As of 2014, due to Russia's war against Ukraine, more than 800 children have died, the Prosecutor General reported
Over 800 children have been killed since the beginning of Russia's war against Ukraine in 2014, including at least 551 during the full-scale invasion. Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin reported this on June 4 during a national television broadcast.
According to Kostin, at least 1368 children were also affected as a result of the total war.
Russia's aggressive war has caused immense harm to the civilian population of Ukraine.
In April, the UN reported nearly 11,000 civilians killed and over 20,500 injured. The actual numbers are likely higher as Russia obstructs independent monitoring in heavily affected occupied territories like Mariupol.
"The war did not start in 2022, but in 2014. Since then, Russia has taken the lives of over 800 Ukrainian children. We still do not know the true extent of the crimes committed in the occupied territories, to which we have no access," said Kostin.
Ukraine also continues to work on the return of forcibly displaced and deported Ukrainian children by Russia, and holding those responsible accountable. An international coalition formed for this purpose unites over 36 countries worldwide.
According to the Ukrainian government's database "Children of War," at least 19,500 Ukrainian children have been abducted by Russia since the beginning of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and fewer than 400 have been returned home.
In Kharkiv, a building hypermarket was hit by shelling, resulting in fatalities
On Saturday afternoon, Russian forces shelled a residential area in Kharkiv, according to the city's mayor, Ihor Terekhov. The "Epicenter" building hypermarket was hit.
Currently, two deaths have been reported, and the number of injured has increased to 35. At least 15 people are missing, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
"Judging by everything, the strike was aimed precisely at the shopping center, where many people were present - this is pure terrorism," wrote the city's mayor.
The company's press service reported that the two deceased were employees of the hypermarket. Another 11 employees are not responding.
"After the air raid warning was announced, the staff did everything possible to evacuate visitors and employees as quickly as possible. However, two strikes on the central part of the building occurred within minutes of the warning. As a result of the attack, a large-scale fire broke out," the company’s statement said.
The head of the Kharkiv Regional Administration, Oleh Synyehubov, stated that two guided aerial bombs were dropped on the building hypermarket. According to him, a fire covering 15,000 square meters broke out.
"Russia carried out another brutal strike on our Kharkiv-on the building hypermarket-on Saturday, right in the middle of the day. At the time of the strike, there could have been over 200 people in the hypermarket," said President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky.
Russia begins exercises on tactical nuclear weapons
The aggressor country Russia has started the first stage of exercises involving practical drills and deployment of tactical nuclear weapons. The exercises are taking place in the Southern Military District of the Russian Federation.
This was reported by the Russian Ministry of Defense. The ministry also showcased footage of the exercises.
During this stage, the enemy will practice combat tasks using the Iskander missile system. Specifically, the Russians intend to equip the missile carriers with special warheads and covertly move to designated positions to prepare for missile launches.
In addition, the enemy's aviation plans to practice equipping aircraft with Kinzhal hypersonic ballistic missiles with special warheads and deploying them to designated patrol areas.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the exercises are allegedly in response to "provocative statements and threats" from certain Western officials.
Interestingly, simultaneous with the start of the tactical nuclear weapons exercises, Russia announced its intention to unilaterally change the border with Lithuania and Finland in the Baltic Sea.
The EU, for its part, emphasized that with its recent nuclear threats, the Kremlin is demonstrating an interest in escalating the conflict.
Ukrainian pilots have already commenced flight training on F-16 fighter jets in several European countries
The EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, has stated that the training of Ukrainian pilots has already commenced in Poland and some other countries. This step was taken after U.S. President Joe Biden gave the green light last week for the training of Ukrainian pilots on American-made aircraft needed to repel Russian armed aggression.
"I'm glad that pilot training for the F-16 has finally begun in several countries. It will take time, but the sooner, the better," said Borrell at a meeting of EU defense ministers in Brussels.
The Minister of Defense of the Netherlands, Kajsa Ollongren, stated at the meeting that the coalition of Western European supporters of Kyiv wants to commence the training of Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets "as soon as possible," and this training will be the "first step" towards the potential supply of Western aircraft to Ukraine.
According to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, the West will not back down in front of Russia, adding that the training "sends a very clear signal that we are here for the long haul, and Russia cannot wait us out.
United Kingdom at the UN: Russia's nuclear blackmail will not deter support for Ukraine
Even resorting to nuclear blackmail, Russia will not be able to weaken the support for Ukraine from its international partners.
As reported by a correspondent for Ukrinform, this was stated by the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations Security Council, Ambassador James Kariuki, during a meeting of the organization dedicated to discussing threats from the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin regarding the placement of nuclear weapons in Belarus.
"President Putin's statement about the intention to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus is yet another attempt to intimidate and coerce. It didn't work before, and it won't work in the future. We will continue to support Ukraine's self-defense efforts," noted Kariuki.
He emphasized that during the war in Ukraine, only Russia raises the issue of possible nuclear weapons use and called on Russia to de-escalate and withdraw its troops from Ukraine.
Kariuki also called on the President of Belarus to "abandon support for Russia's reckless actions that could potentially lead to further escalation."
Lviv doctors performed a complex surgery in which a nerve transplant was conducted for a serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to restore his ability to walk
The defender suffered a shrapnel wound while carrying out a combat mission near Krasnopillya. During the artillery shelling, he sustained injuries to his left leg, with the femur bone being damaged by shrapnel, a portion of thigh tissue torn off, and the sciatic nerve also affected. This serious polytrauma resulted in limb paralysis, as reported by the First Medical Unit.
Twenty-five-year-old Oleksiy Svinar, after 5 months of treatment, underwent 9 surgeries in hospitals in Kramatorsk, Dnipro, and Ternopil. Currently, surgeons at the National Rehabilitation Center "Unbroken" are performing a nerve transplant procedure for the patient to help him regain the ability to walk again.
Medical professionals report that a reconstructive operation was performed - autotransplantation. Surgeons took portions of nerves from both shins and sewed them in place of the ruptured nerve in the thigh.
The day after the complex surgery, he felt nervous twitching in his leg. This signal indicates the first step toward regaining sensitivity, which means approaching the recovery process.
The rehabilitation process will take approximately half a year. The patient hopes to be able to stand on his feet soon. After a full recovery, he intends to return to service and continue defending the independence on the front lines.