Fighting continues in eastern Ukraine. “The major part” of the city of Severodonetsk, located in Donbass, is now controlled by Russian soldiers, said Tuesday, May 31, the governor of the Luhansk region.
In Brussels, the Twenty-Seven were gathered for a European summit consecrated sanctions against Moscow. The member countries have notably agreed on a reduction in their imports of Russian gas. Here’s what to remember from the day.
‘Most of’ Severodonetsk under Russian control, Ukraine says
It is a key city in the battle for Donbass. “The major part” of Severodonetsk, in the east of Ukraine, is now under the control of the Russian army, announced Tuesday the governor of the region of Luhansk, Sergei Gaïdaï. “Unfortunately, today Russian soldiers control most of the city”he told Ukrainian television, saying Severodonetsk “90% destroyed”.
“The fighting takes place in the heart of the city”, he specified. Despite an increasingly complicated situation for Ukrainian soldiers in the face of the Russian push, “our soldiers will not be surrounded”assured Sergey Gaidai. The governor also announced that a “nitric acid tank” of a chemical plant in Severodonetsk had been “hit” by a Russian strike. He called on residents not to come out of air-raid shelters because of the risk of toxic fumes.
“A few thousand” of alleged war crimes
Ukrainian justice has identified “a few thousand” of alleged war crimes cases in the Donbass, said on Tuesday Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova at a press conference in the city of The Hague, Netherlands. She clarified that these were in particular suspicions of transfers of people, adults but also possibly children, to different parts of the Russian Federation. These cases may also relate to torture, killing of civilians and destruction of civilian infrastructure.
The Twenty-Seven want “iinvest more” in European defense
During a short exchange with journalists, Emmanuel Macron summarized on Tuesday afternoon the subjects dealt with at the European summit in Brussels devoted to sanctions against Russia. After recalling the sixth sanctions package adopted on Monday, the French president notably announced that the 27 have “acknowledged the need to invest more” in defense, “beyond 500 million euros”without giving a precise figure.
In addition, Emmanuel Macron was invited by the head of Ukrainian diplomacy to visit Ukraine. before the end of the French EU Presidency on June 30. “The best thing would be if it comes with other arms deliveries for Ukraine, here is the most valuable help we can receive from France”said Dmytro Kouleba in an interview with the French channel LCI. Emmanuel Macron has not been to Ukraine since the start of the war on February 24. However, he went to Moscow and then to kyiv on 7 and 8 February.
Russian gas deliveries suspended in the Netherlands and Denmark
The shutdown of Russian gas deliveries to the Dutch GasTerra began on Tuesday.“Gazprom has completely stopped its gas deliveries to the company GasTerra BV (Netherlands) due to non-payment in rubles”, announced the Russian giant. In response to the sanctions imposed by the European Union, Vladimir Putin demanded that buyers of Russian gas from countries “unfriendly” pay in rubles on pain of being deprived of supplies, despite contracts providing for payment in euros or dollars. The GasTerra group refused. The Dutch depend on Russia for around 15% of their gas supplies, according to the government.
In addition, the delivery of Russian gas to Denmark is also going to be suspended from Wednesday, after Ørstedthe Danish energy company, refused to settle the payment in rubles. “VSThis assumes that gas for Denmark should be more widely purchased on European gas markets”Ørsted said in a statement.