Russia is sending a lot of reserve troops to Sievierodonetsk from different battle zones to attempt to acquire full management of the frontline japanese metropolis, the governor of Ukraine’s Luhansk area stated on Sunday.
“At present, tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, they are going to throw in all of the reserves they’ve … as a result of there are such a lot of of them there already, they’re at important mass,” Luhansk regional governor Serhiy Gaidai stated on nationwide tv.
He stated Russian forces already managed most however not all of Sievierodonetsk.
A whole bunch of mourners have gathered in Ukraine’s capital for a well known Kyiv activist who was killed after taking on arms towards Russian invaders.
The 24-year-old Roman Ratushnyi had been a teenage protester throughout months of demonstrations that toppled Ukraine’s pro-Russian chief in 2014.
He was also called an environmental campaigner in Kyiv who led a battle to protect a wooded park from growth, AP reported.
Poppies have been lain on his coffin at a memorial service, earlier than mourners walked in a silent column behind his coffin to an unlimited plaza in central Kyiv the place three months of protests helped overthrow then-president Viktor Yanukovych in 2014.
Mr Ratushnyi’s sacrifice symbolises that of Ukraine’s post-independence generations, who’re giving up their finest years, and generally their lives, in the reason for freedom.
Pjotr Sauer
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has stated “Ukraine will certainly win” throughout a working journey to the southern metropolis of Mykolaiv, as relentless combating within the nation’s east continued on Saturday.
The president handed out medals and posed for selfies with servicemen in what seemed to be an underground shelter, in accordance with a video posted to his official Telegram account.
“Our courageous males. Every considered one of them is working flat out,” he stated. “We will certainly maintain out. We will certainly win.”
Russian forces reached the outskirts of Mykolaiv in early March however have been then pushed again to the japanese and southern edges of the area, the place fierce combating continues.
Ukraine’s defence intelligence directorate stated on Saturday that 5 Ukrainian civilians had been returned in a five-for-five prisoner swap with Russia.
It didn’t say whether or not the exchanged Russians have been combatants, Reuters reported.
The directorate stated 4 of the 5 Ukrainian civilians had been taken prisoner throughout Russia’s occupation of elements of the Kyiv area, from which Russian forces withdrew on the finish of March.
It additionally stated the lifeless physique of a Ukrainian civilian was recovered within the alternate.
A whole bunch of mourners have gathered in Kyiv to say their goodbyes to a younger Ukrainian activist who was killed fightingon the frontline.
Roman Ratushnyi, 24, died on Saturday whereas battling Russian forces in Izium, which has been subjected to relentless shelling, in accordance with Related Press.
He was among the many demonstrators who had helped topple the nation’s pro-Russia chief in 2014, and didn’t hesitate to take up arms when Vladimir Putin launched his invasion in February.
Ukraine’s international ministry was amongst these to pay tribute to Ratushnyi, tweeting:
From the primary day of Maidan, 17yo Roman joined the protests and was among the many college students overwhelmed by police. At his 24 he determined to defend Ukraine from Russians.
We’ll all the time bear in mind our courageous defenders.
#Kyiv says goodbye to Roman Ratushnyi, #Ukrainian activist, defender.
From the primary day of Maidan, 17yo Roman joined the protests and was among the many college students overwhelmed by police. At his 24 he determined to defend #Ukraine from #Russians.
We’ll all the time bear in mind our courageous defenders
. pic.twitter.com/yItAX9k5wi
— MFA of Ukraine
(@MFA_Ukraine) June 18, 2022
A number of hundred potential battle crimes dedicated by Russian troops in Ukraine are being investigated by German authorities.
Its federal police says it has obtained leads within the triple digits involving each political and navy officers, stories AFP.
“Our clear aim is to determine these chargeable for atrocities, to show their actions by our investigations and convey them to justice,” its head, Holder Muench, instructed Welt am Sonntag newspaper.
German investigators may very well be despatched to Ukraine, he added, however they would wish a global mandate to take action.
Ukraine final month declared 15,000 suspected battle crimes had been reported for the reason that battle started.
Chief prosecutor Iryna Venediktova stated some 600 suspects had been recognized, and included “prime navy, politicians, and propaganda brokers of Russia”.
Russia has denied concentrating on civilians or involvement in battle crimes.
Lithuanian authorities have stated a ban on the transit by their territory to the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad of products which can be topic to EU sanctions will take impact from Saturday.
Information of the ban got here on Friday, by a video posted by Kaliningrad’s governor, Anton Alikhanov, Reuters reported.
The EU sanctions listing contains coal, metals, development supplies and superior expertise, and Alikhanov stated the ban would cowl about 50% of the gadgets that Kaliningrad imports.
Its instant begin was confirmed by the cargo arm of Lithuania’s state railways service in a letter to shoppers following “clarification” from the European Fee on the mechanism for making use of the sanctions.
The British prime minister has urged the European Broadcast Union (EBU) to reverse its choice to maneuver the Eurovision music contest from Ukraine to the UK.
The EBU determined to maneuver the favored contest from Ukraine citing safety dangers and is presently in talks with the BBC.

Dan Sabbagh
Oleksandr’s battle lasted solely every week. The 36-year-old, a Ukrainian electrician working in Gdansk, hurried again to hitch up after Russia invaded and was deployed on 10 Could to protect a chest-high trench in Donbas towards the percentages.
“We have been shelled consistently throughout the day. There was not 10 minutes with out Russian shelling,” he stated, describing a fearful human value. “Daily one particular person was killed and one other couple wounded. Huge losses, actually large losses.”
On the seventh day, 16 Could, it was over. A Russian drone had hovered over Oleksandr’s place close to Avdiivka and, armed with the situation, the invaders hurled one shell, then one other, nearer, and eventually a 3rd, nearer nonetheless.
It felt as if he had been “hit by a stone” in his proper arm, Oleksandr stated, but it surely was worse: “I checked out my sleeve after which I attempted to maneuver my hand. It was simply hanging.” Unexpectedly he utilized a tourniquet and sought refuge behind the traces.
Boris Johnson has stated it’s important for the UK to indicate it stands steadfastly Ukraine amid what he described as ‘Ukraine fatigue’.