Prepared by Sofia Oliynyk and Maryana Zaviyskaย
Photo: Russiaโs Permanent Representative to the UN walked out of the hall during a speech by the President of the European Council
Food security.
Today is a #WorldFoodSafetyDay. However, as we see, the Russian war in Ukraine might not only undermine the safety of food products, but prevent millions of people from having any food. Therefore, security guarantees are needed to unblock the Ukrainian ports to ensure grain supply. President Zelenskyi said Turkey can become a mediator for the process to ensure grain export. Also other countries-allies, that support Ukraine, can join the efforts to facilitate the deblackade. Nevertheless, mines in the sea are one of the critical aspects for safe supply. To ensure opening ports, Ukraine needs guarantees for the safety of the ports from further Russian attacks. Therefore, arms provision to the area is required in order to avoid unguarded ports.ย
The US Secretary of State said Russia is pilfering Ukraineโs grain exports to sell for its own profit. The statement comes in the light of previous warnings that Russia will try to sell stolen grains to those countriesโ particular needs.ย
Foreign policy.
The UN Security Council met on Monday to discuss among all current situation in Ukraine, focusing on sexual violence, but the issues of the food security due to Russiaโs invasion could not but to be mentioned.
European Council President Charles Michel in his speech at the UN Security Council accused Russia of using food supplies as โa stealth missile against developing countriesโ and blamed the Kremlin for the looming global food crisis. The Russian Ambassador felt uncomfortable with the allegations and urged to leave the Security Council meeting room.ย
Pramila Patten, the Secretary-Generalโs Special Representative for Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict, indicated that allegations of sexual violence by Russian troops in Ukraine are mounting. As of 3 June, the Human Rights Monitoring Team of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights had received reports of 124 alleged acts of conflict-related sexual across Ukraine. National hotlines receive multiples call on the issues ranging from gang rape, to coercion, where frequently close partners are forced to watch an act of sexual violence committed against a partner or a child.
Minister of State for Culture of Germany, Claudia Roth visited Odesa. Roth wants to support the city to apply for UNESCO World Heritage status, considering its cultural and historic heritage. The Green politician is the first member of the federal governmentย to visit Odesa after the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.
Newly appointed US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink met with the national law enforcement agencies. In the light ofย strengthening our partnership with the Ministry of Interior Affairs, the American Embassy announced support to Ukraineโs law enforcement with $50 million in life-saving equipment.
Cities under attack.
Border communities are under constant attack in the Sumy region. Within the evening only, Russian forces shelled border territories 40 times. During the day the regular mortar shellings were taking place. In the Mykolaiv region, at night Russian troops opened fire on the Bashtanska community, killing two people and one more was wounded. In the Dnipropetrovsk region, Russian forces shelled Kryvyi Rih direction with BM-27 Uragan. In the Luhansk region, the Russian military shelled a market, mining college and a school in Lysychansk, injuring two people. In Zolote 13 buildings and in Hirske 11 buildings were damaged due to Russian shelling. Street fighting between Ukrainian and Russian troops raged in the battle Severodonetsk. The situation in the city is changing daily and is considered critical. After some weekend gains, the Ukraine army might need to retract to regroup. Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksii Danilov says that in Severodonetsk and Lysychansk โthere is an advantage of the enemy in artilleryโ, and the Ukrainian military cannot respond in the same way due to shortage of weapons. In the Donetsk region, shelling and fighting went all across the frontline. 26 buildings were damaged (17 private houses and 5 high-rise buildings, industrial and social facilities). Three people died in one day, including one child, and six were injured, including two children.
Cities under occupation.
Russian forces were allowed to shoot civilians at checkpoints in the temporarily occupied Kherson region, as confirmed by the intercepted phone calls by Security Services of Ukraine.
In Kherson, medical doctors are refusing en masse to cooperate with the Russian occupiers, says NGO KrymSOS. Currently, there is information that doctors are taking a leave or applying for dismissal to avoid pressure from the Russian military. Also, the information has emerged that Russian forces are planning to turn local hospitals to military hospitals in order to help wounded Russian soldiers.ย
Human rights.
Bodies of the soldiers from the Azovstal steel plant were recorded to be among the ones exchanged during June 2 exchange between Ukraine and Russia. Dozens of the dead taken from the bombed-out millโs now Russian-occupied ruins have been transferred to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, where DNA testing is underway to identify the remains, reports Associated Press based on the confirmations from a military leader and a spokeswoman for the Azov Regiment.ย
Health security.
De-occupied territories in Ukraine are fancining the risk of outbreak of infectious diseases. Chief Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine, Igor Kuzin says the main reasons behind are problems with drinking water due to the destruction and disruption of infrastructure, therefore the quality of drinking water deteriorated. Also the vaccination has been put on hold due to lack of necessary drugs or conditions for vaccination. In Ukraine, there is a risk of an outbreak of infectious diseases in the occupied territories due to hostilities and shelling by the occupiers. Last but not least, other factors are mass graves and Russian strikes on critical infrastructure, hospitals and chemical facilities.ย
The Ministry of Healthcare of Ukraine estimates that at least 60% of Ukrainians already need psychological support. According to the Ministry of Healthcare, the psychological consequences of the war (post-traumatic stress disorder) will affect the mental state of Ukrainians for at least seven to ten years.ย Also, the country is likely to face an increase in the number of mental disorders, particularly in children, cases of alcohol and substance abuse, family problems, divorce, and economic losses due to the growing number of citizens who will not be able to work properly.
Sanctions.
The Yermak-McFaul International Group presented a Roadmap for individual sanctions. The document outlines the goals of individual sanctions, the principles of their application, categories and specifically the names of those on sanctions should be imposed. The document suggests also a strategy howย increase sanctions pressure.The number of potential candidates for sanctions is at least 12 000 individuals and 3 000 legal entities. Immediate priority is given to the 100 richest people on Russiaโs Forbes list. The key applied mechanisms should envisage the freezing of assets, the ban on entry into the countries of the sanctions coalition, and the termination of powers in Western companies.
Media.
32 journalists were killed since the beginning of Russiaโs full-scale invasion of Ukraine, saysย Minister of Culture and Information Policy Oleksandr Tkachenko
Latvia banned streaming 80 Russian TV channels. This decision enters in powers on June 9 and will remain in effect until Russia ends the war in Ukraine and returns Crimea. The only exception concerns the opposition Dozhd TV channel, which received a license to broadcast in the country and has relocated its operations to Latvia.
Language.
Ukraine is considering issuing English status as the language of business communication. According to Prime Minister Shmyhal, providing English with such a status in Ukraine will promote business development, attract investment and accelerate Ukraineโs European integration. Meanwhile, the Education First English Proficiency Index reports Ukraine has a โmoderateโ level of command of English, holding position 40 out of 112 in the global ranking, and 30 out of 35 in Europe.ย
Reading corner.ย
- Battlefields in the mind: societal resilience and cognitive defense โ notes from the speech of Nataliia Popovych, co-chair of UCSN, on Ukraineโs experience in building societal resilience delivered at the panel discussion within NATO Riga Strategic Communications Dialogues.
- Itโs time to show Putin a dead end in Ukraine, not an off-ramp by Frederick Kempe | Atlantic Council (atlanticcouncil.org)
Statistics.
- General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced the total estimated losses of the Russian military as of 10 a.m., June 7, 2022: personnel โ around 31 360, tanks โ 1390, APV โ 3416, artillery systems โ 694, MLRS โ 207, anti-aircraft warfare systems โ 96, fixed-wing aircraft โ 212, helicopters โ 177, operational-tactical level UAV โ 553, cruise missiles โ 125, boats and light speed boats โ 13, soft-skinned vehicles and fuel tankers โ 2405, special equipment โ 53.ย
Every action counts, no contribution is too small!
- Support โKryivka Vilnykhโ (Shelter of the Free)โ โ a charitable organization that helps with humanitarian support in Kyiv and Chernihiv regions, as well as at the moment focusing on support of Eastern Ukraine. Here are their bank account details.ย ย
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