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☆ Montenegro court jails 'cryptocurrency king' Do Kwon for four months -media
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A South Korean national, Kwon is the former CEO of South Korea-based Terraform Labs, the company behind the stablecoin TerraUSD that collapsed in May 2022, roiling cryptocurrency markets. Police said after arresting them they had found doctored Costa Rican passports, a separate set of Belgian passports, laptop computers and other devices in their luggage. The sentence follows a court hearing last week at which Do Kwon dropped his request for checking authenticity of the Costa Rican passports after Interpol's confirmation they were fake. South Korean and U.S. authorities have sought the extradition of Kwon and Han and the handover of the computers. Following Kwon's arrest, the U.S. District Court in Manhattan made public an eight-count indictment against him for securities fraud, wire fraud, commodities fraud and conspiracy.

Persons: Do Kwon, Kwon, Han Chang, joon, Han, Daria Sito, Gareth Jones, Jason Neely Organizations: Korean, Labs, Police, Costa, U.S, Thomson Locations: SARAJEVO, Montenegro, U.S, South Korea, Dubai, Podgorica, Montenegro's, Rican, Costa Rican, Manhattan

☆ Spain's conservative PP party widens lead ahead of national election, poll shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MADRID, June 19 (Reuters) - Spain's conservative People's Party is set to win the most seats in the lower house of parliament in next month's national election, far ahead of the ruling Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), a poll released by El Pais newspaper showed on Monday. The survey, carried out between June 12 and 14, showed the PP widening its lead over Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez' PSOE, pollster 40DB said. The poll, commissioned by El Pais newspaper, estimated that the PP would get between 128 and 142 seats in the 350-member lower house, up from 131 in the previous poll held between May 31 and June 1. The PSOE would get between 99 and 109 seats, it showed, compared with 107 in the previous such survey. The previous poll carried out between May 31 and June 1 had attributed 41 seats to Sumar.

Persons: Pedro Sanchez, pollster 40DB, Sanchez, Podemos, 40DB, Gareth Jones Organizations: People's Party, Socialist Workers ' Party, PSOE, El, El Pais, Vox, Inti, Thomson Locations: MADRID, El Pais

☆ Israeli troops, backed by helicopter, kill 3 Palestinians in clash
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Ali Sawafta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

JENIN, West Bank, June 19 (Reuters) - Israeli commandos killed three Palestinians, including a teenager, during an unusually fierce clash in the occupied West Bank on Monday in which a troop transport was disabled by a bomb and a military helicopter carried out a rare strike. Video obtained by Reuters showed an explosion enveloping an armoured troop transport as shots ring out. Other clips showed a military helicopter launching a missile and releasing flares. [1/2] Smoke is seen rising into the air during an Israeli raid in Jenin, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank June 19, 2023. REUTERS/Raneen SawaftaA military spokesperson said an Apache helicopter fired on an open area in order to drive back gunmen as casualties were extricated from the troop transport.

Persons: peacemaking, Jihad, Dan Williams, Nidal, Gareth Jones, Ed Osmond Organizations: West Bank, Seven, U.S, Reuters, REUTERS, Apache, Palestinian, Thomson Locations: JENIN, West, Jenin, Israel

☆ U.S. Secretary of State Blinken to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BEIJING, June 19 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday in Beijing, a State Department official said. Blinken, who is in China for his second day of meetings, met with China's top diplomat earlier on Monday and with Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Sunday. This is the first visit to China by a U.S. secretary of state in five years. Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk and the Beijing newsroom Editing by Gareth JonesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Xi Jinping, Blinken, Qin Gang, Humeyra Pamuk, Gareth Jones Organizations: State Department, Foreign, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Beijing, China

☆ Kremlin says Putin open to any contacts on 'Ukrainian problem'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 16 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is still open to any contacts to discuss a resolution of the Ukraine conflict, Russian news agencies reported. "President Putin was and is open to any contacts to discuss possible scenarios for solving the Ukrainian problem," Interfax quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying. Russia has long said it is open to negotiations, but says Ukraine must recognise the "new realities" on the ground, where its forces control some 18% of Ukrainian territory. Ukraine says its own peace plan, which envisages the withdrawal of Russian troops from all Ukrainian land, must be the basis for any settlement of the war. The African delegation was due to hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday before meeting Putin in St Petersburg on Saturday.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, Dmitry Peskov, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Mark Trevelyan, Gareth Jones Organizations: Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Russia, Moscow, Crimea, St Petersburg

☆ Vladimir Putin delivers keynote address at St Petersburg forum
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

MOSCOW, June 16 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin delivered the keynote address at Russia's showcase St Petersburg International Economic Forum. DE-DOLLARISATION:"We have never had, and do not have, the goal of de-dollarisation of the Russian economy. And we have never had, and do not have, the goal of influencing the de-dollarisation of the world economy. The influence of one or another currency on the world economy is connected with the economic potential of the country that is the issuer of that currency." UKRAINE CONFLICT:"Soon Ukraine will stop using its own equipment altogether.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, F16s, JOE BIDEN, Biden, It's, Gareth Jones Organizations: St Petersburg, Economic, Reuters, Eurasian Economic, Leopards, UNITED STATES, Russian Federation, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, RUSSIAN, RUSSIA, China, Russia, Russian, OPEC, UKRAINE, Ukraine, NATO

☆ UK's Boris Johnson and the 'partygate' scandal
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

10 Downing Street, in December 2020, when such gatherings were banned. Dec. 1 - Johnson, asked about a December 2020 party, tells parliament: "All guidance was followed completely in No. Dec. 8 - Johnson tells parliament: "I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no COVID rules were broken." May 19 - The police hand out 126 fines relating to eight dates when events were held at Downing Street and the Cabinet Office. March 22 - In a combative public hearing, Johnson tells the committee that "hand on heart" he did not lie to parliament.

Persons: Boris Johnson, Johnson, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip's, Sue Gray, Carrie, Rishi Sunak, Gray, Sachin Ravikumar, Kylie MacLellan, William James, Andrew MacAskill, Gareth Jones, Frank Jack Daniel Our Organizations: ITV, Downing Street, Police, Privileges, Downing, Conservative, Thomson Locations: Downing

☆ IAEA's Grossi: Water for cooling a priority at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

June 15 (Reuters) - The head of the U.N. atomic energy agency said on Thursday that ensuring water for cooling was a priority of his visit to the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine, adding that the station could operate safely for "some time". Rafael Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), was inspecting the state of Europe's largest nuclear plant following last week's breach in the Kakhovka dam downstream on the Dnipro River. "With the water that is here the plant can be kept safe for some time. The plant is going to be working to replenish the water so that safety functions can continue normally." Russian forces captured both the nuclear plant and the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam shortly after President Vladimir Putin sent them into Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

Persons: Rafael Grossi, Grossi, Read, Vladimir Putin, Gareth Jones, Ron Popeski, Angus MacSwan, Grant McCool Organizations: International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Tass, Atomic Energy Agency, Press, United Nations, Security, TASS, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Dnipro, Russia, Ukrainian, Moscow, Kyiv

☆ Chechen commander 'alive and well', Russia's Duma speaker says after report he was wounded
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW, June 14 (Reuters) - The speaker of Russia's parliament said a senior Chechen commander was alive and well on Wednesday, following reports he had been killed or wounded in Ukraine. The commander, Adam Delimkhanov, is a member of parliament as well as heading the Chechen division of the Russian national guard. He is widely seen as the Caucasian region's second most senior official after its leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Not only that, but he wishes you all good health," Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the Duma, told lawmakers. Russia's TASS news agency quoted another Chechen commander as saying Delimkhanov was in Chechnya, not Ukraine, and media reports he had come under fire in Ukraine were all "fakes".

Persons: Adam Delimkhanov, Ramzan Kadyrov, He's, Vyacheslav Volodin, Delimkhanov, Gareth Jones, Peter Graff Organizations: Chechen, Russian, Caucasian, Duma, TASS, Reuters, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Chechen, Ukraine, Chechnya, Moscow, Mariupol

☆ Chechen leader says top commander 'alive and well' after reports he was wounded in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MOSCOW, June 14 (Reuters) - Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said on Wednesday one of his senior commanders was alive and well, dismissing reports that he had been killed or wounded in Ukraine. The commander, Adam Delimkhanov, heads the Chechen division of the Russian national guard and is also a member of Russia's parliament. In a later posting on Telegram, Kadyrov mocked the Ukrainian media reports about Delimkhanov for "brazen lies about his elimination". Earlier on Wednesday, Russia's Zvezda television channel cited the parliamentary press service as saying Delimkhanov had been wounded in Ukraine. It followed rumours on Ukrainian social media channels that the Chechen commander had been killed in an artillery strike in southern Ukraine.

Persons: Ramzan Kadyrov, Adam Delimkhanov, Kadyrov, Vladimir Putin, Delimkhanov, Gareth Jones, Peter Graff Angus MacSwan, Ron Popeski Organizations: Russian, Caucasian, Russia's Zvezda, Chechen, Reuters, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Ukraine, Chechnya, Ukrainian, Chechen, Moscow, Mariupol

☆ Russia releases video of captured German tanks, U.S. fighting vehicles in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 13 (Reuters) - Russia's Defence Ministry released video footage on Tuesday of what it said were German-made Leopard tanks and U.S.-made Bradley Fighting Vehicles captured by Russian forces in a fierce battle with Ukrainian troops. Reuters was able to confirm that the vehicles seen in the video were Leopard tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles, but was not able to independently verify the location or date of the footage. The Defence Ministry said the armoured vehicles and tanks were captured on the Zaporizhzhia front in southern Ukraine, one of the areas where Ukrainian forces have been trying to counter-attack. Two Leopard tanks were shown in the footage, which was released on the ministry's official channel on the Telegram messaging application, along with two damaged Bradley Fighting Vehicles. Unconfirmed reports from Russian military bloggers suggest Russian forces may have recaptured some territory which they ceded in recent days.

Persons: Andrew Osborn, Felix, Gareth Jones Organizations: Russia's Defence Ministry, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, Russian, Ukrainian, Reuters, Defence Ministry, Thomson Locations: Ukraine

☆ Russian mercenary chief says unsure if his men will continue fighting in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Andrew Osborn | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"Regarding the further work of the Wagner private military company in Ukraine, I am not sure that we will work specifically in Ukraine," Prigozhin said in reply to a Danish media query. Wagner fighters have also fought in Africa and the Middle East, where they still have some contracts. Prigozhin has long been at odds with the Defence Ministry over what he says is everything from its poor leadership and tactics to ammunition shortages. The ministry has not responded to a request for comment on Prigozhin's refusal to sign up with it. Lieutenant-General Vladimir Alekseyev said after the signing ceremony that he was sure other volunteer groups would sign the same contract in the course of the next week.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Sergei Shoigu, Vladimir Alekseyev, Ramzan Kadyrov, Andrew Osborn, Gareth Jones Organizations: Defence Ministry, Ukraine Defence Ministry, Wagner Group, Defence Ministry's Zvezda, Defence, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Ukrainian, Bakhmut, Moscow, Danish, Africa, Chechen, Chechnya

Asked about another mobilisation at a meeting with 18 Russian war correspondents and bloggers in the Kremlin, Putin said: "There is no such need today." Russia, Putin said, had reached "almost the whole of Novorossiya" (New Russia), a significant part of Donetsk region with access to the Sea of Azov and port of Mariupol, and almost the whole of the Luhansk region to the north of Donetsk. Ukraine's large-scale counter-offensive has not been successful in any area, Putin said, adding that Ukrainian human losses were 10 times greater than Russia's. "There is no reason to introduce some kind of special regime or martial law in the country," Putin said. Ukraine says Russia blew up the dam, which Russian forces captured early in the war.

Persons: Putin, Says, Vladimir Putin, Andrew Osborn, Gareth Jones, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Putin, Russia, Kyiv, Soviet Union, Moscow, Ukrainian, Reuters, U.S, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, MOSCOW, Russia, Kyiv, Kremlin, Ukraine's, New Russia, Donetsk, Azov, Mariupol, Luhansk, Ukrainian, Russia's

☆ Russia's Putin calls Berlusconi a dear, wise friend and statesman
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 12 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin called Italy's Silvio Berlusconi a dear friend and an outstanding politician in a tribute to the former prime minister who died on Monday aged 86. "For me, Silvio was a dear person, a true friend. Berlusconi will be remembered in Russia as a "consistent and principled supporter of strengthening friendly relations between our countries", he said. Like former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Berlusconi cultivated close relations with Moscow during Putin's first years in the Kremlin from 2000 onwards. In a Russian TV interview on Monday, Putin called Berlusconi "a world-class politician, there are few such people in the international arena now".

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Italy's Silvio Berlusconi, Silvio, Putin, Berlusconi, Gerhard Schroeder, Putin's, Schroeder, Yulia Kuznetsova, Alexei, Mark Trevelyan, Gareth Jones Organizations: NATO, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russia, Moscow, Kremlin, Crimea, Ukraine, Kyiv, Russian, Europe

☆ Russia says it repelled Ukrainian offensives in Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia regions
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 12 (Reuters) - Russia's defence ministry said on Monday it had repelled attempted offensives by Ukrainian forces in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions and had hit targets with sea-launched high-precision missile strikes. Reuters was not immediately able to verify the battlefield reports. Russia said its forces had launched a strike on Ukrainian army reserve locations using long-range precision weaponry, launched from the sea. Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine and Zaporizhzhia to its southwest are among five regions, including the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, that Moscow claims to have annexed from Ukraine. Reporting by Alexander Marrow Editing by Gareth JonesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Alexander Marrow, Gareth Jones Organizations: Ukrainian, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Donetsk, Ukraine, Russia, Zaporizhzhia, Crimea, Moscow

The currency later recouped some of its losses, standing at 23.33 against the dollar by 0542 GMT, after touching a record low of 23.39 overnight during illiquid trading hours. "There is no air of panic in the markets as in previous times when there were such high losses. The central bank's net forex reserves hit an all-time low of negative $4.4 billion last month as demand surged through the elections. Investors are now awaiting the appointment of a new central bank governor to succeed Sahap Kavcioglu, who has spearheaded Erdogan's rate-slashing drive since 2021. Erdogan is considering appointing Hafize Gaye Erkan, a U.S.-based senior finance executive, as central bank governor, Reuters reported on Monday.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan's, Erdogan, Mehmet Simsek, Simsek, Erik Meyersson, SEB, Meyersson, Sahap Kavcioglu, Hafize Gaye Erkan, Ali Kucukgocmen, Jonathan Spicer, Gareth Jones Organizations: Lira, Reuters, Thomson Locations: ISTANBUL, Ankara, U.S

☆ Russia and Ukraine say ammonia pipeline was damaged, in potential blow to grain deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

They have been provided with necessary medical assistance," the Russian ministry said in a statement. "At present ammonia residues are being blown out of the damaged sections of the pipeline from Ukrainian territory. REPAIRSResumption of supplies via the Tolyatti-Odesa pipeline, the world's longest ammonia pipeline, may be key to the renewal of the Black Sea grain export deal. Russia has repeatedly cast doubt on whether it will continue to renew the grain deal, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, which facilitates agricultural exports from Ukraine via the Black Sea. "The ammonia pipeline was one of the linchpins of the implementation of the agreements made in Istanbul on July 22, The (pipeline) was key to global food security," Zakharova said.

Persons: Stephane Dujarric, Dujarric, We're, Maria Zakharova, Zakharova, Felix Light, Andrew Osborn, Jon Boyle, Jason Neely, Gareth Jones, Alex Richardson, Diane Craft Organizations: Kyiv, Reuters, United, Togliatti, United Nations, Russian Foreign Ministry, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Ukrainian, Masyutivka, Kharkiv, Russian, Ukraine's Kharkiv, United Nations, Turkey, Odesa, Istanbul

☆ International Boxing Association to be stripped of recognition - IOC
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Karolos Grohmann | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, June 7 (Reuters) - The International Olympic Committee executive board on Wednesday recommended withdrawing recognition of the International Boxing Association (IBA) over its failure to meet a set of reforms, the Olympic body said in a statement. "The report establishes that the IBA has failed to fulfil the conditions set by the IOC... for lifting the suspension of the IBA’s recognition." In an IBA report sent to the IOC recently, the association blamed the Olympic body for intransigence and false statements. The Swiss Boxing Federation last week became the latest national ruling body of the sport to leave IBA and join the rival boxing organisation. The newly formed boxing body includes the United States and Britain as well as New Zealand, Germany, Netherlands and Sweden, who joined the Swiss-registered World Boxing in April.

Persons: Umar Kremlev, Karolos Grohmann, Gareth Jones, Ed Osmond Organizations: Olympic Committee, International Boxing Association, IOC, Olympic Games, IBA, Tokyo, Gazprom, Swiss Boxing Federation, Swiss, Boxing, Thomson Locations: Los, Russia, Ukraine, United States, Britain, New Zealand, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden

☆ German exports rise unexpectedly in April on China reopening
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BERLIN, June 5 (Reuters) - German exports rose unexpectedly in April, boosted by deliveries to China following its post-pandemic reopening, but analysts warned that the momentum could be short-lived. German exports increased by 1.2% on the previous month, the federal statistics office said. Exports to China were up 10.1%, while exports to the U.S. were up 4.7% and exports to the European Union rose 4.5%, the office said. The foreign trade balance showed a surplus of 18.4 billion euros ($19.68 billion) in April, up from 14.9 billion euros the previous month. "The temporary push in exports to China will fade with time," ING's global head of macro at ING Carsten Brzeski told Reuters.

Persons: Alexander Krueger, Hauck Aufhaeuser, Claus Vistesen, ING Carsten Brzeski, Holger Schmieding, Klaus Wohlrabe, Rachel More, Maria Martinez, Kirsti Knolle, Gareth Jones Organizations: Reuters, European Union, Macroeconomics, ING, Thomson Locations: BERLIN, China, Hauck Aufhaeuser Lampe, U.S, Ifo

☆ US, India agree roadmap for defence industry cooperation
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Yp Rajesh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NEW DELHI, June 5 (Reuters) - India and the United States have concluded a roadmap for defence industry cooperation for the next few years, the Indian government said on Monday, a move expected to bolster New Delhi's defence manufacturing ambitions. The roadmap was finalised at a meeting between visiting U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. 'NEW TECHNOLOGIES'Talks between Singh and Austin had a "particular focus on identifying ways to strengthen industrial cooperation", the Indian Defence Ministry statement said. "Towards these objectives, they concluded a roadmap for U.S.-India Defence Industrial Cooperation which shall guide the policy direction for the next few years." The Biden administration is set to sign off on a deal that will allow General Electric Co (GE.N) to produce in India jet engines powering Indian military aircraft.

Persons: Washington, Lloyd Austin, Rajnath Singh, Narendra Modi, Joe Biden, Singh, Austin, Biden, YP Rajesh, Sakshi Dayal, Gareth Jones Organizations: New, U.S . Defence, Indian Defence, Indian, Indian Defence Ministry, India Defence Industrial Cooperation, General Electric Co, YP, Thomson Locations: DELHI, India, United States, Washington, Russia, U.S, France, Israel, New Delhi, People's Republic of China, Russian, Ukraine

☆ Pro-Ukraine Russian partisans plan to give prisoners to Kyiv
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

KYIV, June 4 (Reuters) - A pro-Ukraine group of Russian partisans on Sunday said it had captured several soldiers during a cross-border raid into southern Russia and would hand them over to Ukrainian authorities. The Russian Volunteer Corps made the claim in a video statement released on Telegram in the wake of a raid into the Russian region of Belgorod. The one minute and 26 second video clip showed what appeared to be around a dozen Russian soldiers being held captive, with two lying on hospital beds. The governor of Belgorod, Vyacheslav Gladkov, earlier agreed to meet the group if the soldiers were still alive. Members of the Russian Volunteer Corps are seen, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near the Russian border, in Ukraine May 24, 2023.

Persons: Moscow, Vyacheslav Gladkov, Gladkov, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Dan Peleschuk, Caleb Davis, David Ljunggren, Gareth Jones, Will Dunham Organizations: Sunday, Russian Volunteer Corps, Corps, of Russia Legion, Russia Legion, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Russian, Belgorod, Viacheslav, Novaya Tavolzhanka

☆ Kremlin: Western long-range missiles to Ukraine will fuel 'spiralling tension'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 4 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Sunday that any supply of long-range missiles to Kyiv by France and Germany would lead to a further round of "spiralling tension" in the Ukraine conflict. Britain last month became the first country to supply Ukraine with long-range cruise missiles. Ukraine has asked Germany for Taurus cruise missiles, which have a range of 500 km (311 miles), while President Emmanuel Macron has said France will give Ukraine missiles with a range allowing it to carry out its long-anticipated counteroffensive. Ukraine says it needs more weapons, including long-range missiles, to defend itself against Russian attacks and re-capture its occupied territory. Kyiv and its Western allies say Russia is waging an unprovoked war of aggression and a land grab in Ukraine.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Dmitry Peskov, Peskov, Caleb Davis, Gareth Jones Organizations: Taurus, Ukraine, NATO, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Kyiv, France, Germany, Ukraine, Britain, Russia, Moscow

☆ Russian-backed official says Ukraine shelled port of Berdyansk
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

June 2 (Reuters) - A Russian-installed official in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region said on Friday that Ukrainian forces shelled the Russian-controlled port city of Berdyansk on the Sea of Azov and that nine people had been reported injured. He shared a video that appeared to show a large cloud of grey smoke rising from near the port area. Reuters was able to confirm the location of the video as Berdyansk but could not independently verify the date the video was filmed. Zaporizhzhia is one of five Ukrainian regions, including the Crimea peninsula, that Russia claims to have annexed. Reporting by Reuters Editing by Gareth JonesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Vladimir Rogov, Gareth Jones Organizations: Reuters, Thomson Locations: Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia, Berdyansk, Azov, Crimea, Russia

☆ Russia says two killed after Ukraine shelled border regions
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Governor of Russia's Belgorod Region Vyacheslav Gladkov via... Read moreJune 2 (Reuters) - The governor of Russia's Belgorod region said that two people were killed and two others injured on Friday after Ukraine shelled a town near the border, while officials in nearby regions reported overnight drone attacks. The Defence Ministry said its forces had repelled on Thursday three cross-border attacks by what it said were Ukrainian "terrorist formations" into the Belgorod region. Ukraine denies its military is involved in the incursions and says they are conducted by Russian volunteer fighters. Gladkov said on Friday at least one incident of shelling had been reported overnight in the Shebekino district, and over 2,500 people were being evacuated from the area. Russia denies targeting civilians or committing war crimes but its forces have devastated Ukrainian cities and repeatedly hit residential areas.

Persons: Read, Vyacheslav Gladkov, Gladkov, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Gareth Jones Organizations: Ukraine, Telegram, The Defence Ministry, Russian, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Shebekino, Belgorod, Russia's Belgorod, Maslova, Ukraine's, Kharkiv, Bryansk, Kursk, Smolensk, Russia's Kaluga, Ukrainian, Moscow

☆ Kremlin says Ukrainian NATO membership would cause problems for many years
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy pressed his case on Thursday for Ukraine to be part of the NATO military alliance and urged the alliance to provide security guarantees if membership were not possible for now. "Ukraine's membership in NATO, of course, is one of the main irritants and would be a potential problem for many, many years," Peskov said. NATO leaders agreed at a summit in Bucharest in 2008 that Ukraine and Georgia would one day become members of NATO. So far, however, no concrete steps or timetable has been published that would actually bring Ukraine closer to NATO. "The Russian Federation... will ensure its interests and its security," Peskov said.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Dmitry Peskov, Peskov, Guy Faulconbridge, Gareth Jones Organizations: Ukraine, NATO, European Union, Kremlin, EU, Russian Federation, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, United States, Ukraine, EU, Bucharest, Georgia, Europe, Russia

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