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
.
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 Cavusoglu.
No concrete agreement was reached in the Ankara meeting between the representatives of Russia and Turkey: now Ukraine awaits communication between the Ukrainian and Turkish sides.
This was announced in a briefing by the ambassador of Ukraine to Turkey Vasyl Bodnar, as reported by Ukrainska Pravda.
"We now look forward to communication between the Ukrainian and Turkish sides to find common ground," said Bodnar, stressing that it is important for Ukraine that Turkey continues to act as mediator and negotiate with both Ukraine and with Russia.
RESUMPTION OF NEGOTIATIONS
There is the possibility of a resumption of the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to reach a
ceasefire
.
This was announced by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, as reported by Anadolu, during a joint press conference in Ankara with his Russian counterpart Serghei Lavrov.
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
A school and an administrative building were hit by Russian air raids in Bakhmut, Donetsk oblast this morning.
"The school was completely destroyed", the Ukrainian Interior Ministry reported, quoted by Ukrinform, adding that according to the first information of the rescuers on the spot there were victims.
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
red cross
had been painted on the roof of the hospital in Severodonetsk .
In the south of Rubizhne, in addition to the hospital, a pharmaceutical company and surrounding buildings were also razed.
Severodonetsk, a hospital with a red cross on the roof destroyed
Kiev claims that the advance in 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.
"Nobody will surrender in Severodonetsk. The Russians want to capture the city by June 10.
Fierce battles are taking place.
, 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 once again planning to cross the Seversky Donets River to create a bridgehead for the offensive, "he added.
THE LOSS OF THE RUSSIAN ARMY
"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 the number of losses, even for Russia, will exceed the allowed limit ", Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Telegram.
Zelensky: 'We will not sell gas and coal overseas'
'A DIFFICULT WINTER'
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that
Ukraine will suspend all gas and coal exports
, in view of what he believes will be "the most difficult winter of all due to the war".
"We will not sell our gas and coal abroad - he said in his latest video message -. All production will focus on satisfying domestic demand".
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal said for his part that coal production in state 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 company Naftogaz to accumulate at least 19 billion cubic meters of gas in Ukrainian underground storage facilities.
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," said the Turkish foreign minister.
Russia's request to lift sanctions is
"legitimate"
, says Turkey.
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. "
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", said Lavrov. "The Russian federation has not created any obstacles for the passage".
The reading of the question on the Ukrainian front is different: "
Russia continues its war beyond Ukrainian borders through lies.
You say you want to prevent a global famine but steal the grain reserves.
And we are starting a counter-initiative of truth.
Russia does not respect any war law or convention and we will call those responsible by their name ". This was stated by the president of the Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchiuk speaking at the plenary of the European Parliament." Whoever has caused so much damage will have to compensate them ", he said. attached.
Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchiuk speaking at the plenary of the European Parliament.
"Whoever has caused so much damage will have to compensate them", he attacked.
Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchiuk speaking at the plenary of the European Parliament.
"Whoever has caused so much damage will have to compensate them", he attacked.
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 territories occupied by the Russian army in Ukraine's southeastern Zaporizhzhia region are supplying grain to the Middle East, said the head of the self-proclaimed military-civilian administration Yevgeny Balitsky.
"
We are sending grain through Russia and primary contracts have been signed with Turkey - he said - the first trains have left Crimea for the Middle East.
It is a traditional market for Ukraine ". The Ukrainian food and grain crisis is the result of" Putin's cold, callous and calculated siege of 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.
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)
