Russia-Ukraine live news: ‘Fierce’ battles in Severodonetsk | Russia-Ukraine war News
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- The Ukrainian army has said its forces continue to frustrate Russian attempts to take the fiercely contested eastern city of Severodonetsk.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin has compared himself to Peter the Great, and spoke of Russia’s need to “take back [territory] and defend itself ”.
- The Ukrainian foreign ministry has said the death sentences handed down to British and Moroccan nationals fighting for Ukraine should be considered null and void.
- Breakaway eastern Ukrainian regions backed by Moscow have said they will soon start shipping grain to Russia, the TASS news agency reports.
Here are the latest updates:
Canada cracks down on more than C $ 400 ml in Russian assets, transactions
Canadian police have said that they cracked down on more than C $ 400 million ($ 314.81 million) in Russian assets and transactions involving people sanctioned as a result of Moscow’s war on Ukraine.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a statement Thursday that from February 24 to June 7, C $ 123 million of Russian assets in Canada had been effectively frozen and a further C $ 289 million in transactions had been blocked. It gave no details.
In April, Ottawa said it would change its sanctions law to allow for seized and sanctioned foreign assets to be redistributed as compensation to victims or to help in rebuilding a foreign state from war.
Ukraine forces continue to frustrate Russia’s Severodonetsk offensive
The Ukrainian army says Kyiv’s forces continue to frustrate Russian attempts to Severodonetsk.
“The occupiers, with the help of motorized rifle units and artillery, conducted assault operations in the city of Severodonetsk. They were not successful; the fighting continues, ”the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said in a regular operational update Thursday evening.
It added that Ukrainian forces had successfully repelled a Russian attack on the village of Toshkivka, on the northwestern outskirts of Severodonetsk
Luhansk governor Serhiy Haidai said Russian forces were continuing to shell the neighboring city of Lysychansk using large-caliber weapons which “pierce even concrete,” adding that it was “extremely dangerous” for civilians to remain in the city, “even in shelters.”
A symbol of Severodonetsk destroyed: Governor
Russian forces destroyed a large sports complex, the Ice Palace, in Severodonetsk, Luhansk’s governor has said.
“One of the symbols of Severodonetsk was destroyed. The Ice Palace burned down, ”Serhiy Haidai wrote on the Telegram.
“Ice, figure skating, hockey, volleyball, sports school, concerts, graduation – almost 50 years of history of sports and cultural development of our Severodonetsk…” is now gone, he added.
Nicaragua authorizes entry of Russian troops, planes, ships
The government of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega has authorized Russian troops, planes and ships to deploy to Nicaragua for purposes of training, law enforcement or emergency response.
In a decree published this week, and confirmed by Russia on Thursday, Ortega will allow Russian troops to carry out law enforcement duties, “humanitarian aid, rescue and search missions in emergencies or natural disasters.”
The Nicaraguan government also authorized the presence of small contingents of Russian troops for “exchange of experiences and training.”
Ortega has been a staunch ally of Russia since his days in the leadership of the 1979 revolution that ousted dictator Anastasio Somoza.
World’s poorest countries ‘paying more for less food’: FAO
With Ukraine’s next grain harvest due within weeks, and no imminent sign of a let-up in the war, the food security of import-dependent countries in Africa and the Middle East could worsen, the UN’s food agency has said in a new report.
Food import bills will reach a record high this year and food markets are likely to tighten around the world, according to the Food Outlook by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which also found that many vulnerable countries are paying more but receiving less. food ”in imports.
The forecast points to a “likely tightening of food markets and import bills reaching a new record high,” said Upali Galketi Aratchilage, an FAO economist and lead editor of the report.
???? World’s most vulnerable are paying more for less food – Food Outlook report.
The global food import bill is on course to hit a new record this year, but higher prices & transport costs rather than volumes account for the bulk of the expected increase.https://t.co/F0TuBlgXi3
– FAO Newsroom (@FAOnews) June 9, 2022
Zelenskyy calls on EU leaders to support Ukraine’s membership
In his nightly address, Zelenskyy appealed to European Union leaders to support Ukraine’s membership in the bloc.
“Most Europeans support the integration of Ukraine. And if the Europeans support it, then politicians who still have doubts in some countries should not set themselves against people, society and the very course of European history, ”he said.
European heads of state and government are expected to consider Ukraine’s bid for EU candidate status at the end of June. The European Parliament has already passed a resolution in favor of making Ukraine a membership candidate.
Zelenskyy cites ‘positive’ military news in Zaporizhzhia region
Zelenskyy has reported “positive” news from the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, where he said Ukraine’s forces were managing to thwart Russian troops.
In a video address, Zelenskyy also said Ukrainian forces were gradually advancing in the Kharkiv region, east of Kyiv, and “liberating our land”.
Ukrainian official responds to Putin’s remarks
A senior adviser to Ukraine’s president has responded to Putin’s earlier remarks likening himself to Peter the Greatcalling them an attempt to legalize the theft of land.
“The West must draw a clear red line so the Kremlin understands the price of each next bloody step… we will brutally liberate our territories,” Mykhailo Podolyak said in an online post.
Zelenskyy speaks to French counterpart Macron
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he spoke to his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and provided him with an update on the situation on the war’s front lines.
Zelenskyy said the two leaders also discussed additional defense support for Ukraine.
“Special attention was paid to Ukraine’s path to the #EU, we are coordinating steps,” the Ukrainian president said on Twitter.
Had another phone conversation with ???????? President @EmmanuelMacron. Informed about the situation on the front. Discussed further defense support for ???????? and work on security guarantees. Special attention was paid to Ukraine’s path to the #EUwe are coordinating steps.
– Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 9, 2022
Moscow-backed separatists to send ‘liberated’ grain to Russia: TASS
Self-declared leaders of one of two occupied eastern Ukrainian regions backed by Moscow have said they would soon start rail shipments to Russia of grain that its troops had “liberated”, the TASS news agency reported.
Yuri Pronko, Moscow-installed agricultural minister of the self-declared Luhansk People’s Republic, said that so far, the grain had been sent by truck in relatively small amounts.
“Tomorrow is a historic moment – the first grain wagons will go to Russia, 50 wagons, more than 3,000 tons,” TASS quoted him as saying.
Ukraine blasts ‘show trial’ of foreign nationals
The death sentences handed down by a pro-Russian separatist court to British and Moroccan nationals fighting for Ukraine should be considered null and void, a Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesman has said.
“The so-called ‘trial’ of the military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the occupied Ukrainian territories is of no significance,” Oleh Nikolenko told the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
“Such show trials put the interests of propaganda above the law and morality; they undermine the mechanisms for the return of prisoners of war. The Ukrainian government will continue to make every effort to release all the defenders of Ukraine, ”Nikolenko added.
Street battles rage in eastern Ukraine’s Severodonetsk
Ukrainian forces are holding their positions in intense street fighting in the eastern city of Severodonetsk, where Russians were “dying like flies”, the regional governor has said, but they faced a “catastrophic” lack of artillery.
The battle amid the ruins of Severodonetsk, a small industrial city, has become one of the bloodiest war, with Russia concentrating its invasion force there. Both sides say they have inflicted enormous casualties.
“They [the Russians] are dying like flies, ”Luhansk Governor Serhiy Haidai said in an online post. “Fierce fighting continues inside Severodonetsk.”
Welcome to Al Jazeera’s continuing coverage of the war in Ukraine.
Read all the updates from Thursday, June 9 here.
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