Russia sends 2nd ship to take Mariupol metal

MARIUPOL, June 04 (Reuters/BBC): A ship sent to load metal and ship it to Russia has entered the Ukrainian port of Mariupol, TASS news agency reported on Saturday, the second vessel to arrive in the southeastern city since Russia completed its capture last month.
"The ship has arrived and is in the port," TASS cited a port authority representative as saying, adding that it was to be loaded with metal.
Earlier this week, a ship left Mariupol for Russia with a cargo of metal. Ukraine said the shipment from the port, whose capture gave Moscow an overland bridge linking mainland Russia and pro-Russian separatist territory to annexed Crimea, amounted to looting.
Russia seized full control of Mariupol earlier this month when more than 2,400 Ukrainian fighters were taken into custody after being ordered to stand down at the besieged Azovstal steelworks. Russia said in late May that the port had been de-mined and was open again to commercial vessels.
Ukrainian military plane
shot down near Odesa
Russia says its forces have shot down a Ukrainian military transport plane carrying weapons and munitions near the Black Sea port of Odesa.
The Russian defence ministry said in an update on Saturday that the plane was delivering weapons and munitions.
It also said a missile strike in the same region had hit an outpost for "foreign mercenaries". Earlier Ukrainian officials reported that an agricultural enterprise had been hit by a missile in the Odesa area.
Russia's defence ministry also said Russian missiles had struck an artillery training centre in Ukraine's Sumy region where foreign instructors were training Ukrainian forces.
Ukrainian troops recapture
portion of Severodonetsk
Ukraine's regional governor has claimed his troops have recaptured a portion of the city of Severodonetsk - just days after announcing a strategic withdrawal from the city.
Offensive and counter-offensive… claim and counter-claim.
It's difficult to know exactly what is going on in Severodonetsk - with most lines of communication cut - but the region's governor said his troops had pushed the invading forces back.
Sergiy Haidai said Russians had previously occupied about 70 percent of the old industrial city.
But he then said Ukrainian troops had reclaimed a significant chunk of Severodonetsk.
The city - which is a key target for Russia - has been under constant shelling for weeks. Haidai also said the arrival of new US artillery would be decisive - causing Russian infantry to "run away".
President Zelensky used his nightly address to mock Russia's military - once considered "the second army of the world".
What is left he asked? "Only a bitter smile…. war crimes, disgrace and hatred".
But - that army is still on the offensive - and it will take more than words to stop it.
Ukraine announces deaths of
foreign military volunteers
Ukraine announced Saturday the deaths of four foreign military volunteers fighting Russian forces, whose invasion has spurred a wave of solidarity abroad including from experienced combat veterans.
The International Legion of Defence of Ukraine, an official volunteer brigade, announced the men from Germany, the Netherlands, Australia and France had died but did not specify when or under what circumstances.
"We lost our brothers in combat but their bravery, their memory and legacy will forever inspire us," it said in a statement.
AFP journalists in Kharkiv last month were present at the May 21 burial of the Dutch citizen named in the statement, Ronald Vogelaar. Colleagues said he had been killed several days earlier by artillery.
The Australian was reported killed in May and his death was confirmed by a foreign affairs department spokesperson.
Tasmania's Mercury newspaper identified the man as Michael Charles O'Neill, 47. A tribute on Facebook said he was "driving the wounded and injured from the front line".
Paris on Friday confirmed that a French volunteer fighter had been killed in combat in Ukraine, following reports that the man died in artillery fire in the Kharkiv region.
The official statement Saturday was accompanied by photographs of the men showing them clad in camouflage and carrying small arms.