Prepared by Sofia Oliynyk and Maryana Zaviyska
Photo: Christopher Furlong/ Sappers of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine are preparing for a controlled explosion of 1 ton of missiles, artillery shells and mines, which they seized in the Borodyanka area.
Cities under attack. Ukrainian forces have recaptured around 20% of the territory they lost in the city of Severodonetsk, Luhansk region, during fighting with Russia, reports the head of the eastern region of Luhansk. The occupiers damaged at least 6 apartment buildings in Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, 8 houses in Hirske, 7 in Novoivanivka, 6 in Vrubivka. In Hirske, a woman with a child died due to the shelling. Housing stock in Metelkino was damaged. In the Donetsk region, battles are happening all across the frontline. Russian forces attack with tanks, artillery, mortars, etc. 12 residential houses were damaged, 3 civilians injured. A cruise missile hit Odesa this morning, damaging the agricultural enterprise, warehouses. As a result, two people were injured. Mykolayiv has been shelled with heavy artillery barrels and rocket-propelled grenade launchers.
Cities under occupation. Access to water in Mariupol remains limited, as people have to stand in huge queues for drinking water, says adviser to the Mayor of Mariupol Petro Andryushchenko. The water is almost not suitable for consumption without boiling it first, which is a challenge as people are cooking exclusively on an open fire.
Russian invaders have resumed the work of Ukrainian mobile operators and the Internet in the Kherson region, according to the adviser to the head of the Kherson regional military administration Serhii Khlan. The region has been cut off from Ukrainian mobile connection for nearly 4 days.
Food security. Minister of Foreign Affairs Kuleba reports that Ukraine is ready to create necessary conditions to resume exports from the port of Odesa. However the remaining risk is that there is no guarantee that Russia won’t use this opportunity to attack. Russian President Putin denied (*again) that Moscow was blocking Ukrainian ports from exporting grain. In his view, the best solution would be to ship it through Belarus, presuming the sanctions on that country are lifted. Belarus claims they are ready to allow the transit of Ukraine’s grain to Baltic Sea ports. However the conditions for this are to also allow shipping of Belarusian goods from these ports.
Where did the grain go? The Ukrainian embassy in Beirut says Russia sent some 100 000 tonnes of stolen wheat to Syria. Ukraine’s ambassador to Ankara says that, in fact, Turkey is among those receiving grain that Russia stole from Ukraine, adding he has sought Turkey’s help to identify and capture individuals responsible for the shipments.
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Eduard Heger calls for the third-party guarantor to renew grain and other food products shipment from the port of Odesa. In his view, the United Nations or Turkey should act as a security guarantor for ensuring safe shipment.
Health security. WHO reports that as of June 2 there have been 269 verified attacks on health institutions, killing at least 76 people and injuring 59. The statement highlights several of the areas where attention is needed and support is currently being built up. While some health facilities have been destroyed, the remaining ones are overwhelmed by people seeking care for trauma and injuries resulting directly from the war. The war has caused a massive increase in psychological harm and distress. The healthcare professionals report an increased number of requests for support due to complaints about sleeplessness, anxiety, grief and psychological pain. Another major need is medical training to deal with the consequences of war – trauma surgery, mass casualties, burns and chemical exposure.
Energy security. Zaporizhzhia NPP, which is currently under Russian occupation, is facing a critical shortage of spare parts, threatening the safety of its operations. Also, the personnel operating the plant works under conditions of regular psychological pressure and threats.
Sanctions. The sixth sanctions package, adopted by the European Council, included another 65 people and 18 companies as part of an expansion of sanctions against Russia over the war. The list includes servicemen who commanded units during hostilities on the territory of Ukraine, in particular in Bucha, and committed a number of atrocities there, like Colonel Azatbek Omurbekov, who commanded Russian troops in Bucha, Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, who led the siege of Mariupol. Also, some individuals from the close political circles, like Alina Kabaeva, a former Olympic gymnast who is alleged to have a close personal relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the wife of Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Tatiana Navka, and his two children, etc.
War crimes prosecution. Prosecutor General of Ukraine Iryna Venediktova says more than 20 cases regarding forcible transfer of people to Russia from various regions across the Ukraine have been opened since the invasion began on February 24. Ukrainian police have received around 50 complaints and opened 16 criminal investigations into allegations of sexual violence committed by Russian soldiers against civilians during the Russian war in Ukraine, says deputy interior minister.
Forced migration. Eurostat released the data on the number of the received people fleeing from Ukraine. In March 2022, among the EU Member States for which data are available, Poland granted the highest number of temporary protection statuses to Ukrainians fleeing war – 675 085 cases. Majority of Ukrainians seeking protection in Poland were children. Poland is followed by Czechia (244 650) and Slovakia (58 750).
Media. Yet again media representatives were injured in the East of Ukraine. Two Reuters journalists were injured and their driver killed on Friday after their vehicle came under fire on the way to Severodonetsk, where the fiercest battles are taking place.
Recent polls. The months of war tested how Ukrianians perceive their near circles, as well as allies around the world. Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation released some of the main findings in the report “How the War Changed the Way Ukrainians Think About Friends, Enemies, and the Country’s Strategic Goals”. Compared to the first half of February 2022, support for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union increased by 16% among the population of the sampled western and central regions of Ukraine, while support for NATO membership as the best option to ensure Ukraine’s security increased to 74% (+ 5% comparing to February 2022). According to the February 2021 poll, Ukraine’s top 3 allies included the United States (38%), Poland (35%) and Germany (28%). In May, 65% of Ukrainians called Poland and 63% mentioned the United States as the strongest allies. In regard to Russia and Russian people after the end of war, 91% of respondents are in favor of a complete breakup of all (economic, diplomatic) relations with the Russian Federation, including a total ban on the entry of Russians into Ukraine.
Podcast recommendation. 100 days of the full-scale war, 8 years since Russia’s first invasion in 2014. The last 100 days have changed the country and its people. A war without a perspective to end soon, requiring readiness for the long-term conflict. Volodymyr Yermolenko, Ukrainian philosopher and journalist, chief editor at UkraineWorld.org, and Tetyana Ogarkova, Ukrainian scholar and journalist, draw some conclusions from the 100 days and analyse how it can proceed in the future. Check their podcast.
Reading corner.
- 100 Days of War in Ukraine: Death, Destruction and Loss | The New York Times (nytimes.com)
- ‘Everything is gone’: Eastern Ukraine residents say Russia is wiping their towns off the map | POLITICO
- Ukrainian patrol officer shares story of evacuation of people from Luhansk Oblast | Ukraine news / The New Voice of Ukraine (nv.ua) – This is the story of Viktor Levchenko, the head of the patrol police of Luhansk region (Oblast). His team sometimes rescued 3000-5000 inhabitants of the region a day. Recently, we’ve followed the story of him coming to evacuate a dozen people, but managing to convince some 20 more to also leave the war zone.
Statistics.
- General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced the total estimated losses of the Russian military as of 10 a.m., June 3, 2022: personnel – around 31 150, tanks ‒ 1376, APV ‒ 3379, artillery systems – 680, MLRS – 207, anti-aircraft warfare systems – 95, fixed-wing aircraft – 210, helicopters – 175, operational-tactical level UAV – 540, cruise missiles – 122, boats and light speed boats – 13, soft-skinned vehicles and fuel tankers – 2337, special equipment – 52.
Every action counts, no contribution is too small!
- Support Medical battalion ‘Hospitallers’. A volunteer organization of paramedics operating since 2014. The team provides medical aid in the hot spots.
- Share this up-to-date information about the situation in Ukraine, either on social media, with local media or by spreading around this brief update.
- Subscribe to our daily updates on Twitter and our website.
- You can support our project with donations via PayPal. More information here.
Thank you for supporting Ukraine! Slava Ukraini! Glory to Ukraine!
