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6/4/2022–|Last update: 6/4/202204:28 AM (Mecca)
The sounds of explosions resounded in the Lviv region of western Ukraine at dawn on Wednesday, while the Russian Defense Ministry announced the destruction of 33 military infrastructure facilities of the Ukrainian army, during the past 24 hours.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the Russian army was now focused on eastern and southern Ukraine, and was seeking to seize the entire Donbass region and establish a land bridge to Crimea.
During an open session of the UN Security Council, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused the Russian army of committing what he described as the worst war crimes since the end of World War II, noting the large-scale killing of civilians in Bucha.
In turn, John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesman, said in an interview with Al-Jazeera in a previous bulletin that Washington believes in the need to hold Russian officials accountable for what he called the crimes they commit in Ukraine.
On the other hand, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Western countries of trying to obstruct talks between Russia and Ukraine by fueling what he called hysteria over Bucha.
In Europe, the expulsion of Russian embassies continued in European capitals. Italy declared 30 Russian officials persona non grata, while Spain said it intended to expel 25 Russian officials, and Slovenia demanded Russia reduce its embassy staff to 33.
Denmark, Romania, Sweden and European Union institutions combined have expelled 47 diplomats, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday.
In a related context, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced an intensified package of sanctions against Russia, and told the European Parliament today that this package includes the export sector, energy, technology and the marine fleet, in addition to expanding the ban on the banking sector to include 23 percent of banks’ capacity.
Here are the latest developments on the 42nd day of this war:
American media for officials:
- New US sanctions on Russia will also include Putin’s two daughters.
- The new US sanctions against Russia will include the banks “Sberbank” and “Alfa”.
Blinken: America provides additional security assistance to Ukraine in the amount of $100 million, including anti-armor systems.
Ukrainian media: explosions in Lviv (west of the country) and Dnepropetrovsk (southeast).
Wall Street Journal: The US administration will impose new sanctions on Russia’s Alpha Bank.
A member of the city council of Irbin published a video clip showing destroyed military vehicles on both sides of the road in the city of Hostmel on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
The Russian Ministry of Defense: The destruction of 33 military infrastructure facilities of the Ukrainian army during the past 24 hours.
Zelensky to Macron: The Russian atrocities in the Kyiv region must be investigated, and Moscow must face new painful sanctions.
Zelensky: I discussed with the French President the new sanctions against Russia, negotiations and aid for the besieged Ukrainian cities.
Explosions were heard in the Lviv region of western Ukraine.
ICC Counsellor Leila Sadat to Al Jazeera: We may have difficulties in gathering evidence in the Bucha case.
A Pentagon spokesperson for Al Jazeera:
- It is best to leave matters to Presidents Putin and Zelensky to reach a settlement.
- We will not put any pressure on Zelensky and what we want is for the war to end with full sovereignty of Ukraine.
- We fully support any negotiations or peaceful settlements.
- There is clear evidence that Russian forces committed war crimes in Ukraine, and we will contribute to providing more evidence well to achieve accountability.
- We believe in the need to hold Russian officials accountable for the crimes committed in Ukraine.
- What matters to the Russians now is more war and destruction.
- We welcome Turkey’s efforts and we have to wait to see what happens.
- It is difficult to know where this war in Ukraine is currently heading, as Russian forces are now focused on southern and eastern Ukraine.
- We don’t know how long this war will last and Putin can end it by sitting down with Zelensky.