Ukraine: Zelensky, the fate of Donbass decided in Severodonetsk. Moscow, lifting the ban on ports "but the first sanctions"

On the 105th day of the war, the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky He assesses the conflict he identifies as “widespread” in a speech he is referring to Severodonetsk Like theThe epicenter of the conflict in the Donbass. It is a very fierce and very difficult battle – he says -. Perhaps one of the most difficult of this war. In many respects, the fate of the Donbass was determined there. ”

Meanwhile, the Russian advance continues in eastern Ukraine, and on the diplomatic front is getting hotter and hotter The question of wheat. Russia will not attack if Ukraine begins demining activities in its ports to allow ships carrying grain to pass. This was confirmed by the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov During a joint press conference in Ankara with his Turkish counterpart Mouloud Cavusoglu. About a possible meeting between the Russian President Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian Volodymyr ZelenskyLavrov told Cavusoglu that the negotiating team should resume the process of talks, the ball is in Kyiv’s court.

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No concrete agreement was reached at the Ankara meeting between the representatives of Russia and Turkey: Ukraine is now waiting for contacts between the Ukrainian and Turkish sides. This was announced in a briefing presented by the Ukrainian Ambassador to Turkey Vasyl Bodnar. “We are now looking forward to communication between the Ukrainian and Turkish sides to find common ground,” Bodnar said, stressing that it is important for Ukraine that Turkey continues to act as a mediator and negotiate with both Ukraine and Russia. The release is in the interest of both Ukraine and Turkey. Instead, the ambassador believes, Russia has opposing interests: not to free Ukrainian grain from the ports, but to sell “more of its own grain and steal what we have in the occupied territories.” According to Bodnar, the Russians must first withdraw and close these ports, and then “it will be possible to talk about removing mines, leaving the ports and safely exporting grain.”

The black bird flies on the wheat
Russia will allow the lifting of the ban on grain exports from Ukrainian ports, but on its own terms. The Foreign Minister flew to Ankara after the Belgrade visit faded due to the closure of European airspace Sergey Lavrov He supports Turkish mediation efforts and promises that Moscow will not use demining from waters off the Black Sea coast to attack ports. “These are the guarantees of the President of Russia and we are ready to somehow formalize them,” he said. But he warned that the first step falls on the shoulders of Kyiv to clear the ports. He explained that to facilitate the solution of the global food crisis, Russia is ready to negotiate with the mediation of the United Nations. But from the West, Moscow wants sanctions relief in return. Application sponsored by Turkey. The reading of the question differs on the Ukrainian front: “Russia continues its war even beyond the Ukrainian borders. It says it wants to prevent a world famine but it steals grain reserves. We are launching an anti-truth initiative. Russia does not respect any laws or war agreements and we will name those responsible for them.” officials.” This was stated by the head of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stevanchuk, speaking at the plenary session of the European Parliament. He attacked, “Whoever did so much damage must compensate them.”

Weapons from Italy
I had a fruitful conversation with the Minister of Defense Lorenzo Guerini. We look forward to receiving the third package of safety aid from the Italian side. We greatly appreciate Italy’s support in the fight against the terrorist state. So in a tweet by the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov. So far, two joint ministerial decrees have been approved by Italy to send weapons to Ukraine.

Resumption of negotiations
There is a possibility to resume negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to reach a cease-fire. This was announced by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, as reported by Anatolia, during a joint press conference in Ankara with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.

The situation in the field
A school and an administrative building were hit by Russian air strikes in Bakhmut, Donetsk state, this morning. “The school was completely destroyed,” Ukraine’s Interior Ministry said, adding that according to the first information from the rescuers at the site, there were casualties. Russian bombing destroyed two hospitals in Severodonetsk and Rubezny, as evidenced by new satellite images taken by Maxar Technologies and published by CNN. A large painting was painted on the roof of the hospital in Severodonetsk Red Cross. In the south of Robijn, in addition to the hospital, a pharmaceutical company and the surrounding buildings were destroyed.

Severodonetsk, a hospital with a red cross on its roof was destroyed

Kyiv says progress in the region has been stymied. In his morning report on the operations, he said: “In the direction of Severodonetsk, the Kyiv army stops the offensive of Russian forces, and the fighting continues. The attempt to take control of the neighboring cities of Toshkivka and Ustinivka was also rejected.” Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reported by UNIAN. No one will give up in Severodonetsk. The Russians want to capture the city by June 10. fierce battles“Our defenders are fighting for every inch of the city,” the Guardian quoted the commander of the Lugansk Regional Army, Sergei Gaidai, as saying. “The Russians do not control the Lyschansk-Bakhmut road, but they are shooting heavily. We do not use this road, it is very dangerous. The Russian forces are again planning to cross the Seversky Donets River to build a bridge for the offensive,” he added.

Russian army losses
“More than 31,000 Russian soldiers have already died in Ukraine. Since February 24, Russia has been pushing nearly 300 of its soldiers dead every day for a completely meaningless war against Ukraine. And in any case the day will come when the number of casualties will come,” even he said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Telegram that Russia will exceed the permissible limit.

Zelensky: We will not sell gas and coal abroad

hard winter
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine will suspend all gas and coal exports, in light of what he believes will be “the most difficult winter ever because of the war.” “We will not sell gas and coal abroad. All production will focus on meeting domestic demand,” he said in his last video message. For his part, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal said that coal production in the state’s mines had fallen by a third since the end of February and recommended “preparing for the most difficult heating season ever in Ukraine”. The Ukrainian government has instructed the state-owned Naftogaz to stockpile at least 19 billion cubic meters of gas in Ukraine’s underground storage facilities.

Berdyansk port reopened
port of southeast ukraine BerdyanskOccupied by the Russians, reopened after demining, and the first ships carrying grain are expected to set sail later this week, Vladimir Rogov, a board member of the self-proclaimed local administration, told Russia’s TASS news agency: “Everything is ready for the cargo shipment. And the pills will probably leave first. There’s already a lot of pills here, and all the elevators are full.” The head of the Military and Civil Administration, Yevgeny Palitsky, said that the territories occupied by the Russian army in the Zaporozhye region of southeastern Ukraine supply grain to the Middle East. “We send wheat through Russia and the initial contracts have been signed with Turkey – he said – the first trains left Crimea for the Middle East. This is a traditional market for Ukraine.” The president said that the Ukrainian food and grain crisis is the result of “a cold, cruel and calculated blockade by Putin on some of the most vulnerable countries and peoples in the world. Food has become part of the Kremlin’s arsenal of terrorism.” European Union Commission Ursula von der Leyen Speaking at the plenary session of the European Parliament, he emphasized that European sanctions do not target foodstuffs prohibited in Ukraine.