June 20, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has called the Russian blockade of Ukrainian grain exports a "real war crime," adding that the bloc's sanctions on Russia have played no part in the global food crisis.

Speaking to journalists on his way to a EU Foreign Affairs Ministers meeting in Luxembourg on Monday, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy said that "it's not the European sanctions" that are "creating this crisis."

Some background: Russia's war in Ukraine could push up to 49 million people into famine or famine-like conditions because of its devastating impact on global food supply and prices, the United Nations has said. Countries are scrambling to find a way around the blockade, and the US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin “absolutely has weaponized food” by blockading grain exports out of Ukraine.

Borrell's remarks comes after Putin said that Russia's actions in Ukraine are not responsible for the global food crisis and accused the United States of driving up food prices in his speech to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday.

“Famine in the poorest countries will be on the conscience of the US administration and the Eurocrats,” he said.

Minister hits back at Putin's remarks: Borrell countered these claims Monday, saying that the "the problem comes from the Russian blockade of Ukrainian grain." Countries who want to buy Russian fertilizers are free to so, Borrell said, reiterating that the bloc's sanctions do not target food or fertilizers.

He added that he didn't see the food crisis lasting "much longer," expressing his hope that the UN "reaches an agreement" with Russia soon to unblock Ukrainian grain exports.

Russian forces have stepped up the shelling of areas on the outskirts of the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, but its ground forces did not make any attempts at breaking the defensive lines, Ukranian officials said. 

Shelling intensified in the past 24 hours, "in particular in the northernmost regions," according to Oleg Sinegubov, the head of the Kharkiv regional military administration and the Ukrainian president's office.

No fatalities had been reported but some people had been injured, Sinegubov added.

"On the line of contact in the Kharkiv region, the enemy is mainly focused on defense," Sinegubov said. "Our defenders hold their positions firmly."

A CNN team in Kharkiv city heard several explosions Sunday night and Monday morning but noted it there was only a slight increase in the level of activity. 

Some background: As the battle for control of the northeastern city escalates, Amnesty International has accused Russia of war crimes in Kharkiv.

In a 40-page report published last week, the human rights group documented the alleged use of cluster munitions and other indiscriminate means of artillery.

The report came days after two American volunteers fighting for Ukraine -- who have since been taken into detention by Russian-backed separatists in Donetsk -- went missing on June 9 during a battle north of Kharkiv.

US citizens Alexander John-Robert Drueke, 39, from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh, 27, from Hartselle, Alabama, were interviewed by Russia's RT channel at an internment center in the so-called Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) on Friday after being captured last week, according to a report published by RT.

On Friday, short video clips surfaced on pro-Russian channels and social media appearing to show the men detained at an unknown location. At the time it was not clear who was holding them.

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

The DPR did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the detention of Drueke and Huynh.

CNN is choosing not to broadcast the videos of US detainees because they show the men speaking under duress.

Russian forces have been able to seize the town of Metelkine, to the east of the strategic city of Severodonetsk, according to a regional official on Monday.

"Unfortunately, we do not currently control Metelkine near the regional center," said Serhiy Hayday, the head of the Luhansk Regional Military administration.

Russian forces have intensified their use of artillery and air strikes to target Ukrainian positions in and around Severodonetsk as the battle for the strategic city continues to drag on, Hayday added.

"They are working hard on the Severodonetsk industrial zone and the outskirts of the city," Hayday said. "The same is true in the Toshkivka and Ustynivka districts."

Some background: Severodonetsk lies in the heart of Donbas, a large industrial region in eastern Ukraine that has been the site of sporadic fighting since 2014, when Russian-backed separatists took control of two territories there -- the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic.

Last week, Hayday said that Russian forces control most of Severodonetsk, adding that the "situation remains difficult."

His remarks came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the fight for the city may determine the outcome of the war in the east of the country.

“Severodonetsk remains the epicenter of the confrontation in Donbas,” Zelensky said at the time.

“This is a very fierce battle, very difficult … Probably one of the most difficult throughout this war,” he added. “In many ways, the fate of our Donbas is being decided there.”

The European Union Commission said Friday that Ukraine should be considered a candidate state. It is now up to the 27 EU member states to decide whether or not they agree.

Here are key things to know about Ukraine's bid to join the EU:

What is the process for becoming a part of the EU? On paper, the process is relatively straightforward. A country applies and the commission gives a verdict on whether or not it should be considered for candidacy.

As European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made clear on Friday, Ukraine will still have to meet a series of criteria before proper accession negotiations can begin, even if the EU 27 agree to accept its candidate status this week.

Then, when the leaders of the EU member states have agreed, it must then be ratified in the EU Parliament and by the legislative branches of each member state's government.

How do EU countries feel about Ukraine joining the EU? This is where it starts to get complicated. While the EU and its 27 members have broadly supported Ukraine in its war effort, having a country that's currently at war start the accession process raises all sorts of issues.

There are a number of candidate states that have been in the accession process for years, and have in some cases had their accession slowed down because of domestic political instability. One example of this is Turkey, whose application has been essentially frozen following fears over a backslide over the rule of law and human rights.

How long would it take? It really depends on what state Ukraine is in when the war ends. It seems highly unlikely that Ukraine will be anywhere near meeting the criteria to even start negotiations for a significant period of time after the end of the war. Aside from rebuilding, Ukraine will have to make the transition from a country operating under various degrees of martial law and curfews to a functioning democracy.

The average time for a country to join the EU is four years and 10 months, according to the London think tank UK in a Changing Europe.

Read more about Ukraine's bid here.

Two American volunteers fighting for Ukraine were taken into detention by Russian-backed separatists in Donetsk after being captured last week, according to Russian state media.

Here are the latest headlines on the war in Ukraine:

Two American volunteer fighters for Ukraine were taken into detention by Russian-backed separatists in Donetsk after being captured by Russian forces last week, according to Russian state media.

US citizens Alexander John-Robert Drueke, 39, from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh, 27, from Hartselle, Alabama, were interviewed by Russia's RT channel at a detention center in the so-called Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) on Friday, according to a report published on RT.

Missing near Kharkiv: The two Americans went missing on June 9 during a battle north of Kharkiv and it was feared that they may have been captured by Russian forces, according to their families and a fellow fighter. 

Video appearances: On Friday, short video clips surfaced on pro-Russian channels and social media appearing to show the men detained at an unknown location. At the time it was not clear who was holding them.

A State Department spokesperson told CNN Friday they "have seen the photos and videos of these two US citizens reportedly captured by Russia’s military forces in Ukraine." 

Separately, a more than 50-minute edited video was published on Saturday of Drueke and Huynh being interviewed by HelmCast, a pro-Russian Serbian nationalist YouTube channel.​

Donetsk: In the interview, a man can be heard behind the camera revealing the location of their interview when he says "here in Donetsk" during a question to Drueke. 

Beaten while in detention: Drueke is also asked in the interview if he has any objections to how he has been treated since his capture and he reveals that he has been beaten a few times.  

Why their location is significant: The location of Drueke and Huynh's detention is a potentially concerning development. Russia has a moratorium on the death penalty, whereas Donetsk uses firing squads to execute condemned prisoners, according to Russian state media RIA Novosti.

Foreign fighters: On June 9, a court in DPR sentenced foreign fighters, two British citizens and a Moroccan national to death after accusing them of being “mercenaries” for Ukraine. The internationally unrecognized court in DPR said the men had a month to appeal. 

Prisoner swap dashed: Hopes that a prisoner exchange between Ukraine and the pro-Russian separatists could free any foreign fighters detained in Donetsk were dashed after Denis Pushilin, the self-proclaimed head of DPR, said such exchanges were out of the question.

The Donetsk People's Republic did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the detention of Drueke and Huynh.

CNN is choosing not to broadcast the videos of US detainees because they show the men speaking under duress.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine should expect "greater hostile activity" from Russia as the European Union considers whether the country should be formally considered for candidate status in the wake of Russia’s invasion.

Zelensky said Monday marks the start of a "truly historic week."

Zelensky called a future response on Ukraine's candidate status “a fateful decision” for his country. He also said he was “convinced that only a positive decision meets the interests of the whole of Europe.”

Read more here.

Two people were killed, and 14 others injured after Russian forces on Saturday fired upon Novomoskovsk, a city in the Dnipropetrovsk region of eastern Ukraine, according to a local official.

Mykola Lukashuk, the head of Dnipropetrovsk regional council, said on Telegram Sunday that eight people are in medical facilities being treated for burns, and four more are receiving outpatient treatment.

On Sunday, Russian occupation forces also shelled the border areas of the nearby Zelenodolsk and Apostolove communities as well as the village of Pershe Travnya in Kryvyi Rih. No casualties or destruction was reported.  

Lukashuk said that on Sunday, there was fighting in the Kherson region near the Kryvyi Rih district. 

The rest of Dnipropetrovsk region had “a quiet day” and is free of Russian forces, according to Lukashuk.  

New video of the moment Russian forces took control of Lyman in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region last month surfaced on social media on Sunday.

The bodycam video — filmed by a soldier called "Rusak" on May 25 — shows the incredible devastation all around the city as Russian troops move past destroyed buildings and down empty streets.

The Russian troops meet no resistance as they enter Lyman's administrative building, its windows shattered from fighting and glass lying all around.  

Making their way up several flights of stairs to the roof of the building, a Russian soldier hesitates for a moment, before waving the Soviet victory banner.  

The waving of the flag is then shown from another vantage point at ground level. "Rusak" radios into his commanders: "I'm going on a lunch break right now. I have done everything according to the plan. No losses. The enemy activity was insignificant."

Some context: On May 30, the office of the President of Ukraine said in a statement that Lyman had been occupied, saying, "The city is temporarily under the control of Russian invaders."

Russians take control: On June 7, Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, using Lyman's Soviet era name Krasny Liman, announced the city "was liberated from Ukrainian forces," according to Russian state news agency TASS. The assault was led by General Mikhail Teplinsky, according to Russian state media.

Tactical retreat: Ukrainian forces say they made a tactical retreat from the city. Pavlo Kyrylenko, head of the Donetsk region military administration, said the "Ukrainian military remains in the Lyman direction, but in new fortified positions to deter the enemy."

Lyman, an important rail hub, lays roughly 37 miles (60 kilometers) west of the strategically important Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk.