Russia-Ukraine live news: Kyiv says forces make gains in key city | Russia-Ukraine war News
- Ukrainian forces have recaptured about 20 percent of territory lost in the city of Severodonetsk, according to the head of the eastern region of Luhansk.
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says Russia will continue its “military operation” in Ukraine until all its goals have been achieved.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tells country: “Victory will be ours.”
- UN aid chief Martin Griffiths “had frank and constructive discussions” with Russian officials on facilitating exports of Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports, a UN spokesperson says.
Here are all the latest updates:
Two Reuters journalists wounded, driver killed near Severodonetsk
Two Reuters journalists were injured and a driver killed after the vehicle they were in came under fire while heading to Severodonetsk.
Photographer Alexander Ermochenko and cameraman Pavel Klimov were travelling on Friday in a car provided by Russia-backed forces on the Russian-held part of the road between Severodonetsk and the town of Rubizhne.
They were taken to a hospital in Rubizhne where they received initial treatment, Ermochenko for a small shrapnel wound and Klimov for an arm fracture. Reuters said it could not immediately establish the identity of the driver, who had been assigned by the separatists for the reporting trip.
Ukraine’s intelligence in communication with captured Azovstal fighters: Minister
Ukraine’s intelligence services are in communication with the captured Azovstal steelworks fighters and Kyiv is doing all it can to ensure their release, Ukrainian Interior Minister Denys Monastyrskiy has said.
“It is through them [intelligence services] that we are learning about the conditions of the detention, nutrition and the possibility of their release,” Monastyrskiy said on Ukrainian television.
“We all know that they will all be here, in Kyiv, and we are doing everything possible to do so.”
Russia said in May that almost 2,000 Ukrainians had surrendered after making a last stand in the ruins of Mariupol. Uncertainty has surrounded their fate after they were taken into custody.
Japan’s Kishida may join NATO summit to discuss Ukraine crisis
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is leaning toward attending a summit of leaders from NATO in late June to spur coordination with the West over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Kyodo News reported, citing unnamed government sources.
The move would mark an unusually aggressive stance for a Japanese leader although Kishida has repeatedly condemned Russia over what he has described as a “war crime” against Ukraine.
The NATO summit takes place on June 29-30 in the Spanish capital Madrid, likely overlapping with the campaign ahead of elections in Japan on July 10.
Reports of fierce fighting in Severodonetsk on Saturday
Reuters news agency is reporting fierce fighting in Severodonetsk on Saturday morning.
Russia had reinforced its troops and used artillery to conduct “assault operations” in the city, Reuters said, citing Ukraine’s military.
But Russian forces had retreated after failed attempts to advance in the nearby town of Bakhmut, it added.
UN chief calls for end to violence, diplomatic initiatives
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called an immediate end to violence in a statement to mark 100 days since Russia sent its troops into Ukraine, and said the UN was ready to support diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.
“As we mark this tragic day, I renew my call for an immediate halt to violence, for unfettered humanitarian access to all those in need, for safe evacuation of civilians trapped in areas of fighting and for urgent protection of civilians and respect for human rights in accordance with international norms,” Guterres said.
“As I have stressed from the beginning, resolving this conflict will require negotiations and dialogue. The sooner the parties engage in good-faith diplomatic efforts to end the war, the better for the sake of Ukraine, Russia and the world. The United Nations stands ready to support all such efforts.”
‘Partial success’ for Russia in Severodonetsk: Think-tank
In its latest update on the fighting in Ukraine, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) says Russia continued ground assaults in Severodonetsk on June 3 with “partial success” and while it could not confirm the exact control of terrain “Russian forces likely control much of the city”.
The US-based think-tank said there had also been significant fighting around Popasna and Izium, but that Russia had been unable to make any significant advances.
In the south, ISW said Moscow was stepping up efforts to consolidate its control of the Ukrainian territories it has occupied – including the distribution of Russian passports – and create the conditions for eventual annexation.
However, the institute said the push to issue Russian passports had also triggered increased activity from the Ukrainian resistance.
#Russian-Occupied Areas Update:
Russian occupation authorities began issuing Russian passports in #Kherson City and #Melitopol, though they continue to face challenges establishing control over occupied territories and ending #Ukrainian partisan actions.https://t.co/DmrVKiH6RP pic.twitter.com/SHBfcf42qD
— ISW (@TheStudyofWar) June 4, 2022
‘War crimes, shame and hatred’: Zelenskyy dismisses Russian military
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed the danger posed by the Russian military.
“At first it looked threatening. Then dangerous … And now probably just a bitter smile,” he said in his nightly video address.
“Because what’s left of it? … War crimes, shame and hatred,” he said.
He earlier promised his people victory, in a video released to mark 100 days since the Russian invasion.
“Victory will be ours,” Zelenskyy said, adding that he expected more “good news” on weapons shipments.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine weighs on weary US market
United States companies from Walmart to Delta Air Lines have recently warned that inflation is eating into their profits, which has upped the pressure on markets because stock prices tend to track profits over the long term.
The warnings are layering on top of the market’s worries about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and about business-slowing, anti-COVID measures in China.
“There are just so many uncertainties,” said John Lynch, chief investment officer for Comerica Wealth Management. “You can’t put Ukraine on a spreadsheet and you can’t put lockdowns in China on a spreadsheet,” he said.
Trudeau reiterates support for Ukraine
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said his country’s support for the Ukrainian people “has not wavered” since Russia invaded Ukraine 100 days ago, “and it never will”.
“We’ll continue to provide assistance, and make sure they have what they need to defend themselves,” Trudeau said in a tweet.
Today is the 100th day of the Ukrainian resistance against Russia’s full-scale invasion. Our support for the people of Ukraine has not wavered in that time – and it never will. We’ll continue to provide assistance, and make sure they have what they need to defend themselves. https://t.co/yhWCYlGc3d
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) June 3, 2022
Ukraine’s defence minister thanks army, asks for more weapons
Ukraine’s defence minister Oleksii Reznikov has called on allies to continue to arm Ukraine after “100 days of resistance, bravery and fortitude”.
“I want to thank our military, volunteers and the entire Ukrainian nation,” Reznikov said in a tweet.
“We appreciate the support of our foreign partners & ask for reinforcement of arms supply, artillery & MLRS, aircraft & air defence systems. Let’s win this war!”
100 days of resistance, bravery and fortitude. I want to thank our military, volunteers and the entire Ukrainian nation. We appreciate the support of our foreign partners & ask for reinforcement of arms supply, artillery & MLRS, aircraft & air defence systems. Let’s win this war! pic.twitter.com/dl5f16jfi8
— Oleksii Reznikov (@oleksiireznikov) June 3, 2022
Ukraine war ‘aggravating’ existing global food crisis, UN warns
As the cost of food soars around the world, the United Nations warns that the war in Ukraine risks aggravating inflating prices and causing a full-on global food crisis.
Luca Russo, lead analyst for food crises at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), told Al Jazeera that as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sends energy prices higher, the cost of delivering aid has increased as well. The risk of a severe food crisis is particularly felt in the developing world, he warned.
Read more here.
Russia summoning heads of US media outlets
Russia’s foreign ministry has said it plans to summon the heads of United States media outlets in Moscow to a meeting next Monday to notify them of tough measures in response to US restrictions against Russian media.
“If the work of the Russian media – operators and journalists – is not normalised in the United States, the most stringent measures will inevitably follow,” ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said. “To this end, on Monday, June 6, the heads of the Moscow offices of all American media will be invited to the press centre of the Russian Foreign Ministry to explain to them the consequences of their government’s hostile line in the media sphere.”
A spokesperson for the US State Department said Washington supports access to media and the internet for Russians, who are being subjected to censorship by their own government.
Washington has imposed sanctions against the most highly-viewed state-run Russian TV stations, accusing them of spreading disinformation to bolster Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Waning interest online in Ukraine war: Axios
After 100 days, the war in Ukraine has seen a significant drop in interest online, Axios has reported, citing a study conducted by social media monitoring platform NewsWhip.
According to the report, news articles on the Ukraine war have decreased to 70,000 this week from 520,000 articles in the first week of the war.
The figures also showed a 22-fold decrease in social media interactions on news articles published about Ukraine. According to the report, there were 4.8 million likes, comments and reshares this week of articles about the war, down from 109 million interactions the first week.
Putin blames West for food, energy crises
Russian President Vladimir Putin has blamed the West for emerging global food and energy crises and repeated his government’s offers of safe passage for ships exporting grain from Ukraine if mines are removed from the waters.
“Of course, we are now seeing attempts to shift the responsibility for what is happening on the world food market, the emerging problems in this market, onto Russia,” he told Russian TV, as reported by the state-run TASS news agency. “I must say that this is an attempt, as our people say, to shift these problems from a sick to a healthy head.
Putin also said Western sanctions against Russia would only worsen world markets – reducing the harvest and driving up prices.
Ukraine has retaken about 20 percent of territory lost in Severodonetsk
Ukrainian forces have recaptured about 20 percent of the territory they lost in the city of Severodonetsk during fighting with Russia, the head of the eastern region of Luhansk has said.
“Whereas before the situation was difficult, the percentage [held by Russia] was somewhere around 70 percent, now we have already pushed them back by approximately 20 percent,” Serhiy Haidai told national television.
Haidai said the Russians were shelling Ukrainian positions for hours and then advancing, only to be driven back by defenders who had not been hurt, before repeating the pattern.
Welcome to Al Jazeera’s continuing coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Read all the updates from Friday, June 3 here.
