Facts about Ukraine crisis: European Commission extends Ukraine grain import restrictions

VLADIVOSTOK/BRUSSELS/KIEV, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments related to the Ukraine crisis:

The European Union has extended to Sept. 15 restrictions on imports of Ukrainian grain demanded by five member states who sought to protect their agriculture sector, the European Commission said on Monday.

The commission said in a statement that the bloc will phase out the exceptional and temporary preventive measures affecting Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seed in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.

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The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Tuesday that their armed forces repelled a new attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) on the southern Donetsk front, resulting in the destruction of over 1,500 Ukrainian soldiers and 28 tanks, including eight Leopards.

According to the ministry, Ukraine continued its offensive on Monday, focusing primarily on the Vremyevskaya bulge of the southern Donetsk front. However, the UAF experienced a significant defeat and were unable to accomplish their objectives.

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The UAF launched a large-scale offensive on five fronts in the southern Donetsk direction on Sunday, spokesperson of the Russian ministry, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov, said on Monday.

He said Ukraine deployed the 23rd and 31st Mechanized Brigades from the strategic reserves of the UAF, with the support of other military units and formations.

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Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said that during the expected counteroffensive against Russian forces this summer, Ukraine will not use F-16 aircraft, but will use all ground weapons.

In an interview with NHK in Singapore, the minister explained that some Western countries are currently training or have offered to train Ukrainian pilots to pilot F-16 fighters.

He said Ukraine will be ready to deploy F-16 in autumn or winter.