Ukraine forces ‘recapture 20% of territory lost in Sievierodonetsk’ – as it happened

From 9h ago 20.33 Ukrainian forces recapture 20% of territory lost in Sievierodonetsk, says Ukraine Ukrainian forces have recaptured around 20% of the territory they lost in Sievierodonetsk since Russia’s invasion, according to Ukrainian officials. “Whereas before the situation was difficult, the percentage (held by Russia) was somewhere around 70%, now we have already pushed them back by approximately 20%,” Serhiy Gaidai, the head of the eastern region of Luhansk, announced on national television on Friday. Gaidai said that Russian forces were attacking and advancing upon Ukrainian positions for hours, only to be driven back by defenders who were not injured. “This is how they are moving forward, step-by-step, because with artillery, aircraft, mortars, they are simply destroying everything,” he said. “But as soon as we have enough Western long-range weapons, we will push their artillery away from our positions. And then, believe me, the Russian infantry, they will just run.” Since the invasion, Russian forces have swarmed into the city in attempts to capture it in order to achieve its stated aim of controlling the entire Luhansk province. On Thursday, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced that Ukrainian forces have had some recent successes in the region. Members of a foreign volunteers unit which fights in the Ukrainian army take positions, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in Sievierodonetsk, Luhansk region Ukraine June 2, 2022. Photograph: Serhii Nuzhnenko/Reuters

6h ago 00.04 Summary It’s 2am in Kyiv. Here’s where things stand: 14 million Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes, the majority women and children, said the United Nations Crisis Coordinator for Ukraine Amin Awad on Friday. In a statement released on the 100th day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Awad spoke of displaced Ukrainians, describing the “scale and speed of [their] displacement not witnessed in history.”

In a statement released on the 100th day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Awad spoke of displaced Ukrainians, describing the “scale and speed of [their] displacement not witnessed in history.” Moscow will help restore and rebuild Luhansk and Donetsk, Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced on Friday after a visit to Luhansk. Approximately 1,500 specialists from various departments of the Moscow municipal economy complex and 500 pieces of equipment have arrived in Luhansk, said the mayor.

Approximately 1,500 specialists from various departments of the Moscow municipal economy complex and 500 pieces of equipment have arrived in Luhansk, said the mayor. Ukraine’s ambassador to Ankara, Vasyl Bodna, accused Russia of “stealing” and sending Ukrainian grain abroad to countries including Turkey. “Russia shamelessly steals Ukrainian grain and sends it overseas from Crimea, including to Turkey,” Bodna said in a tweet on Friday.

“Russia shamelessly steals Ukrainian grain and sends it overseas from Crimea, including to Turkey,” Bodna said in a tweet on Friday. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that Ukraine must meet all the necessary standards and conditions for accession. The president went on to call on the EU to help Ukraine achieve its goals.

Macky Sall, the African Union head and Senegalese president, said he was “reassured” after meeting with Putin regarding global food shortages caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In addition to global food shortages, other issues discussed between the two leaders included grain supplies that are stuck in Ukrainian ports.

In addition to global food shortages, other issues discussed between the two leaders included grain supplies that are stuck in Ukrainian ports. “Victory shall be ours,” Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a video featuring the same key ministers and advisers who appeared with him in a defiant broadcast on 24 February, the day his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, launched his unprovoked assault. “ The armed forces of Ukraine are here. Most importantly, our people, the people of our country, are here. We have been defending Ukraine for 100 days already … Glory to Ukraine,” he added.

The armed forces of Ukraine are here. Most importantly, our people, the people of our country, are here. We have been defending Ukraine for 100 days already … Glory to Ukraine,” he added. Ukrainian forces have recaptured around 20% of the territory they lost in Sievierodonetsk since Russia’s invasion, according to Ukrainian officials. “Whereas before the situation was difficult, the percentage (held by Russia) was somewhere around 70%, now we have already pushed them back by approximately 20%,” Serhiy Gaidai, the head of the eastern region of Luhansk, announced on national television on Friday.

“Whereas before the situation was difficult, the percentage (held by Russia) was somewhere around 70%, now we have already pushed them back by approximately 20%,” Serhiy Gaidai, the head of the eastern region of Luhansk, announced on national television on Friday. French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday said his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin had committed a “historic and fundamental error” by invading Ukraine and was now “isolated”. “I think, and I told him, that he made a historic and fundamental error for his people, for himself and for history,” he said in an interview with French regional media.

“I think, and I told him, that he made a historic and fundamental error for his people, for himself and for history,” he said in an interview with French regional media. Switzerland’s government on Friday rejected a request by Denmark to send nearly two-dozen Swiss-made armored personnel carriers to Ukraine. Switzerland’s executive Federal Council confirmed the decision on Friday after Denmark requested Switzerland transfer 22 Swiss-made Piranha III wheeled armored personnel carriers, which Denmark had obtained and stored in Germany, to Ukraine.

6h ago 23.57 14 million Ukrainians forced to flee since February, says UN 14 million Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes, the majority women and children, said the United Nations Crisis Coordinator for Ukraine Amin Awad on Friday. In a statement released on the 100th day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Awad spoke of displaced Ukrainians, describing the “scale and speed of [their] displacement not witnessed in history.” Awad went on to add: This war has taken an unacceptable toll on people and engulfed virtually all aspects of civilian life. This war has and will have no winner. Rather, we have witnessed for 100 days what is lost: lives, homes, jobs and prospects. We have witnessed destruction and devastation across cities, towns and villages. Schools, hospitals and shelters have not been spared. More than 3 million children saw their education suspended – an entire generation of children whose future hangs in the balance. All over the country, hundreds of thousands of people do not have access to water and electricity, and millions do not know where their next meal is coming from. 15.7 million people are in need of humanitarian support now, with numbers growing. One hundred days on, the war ravages unabated especially in the east of the country. And with winter coming, millions of civilian lives could be in peril. The United Nations agencies and humanitarian partners in Ukraine continue supporting those whose lives have been shattered by war. In the past 100 days, we have provided immediate humanitarian aid to some 8 million people across the country, including in besieged cities in the east of Ukraine.” Oleg (R), who decided to remain in Irpin, passes his son Maksim over a fence to his wife Yana, before the arrival of an evacuation train to the city of Kiev (Kyiv), at the train station in Irpin, Ukraine, 04 March 2022. Photograph: Roman Pilipey/EPA

7h ago 23.20 Moscow will help restore and rebuild Luhansk and Donetsk, Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced on Friday after a visit to Luhansk. Writing on his official Telegram channel, Sobyanin said: “On behalf of the President of Russia, Moscow will provide humanitarian assistance and assistance in restoring the social and engineering infrastructure of two cities – Lugansk and Donetsk. We signed agreements on cooperation and twinning between Moscow and Lugansk. We outlined plans to restore a normal peaceful life. About 1,500 specialists from various departments of the Moscow municipal economy complex and 500 pieces of equipment are already in Lugansk. We began to restore schools, houses, utilities. The plans include the improvement of the streets, the Avangard stadium, and the city park. It is important to quickly eliminate the consequences of hostilities and prepare the city’s infrastructure for the autumn-winter period. I am confident that we will implement all plans through joint efforts and with the support of residents.” Police officers speak with a local resident as his house burns following shelling, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in Lysychansk, Luhansk region Ukraine June 2, 2022. Photograph: Serhii Nuzhnenko/Reuters

7h ago 22.46 Ukraine’s ambassador to Ankara, Vasyl Bodna, accused Russia of “stealing” and sending Ukrainian grain abroad to countries including Turkey.

“Russia shamelessly steals Ukrainian grain and sends it overseas from Crimea, including to Turkey,” Bodna said in a tweet on Friday. 6️⃣ “#Rusya utanmaz ve benzeri görülmemiş bir şekilde #Ukrayna tahılını çalıyor ve onu işgal altındaki Kırım’dan çıkarıyor. Bu tahılı #Türkiye dahil yabancı ülkelere götürüyor. Bu sorunun çözülmesinde yardım emesi için Türkiye’ye başvurduk.” — Ukraine in Türkiye (@UKRinTR) June 3, 2022 “We have asked for Turkey’s help to resolve the issue,” he added in a message on Twitter. Prior to Russia’s invasion earlier this year, Ukraine was a major exporter of wheat and sunflower oil. Turkey, a NATO member, has provided combat drones to Ukraine while attempting to serve as a mediator in the conflict which reached its 100th day on Friday. Nevertheless, Turkey has refrained from imposing sanctions on Russia as it relies on it for grain and energy. At the request of the United Nations, Turkey has offered to assist in securing maritime corridors for Ukrainian grain export. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will be in Turkey on Wednesday to discuss the issue. Vasyl Bodnar, Ukraine’s ambassador to Turkey, speaks during a rally, in Ankara, Turkey in May, 2022. Photograph: Burhan Özbilici/AP

8h ago 22.12 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that Ukraine must meet all the necessary standards and conditions for accession but called on the EU to help Ukraine achieve its goals, the Kyiv Independent reports. ⚡️ Von der Leyen: Ukraine's admission to the EU is the bloc's 'moral duty.'

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that Ukraine must meet all the necessary standards and conditions for accession but called on the EU to help Ukraine achieve its goals. — The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) June 3, 2022

8h ago 21.36 AU head said he is “reassured” after talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin on food shortages. Macky Sall, the African Union head and Senegalese president, said he was “reassured” after meeting with Putin regarding global food shortages caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Putin hosted Sall at his Black Sea residence in Sochi on Friday, which also marked the 100th day of Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine. In addition to global food shortages, other issues discussed between the two leaders included grain supplies that are stuck in Ukrainian ports. “I found Vladimir Putin committed and aware that the crisis and sanctions create serious problems for weak economies, such as African economies,” Sall said to reporters, adding that he was “very reassured and very happy with our exchanges”. In a televised interview in the evening, Putin accused the west of “bluster” by claiming Moscow was preventing grain exports from Ukraine. “There is no problem to export grain from Ukraine,” he said, suggesting several possible routes. Putin said that exports could transit through the Russian-controlled ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk, or the Ukrainian-held port of Odessa as long as Ukraine “cleared” the waters around it of mines. He added that other options include the Danube River via Romania, Hungary or Poland. “But the simplest, the easiest, the cheapest would be exports via Belarus, from there one can go to Baltic ports, then to the Baltic Sea and then anywhere in the world.” But Putin said any export via Belarus would be conditional on the “lifting of sanctions” by the west against Minsk, allied to Moscow. Macky Sall, the presdident of Senegal, said he was ‘reassured’ after meeting with Putin regarding global food shortages caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Photograph: Mikhail Klimentyev/KREMLIN POOL/SPUTNIK/EPA

9h ago 21.03 “Victory shall be ours,” Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a video featuring the same key ministers and advisers who appeared with him in a defiant broadcast on 24 February, the day his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, launched his unprovoked assault.

“Our team is much bigger,” Zelenskiy declared on Friday. “The armed forces of Ukraine are here. Most importantly, our people, the people of our country, are here. We have been defending Ukraine for 100 days already … Glory to Ukraine.” 00:43 ‘Victory will be ours’: Zelenskiy marks 100th day of war – video

9h ago 20.33 Ukrainian forces recapture 20% of territory lost in Sievierodonetsk, says Ukraine Ukrainian forces have recaptured around 20% of the territory they lost in Sievierodonetsk since Russia’s invasion, according to Ukrainian officials. “Whereas before the situation was difficult, the percentage (held by Russia) was somewhere around 70%, now we have already pushed them back by approximately 20%,” Serhiy Gaidai, the head of the eastern region of Luhansk, announced on national television on Friday. Gaidai said that Russian forces were attacking and advancing upon Ukrainian positions for hours, only to be driven back by defenders who were not injured. “This is how they are moving forward, step-by-step, because with artillery, aircraft, mortars, they are simply destroying everything,” he said. “But as soon as we have enough Western long-range weapons, we will push their artillery away from our positions. And then, believe me, the Russian infantry, they will just run.” Since the invasion, Russian forces have swarmed into the city in attempts to capture it in order to achieve its stated aim of controlling the entire Luhansk province. On Thursday, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced that Ukrainian forces have had some recent successes in the region. Members of a foreign volunteers unit which fights in the Ukrainian army take positions, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in Sievierodonetsk, Luhansk region Ukraine June 2, 2022. Photograph: Serhii Nuzhnenko/Reuters

10h ago 19.54 French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday said his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin had committed a “historic and fundamental error” by invading Ukraine and was now “isolated”. Agence France-Presse reports: “I think, and I told him, that he made a historic and fundamental error for his people, for himself and for history,” he said in an interview with French regional media. “I think he has isolated himself,” Macron said. “Isolating oneself is one thing, but being able to get out of it is a difficult path.” The French president repeated that Russia should not be “humiliated... so that the day the fighting stops we can pave a way out through diplomatic means”. Macron also said he did not “rule out” a visit to Kyiv. Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that Vladimir Putin had committed a ‘historic and fundamental error’ by invading Ukraine. Photograph: Thibault Camus/AP

10h ago 19.30 Switzerland’s government on Friday rejected a request by Denmark to send nearly two-dozen Swiss-made armored personnel carriers to Ukraine. Switzerland’s executive Federal Council confirmed the decision on Friday after Denmark requested Switzerland transfer 22 Swiss-made Piranha III wheeled armored personnel carriers, which Denmark had obtained and stored in Germany, to Ukraine. Friday’s decision also comes as the Swiss government announced that it would allow the transfer of certain military equipment to Germany and Britain as they stock up on supplies that they have previously sent to Ukraine. Switzerland’s War Materiel Act, also known as the country’s “neutrality law,” prohibits the transfer of Swiss-made weapons systems, ammunition and other war material to countries that are involved in international conflicts. The country has previously refused a German request to send Swiss-made 35mm ammunition for Gepard anti-aircraft guns to Ukraine.

11h ago 18.57 Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, denied Moscow was preventing Ukrainian ports from exporting grain, claiming that “no one is stopping it”. Putin suggested the best solution would be to ship the grain through Belarus, as long as sanctions on Minsk were lifted, Reuters reports. The Russian leader’s remarks came after his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko, said Minsk was ready to allow the transit of Ukraine’s grain to Baltic Sea ports if it is allowed to ship Belarusian goods from these ports. Speaking on national television, Putin said reports of a Russian export ban were “a bluff” and that western countries were trying to cover up their own policy mistakes by blaming Russia for problems on the global food market. Putin said: If someone wants to solve the problem of exporting Ukrainian grain - please, the easiest way is through Belarus. No one is stopping it. But for this you have to lift sanctions from Belarus. He warned that problems with the global food market were set to worsen because of British and US sanctions on Russian fertilisers.