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A large number of citizens attended the wake of one of the leaders of the pro-European movement that led to the fall of pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych in 2014. In other news, Volodímir Zelensky went to the town of Mikolaiv for the first time since the start of the war and heavy fighting continues in Severodonetsk.
It has been 115 days since the beginning of the Russian invasion on Ukrainian soil and the end seems far on the horizon. However, the head of the kyiv diplomacy envisioned August as a possible instance to reactivate the dialogue tables with Moscow.
Meanwhile, grief continues in the Ukrainian capital after Roman Ratouchny, an icon of the pro-European Maidan movement that brought about the fall of a pro-Russian government in 2014, was killed in the line of fire.
Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky traveled to Mikolaiv, one of the main resistances in the southern part of the country. In the east, Severodonetsk remains under Russian siege, the governor says.
These are the most important news of the war in Ukraine on Saturday, June 18:
- 11.19 (BOG) Hundreds of Ukrainians bid farewell to activist leader fallen in battle
Crowds turned out at St. Michael’s monastery for the funeral of Roman Ratushny, a figurehead of the pro-European Maidan revolution that led to the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014.
The 24-year-old activist had voluntarily enlisted in the Ukrainian military after the start of the Russian invasion and was killed in combat on June 9 in the Kharkiv region.
A ceremony will also be held in the city’s central square, the Maidan, the epicenter of the protests eight years ago that toppled a pro-Russian administration. Ratushny was one of the first students to mobilize and later became an anti-corruption icon.
His death caused great sorrow in young people and gave rise to a number of messages on social networks in tribute to his figure.
- 10.47 (BOG) The Ukrainian diplomatic chief aims to resume negotiations in August
David Arajamia, in charge of the delegation dedicated to the peace talks with Moscow, said that there was a possibility of resuming the dialogue with his Russian counterparts at the end of August, after kyiv manages to strengthen its position with a series of counteroffensives.
The negotiator said in an interview with the radio station “Voice of America” that they do not consider the possibility of rebuilding relations for now.
However, he clarified that, to resume negotiations, the condition is that the Ukrainian forces manage to strengthen their control over the territory or that the Russian troops withdraw “voluntarily”.
“We would be willing to consider a political settlement, like the one we proposed in Istanbul,” Arajamia said.
- 10.23 (BOG) Zelensky travels to Mikolaiv for the first time
The Ukrainian president visited the southern region this Saturday, which is the war front against the Russian army on that flank of the country. It is one of his few departures from kyiv since the conflict began last February. He previously went to Kharkiv and Zaporizhia two weeks ago.
During his tour, the president discussed with local authorities issues such as repairing the damage and the water supply network, the president said in a statement.
He also spoke about logistical issues such as the complications in this year’s harvest, the availability of grain storage centers, the generation of transport routes and the supply of machinery and fuel for farmers.
Zelensky went to the administration building, which was hit by a missile on March 29, killing 37 civilians. “It is important to decide now how to help the members of these families, we must not forget them,” he said.
Mikolaiv is close to besieged Kherson and in the middle of the strategic port city of Odessa.
- 9.58 (BOG) “Fierce battles” take place in Severodonetsk, says local government
Ukrainian authorities reported intense clashes in villages near the Donbass city, which has been targeted by Russian troops in recent weeks.
“Now the fiercest battles are taking place around Severodonetsk,” Lugansk Governor Sergey Gaidai said through his Telegram account. However, he clarified that “the Russians do not completely control the city.”
“In neighboring villages, like Toshkivska and Zolote, the fighting is very difficult,” he added. While he stressed that Moscow’s attempts “fail”, that the defenders repel the attacks and take prisoners.
Finally, he affirmed that the bombardments continue at the Azot chemical plant, the last Ukrainian point of resistance and where dozens of civilians are refugees; and that in the neighboring city of Lysychansk there are air strikes.
With EFE and AFP
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