Latest news on Russia and the war in Ukraine
UK says Russian offensive in northern Ukraine ‘ended in costly failure’
The British Ministry of Defense said the Russian offensive in northern Ukraine “ended in costly failure”.
The ministry said Russian forces were dispersed “too thinly without sufficient support from artillery and combat aircraft”. He said these efforts were based on “extremely optimistic assessments of the reception Russian troops would receive in Ukraine.”
“Russia has now adopted an ‘attrition strategy’ and is making slow and costly gains in the Donbass region” in eastern Ukraine, the ministry said.
—Christine Wang
Putin blames ‘short-sighted’ Western policy on energy and food issues
Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed the West for problems in global food and energy markets, warning that further sanctions would only worsen the situation.
“This is an absolutely myopic policy, wrong, I would say, just a stupid policy that leads to a dead end,” Putin said, according to Russian news agency TASS.
Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting on road construction development via video link at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow on June 2, 2022.
Mikhail Metzel | AFP | Getty Images
Russia’s war in Ukraine has upended the global economy, disrupting global food and energy supply chains. The two nations produce about 30% of the world’s wheat and barley. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has reported that food prices are at the highest levels on record.
“The unfavorable situation in the world food market did not begin to take shape yesterday or even from the moment when Russia launched a special military operation in the Donbass and Ukraine. It began to take shape as early as February 2020 in the process of dealing with the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic,” he said, according to a TASS report translated by NBC News.
Putin’s comments come as the UN continues efforts to release grain trapped in Ukraine’s Black Sea ports due to the Russian blockade.
—Christine Wang
UN calls for end to violence as it works to release grain exports stuck at Black Sea ports
As the war in Ukraine entered its 100th day, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the conflict “has already claimed thousands of lives, caused untold destruction, displaced millions, led to unacceptable human rights violations and fueled a three-dimensional global crisis – food, energy and financial – that hits the most vulnerable people, countries and economies.”
“As we mark this tragic day, I renew my call for an immediate cessation of violence, unhindered humanitarian access to all in need, the safe evacuation of civilians trapped in combat zones and the urgent protection of civilians and respect for human rights in accordance with international standards,” the UN chief said.
The UN said it was continuing its work to release grain stuck in Ukrainian Black Sea ports as well as to secure fertilizer from the main Russian producer. The agency estimates that 1.5 billion people worldwide need this food and fertilizer. He stressed that the resumption of exports is essential to prevent another crisis.
While humanitarian efforts have sought alternatives to sea-based exports, the UN said the sea remains the “only viable solution” due to the “huge amount of grain and other essential foodstuffs produced”. Rail and road transport cannot handle the same volume and have their own logistical problems, said UN crisis coordinator for Ukraine Amin Awad.
—Christine Wang