Live updates - Ukraine: Russian shelling kills six civilians

A regional governor in eastern Ukraine says at least six civilians have been killed by the latest Russian shelling.

Luhansk region Gov. Serhiy Haidai said on Wednesday that another eight people were wounded in the shelling of the town of Sievierodonetsk over the previous 24 hours.

Sievierodonetsk is at the epicenter of fighting in Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland of Donbas, where the Russian forces have been pressing their offensive despite stiff Ukrainian resistance.

Haida accused the Russians of deliberately targeting shelters where civilians were hiding.

___ KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: — Scars of war seem to be everywhere in Ukraine after three months — Sweden and Finland delegations go to Turkey for NATO talks — the US to end Russia's ability to pay international investors — UK approves sale of Chelsea soccer club by sanctioned Abramovich ___ OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: ANKARA: Delegations from Sweden and Finland are scheduled on Wednesday to hold talks in Ankara with senior Turkish officials, aiming to overcome Turkey's objections to their historic bids to join NATO.

Sweden and Finland submitted their written applications to join the alliance last week in a move that marks one of the biggest geopolitical ramifications of Russia's war in Ukraine — and which could rewrite Europe's security map.

Turkey has said it opposes the two Nordic countries' membership in the military alliance. It cites grievances with Sweden's — and a to a lesser extent Finland's — perceived support to the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, and other entities that Turkey views as a security threat.

It also accuses the two of imposing arms export restrictions on Turkey and refusing to extradite suspected “terrorists”.

Turkey's objections have dampened Stockholm's and Helsinki's hopes for quick NATO membership amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine and put the trans-Atlantic alliance's credibility at stake. All 30 NATO members must agree to admit new members.

___ BERLIN: Germany's foreign minister says Russia left Sweden and Finland “no choice” but to join NATO.

Annalena Baerbock said Germany would support the two countries' membership and called it “a real gain” for the military alliance.

She spoke late Tuesday ahead of her visit to Norway for a meeting of the Council of the Baltic Sea States.

Baerbock said Germany will use its presidency of the group, starting in July, to promote the use of offshore wind power in the Baltic to help countries wean themselves off Russian energy imports.

___ WASHINGTON: The US will close the last avenue for Russia to pay its billions in debt back to international investors on Wednesday, making a Russian default on its debts for the first time since the Bolshevik Revolution all but inevitable.

The Treasury Department said in a notification that it does not plan to renew the license that allowed Russia to keep paying its debt-holders through American banks.

Since the first rounds of sanctions, the Treasury Department has given banks a license to process any dollar-denominated bond payments from Russia. That window expires at midnight on May 25.

___ LONDON: Roman Abramovich's 19-year ownership of Chelsea is ending after the British government approved the sale of the Premier League club by the sanctioned Russian oligarch to a consortium fronted by Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly.

The government had to be sure that Abramovich, who was sanctioned over his links to Russian President Vladimir Putin after the invasion of Ukraine, did not profit from the enforced sale of the club that his investment turned into one of the most successful in European football.

The reigning FIFA Club World Cup winners and 2021 European champions will be sold for 2.5 billion pounds (USD 3.1 billion) — the highest price ever for a sports team — with Premier League approval already granted on Tuesday.

Chelsea has been operating under a government license since Abramovich's assets were frozen in March and it expires on May 31.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)