Russia has announced the capture of another village in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, while Ukraine claims that Russian attacks have intensified away from the Kharkiv region. The village of Arkhangelske, north of Donetsk, was reportedly taken control of by Russian troops, following the capture of Ocheretyne earlier this month. Ukrainian forces also reported increased Russian activity near Pokrovsk in Donetsk, with ongoing firefights near several villages south of Arkhangelske. Casualties were reported in the Donetsk region, with over 1,800 strikes recorded in a day. In Kharkiv, fighting continued near Vovchansk, where the Russian military attempted to take control of the area.
On the economic front, G7 finance ministers discussed using profits from frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine during a summit in Italy. Creative solutions were explored to unlock these assets for the benefit of Ukraine, with a possibility of presenting options to G7 leaders in June. Sanctions on Russia’s energy revenue and restrictions on military equipment acquisitions were also discussed. The US announced a new aid package for Kyiv, further emphasizing support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.