Live blog: Moscow hits Kiev rail infrastructure as battle rages on in east
Russia warns any Western deliveries of longer-range rocket systems would prompt Moscow to hit “objects that we haven’t yet struck” in Ukraine, where fighting rages on its 103rd day.
Monday, June 6, 2022
Russia struck rail infrastructure in Kiev: UK
Britain’s defence ministry has said that Russian air-launched cruise missiles struck rail infrastructure in Ukraine capital Kiev.
Heavy fighting continues in the city of Sievierodonetsk and Russian forces are pushing towards Sloviansk, Britain’s Ministry of Defence said in a Twitter update.
In Sievierodonetsk, the main battlefield in the east, where Russia has concentrated its forces recently, Ukraine officials said a counterattack had retaken half of the city.
UK to give Ukraine long-range missile systems
Britain has said it will mirror the United States and send long-range missile systems to Ukraine, defying warnings from Russian President Vladimir Putin against supplying Kiev with the advanced weapons.
The UK Ministry of Defence said London had coordinated closely with Washington over its gift of the multiple-launch rocket systems, known as MLRS, to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression.
The M270 launchers, which can strike targets up to 80 kilometres away with precision-guided rockets, will “offer a significant boost in capability for the Ukrainian forces,” the ministry added.
Zelenskyy visits two towns near front in eastern Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he had visited two towns near the front of battles against the Russian army after meeting troops in Zaporizhzhya region.
“After that I went with the head of (my) office to the east. We were in Lysychansk and Soledar,” Zelenskiy said in his nightly video.
“I am proud of everybody I met, everyone I shook hands with, everyone with whom I connected with and had expressed my support,” he said, adding, “we brought something for the military. I will not elaborate in detail on this. And there’s something we brought from them to you. This is important – we brought you confidence.”
Lysychansk is in the Luhansk region and Soledar is in the Donetsk region –– making up the Donbass, the focus of Russia’s advances in eastern Ukraine.
For live updates from Sunday (June 5), click here