As the war enters its 464th day, here’s a look at the major developments.
This is the current situation as of Friday, June 2, 2023.
Fight
- Ukrainian officials say at least three people, including a girl and her mother, were killed in a collision. Russian missile attack on Kiev.
- The governor of Russia’s Belgorod region said that the Ukrainian shelling of the town of Shebekino left nine people injured and buildings damaged. Belgorod borders the Kharkiv region of Ukraine.
- The Russian Defense Ministry said it repelled three cross-border attacks near the town, accusing Ukraine of using what it called a “terrorist formation”. Ukraine denies its military is involved in the incursion.
- The Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC), a far-right paramilitary group made up of pro-Ukrainian ethnic Russians, posted on social media images of fighters firing weapons and said “second phase”. of intrusions has begun.
- The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a Washington, DC-based think tank, says that Russian military commanders may have given orders to Chechen fighters leader in fighting in the Ukraine war.
- In a new video, the head of the Wagner Group Yevgeny Prigozhin condemned the “clowns” of the Russian military and said his mercenary army will rest for a month after leaving Bakhmut on June 5.
- Russian investigators say they are looking for a third suspect in the April murder of a prominent pro-war blogger. Vladlen Tatarsky in an explosion at a cafe in St. Petersburg.
diplomatic
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated his call at a meeting in Moldova about his country joining NATO and the European Union, but the security alliance remains. split up.
- Zelenskyy said he spoke with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen about Ukraine peace plan
- NATO head Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance was looking at how to strengthen Ukraine’s non-member status in the alliance and was preparing a framework for post-war security commitments. .
- US President Joe Biden says he’s confident Sweden will join NATO “as soon as possible”, despite Türkiye and Hungary continuing to block its membership.
- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva reiterated his country’s criticism of Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine but said he was trying to stay neutral so he could mediate negotiations. potential peace.
- Ukraine’s Ministry of Rehabilitation and Infrastructure said that the deal to export grain in the Black Sea was again halted because Russia had blocked registration of ships to all Ukrainian ports.
- A United Nations spokesman said Russia has informed officials overseeing the Black Sea grain deal that it will limit the registration of ships to the port of Pivdennyi in Ukraine’s Odesa province until all The parties agree to unblock Russian ammonia transit. Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the situation was “very serious”.
- A meeting of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) foreign ministers in South Africa was overshadowed by questions about whether Russian President Vladimir Putin would be arrested if he attended. the bloc’s summit in August or not.
- Canada’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced sanctions against Moldovan financiers, businessmen and politicians for their links to Russia and to thwart Russia’s efforts to destabilize the region.
- The US Department of Defense said in a statement that it would purchase Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite communications service for Ukraine.
weapon
- Zelenskyy called on European leaders to form an “alliance” of modern Patriot air defense systems and fighter jets in a speech to other European leaders. He said they would be the “decisive elements” in the fight.
- The Netherlands wants to buy dozens more Leopard 1 tanks for Ukraine, the Dutch news agency ANP reported, citing sources.
