Facts about Russia-Ukraine conflict: PM says Ukraine's economy to shrink by at least 35 pct this year

BEIJING, July 6 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments in the Ukraine crisis:

Ukraine's GDP will shrink at least 35 percent this year due to the conflict with Russia, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported on Tuesday, citing Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

While addressing the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Switzerland, Shmyhal said that the Ukrainian economy has started recovering from the "shock coma" of the first weeks of the conflict.

The government carried out a "relatively successful" grain sowing campaign and resumed logistics across the western border, Shmyhal said, noting that the economy still faces many challenges.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted on Tuesday that he had discussed security issues with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

At the talks, Zelensky thanked Johnson for the recent decision to provide Ukraine with 1 billion pounds (about 1.2 billion U.S. dollars) in security aid and a new military support package of 100 million pounds (about 120 million dollars).

The parties also discussed the issues of global food security and security guarantees for Ukraine.

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Ukrainian presidential advisor Oleksiy Arestovych on Monday described as "successful" Ukraine's military operation in the key cities in eastern Lugansk.

Currently, Ukraine is carrying out counterattacking actions in eastern Donetsk, Arestovych said.

Meanwhile, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has informed President Vladimir Putin of the control of Lugansk, the Defense Ministry said Sunday.

The region has been "liberated" after Russian troops and the armed forces of Lugansk took full control of Lysychansk, a key city of Lugansk, and its nearby settlements, according to a brief statement by the ministry.

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The United States is considering the possibility of providing training to the Ukrainian military, the Ukrainian government-run Ukrinform news agency reported Monday, citing the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink.

"I can't tell the exact number or the plan, but I can say that I talked about it with officials from the Pentagon," Brink said after her visit to Washington.

The United States is working to provide Kiev with more aid designed to strengthen Ukraine's positions on the frontline, the ambassador said.