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Latest in Ukraine: Russia Hits Odesa in Drone Attack

by VOA News

   New developments:
     * Black Sea grain deal inspections resume in Turkey
     * Hungary adds honey, wine, bread, sugar to temporary ban on imports
       from Ukraine
     * Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says like-minded countries
       should oppose "illegal unilateral pressure of the West"

   Ukraine on Wednesday reported overnight drone attacks by Russian forces
   in the Odesa region of southern Ukraine.

   Yuri Kruk, the head of Ukraine's military command in the Odesa region,
   said the drones caused a fire at an infrastructure facility, but that
   there were no casualties.

   Russia has made widespread use of drones to carry out attacks in
   Ukraine, including against infrastructure targets.

   Sweden NATO

   U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin voiced support Wednesday for
   Sweden's bid to join the NATO alliance.

   Speaking during a visit to Sweden's Musko Naval Base, Austin said the
   United States looks forward to "continuing to advocate for your swift
   admission to NATO and we'll work hard to get that done before the
   summit."

   Austin said Swedish forces will "add a lot of value to NATO, our
   overall effort, you have a very, a highly professional military and
   you've invested a lot in modernization over the last several years."

   Sweden applied for NATO membership along with Finland in response to
   Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year.

   Finland formally joined the military alliance in early April. Sweden's
   bid has been held up by objections from Hungary and Turkey, which says
   Sweden has not done enough to crack down on groups that Turkey
   considers terror organizations.

   Some material in this report came from The Associated Press, Agence
   France-Presse and Reuters.