U.S. President Joe Biden has promised more advanced rocket and ammunition systems in Ukraine that “would allow them to hit key targets on the battlefield more accurately,” Biden wrote in a New York Times opinion piece.
Here are the latest developments on the Russian war in Ukraine:
New US rocket systems: Following Biden’s comment, senior US officials confirmed that the US will send high-mobility artillery rocket systems from Ukraine, known as HIMARS, as part of the country’s 11th security assistance package. Officials said the HIMARS will be equipped with ammunition that will allow Ukraine to launch rockets of about 80 kilometers (49 miles). This is far below the maximum range of the systems, but much larger than anything Ukraine has sent so far.
Russians control “most of Severodonetsk”: Serhiy Hayday, head of the Lugansk regional military administration, said Russian troops now control most of the city of Severodonetsk, but has rejected proposals that troops Ukrainians in the area will be surrounded. If Russian forces gain control of Severodonetsk, the neighboring city of Lysychansk will be the only urban area of any size in Luhansk that will remain under Ukrainian control. Hayday said earlier that a Russian air strike in Severodonetsk had hit a nitric acid tank at a chemical plant and warned people in the city to stay in the shelters.
Ukrainian progress: Ukrainian forces have advanced into the Kherson and Kharkiv regions and are holding back Russian forces in Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday. “Our defenders are showing extreme courage, even though Russia has a substantial advantage in strength and weapons,” Zelensky said.
NATO chief visits: Jens Stoltenberg will travel to Washington, DC on Tuesday for a working visit, the alliance said in a statement. Stoltenberg will be in the U.S. capital until Friday and is expected to meet with senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Homeland Security Secretary Jake Sullivan.
The U.S. welcomes Ukrainian refugees: More than 23,000 Ukrainians have been allowed to come to the U.S. as part of the Biden administration’s streamlined process for Ukrainian refugees seeking to enter the country, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The Biden administration has pledged to accept up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees.
Playing “world hunger games”: Ukraine is working on a “UN-led naval operation” with navies from partner countries to ensure a safe trade route to export their agricultural products, the minister said. Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba. Zelensky said earlier that 22 million tons of grain, which accounts for almost half of Ukraine’s grain export supply, are being hampered by Russia’s blockade of major export routes.
Moscow further cuts gas supply: Danish energy company Ørsted has confirmed that Russian state energy giant Gazprom will cut off gas supplies from June 1 after Ørsted refused to pay for gas in rubles. Finland, Poland and Bulgaria have already been cut off from Russian gas supplies for the same reasons.