Date—May 31, 2022 (evening)

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Stories

1. Ukraine working on UN-led operations to ensure grain export. According to Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine is working on an international United Nations-led operation alongside partners to provide a safe corridor for exporting grain. Russia’s blockade of Ukraine’s ports prevents the export of about 22 million tons of grain, creating a threat of famine in countries dependent on the grain, according to Ukrainian officials. (Source: Twitter).

War

1. Russians hit Sloviansk with Iskander missiles, killing 3 people and wounding 6. The missile attack occurred on May 31, and damaged a school and at least seven residential buildings, according to Pavlo Kyrylenko, the governor of Donetsk Oblast. (Source: NV).

Economy, Social life, and Culture

1. Verkhovna Rada increases military expenditures by $8.3 billion. The Ukrainian parliament amended the state budget and increased spending on national security and defense by Hr 247.7 billion ($8.3 billion) on May 31. (Source: UP).

2. On May 31, the Rada fired Ombudsman Lyudmila Denisova. This was preceded by an appeal by Ukrainian media representatives and journalists to correct communication on sexual crimes during the war. (Source: NV).

Kharkiv region

1. State Emergency Service discovers 4 bodies under the rubble of building hit in February. A Russian missile hit a 16-story residential building in Kharkiv on Feb. 28, destroying six apartments.  (Source: UP).

Military Help

1. The US to provide Ukraine with artillery over 60 kilometers in range. The U.S. is planning to provide Ukraine with precision-guided rocket systems that can destroy targets located over 60 kilometers away. The official added that the systems could arrive within weeks, and training on how to use them would take at least 10 days.  (Source: WSJ).

Invasion Damage

1. Prosecutor General estimates Russians commit about 200-300 war crimes in Ukraine every day. The estimated number includes the crimes committed in the territories occupied by Russia, according to Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova. Estonia, Latvia, and Slovakia have joined Ukraine’s Joint Investigation Group to investigate Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine. (Source: UP).

2. Ukrainian court jails 2 Russian soldiers charged with war crimes. The court sentenced the two Russians, Alexander Bobykin and Alexander Ivanov, to 11.5 years in prison for shelling residential areas in Kharkiv Oblast. (Source: UP).

Foreign news

1. Macron not ruling out the seventh package of EU sanctions against Russia. Following the EU’s sixth sanctions package, the French President said on May 31 that “nothing could be ruled out” in terms of additional sanctions in the coming weeks. He also expressed hope that an agreement with Russia could be reached on allowing grain exports from Ukraine. (Source: Reuters).2. Court seizes Russian company Tatneft assets in Ukraine. It supplies oil products for the Russian Ministry of Defense. 115 real estate objects were seized, including oil depots and gas stations, as well as 118 fuel trucks. Authorities estimate that the value of the seized assets can reach up to $67 million. (Source: UP).