Stay updates: Russia’s struggle in Ukraine

Russian forces have stepped up the shelling of areas on the outskirts of the Ukrainian metropolis of Kharkiv, however its floor forces didn’t make any makes an attempt at breaking the defensive traces, Ukranian officers stated. 

Shelling intensified prior to now 24 hours, “specifically within the northernmost areas,” in accordance with Oleg Sinegubov, the top of the Kharkiv regional army administration and the Ukrainian president’s workplace.

No fatalities had been reported however some folks had been injured, Sinegubov added.

“On the road of contact within the Kharkiv area, the enemy is especially targeted on protection,” Sinegubov stated. “Our defenders maintain their positions firmly.”

A CNN group in Kharkiv metropolis heard a number of explosions Sunday evening and Monday morning however famous it there was solely a slight improve within the stage of exercise. 

Some background: Because the battle for management of the northeastern metropolis escalates, Amnesty Worldwide has accused Russia of struggle crimes in Kharkiv.

In a 40-page report printed final week, the human rights group documented the alleged use of cluster munitions and different indiscriminate technique of artillery.

The report got here days after two American volunteers preventing for Ukraine — who’ve since been taken into detention by Russian-backed separatists in Donetsk — went lacking on June 9 throughout a battle north of Kharkiv.

US residents Alexander John-Robert Drueke, 39, from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh, 27, from Hartselle, Alabama, have been interviewed by Russia’s RT channel at an internment middle within the so-called Donetsk Individuals’s Republic (DPR) on Friday after being captured final week, in accordance with a report printed by RT.

On Friday, brief video clips surfaced on pro-Russian channels and social media showing to indicate the lads detained at an unknown location. On the time it was not clear who was holding them.

Individually, a greater than 50-minute edited video was printed on Saturday of Drueke and Huynh being interviewed by HelmCast, a pro-Russian Serbian nationalist YouTube channel.

The DPR didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon the detention of Drueke and Huynh.

CNN is selecting to not broadcast the movies of US detainees as a result of they present the lads talking underneath duress.