainian forces for eight years and established self-proclaimed republics.

Russia also escalated attacks in Donetsk, the other province that makes up the Donbas, the Ukrainian military said as the war reached its 101st day.

AP

Hungary's parliament Speaker Laszlo Kever criticised the Ukrainian President's way of asking for help from his allies amid the ongoing war with Russia. Kever said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's way of harshly asking for help from his partners shows he has "mental problems". "Statements by the president of Ukraine are sometimes strange. Usually, those who need help ask for it politely persistently, but ask, not demand or threaten. One usually threatens enemies, not those they want to have as friends. There is a personal mental problem here," Kever told Hungarian newspaper 444.hu.

As the Ukrainian ports have been blocked for three months in a row, an Italian minister believes a "bread war" has already begun in African nations. The Italian Foreign Minister, Luigi Di Maio, said that the situation in several vulnerable countries, especially African nations, which are already facing the worst ever food crisis, has plunged into a further "food emergency". 
"The global bread war is already going on and we must stop it. We risk political instability in Africa. For the proliferation of terrorist organizations, for coups: this can lead to the grain crisis that we are experiencing," The Business Tribune quoted Di Maio as saying. 

Amid the ongoing war and the EU's plan to minimise Russian oil purchases, France has now in touch with the United Arab Emirates, a top French official told Europe 1 radio. According to the media report, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said France is exploring ways to find an alternative to Russian oil. Notably, on June 3, the European Union decided to embargo oil purchases from the aggressor. Since then, several countries are now looking for alternatives.

Russian forces continued their push to take ground in eastern Ukraine on Sunday, with missiles and airstrikes carried out on cities and villages of the Luhansk region, with the war now past the 100-day mark. Ukrainian police on Sunday shared a video showing the aftermath of Russian shelling in the city of Lysychansk, in the Luhansk region. The video shows damaged administrative buildings, residential buildings and roads. Representatives of the Luhansk branch of the National Police said they have been documenting the damage in the area. A statement issued by the National Police said the headquarters for distributing humanitarian aid had been burnt to the ground. Police claimed that more than 40 people had been living permanently in the building but no information on casualties was provided.

The Russian Defence Ministry said Sunday it had destroyed a Western supply of T-72 tanks and other armoured vehicles on the outskirts of Kyiv. The Ministry's spokesperson Igor Konashenkov said the Russian air forces hit tanks provided by "Eastern European countries" being stored in a car repair facility, with high-precision missiles. Konashenkov also said Russian forces in the Odesa region shot down a Ukrainian An-26 aircraft carrying weapons and military equipment. The Defence Ministry published footage of 203mm Pion self-propelled artillery in action. They destroyed firing positions and observation posts of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Ministry reported.

Amid the ongoing ravaging war in Eastern Europe, the regional administration head of Luhansk Oblast, Serhiy Haidai, claimed that the Russian forces have set a task of capturing Ukraine's Severodonetsk city by June 10. He further stated that the Ukrainian military has regained control of half of the city and also apprehended at least eight occupiers. His comments came amid the fierce battle between the troops of both countries in Ukraine's eastern regions. "Severodonetsk is conditionally divided in half. The Russian troops are making all efforts to complete their task in the region. They did not expect such resistance from Ukraine and kept on spreading lies about capturing the city," Haidai stated on Telegram. 

A day after the Swiss government granted permission to Italy and Germany to export Swiss-made war equipment to Ukraine, a similar order was issued by Spain on Saturday. According to the sources of El Pais, Spain agreed to deliver German-made Leopard anti-aircraft missile systems and battle tanks to the war-ravaged nation. Currently, the delivery of a battery of short-range anti-aircraft missile systems Shorad Aspide is being prepared.

Ukraine’s General Staff accused Russian forces Sunday of using phosphorus munitions in the Kharkiv region, and said Moscow continues to carry out missile and airstrikes on military and civilian infrastructure, including in Kyiv. In his morning briefing, spokesperson Oleksandr Shtupun, claimed that the Russian troops used phosphorus munitions in the area of the Cherkaski Tyshky village in the Kharkiv region. The claim couldn't be independently verified. The update also confirmed strikes on Kyiv, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday. It wasn’t immediately clear from the statement which infrastructure facilities in Kyiv were hit.
 

Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Sunday, warned the West about giving long-range rocket systems to Ukraine. He said Russia will hit targets ‘we haven’t yet struck.’ Earlier, US President Joe Biden had clarified it would not provide long-range rocket systems to the war-torn country.

As Russian forces blocked major Ukrainian seaports, resulting in a food crisis, Turkey stressed the export of agricultural products and fertilizers is crucial to averting the world food emergency. While speaking with his Spanish counterparts, Turkish Presidential Spokesperson İbrahim Kalın, who was there in Madrid, said Ankara will discuss the ongoing situation with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov during his visit to Turkey next week.
"When these grain products pass through the Black Sea and the straits, they will also play a key role in preventing the world food crisis," he said. According to the Turkish diplomat, Ankara's military authorities and other experts in logistics, transportation and agriculture will come together to discuss these issues in the near future.

As the brutal conflict between Russia and Ukraine now enters day 102, the United States along with its allies providing heavy war weapons to the war-torn nation to face Russian aggression, with Kremlin troops continuously fighting with Ukrainian forces to capture more and more territories. On Saturday, the former US Ambassador to Ukraine and Vice President of the United States Institute of Peace, William Taylor, stated that Ukraine has every right to use weapons provided by the United States and its allies to defeat enemy artillery, even in Russia.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will visit Brussels where he will be holding back-to-back meetings with the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, he informed on the microblogging post. According to Austin, defence leaders from literally all over the world will be there to discuss the ongoing crisis in Ukraine in the wake of Russia's unprovoked invasion. He will also meet the NATO defence Minister where he will discuss the NATO membership application of Sweden and Finland.

Luhansk governor Serhiy Haidai said on Telegram that “airstrikes by Ka-52 helicopters were carried out in the areas of Girske and Myrna Dolyna, by Su-25 aircraft - on Ustynivka,” while Lysychansk was hit by a missile from the Tochka-U complex.

A total of 13 houses were damaged in Girske, and five in Lysychansk. Another airstrike was reported in the eastern city of Kramatorsk by its mayor Oleksandr Goncharenko. No one was killed in the attack, he said, but two of the city’s enterprises sustained “significant damage.”

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in its daily war update, claimed at least 100 Russian soldiers were killed in the last 24 hours. With the latest announcement, the total Russian casualty reached 31,150. However, the number has been not confirmed by the Russian Defence Ministry. 

A barrage of Russian missiles struck Ukraine's capital early on Sunday, hitting unspecified “infrastructure” targets, Kyiv's mayor said. No one was reported killed, with one person hospitalized with injuries. The missiles hit the Darnytski and Dniprovski districts in the city and emergency services had arrived at the scene, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on the Telegram messaging app. Air raid sirens had gone off around the time of the blasts.

Watch the latest visual here:

As the Russian forces continue to attack several Ukrainian cities including-- Donbas and Sieverodonetsk- the UK Ministry of Defence, in its daily intelligence report, claimed that the Ukrainian forces have launched a counterattack operation in the eastern region. Notably, the region was earlier gained by the aggressor through concentrating combat units and firepower, the report said.

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) in its latest update said that Russia is using proxy infantry forces for urban clearance operations. It added that such tactics were "previously observed in Syria, where Russia employed V Corps of the Syrian Army to assault urban areas." This approach likely indicates a desire to limit casualties suffered by regular Russian forces, UK MoD said. 

Spanish publication El Pais on Sunday reported that Madrid is ready to send anti-aircraft tanks and Leopard missiles to the Ukraine military. In addition, the Spanish military will also provide training to Ukrainian counterparts in Latvia. 

Ukraine plans to resume competitive football in the country in August despite being under attack by Russia after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave approval.

Andriy Pavelko, the president of Ukraine's football federation, revealed details to The Associated Press about his talks with Zelenskyy and the heads of FIFA and UEFA about finding a safe way of playing men's and women's matches on home soil.

Ukraine was forced to abandon its leagues in February when Russia began an invasion that, according to Zelenskyy, has led to “at least tens of thousands" of Ukrainian civilians dying and large swaths of many cities and towns being bombed into rubble.

“I spoke with our president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, about how important football is to distract,” Pavelko said in an interview with the AP, surrounded by Ukraine jerseys and a tactics board in the team meeting room in Cardiff. "From the children to the old people, everyone is focused on the war. Every day they receive information about deaths, about the impact of the war.

Associated Press

Reiterating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's statement, Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, asserted that Kyiv has never attacked Russia, nor will it ever in the future. The Ukrainian diplomat said that Ukrainian armed forces require long-range weapons to defend their country and added that Ukraine continues to hold talks with the United States for long-range weapons, Ukrinform reported. 

Russian officials are becoming “increasingly frustrated” with China’s apparent refusal to provide more support to Moscow amid the war with Ukraine, reported The Washington Post. 100 days after the onset of the war in February, the majority of the West stood in support of Kyiv and a handful of nations publicly backed Moscow, such as China and Belarus. However, in an interesting development, the media report quoted a Chinese official describing Beijing’s discussions with Russia as “tense”. 

Amid the relentless war in Ukraine, it has forced nearly 14 million Ukrainians to flee from their motherland. According to the reports, the dramatic escalation of brutal war forced around three million children to pause their education.

Mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko on Sunday morning took to Telegram and informed about the burgeoning explosions heard in the outskirts of the city overnight. He wrote at least 5 massive blasts rocked the districts of Darnytsky and Dniprovsky on the outskirts of Kyiv. 

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday addressed a charity event for the UNITED24 in Washington DC. Through auctions, the event collected $51.3 million to help war-affected Ukrainians. "This is one of the ways to prove to Russia that evil won't win," Zelenskyy said during his virtual address. He then thanked those who contributed to the charity. "Thanks to your help, your names will forever go down in the history of Ukraine, the history of defending freedom and democracy," the embattled president said. 

The former Russian president and incumbent deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev lashed out at the West for illegitimate sanctions against family members of Russian politicians. "Let's take sanctions. They are doubly illegal. Now, according to their model, not only participants in political events - statesmen or deputies - but also their families, who are in no way capable of influencing their relatives, are responsible for the mythical violations invented in the West," he wrote in a Telegram post, as quoted by TASS, adding that "It seems that the West decided to reproduce the best practices of the past."

Russian Armed Forces on Saturday claimed that the retreating Ukrainian troops from Svyatogorsk set fire to a wooden monastery in the region. "Ukrainian nationalists on June 4 set fire to a wooden monastery of the Svyatogorsk Dormition Laura as Ukraine’s 79th air assault brigade retreated from the town of Svyatogorsk of the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said in a statement, as quoted by TASS. 

Successful counterattacks by Ukrainian troops have slowed down Russian operations in the Luhansk region, the Institute for Study of War (ISW) said in a report. "Ukrainian forces are successfully slowing down Russian operations to encircle Ukrainian positions in Luhansk Oblast as well as Russian frontal assaults in Severodonetsk through prudent and effective local counterattacks in Severodonetsk and their defense of the western Siverskyi Donets riverbank. Ukrainian officials reported on June 3 that Ukrainian defenders pushed back against Russian advances in Severodonetsk and are actively hindering Russian advances on Lysychansk from the southwest.[1]  Luhansk Oblast Administration Head Serhiy Haidai disagreed with the UK Defense Ministry forecast on June 3 that Russian forces will seize the remaining 10% of the oblast in the next two weeks, claiming that Ukrainian forces have enough reinforcements and equipment to conduct further counterattacks and defend their positions," the report said.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov, on Saturday, said that his "optimistic projection" is that the war might end by the end of this year, although, it is hard to outline the time. Speaking at the GLOBSEC-2022 forum in Bratislava in Slovakia, the embattled minister reiterated calls for more weapons, including "MLRS, as well as other artillery, tanks, anti-ship systems, unmanned systems, missiles, and air defenses."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy's vyshyvanka shirt- a traditional embroidered piece of clothing- was sold for Rs. 77 lakhs at a charity auction in Washington DC. It was the same shirt he wore on Vyshyvanka Day on May 19. The proceeds from the sale will go to the UNITED24 initiative, launched to support Ukraine. 

At least 5 people were killed and 20 others injured in intense shelling in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. The bombardments damaged two schools, a gymnasium, and a nursery garden in the region, said the regional governor. 

US ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget Brink on Saturday visited the town of Borodyanka to "bear the witness" to the damages inflicted by the Russian troops. 

Ukraine announced on Saturday that it has retaken a large portion of the battleground city of Sievierodonetsk in a rare counter-offensive against Russia's main assault force, which had been slowly advancing in the east. The Ukrainian allegation could not be independently corroborated, and Moscow claimed that its own forces were making gains in Ukraine. However, it was the first time Kyiv claimed to have launched a major counter-offensive in Sievierodonetsk after days of surrendering territory there.

According to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Russian shelling has destroyed 113 churches in Ukraine since the war began. In his talk, Zelenskyy stated that this is not the first time the Lavra has been shelled, and that three Lavra monks were murdered by Russian bombardment on June 1. The President claims that the noises of approaching Russian artillery are "continuous" in the Lavra.

He said, "Among them are the ancient ones - those that withstood World War II, but did not withstand the Russian occupation. There are also those that were built after 1991. Reconstruction of the Skete of All Saints of the Sviatohirsk Lavra began in 2001. June 10 would be another anniversary of the beginning of construction."

Four international fighters were slain in Ukraine, according to a Facebook post by the International Legion of Defense of Ukraine on Saturday. The four men were named in a post by spokesperson Damien Magrou, who displayed the flags of France, Germany, Australia, and the Netherlands.

Magrou stated, "We wish to remember and honour our fallen brothers, who travelled to Ukraine to join the bravest of the brave and fight shoulder to shoulder with the defenders of Ukraine. No words exist to express our gratitude for their service and ultimate sacrifice. These are the unsung heroes who came here to defend the values they believed in and stand up against tyranny."

In the midst of fierce fighting on many fronts, the Ukrainian military said that Russian forces launched missile and air attacks on several locations in the Donetsk and Luhansk areas. Russian troops fired four Tochka missiles in the districts of Bakhmut, Kramatorsk, Kostiantynivka, and Lysychansk, as well as airstrikes against Sloviansk and Soledar, according to Ukrainian Armed Forces spokesman Oleksandr Shtupun.

Artillery was deployed against many communities north of Sloviansk, a significant target for Russian forces, according to Shtupun. Heavy battle appeared to have occurred in Sviatohirsk, which is located 20 kilometres (about 12 miles) north of Sloviansk.

According to Serhiy Hayday, the commander of the regional military administration, the Russian army is putting all its reserves into seizing the city of Severodonetsk in the eastern Luhansk area. "They had previously managed to capture most of the city, but now our military has pushed them back," Hayday said on Ukrainian television, adding that the Russians are "suffering huge losses." Hayday further stated that Chechen forces who appeared to believe the war was won had reached the city.

As the ravaging war in Eastern Europe continues to intensify, Ukrainian Deputy Minister for Economy, Trade and Agriculture, Taras Kachka, stated that not only does the country need economic reparations but also a new plan to help Ukraine "leap into the future." Kachka made the remarks while addressing the GLOBSEC Forum in Bratislava through a video link on Saturday.

During his address, the minister said that a new form of the 'Marshall Plan' will assist the country get closer to the European Union (EU) and the Group of Seven (G7) countries. The 'Marshall Plan' was a proposal outlined by the then-US Secretary of State George C. Marshall in June 1947 to aid in the reconstruction of Europe's and Germany's economies following the Second World War.

Amid the unprecedented soaring of oil prices, US President Joe Biden, on Saturday, announced the release of oil from global oil reserves. While announcing the latest measure, he said it would help the oil prices to get down, which have been continuously increasing since the onset of Russia's invasion. POTUS Biden, who took to the microblogging site on Saturday evening (Indian time), claimed the release is the largest in history, without mentioning the quantity of the oil that would be released. Also, he did not mention the frequency of the release in his Twitter post. Apart from oil, he has also directed the sale of gasoline using homegrown biofuels this summer.

Amid the relentless war, it seems Russia is in no mood to end the war in the near future. According to the Office of the President of Ukraine, it is believed that the public statements delivered by Russian officials, the aggressor is not ready to initiate peace talks. However, it added if the conference is resumed, the main issue would be the preparation of a meeting at the level of presidents.

The question was posed in a private briefing to U.S. intelligence officials weeks before Russia launched its invasion in late February: Was Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, made in the mold of Britain’s Winston Churchill or Afghanistan’s Ashraf Ghani?

In other words, would Zelenskyy lead a historic resistance or flee while his government collapsed?

Ultimately, U.S. intelligence agencies underestimated Zelenskyy and Ukraine while overestimating Russia and its president, even as they accurately predicted Vladimir Putin would order an invasion.

But Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, did not fall in a few days, as the the United States had expected. And while American spy agencies have been credited with supporting Ukraine’s resistance, they now face bipartisan pressure to review what they got wrong beforehand — especially after their mistakes in judging Afghanistan last year.

Intelligence officials have begun a review of how their agencies judge the will and ability of foreign governments to fight. The review is taking place while U.S. intelligence continues to have a critical role in Ukraine and as the White House ramps up weapons deliveries and support to Ukraine, trying to predict what Putin might see as escalatory and seeking to avoid a direct war with Russia.

AP

The members of the United Nations will visit Ukraine from June 7-16 to collect evidence of war crimes committed by the Russian forces. This will be the first time when a team of the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry will travel to the already war-ravaged country. The delegation will hold a press conference on June 15, with a report on the visit's results to be submitted to the UN General Assembly in October.

Russia has once again accused Ukraine of attacking the villages of Moscow. According to Local Governor Alexander Bogomaz, the Ukrainian forces have attacked the village of Sluchovsk, resulting in the killing of one person. Notably, Moscow has frequently charged Kyiv with hurling strikes in borderline Russian regions of Bryansk and Kursk. However, the already war-ravaged nation hasn’t yet responded to the recent accusation.

Despite the ongoing brutal war, French President Emmanuel Macron believes it was "unfair to humiliate" his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. During an interview with the regional newspaper, Macron said, "When the conflict stops in the war-torn country, a diplomatic solution can be found". Further, he offered both countries to mediate the peace talks in order to end the conflict.

Russia's State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin has said that the US and European Union has exhausted its means to impact the development of Russia. He said that European Union's oil embargo will result in EU member countries paying more than 250 billion euros a year due to "record-high energy prices." Volodin claimed that leaders of the West have been forced to choose between a "bad and a very bad scenario" for their economies and citizens with the imposition of new sanctions against Russia. His remarks came after the EU Council adopted the sixth package of sanctions against Russia in retaliation to its military offensive in Ukraine.

Reiterating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's statement, Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, asserted that Kyiv has never attacked Russia, nor will it ever in the future. The Ukrainian diplomat said that Ukrainian armed forces require long-range weapons to defend their country and added that Ukraine continues to hold talks with the United States for long-range weapons, Ukrinform reported. 

A day after the Swiss government denied permission to Denmark and Germany to export Swiss-made war equipment to Ukraine, it has now allowed the supply of parts for military equipment to the war-ravaged nation. According to the statement released by Switzerland Federal Council, it has approved two requests by Swiss companies to export war materiel supplies in the form of individual parts and assembly packages to defence companies in Germany and Italy. Citing the War Materiel Act, it said the law allows Swiss companies to participate in international value chains of the defence industry.

Russian officials are becoming “increasingly frustrated” with China’s apparent refusal to provide more support to Moscow amid the war with Ukraine, reported The Washington Post. 100 days after the onset of the war in February, the majority of the West stood in support of Kyiv and a handful of nations publicly backed Moscow, such as China and Belarus. However, in an interesting development, the media report quoted a Chinese official describing Beijing’s discussions with Russia as “tense”. 

Russian troops destroyed a base of foreign mercenaries outside Odesa, along with an artillery training centre in the Sumy region, the Russian Defence Ministry announced on Saturday. "High-precision air-launched missiles hit an artillery training centre of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near the village of Stetskivka in the Sumy region. In this centre foreign instructors trained Ukrainian servicemen to operate and direct fire of 155 mm M777 howitzers," Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in his daily briefing. Konashenkov also said that a base of foreign mercenaries in the area of Dachne in the Odesa region was destroyed as a result of a missile attack.

A day after the European Union gave its final approval to fresh sanctions on Russian energy, a top EU official said that the bloc has no plans to ban Russian gas. In an interview published with the Stampa newspaper,  European Commissioner for Economic Affairs Paolo Gentiloni, the union will not pass any order that would harm the EU too much.
"The official position of the European Commission is that no sanctions are out of the question. But today we are not talking about a gas blockade. The theme is to strike at Russia without hurting ourselves too much," TASS quoted Gentiloni as saying.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has met with Finland’s prime minister and spoken to Turkey’s president as he seeks to overcome Turkish resistance to Finland and Sweden joining the alliance.

Stoltenberg, who visited Washington this week, tweeted late Friday that he met with Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin while there and discussed “the need to address Turkey’s concerns and move forward” with the Finnish and Swedish membership applications.

Amid the relentless war in Ukraine, it has forced nearly 14 million Ukrainians to flee from their motherland. According to the reports, the dramatic escalation of brutal war forced around three million children to pause their education.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the United24 platform presentation in Washington on Saturday, urging people and businesses to donate funds for the restoration of Ukraine's infrastructure. "Ruins are all that is left behind by the Russians. But people need to have somewhere to return. Right now. Today. That is the reason I initiated the special United24 platform. It is not just fundraising. It is also one of the ways to prove to Russia that evil will not win," Zelenskyy said.

In May, Ukraine announced the launch of a global initiative United24. Funds donated to the platform will be allocated to cover the most acute needs to help to recover Ukraine's economy and rebuild infrastructure. The first component of United24 is an online fundraising platform.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had committed a “historic and fundamental error” by invading Ukraine and has “isolated himself”, said French President Emmanuel Macron. In an interview with several regional press newspapers published on Friday, Macron made a range of announcements regarding the Russia-Ukraine war along with France’s pensions and purchasing power. French President also said that he told his Russian counterpart about making a massive error in history. Macron also noted that getting out of the ‘isolation’ would be a “difficult path”. 

Russian Ministry of Defence in a statement claimed that its Air Defence Forces on Friday intercepted a Ukrainian military aircraft near Odesa. According to Sputnik's report, citing the Russian MoD, the plane was delivering weapons and ammunition. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday stated that over 3,000 Ukrainian settlements are under Russian occupation. He was virtually addressing the US Conference of Mayors. 

In retaliation to the Russian war in Ukraine, Azerbaijan on Saturday blocked Russia's state-owned broadcaster RIA Novosti. 

Russian forces have combined air and artillery power to bring an "overwhelming" impact on Donbass region, UK MoD said in its latest intel report on the ongoing war in Ukraine. The statement also claimed that Russian troops are conducting airstrikes using both guided and unguided munitions. It added that Russian forces have “largely restricted to deep strikes using air and surface-launched cruise missiles” to disrupt Ukrainian reinforcements. 

At least 1,400 reports have emerged against Ukrainians who have allegedly colluded with Russian army. The "traitors" could face up to 15 years in prison, which includes the mayor of the city of Kupyansk, Gennady Matsegora. Ukraine's Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova told the Guardian that Kyiv has currently begun a probe on 50 such cases, which included at least seven police officers, five mayors and a judge. These people have been accused of paving way for Russian troops to capture villages and kill hundreds. 

Ukraine Armed Forces in its latest briefing claimed that Russian troops renewed their assault in east Ukraine. The ib=nvaders continued airstrikes on civilian infrastructure in Volyn and Pollisya regions. In Severodonetsk, "the enemy" rained strikes on Ukrainian troops using mortars, barrels and jet artillery, the report added. 

As the war marked its 101st day, CNN on Friday reported that the US and its allies have begun discussing prospects to quell the stalemate between Russia and Ukraine. Seeing no sign of immediate cessation, the US officials have reportedly started meeting their British and European Union counterparts to discuss a potential ceasefire. The CNN report also indicated that the prospective deal might include the four-point framework proposed by Italy last month. 

In 100 days of Russia’s all-out war, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service has evacuated over 1.8 million people. In addition, they have also made 32,468 trips, extinguished 9,300 fires, rescued 1,397 people and neutralized 128,424 munitions.

As the Russia-Ukraine war has crossed the 100-day mark, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss warned that Moscow’s “unjustified and illegal” invasion threatened world peace and economic stability. In a statement on Friday, marking 100 days of the unabated conflict in Europe, Truss said that Britain remained determined to not let Russian President Vladimir Putin’s offensive succeed. The UK Foreign Secretary said that the Kremlin leader “expected the invasion to be over in days, but significantly underestimated the resolve of brave Ukrainians, who have valiantly defended their country."  

“Putin’s invasion has brought death and destruction on a scale not seen in Europe since World War II. This war has huge ramifications for global peace, prosperity and food security. It matters to us all,” UK Foreign Secretary said.

“Today is a moment to pay our respects to the thousands of innocent civilians murdered since the invasion, and reaffirm our steadfast support for Ukraine’s heroic defence, to ensure they succeed and Putin fails”, she added. 

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NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg on Friday met with Finland PM Sanna Marin to discuss the prospects for Helinski joining the alliance. Taking to Twitter, Stoltenberg wrote, "Great to meet with Prime Minister @MarinSanna of our close partner #Finland in Washington. We discussed the need to address #Turkey's concerns & move forward with the #NATO membership application by Finland & Sweden."

The Russian embassy in the US on Friday lashed out at Washington for "policising religious freedom" to meddle with the internal affairs of other countries. In retaliation to a US State Department report on religious freedoms around the world, a Russian envoy claimed that "Washington continues to politicize freedom of conscience and religion. They unceremoniously label unwelcome countries in order to get a pretext for interfering in their internal affairs," Tass News Agency quoted. He also accused the US of "provoking interfaith tensions" in Middle Eastern countries, Africa, and former Yugoslavia. 

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) in its Friday update stated that Russia is lacking adequate manpower and military equipment to carry on its invasion beyond Luhansk. It added that Russian proxies in east Ukraine were not sufficiently "prepared for frontline units." The assessment by the US-based think tank also noted that the forward contingents were suffering from low morale and lack of motivation to continue the assault. 

In a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, chief of the African Union, Macky Sall flagged that the African countries are "innocent victims" of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Russia must be "aware that our countries, even if they are far from the theatre [of action], are victims of this economic crisis," Sall, who is also the President of Senegal told Putin. 

In retaliation for "anti-Russian" sanctions imposed on Moscow over Ukraine, Russia announced a travel restriction on 41 Canadian citizens, including numerous members of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress. Several Canadian deputy defence ministers are on the list, as well as representatives of Ukraine-related organisations including the Ukrainian Canadian Congress and the Ukrainian World Congress.

"Entry into Russia is closed for (these) citizens of Canada, including heads of organisations supporting ultra-nationalist forces in Ukraine, as well as top military officials," Russia's foreign ministry said.

Following Russian President Vladimir Putin's deployment of soldiers into Ukraine, Moscow has been subjected to a bombardment of Western sanctions. In reaction, Russia has barred officials and public figures from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom from entering the country. Over 600 Canadians and nearly 1,000 Americans have already been banned by Russia. Russia announced last month that it will close the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Moscow operations in retaliation for Ottawa's ban on state media outlet RT.

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Advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday claimed that the defenders are ready to launch an "intensive" counteroffensive against the invading forces soon the West delivers "enough weapons." 

European Commission President Josep Borrell on Friday asserted that the EU countries will not recognise Russian passports issued to residents of occupied Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. He also condemned the forced introduction of Russian currency and Russian education curriculum in the occupied territories. 

Ukraine Armed Forces Southern Command in its latest war update claimed that Russian troops have continued to distribute 'pro-Russian propaganda materials' Kherson. The invaders brought in four 2S7 Pion heavy artillery in the region. 

Ukraine Joint Forces on Friday claimed that at least 4 people, including a child, were killed in Russian airstrikes in the eastern Donbass region. 3 others were injured in the attack, the report added. 

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday marked the 100 days of a strong defence against the invading Russian army. In a video message, alongside his key ministers and advisers, the embattled President stated that the “Victory shall be ours, our team is much bigger."

 “The armed forces of Ukraine are here. Most importantly, our people, the people of our country, are here. We have been defending Ukraine for 100 days already … Glory to Ukraine," Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Oleh Nikolenko, on Friday appealed to the international community to impose sanctions on 12,000 Russians who rally for the war. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with the Chairman of the African Union and President of Senegal, Macky Sall, in the Sochi. Putin said that Russia has always stood by Africa and supported it in its struggle against colonialism. He also highlighted the increasing role of Africa in today's international arena.

Sall on the other hand was quick to highlight the issues confronting Africa because of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War. He pointed out that countries which are far from the main conflict zone were still experiencing its consequences. He added that Sanctions against Russia further escalated the crisis of food security in Africa.

[IMAGE: Kremlin]

In an interview with the Russian television channel "Russia-1," President Vladimir Putin declared that Russia is not impeding Ukrainian grain shipments, calling such charges "bluff." Notably, leaders around the world have issued warnings as Russia's months-long blockade of Ukrainian ports raises the danger of a worldwide food catastrophe and hunger in some parts of the world.

Putin stated, "This is a bluff. And I will explain why. The world produces about 800 million tons of wheat per year. We are told that Ukraine is ready to export 20 million tons. It's only 2.5%,"

Prices for important agricultural items produced in the region have risen two weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine. Wheat, a pantry staple, is the most problematic. Supplies from Russia and Ukraine, which account for over 30% of world wheat commerce, are now jeopardised. Earlier this week, global wheat prices reached an all-time high.

Ukrainian ambassador to Turkey, Vasyl Bodna, on Friday alleged that Russian troops are "stealing and sending" bushels of food grain from Crimean to countries abroad. Bodna added that the receiving nations of such deliveries included Turkey. “Russia shamelessly steals Ukrainian grain and sends it overseas from Crimea, including to Turkey,” Bodna said in a tweet on Friday.

On the 101st day of the Russia-Ukraine war, a block-by-block battle raged in two key eastern Ukrainian cities, steadily reducing them to ruins. Serhiy Haidai, governor of Luhansk, said violent combat continued in Sievierodonetsk, where roughly 13,000 remaining civilians sought refuge in basements to avoid Russian airstrikes. He later stated that Ukrainian forces recaptured 20% of the city ground that Russian troops had taken.

On the 101st day of the Russia-Ukraine war, a block-by-block battle raged in two key eastern Ukrainian cities, steadily reducing them to ruins. Serhiy Haidai, governor of Luhansk, said violent combat continued in Sievierodonetsk, where roughly 13,000 remaining civilians sought refuge in basements to avoid Russian airstrikes. He later stated that Ukrainian forces recaptured 20% of the city ground that Russian troops had taken.