- Ukraine says its forces control half of the strategic city east of Severodonetsk.
- Kyiv asked countries to provide more powerful weapons to counter the Russian attack.
- Vladimir Putin stressed that the supply of long-range missiles sent to Ukraine means that “we will… attack targets that we have never hit before”.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits frontline troops in the Zaporizhzhia region, as well as the towns of Soledar in the Donetsk region and Lysychansk in the Luhansk region, as Russia continues its offensive on the Donbas.
Here are the latest updates:
Russia looks to Africa to sell stolen Ukrainian grain: NYT
In mid-May, the US sent a warning to 14 countries, mainly in Africa, that Russian cargo ships were leaving ports near Ukraine with what a state ministry cable described as “” Ukrainian grain was stolen,” the New York Times reported.
The NYT report also said Russia was looking for buyers among African countries for the grain it had stolen in Ukraine.
Ukraine says Russia has stolen up to 500,000 tonnes of wheat, worth $100 million, since Moscow’s invasion in February. Much of the grain has gone to ports in Russian-controlled Crimea, then shipped to ships, including some under Western sanctions, Ukrainian officials said.
On Friday, Vladimir Putin met The head of the African Union, President Macky Sall of Senegal, has been trying to find a solution to the grain problem and has called on the West to lift sanctions. African countries have been deeply affected by the grain shortage crisis, largely due to Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian ports, which has sent the prices of grains, cooking oil, fuel and fertilizers soaring.
Zelenskyy visits towns near the front in eastern Ukraine
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said he visited two towns near the front lines of battles against the Russian army after meeting with troops in the Zaporizhia region.
“Then I went with the head [my] East office. We were in Lysychansk and Soledar,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video.
“I’m proud of all the people I meet, the people I shake hands with, the people I’ve connected with and have expressed my support.”
Lysychansk in the Luhansk region and Soledar in the Donetsk region. Both regions make up the Donbas, which is the focus of Russia’s campaign in eastern Ukraine.
Russia Attacks Kyiv With Missiles
On Sunday, Russia targeted Western military supplies to Ukraine, launching air strikes on Kyiv in which it claimed the destroyed tanks were aided by foreign aid.
Ukraine said a missile aimed at the capital hit a train repair shop. In a separate development, Russian air strikes in the eastern city of Druzhkivka destroyed buildings and killed at least one person, an official said.
Residents describe waking up to the sound of rocket attacks with rubble and falling glass all around them.
Before the dawn attack, Kyiv had not faced any such Russian airstrikes since the April 28 visit by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.
Read more here.
We will ‘use destructive means’ on weapons supplies: Putin
Putin has lashed out at Western arms deliveries to Ukraine, saying they are aimed at prolonging the conflict.
“All the fuss around the supply of more weapons, in my opinion, has only one goal: to drag the armed conflict as much as possible,” the Russian leader said.
Such supplies are unlikely to change the military situation for the Ukrainian government, he said.
He added that if Kyiv receives longer-range missiles, Moscow will “draw the appropriate conclusions and use the means of destruction that we have in abundance, to attack objects that we have not hit yet. labour”.
Read more here.
Russia uses proxy forces to limit its own casualties: UK
The UK’s Ministry of Defense said the Ukrainian counterattack in Severodonetsk “has the potential to degrade the operational momentum that Russian forces had previously gained through the concentration of combat units and firepower”. .
Russian forces have previously made a series of advances in the city, but Ukrainian warplanes have pushed back in recent days. Ministry intelligence also indicates that the Russian military is relying in part on the reserves of the Luhansk separatists.
“These soldiers are poorly equipped and trained, lacking in heavy equipment compared to conventional Russian units,” adding that the use of these troops likely “shows a limited desire to casualties of regular Russian forces”.
Latest Defense Intelligence Update on the situation in Ukraine – June 5, 2022
Learn more about the UK government’s response: https://t.co/8afxKwSwSn
🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/Sy8NG76Fa8
– Ministry of Defense 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) June 5, 2022
Ukraine lost 1-0 to Wales in a World Cup qualifying match
It was a painful end to Ukraine’s quest to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar while still being invaded by Russia.
The Ukrainian players were heartbroken after the loss, wanting to give their country some positivity after they had endured three months of bombardment.
Ukraine coach Oleksandr Petrakov said he could not utter a single word of criticism of his players.
“I think we did everything we could but I want the Ukrainian people to remember our team, our efforts. I want to say sorry we didn’t score. But that’s sport, it happens. ”
Read more here.
Ukraine says it controls ‘half’ of Severodonetsk
Ukraine says its forces control half of the strategic city east of Severodonetsk as its troops repelled Russian troops in a key battle in the Luhansk region.
But Luhansk governor Serhiy Haidai said they expect a major counterattack from Russian forces in the coming days.
“Our armed forces have cleaned up half” of the industrial center of Russian forces, Haidai said on its official social media channels. “In the next five days, the number of shells from heavy artillery will greatly increase.”
Welcome to Al Jazeera’s ongoing coverage of the Russo-Ukrainian war.
Read all updates from Sunday, June 5 here.
