Russia-Ukraine war: Ukraine's EU bid won't be finalised for 15- 20 yrs, says France

The British Prime Minister's office suggests that Prime Minister of the country Boris Johnson pledge to step up efforts to help Ukraine with crucial food and humanitarian aid. Downing Street issued a statement saying that the Prime Minister is committed to redoubling efforts to bring crucial food and humanitarian relief to Ukraine.

PM Johnson said that every country has an obligation to aid Ukraine in its battle for freedom, both now and in the long term.

EU High Representative Josep Borrell said that the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine served as a wake-up call for the entire European Union in terms of security and defence, forcing it to seek coordinated and effective methods to bolster its own defensive capabilities.

Borrell further stated that the joint communication on defence investment shortfalls, adopted this week, makes clear that the defence capabilities they have do not fulfil their demands in the face of the threat because of underfunding.

Jake Sullivan, White House National Security Adviser suggests that the White House has stated that Russia will not be able to stop the US from delivering military support to Ukraine.

He said that they have a diverse and stable arms supply network for Ukraine. So, even if the Russians are able to target and hit goods on Ukrainian soil, they will continue to offer military help.

US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had his first phone conversations with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna, in which they discussed Ukraine and other matters.

Price said that Secretary of State Antony Blinken talked with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna today to congratulate her on her appointment and discuss some of the critical global issues that the United States and France are facing together. He claimed that Blinken and Colonna agreed on the significance of Western assistance for Ukraine and discussed the prospect of NATO expansion.

On Sunday, Russia's lead negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, accused Ukraine of stalling the peace process by refusing to support a draft treaty that Russia helped to prepare. He told Belarusian official news channel ONT that Russia has never refused to talk, including at the highest level.

He claimed that Russia gave Ukraine a list of critical topics many of which both teams had agreed on but the talks are stuck now. He further said that Ukraine hasn't even announced their support for the document they helped to negotiate and that they don't seem to be in rush.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy will participate in the Davos Forum next week, where he will interact with Stanford University students as well as Indonesian politicians and experts. Zelenskyy stated that on Monday, he will participate in a debate at the Davos Forum, the world's most significant economic forum, where Ukraine has something to say.

He stated that there will be other public speeches during the week including an appeal to the Stanford University community and a unique format of engagement with Indonesia's political and expert community.

Ukraine Armed Forces have stated that in less than a week, Russia has lost 184 military vehicles in Donbas. It stated that the Russian Federation has lost one anti-aircraft missile system, 43 tanks, 20 artillery systems and 79 armoured battle vehicles. It further said that three Russian planes have also been lost.

Josep Borrell, the EU's top diplomat, claimed that the supplies to Ukraine had reduced the EU's military stocks. He stated that the most evident evidence of EU defence capability is the depletion of the military stocks as a result of their military assistance to Ukraine.

The Ukrainian parliament decided on Sunday to withdraw from a 2011 convention that provides preservation of Soviet World War II memorials in former republics.

Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, as well as leaders of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, and Tajikistan, signed the pact.

During a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv Polish President Andrzej Duda stated that Ukraine should be granted EU candidate status in June 2022 after receiving a clear signal from the EU that the doors to the EU are open.

Duda said that granting Ukraine EU candidate status at the European Council summit on June 24, 2022, would be a strong political and psychological statement from European leaders to Ukrainians.

DPR delegation to the Joint Center for Ceasefire Control and Coordination stated that the Ukrainian Armed Forces bombarded the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) 28 times in the last 24 hours, killing one civilian and injuring two more.

Russia-controlled Gazprom (GAZP.MM) has said that it is supplying gas to Europe via Ukraine on Sunday as was requested by the European consumers. The Russian gas flows to Europe via Kyiv this week tumbled by a quarter after the blockade of the major transit route by occupying Russian forces. Gas export to the European customers was disrupted for the first time via Ukraine since the conflict began on 24 February 2022. The transit that was shut down exports an estimated 8% of Russian gas to Europe, according to several reports. EU’s gas request was calculated at 92.1 million cubic metres (mcm) for May. 

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The Turkish Foreign Ministry stated that Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu spoke over the phone with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, according to RIA Novosti. Turkey had already blocked the commencement of the process of assessing Finland and Sweden's NATO membership applications. Erdogan stated that Ankara cannot say "yes" to Finland and Sweden joining NATO because it does not trust their guarantees concerning links with members of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party. According to Erdogan, if Turkey agrees, NATO will not be a security organization, but rather a forum where many terrorist representatives will congregate.

Ukrainian artillerymen demolished the Russian occupiers' pontoon crossing in the east of Ukraine. It was announced that the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service conducted aerial reconnaissance and discovered that the invaders had created a river bridge. They planned to move a dozen armoured vehicles after constructing a pontoon bridge.

The invasion's preparations were adjusted as a result of timely information reaching the artillerymen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a precise shot destroyed the crossing, along with the enemy tank that was on it at the moment.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy backed Polish President Andrzej Duda's intention to sign a new good-neighbourly pact that would assist sustain cordial ties between the two countries peoples. He mentioned this after meetings with Andrzej Duda in Kyiv during a meeting with media representatives.

Zelenskyy said, "I do not want our peoples and we to risk our relationship. Relations with Poland today are one of the highest priorities for Ukraine. I am sure that they are the most powerful in the history of our people. And I really want us to have agreements - not for the sake of agreements, but concrete, substantive ones that can only improve our lives, strengthen the relations of our societies."

YouTube has removed over 70,000 videos and 9,000 channels that propagated false information on the Ukraine conflict and broke the platform's standards. It should be emphasized that these are videos that refer to the war in Ukraine as a "liberation operation."

At the same time, no information about which channels were removed is available. According to Neil Mohan, the director of video hosting, the majority of them promoted Kremlin's stance.

During Polish President Andrzej Duda's Ukraine visit, the Polish side received a proposal to conduct joint control at all road checkpoints.

The proposal was created in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, customs and border services by the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine. The agency claims that at four checkpoints along the Ukrainian-Polish border, integrated border and customs controls are already in place.

Oleksandr Kubrakov, Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine said that all checkpoints will be controlled jointly by the Polish colleagues. He further said that the time spent registering and waiting in line will be cut in half thanks to the "single window" approach, which will benefit both countries.

Ukraine's bid to join the European Union would not be finalised for “15 or 20 years,” France’s Europe minister reportedly said Sunday. Clement Beaune told Radio J: "We have to be honest. If you say Ukraine is going to join the EU in six months, or a year or two, you’re lying. It’s probably in 15 or 20 years, it takes a long time." 

“It takes a very long time and I don't want us to sell illusions and lies. If we tell Ukrainians ‘welcome to the European Union, but you didn’t fully read the contract, the footnote says: hey it will be in 15 years,’ then I think we are setting the ground for the disappointment of a whole generation of Ukrainians,” Beaune said. 

Russian troops are preparing to resume the offensives in Izium, the administrative head of the Kharkiv region said in a Telegram post.  Oleg Sinegubov informed on Telegram: “In the Izium region, the Russian occupiers are preparing to resume the offensive and are shelling the areas of the villages of Virnopillia, Dibrivne, and Dovgenke." He went on to add, “But our Armed Forces of Ukraine are holding their positions and are not allowing the aggressors to advance."

Sinegubov further said that intense fighting continues in [Kharkiv] Oblast and around Kharkiv. Russians are focusing on maintaining the occupied borders and preventing the further advance of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, he informed. 

Russian-appointed mayor of a Ukrainian occupied town, Andrei Shevchuk, was injured in an explosion on Sunday. He is currently in intensive care Unit under medical supervision, Russia’s RIA news agency reported. "We have accurate confirmation that during the explosion the self-proclaimed head of the ‘people’s administration’ Shevchuk and his bodyguards were injured," said official Dmytro Orlov, in a Telegram post. 

Russian troops have been reinforcing positions in Kharkiv Oblast, to intensify the assault in the country's southern region, the Institute for the Study of War said in its latest update. Russian troops will likely attempt to prevent further Ukrainian advances toward the border with Russia in Kharkiv Oblast, the think tank revealed. Russia will likely intensify efforts to encircle and capture Sievierodonetsk. Russian forces will be concentrating in southern Ukraine to seize more territory on the southern axis.

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskiy has extended the martial law for three months to August 22 as Russia continues to wage brutal war on Ukrainian soil. Zelenskyy had signed the decree along with a general military mobilisation call on February 24 as Russian troops invaded. Ukraine’s parliament held a vote on Sunday on the third extension of the decree and gained majority. 

Polish president Andrzej Duda who arrived in Ukraine to address the parliament said that he will "not rest until Ukraine becomes a member of the European Union.”

Lithuania has completely cut off the Russian energy imports including oil, electricity and natural gas effective Sunday, country's Ministry of Energy said in a statement. Pan-European power exchange Nord Pool announced that it was halting the Russian electricity with the importer Russian utility Inter RAO with immediate effect.

"Not only it is an extremely important milestone for Lithuania in its journey towards energy independence, but it is also an expression of our solidarity with Ukraine,” Lithuanian Energy Minister Dainius Kreivys said. “We must stop financing Russian war machine.”

Guerrillas helped  Ukraine's Armed Forces to destroy Russian artillery in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration said in a Telegram post.  "Thanks to coordinated actions with guerrillas, Ukrainian riflemen destroyed several artillery systems of the Russian army," Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration informed on the messaging app. 

 Russia has deployed the nuclear capable Iskander missile launchers to Belgorod Oblast, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said on May 22. Russian troops have brought the Iskander-M short-range ballistic missile system launchers in the Belgorod Oblast that borders Ukraine to intensify attacks on Ukrainian military tarhets. They are also increasing the logistics and repair bases in the area, the General Staff said.

After addressing the Ukrainian parliament, Polish leader Andrzej Duda embraced Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Polish leader had arrived at the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament to address the MPs as Russia wages war on Ukraine. 

Credit: twitter/@prezydentpl

Western sanctions have caused serious logistics challenges and have forced Russia “to look for new corridors,” Russia’s Transport Minister Vitaly Savelyev was quoted as saying by independent media Meduza. Russia will now rely more heavily on the North-South transport corridor to move freight, Savelyev reportedly informed.

Responding to the explosive report published by the American newspaper New York Times that claimed it was not “in America’s best interest to plunge into an all-out war with Russia" by involving with Ukraine, Ukraine’s former defence minister Andriy Zagorodnyuk, on Sunday asserted: 'Those who say Ukraine can’t win don’t understand the situation.' He was responding to the US stance mentioned in the report carried by one of the leading American newspapers. 

Zagorodnyuk iterated that "certain intellectuals and authors" are describing the situation as they see it, referring to the Americans. "Their vision is very wrong, but they write it, and we have to respond," he told The Kyiv Independent. 

"First — Ukraine can win, and this, in many ways, depends on how our partners, including the US, are going to be sending weapons, hardware, and munitions," said Ukraine's former defense minister.

"And second — we see absolutely no chances for a negotiation process. Russia has not demonstrated the slightest signs of altering its strategic goals regarding Ukraine. They keep pushing for their narratives; they keep waging war and going on the offensive. There’s no point talking about any sort of compromise and negotiations." 

Only Ukraine has the right to decide its future, the Polish president Andrzej Duda old Ukrainian politicians during his speech delivered to the Ukrainian parliament on Sunday, May 22.  "Worrying voices have appeared, saying that Ukraine should give in to Putin's demands. Only Ukraine has the right to decide about its future... nothing about you without you," he said. 

As US President Joe Biden and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi are set to meet in Japan, the two counterparts will hold a dialogue on the sidelines of the QUAD summit about the ongoing war in Ukraine. Washington may convince India to have a more assertive stance against Russia and the talks between Biden and PM Modi will be "constructive and straightforward," US national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters as Biden ended his South Korea visit and flew to Japan.

Talks between the Indian and the American leader "will not be a new conversation" since Biden and Modi have spoken by phone about the Ukraine crisis and India's stance about the war was made clear. It will definitely be a continuation of that conversation, Sullivan told reporters. 

"They’ll talk all of that through. India is a major purchaser of Russian arms, and has been wary of distancing itself from Moscow amid the war in Ukraine," Sullivan reportedly said. 

Ukrainian MP Yelyzaveta Yasko has said that Ukraine will not give any territory to Russia and "there cannot be any compromise to that," citing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's latest message. There wouldn't be any compromise with Russia and Ukraine will not lose its territories, the MP asserted in an interview with sky news. 

"Civilians, and military, and our army, we're not going to forgive this," she says, meaning the casualties. "It's not even in the discussion. We believe that we can bring Crimea back," said Yasko. 

"Now Putin is completely in a crazy mood and we understand that he is using all his force to destroy Ukraine... we need to have our territories back because as already paid a very high price. We will go to the end to have our territories back." 

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of blocking the export of 22m tonnes of food and has warned that an energy crisis would shortly follow a food crisis if the Russians did not remove the Black Sea ports blockade. After his meeting with the Portuguese prime minister António Costa on Saturday, Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine's ports must be unblocked or an energy crisis will hit the globe. 

"Russia has blocked almost all ports and all, so to speak, maritime opportunities to export food – our grain, barley, sunflower and more. A lot of things," Ukraine's leader said. "There will be a crisis in the world. The second crisis after the energy one, which was provoked by Russia. Now it will create a food crisis if we do not unblock the routes for Ukraine, do not help the countries of Africa, Europe, Asia, which need these food products."

Russian airstrikes have hit command centres, troops, and ammunition depots of the Ukrainian forces, the Russian defence ministry said on Sunday.  A spokesman for the Russian defence ministry, Major General Igor Konashenkov, said that Russian troops air-launched missiles that have targetted at least three command points and four ammunition depots in the Donbass region and southern region of Mykolaiv. 

It also hit the mobile anti-drone system near the settlement of Hannivka. "Rockets and artillery hit 583 areas where troops and Ukrainian military equipment amassed, 41 control points, 76 artillery and mortar units in firing positions, including three Grad batteries, as well as a Bukovel Ukrainian electronic warfare station near the settlement of Hannivka, Mykolaiv region," Major General Igor Konashenkov, said. 

Russia claiming to have taken prisoner nearly 2,500 Ukrainian fighters from the besieged Mariupol steel plant, concerns grew about their fate as a Moscow-backed separatist leader vowed they would face tribunals, according to Associated Press. 

Russia has declared its full control of the Azovstal steel plant, which for weeks was the last holdout in Mariupol and a symbol of Ukrainian tenacity in the strategic port city, now in ruins with more than 20,000 residents feared dead. The seizure gives Russian President Vladimir Putin a badly wanted victory in the war he began nearly three months ago. 

Advisor to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Mykhailo Podolyak said that lifting the sanctions in exchange for Ukrainian ports would only intensify the ongoing war. He said it could also trigger the possibility of the Kremlin attempting to invade other countries. Podolyak asserted that negotiations on concessions for the Russians cannot take place since it would indicate the EU and the US' weakness to them. He added that Russia is always blackmailing and willing to murder people in order to gain an advantage.

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Belarusians are among those who have answered a call by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for foreign fighters to go to Ukraine and join the International Legion for the Territorial Defense of Ukraine. For the Belarusians, who consider Ukrainians a brethren nation, the stakes feel especially high. Russian troops used Belarusian territory to invade Ukraine early in the war, and Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has publicly stood by longtime ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin, describing him as his “big brother.”

Russia, for its part, has pumped billions of dollars into shoring up Lukashenko's Soviet-style, state-controlled economy with cheap energy and loans. Weakening Putin, the Belarusian volunteers believe, would also weaken Lukashenko, who has held power since 1994, and create a window of opportunity to topple his oppressive government and bring democratic change to the nation of nearly 10 million people. For many of the Belarusians, their base is Poland, a country along NATO's eastern flank that borders Belarus and Ukraine and which became a haven for pro-democracy Belarusian dissidents before becoming one for war refugees from Ukraine.

AP

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy affirmed Kyiv will be the ultimate winner of the ongoing war while calling the victory of Russian forces "temporary". During his address to the nation on Saturday night, he said President Vladimir Putin has to return the territories that were seized by his forces. Zelenskyy said he believes Russia would further escalate the war but noted it has to return to negotiating table. "For them, all these victories - the occupation of Crimea or Donbas - is very temporary. And all this will return - since this is our territory," he said. 

A day after the brutal attack on the city of Severodonetsk, Serhiy Haidai, the governor of Luhansk, said the Russian forces had attacked the city from four separate directions. Notably, the attack leads to the killing of six civilians and several injuries. However, Haidai noted, that despite the brutal attack, Russian forces did not get success in breaking the city. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Saturday, reiterated calls for heavy weapons supply to his country’s army. Speaking alongside Portuguese PM António Costa, the 44-year-old leader stressed that Kyiv wasn’t looking to attack the Russian Federation with weapons, however, was instead trying to safeguard its own territories. On Saturday, Costa became the latest leader to visit the war-torn country. 

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(A Ukrainian soldier injured during fighting against Russian forces, poses for a photograph at the Azovstal steel plant.)

(A close look at the ruined Azovstal steel plant prior to surrender to the Russian forces in Mariupol)

(An injured Ukrainian soldier inside the steel plant in Mariupol.)

(Ukrainian soldiers inside the ruined Azovstal steel plant in their shelter in Mariupol)

(Ukrainian soldiers injured during fighting against Russian forces)

Russian forces attacked the civilian infrastructure with missiles in one of the villages in the Vilnianschyna area on Saturday. However, Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration didn't specify how many civilians were injured in the attack, or how severe their injuries were.

Ukraine has again accused Russian forces of blocking the evacuation routes in the Kherson region. According to Kherson regional administration, Putin's forces are blocking the way for residents to evacuate from the occupied Kherson Oblast to the territory controlled by Ukraine. It said the Russian troops are mining roads and bridges that are mainly used for evacuation. 

Zelenskyy says further sanctions against Russia 'should be accelerated' Ukraine's President made the comments following a phone conversation with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi on Saturday. Applauding the assistance provided by Italy, he urged Draghi to help in unblocking Ukrainian ports that remain under the grip of Russian forces.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during an address to the nation on Saturday night, appealed to his Russian counterpart for negotiations "if Mariupol troops are not harmed". Discussions between Ukraine and Russia will undoubtedly take place. Some things can only be reached at the negotiating table," he added. 

US President Joe Biden, who is on an Asia tour, hailed South Korea for its assistance provided to the war-ravaged country, Ukraine. Earlier on Saturday, POTUS Biden also signed the $40bn Ukraine aid package before his state dinner with South Korea’s president Yoon Suk Yeol.

As the Russian onslaught continues in Ukraine for over 80 days, the European Union and its partner countries, including the United States, Great Britain, Australia and Canada have decided to propose a suspension of Russia and Belarus' participation in the World Customs Organisation (WCO). Belarus has been blamed for helping the Russian Federation conduct the military operation in Ukraine. The European Union and its member countries also reaffirmed their support for Ukraine and criticized the Russian invasion, calling for Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence to be respected. The EU member countries stated that this invasion raises questions about Russia's commitment to international institutions, laws and regulations.

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Amid the relentless war, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said that the Russian forces deployed Iskander-M short-range ballistic missile system launchers in the borders region of the already war-ravaged country. It noted that the Russian forces tried to gain a foothold in the Novopavlivsk and Zaporizhzhya directions. 

Ukraine’s ambassador to neighbouring Poland hailed Polish citizens for allowing millions of Ukrainian refugees to their homes. However, he appealed to the  European Union to release funds to Poland "so that the assistance does not come at the cost of the Polish people." While speaking to Associated Press on Saturday, Ambassador Andrii Deshchytsia praised the cooperation shown by the Polish people and added there have been no real social tensions in the last three months despite millions of Ukrainian refugees crossing the border every day. However, the Ambassador expressed grave concern about the future and the extent of Polish assistance if the EU does not release a hefty fund to Warsaw.

Ukraine General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, in its daily "operation update", said that the Russian forces continue to shell settlements and infrastructure in Sumy and Chernihiv oblasts. According to the latest update, Putin's forces carried out shelling in the areas of Boyaro-Lezhachi, Ulytsia, Bunyakine, Hirky, Gremyach and Muravyi. It said that the Russian forces increased the intensity of the use of aircraft to destroy the critical infrastructure of settlements in the area of ​​active hostilities.

Amid the brutal Russia-Ukraine war, the President of war-torn Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi on bilateral defence cooperation. Over the telephonic conversation, both the leaders talked about the necessity to implement the European Union's sixth package of sanctions against Russia. Zelenskyy also highlighted the importance of opening Ukrainian ports.  

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Russia on Friday added two Kremlin critics, former chess champion Garry Kasparov and ex-tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, to its list of “foreign agents on Friday. Reacting to the decision, Kasparov accused Russian Justice Ministry of working like an oxymoron under President Vladimir Putin. In a Twitter post, Kasparov said he was representing his country back when Putin was still spying on his colleagues in East Germany and stealing from the people in St. Petersburg. "Being anti-Putin is, and will always be, pro-Russian," he affirmed. 

The first lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, for the second time since the war started in February this year, appeared with her husband, Volodymyr Zelenskyy on national television on Saturday. During the 75-minute-long interview, Zelenska said she had been living separately for more than two and a half months. However, she affirmed the war could not take him away from her. "Our family has torn apart, as every other Ukrainian family. But, nobody takes my husband away from me, not even the war," she said. 

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, while speaking on national TV on Saturday, affirmed the ongoing brutal war can only be resolved through diplomacy. He appealed to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to return to the negotiating table to end the war. He affirmed that Ukraine will gain victory against Russia on the battlefield. Further, Zelenskyy maintained that he will consider his victory only when President Putin pledged to return all the regions seized by Russian forces to Ukraine.

India on Saturday reiterated its call for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Ukraine as the war continued for its 88th day. Reiterating that the path of “diplomacy and dialogue” is the best policy to resolve the ongoing Russian invasion, India’s Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra called for peace. New Delhi, which shares close ties with Moscow, is walking a tightrope between both the warring sides but has stayed firm on its call for peace in eastern Europe. 

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Polish President Andrzej Duda, who is scheduled to address the Ukrainian parliament on Sunday, has arrived in the country, The Kyiv Independent reported. Notably, he will become the first head of a foreign state to deliver a speech in the Ukrainian Parliament, Verkhovna Rada, since the start of the "special military operation". 

Amid the sanctions imposed by the West and other European countries, the Russian transport minister Vitaly Savelyev said it led to serious problems with logistics in Moscow. While speaking to the media on Saturday, he affirmed that the country is looking for a new logistics corridor. Russia will now rely more heavily on the North-South transport corridor to move freight, he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the situation in Donbass, southeastern Ukraine, was "extremely difficult" as Russia continues its offensive in Sloviansk and Severodonetsk. "The Armed Forces of Ukraine are restraining this offensive every day," Zelenskyy said in a pre-recorded address on Saturday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia has given up nearly all of its resources in order to destroy Ukrainians and that certain Russian regions were becoming even poorer than in the 1990s because of it.

Zelenskyy further said the rising prices, devaluation of incomes and destruction of all the economic potential that has been created in Russia since the 2000s. He also claimed that the war's enormous expenses haven't helped them and they also refuse to assist.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated that it's time to formulate their aim clearly which is that Ukraine must win. In a Twitter post, Kuleba stated that some people argue that Russia must not win, while others argue that Ukraine must not lose but he believes that it is past time to cast aside all unnecessary questions and state unequivocally the goal, which is that Ukraine must win. He claimed that setting defined objectives simplifies the process of achieving them.

Hours after announcing a ban on US President Joe Biden, the Russian Federation has now banned Canadian PM’s wife Sophie Trudeau, Air Force Commander Eric Jean Kenny along with 24 other Canadian officials and top managers from entering Russia, according to the country’s Foreign Ministry. Amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine, the West has sanctioned Russian President Vladimir Putin and many of his close allies and oligarchs. Moscow has retaliated by a tit-for-tat move, barring many prominent western leaders, officials and celebrities from stepping onto its territories.  

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Serhiy Gaidai, the head of the regional military administration stated that 57 individuals were evacuated from Luhansk region villages on Saturday. In a Telegram message, he said that on May 21, 57 people were evacuated from the Luhansk region and that they value every life saved.

In an interview with Nastoyaschee Vremya, Mykhailo Podoliak, the adviser to the head of the President's Office said that the relaxation of sanctions by the West in exchange for the opening of Ukrainian ports will intensify the conflict in Ukraine, as well as the possibility of a Russian invasion of other European nations. He further stated that negotiations on concessions for the Russians cannot take place since it would indicate the EU and the US' weakness to them.

Podoliak said that Russia is always blackmailing and willing to murder people in order to gain an advantage. Talking about lifting the sanction, he said that if some sanctions are lifted it will encourage Russia to push the conflict further not only in Ukraine but they will realize that the world is truly weak, just as it was before the Ukraine conflict.

The latest report suggests that the US might keep 100,000 troops in Europe for the foreseeable future as tensions between Russia and Sweden, Finland, or other NATO might escalate after Sweden and Finland's NATO membership. The number of troops stationed in the region may increase temporarily if NATO conducts more military exercises, and the US may expand its presence in Europe if the security situation changes.

President of Poland's website suggests that the Polish President Andrzej Duda has arrived in Ukraine as he is scheduled to give a speech to the Verkhovna Rada on Sunday.

The President of the Republic of Poland, as the first foreign head of state since the beginning of the war, will give a statement to the Verkhovna Rada in Kyiv.

Serhiy Hayday, the commander of the regional military administration, in a post on his Telegram page on Saturday, said that Russians demolished the bridge between Severodonetsk and Lysychansk in Ukraine's Luhansk area. He called that this will significantly hinder the evacuation and delivery of humanitarian aid.

Hayday went on to say that this was the second time it had happened as during the liberation of Lysychansk in July 2014, militants blew up the span of the bridge during the enemy's retreat.

Since the commencement of the war, the Russian Army has destroyed over 1,000 educational facilities, as the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy suggests. He stated that the Russian Army demolished 1,873 educational establishments which is a massive scale of loss.

Since the war began in February, Russian shelling has hit elementary schools, universities, kindergartens and other institutions.

Russian Transportation Minister Vitaly Savelyev said on Saturday that Western sanctions against the Russian Federation had "practically shattered all" logistics channels used by the country for trade.

He told TASS that Moscow is exploring using other trade routes, such as the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which connects India with Central Asian countries, Russia, and Europe via Iran.

The Ukrainian military in the south has killed 29 Russian invaders and a large amount of hostile military equipment was destroyed.

The Operational Command "South" stated that the enemy continues to conduct hostilities on the occupied frontier and enhance the fortification equipment of its positions along the line of contact in the Kherson and Mykolaiv districts but the Ukrainian forces are showing resistance. It further stated that the enemy lost 29 personnel, an updated T-72B3 tank, a self-propelled howitzer "Msta-C," and other armoured vehicles as a result of the Ukrainian military's missile and artillery operations, which were backed up by aircraft.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the situation in Donbas is extremely severe, as the Russian army has escalated its attacks on Slovyansk and Severodonetsk in recent days. He further claimed that the onslaught is being resisted by Ukraine's Armed Forces and that every day that their defenders divert Russia's offensive plans, disturbing them, is a tangible contribution to the main day's approach.

Despite appeals to support the West, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic stated that the National Security Council of Serbia would resist associating with sanctions on Russia for as long as possible. On Saturday he said that their responsibility is to their country and they must adhere to the National Security Council's judgments as closely as possible and for as long as possible.

It was announced on Saturday that Ukrainian armed forces had stopped 21 Turkish ships in the Black Sea port of Odesa to avert a full-scale Russian attack. As Ukrainian and Russian soldiers fight for control of the port, an unknown number of foreign-flagged commerce ships have been stuck. Russia has stated that all civilian vessels will be able to leave the port safely, but Ukraine has refused, citing the presence of unsecured naval mines as a reason. Ukrainians may have been using Turkish ships to protect themselves from Russian strikes, according to a Turkish newspaper.

A senior Russian defence official stated on Saturday that Russia had brought 18,873 Ukrainians stranded in the Lugansk and Donetsk districts to safety the previous day, including 2,282 children. Col. Gen. Mikhail Mizintsev said that since the commencement of the special military operation, 1,396,798 individuals have been evacuated, including 234,762 children.

Iryna Vereshchuk, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine stated that she met with relatives of the 36th Brigade detained Marines.

In a Facebook post, she said that they met with relatives of captured Marines from the 36th Brigade today. She further said, "In this difficult and disturbing time, a sincere conversation between the authorities and military family members is especially important. Stick together, keep calm, and support each other. We will fight for the return of every one of our military."

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a conversation with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi about defence cooperation.

He claimed that he and Mario Draghi discussed defence cooperation over the phone and also the need to expedite the implementation of the sixth package of sanctions, and the necessity to unblock Ukrainian ports. He further stated that he also expressed his gratitude for unwavering support on Ukraine's path to European Union.

Pavel Kirilenko, the Governor of Donetsk Oblast said that seven civilians were killed and ten more were injured as a result of enemy bombardment of Donetsk region settlements on Saturday.

He stated that on May 21, Russian troops in Donbas killed seven civilians, three in Liman, two in Nikolaevka, one in Avdiivka, and one in Svyatogorsk. He further said that ten people were injured due to the attack. In addition, one individual was recorded in Konstantinovka as having been wounded by Russians in the Luhansk region.

On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy put the country's armed forces at 700,000. He stated that today, they have 700,000 people and that they can see the outcome of their labour.

Before Russia initiated the military campaign in February, he said that Ukraine had fewer than 300,000 military personnel, with 120,000 combat-ready forces. In early 2022, he issued a decree mandating an increase of at least 100,000 people.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated Saturday that Ukraine should become a full candidate for membership in the EU rather than joining a bigger "European political community" antechamber proposed by France.

At a joint press conference with visiting Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa in Kyiv, Zelenskyy said that they don't need any alternatives to Ukraine's bid to join the European Union and that they don't need such concessions.

The US Department of Defense confirmed on Saturday that M777 towed howitzers were on their way to Ukraine. It stated that as part of US security support, the United States Air Force has secured M777 155mm towed howitzers for transport to Ukraine.

The reports suggest that the US will "immediately begin the transfer" of 18 towed 155mm howitzers and 18 tractors, as well as three AN/TPQ-36 counter-battery radars, as part of the new aid package. Weapons are being shipped to an airfield in Rzeszow, Poland, which is 90 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and First Deputy Wendy Sherman met with Saudi Deputy Defense Minister Hamed bin Salman in Washington to talk about energy markets and support for Ukraine. The two sides discussed "the United States' sustained commitment to bolstering Saudi Arabia's defence, as well as ongoing measures to oppose Iran's threat and maintain strong support for Ukraine.

Another topic of discussion was "pressure on global energy markets," the cause of which the State Department links to the situation in Ukraine. At a meeting, the parties discussed ways to combat this pressure.

DPR's People's Militia stated that the Ukrainian military has fired over 140 shells and mines at six DPR settlements since the start of the day.

It said that Ukraine launched around 140 shells and mines from 122-mm BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket systems, 122-mm cannon artillery and 120 and 82-mm mortars since the start of the current day. It further said that six republican settlements were shelled in their districts destroying a house and a football field.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has stated that only Ukraine will be able to determine when and how the war will end. He said that following a horrific armed attack, they exercised their right to self-defense under UN Charter Article 51 and that President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made his position known. He claimed that they don't require anyone else's land, but they will not abandon what they already have.

More than 900 Americans, including President Joe Biden and other high-ranking Americans, have been barred from entering Russia indefinitely. Hundreds of members of Congress are also included on the list, which also includes Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, CIA Director William Burns and others.

Russian Foreign Ministry suggests that the limitations were implemented in reaction to US sanctions imposed following the February 24 invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday said the war will not be waged on Russian territory but reminded the international community that the Donbas region remains sovereign to Ukraine."Everyone is afraid that Ukraine will somehow attack the Russian Federation. I want to remind everyone that we are waging war on our own territory, and even if someone from Europe or the world is used to Donbas being occupied territory of Russia and has already become accustomed that Russian passports are issued there, we would like to say that it is not very good custom," said Zelenskyy.

"This is our territory, and we are going step-by-step and will go further to liberate our territory. You see, we just can't pay the price of tens or hundreds of thousands of lives, so we ask you to help us. These Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, which stand in some countries, just stand still - they are the key to our survival," he added. 

Amid Turkey's constant attack on NATO over the membership application of Finland and Sweden, NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg on Saturday dialled the Turkish President. According to Stoltenberg, he tried to convince Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan regarding the joining of Sweden and Finland. He assured Erdogan to address his concerns regarding Ankara's security.
 

Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on Saturday, spoke to his Finnish and Swedish counterparts. According to the statement released by the presidential office, he objected to the two Nordic nations becoming members of NATO. Further, he urged his counterparts to ditch financial and political support for “terrorist” groups threatening Turkey’s national security.

Russia halted gas exports to neighbouring Finland on Saturday, a highly symbolic move that came just days after the Nordic country announced it wanted to join NATO and marked a likely end to Finland's nearly 50 years of importing natural gas from Russia.
The measure taken by the Russian energy giant Gazprom was in line with an earlier announcement following Helsinki’s refusal to pay for the gas in rubles as Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded European countries do since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. 

The Ukrainian Health Minister on Saturday accused Russian forces of blocking the medical supply. According to Minister Viktor Lyashko, at least 235 medical institutions are facing an acute shortage of medical supplies and most of them in Kherson Oblast.

Ukraine on Saturday launched a hotline for the Russian army's soldiers after it has intercepted calls from soldiers complaining the service to slavery. As per The Kyiv Independent, the hotline will facilitate Russian soldiers who are currently serving in the Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine to surrender. 

Russia on Saturday banned the entry of at least 963 US officials including POTUS Joe Biden, CIA chief William Burns, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg into Russian territory. Earlier on March 15 this year, it had released a similar list, banning the entry of 13 Americans. 

Amid the brutal Russian attack on Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy affirmed that Moscow will not be among the guarantors of Ukraine's security. According to a report by Yevropeyska Pravda, President Zelenskyy said Ukraine has been analysing a range of security guarantors from trusted fellow countries but added he does not see Russia as the potential country that could become guarantors of the country's security. "Today, we are considering a range of security guarantors from trusted partner countries. We are developing this project with them. We have developed it," he said during an interview with ICTV. 

Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian fuel depot at Odesa's port and a significant cache of weapons supplied by the West in the Zhytomyr region, the Defence Ministry in Moscow claimed Saturday. The ministry released footage it said showed strikes on Ukrainian targets in Zhytomyr. There was no confirmation from the Ukrainian side.

The Moody's Investors Service has lowered Ukraine’s long-term credit rating from Caa2 to Caa3 due to the risks of a protracted war with Russia and an increasing public debt burden over international financial support, Kyiv Independent reported. Earlier in March, it had downgraded Russia's credit rating close to default, pegging the Russian economy to shrink by 7% in 2022 and decline further in 2023.

A Ukrainian prosecutor in the first war crimes trial of a Russian soldier since the start of the conflict said Friday the defendant's rights were being "respected in full compliance" with criminal law throughout the case.
Yaroslav Ushchapivskyi told the Associated Press it was "absolutely right" the court opted to thoroughly observe the evidence in Vadim Shishimarin's killing of an unarmed civilian in the early days of the Russian invasion, despite his admission of guilt.
Ushchapivskyi said this would ensure "no one" could say the soldier was pressured into his plea.

Lithuania power exchange operator Nord Pool said it has decided to suspend trading in Russian electricity from its only importer in the Baltic States, the Inter RAO group of companies. This means that as of Sunday, there will be no imports of Russian oil, electricity or natural gas in Lithuania. "This is an extremely important milestone not only on Lithuania's path to energy independence. This is an expression of our solidarity with warring Ukraine, because we cannot allow our money to finance a Russian war machine, ”says Energy Minister Dainius Kreivys.

President Biden on Saturday signed legislation to support Ukraine with another $40 billion in US assistance as the Russian invasion approaches its fourth month. Reacting to the recent announcement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked POTUS Biden and said it was crucial to deter Russian aggression. 

Amid the relentless war, Russian forces again fired mortars on settlements in Chernihiv Oblast. According to Ukraine’s Northern Operational Command, Putin's forces fired mortars toward Hremiach and Mykolaivka villages in Chernihiv Oblast at around 12 pm today. Luckily, no casualties have been reported yet, he added.

Delegates from the United States and four other nations staged a walkout Saturday when a representative from Russia began his opening remarks at a meeting of trade ministers of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group in the Thai capital, officials said.

A Japanese official said Japan’s Trade Minister Koichi Hagiuda and his counterparts from the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and Canada walked out of the meeting in Bangkok to protest Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Ukraine's ambassador to neighboring Poland says his nation is grateful for the welcome that Poles have given to millions of Ukrainian refugees, but he hopes the European Union will soon release billions of euros to Poland so that the assistance does not come “at the cost of the Polish people."

Ambassador Andrii Deshchytsia said that while there have been no real social tensions in the three months since Ukrainians began crossing into Poland seeking safety, he worries they could appear in the future given the large extent of Polish help.

President Biden on Saturday signed legislation to support Ukraine with another $40 billion in U.S. assistance as the Russian invasion approaches its fourth month. The legislation, which was passed by Congress with bipartisan support, deepens the U.S. commitment to Ukraine at a time of uncertainty about the war’s future. Ukraine has successfully defended Kyiv, and Russia has refocused its offensive on the country’s east, but American officials warn of the potential for a prolonged conflict.

The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, which entered day 87 on May 21, has now started impacting the global food supply. Reacting to the risk of hunger, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba said that the country has established two alternative land routes to deliver food exports and save Africa and other regions from hunger. Taking to Twitter, he wrote, "Russia puts millions of people at risk of hunger by blocking our ports. Together with partners, Ukraine has established two alternative land routes to deliver food exports and save Africa and other regions from hunger. Russia must end its blockade to allow full and free export."
 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that evaluating the results of his presidency will have to wait until the war is over. In an interview with Ukrainian media on May 21, Zelenskyy stated this in response to a question about his greatest accomplishment and what he had achieved in his three years as president. The Ukrainian leader noted in the interview that the war still continues, with a particularly difficult situation still persisting in a number of regions.

According to Zelenskyy, as part of a prisoner exchange, Ukrainian troops from Azovstal must return home. On May 21, during a press conference, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the Mariupol defenders who had been withdrawn from the Azovstal plant, which had been blocked by Russian troops, should be exchanged.

The Russian defence ministry claimed on May 21 that its forces destroyed a large shipment of Western-supplied weapons in northwestern Ukraine with long-range missiles. "High-precision long-range sea-based Kalibr missiles destroyed a large batch of weapons and military equipment delivered from the United States and European countries near the Malin railway station in Zhytomyr region," it said.

Natasha Stepanenko, 43, sits on her bed in a public hospital in Lviv, Ukraine, with her daughter Yana, 11. On April 8, a missile struck the train station in Kramatorsk's eastern city of Natasha, Yana, and her twin brother Yarik, who were planning to board an evacuation train heading west and, hopefully, to safety.

Iuliia Loseva, 38, sobs over her husband Volodymyr Losev's coffin at his funeral in Zorya Truda, Odesa region, Ukraine.

People gather in Lysychansk, Luhansk region, Ukraine, to fill cans with water from a firefighters truck.

Melnyk Andriy, 23, a Ukrainian military serviceman killed in Kharkiv province, is laid to rest in Lviv, Ukraine, surrounded by family and friends.

Svyatoslav Vakarchuk performs at an art gallery in Kharkiv, east Ukraine, during the "Music of the Resistance" concert.

According to UK ministry of defence, Russia is likely experiencing a shortage of appropriate reconnaissance UAVs, which are used to identify targets for attack by combat jets or artillery, which is aggravated by sanctions-related limits in domestic production capacity. Russia's intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capacity will be further eroded if UAVs are lost at the current rate, significantly harming operational effectiveness, UK stated in a regular bulletin.

As per the statistics posted on Twitter by Ukraine's Ministry of Defence on May 21, Russia has lost more than 1,200 tanks. Russia has lost 204 aircraft, more than 1,200 tanks, and approximately 28,000 personnel since the war began on February 24, according to the most recent update from Ukraine's Ministry of Defence.

Russians may soon be lining up to eat a patriotic ZBurger instead of a McDonald's Big Mac, according to the Telegraph UK. Notably, the American restaurant chain left Russia in March after Moscow invaded Ukraine. According to a report published in the Telegraph UK, McDonald's 850 outlets are set to be rebranded after being purchased this week by Russian businessman Alexander Govor.

Many Russians do not appear to be keen on giving up their Big Macs and apple pies – video footage showed hundreds of people queuing in Moscow for one last taste, echoing images of massive crowds when the first McDonald's opened at the end of the Cold War, according to the report. Regardless, the Russian Commerce Ministry has launched an informal consultation on renaming the restaurants.

Russian forces continued to attack the cities of Lysychansk and Severodonetsk in Ukraine's eastern region of Luhansk, attempting to cut the region off from the rest of Ukraine, according to the governor of the region. According to Luhansk Governor Serhiy Haidai, Russian forces are focusing on the Lysychansk-Bakhmut highway, which he claims is the only road for evacuating people and delivering humanitarian supplies, AP reported.

In its latest intelligence update, the UK Ministry of Defence said that drones are "playing a pivotal role for both sides, although they have suffered a high rate of attrition".

Russia has tried to implement the concept of "Reconnaissance Strike" it used in Syria - this uses drones to identify targets to be hit by combat jets or artillery.

Crewed Russian aircraft are mostly avoiding missions over Ukraine - likely because of the threat from intact Ukrainian air defence missiles systems.

But if they continue to lose drones, their intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability will be "further degraded".

At least 400 civilians were killed in Donetsk Oblast since Russian invasion started. 1,116 people have been injured, Donetsk Oblast Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko reported on May 21, as per kyiv Independent. As per the official, the numbers do not include those killed in the destroyed cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha.

In a bid to help Ukraine to fight Russian invasion, Canada has recently announced an additional loan of $250 million for the war-torn nation. According to a press release from the Department of Finance Canada, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland declared the additional loan for Ukraine through the International Monetary Fund's 'Administered Account for Ukraine'. This announcement came on May 20, during the G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in Germany. 

A day after the US Senate overwhelmingly approved nearly $40 billion in new aid for Ukraine, it is expected to deliver the HIMARS missile system and Patriot air defence system to the war-torn country. 
 

Amid the ongoing brutal war in Eastern Europe, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss stated that the United Kingdom and other North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members are mulling supplying modern weapons to the Republic of Moldova. "I would want to see Moldova equipped to NATO standard. This is a discussion we are having with our allies," Liz Truss told The Telegraph on Friday. She further stated that NATO members are discussing the prospect of assuring that not just Ukraine but also Moldova have modern weapons. 

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Amid the row over the European Union's plan to impose sanctions on the Russian oil and gas, some countries which are highly dependent on Russian energy resources, are exploring ways to purchase oil from Moscow. In the latest development, Euractiv, a media network specialised in EU policies, has reported that  Germany and Italy have allowed companies to open ruble accounts in order to pay for the Russian gas and oil. As per the media sources, the main aim is to allow companies to continue buying Russian gas without breaching sanctions.

General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in its daily "operation update", informed that Zelenskyy's forces repulsed at least eleven attacks in Donetsk and Luhansk region in the past 24 hours. According to the data proferred by the Ukraine Armed forces, at least eight enemy tanks, three artillery systems, ten armoured personnel vehicles, three special armoured vehicles, and six vehicles were destroyed during the attack. "Air Defense units of the Air Force hit two operational-tactical-level BPLAs, while Air Force anti-aircraft missile units destroyed one BPLA, a winged missile and struck one yet unidentified type target (probably a helicopter)," it added. 

Russian troops continue to attack Ukraine's Zhytomyr Region with missiles on Saturday. In the latest brutal aggression on Ukraine, the forces attacked the town of Malyn, resulting in the destruction of more than 100 residential buildings. While addressing a Facebook live on Friday, Malyn Mayor Oleksandr Sytailo confirmed the reports of heavy damage to the residential areas. However, he added no civilian casualties were reported. 
 

Republic reports LIVE from the Black Sea port in Ukraine that was blocked by Russia, bringing severe food insecurity to 47 million people worldwide. Ukraine, one of the world's largest grain producers, used to export the majority of its goods via seaports.

US is expected to keep nearly 100,000 soldiers in Europe as Russia may intensify its aggression and threaten Sweden and Finland or North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies, US officials reported. Further, the number of US soldiers might rise momentarily if NATO conducts more military exercises in the area, and if the security situation changes, they added.

As per a CNN report, to help NATO and counter Russian threats, the US expanded its force deployment in Europe from around 60,000 soldiers to around 100,000 troops presently following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Thousands of US troops have been sent to NATO's Response Force, which was formed for the first time in NATO history earlier this spring. 

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Yesterday, a march with the title "For Freedom from the Soviet Legacy" was held in the center of Riga, the capital of Latvia. They demanded the dismantling of a #oviet monument, which for many is a symbol of occupation.

Ukraine’s Operational Command “South”, according to Kyiv Independent, has stated that Russia has lost at least 36 soldiers, three T-72 tanks, a Grad missile launcher, and a number of vehicles along Ukraine’s southern frontlines over the past 24 hours.

More than 40 countries have come out in support of Ukraine's application against Russia at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). A statement was released on behalf of 42 nations which support Ukraine's application against Russia, noting that they applaud Ukraine's case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Russia, which attempts to prove that Kremlin lacks a legal basis to intervene militarily in Ukraine.

Earlier, on March 16, the ICJ made a crucial judgement in these cases, ordering Russia to immediately cease its military activities in Ukraine. The statement further directed that they support the Court's decision and urge the Russian Federation to follow this legally binding decree. The countries spoke about their commitment to the rules-based international order, stating that they hereby reaffirm their shared desire to examine all options for assisting Ukraine including the possibility of intervening in these proceedings.

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Companies in Germany and Italy have been instructed that they can open ruble accounts to buy Russian gas without breaking sanctions. On Friday, sources indicated that Berlin which had coordinated the problem with the EU notified German gas importers that they may create ruble accounts, but that payments to Gazprombank should not be done in Russian currency.

In the nightly national address on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy said that country's pilots braved Russian anti-aircraft fire to bring humanitarian supplies to and retrieve the dead and wounded from the Azovstal steel plant as Russia claimed full control of Mariupol. 

“A very large number of our pilots died, unfortunately. Absolutely heroic people… Just imagine what these people have done,” Zelenskyy said.
 

Ukraine will receive 250 million Canadian dollars, which is about 195 US dollars from Canada. The Finance Minister of the country Christia Freeland announced a new loan of $ 250 million for Ukraine through an IMF controlled account. This year, Canada has allocated approximately 1.87 billion Canadian dollars to Ukraine.

Treasury Department said that Canada will continue to support Ukraine in preserving its sovereignty and democracy with its G7 allies.

To help Ukraine fight the Russian forces, Germany has decided to send 15 Gepard tanks to the war-torn country. On Friday, a defence ministry official in Berlin confirmed that Germany will transfer the first 15 Gepard tanks to Ukraine in July. The official noted that German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht had agreed to send the Gepard tanks through a video link with her Ukrainian counterpart, Oleksii Reznikov, according to media reports.

The report suggests that the Gepard tanks will be equipped with "adequate" ammo. It was also announced that there was enough ammunition for nearly 100 combat loadings, with each loading capable of fighting 25 targets. Ukraine's demand for heavy weaponry has become louder since Moscow focused its military aggression on the country's east and south after failing to conquer Kyiv.

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Following the destruction of a cultural centre in Ukraine in which at least seven people were injured, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy termed Russian airstrikes the embodiment of "absolute evil, absolute stupidity,"

In the city of Lazova in the Kharkiv region, an airstrike destroyed the "newly rebuilt House of Culture," resulting in a big cloud of dust and debris and injuring at least seven people, including a child.

Zelenskyy stated the Russians make no exceptions for them when it comes to missiles or bombs. He claimed that it is absolute evil and absolute stupidity.

Meanwhile, Russia has claimed that the besieged Azovstal steel plant in the southern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol has been "fully liberated."

Major General Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Defense, said in a statement that the final group of 531 insurgents surrendered, referring to Ukrainian fighters who had been resisting the Russian assault on the plant for several weeks.

Lieutenant Colonel Denis Prokopenko, the Ukrainian commander of the Azov Regiment, had earlier issued an order to quit defending Mariupol, adding that the top military leadership had issued an order to safeguard the soldiers' lives and health and stop defending the city.

Serbia joined other European nations to impose sanctions on Belarus. Reportedly, the country joined the European Union (EU) on the issue of restrictions due to the war in Ukraine. These sanctions would be directed against the financial and transport system of Belarus, a staunch Russian ally.

40 nations of the Ukraine Contact Group, led by US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, are set to meet again on May 23. Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said on Friday that Austin would further defense support for Ukraine in the meeting.

Senior Russian officials have proposed a new law which would remove age limits for military contract soldiers. Indicating that Moscow might be facing a shortage of troops, The Guardian stated that the two members of the ruling United Russia party introduced the law. This move would further enable the military to utilise the skills of older professionals. “For the use of high-precision weapons, the operation of weapons and military equipment, highly professional specialists are needed. Experience shows that they become such by the age of 40-45,” it said, as per the report. Presently, people between the ages 18 and 40 and foreigners aged 18-30 can enter into a first contract with the Russian army.

The Group of Seven (G7) nations have pledged  $19.8 billion to enhance Ukrainian finances as Kyiv continues to tackle Russia's military aggression. German finance minister, Christian Lindner reportedly said that $9.5 billion of the total amount was mobilised during the meetings of the G7 finance ministers in Königswinter.

As per reports, a Ukrainian official has claimed that the Russian shelling of a school in Severodonetsk in eastern Ukraine’s Luhansk region killed at least three adults. The official, head of the Luhansk Regional State Administration, Serhiy Haidai noted that the school was sheltering more than 200 people including children when the attack took place.