Russia continues to go on the offensive with reports that they have come closer to the center of the industrial city in an attempt to grab a swathe of eastern Ukraine.
Also, the United States is reportedly planning to supply Kyiv with advanced rockets to possibly force Moscow in negotiating to end the conflict, Reuters reported.
With 98 days since the war started, Russian forces continue to pound the eastern and southern regions that include the city of Sievierodonetsk. The region is said to be the main focus of the ground offensive for weeks now.
Also, Sievierodonetsk houses a large chemical factory that a Russian airstrike hit on Tuesday per local governor Serhiy Gaidai. This resulted in a tank being blown up, filled with nitric acid and releasing a plume of pink smoke.
The release of these toxic substances has forced the government to urge residents to stay in their homes.
As this was happening, US President Joe Biden announced the supply of precision rocket systems and munitions that could strike at long-range Russian targets. This was part of a $700 million package that is expected to be unveiled on Wednesday, June 1.
"We have moved quickly to send Ukraine a significant amount of weaponry and ammunition so it can fight on the battlefield and be in the strongest possible position at the negotiating table," Biden penned in a piece in the New York Times.
Among the equipment that are part of the package include drones and anti-aircraft missiles - including the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). These are said to be crucial as Kyiv tried to fend off Russian missile attacks.
"We believe that the United States is purposefully and diligently adding fuel to the fire," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
He also added that these actions are likely to stall peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
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