Live blog: UK’s defence chief pledges military support in visit to Ukraine

Friday, June 10, 2022

UK’s defence chief pledges military support in visit to Ukraine

The UK’s defence chief has paid a visit to the Ukrainian capital Kiev where he met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov.

During his visit, Ben Wallace reiterated the UK’s support for Ukraine and pledged renewed military support for the Ukrainian military, including training for its soldiers as well as the delivery of lethal equipment. 

“The working visit took place this week to allow the Defence Secretary to hear first-hand how the operational needs of Ukraine’s Armed Forces are developing as the nature of the conflict continues to change. This will ensure that the UK’s continued support is evolving to meet those requirements and is tailored to the situation on the ground,” a statement from the UK’s Defence Ministry said.

Ukraine conducts 11th prisoner exchange with Russia

A Ukrainian governor said that his country had conducted the 11th prisoner swap with Russia since the start of Moscow's invasion in February, exchanging four Russian captives for five Ukrainians.

Mykolaiv region governor Vitaliy Kim wrote on the Telegram app that one of the freed Ukrainians was local village head Oleh Pylypenko, who Kim said was "kidnapped" by Russian forces on March 10. 

Russia avoids comment on foreigners' death sentences in Donetsk

Russia's foreign minister refused to comment on the death sentences handed to three foreigners in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic earlier this week. 

"The crimes were committed on the territory of the DPR (Donetsk People's Republic). The rest is subject to speculation. I wouldn't interfere in the work of the DPR's judicial system," Sergey Lavrov said at a news conference in Yerevan, Armenia's capital. 

On Thursday, Britons Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner, along with Moroccan Saladin Brahim, were sentenced to death for taking part in "hostilities on the side of the Ukrainian armed forces in the capacity of mercenaries."

Berlin slams 'shocking' death sentences for foreign fighters in Donetsk

Germany on Friday blasted Russia over death sentences handed down by pro-Moscow separatists to two British and a Moroccan soldier captured while fighting for Ukraine.

The "shocking" sentences show "once more Russia's complete disregard for international humanitarian law", said Germany's Foreign Ministry on Twitter, pointing out that combatants are entitled to protections under the Geneva Convention.

Nine European countries urge NATO to beef up eastern flank

Nine Central and Eastern European countries on Friday asked NATO to strengthen its eastern flank following Russia's attacks in Ukraine.

The meeting of the leaders of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia was held in the Romanian capital Bucharest less than three weeks ahead of a NATO summit meeting in Madrid.

"In view of the increased security risks in Romania and the Black Sea, consolidating NATO on its eastern flank, in a unified and balanced manner, becomes all the more urgent and crucial," said Romanian President Klaus Iohannis at the opening of the meeting, which he co-chaired with Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda.

Ukraine hits Russian targets

Kiev said it had launched new air strikes on Russian positions in the captured southern region of Kherson, one of the first areas to be taken by Russia.

Fierce fighting continued in the eastern Donbass region, where President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian forces were "holding on" despite Moscow concentrating its firepower there.

The fiercest fighting remains around the eastern industrial city of Sievierodonetsk, a battle that Zelenskyy has said is pivotal for the fate of the Donbass region. 

France says ready to help operation allowing Odessa port access

France is ready to assist in an operation to allow safe access to Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odessa, an advisor to French President Emmanuel Macron said.

"We are at the disposal of the parties to put in place an operation which would allow access in complete safety to the port of Odessa, in other words for boats to pass through despite the fact that the sea is mined," said the advisor, who asked not to be named.

The port has been subject to a de facto blockade by Russia, and grain is waiting to be exported amid mounting fears of global food shortages, especially in developing countries.

Russia says deputy foreign minister met US ambassador

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov met US ambassador John Sullivan, the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement on its website.

It said the men had discussed "bilateral issues", providing no further details.

Ukraine hails British leadership as UK defence minister visits Kiev

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed British leadership and its assistance for Kiev against Russia's invasion during talks with British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace in the Ukrainian capital. 

Wallace, visiting Kiev two months after Prime Minister Boris Johnson, praised Zelenskyy for his own leadership during a conflict in which Britain has provided Ukraine with weapons and financial assistance and has imposed sanctions on Russia. 

"I am grateful in general to Great Britain, the government and the prime minister," Zelenskyy, looking relaxed in a dark T-shirt, told Wallace at the presidential headquarters. 

Ukraine says struck Russian positions in Kherson

Ukraine says it has struck Russian military positions in the southern Kherson region. Just north of the Crimean peninsula that was annexed by Russia in 2014, Kherson was among the first regions to come under Russian control after its February 24 offensive began.

Ukraine has launched an offensive to recapture territory there and the presidency said in a Friday morning briefing that "fighting continues on the borders of the region."

"Our aircraft carried out a series of strikes on enemy bases, places of accumulation of equipment and personnel, and field depots around five different settlements in the Kherson region," the defence ministry said. Moscow's authorities in Kherson have floated holding a referendum on integrating with Russia.

UK: Russia must take responsibility for trial

The British government has said Russia must take responsibility for the “sham trial” of two Britons who have been sentenced to death. The two were members of a Ukrainian military unit and were captured in the southern port of Mariupol.

Aiden Aslin, 28, and Shaun Pinner, 48, were convicted along with a Moroccan man by a court run by Russia-backed rebels in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, which is not recognised internationally.

Government minister Robin Walker said it was “an illegal court in a sham government” but that the UK would use “all diplomatic channels to make the case that these are prisoners of war who should be treated accordingly.”

Ukrainian official: Russia uses trial of foreigners to raise stakes over talks  

Russia wants to use three foreigners who were captured while fighting for Ukraine and sentenced to death as "hostages" to put pressure on the West over peace negotiations, a senior Ukrainian official has said.

Kiev said Thursday's court ruling had no authority, that the fighters were members of the Ukrainian armed forces and that they were subject to Geneva Convention protections.

Vadym Denysenko, an Interior Ministry adviser, said on Friday Ukraine would coordinate its position on the sentences with Britain, the United States and the European Union.

Kiev: Russia seeks weak points in Ukrainian defences near key river

Russia is looking for weak points in Ukrainian defences near the Siverskyi Donets River in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian Defence Ministry Oleksandr Motuzyanyk has said.

He told national television that Russian forces had not abandoned attempts to launch storming operations in the area.

If Russia captures the cities of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk on the Siverskyi Donets, it will hold all of Luhansk, one of two provinces in the Donbass region that Moscow claims on behalf of separatists.

European Parliament 'firmly behind' Ukraine's EU candidate bid

The European Union's parliament supports Ukraine's bid to achieve candidate status to join the European Union, the parliament's president Roberta Metsola has said at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit.

"The EU parliament stands firmly behind Ukraine's bid to receive EU candidate status," Metsola said.

Ukrainian forces 'holding on' in key Donbass battles

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Ukrainian forces are "holding on" in the flashpoint eastern city of Sievierodonetsk, where intense street battles with Russian troops could determine the fate of the Donbass region.

Zelenskyy said in his evening address on Thursday that several "cities in Donbass, which the occupiers now consider key targets, are holding on". Moscow has concentrated its firepower on the industrial city of Sievierodonetsk, which it now mostly controls. 

Governor Sergiy Gaiday, who earlier called for Western artillery to quickly help secure a Ukrainian victory, said "one of the symbols of Sievierodonetsk was destroyed. The Ice Palace burned down."

Ukraine dependent on arms from allies after exhausting Soviet-era weaponry

Ukraine has depleted its Soviet and Russian-designed weaponry and is now completely dependent on allies for arms to defend against Russia's assault, US military sources say. 

Once part of the Soviet Union, Ukraine's army and its defence industry were built around Soviet and Russian-standard equipment. More than three months into the conflict, that equipment has been used up or destroyed in battle.

Now, Kiev's forces are using, or learning to use, arms wielded by the United States and European NATO allies. This means Ukrainian forces are having to switch to often unfamiliar arms built to Western specifications.

Hungary: Russian gas embargo would destroy European economy

A European Union embargo on Russian gas imports would destroy the European economy, already grappling with surging inflation due to higher energy prices, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said.

Orban also told public radio that without price caps in place on fuels, some basic foods and retail energy, Hungarian inflation, which accelerated to 10.7 percent in May, would be running at 15 percent to 16 percent.

UK: Mariupol at risk of Cholera outbreak

Ukraine's southern city of Mariupol is at risk of a major cholera outbreak as medical services are likely already near collapse, Britain's defence ministry has said.

There is likely also a critical shortage of medicines in Kherson, Britain's Ministry of Defence said in a Twitter update. Russia is struggling to provide basic public services to the population in Russian-occupied territories, it added.

Last month, WHO's Ukraine Incident Manager, Dorit Nitzan, said Mariupol, which is now controlled by Russian forces after weeks of siege and heavy bombardment, was among occupied areas where there was a risk of cholera.

Zelenskyy reports 'positive' news from Zaporizhzhia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reported "positive" news from the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, where he said Ukraine's forces were managing to thwart Russian troops.

In a video address, Zelenskyy also said Ukrainian forces were gradually advancing in the Kharkiv region, east of Kiev, "liberating our land. [We] are holding defence in the Mykolaiv axis."

Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine's ambition to join the European Union, calling on European leaders to listen to their citizens who on the whole support Ukraine’s integration into the bloc.

"Most Europeans support Ukraine's integration. And if Europeans support it, then the politicians, who are still sceptical in some countries, should not set themselves against the people, society, and the very course of European history."

For live updates from Thursday (June 9), click here