Evacuation of Mariupol residents and burning Russian frigate: Highlights on war in Ukraine as of May 6

Author

Yulia Ustymovych

The 73rd day of the war against the Russian occupiers continues in Ukraine. On May 6, 2022, the civilians were evacuated from Mariupol, the Ukrainian army hit another Russian frigate, at the same time it became known that the occupiers were forcing Ukrainians to take citizenship of pseudo-republics. has compiled business, political, and economic news that will help you learn more about the situation in the country that has been fighting for its right to exist for more than two months.

Top news about the war as of May 6:

The deported Ukrainians are forced to take the citizenship of the pseudo-republics of the so-called L/DPR, in case of refusal they are promised reprisals. This is reported by the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR in Ukrainian) of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine on its Telegram channel. In the temporarily occupied city of Sorokine (Luhansk region), passports of the so-called LPR are issued to Ukrainian citizens displaced from the recently occupied territories. People are deprived of houses, property and money. Therefore, they are forced to agree to these conditions, because it is the only possible way to get payments in rubles, food packages, and medical care.
An explosion followed by a fire occurred on board the Russian frigate of the project 11356Р type Burevestnik near Zmiinyi Island (literally: Snake Island). Presumably this is the frigate Admiral Makarov. According to preliminary information, the ship was hit by the Ukrainian Neptune anti-ship system.
About 500 citizens of Mariupol were evacuated during another stage of evacuation with the participation of the UN and the Red Cross, Andriy Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, reported. At the same time, Russian troops fired from ATGM during the ceasefire at an evacuation vehicle moving through the territory of the Azovstal plant (Mariupol, Donetsk region), the Azov regiment reports. Azov notes that the Russian side continues to violate all agreements and does not comply with security guarantees during the evacuation of the civilians.

Top news on politics as of May 6

Since the beginning of the military operation, Estonia has sent Ukraine weapons and ammunition totaling 230 million euros, director of the State Center for Defense Investments Magnus-Valdemar Saar said at a press conference. Among them, he listed a large number of weapons and ammunition systems, including mortars, anti-tank grenade launchers, and guided anti-tank systems, as well as various auxiliary equipment, and noted that all the aid mentioned had already been delivered to Ukraine.
In early June, under the auspices of GLOBSEC, a conference in support of Ukraine will be held in Slovakia, Róbert Vass, the organization's president, announced, the website of the Verkhovna Rada reports on Friday. An international group of European parliamentarians, created under the auspices of GLOBSEC, arrived in Kyiv to support Ukraine in the struggle for sovereignty and independence. Delegation of European parliamentarians, together with Ukrainian MPs, visited Bucha and Borodianka destroyed by the Russian Nazis in the Kyiv region.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs, and Estonian Foreign Minister Eva-Maria Liimets are on a visit to Kyiv. "Visiting Kyiv with Latvian and Estonian colleagues. This time we are also talking about rebuilding, restoration and EU candidate status for Ukraine. Blooming Kyiv reminds that the country is ready for a bright future," Landsbergis wrote on Twitter on Friday.

Top news on economy as of May 6

During the sowing season 2022, Ukraine sowed 7.1 million hectares of land with the main agricultural crops, which is 49.3% of the 14.4 million hectares planned for the current season, including 71 million hectares during the week (April 28 — May 5), the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food reported on Friday. To date, agricultural enterprises have completed the first feeding of winter crops with nitrogen mineral fertilizers.
The second tranche of macro-financial assistance from the European Union to Ukraine in the amount of 600 million euros will be provided in May, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced and assumed the opening of the next assistance program in June. "The European Union, the European Commission was one of the first institutions that immediately reacted and provided macro-financial assistance to Ukraine. Now we are talking about the provision of the second tranche already in May, and, possibly, the opening of a new tranche of support for Ukraine in June," Shmyhal said at a briefing following his working visit to Poland
Ukraine is negotiating with international partners to allocate about $11 billion to the country's state budget, of which about $5 billion has been obtained, Head of the Ministry of Finance Serhiy Marchenko said during a briefing at the Lviv Media Center, Interfax-Ukraine reports. According to him, the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and the EU remain Ukraine's key partners.

Top news on business as of May 6

Google will allocate $10 million to fight fakes about the war in Ukraine. The company has already provided $55 million in assistance to Ukraine. Matthew Brittin, head of Google's branch in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa region, stated this at a donor conference in Warsaw dedicated to helping Ukraine.
After a two-month break over the Russian invasion, more than 400 residential complexes have now resumed construction work in Ukraine. 65 of them are in Kyiv, 45 more — in Odesa. Construction was also resumed in Dnipro, Poltava, Zaporizhzhia, Kremenchuk, Cherkasy, and Uman. In the western regions, 245 residential complexes are currently being built.
The American company Google has banned users and developers from Russia from downloading and updating paid applications on Google Play, 9to5google reports. Developers can publish new free apps to Google Play, as well as update existing ones. However, it will no longer be possible to upload paid applications over the company's compliance with sanctions. Already paid subscriptions will be valid until the end of the period specified in the application, after which they will be canceled. The same goes for the free trial period.