Russians now control 70% of Severodonetsk, says Ukrainian official

US President Joe Biden has pledged extra superior rocket methods and munitions to Ukraine that will “allow them to extra exactly strike key targets on the battlefield,” Biden wrote in a New York Occasions op-ed.

Listed below are the newest developments on Russia’s warfare in Ukraine:

New US rocket methods: Following Biden’s op-ed, senior US administration officers confirmed the US will ship Ukraine US-made Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket Methods, often called HIMARS, as a part of the nation’s eleventh package deal of safety help. The officers mentioned the HIMARS can be outfitted with munitions that can enable Ukraine to launch rockets about 80 kilometers (49 miles). That’s far lower than the utmost vary of the methods however far larger than something Ukraine has been despatched thus far.

Russians management “most of Severodonetsk”: Serhiy Hayday, the top of the Luhansk regional army administration, mentioned Russian troops now management many of the metropolis of Severodonetsk — however he has dismissed ideas that Ukrainian troops within the space can be surrounded. If Russian forces achieve management of Severodonetsk, the neighboring metropolis of Lysychansk would be the solely city space of any dimension in Luhansk to stay below Ukrainian management. Hayday earlier mentioned a Russian air strike in Severodonetsk had hit a tank of nitric acid at a chemical plant and warned individuals within the metropolis to remain in shelters. 

Ukrainian progress: Ukrainian forces have made progress within the areas of Kherson and Kharkiv and are holding again Russian forces in Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned on Tuesday. “Our defenders present excessive bravery, although Russia has a considerable benefit in pressure and weapons,” Zelensky mentioned.

NATO chief go to: Jens Stoltenberg is touring to Washington, DC, on Tuesday for a working go to, the alliance mentioned in an announcement. Stoltenberg can be within the US capital till Friday and is predicted to fulfill high US officers, together with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Protection Lloyd Austin and Nationwide Safety Adviser Jake Sullivan.

US welcomes Ukrainian refugees: Greater than 23,000 Ukrainians have been licensed to come back to the US as a part of the Biden administration’s streamlined course of for Ukrainian refugees searching for to enter the nation, in keeping with the Division of Homeland Safety. The Biden administration has dedicated to accepting as much as 100,000 Ukrainian refugees.

Taking part in “starvation video games with the world”: Ukraine is engaged on an “UN-led naval operation” with navies of partnering international locations to make sure a protected commerce route for exporting its agricultural merchandise, Ukrainian Overseas Minister Dmytro Kuleba mentioned. Zelensky beforehand mentioned 22 million tons of grain, accounting for practically half of Ukraine’s grain export provide, is being held up by Russia’s blockade of the primary export routes.

Moscow cuts extra gasoline provides: Danish vitality agency Ørsted has confirmed that Russian state vitality big Gazprom will halt gasoline provides beginning on June 1 after Ørsted refused to pay for gasoline in rubles. Finland, Poland and Bulgaria have already been lower off from Russian gasoline provides for a similar causes.