The Russian advance in eastern Ukraine continues and in the meantime the question of wheat is getting hotter on the diplomatic front.
Russia will not attack if Ukraine initiates demining activities at its ports to allow ships carrying grain to pass.
This was assured by Russian Foreign Minister Serghei Lavrov during a joint press conference in Ankara with Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu broadcast by State TV TRT.
On the possible meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the negotiating team must resume the process of talks, the ball is in the Kiev field, Lavrov told Cavasoglu.
Two hospitals were destroyed by Russian bombings in Severodonetsk and Rubizhne as shown by the new satellite images taken by Maxar Technologies and published by CNN.
A large one had been painted on the roof of the hospital in Severodonetsk
red cross
.
In the south of Rubizhne, in addition to the hospital, a pharmaceutical company and surrounding buildings were also razed.
ANSA agency
Ukraine, the chronicle of the day - World
Over a thousand Ukrainian soldiers and foreign mercenaries who surrendered to Mariupol were transferred to Russia for questioning, according to a security source from the Russian news agency Tass (ANSA).
THE SITUATION ON THE FIELD
Kiev claims that the advance into the area has, however, been held back.
"In the direction of Severodonetsk the army of Kiev is holding back the assault of Russian troops, the fighting continues. The attempt to take control of the nearby cities of Toshkivka and Ustinivka has also been rejected": he said in his morning operational report. Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, reported by UNIAN.
"In the Avdiivka, Novopavlivska and Zaporizhzhia directions, intense bombing of Ukrainian positions in the settlements of Pisky, Lubomyrivka, Avdiivka, Novobahmutivka, Orikhiv, Komyshuvakha, Vodiane, Pervomaiske, Marinka, Opytne", states the General Staff.
"Nobody will surrender in Severodonetsk. The Russians want to capture the city by 10 June.
fierce battles
, our defenders are fighting for every inch of the city, "said Lugansk regional military chief Sergiy Gaidai, quoted by the Guardian." The Russians do not control the Lysychansk-Bakhmut road, but they fire heavily.
We do not use this route, it is too dangerous.
Russian troops are again planning to cross the Seversky Donets River to create a bridgehead for the offensive, "he added.
"Over 31,000 Russian soldiers have already died in Ukraine. Since February 24, Russia has been paying nearly 300 lives of its soldiers every day for a completely senseless war against Ukraine. And in any case the day will come when the number of casualties, even for Russia will exceed the allowed limit, "Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Telegram.
DIPLOMACY AND WHEAT
In the meantime, diplomacy is moving towards the question of wheat.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu received Russian counterpart Serghei Lavrov in Ankara.
The "technical preparation" to create safe corridors for the transport of grain from Ukrainian ports across the Black Sea "will be completed as soon as possible," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said during a joint press conference in Ankara with the Russian counterpart Serghei Lavrov broadcast by State TV Trt.
Russia's request to lift sanctions is
"legitimate"
, says Turkey as part of the conversation between Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Russian counterpart Serghei Lavrov in Ankara on the food crisis.
With the Turkish minister, Lavrov said, we talked "about the transport problems of Ukrainian wheat that Western colleagues try to present as a catastrophe: in reality only less than 1% of world production of wheat and other cereals blocked. it has nothing to do with the food crisis. "
This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Serghei Lavrov at a press conference in Ankara after meeting with his counterpart Cavusoglu.
Lavrov, however, said he appreciated "the efforts of our Turkish friends to unlock the grain, mine Ukrainian ports and allow access to foreign ships that are currently being held hostage."
"The food crisis does not originate from this war," Lavrov said at the joint press conference in Ankara.
"The Russian federation has not created any obstacles for the passage"
THE PORT OF BERDYANSK REOPENED
The port of south-eastern Ukraine of
Berdyansk
, occupied by the Russians, was reopened after demining and the first ships with grain are expected to go to sea later this week, Vladimir Rogov, a member of the governing council of the self-proclaimed local administration, told the Russian Tass Agency " Everything is ready for shipment of the cargo, and the grain will probably leave first. There is actually a lot of grain here, all the elevators are full. "
The first ships are expected to leave the port at the end of this week, "he said. The territories occupied by the Russian army in Ukraine's southeastern Zaporizhzhia region are supplying grain to the Middle East, the head of the self-proclaimed military administration said. -civil Yevgeny Balitsky in an interview with the Rossiya 24 television channel, quoted by
Russian agency Interfax.
"We are sending wheat through Russia and primary contracts have been signed with Turkey - he said - the first trains have left Crimea for the Middle East. This is a traditional market for Ukraine".
The Ukrainian food and grain crisis is the result of "a cold, callous and calculated siege by Putin on some of the most vulnerable countries and people in the world. Food has become part of the Kremlin's arsenal of terror," said the president. of the EU Commission
Ursula von der Leyen
speaking at the plenary of the European Parliament and reiterating that European sanctions do not target foodstuffs blocked in Ukraine.
In the meantime, former Russian President Medvedev attacked Westerners yesterday, calling them "bastards" who must "disappear".
ANSA agency
War in Ukraine live, all of Medvedev's shocking phrases from "Bastadi" to "graphomaniacs" - World
From the rejection of the Italian peace plan for Ukraine written by "European graphomaniacs" who read "provincial newspapers" to the anti-Russia sanctions for which he invited the West to "embrace other progressive family rules, such as the 'Ndrangheta and Cosa Ours ", Medvedev has earned the role of censor of the West (ANSA)