- Ukraine says an overnight Russian missile attack killed three people in Odesa and three in the Donetsk region as Russia ramps up its offensive.
- Ukrainian forces shelled a residential area in Nova Kakhovka, injuring one person, the city’s Russia-installed administration said.
- Russia says it repelled Ukrainian forces in the south Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk frontlines in the last twenty-four hours and targeted Ukrainian arms warehouses.
- Vladimir Rogov, a top Russian officer, has been reported killed in a Ukrainian missile strike during Kyiv’s counteroffensive on the Zaporizhia front.
Ukraine tried to mount offensives on three fronts: Russia
The Russian Defence Ministry says Ukrainian forces unsuccessfully tried to mount offensives on the south Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk fronts in the last twenty-four hours.
In a statement, the ministry said Ukrainian forces had suffered heavy losses in men and equipment.
It added that its forces had also targeted Ukrainian weapons depots, reserve forces, and foreign mercenaries in overnight strikes.
Sweden must do its part if it wants NATO approval: Turkey
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Sweden must do its part if it wants Turkey to ratify its NATO membership bid before an alliance meeting in July.
“Sweden has expectations. It doesn’t mean that we will comply with them,” Erdogan said in remarks released by his office.
“In order for us to meet these expectations, first of all, Sweden must do its part.”
The president also said he met with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Istanbul in early June.
Sweden and Finland applied to join the US-led defence bloc last year in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
While Finland joined the bloc in April, Sweden still awaits approval from Hungary and Turkey.
Photos of the aftermath of a Russian strike in Kramatorsk
Zelenskyy says Ukraine will expel the ‘Russian evil’
Zelenskyy says Ukraine will “expel the Russian evil from our land” after six people were killed in overnight missile strikes in Odesa and the Donetsk region.
In a post on Twitter showing footage of destroyed buildings, Zelenskyy wrote: “Cities with ruins instead of life. Cities with flooded streets. Cities that exist only in fond memories. Cities where explosions now sound instead of children’s laughter.
“We will never forgive the pain that Russia has brought to our land. And we will expel the Russian evil from all our land, liberate every city and village of ours from the occupier and return justice to our people.”
‘Extremely fierce battles’ in Ukraine, minister says
In “extremely fierce” fighting, Ukraine reports small advances in its counteroffensive against Russian forces.
On Telegram, Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said the Ukrainian actions had had “partial” success.
“Our troops are moving in the conditions of extremely fierce battles, aviation and artillery superiority of the enemy,” she said.
Maliar added that Ukrainian troops had advanced 200 to 500 metres (220 to 550 yards) in areas near Bakhmut and 300 to 350 metres (330 to 380 yards) close to Zaporizhzhia.
Fighting continued near the village of Makarivka and battles were raging on in the areas of Novodanylivka and Novopokrovsk near Mariupol, she said.
Wagner Group boss reiterates refusal to sign ministry contracts
The head of Russia’s Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, reiterates that his mercenaries will not sign contracts with the defence ministry, a day after President Vladimir Putin said the agreements were needed.
“None of Wagner’s fighters is ready to go down the path of shame again,” Prigozhin said. “That’s why they will not sign the contracts.”
He added that a compromise could be found if the government allows Wagner fighters to receive social guarantees and status as combatants.
On Tuesday, Putin backed a call by the defence ministry for “volunteer” fighters to sign contracts in a move widely seen as a means to assert control over the Wagner Group.
Putin said contracts were necessary to allow all participants in Russia’s campaign in Ukraine to receive benefits, including compensation for wounded fighters.
Senior Chechen commander wounded in Ukraine, Russia says
A senior Chechen commander fighting in Ukraine has been wounded, the Russian Ministry of Defence television channel Zvezda reported.
Adam Delimkhanov, a member of the State Duma and commander of the Chechen division of the Russian national guard, is widely seen as the region’s second most senior official behind Ramzan Kadyrov.
In a message posted on Telegram, Kadyrov said he could not contact Delimkhanov and asked for help finding his “dear brother”.
Delimkhanov took a prominent role in Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine, commanding Chechen forces in the bloody battle for Mariupol in the early days of the war.
Earlier in the day, Ukrainian media reported that Delimkhanov had been killed in an artillery strike in southern Ukraine.
France, Saudi Arabia to discuss the war in Ukraine
French President Emmanuel Macron will discuss the war in Ukraine when he meets Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), on Friday, the French presidency says.
The talks between the two leaders come a month after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended an Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia, where MBS expressed his readiness to mediate between Ukraine and Russia.
Earlier in the day, the Saudi state news agency reported that MBS had left for France.
