May 18, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

Our live coverage of Russia’s war in Ukraine has moved here.

The US Senate has confirmed Bridget Brink as US ambassador to Ukraine.

The appointment was confirmed by voice vote on Wednesday night.

Brink is a career foreign service officer who was serving as US Ambassador to Slovakia.

The US Embassy to Ukraine has been without a confirmed ambassador since Marie Yovanovitch was recalled in May 2019 by then-President Donald Trump, under pressure from Trump’s former attorney Rudy Giuliani and others.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry declared 85 European diplomats “persona non grata” on Wednesday in response to the expulsion of dozens of Russian diplomats in several European countries.

Among the diplomats expelled from Moscow are 24 from Italy, 27 from Spain, and 34 from France.

Italian Ambassador to Russia Giorgio Starace was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry “due to Italy’s openly hostile and unjustified actions with regard to 30 expelled employees of the Russian diplomatic mission,” the Russian statement said. 

Spain’s Ambassador to Moscow, Marcos Gomez Martinez, was also summoned and “strong protest was expressed in connection with the provocative decision” of Spanish authorities to declare 27 Russian diplomats in France “persona non grata,” the ministry said. 

The French diplomats were expelled from Moscow in response to a decision by France to expel 41 Russian diplomats from the country in April, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said it is “unacceptable” for countries that want to become NATO members to impose defense export restrictions and support organizations that threaten Turkey.

“There are security threats today, coming from different sources,” he said on Wednesday.

Some context: Turkey has said it would not support Finland and Sweden’s bids to become NATO members if they sanction the country. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused the two countries of harboring members of the separatist militant Kurdistan’s Workers Party, or PKK, and supporters of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Turkey accuses of masterminding a 2016 coup attempt, which Gulen denies.

“It is unacceptable for an ally that wants to be an ally to impose restrictions on another ally with defense products. What’s the reason? Our struggle with the PKK. They see the PKK as closer to themselves than us. Is this something acceptable?” Cavusoglu said.

After meeting US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken at UN Headquarters in New York on Wednesday, Cavusoglu said Turkey’s concerns should be met, “not in words, but in practice.”

The PKK has been designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.

On Monday, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance must consider Turkey’s security concerns.

“Turkey is a valued ally, and any security concerns need to be addressed. We must stand together at this historic moment,” Stoltenberg said on Twitter after speaking with Cavusoglu.

Russian forces killed 10 civilians in the Donetsk region, according to regional governor Pavlo Kirilenko in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

“Russia is killing civilians! On May 18, the Russians killed 10 civilians in the Donetsk region: seven in Lyman and three in Bakhmut. Two children were killed: one in Lyman and one in Bakhmut,” said Kirilenko, who is head of the Donetsk region military administration.

Kirilenko said seven more civilians were injured on Wednesday.

“It is still impossible to determine the exact number of victims in Mariupol and Volnovakha. All Russians will be held accountable for these crimes!” he added. 

Some context: Ukrainian officials in Donetsk said the whole front line is being “shelled day and night” by Russian forces. Kirilenko said that settlements — namely Bakhmut, Kostiantynivka and Soledar — more than 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) from the front line were also being attacked with airstrikes.

Retired Russian colonel Mikhail Khodarenok said any talk about Ukraine being able to counterattack is a “big exaggeration,” just a day after he criticized Russia’s military operations in Ukraine saying the situation for Russia could “get worse.”

Speaking to a Russian state TV channel on Wednesday, Khodarenok said, “When people talk about Ukraine acquiring the ability to counterattack, well it’s a big exaggeration. And as concerns the actions of our supreme command, there is every reason to believe that the implementation of these plans will in the very near future give Ukraine an unpleasant surprise.”

He also said it would be impossible for the Ukrainian armed forces to gain aerial supremacy in the next few months, and in terms of gaining naval supremacy, he said, “while our Black Sea Fleet is in the Black Sea, Ukraine’s Black Sea Fleet having supremacy is out of the question.”

On Tuesday however, Khodarenok said information being spread about a “moral or psychological breakdown” of Ukrainian armed forces is not even “close to reality.” He also said Ukraine could arm one million people, and that Russia needs to consider that in its operational and strategic calculations.

“The situation for us, will frankly get worse,” he said on Tuesday. He also criticized Russia’s geopolitical isolation from the world, and prior to the invasion he warned that it would be more difficult than many anticipated to wage war in Ukraine.

Earlier reporting from CNN’s Tim Lister, Anastasia Graham Yooll and Taras Zadorozhnyy.

In his nightly address on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Zelensky announced an initiative called UNITED24. 

UNITED24 was launched as the main venue for collecting charitable donations in support of Ukraine, according to its website and Zelensky. Funds will be transferred to the official accounts of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) and allocated by assigned ministries to cover the most pressing needs, the website says. 

The first ambassador of the brand is Andriy Shevchenko, a prominent Ukrainian soccer player and coach. 

The first event in support of UNITED24 will take place on June 8, he said. It will be a charity evening auction in London. 

Secretary of State Tony Blinken said it is “false” that the sanctions imposed on Russia by the US and its allies have deepened the food crisis resulting from the Ukraine War.

“Some have tried to blame the sanctions imposed on the Russian Federation by the United States and many other countries for worsening this crisis. This is false. When we imposed sanctions on Russia in order to end the war as quickly as possible, we deliberately and carefully created exceptions for agricultural goods and fertilizer. We’re working every day to get countries any information or assistance they need to ensure that sanctions are not preventing food or fertilizer from leaving Russia or anywhere else,” Blinken said.

Instead, he said that only Russia is at fault for the food security challenges.  

“As with its decision to start this unjustified war, responsibility for the disruption of these supplies and the suffering that its causing around the world lies squarely and solely with the Russian government,” Blinken said.

US Secretary of State Tony Blinken announced that the US would be giving an additional $215 million in new emergency food assistance to the crisis in Ukraine and called on other countries to swiftly aid the growing global food crisis due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Today, given the urgency of the crisis, we’re announcing another $215 million in new emergency food assistance, and we’ll do much more,” Blinken said at the United Nations on Wednesday during a ministerial meeting on global food security. “We expect our Congress very soon to approve approximately $5.5 billion in additional funding for humanitarian assistance and food security.”

Blinken also said that the US would be committing $500 million to boost US production of fertilizer. This comes as there is an increased need for fertilizer in countries that traditionally got it from Russia which is the world’s largest exporter of fertilizer. And the cost of fertilizer, essential for farmers to hit their production targets for crops, has also risen in cost as output in Europe has also plunged thanks to the surging price of natural gas – a key ingredient in nitrogen-based fertilizers like urea.

Blinken called on other countries that have fertilizer and grain, which is also facing global shortages because of the Ukraine War, to rapidly help with this growing crisis. 

“The cost of doing business for vital organizations like the World Food Programme, the Food and Agricultural Organization, UNICEF and others, the cost of doing business is going up. We have to help them continue to do their business,” Blinken said. “In particular as well, countries with significant grain and fertilizer reserves as well as those with financial resources need to step up and do it fast. The United States has announced more than $2.3 billion in new funding for emergency food assistance to meet global humanitarian needs since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”

Canadian broadcaster CBC has announced Russia closed the company’s Moscow bureau and stripped journalists of their visas and accreditation, the channel said on a statement on Wednesday. 

CBC said the decision is a “retaliatory move after Canada banned Russian state TV station Russia Today.”

“We have maintained a bureau in Moscow for more than 44 years and are currently the only Canadian news organization with a permanent presence in the country. Our journalism is completely independent of the Canadian government and we are saddened to see the Russian government conflate the two,” Chuck Thompson, CBC’s head of public affairs, said in a statement.

“This appears to be another step by Russia to stifle a free and independent press within its borders. We are tremendously proud of the journalism our correspondents have produced in Russia over the past many years and we will continue to tell the story of Russia as best we can from outside the country,” he added.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Russia’s decision to expel Canadian media from the country was an “unacceptable….attempt to silence them from reporting the facts”.

“Journalists must be able to work safely — free from censorship, intimidation, and interference. That is something Canada will always stand up for,” the prime minister said on Twitter.

Pablo Rodriguez, Canada’s Heritage Minister, said Russia’s decision is an attempt to “cover the horrible reality going on in Ukraine.” 

Finland and Sweden’s applications to join NATO marks a “watershed moment in European security,” according to Jake Sullivan, US President Biden’s top national security adviser, who said the countries’ leaders would “compare notes” on the move when they visit the White House on Thursday.

“This is a historic event, a watershed moment in European security,” national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters at the White House. “Two nations with a long tradition of neutrality will be joining the world’s most powerful defensive alliance, and they will bring with them strong capabilities and a proven track record as security partners.”

Biden said on Wednesday, “I think we’re going to be OK,” when asked by reporters how he will convince Turkey to support Finland and Sweden’s bids to join NATO. 

“The leaders of Finland and Sweden are coming to see me on Thursday. I think we’re gonna be okay,” Biden said.

When reporters followed up again asking if he could convince Turkey, Biden said: “I’m not going to Turkey, but I think we’re gonna be okay.”

Meanwhile, the White House said it is “confident” that Finland and Sweden’s applications for membership to NATO will be approved, despite concerns from member country Turkey. All 30 NATO members must give unanimous approval for a country to be accepted into the alliance. 

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said this week that he would not approve Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership if they sanction Turkey and that delegations from the nations should not bother coming to Turkey to try to convince that nation to approve their country’s NATO membership.

But Sweden and Finland are both engaged with Turkey regarding its concerns, as well as top US officials, Sullivan said, and there is confidence that the expansion can progress. 

“We’re confident that at the end of the day, Finland and Sweden will have an effective and efficient accession process, that Turkey’s concerns can be addressed,” Sullivan told reporters at the White House.  

Sullivan said he spoke with his Turkish counterpart Wednesday and that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken would also be meeting with his counterpart in New York, and that the administration feels “very good” about the process.

Pressed again, he later suggested that Turkey would eventually come around in a display of unity. 

“The great thing about the free world, about the Western alliance about NATO is that you’ve got a raucous collection of states that all have opinions, that all have perspectives that all have interests, but they also know how to and when to pull together and how to settle any differences. And I expect these differences will be settled. I expect that NATO will speak with one voice in support of Finland and Sweden at the end of the day,” the Biden adviser said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the United States raised its flag over the US embassy in Kyiv on Wednesday in what he called a “momentous step,” marking the reopening of the embassy after it closed three months ago ahead of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Today we are officially resuming operations at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv. The Ukrainian people, with our security assistance, have defended their homeland in the face of Russia’s unconscionable invasion, and, as a result, the Stars and Stripes are flying over the Embassy once again. We stand proudly with, and continue to support, the government and people of Ukraine as they defend their country from the Kremlin’s brutal war of aggression,” Blinken said in a statement. 

Blinken reflected on the US commitment to the Ukrainian government and Ukrainian people, even when the embassy was closed in recent months. 

“Three months ago, we lowered our flag over the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, just days before Russian forces streamed across Ukraine’s border to carry out President Putin’s unprovoked, unjustified war of choice. When we suspended operations at the embassy, we made the point clear: while we would relocate U.S. embassy personnel for their safety and security, this would in no way prevent our engagement with, and support for, the Ukrainian people, government, and civil society as well as our allies and partners,” Blinken said.

Blinken noted how this has been a goal the Biden administration began working toward the minute that the diplomats left. 

“We underscored our commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, pledged to continue our assistance, and started working toward the day we could return to Kyiv. Now, that day has come,” he added. 

Blinken did not specify how many US diplomats would be operating out of the embassy. He noted that there are additional safety measures in place — with “enhanced our security measures and protocols” — to keep the returning US diplomats safe. 

“We are committed to confronting the challenges ahead. The war rages on. Russia’s forces inflict death and destruction on Ukrainian soil every day. Millions of Ukrainians are displaced from their homes and mourn the loss of their loved ones. With strength of purpose, we reaffirm our commitment to the people and government of Ukraine, and we look forward to carrying out our mission from the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv,” Blinken said.

If you are catching up on the latest developments on Russian invasion of Ukraine on Wednesday, here’s what you need to know:

The NATO alliance doesn’t expect significant gains for either side of the battlefield in Ukraine in coming weeks, a NATO military official with knowledge of the intelligence told CNN on Wednesday. 

According to the official, the current NATO discussion is that the momentum has shifted significantly in favor of Ukraine and the debate within NATO circles is now over whether it is possible for Kyiv to retake Crimea and the Donbas territories seized by Russia and Russian-backed separatists, respectively, in 2014. 

“I think they could [retake Crimea and the Donbas], yes,” the official said. “Not now, not soon, but if they can keep up the fight I think so.”

“I do question if they actually should fight to get their territory back,” referencing a potential backlash by the local population in some of those areas. 

The Ukrainian armed forces say they have recaptured another settlement in the Kharkiv region, as troops continue their counter-attacks in the area.

They also reported heavy fighting in the Luhansk region, where Russian forces continue attempts to destroy Ukrainian defenses.

In Kharkiv, the general staff said Wednesday that “as a result of the offensive of our troops, the settlement of Dementiivka was liberated.”

Dementiivka is about 20 miles (35 kilometers) north of Kharkiv.

The general staff said fighting continued in other parts of the area and Russian forces were advancing around the village of Ternova, close to the border north-east of Kharkiv. 

The Russians appear to be trying to block Ukrainian forces from advancing towards their nearby supply lines inside Ukraine.

Elsewhere the Ukrainian National Guard reported that in Luhansk region, its Rapid Reaction Brigade had destroyed bridges to stop the advance of Russian forces towards the cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk. Video posted by the National Guard indicates the bridges were destroyed in the past few days.  

It said that blowing up the bridges would help the defense of areas still under Ukrainian control.

In the same area, the general staff reported air strikes against several towns along the front lines, as well as areas around the town of Bakhmut, a key hub for Ukrainian defensive efforts. It said that attempts to break through Ukrainian lines in the Adviivka area had been repelled.

Ukrainian units also continue to hold off Russian forces trying to advance south into Donetsk region, according to the general staff, which said they inflicted losses on the Russians around Dovhenke, north-west of the strategically important city of Sloviansk. The Russians have been trying to break through in that area for more than a month.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Wednesday signaled US officials will likely end a carve-out in Western sanctions that has allowed Russia to continue making payments on its debt and avoid a default.

Speaking at a press conference in Germany, Yellen said it is “reasonably likely” to expect the license will be allowed to expire on May 25. 

“There has not been a final decision on that. But I think it’s unlikely it would continue,” Yellen said. 

Such a move would effectively block Russia from paying US bondholders, raising the risk of a default. Russia has not defaulted on its foreign debt since the Bolshevik revolution more than a century ago. 

US sanctions introduced after Russia invaded Ukraine ban transactions with Russia’s central bank, finance ministry and national wealth fund. However, the Treasury Department issued a license that allows for transactions related to debt payments.

“When we first imposed sanctions on Russia, we created an exemption that would allow a period of time for an orderly transition to take place and for investors to be able to sell securities,” Yellen said. “And the expectation was that it was time-limited.”

Yellen signaled she is not concerned about the potential spillover caused by ending the license.

“Russia is not able right now to borrow in global financial markets. It has no access to capital markets,” Yellen said. “If Russia is unable to find a legal way to make these payments and they technically default on their debt, I don’t think that really represents a significant change in Russia’s situation. They’re already cut off from global capital markets and that would continue.”

Ibrahim Kalin, the spokesperson for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, held phone calls with his counterparts from Sweden and Finland as well as Germany, the US and the UK to discuss NATO membership applications of Sweden and Finland, among other topics.

“In the context of Sweden and Finland’s membership applications to NATO, the expectation that concrete steps will be taken to address Turkey’s national security concerns was communicated. It was underlined that if Turkey’s expectations were not met, the progress of the process would not be possible,” according to a readout of the meeting.

“During the meetings, it was also emphasized that it is unacceptable to allow the terrorist organization PKK/PYD/YPG and FETO members to exist in NATO members and other countries. It was stated that there should be no discrimination between terrorist organizations and that all forms of terrorism should be fought in a spirit of unity and solidarity,” the readout added.

Erdogan has accused the two countries of harboring members of the separatist militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, and supporters of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey accuses of masterminding a 2016 coup attempt, which Gulen denies. The PKK has been designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. Erdogan also said Sweden did not extradite 30 people whom Turkey sees linked to terrorism. 

According to the readout, the reversal of defense export bans and of sanctions against Turkey were also addressed.

Earlier on Wednesday, Erdogan told his party’s members of parliament in Ankara that he expects NATO member countries to “understand” Turkey’s security issues. 

Ukrainian forces in the northeastern Kharkiv region targeted a Russian tank, with the tank firing back as well, according to new videos circulating on social media. 

CNN has geolocated and verified the authenticity of the videos. It’s unclear when the firefight with the tank happened, but it took place near the village of Nove, just 8 miles (about 12 kilometers) south of the Ukraine-Russia border. 

The three videos show a Russian tank near a network of trenches dug on the western shoulder of Highway 105. Troops are seen in the trenches, but it’s unclear whether they are Russian or Ukrainian. 

The Russian tank was seen on fire, spinning around and then firing. 

Although it’s unclear how the tank caught on fire, the second video gives some indication of what may have started it. In the video, the tank was seen heading north back toward the border and Russian-occupied territory, as well as toward a Ukrainian soldier equipped with a shoulder-fired missile. 

The tank fired repeatedly in the direction where the soldier was last seen.

In a third video, a shoulder fired-missile was seen almost hitting the tank. Suddenly, the tank was seen firing and then crashing into a line of trees on the side of the road.

If Sweden joins NATO, the country will make the alliance “better at defending ourselves,” US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said during opening remarks ahead of a bilateral meeting with Swedish Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist at the Pentagon on Wednesday.

“Your capabilities are modern, relevant and significant, and your addition to the alliance will make us all better at defending ourselves. And of course, that’s especially important at this crucial time,” Austin said, as the war in Ukraine continues.

“The United States strongly supports Sweden’s application for NATO membership,” Austin added.

Austin thanked Sweden for its help in supporting Ukraine through the past two-and-a-half months of the war. 

“Sweden has joined the United States and our allies and partners in rushing urgently needed security assistance and humanitarian aid to the brave people of Ukraine,” Austin said. “Your leadership has helped bring renewed resolve and resolve to the Swedish defense and security establishment.” 

Sweden has decided to formally apply to NATO for membership this week, along with Finland.

Hultqvist said Russia’s war in Ukraine poses a “long-term threat to European security,” and called it a “time where the democracies of Europe and North America must stand together against Russia’s naked aggression.”

While the US and Sweden already work together militarily, Hultqvist said that “things have changed” because of Russia’s invasion.

“We’ve done a lot together to make interoperability to exercise together and to develop the relationship between our armed forces,” Hultqvist said. “From our point of view, we’ve seen it as something that has given stability to our part of Europe, but the war in Ukraine is a reality and things have changed.”

Hultqvist called Sweden’s decision to apply for NATO membership a “manifestation of our commitment to transatlantic security and transatlantic cooperation.”

“In tying our security even more closely to the security of the United States and others, we are exercising our right to make our own choices in providing for our security,” Hultqvist added.

US President Joe Biden on Thursday is set to welcome the Prime Minister of Sweden and the President of Finland to the White House in a key show of support.

The leaders are expected to discuss Finland and Sweden’s NATO applications, European security and support for Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

A Kyiv district court heard charges against a captured Russian soldier on Wednesday, as the country’s first war crime trial of symbolic importance gathers pace.

The Russian soldier stands accused of murder and “violating the laws and customs of war” under Article 438 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code. 

21-year-old Vadim Shishimarin pleaded “fully” guilty on Wednesday and is facing a life sentence. 

In a detailed outline of events, the prosecutor told the court that Shishimarin, along with four other Russian servicemen, stole a vehicle to hide from the shelling by Ukrainian forces. The group drove into the village of Chupakhivka, where they encountered an unarmed resident riding a bicycle and talking on a mobile phone. 

“Under the impression that the civilian intended to inform on them to Ukrainian Armed Forces, one of the soldiers ordered Shishimarin to kill the civilian,” the prosecutor said. 

Citing articles 50 and 51 of the 1949 Geneva Convention, the prosecutor accused Shishimarin of firing several targeted shots using a Kalashnikov rifle from the back window of his car, hitting the victim in the head. 

“The victim died from fractured skull injuries after the five soldiers left the scene,” the prosecutor said. After several days of hiding, the group eventually surrendered to local residents, the prosecutor added.

The trial has been adjourned until Thursday because too many members of the media were crowding the courtroom.

The judges will hear testimony from Shishimarin on Thursday, as well as from the victims’ widow. Two other witnesses will testify on behalf of the prosecution, including a Russian soldier present at the scene of the crime.

It is the first war crimes trial held since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. The prosecutor expects there to be many more. So far, more than 12,000 war crimes have been recorded by Ukrainian authorities.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his party’s members of parliament in Ankara that he expects NATO member countries to “understand” Turkey’s security issues over Finland and Sweden’s bids to join the alliance.

“We expect our allies to understand, respect and support our sensitivity. We have a sensitivity to protect our borders against terrorism. None of our allies showed respect to this sensitivity as we expected,” he said. 

Erdogan said last week that he does not view the NATO applications of Sweden and Finland “positively” and would not support it if they sanction Turkey. 

“NATO’s enlargement is meaningful to us only to the extent that our sensitivities are respected. Asking us for support to NATO membership while providing every kind of support to the PKK/YPG terrorist organization amounts to incoherence, to say the least,” Erdogan added. 

Erdogan accused the two countries of harboring members of the separatist militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, and supporters of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey accuses of masterminding a 2016 coup attempt, which Gulen denies. 

The PKK has been designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. 

Erdogan also said Sweden did not extradite 30 people whom Turkey sees linked to terrorism. 

“You will not hand over terrorists to us, but you will ask us to support you to join NATO. We cannot say ‘yes’ to making this security organization deprived of security,” he said. 

“They wanted to come on Monday. Do not bother, there is no need,” he added, regarding the high-level diplomatic delegation that was expected to come for the talks over the issue.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken blamed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for “adding another 40 million people to those who are food insecure.”

“There was a preexisting condition, as it were, when it comes to food insecurity in many places. It’s been exacerbated dramatically by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, adding another 40 million people to those who are food insecure,” said Blinken in remarks before a meeting with Pakistani Foreign Minister Bhutto Zardari.

Blinken is in New York to attend a ministerial on food security in the afternoon.

“We’re coming together… to look at concrete steps we can take to address the food insecurity issues, to help people in need around the world,” said Blinken.

More context: The Biden administration is working closely with European allies to try to develop routes to get Ukrainian wheat and corn out of the country after Russia blocked Ukrainian ships from departing with grain that is vital for food supplies around the world, particularly in Africa and the Middle East.

There is no silver bullet to solve the complicated challenge and officials are considering a wide array of options to get the food exports safely out by rail, sea and air, two US diplomats and four European diplomats told CNN. Possible scenarios are being studied and devised whether Russia consents or not. 

The challenge is a major focus for Blinken as he convenes a ministerial meeting on food security and chairs a discussion on the matter at the United Nations in New York on Wednesday and Thursday, the diplomats said.  

The war crimes trial of a 21-year-old Russian soldier has been adjourned until Thursday because too many members of the media were crowding the courtroom in Kyiv.

Vadim Shishimarin appeared before the first war crimes trial since Russia invaded Ukraine back in February. He is accused of killing an unarmed 62-year-old civilian man in Ukraine’s Sumy region, according to the country’s prosecutor general’s office.

Shishimarin said “fully” guilty when asked how he pleaded. The Russian soldier appeared in a glass box in the packed court room at Kyiv courthouse, faced with dozens of cameras. He declined to speak when he was asked by the court. 

Shishimarin, wearing a blue-gray top with a shaved head, was seen listening to his Ukrainian-Russian interpreter as he was read the charges. His defense lawyer Viktor Ovsyannikov sat on the same bench as the interpreter. 

The victim’s family was also in courtroom and was due to testify.

The Kremlin’s response: Russia said it still has no details about Shishimarin’s case in Ukraine, and it considers the charges “unacceptable,” “outrageous” and “staged,” according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

“We still have no information about this case. And the ability to provide assistance is also very limited due to the absence of our diplomatic mission [in Ukraine]. But once again I repeat, I do not have any information on this case,” Peskov said at his daily press briefing on Wednesday.

When asked about the Kremlin’s position on charges of war crimes allegedly committed by the Russian military in Ukraine, Peskov said the accusations were “unacceptable” and claimed that most were “staged incidents.”

CNN’s Saskya Vandoorne, Daria Markina and Melissa Bell contributed reporting to this post.

Amnesty International has said that Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered at the Azovstal plant in Mariupol must not be ill-treated and should get immediate access to the International Red Cross.

“Ukraine’s soldiers deployed in Mariupol area have been dehumanized by Russian media and portrayed in Putin’s propaganda as ‘neo-Nazis’ throughout Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine,” said Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty’s deputy director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

“This characterization raises serious concerns over their fate as prisoners of war,” he said. “Prisoners of war must not be subjected to any form of torture or ill-treatment, and should be given immediate access to the International Committee of the Red Cross. The relevant authorities must fully respect the rights of prisoners of war in accordance with the Geneva conventions.”

Amnesty had documented summary killings of captives by Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine as well as extra-judicial executions of Ukrainian civilians by Russian forces, Krivosheev said.

“The soldiers who surrendered today must not meet the same fate,” Amnesty said.

The Russian foreign ministry spokesperson said, “no one should doubt” that the fighters will be treated in accordance with international law.

Humanitarian laws “are sacred for the Russian side,” Maria Zakharova said at a Foreign Ministry briefing underway in Moscow. 

Russian personnel are providing medical help to the injured Ukrainian soldiers, Zakharova said, adding “this is not for show” and will continue. 

The leader of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic, Denis Pushilin, said that Ukrainian commanders inside the Azovstal plant in Mariupol are not among those who have so far surrendered.

Both the DPR and the Russian defense ministry said that about 960 of the Azovstal defenders have surrendered. Some have been taken to hospitals but most were taken on buses to a detention center at Olenivka inside the DPR, according to video Tuesday. 

Donetsk’s news agency quoted Pushilin as saying that “at the moment, there are no top-ranking commanders — they have not left (the Azovstal plant). But this is for now.”

CNN is unable to verify Pushilin’s comments, and it’s not known how many Ukrainian soldiers remain inside the plant.

The Ukrainian side has not given an update on the number who have left Azovstal or on the status of negotiations for their exchange for Russian prisoners.

Ukraine’s military announced late Monday that its forces had completed their “combat mission” at the sprawling Azovstal steelworks plant, which was for weeks the last major holdout in a city otherwise occupied by Russian troops.

Finland’s main gas company, Gasum, is warning that Russian gas supplies could be cut off this weekend.

In a statement, the firm said: “Gasum considers there to be a real risk of the natural gas supplies under the company’s gas supply contract ending and that it is likely that imports of natural gas from Russia to Finland will cease either late on Friday, May 20 or on Saturday, May 21, 2022. Gasum has not received any information about the matter from Gazprom Export or from the Russian transmission operator.”

Gasum said it is preparing for this situation with customers and the government, and it is working on other sources for supplies.

On Tuesday, Gasum said it would not pay for Russian gas in rubles or use Gazprom’s proposed payment scheme for gas. In a statement, the company said negotiations over a long-term gas contract with Gazprom were in dispute, and it was taking Gazprom to arbitration to try and resolve the matter. 

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed on Wednesday new macro-financial assistance to Ukraine of up to 9 billion euros ($9.5 billion) this year.

“We will continue to be by their side throughout this war and when they will rebuild their country,” von der Leyen said during a broadcast statement.

“Of course we need to think about the day after and the wider reconstruction efforts,” she said, adding that the EU has “a strategic interest in leading this reconstruction effort.”

The European Union Commission announced a 210 billion euro plan ($221 billion) on Wednesday to boost the bloc’s target for renewable energy from 40% to 45% by 2030, as part of efforts to move away from Russian hydrocarbons. 

“This will be the ‘speedcharging’ of our European Green Deal,” EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told journalists Wednesday. “Today, we’re taking our ambition to another level to make sure that we become independent on Russian energy as quickly as possible.”

The Commission’s proposals would see the EU’s total renewable energy generation capacities increase to 1236 GW by 2030, with greater reliance on solar and bio methane energy, as well as accelerated electrification of European heavy industry.

As part of the plan, Von der Leyen also promised to speed up permits for renewable energy infrastructure, from as long as six to nine years currently to obtain permits for a wind turbine park down to one year. 

The so-called REPowerEU plan proposes a near doubling in the EU’s current solar photovoltaic capacity by 2025, to more than 320 GW of supply, with a total of 600 GW installed by 2030, the bloc said. Proposed measures will also see a “gradual obligation to install solar rooftop panels in certain buildings,” according to the Commission. 

These additional solar energy capacities could replace the consumption of 9 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas annually by 2027, per the Commission’s press release. The EU imported 358 bcm of natural gas in 2019, according to the bloc.

Reliance on Russia makes the EU “vulnerable,” and ending the “dependency” is imperative,” she added. “I am deeply convinced we can,” said von der Leyen.

Russia said Wednesday that nearly 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers have surrendered at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol since Monday. It comes the day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that evacuations at the plant – a powerful symbol of Ukrainian resistance in the otherwise Russian-occupied city – were still ongoing.

Meanwhile, Finland and Sweden have formally handed in their applications to join NATO, the military alliance’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday, in defiance of Russian warnings.

Here are the latest developments on the war in Ukraine:

Here’s a look at the latest situation on the ground:

Ukrainian officials in the Donetsk region said the whole front line is being “shelled day and night” by Russian forces.

Pavlo Kyrylenko, head of Donetsk region military administration, said that settlements — namely Bakhmut, Kostiantynivka and Soledar — more than 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) from the front line were also being attacked with air strikes.

CNN geolocated a large fire Tuesday at an industrial plant near Soledar, which belongs to a German company that makes building materials.

The Russian defense ministry said Wednesday that warehouses of missile, artillery weapons and ammunition had been attacked in Soledar and Bakhmut.

Kyrylenko confirmed that the Russians had tried to break through Ukrainian lines northeast of the city of Sloviansk.

“This was the large-scale offensive in Donbas region, which started from the north of the region, from the Dolyna settlement,” he said. The village is about 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Sloviansk. 

“Having lost a lot of troops and equipment, the enemy changed direction and moved towards Lyman,” Kyrylenko said. “We are ready for their attacks; they are clear to us,” he said.

On a different front close to the city of Donetsk, Kyrylenko said that “the enemy outnumbers [us] with its equipment and troops but we have been eliminating them.”

Russian forces also focused around the town of Avdiivka, where “there were attempts at a breakthrough,” he said.

Russia has declared 34 French diplomats “persona non grata” in the country in response to a decision by France to expel 41 Russian diplomats in April, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. 

French Ambassador to Moscow Pierre Levy was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday, and “strong protest was expressed in connection with the provocative and unjustified decision” of French authorities to declare 41 Russian diplomats in France “persona non grata,” the ministry said. 

“It was emphasized that this act inflicts serious damage to Russian-French relations and constructive bilateral cooperation,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said. 

“As a response, 34 French diplomats have been declared ‘persona non grata’,” the ministry added. “They were ordered to leave the territory of Russia within two weeks from the date of delivery of the relevant note to the Ambassador.”

France issued a statement and said it “strongly condemns” this move.

“The work of these diplomats and the staff of our embassy in Russia, whose courage and great professionalism France salutes, is fully within the framework of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic and consular relations. The decision of the Russian authorities has no legitimate basis. We can only condemn it.”

In a similar fashion, Russia also expelled 27 Spanish diplomats in Russia in response to a decision by Spain to expel 27 Russian diplomats from the country in April, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement Wednesday.

The Russian foreign ministry has been expelling employees of many embassies in similar retaliatory moves. Some of the most recent countries that received a similar response from Moscow include Finland, Germany, Bulgaria, Poland, Denmark and Norway among others.

A long line of journalists has formed outside a Kyiv courthouse, despite the morning drizzle, to hear from Vadim Shishimarin, the first Russian soldier to be tried for war crimes since the war began.

Shishimarin is expected to take the stand for the first time after a preliminary hearing that was held last Friday.

His lawyer told CNN that Shishimarin, who is accused of shooting an unarmed civilian in the Sumy region four days after the war began, will be entering a plea.

It is the first war crimes trial held since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. The prosecutor expects there to be many more.

So far, more than 12,000 war crimes have been recorded by Ukrainian authorities.

After Renault announced its departure this week from the Russian auto market amid the country’s war with Ukraine, Moscow’s mayor announced its factory will be used to restart the defunct Soviet-era Moskvich car brand.

Little known outside the former Soviet Union and its satellite countries, Moskvich was founded around 1930 and operated until 1991.

As with many car brands from Communist bloc countries, Moskvich struggled with quality problems.

The Muskovich 408 of the 1960s, which had a 50-horsepower engine, was even cited by Soviet officials for numerous defects, according to the book “Cars for Comrades” by Lewis Siegelbaum.

The author describes it, simply, as a “terrible car.”

Read the full story here:

Moskvich automobiles shown in 1989.

Related article Russia needs cars, so it's rebooting this Soviet-era brand

The Russian Defense Ministry says that “rocket troops and artillery” hit a Ukrainian battery of recently arrived US howitzers.

At its daily briefing Wednesday, the ministry said that its forces hit “a Ukrainian battery of 155-millimeter M777 howitzers made in the United States in the area of the village of Podgorne.”

The ministry released video that showed a detonation close to what appears to be one of the howitzers, but the 10-second clip did not confirm that the M777 had been damaged or destroyed.

Some background: Last week, a senior US defense official said the US has delivered “more than 85” of the 90 howitzers, long-range weapons, that were pledged to Ukraine.

The official also said that “more than 310” Ukrainian soldiers have completed training on the howitzers.

On Friday, a senior US defense official added that the “vast majority” of the 89 M777 howitzer artillery systems the US has given to Ukraine are “in the fight” and are in a “forward-deployed setting.”

The fate of Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol should be decided in court, according to Denis Pushilin, leader of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).

“Regardless of the emotions of some [people], I heard various opinions. If an adversary laid down their arms, their fate is decided by a court,” he added. “If this is a Nazi criminal, then by a court martial.”

Most of the soldiers at Azovstal who surrendered are being held in DPR territory at Orlenivka.

On Tuesday, Russian investigators announced they would interrogate those described as “the surrendered militants” who were evacuated from the Azovstal plant.

The Biden administration is working closely with European allies to try to develop routes to get Ukrainian wheat and corn out of the country after Russia blocked Ukrainian ships from departing with grain that is vital for food supplies around the world, particularly in Africa and the Middle East.

There is no silver bullet to solve the complicated challenge, and officials are considering a wide array of options to get the food exports safely out by rail, sea and air, two US diplomats and four European diplomats told CNN.

Possible scenarios are being studied and devised whether Russia consents or not.

Read the full story here:

Related article US and allies struggle to come up with plans to get vital grain supplies out of Ukraine | CNN Politics

AerCap Holdings, the aircraft leasing giant that is the world’s largest owner of jets, lost 113 planes when Russia seized them in response to sanctions triggered by the war in Ukraine.

The seizures of the planes and 11 jet engines by Russian authorities caused AerCap to take a $2.7 billion pre-tax charge during the quarter, causing the company to report a net loss of $2 billion rather than the $500 million profit it would have made without the hit.

But company executives said the quarter was actually a good one and they see better times ahead as global demand for flying continues to recover from the Covid pandemic.

Read the full story here:

The tail of an Airbus A321-211 aircraft of Russian airline Aeroflot with registration VP-BOE is seen over the wall of the long term parking for planes of Geneva Airport on March 25, 2022. Due to sanctions imposed on Russia over the country's invasion of Ukraine, Russian carrier Aeroflot was banned from the airspace of whole Switzerland.

Related article World's largest aircraft owner lost 113 planes to Russia due to sanctions

Europe can’t make up its mind on how to pay for Russia natural gas imports that continue to fuel homes, businesses and power stations.

The confusion centers on the logistics of the payments themselves. Several European gas buyers have been preparing to work around the Kremlin’s demand that gas bills be paid in rubles, rather than the euros or dollars stipulated in contracts.

According to Russia’s new payment mechanism, buyers in “unfriendly” countries must open two accounts at Gazprombank – one in euros and the second in rubles, from which payments for the gas would be made.

But on Tuesday, the European Commission said companies opening an account in Russia’s Gazprombank to allow their payments to be converted into rubles would fall foul of EU sanctions.

That statement appeared to contradict guidance the Commission gave just four days earlier, which led some of Europe’s biggest energy companies to assume they could get around the currency issue by opening two accounts with the Russian bank.

It comes as several large European companies are attempting to pay their bills on time without violating sanctions.

Read the full story here:

Steam is seen from cooling towers of German energy giant RWE power AG in Neurath, Germany on April 1, 2022 as RWE shuts down 300 megawatt unit A in Neurath power plant on April 1 amid the Russian president threatened to halt contracts supplying Europe gas. (Photo by Ying Tang/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Related article Europe is still confused about how to pay its Russian gas bills

Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak, who received criticism outside of Russia for wearing a pro-war symbol on a podium next to a Ukrainian athlete, has received a one-year ban for his actions.

The 20-year-old wore a ‘Z’ symbol taped to his leotard while standing next to ​Ukrainian gymnast ​Illia Kovtun on a podium in March – Kovtun won gold and Kuliak picked up bronze in the parallel bars at the gymnastics World Cup event in Doha, Qatar.

The ‘Z’ insignia has been displayed on tanks and vehicles used by the Russian military and has become a symbol of support for the invasion of Ukraine.

The International Gymnastics Federation criticized Kuliak for his “shocking behavior” and has now been banned for 12 months by the Gymnastics Ethics Foundation and told he must return his medal.

Read the full story here:

Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak who was criticized for 'shocking behaviour' after wearing 'Z' symbol during the games.

Related article Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak banned for one year after wearing pro-war symbol on podium

The Russian Defense Ministry says nearly 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers have surrendered at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol since Monday.

Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Wednesday that a total of 959 Ukrainian soldiers, including 80 wounded, had laid down their arms and surrendered since May 16.

He reaffirmed that 51 wounded were sent to the hospital at Novoazovsk, which is in the self-declared region of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).

Konashenkov said that in the past day alone 694 Ukrainian “militants” had surrendered at Azovstal.

The DPR gave similar figures, saying that altogether 962 Ukrainian soldiers have surrendered since May 16.

CNN is unable to confirm the Russian tally.

The Ukrainian side has not given an update on the number who have left Azovstal nor on the status of negotiations for their exchange for Russian prisoners.

Most of the Azovstal soldiers appear to have been taken to Olenivka, a town near the front lines but in territory controlled by the DPR.

Some background: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday the negotiation process on evacuating the last soldiers from the Azovstal steel plant continues with Russia.

It follows the end of Ukrainian forces’ “combat mission” at the complex, which was for weeks the last major holdout in a city otherwise occupied by Russian troops.

Ukraine said it expects to carry out an exchange of Russian prisoners of war for the severely injured soldiers.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has announced a plan to speed up the world’s switch to renewable energy, saying that the war in Ukraine was a wake-up call for the globe to ditch fossil fuels.

Speaking at the launch of the World Meteorological Organization’s State of the Global Climate 2021 report, Guterres described the findings as “a dismal litany of humanity’s failure to tackle climate disruption.”

“The global energy system is broken and bringing us ever closer to climate catastrophe. Fossil fuels are a dead end – environmentally and economically,” he will say, according to prepared remarks. 

“The war in Ukraine and its immediate effects on energy prices is yet another wake-up call. The only sustainable future is a renewable one. We must end fossil fuel pollution and accelerate the renewable energy transition, before we incinerate our only home,” he said, adding “time is running out.”

In his plan, Guterres proposed:

The leaders of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania endorsed “the historic decisions” by Finland and Sweden to apply for NATO membership in a joint statement on Wednesday.

“Finland and Sweden share the same values that bind the NATO Allies together, and share our commitment to the principles that constitute the foundation of Euro-Atlantic security,” the leaders said.
“The accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO will enhance our collective security and strengthen the Alliance.”

The statement was made by Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, Latvian Prime Minister Arturs Krišjanis Karinš, and Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė.

“The Baltic States together with Finland and Sweden share the responsibility for peaceful, secure, and prosperous Nordic Baltic region,” they said.

“In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the NATO’s role as a defensive Alliance that strives for peace, security, and stability in the whole of the Euro-Atlantic has become even more important. We are looking forward to working together with Finland and Sweden within the Alliance to achieve these goals.”

Finland and Sweden have handed in their applications to join NATO, the military alliance’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday.

“The applications you have made today are an historic step. Allies will now consider the next steps on your path to NATO,” Stoltenberg said after receiving the applications from the Finnish and Swedish ambassadors at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
“The security interests of all allies have to be taken into account and we are determined to work through all issues and reach rapid conclusions.”

Stoltenberg made the comments alongside Klaus Korhonen, the ambassador of Finland to NATO, and Axel Wernhoff, the ambassador of Sweden to NATO.

Ukrainian military officials say the Russians have stepped up their efforts to destroy Ukrainian defenses in the Luhansk region, bringing in 15 helicopters to reinforce the offensive.

Ukrainian defenses around the cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk remain under intense pressure from artillery bombardments and air attacks, which have also increased in villages further south, such as Vrubivka.

Why this area: Russian forces are trying to break through Ukrainian lines in this area and complete the seizure of Luhansk. They control about 90% of the region, according to most estimates.

Serhiy Hayday, head of Luhansk region military administration, said four civilians had been killed in the latest fighting and the nitrogen plant in Severodonetsk had been hit again.

“The Russian world destroys everything in its path trying to impose that kind of life in Luhansk region — without people, houses, factories,” he said.

Hayday said the city had withstood 15 artillery attacks on Tuesday.

Fresh attacks in Donetsk: The General Staff of the Ukrainian armed forces also acknowledged fresh attacks by Russian forces toward Sloviansk in the Donetsk region.

For weeks, Russian forces have been trying to push south to complete the takeover of Donetsk. The General Staff said Russian forces were trying to encircle Ukrainian units around the town of Lyman and were trying to gain full control over the nearby settlement of Drobysheve.

If they succeed, Ukrainian defenses in Lyman would be vulnerable to attack from three directions. There was heavy artillery fire in the area on Tuesday.

Further north: In Kharkiv, the General Staff said the Russians continued to shell villages north of the city to hinder Ukraine’s counteroffensive, which has taken Ukrainian troops to the Russian border in several places.

Elsewhere, without giving details, the General Staff said “the enemy continues to shell artillery positions of our troops and civilian infrastructure in the border settlements of Chernihiv and Sumy regions.”

Human Rights Watch says it has documented a litany of alleged crimes against civilians in the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions of northern Ukraine.

A HRW team visiting the area in April and May said it “investigated 22 apparent summary executions, nine other unlawful killings, six possible enforced disappearances, and seven cases of torture,” according to a report released Wednesday.

The alleged crimes are believed to have been carried out in February and March by Russian troops as they controlled much of the area. 

HRW said it had interviewed 65 people between April 10 and May 10, including the families of victims and people who said they had been detained and tortured by Russian troops.

The group said it has compiled physical evidence further implicating Russian troops in “numerous violations of the laws of war that may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.”

Among testimonies collected by HRW was that of 66-year-old Anastasia Andriivna from the Kyiv region, who said she found her adult son’s body in a barn after he was apparently executed.

“He was lying there in a fetal position, with his hands tucked under his head, and his jacket draped over his shoulders,” Andriivna told HRW.

The organization also reported testimony from villagers who said they were among 350 people kept for 28 days in a cramped and squalid basement in Yahidne, near Chernihiv. Other villagers there were killed by Russian troops, HRW said.

HRW’s Europe and Central Asia director Giorgi Gogia called the alleged Russian atrocities “abhorrent, unlawful and cruel.”

Finland and Sweden will hand in their NATO applications on Wednesday, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said during a joint news conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö.

Here’s why that matters:

Will their bids to join succeed?

What next?

How has Russia reacted?

Read more here.

The evacuation mission at the Azovstol steel plant in Mariupol continues, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday. It follows the end of Ukrainian forces’ “combat mission” at the complex, which was for weeks the last major holdout in a city otherwise occupied by Russian troops.

Here are the latest developments on the war in Ukraine:

Here’s a look at the latest situation on the ground:

President Joe Biden on Thursday will welcome the Prime Minister of Sweden and the President of Finland to the White House in a key show of support days after both countries announced they would seek to join NATO.

The leaders are expected to discuss Finland and Sweden’s NATO applications, European security and support for Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

Both countries are looking to join the military alliance after Russia’s assault on Ukraine sparked renewed security concerns across the region. Their historic bids to join NATO represent a dramatic evolution in European security and geopolitics.

The US and other NATO leaders have expressed support for Finland and Sweden joining the military alliance.

Read more:

The White House is seen on July 3, 2021 in Washington, DC. - Washington, DC prepares to host the annual Independence Day fireworks display on the National Mall on July 4 as the country recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic

Related article Biden to host leaders of Sweden and Finland at White House as countries look to join NATO

After almost three months of intense bombardment, thousands of reported deaths and countless tales of horror and starvation, the battle for the city of Mariupol is nearing its conclusion.

Ukraine’s military announced late Monday that its forces had completed their “combat mission” at the sprawling Azovstal steelworks plant, which was for weeks the last major holdout in a city otherwise occupied by Russian troops. Hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers were evacuated from the facility and efforts were underway to evacuate those still inside.

Mariupol, a port city on the Sea of Azov, has been the scene of some of the most intense fighting since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in late February. It was there that Russia carried out deadly strikes on a maternity ward and the bombing of a theater where hundreds of civilians had sought refuge from the violence.

Now there are fears that evidence of further atrocities may be lost forever.

Before the Kremlin took control of Mariupol, the city council accused Russian forces of trying to erase evidence, using mobile crematoria to dispose of bodies and identifying witnesses to any “atrocities” through filtration camps. CNN could not verify that claim.

The Kremlin has denied many of these claims, including using filtration camps to cover up wrongdoing and targeting civilians in Mariupol.

Read the full analysis:

A view shows graves of civilians killed during Ukraine-Russia conflict by the roadside in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine April 18, 2022. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko

Related article The fall of Mariupol could conceal war crimes evidence from the world and give Russia's offensive a boost

In rare public criticism of the conduct of Russia’s military operations in Ukraine, a former senior Russian officer has warned on state television that the situation will get worse.

“Let’s not drink ‘information tranquilizers,’ because sometimes information is spread about some moral or psychological breakdown of Ukraine’s armed forces, as if they are nearing a crisis of morale or a fracture,” retired Col. Mikhail Khodarenok said on Monday’s edition of Rossiya One’s 60 Minutes show. “None of this is close to reality.”

Despite pushback from the show’s presenter, Khodarenok said Ukraine could arm 1 million people. 

“Considering that European aid will come into full effect and 1 million armed Ukrainian soldiers can join the fight, we need to see this reality of the near future, and we need to consider that in our operational and strategic calculations. The situation for us will frankly get worse,” he said.

Khodarenok, a regular commentator in Russian media, also commented on Russia’s broader isolation.

“Let’s look at this situation as a whole from our overall strategic position,” he said. “Let’s not swing missiles in Finland’s direction — this just looks ridiculous. The biggest problem with our military and political situation is that we are in total geopolitical isolation. And the whole world is against us — even if we don’t want to admit it.”

Khodarenok warned before the invasion started that it would be more difficult than many anticipated to wage war in Ukraine.

In an article in February, he said, “the degree of hatred (which, as you know, is the most effective fuel for armed struggle) in the neighboring republic towards Moscow is frankly underestimated. No one will meet the Russian army with bread, salt and flowers in Ukraine.”

Expert claims that Russian forces will defeat Ukraine in a short period of time “have no serious grounds,” he had said.

The US State Department on Tuesday announced the launch of a new program “to capture, analyze, and make widely available evidence of Russia-perpetrated war crimes and other atrocities in Ukraine.”

The program, called the Conflict Observatory, “encompasses the documentation, verification, and dissemination of open-source evidence regarding the actions of Russia’s forces during President Putin’s brutal war of choice,” according to a media note from the State Department.

“The Conflict Observatory will analyze and preserve publicly and commercially available information, including satellite imagery and information shared via social media, consistent with international legal standards, for use in ongoing and future accountability mechanisms,” the note said. “This includes maintaining rigorous chain-of-custody procedures for future civil and criminal legal processes under appropriate jurisdictions.”

The information will be shared publicly via an online platform, the statement added.

The State Department said the program is a collaboration with “Esri, a leading geographic information systems company, Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab, the Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative, and PlanetScape Ai,” and the “the U.S. government has also contributed commercial satellite imagery to these efforts.”

The State Department said it expects international partner organizations to join the program. Reports will be available at ConflictObservatory.org website.