‘JDN News’ presents the events of the past two days, the 114th day and the 115th day of the Russia-Ukraine war – as it happened minute by minute.
Friday
09:14 – British intelligence estimates that Russian forces will continue to try to occupy the Popasna axis in eastern Ukraine for the next 24 hours.
09:57 – The British Ministry of Defense has announced that 15,000 Russian millionaires are trying to leave the country.
10:01 – Chairman of the Russian bank Sberbank claims: Russia lost as a result of the sanctions 56% of exports and 51% of imports
10:18 The governor of Odessa claimed that Ukraine hit a Russian boat carrying missiles in the Black Sea this morning.
10:53 – The governor of the Luhansk Oblast in eastern Ukraine has said that the evacuation of 568 civilians hiding in the city of Sverdlovsk is not possible due to shelling and heavy fighting in the region.
11:12 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was interviewed by the BBC, claiming that “we did not invade Ukraine”. Lavrov explained that “we have declared a special military operation because we had no other way to explain to the West that Ukraine’s accession to NATO is a criminal act.”
Zlansky in Nikolaev. Photo: Office of the President
11:15 – The Ukrainian army sums up the list of Russian casualties it claims: 33,150 dead, 1,456 tanks, 13 vessels, 215 aircraft, 180 helicopters.
12:02 – French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview that although his country will do everything in its power to lead to Ukraine’s victory over Russia, he will continue to talk to Putin whenever it is vital.
13:20 Against the background of the continuing fighting in Ukraine, Ursula von der Lane, the President of the European Commission called for giving Ukraine the status of a candidate for membership in the European Union. In her remarks, Der Lane said that “Ukraine has clearly demonstrated the country’s ambitions and its determination to meet European values and standards.”
14:49 The Kremlin’s spokesman said Russian President Vladimir Putin had been forced to postpone his speech for an hour due to a cyber attack on the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg.
15:07 “According to a report by the Russian news agency RIA, the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said that Poland plans to invade and take over the territory of western Ukraine, and will have no choice but to respond:” We can not allow Poland to surround us, “Lukashenko said.
15:33 The governor of the Luhansk region, Sarhi Heidi, said there were many casualties in the city of Lisichensk, due to heavy shelling carried out by the Russians. Haidai added that Russian forces had not taken control of the city of Sverdansk, and that fighting on the spot was still going on.
15:42 This coming Wednesday, there will be a debate in the European Parliament on granting candidate status to Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia.
The ruins in Nikolaev. Photo: Office of the President
16:06 The Danish military has reported that a Russian military ship has invaded Denmark’s territorial waters north of the Baltic Sea island of Bornholm. No further details were given about the incident, other than the fact that the ship crossed the maritime borders of Denmark twice.
16:42 Russian President Vladimir Putin referred to the harsh sanctions imposed on Western countries and said: “Putin:” The Russian economy is still facing them. “
16:58 – British Army Commander Tony Radakin said that Russia had already lost strategically in the war, and that it was now a weaker power, the British Guardian reported. Radakin claims that Russia suffers many losses on the battlefield, and will never succeed in taking over all of Ukraine. At the same time, the European Commission announced: “Ukraine is a candidate to join the Union.”
17:43 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has arrived in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zlansky. This is his second visit to Kiev since the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine on February 24.
18:12 – Ukraine: Russian citizens wishing to enter the country will be required to have a visa from July 1.
20:25 – Russian media broadcast pictures of two people who they say are American citizens who fought alongside Ukraine, and are now detained by Russian forces. The “Izvestia” website featured a video showing 27-year-old Andy Hoyn from Alabama, and a picture of a man the channel identified as 39-year-old Alexander Druka was posted on RT channel.
22:38 German Chancellor Olaf Schultz said there was “necessity” in direct talks between certain leaders and Russian President Vladimir Putin in their efforts to end the war in Ukraine, and that he would continue this practice together with other leaders. He said in an interview with a German news agency, “When I talk to Putin I say the same things I tell you:” Please son that peace will not be ‘dictated’, and if you believe you can rob territories and hope times change and everything is normal again, it is a mistake. “
Saturday
10:08 “Russia continues to advance south of the Ukrainian city of Izumi,” Britain said. According to the country, Russia’s goal is to penetrate deeper into the Donetsk region and encircle the city of Sivirodonetsk.
12:20 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was important for his country to continue to show its long-term support for Ukraine and warned of the risk of “Ukraine fatigue” as the war dragged on. “When the fatigue starts, it is very important to show that we are with them for the long term and that we are giving them the strategic resilience they need,” he said after returning from a visit to Kiev. Several members of his party, the Conservative Party, criticized him for traveling instead to attend a conference in the north of England.
13:00 – The Institute for War Studies (ISW) estimates that despite the intense Russian fighting in Swrodoniec, the Ukrainian grip on the site remains stable for the time being. In Izumi, Ukrainian forces launched a counterattack north of the city to repel Russian progress and cut off their supply lines.
Zlansky in the field. Photo: Office of the President
14:00 – According to the daily update of British intelligence, in the last 48 hours the Russians have renewed their attempts to advance south of the city of Izumi – thus encircling the Ukrainian forces in Sverdlovsk. In addition, in recent days the Russians have announced that they have opened a “humanitarian corridor” from Sbrodoniec, but it is clear that this is a familiar practice from the fighting in Ukraine and Syria forcibly transferring population to other areas under Russian control.
15:34 – President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zlansky visited the city of Nikolaev located in the south of the country and located on the shores of the Black Sea. Zalansky received updates on what was happening on the ground, and also met with residents of the district.
16:52 EU High Representative for Security and Security Policy Joseph Burrell said “Russia is putting the world at risk of starvation. This is due to the blockades of Ukraine’s grain shipments and restrictions on its exports.” Burrell added that “Russia’s conscious political choice is to export weapons, and use them as a tool to blackmail anyone who opposes its aggression.”
17:52 – The Ministry of General Intelligence of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense announced that five Ukrainian citizens were returned in exchange for five Russian prisoners.
19:15 – The governor of Lugansk claims: “Russia is sending a large number of reservists to Swrodniewicz from other battle zones to try and gain full control of the city.”