More than 4,000 civilians have died since Russia invaded, says UN as it happened – The Guardian

Ukrainian officials sound alarm on Mariupol horrors elsewhere in Donbas

Officials in Ukraine are appealing for additional assistance from the west as the Donbas region risks a potential repeat of horrors seen in the city of Mariupol in recent months.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy also appealed for additional forces in his nightly address on Friday, as Moscow-backed separatists have pounded the countrys industrial region in recent days.

He said the attacks could leave communities in ashes, accusing Moscow of pursuing an obvious policy of genocide through mass deportations and killings of civilians.

He took a harsh tone when discussing the response from the European Union, which is locked in discussions on a deal to invoke a sixth round of sanctions one currently being blocked by Hungary, one of Moscows closest allies in the EU.

Mariupol has been left in shambles after a sustained siege, with hundreds killed and survivors forcibly deported to Russia.

EU leaders have attempted to negotiate changes to ease the global food crisis in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but said Friday little progress has been made.

If you are asking me if there are openings for peace, the answer is no, Italian Premier Mario Draghi said told reporters of the talks.

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer also stated that he has engaged with Putin on a prisoner exchange, stating the Russian president indicated efforts to arrange one would be intensified.

Updated at 18.25EDT

Kari Paul here. It is nearly 3am in Kyiv and I am logging off for the day as we close the blog for the evening. Here are the latest updates on the war in Ukraine you should know.

Updated at 20.22EDT

Ukrainian officials sound alarm on Mariupol horrors elsewhere in Donbas

Officials in Ukraine are appealing for additional assistance from the west as the Donbas region risks a potential repeat of horrors seen in the city of Mariupol in recent months.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy also appealed for additional forces in his nightly address on Friday, as Moscow-backed separatists have pounded the countrys industrial region in recent days.

He said the attacks could leave communities in ashes, accusing Moscow of pursuing an obvious policy of genocide through mass deportations and killings of civilians.

He took a harsh tone when discussing the response from the European Union, which is locked in discussions on a deal to invoke a sixth round of sanctions one currently being blocked by Hungary, one of Moscows closest allies in the EU.

Mariupol has been left in shambles after a sustained siege, with hundreds killed and survivors forcibly deported to Russia.

EU leaders have attempted to negotiate changes to ease the global food crisis in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but said Friday little progress has been made.

If you are asking me if there are openings for peace, the answer is no, Italian Premier Mario Draghi said told reporters of the talks.

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer also stated that he has engaged with Putin on a prisoner exchange, stating the Russian president indicated efforts to arrange one would be intensified.

Updated at 18.25EDT

Zelenskiy: Russian forces heavily striking Donbas

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaking in a short video address said the situation in Donbas is very difficult. He said Russian forces are concentrated in the coastal region of Ukraine and using maximum artillery reserves.

We are protecting our land in the way that our current defensive resources allow, he said. And we are doing everything to strengthen them.

Updated at 17.24EDT

Russia announced today that it expects to receive $14bn in additional energy revenue, reports AFP.

Russias finance minister announced today that the country is set to receive 1tn rubles in additional oil and gas revenues this year, noting that the additional income will be spent on Russias ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

We expect to receive up to a trillion rubles ($14.4 billion) in additional oil and gas revenues, according to the forecast that we have developed with the ministry of economic development, said finance minister Anton Siluanov during remarks that were broadcasted on Russian state television.

Siluanov further clarified that the money will be spent on additional payments to pensioners and families with children as well as to continue conducting a special operation in Ukraine, referring to Moscows invasion of Ukraine.

Updated at 16.49EDT

Hello, Kari Paul here taking the helm of this blog for the next few hours. Stay tuned for updates.

The US is expected to send long-range rocket systems to Ukraine that could be announced as early as next week, reports CNN.

Following military challenges in eastern Ukraine, US officials have confirmed that the US is prepared to send advanced, long-range missile systems to aid with fighting.

The rocket systems, multiple launch rocket system or MLRS, have been a top request of Ukraine officials who say it is necessary to ward off Russias advancements.

The missile systems can fire a stream of rockets many miles further than current Ukraine weaponry, reports the Washington Post. The rocket system could be apart of a larger military package to Ukraine.

Read the full CNN article here.

Updated at 16.41EDT

Karim Khan, the prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC), has called on Russia to cooperate with investigations into alleged war crimes committed in Ukraine, reports AFP.

Khan said that Russian officials have refused to work with the ICC amid war crime investigations, but noted that his door is open if Russia wants to assist.

The invitation is there. My door is open, and I will also keep knocking on the door of the Russian federation, said Karim Khan in an AFP interview.

If there are allegations that the Russian federation have, if theres information that they have, if they are conducting their own investigations or prosecutions or have information thats relevant share it with us, Khan added.

Russia and Ukraine are not members of the ICC, but Ukraine has cooperated with Khans office during their investigation and accepted the courts jurisdiction.

While Khan noted that any war crime perpetrators would be brought to justice, the prosecutor refused to confirm if Vladimir Putin could be named a suspect given his involvement in Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Updated at 15.54EDT

US president Joe Biden accused Vladimir Putin of attempting to wipe out Ukrainian culture and identity during a speech today, reports the Washington Post.

During a commencement speech to the US Naval academys graduating class today, Biden said that Putin was trying to wipe out the culture and identity of the Ukrainian people.

Biden further criticized Russias attack on Ukraine hospitals, schools and other civilian buildings.

Biden also said that Putin inadvertently Nato-ized all of Europe after Sweden and Finland sought out membership in the alliance following Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Updated at 15.30EDT

Maya Yang

The United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR) has released the latest figures on the Ukraine wars human toll.

The latest UN figures show that from 24 February to 26 May, 4,031 civilians died during Russias invasion of Ukraine due to shelling and air strikes, including 261 children.

A total 4,735 civilians were injured. The OHCHR estimates that the actual toll of the invasion is much higher than provided estimates.

From Buzzfeed News Christopher Miller:

Most of the civilian casualties recorded were caused by the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multiple launch rocket systems, and missile and air strikes, the OHCHR said in a statement, referring to the new figures.

OHCHR believes that the actual figures are considerably higher, as the receipt of information from some locations where intense hostilities have been going on has been delayed and many reports are still pending corroboration, it added.

Updated at 15.04EDT

Ukraines Moscow-backed Orthodox church said today that it was cutting ties with Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, reports AFP.

The church declared full independence from Russia in a move that defied Russias spiritual authorities.

We disagree with the position of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow on the war, said the church, referring to the head of the Russian Orthodox church who is also a close ally of Vladimir Putin.

The council condemns war as a violation of Gods commandment You shall not kill and expresses condolences to all those who suffered in the war, said the church following a council meeting focused on Russias aggression where the Ukraine Orthodox church declared full autonomy from Russia.

The Moscow branch of the Ukraines Orthodox church was previously fully aligned with Patriarch Kirill, who expressed his support of Putin and the invasion of Ukraine.

Updated at 14.44EDT

A Nato defence ministry meeting will take place on 15 and 16 June, reports Nexta.

The meeting, taking place in Brussels, will include participation from Ukraine, Georgia, Finland and Sweden.

Updated at 15.27EDT

Ukrainian forces may be forced to retreat from the final pocket of resistance in the eastern region of Luhansk to avoid being captured, the regional governor, Serhiy Gaidai, said.

In a post on Telegram, Gaidai referred to the near-surrounded cities of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk, writing:

The Russians will not be able to capture Luhansk region in the coming days as analysts have predicted.

He added:

We will have enough strength and resources to defend ourselves. However it is possible that in order not to be surrounded we will have to retreat.

Updated at 13.42EDT

The Kremlin is considering a second assault on Kyiv despite failing to capture the Ukrainian capital at the outset of the war, according to the independent news website, Meduza.

Sources close to the Kremlin and inside the Putin administration said confidence has spread to the leadership of United Russia, the countrys ruling political party, that a full-scale victory in Ukraine is possible before the end of the year.

One source said:

Well grind them [the Ukrainians] down in the end. The whole thing will probably be over by the fall.

Russias leadership has minimum and maximum thresholds for declaring a successful and completed special military operation in Ukraine, sources said.

The bare minimum needed to declare victory is the complete capture of the Donbas region, according to sources, while the maximum goal would be the capture of Kyiv.

The editor of the English-language edition of Meduza, Kevin Rothrock, said the report suggests that Ukraine is losing the information war for the first time since the invasion.

Kremlin officials are also sceptical that western countries can sustain their massive financial and military support to Ukraine if the war drags on, the website reports.

Another source said:

Sooner or later, Europe will tire of helping. This is both money and arms production that they need for themselves. Closer to the fall, theyll have to negotiate [with Russia] on gas and oil, before the cold season arrives.

It has not been possible to independently verify this information.

Updated at 13.30EDT

Updated at 13.17EDT

Austrias chancellor, Karl Nehammer, said Vladimir Putin told him that Moscow was ready to discuss a prisoner swap with Ukraine and that there should be progress on the matter.

During the 45-minute call between the two leaders, the Russian president had expressed readiness to discuss a prisoner swap with Ukraine, Nehammer told reporters.

Nehammer said:

The Russian president has assured us that the International Red Cross must and should have access to the prisoners of war. Of course, he is also demanding access to Russian prisoners of war in Ukraine.

He added:

If he is really ready to negotiate is a complex question.

In a separate statement, the Kremlin said Putin had accused Ukraine of sabotaging talks with Moscow during his call with the Austrian chancellor.

Putin also informed Nehammer that attempts to blame Russia for difficulties in shipping grain worldwide were groundless, pointing instead to western sanctions, the Kremlin said.

Nehammer said the Russian president had given signals that he is quite willing to allow exports via the seaports, adding:

The real willingness will only become apparent when it ... is actually implemented.

Updated at 12.53EDT

A video appears to show a series of explosions near Novomykhailivka in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.

Russian forces are close to encircling Sievierodonetsk in the Luhansk region and have increased attacks in Donbas generally.

Updated at 12.30EDT

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More than 4,000 civilians have died since Russia invaded, says UN as it happened - The Guardian