UKRAINE 100 days have passed since the start of the Russian invasion in
Ukraine. Since February 24, Russia has captured a sizeable part of its
neighbouring country’s territory, but the Ukrainian army has put up a tougher
resistance than most experts had expected. Russian forces now control around
20% of the Ukrainian territory, the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said
in his midnight address, which has become a tradition since the start of the
war. He added that the entire occupied territory is now a disaster area, and
Moscow is fully responsible for this. Violent clashes continue, especially in eastern
Ukraine, where Russia tries to capture Donbas. The fiercest battles are
currently fought in the town of Severodonetsk, the most important one still
controlled by the Ukrainian forces in Luhansk region. Russian forces have
resorted to intensive shelling, including on civilian targets, having
completely destroyed several Ukrainian cities, such as Mariupol, captured after
3 months’ fighting, and Severodonetsk, where two-thirds of the homes are in
ruins. Russia has suffered substantial losses, over 30,000 dead and thousands
of pieces of equipment according to Ukraine, but it still retains superiority
in the field. Moscow is also superior in terms of heavy weaponry, but as of
recently Ukraine is receiving this type of weapons from its Western supporters.
MILITARY Romanian troops and Allies from 5 European
countries and the USA are taking part in a multinational exercise at the
Smârdan NATO Centre in eastern Romania. As part of the exercise, today a drill
is organised in which NATO military use land and air equipment. Taking part in
the training operation, which started on May 24, are over 1,000 Romanian
troops, joined by military personnel from France, Belgium, Bulgaria, Italy,
Portugal and the US. The training session is designed to enhance
inter-operability, so as to enable the Multinational Brigade South-East Command
to manage forces deployed to NATO’s south-east region to protect the Alliance,
the national defence ministry explains.
AID The government of Romania will grant
EUR 140 in aid next month to pensioners whose retirement benefits do not exceed
EUR 400. The measure was approved on Thursday and is designed to help the most
vulnerable pensioners cope with the recent price rises. The government is also
working on an emergency order increasing the value of meal vouchers.
JUBILEE Britain is celebrating these days the Platinum Jubilee of Queen
Elizabeth II, the monarch with the longest reign in the history of the country.
The Royal Family convene today for a religious service at St. Paul’s Cathedral,
celebrating the Queen’s 70-year rule,
however the sovereign will not be present after experiencing discomfort while
watching Thursday’s parade at Buckingham Palace. On Thursday London hosted a
large-scale military parade, with 70 aircraft, some of
them used during WWII, flying over the crowds.
FILM The 3rd edition of the Romanian Film
Festival in Washington, the largest event promoting Romanian cinema in the USA,
begins on June 3rd at Miracle Theatre. Organised by the Embassy of
Romania to Washington and the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York, the festival
is devoted to the 25 years since the signing of the Strategic Partnership
between Romania and the USA. Screened as part of the event, under the heading Reinventing
realism: the Romanian New Wave, are 12 feature films: Blue Moon,
Berliner, The Windseeker, Poppy Field,
Mikado, Unidentified, #dogpoopgirl, Luca,
Man and Dog, Lebensdorf, Otto the Barbarian, and Miracle. The festival
will come to an end on June 19. (AMP)
