Zelenskyy to meet Pope Francis on Saturday - reports
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is reportedly meeting Pope Francis on Saturday, diplomatic sources have told Reuters.
The Ukrainian president is due to meet the religious leader in the Vatican, it said.
The planned trip, which has not been officially announced,
comes just two weeks after the pope said the Vatican was
involved in a peace mission to try to end the conflict between
Russia and Ukraine.
The two leaders have spoken on the phone on several occasions since Russia launched its invasion, the first time less than 48 hours after the war began.
During that call, the pope reportedly expressed his sorrow and solidarity with the country.
Weapons not being smuggled out of Ukraine in high numbers, says EU
The EU has not observed any significant smuggling of weapons into Europe from wartime Ukraine, the European Commission's top internal affairs official has said.
"I must say that we have not seen any industrial smuggling of firearms out of Ukraine," Ylva Johansson said.
However, some individual cases of small arms being transported out of the country have been recorded - mostly by individuals who are trying to take weapons out as "trophies or for personal protection".
"They're being taken, of course, at the border by the border guards," Ms Johansson said.
She added that the issue of arms smuggling had been high on the
list of topics discussed in her meeting with Ukrainian Interior Minister Oleksandr Klymenko.
Watch: Storm Shadows already in Ukraine
Earlier today, the UK announced it will send long-range Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine.
But Sky News understands some are already in the country.
Military analyst Sean Bell says the weapons cost about £2m each so "loads of stockpile for disposal" will be sent to Kyiv.
"UK procured 1,000 of these and have used 98... the reality here is that they are 25 years old and the UK is looking to upgrade them, but it won't upgrade all 902, so we actually have a whole load available for disposal or use," he adds.
"It's a marriage made in heaven in a way."
Wagner Group not running out of munitions - their attacks are increasing, says Ukrainian commander
Russian mercenary fighters have stepped up their shelling and artillery attacks in recent days, and are not facing a shortage of munitions, a Ukrainian brigade commander in Bakhmut has said.
The eastern city, often referred to as the "meat grinder", has been the site of fierce fighting for months now, with both sides suffering severe losses.
For weeks now, the boss of the mercenary Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has complained that the Russian army has been depriving his forces of enough ammunition to capture the area.
But for Ukrainian Colonel Roman Hryshchenko, the commander of Ukraine's 127th Territorial Defence Brigade, the forces haven't "had anything even close to a munitions' deficit".
"In the last few days, the intensity of shelling and rocket artillery has increased," Ms Hryshchenko said.
He said Russian forces were conducting constant assaults in the city - and that Ukrainian troops were beating them back.
"The situation is difficult. The enemy is throwing a great deal of its forces at us, constant waves of assaults," he added.
He and the rest of his brigade have inhabited the ruins of Bakhmut for nearly two months, he said.
US security chief and top China diplomat discuss Ukraine during talks
The Biden administration's top security adviser met with China's top diplomat this week and discussed Russia's war on Ukraine, cross-Strait and other issues, the White House has said.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi met in Vienna yesterday and today and agreed to keep lines of communication open, according to a statement.
It comes amid a period of strained relations between the two countries.
China's refusal to issue a definitive condemnation of longstanding allies Russia and the issue of Taiwan have been particular sources of tension.
Ukraine war latest: Russia threatens UK over long-range missile announcement amid escalation fears
The UK is sending long-range missiles to Ukraine - prompting the Kremlin to warn of an "adequate response". Listen to our experts decode Vladimir Putin's Victory Day speech on the Daily podcast as you scroll.
Key points
Zelenskyy says Ukraine 'needs more time' to launch counteroffensive View postTrump refuses to say if he wants Ukraine to win the war View postYour questions answered by our experts: Will the Russian people overthrow Putin? View post | Does Putin have to return all land for war to end? View postLive reporting by Jess SharpRussia launched 28 air strikes today, Ukraine says
Russia has launched at least 28 air strikes and six missile attacks today, Ukraine's Armed Forces has said.
Most of the attacks were aimed at the cities of Sloviansk, Kostiantynivka and Zaporizhzhia in the east of the country, it said in a situation update.
In Bakhmut, the city that has become the site of the fiercest fighting, Russia carried out "more than 30 attacks" on areas along the frontline.
"Unfortunately there are deaths and injuries among the civilian population," it added.
"The threat of launching missile and air strikes on the entire territory of Ukraine remains high."
US senators accuse Pentagon of hindering Russian war crimes investigation
US senators have accused the Pentagon of effectively undermining war crimes prosecution of Russia by blocking the sharing of US military intelligence with the International Criminal Court (ICC)
Democrat Dick Durbin said he had been told by the ICC's chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, that the US State Department and Justice Department were both cooperating.
But the Defence Department was refusing, Mr Durbin added.
"Why are you reluctant to share the evidence that we have gathered in the United States through the Department of Defence for those who are holding Vladimir Putin accountable for his war crimes?" Mr Durbin asked defence secretary Lloyd Austin.
Mr Austin did not deliver a detailed defence of his position, but said he will "always prioritise the protection of US military personnel".
The ICC, a permanent war crimes tribunal, in March issued an arrest warrant for Putin for suspected deportation of children from Ukraine, which would be a war crime.
"Why we would hold back evidence against this war criminal Vladimir Putin and the terrible things he's doing, I don't understand at all," Mr Durbin added.
A State Department spokesperson said the United States supports a "a range of international investigations and inquiries into war crimes and atrocities in Ukraine".
Weapons not being smuggled out of Ukraine in high numbers, says EU
The EU has not observed any significant smuggling of weapons into Europe from wartime Ukraine, the European Commission's top internal affairs official has said.
"I must say that we have not seen any industrial smuggling of firearms out of Ukraine," Ylva Johansson said.
However, some individual cases of small arms being transported out of the country have been recorded - mostly by individuals who are trying to take weapons out as "trophies or for personal protection".
"They're being taken, of course, at the border by the border guards," Ms Johansson said.
She added that the issue of arms smuggling had been high on the
list of topics discussed in her meeting with Ukrainian Interior Minister Oleksandr Klymenko.
Russian reports assassination attempt on court chairman
An assassination attempt has been carried out against a Russian-appointed court chairman in Melitopol, a Moscow governor for the Zaporizhzhia region has reported.
The southeastern Ukrainian city has been under Russian control since March last year.
"As a result of the assassination attempt, the judge was not injured, but two guards were injured, they are in a medical facility, they are provided with all the necessary assistance," Yevgeny Balitsky, said Telegram.
This is the latest in a string of assassination attempts in Melitopol in the last few weeks.
Last week an attempt was made to kill the deputy head of the region's police force, and in April, another police chief was targeted and killed by an improvised explosive device.
Zelenskyy to meet Pope Francis on Saturday - reports
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is reportedly meeting Pope Francis on Saturday, diplomatic sources have told Reuters.
The Ukrainian president is due to meet the religious leader in the Vatican, it said.
The planned trip, which has not been officially announced,
comes just two weeks after the pope said the Vatican was
involved in a peace mission to try to end the conflict between
Russia and Ukraine.
The two leaders have spoken on the phone on several occasions since Russia launched its invasion, the first time less than 48 hours after the war began.
During that call, the pope reportedly expressed his sorrow and solidarity with the country.
Watch: Storm Shadows already in Ukraine
Earlier today, the UK announced it will send long-range Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine.
But Sky News understands some are already in the country.
Military analyst Sean Bell says the weapons cost about £2m each so "loads of stockpile for disposal" will be sent to Kyiv.
"UK procured 1,000 of these and have used 98... the reality here is that they are 25 years old and the UK is looking to upgrade them, but it won't upgrade all 902, so we actually have a whole load available for disposal or use," he adds.
"It's a marriage made in heaven in a way."
Nine people injured in Russian shelling attack
Nine people have been injured in a Russian shelling attack in an eastern Ukrainian city.
Russian troops fired artillery at Toretsk, in Donetsk, at around 1pm this afternoon, and again two hours later, Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office said.
In the second incident, Russia used a multiple-launch rocket system and the shells hit the residential part of the city, it added.
"Five men and three women recieved injuries of varying degrees and severity. Among the victims was a whole family - parents and their son," it said.
Explained: What is Ukraine's counteroffensive - and how could it impact the war?
Sky military analyst Professor Michael Clarke explains the key issues surrounding Ukraine's counteroffensive.
'Not very good news' coming out of Bakhmut, says Russian milliblogger
A Russian milliblogger has said there's "not very good news" coming out of Bakhmut, with Moscow's forces losing several positions in the eastern city.
Voenkor Kotenok wrote on Telegram that the "enemy", referring to Ukraine, has been advancing from the Artemovsky direction.
"As of 17:50 Moscow time, the following positions on the flanks have been lost," he said, sharing the map below.
The areas highlighted in blue are the ones he claims have been lost.
It builds on growing reports that Russian forces are being forced to retreat from the fiercely contested city as Ukraine gains the upper hand after months of fighting.
Watch: Defence secretary announces UK will send Ukraine cruise missiles
Some of the biggest news involving the war in Ukraine today has emanated from the UK.
Earlier, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace announced the country would send long-range missiles to Ukraine.
Ukraine
has long been calling for such weapons, but the US and other countries
have been unwilling to supply them in case strikes into Russia lead to
escalation.
The UK's move has already sparked a response from Russia, with Moscow saying an "adequate response will be required".
Here's the moment the announcement was made...
No comments:
Post a Comment