- 200,00 children among those forcibly taken to Russia, according to Zelenskyy
- German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock says Ukraine ‘must win’ the war
- UK says Russia has taken most of the city of Sievierodonetsk
- An investor panel says Russia has failed to pay $1.9 million in debt
This article was last updated at 08:05 UTC/GMT
Slovakia to send howitzers to Ukraine
Slovakia has said it will deliver eight self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine under a commercial contract signed with a state-controlled producer.
The ministry said the weapons were Zusana 2 howitzers, a modernized version of an older model that has an effective range of 40 kilometers (25 miles) to 50 kilometers.
As well as its long range, the system is known for high accuracy and rate of fire.
UK says Russia faces tough river crossing
The UK’s Ministry of Defence says Russia has taken control of most of the Ukrainian city of Sievierodonetsk, although Moscow’s forces have sustained heavy losses.
The ministry’s latest report says the Russians continue to make steady gains supported by heavy artillery.
However, it says the main road into the city is likely to remain under Ukrainian control.
The report says Russia faces challenges when it comes to crossing the Siverskyy Donets River — a vital objective as it prepares to shift focus from consolidating in the Luhansk region to pushing ahead in Donetsk. Although there are various possible crossing sites, the UK assessment is that the river line “likely still remains controlled by Ukrainian forces, who have destroyed existing bridges.”
The ministry predicts that Russia will need a short, tactical pause ahead of making “opposed crossings [of the river] and subsequent further attacks further into the Donetsk Oblast, where Ukrainian armed forces have prepared defensive positions.”
The report speculates that such a hiatus for Moscow’s troops “risks losing some of the momentum they have built over the last week.”
Ukraine’s Berlin ambassador praises Scholz over weapons pledge
Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, has welcomed Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s announcements on new arms deliveries.
It’s a notable change of tone from Kyiv’s top diplomat in Berlin, who has been one of the German government’s harshest critics, accusing it of being too hesitant in delivering weapons to Kyiv.
Scholz on Wednesday announced in the Bundestag that the modern IRIS-T-SLM air defense system from the Diehl defense company would be supplied to Ukraine.
The IRIS-T, developed in collaboration by Germany with other NATO partners, has the ability to target and shoot down other air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles. The chancellor also said Germany would supply Ukraine with radar systems to help locate enemy artillery.
“Finally, we can say from the bottom of our hearts to Chancellor Scholz: thank you!” said Melnyk. “Now we can really speak of a turning point for Ukraine. We hope for more modern weapons systems from Germany.”
Melnyk said he hoped production could begin soon, followed by training and eventual deployment by October.
OPEC+ output deal could sideline Russia — report
The world’s major oil producers are holding talks on Thursday to decide whether to increase their output — possibly significantly.
Discussions come after an EU ban on most Russian oil imports in a new round of sanctions over Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
The producers, which include Russia, had been expected to only increase their output modestly. That would follow a pattern set since May last year by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its partners — including Russia — that make up OPEC+.
However, a Wall Street Journal report says OPEC is considering suspending Russia from the supply deal. That’s fueled expectations that there could be an unrestricted increase in output.
The 13 members of OPEC and their 10 partners had been increasing output modestly after demand slumped because of the coronavirus pandemic. The talks, chaired by Saudi Arabia, are to be held at OPEC headquarters in Vienna.
As the top producer, Saudi Arabia had previously rebuffed calls by the US for a notable increase in output.
‘200,000 children’ taken from Ukraine to Russia — Ukraine’s Zelenskyy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that 200,000 children are among the Ukrainians who have been forcibly taken to Russia.
They include children taken from orphanages, children taken with their parents and children separated from their families, according to Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine would punish those responsible. He said that Ukraine would also show Russia that it “cannot be conquered, that our people will not surrender and our children will not become the property of the occupiers.”
Ukraine’s president said that 243 children have been killed so far in the war, 446 have been wounded and 139 are missing.
Germany’s Baerbock: ‘Ukraine must win’
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told the ZDF public broadcaster that “Ukraine must win” the war against Russia when asked whether she agreed with earlier statements made by Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
“Of course, Russia must not win this war, it must lose it strategically,” she said.
“They want to destroy the peace in Ukraine. That’s why Ukraine cannot lose under any circumstances — that is to say, Ukraine must win,” Germany’s top diplomat added.
Earlier, Scholz said Russia must not win the war. But the opposition Christian Democrats criticized his statement, arguing that it is better to say that Ukraine must win.
Russia has failed to pay $1.9 million in debt — investor panel
The Credit Derivatives Determinations Committee (CDDC) said that Russia had failed to pay $1.9 million (€1.8 million) in accrued interest on a dollar bond.
Russia’s failure to pay will trigger payouts potentially worth billions of dollars.
Sanctions imposed by Western countries and allies have largely excluded Russia from the global financial system.
Twelve out of 13 banks and asset managers on the committee voted “yes” to the question of whether a “failure to pay credit event” occurred with respect to Russia. Citibank cast the only “no” vote.
Summary of events in Ukraine-Russia crisis on Wednesday
The Dutch government said Germany and the Netherlands will jointly drill for a new gas field in the North Sea after Russian energy giant Gazprom said it had cut gas supplies to the Netherlands.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Washington expects the war in Ukraine to continue for “many months” ahead despite pushbacks on the battlefield.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said there was some “progress” regarding talks to tackle the global food crisis triggered by Russia’s assault on Ukraine.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Poland and Ukraine will both benefit from several new economic agreements. One agreement concerns the export of Ukrainian grain through Poland to the Baltic Sea.
Luhansk region governor Serhiy Haidai said on Telegram that Russian forces now control 70% of the eastern city of Sievierodonetsk.
Major Danish energy firm Orsted said Russia was cutting off natural gas to the Scandinavian country after Copenhagen declined to pay in rubles.
US President Joe Biden said that Washington would send Ukraine “advanced rocket systems” to hit “key targets.”
You can revisit our live updates from June 1 here.
sdi/sri (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)
Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-s-zelenskyy-200-000-children-taken-to-russia-live-updates/a-62003835?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf