Weekend sees President Selenskyj attending security conference in Singapore.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is anticipated to attend a security conference in Singapore this weekend where supporting Ukraine will be a key topic. Similar to what's known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, this regional security conference is deemed significant in Asia. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun will also be attending. Notably, Ukraine is requesting participation in an internationally organized war-ending conference that will be hosted in Switzerland. Zelensky alleges that Russia is attempting to obstruct other nations from joining.
10:16 China: Peace Conference Demands Are FairChina seeks a peace conference with both Russia and Ukraine participating. Their demands are perceived as fair and impartial, emphasizes Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning. These demands are not directed at any political entity. Reuters mentioned that China would not be partaking in the Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland in mid-June. This conference was organized by Ukraine and Russia has neither participated nor been invited. "China values Switzerland's hosting of the first Ukraine peace summit, and we have been working with the Swiss side and participating parties since the start of this year," says Mao. Chinese Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov suggested that China could organize a peace conference.
10:04 Russian Defense Minister Belousov: Ukrainian Troops Withdrew in Kharkiv RegionThe Russian defense minister, Andrey Belousov, claims that Ukrainian troops have reportedly withdrawn up to 8-9 kilometers in crucial areas within the Kharkiv region in northeastern Ukraine. The Russian military has reportedly seized control of more than 28 settlements in Ukraine this year, spanning a total area of 880 square kilometers.
09:52 Energy Facilities in Kyiv Damaged by Russian Rocket AttackEnergy facilities in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv have been damaged by a Russian rocket attack. The energy company DTEK reports that a power plant has been destroyed and the power grid within Holosiyivskyi district remains compromised. Some residential dwellings still don't have electricity. The Ukrainian Air Force claims the rocket assault was launched with drones and ballistic short-range missiles of the type Iskander.
09:28 Ukrainian General Staff: Oil Depot in Russian Black Sea Port of Kavkaz AttackedThe Ukrainian General Staff notes that an oil depot in the Russian Black Sea port of Kavkaz was attacked by Ukrainian forces. As reported by the Ukrainian General Staff, this incident occurred overnight. Prior eyewitness accounts indicate explosions and a major fire in the port of Kavkaz. Social media is circulating videos of this supposed assault. The depot sustained damage from various Neptune missiles of Ukrainian origin. No details have been provided on the extent of the damage currently. In addition, Ukrainian forces targeted two ferries near the Kerch Strait Bridge. Located on Tuzla Island and close to the city of Kerch, the Black Sea port of Kavkaz is within Crimea, which Russia has occupied.
08:34 NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg: US Decision on Ukraine Weaponry Against Russian Targets Pose No Escalation DangerNATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg doesn't foresee any escalation risks from the US's choice to allow certain Ukrainian attacks on Russian targets. Stoltenberg asserts, "Russia itself escalates by attacking other countries," just like in Kharkiv. On the sidelines of the NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting in Prague, Stoltenberg presented more pressure against Germany and other nations to also allow such attacks with armor supplied by them. "Ukraine has the right to self-defense, which involves targeting legitimate military targets in Russia," the Secretary-General confirmed. This conviction is particularly significant considering the current combat in Kharkiv's vicinity near the Russian border.
08:41 Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleksyuchuk: Four Shahed Drones and One Iskander-K Cruise Missile Intercepted in the NightUkrainian air defense units reportedly intercepted several drones and a missile during the night. As reported by the commander of Ukrainian Air Force via Telegram, four Russian Shahed attack drones were shot down in Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk regions, as well as one Iskander-K missile in Kyiv area.
08:09 Kharkiv: Fourth Victim Discovered in the WreckageAfter a nighttime Russian rocket strike on Kharkiv, the death toll has reached four individuals, with another 25 suffering injuries. The Head of Kharkiv Oblast, Oleh Syniehubov, disclosed this news via Telegram. The announcement adds that an additional body was found in the destroyed building. Currently, there are four documented fatalities.
The number of Russian casualties is high, according to Kyiv, with 1390 soldiers reported dead or incapacitated within 24 hours. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry reports that a total of 507,650 Russian soldiers have been "disabled" since the war began in February 2022. 18 more tanks have allegedly been destroyed, making a total of 7728. Since the Russian invasion commenced, Ukraine has documented almost 15,000 destroyed armored vehicles and approximately 10,500 destroyed drones. These figures cannot be independently verified. Russia has been tight-lipped about its own losses.
07:14 Russia: Injuries from Ukrainian air raid in Krasnodar
In a Ukrainian air raid on oil facilities in the southern Russian region of Krasnodar, two people were injured. Governor of the region, Veniamin Kondratyev, reported via Telegram that the infrastructure of an oil depot in the Temryuk district was damaged. A fire caused by debris from destroyed drones was extinguished. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed they had thwarted five missiles and 29 drones launched by Ukraine at the Krasnodar region during the early morning. Other drone attacks occurred in Voronezh, Belgorod, and Tambov.
06:48 Crimea: Explosions reported
Reports of a series of explosions in the night on the Russian-occupied Crimea. The Telegram channel Crimean Wind, citing Ukrinform, stated that there were multiple explosions in the port of Port Kavkaz, with Kerch residents hearing eight to ten explosions. There was reportedly a fire in an oil depot at the port, which had been extinguished previously. The Ukrainian General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that two ferries from Kerch had been hit by ATACMS missiles.
06:17 USA: Russia employs North Korean rockets in Ukraine
Following a debris analysis, the US military has confirmed that Russia is employing North Korean rockets in Ukraine. The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) stated, "The analysis confirms that Russia is using North Korean-made ballistic missiles in its war against Ukraine. North Korean missile debris has been discovered throughout Ukraine."
04:34 USA: China's support for Russia endangers Europe
The US government views China's support for Russia as a threat to European security. The US, G7 partners, and other EU and NATO countries believe China's support for Russia "threatens Ukraine and European security," as stated by the US State Department spokesman, Vedant Patel, during a press conference. Washington had accused China of supporting Russia's war in Ukraine the previous day, implying further sanctions. "If China does not restrict its assistance to the Russian arms industry, the United States is prepared to enact additional measures," Patel added.
02:50 Rocket hits residential building: Three civilians die in Kharkiv
Russian rockets were fired from Belgorod towards Kharkiv. Local authorities claimed five hits were recorded in the city area, including a direct impact on a five-story residential building. Ukrayinska Pravda, a Ukrainian news outlet, published images of the damage to 20 buildings. Three civilians died, and 16 others were injured, among them two children.
01:46 SPD politician advocates for deployment of Western weapons on Russian targets
SPD's foreign policy spokesperson, Nils Schmid, supports Ukraine's deployment of Western weapons against Russian military targets. In an interview with the Funke Media Group, Schmid suggested removing the restriction on targets in Russian territory. "This decision should be made by the NATO allies together," he said.
00:06 Scholz rejects German participation and no-fly zones
Chancellor Olaf Scholz rules out sending German soldiers to Ukraine and participating in no-fly zones. In a dialogue with the "Thuringian" newspaper in Erfurt, he said, "We do not want to involve our soldiers." He also noted that a no-fly zone would require shooting down aircraft of other nations with one's own, deeming it a declaration of war. Scholz stressed on preventing a war between NATO and Russia. This stance was echoed by US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron.
The U.S. is granting Ukraine the right to utilize American weapons against Russia, but solely in the Kharkiv region, according to a source. This revelation comes from a representative of the American government. This shift in policy differs from that of U.S. President Joe Biden, who previously denied the use of U.S. weapons for assaults within Russia. The stipulation that Ukraine avoid deploying land-based long-range missiles and other ammunition for attacks within Russia remains in place, as per information from U.S. government circles.
At 22:06, the Ukraine Liut Brigade, a special police unit of the Ukrainian army, is involved in protecting the city of Vovchansk in the Kharkiv border area alongside other soldiers. The brigade recently released a video, claiming it captured a fight in the streets of the city. It is alleged that the footage displays troops from the Tsunami Storm Regiment denying Russian soldiers entry into one of the buildings.
Read also:
- The Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has expressed concerns about Russia attempting to prevent other nations from participating in an internationally organized peace conference aimed at resolving the Ukraine conflict.
- During the NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting in Prague, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed that the US's decision to allow certain Ukrainian attacks on Russian targets does not pose an escalation risk, given that Russia itself escalates by attacking other countries.
- In response to media reports about China's potential participation in a Ukraine peace conference, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning emphasized that China values Switzerland's hosting of a peace summit and has been working with the Swiss side and participating parties since the start of the year.
- Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov claimed that Ukrainian troops have withdrawn up to 8-9 kilometers in critical areas within the Kharkiv region, following military operations led by the Russian military.
