Prepared by Sofia Oliynyk and Maryana Zaviyska
Photo: Kyiv City State Administration/Consequences of the rocket attack on the rail car repair workshop in Kyiv
Cities under attack.
On the morning of June 5, the Russian forces launched several massive missile strikes on the territory of Ukraine, including the city of Kyiv. After a quiet month, the Russian missile hit Kyiv again, targeting a rail car repair workshop. Even though just one person was injured, the sound of the explosion was well heard all around the left bank of Kyiv, and the smoke was visible even beyond city limits. Russian authorities claim they destroyed the hidden tank depot, however Ukrainian railways officials deny the statement. On Saturday, Russian forces launched a missile that destroyed a grain storage warehouse in the port of Nika-Tera in Mykolaiv. The explosions have been recorded in Mykolaiv on Monday morning also. Russia continues terrorizing border territories of Sumy region. Russian forces shelled the region three times on Saturday, including launching 6 rockets during one of the strikes.
In the Luhansk region the battles continue. Due to the counteroffensive of the Ukraine Armed Forces, 50% of the Severodonetsk is back again under Ukraineβs control, says Head of the Luhansk regional administration Sergey Haidai. In Lysychansk, the Russians targeted a bakery that produced bread for the remaining people in the city. In addition to the bakery, several government buildings and two high-rise buildings were damaged.
In the Donetsk region, Russian artillery hit a wooden church of Sviatohirsk Lavra. The Orthodox monastery, dated to the early 17th century, was attacked for the second time during this war. At the moment of the attack, 300 people were sheltering on its premises. In the Donetsk region alone, the Russians destroyed 43 religious buildings during the three months of the war, most of which belonged to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy traveled to Lysychansk and Soledar, frontline towns in Donbas. Both of the towns are located in close proximity to the battlefield. During the visit, he met both with the local military commandment and civilians. Later, he went to Zaporizhzhia, the region which is both under attack and a safe haven for many displaced people.
Cities under occupation.
In Mariupol, Russian forces are demolishing damaged houses, without taking bodies from under the rubble first. On Saturday, the first houses were demolished under heavy guard with the involvement of “state volunteers”. Data on the bodies from under the ruins is impossible to obtain due to the fact that after the demolition everything is taken to a landfill in the Levoberezhny district.
Situation with access to drinking water in Mariupol remains critical. People have to wait in line for nearly two days. The reason behind this is due to low water level in natural sources. It will get even lower as summer heatwave approaches. Meanwhile, Russian forces provided humanitarian aid only to the people of retirement age. For the rest food is given in return for public work.
In Kherson, local people tear down Russian banners, share national symbols, and put up pro-Ukrainian posters as an act of resistance against Russian occupation. The Russian occupiers in the Kherson region want to appropriate regional gas stations to sell fuel imported from the occupied Crimea. Overall, the situation in the region is critical as there is a lack of mobile and Internet communication, provisions, medicines and cash. As a result of the mined coastline, in particular in Lazurny, three locals died from an exploding Russian mine.
Almost 60% of the Zaporizhzhia region territory is temporarily occupied by Russian troops, and fighting is underway in some parts, says Oleksandr Starukh. 77 settlements here were cut off from electricity due to hostilities. Russian forces destroyed 2701 infrastructure facilities, of which almost 700 have been rebuilt to date.
In Energodar, Zaporizhzhia region, the number of abductions steadily grows. The occupant forces tagert not only activists or veterans, but also partisans, people at the checkpoint. The detainees are kept in underground locations for weeks. The Cityβs mayor says currently itβs impossible to find any logic in the detentions. Also, cases of looting have increased, mostly targeting the empty apartments, whose owners left the city. The prices for goods have doubled. Preferences are given to those who can pay in cash because β due to the frequent problems with the internet β people have issues paying with bank cards. The city is suffering from a lack of Ukrainian medicines, as Russian forces block humanitarian aid, instead supplying Russian ones.
Human rights.
The exchange of the dead bodies of military personnel between Ukraine and Russia took place on June 2. 160 for 160 bodies were exchanged on the front line in the Zaporizhzhia region.
More than 1300 human bodies have been exhumed in the Kyiv region so far. Over 200 civilians killed by Russians in the Kyiv region have yet to be identified by investigators.
Ukraine has opened more than 20 cases dealing with forced displacement of Ukrainian citizens to Russia and Belarus. The Criminal Code of Ukraine contains an article on genocide where it is stated clearly that the forced displacement of children is a factor that classifies such a crime as genocide, so this is the direction we are following in our investigations, says Prosecutor General of Ukraine.
Foreign policy.
An official delegation of the Republic of Korea’s ruling party visited Bucha and Irpin. According to Mr. Lee Joon-seok, after what he has seen and heard in Ukraine, he will meet with President Yoon Suk-yeol to discuss various options for assistance, among which will be a post-war reconstruction.
UN Security Council will meet for a meeting on the situation in Ukraine, to discuss in particular conflict-related sexual violence and human trafficking in the context of the war in Ukraine. Charles Michel, President of the European Council, will take part in the work of the Security Council.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine responded to the call of the French President Macron βnot to humiliate Russia so that the day when the fighting stops we can build an exit ramp through diplomatic meansβ. The Foreign Minister Kuleba tweeted: βCalls to avoid humiliation of Russia can only humiliate France and every other country that would call for it. Because it is Russia that humiliates itself. We all better focus on how to put Russia in its place. This will bring peace and save livesβ.
Energy security.
Russia continues with nuclear terrorism. On June 05, Russian cruise missile, similar to a Kalibr-type missile, flew at a critical height over the South Ukraine NPP. Most likely the missile was flying in the direction of Kyiv.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine reports about 723 settlements and a total of about 652 300 consumers in Ukraine remain without electricity due to the damage caused by hostilities. In particular, in the Donetsk region β 358 100, in Luhansk β more than 128 200, Kharkiv – about 72 400 consumers. 164 000 consumers are left without gas supply.
Support for Ukraine.
The US has become by far the top supporter of Ukraine with its latest aid pledges, including financial, humanitarian and military support. However, in regard to the GDP share, Estonia, Latvia and Poland are among the leaders. European support pledges to the Russian-attacked country have been growing more modestly recently, according to data collected in the Ukraine Support Tracker.
Digital frontline.
Cyber attacks continue in both countries. The website of Russia’s Ministry of Construction, Housing and Utilities appeared to have been hacked, with an internet search for the site leading to a “Glory to Ukraine” sign in Ukrainian. However, the Ukrainian website, OLL.TV, that streamed the broadcast of the Ukraine-Wales soccer match online was temporarily hacked as well.
Reading corner.
- A Farmer Holds On, a Fraying Lifeline for a Besieged Corner of Ukraine | The New York Times (nytimes.com) β The story of Oleksandr Chaplik, 55, a dairy and livestock farmer, near Severodonesk, who runs his business in times of war to provide food and work to locals.
- Ukraine: Why does Russia want to capture Severodonetsk? | The Washington Post β Some of the fiercest battles continue in the area near Severodonetsk. Severodonetsk is one of the last cities standing in the way of Russia controlling the region as well as it is an administrative center of Ukraine-controlled territories of Luhansk region.
Statistics.
- General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced the total estimated losses of the Russian military as of 10 a.m., June 4, 2022: personnel β around 31 250, tanks β 1386, APV β 3400, artillery systems β 690, MLRS β 207, anti-aircraft warfare systems β 96, fixed-wing aircraft β 211, helicopters β 176, operational-tactical level UAV β 551, cruise missiles β 125, boats and light speed boats β 13, soft-skinned vehicles and fuel tankers β 2395, special equipment β 53.
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