"If Ukraine does not achieve a definitive victory on the battlefield, the West will end up in limbo. Aggressive actions against it will last for decades," said Dalia Grybauskaite, the former president of Lithuania.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky returned from a visit to Turkey today, bringing home five former commanders of the Ukrainian garrison in the city of Mariupol despite last year's prisoner exchange that would have kept the men in Turkey, Reuters reports.
At least eight people were killed in an attack on a residential area in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, the country's authorities said, the BBC reports.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that 13 more people were wounded in the Russian shelling of the town of Liman.
The attack caused fires in a house, a printing shop and three cars, which were put out by rescuers, the ministry said.
The previous information was that six people died.
Russia has "concentrated quite powerful forces" there, Sergei Cherevaty, spokesman for the Eastern Ukraine group of forces, told Ukrainian television on Friday.
"Around 10:00 a.m. the Russians fired multiple rocket launchers at the city," Donetsk regional governor Pavlo Kirilenko said on social media on Saturday.
He said that the house and shop were damaged.
The BBC says it could not confirm the claims.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the Snake Island in the Black Sea, according to a video released by his office, which he wanted to mark 500 days since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The small island in the Black Sea has become a symbol of Ukrainian resistance since the first days of the war, when Ukrainian border guards bravely refused to surrender to Russian forces.
The Russians conquered the Black Sea island, but left it very quickly.
Zelensky laid flowers in honor of all those who defended the island and thanked all the soldiers who have been fighting for the freedom of Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022.
"Right from this place of victory, I want to thank each of our soldiers for these 500 days," Zelenski said in a video posted on Telegram.
"And let the freedom that all our heroes from various periods of war want for Ukraine, and now we have to achieve, be in honor of all those who gave their lives for Ukraine," he said.
Russia has requested a new session of the Security Council in order to present new information about the diversion of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, Russian diplomatic sources announced today.
Russia has previously sought access to investigations by Sweden and other countries into the explosions, which severely damaged gas pipelines connecting Russia and Germany under the Baltic Sea, but was denied, Reuters reports.
Moscow has previously accused Western countries of being behind the diversion, which those countries have denied. Ukraine also denied involvement.
Six people were killed in the Russian bombing in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian Governor Pavlo Kirilenko said.
"At least six people were killed and five wounded in the bombing of the city of Liman," the governor of the Donetsk region said via social media.
In a video published today on social networks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke about the courage of his country during a visit to Snake Island in the Black Sea, where his army won victory at the beginning of the war against Russia.
Yesterday, the Ukrainian president won a diplomatic battle after Washington's decision to supply him with cluster bombs, which he assessed as a "necessary aid program".
However, Washington "quenched" Zelenski's hopes for his country's entry into NATO at the next summit of the Alliance on July 11 and 12. The US yesterday ruled out any possibility that Ukraine would receive an expedited invitation to the Western defense bloc.
(BETA)
During his visit to Istanbul this morning, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky prayed with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for the victims of the war with Russia, which has been going on for 500 days.
Zelenski, who met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last night, visited the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarch this morning.
After the end of a short prayer for the victims of the war in Ukraine, which has been going on since the beginning of the Russian invasion on February 24 last year, Zelensky and Patriarch Bartholomew talk without the presence of the media.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited an island in the Black Sea whose defenders defied a Russian warship at the start of the invasion.
"Today we are on Snake Island, which the occupiers will never conquer, as well as all of Ukraine, because we are the country of the brave. I want to thank each of our soldiers from here, from this place of victory, for these 500 days," Zelensky said.
In the undated video, Zelenski is shown arriving on the island by boat and laying flowers at the memorial.
Moscow captured Snake Island shortly after launching an invasion on February 24, 2022. Ukrainian forces recaptured the island in June last year.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu inspected the troops and supervised the training of newly formed units made up of contract soldiers, his ministry said.
The Ministry published a video on its Telegram channel showing Shojgu conducting an inspection.
Less than a week before a key NATO summit in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, the United States on Friday ruled out any possibility that Ukraine would receive an expedited invitation to the Western defense bloc.
Ukraine deserves membership in NATO, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today in Istanbul.
He welcomed Zelenski with a solemn ceremony in Vahdetin Villa in Istanbul, and after the bilateral and inter-delegation meeting, a joint press conference was held, Anadolia reports.
Erdogan said that Turkey is the country that has made the most intensive efforts to end the Russian-Ukrainian war through negotiations based on international law.
"We will provide all kinds of support so that Ukraine gets back on its feet. Without a doubt, Ukraine deserves NATO membership," Erdogan said.
He also spoke about the topic of prisoner exchange.
"We heard from the president (Zelensky) about the exchange of prisoners. We are also in negotiations with the Russian side. Next month, Mr. Putin will also visit Turkey, we will have the opportunity to talk face to face again," Erdogan said.
Zelenski said that he is in Istanbul today to thank "everyone who wants peace for our country and our peoples".
"I am grateful for Turkey's unwavering support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine," Zelensky said.
(MINE)
The war in Ukraine entered its 499th day
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