Faster weapon deliveries needed to counter Russian onslaughtpublished at 11:36 British Summer Time 12 June 2022

11:36 BST 12 June 2022

Chris Partridge
BBC News

Image source, Getty Images

Ukraine has appealed to the West for faster deliveries of heavy weapons to counter the onslaught of Russian forces in the east of the country.

While Ukraine has been successful in pushing back Russian attacks in Donetsk province, the growing strength of Moscow’s ground forces is proving increasingly difficult for Kyiv.

It seems Russia is learning the lessons of good support and good logistics, the problems of which led to its troops having to withdraw from those northern areas surrounding Kyiv early on in this war.

In Donbas, where the focus of the fight is taking place, Russian forces are closer to their border to improve the flow of weapons and equipment.

The problems for Ukraine are exacerbated by the fact that it is running very low on ammunition. According to one adviser to the Kyiv government, Russia is firing as many as 50,000 artillery rounds – a day. Ukraine can only hit back with a tenth of that rate.

The West has supplied huge amounts of weaponry – and it’s not going to end soon. The United States has committed 108 heavy-duty M777 howitzers – with 220,000 rounds of ammunition, amongst other things. The vast majority is already on the battlefield.

And the US’s sophisticated HIMARS multiple launch rocket system – with a range of around 45 miles - is more than twice that of howitzer artillery.

But HIMARS won’t get in immediately because it takes several weeks to train Ukrainian forces.

Here is the list of US weaponry supplied so far.

Russian military have destroyed a second bridge linking the neighbouring cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk and are shelling the third one, Serhiy Haidai, governor of the Luhansk region has said.

Russians destroyed the Pavlograd bridge between Severodonetsk and Lysychansk in Ukraine's Luhansk region on 22 May.

Haidai said the situation in Severodonetsk is extremely difficult and the next two days will be decisive, but he added that so far the Russian troops had not been able to take the city.

"They want to completely cut off Severodonetsk from the possibility of either taking people out or bringing ammunition and reinforcements there," Haidai said.

He added Russia will use all their reserves today or tomorrow in order to capture Severodonetsk, and says that they may advance in other directions to cut off the city completely by taking control of the Lysychansk-Bakhmut highway.

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A rocket attack on the western Ukrainian city of Chortkiv has partly destroyed a military facility and injured 22 people, the governor of the Ternopil region has said.

Volodymyr Trush said four missiles had hit the city last night, damaging four apartment buildings.

There we no fatalities but 22 people were taken to hospital with injuries, including a 12-year-old child, Trush told an online briefing.

He added that the missiles were fired from a warship in the Black Sea.

Steve Rosenberg
Reporting from Moscow

Fast food giant McDonald’s pulled out of Russia in protest at the invasion of Ukraine and sold its restaurants here, more than 800, to Russian businessman Alexander Govor.

Today the first rebranded restaurants are re-opening in Moscow.

There’s a new name: “Vkusno i Tochka”, which translates as “Tasty and that’s it.”

Gone are the Golden Arches, replaced by a stylised letter ‘M’ made out of two French fries and a dot (or, perhaps, a burger…?)

Gone are the Big Mac and McFlurry.

But the new owners hope customers won’t notice too many differences. They held a press conference in the flagship restaurant on Pushkin Square, where the very first Moscow McDonald’s opened 32 years ago.

That day I was in the massive queue: it took me three hours to get in and be served. I remember the excitement. The arrival of McDonald’s was a symbol of Soviet Russia embracing western ideas, western culture, western food.

What’s happening here, today, is a symbol, too: of how Russia and the West are moving apart.

We’re not just talking burgers. Many global brands and multinational companies have suspended business in Russia or sold up and pulled out completely in protest at the Russian offensive in Ukraine.

Image source, Reuters

Fifteen former McDonald's restaurants have reopened in Moscow today under new ownership and a new name.

They are called "Vkusno i tochka", which translates to "Tasty and that’s it". The company has said another 50 restaurants will open tomorrow.

McDonald's said it was permanently leaving Russia in May, because of the "humanitarian crisis" and "unpredictable operating environment" caused by the Ukraine war.

It had been operating in the country for more than 30 years, opening its first restaurant in Moscow in January 1990.

The hugely popular fast food chain of 850 restaurants was bought by a Russian company.

Image source, EPA

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has voiced hope that his country will be granted EU candidate status.

In an late-night video address, Zelensky said the final phase of the "big diplomatic marathon" started today.

"And in this marathon we are actually together with the European Union - in one team, and this team has to win.

"I am convinced that this decision can strengthen not only our state, but also the entire European Union," Zelensky said.

He added he is sure that the country will soon receive an answer. Yesterday, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, who held talks with him in Kyiv, said Ukraine will be told next week if it can progress to the next stage of joining the bloc.

Zelensky also spoke of his pride for Ukrainian troops who are defending the key eastern city of Severodonetsk, adding that "fierce" street fighting continues in the city.

"I am proud of all our defenders who managed to stop the advance of these hostile people... and keep our defence strong," he said.

There has been a heavy exchange of fire in Ukraine's eastern city of Lysychansk, in the Luhansk region.

Russian forces are trying to capture it, and its twin city Severodonetsk, in order to take the entire Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the intensity of fighting has made them both "dead cities".

Image source, AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

As we've been reporting, Russian shelling has caused a huge fire at a chemical plant in the key eastern city of Severodonetsk.

In an update this morning, the region's governor has said that Ukraine remains in control of the Azot plant in the city where hundreds of civilians are reportedly sheltering.

"Azot is not blocked, fighting is going on in the streets next to the plant," Serhiy Haidai told Ukrainian TV.

Severodonetsk has become the focal point of Russia's efforts to advance in eastern Ukraine.

Haidai added that he expects Russian forces to use all their efforts to try to capture the city either today or tomorrow.

Joe Inwood
Reporting from Kyiv

The industrial heart of Ukraine is being burned to the ground.

Severodonetsk has been the focal point of Russia’s invasion of the east for weeks now… it seems they are getting ever closer to gaining control of the city.

Ukrainian troops have been forced into an ever smaller pocket – including the huge Azot chemical plant – where hundreds of civilians are sheltering.

According to the regional governor – a huge fire broke out as a result of shelling of the complex.

Sergei Haidai told local TV that the Russians now controlled most of the city – although the situation was “under control”.

In recent days, Ukrainian officials have been warning they are running out of ammunition – as they desperately await new supplies from the west.

Russian shelling has caused a huge fire at a chemical plant in the key eastern city of Severodonetsk where "non-stop" fighting rages, the region's governor says.

Serhiy Haidai told Ukrainian TV that Saturday's blaze started after a leak of tens of tonnes of oil from damaged radiators at the Azot plant.

"The Azot chemical plant has been under heavy shelling for hours," Haidai said.

He did not say if there were any casualties and whether the blaze has been extinguished.

Ukrainian officials estimate that as many as 800 civilians are hiding in underground bomb shelters at the Azot plant.

Describing the current situation in Severodonetsk, Haidai said it was "difficult, but under control".

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Thanks for joining us. We’re resuming our live coverage and will be bringing you the latest developments and analysis of the war in Ukraine throughout the day.

Here's the latest:

• Russian shelling is reported to have caused a huge fire at a chemical plant in the eastern Ukranian city of Severodonetsk
• The regional governor told Ukrainian TV the blaze started after a leak of oil from damaged radiators at the Azot plant – where hundreds of civilians are thought to be sheltering
• Ukraine says its forces have recaptured areas from Russia in the southeastern regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia

• President Volodymr Zelensky has again asked for more weapons, amid fears his soldiers are running out of ammunition
• In his nightly video address, he said his troops were engaged in fierce street fighting in the east of Ukraine

Image source, .

Image source, Reuters

We're pausing our live coverage soon, so here's a look at the key developments in Ukraine today:

• Ukrainian officials say their army is running out of ammunition as it engages in intense artillery battles with Russian forces
• Vitaly Kim, the governor of the Mykolaiv region on the southern frontline, has urged Western allies to speed up their delivery of long range weapons and ammunition to help Ukraine strike back
• Intense street fighting is ongoing in the key eastern city of Severodonetsk and both Ukrainian and Russian sides are likely suffering high numbers of casualties, the UK’s defence ministry says
• EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said that a decision will be made "by the end of next week" as to whether Ukraine will be given candidate status to join the EU - an important next step in the long process to join the bloc
• Ukraine is doing everything possible to save three foreign nationals who were sentenced to death by a Russian proxy court for fighting for Ukraine, a lawmaker in Ukraine's parliamentary security and defence committee said
• The Russian occupation authorities in southern Ukraine say they have started handing out Russian passports to locals in two cities - Kherson and Melitopol - as Ukraine condemns the creation of Russian citizens on its territory as "Russification"

Image source, Reuters

These are some of the latest images we've received showing some of the damage left behind after shelling in Ukraine's eastern city of Lysychansk, in the Luhansk region.

Russian forces are trying to capture it, and its twin city Severodonetsk, in order to take the entire Luhansk region.

Earlier this week Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky described them both as "dead cities" due to the intensity of fighting there.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Sasha Schlichter
BBC World Service

The occupying authorities in areas of southern Ukraine have held ceremonies to hand out the first Russian passports to local residents - in another sign that they intend to keep the captured territories.

Moscow has been touting the idea of holding a so-called referendum in the region so that it could annex it, the same way as it illegally did in Crimea in 2014. But with fighting reaching the city outskirts, it is unclear if this will go ahead.

Today's ceremonies - full of patriotic fervour - were timed for Russia Day.

The local head in occupied Kherson told the ceremony that "all our Khersonite comrades" - as he put it - were keen to receive passports and citizenship of the Russian Federation.

Russia's TASS news agency is claiming hundreds of formal requests for Russian passports are being processed - but its claim cannot be verified.

Read more here.

Image source, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENCY

EU leaders will decide later this month whether to welcome Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia as candidate states for membership of the bloc, after Russia's invasion prompted the three former Soviet republics to submit emergency applications in the first weeks of the war.

As we've been reporting, EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has said that a decision on whether Ukraine should be given candidate status to join the EU will be finalised "by the end of next week".

Candidate status is an important next step in the long process to become part of the bloc. Albania, the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey are all candidate countries.

Ukraine's prospects look promising, and so do Moldova's. But Georgia was slapped with a scathing European Parliament resolution on Thursday, described by one MEP as the last "wake-up call" to its government.

Ukraine has led the way in arguing that joining the EU has become a geopolitical necessity, although the three states are known as the Association Trio for their co-operation with the EU on everything from political reforms to free trade.

Read the full story here.

Image source, Reuters

Ukraine have beaten Armenia 3-0 in their UEFA nations league match this afternoon.

Seven-year-old Amelia Anisovich, who rose to fame when a video of her in a bomb shelter in Kyiv singing Let it Go from the movie Frozen went viral, sang the country's national anthem before the game.

Ukraine, who can't play at home because of the ongoing Russian invasion, played the match against Armenia, in Lodz, Poland, following their 1-0 win against Ireland on Wednesday.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Reports that the Azot chemical plant in the embattled Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk is surrounded by Russian forces are "lies disseminated by Russian propagandists," the head of the Luhansk regional administration, Serhiy Haidai, says.

The Ukrainian army is holding the city's industrial zone and destroying the Russian military, Haidai said on Facebook.

Earlier today, the "ambassador" of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic to Russia, Rodion Miroshnik, said on Telegram that between 300 and 400 Ukrainian soldiers were surrounded inside the plant.

He added that up to 500 civilians, who had been hiding in the plant's bomb shelter and whom he described as "hostages", might be trapped there as well.

Miroshnik alleged that Ukrainian soldiers were making "unacceptable" demands to be allowed to leave for the nearby city of Lysychansk with "hostages", and insisted their only option was unconditional surrender.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says he’s spoken to his Polish counterpart Zbigniew Rau to discuss the future deliveries of heavy weapons to Ukraine.

Kuleba tweeted that they also spoke about future sanctions by the EU against Russia.

Image source, Reuters

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said that her executive will finalise its opinion on whether Ukraine should be given candidate status to join the EU "by the end of next week".

"The discussions today will enable us to finalise our assessment by the end of next week," she told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a joint news conference in Kyiv.

Von der Leyen, in her second trip to Kyiv since the start of the war, reminded Zelensky that, despite progress on administrative reforms and elsewhere, much still needed to be done - "You have done a lot in strengthening the rule of law but there is still need for reforms to be implemented, to fight corruption for example," she told the joint news conference.

Ukraine began the process of applying to join the EU in February this year, four days after Russia's invasion. It normally takes years for countries to negotiate EU membership, with candidates having to prove that they meet multiple criteria - from respecting democracy and the rule of law to having a robust enough economy.

Zelensky has suggested the EU use a special procedure to grant Ukraine immediate membership of the bloc.

The first Russian passports to be issued to residents of Ukraine's Russia-control areas of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia Region have been handed out, Moscow-installed officials have said.

More than 20 people in the Kherson region received Russian passports, the Interfax news agency reported, citing the press service of the Moscow-installed "military-civilian administration" of the region.

"Today, the first passports were issued in Kherson to people who were the first to apply for Russian citizenship," a press service official said, adding that it coincides with Russia Day, which is marked on 12 June.

A member of the Moscow-backed "civilian-military administration" of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Region, Vladimir Rogov told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency that an unspecified number of local residents also obtained Russian passports at a ceremony in Melitopol.

"For us, this is a significant and historic event. The next step on the way of our return home to Russia," he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier signed a decree simplifying Russian citizenship applications for residents of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia and Kherson Regions.

Image source, .