UPDATES: UN Says Reports of Ukrainian Attack on Donetsk Maternity Hospital 'Extremely Troubling'

US officials are concerned that oversight is needed on the $54 billion in assistance sent to Ukraine since January to ensure that aid is not stolen or misused, the Wall Street Journal reported citing current and former US officials.

"Even if it’s a noble cause, there’s going to be theft. There’s going to be misconduct. There’s going to be nepotism. There’s going to be stupid decisions being made. It’s human nature," the report quoted Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction John Sopko as saying on Monday. "A couple of years from now, you’re going to be reading stories about waste, fraud and abuse."

The report said that no instances of malfeasance have emerged so far.

A National Security Council spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal that Kiev has assured the Biden administration that they share the United States' concerns about the accountability of the weapon systems delivered to Ukraine.

However, the report cited an official that the United States has little direct knowledge of where US military material goes once it is handed to the Ukrainian government.

The United States is coordinating closely with its G7 partners to strengthen sanctions against Russia over its special military operation in Ukraine, US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Dereck Hogan said on Monday.

"We are very much working on how do we strengthen our sanctions package [against Russia] ... we are in close coordination with G7 member states," Hogan said.

About using frozen Russian bank assets for reconstruction of Ukraine, Hogan said the United States and G7 member states have many legal issues to consider to take such action.

In the wake of the intense shelling, the Donetsk People's Republic has asked Russia for the deployment of "additional allied forces."

According to the newspaper, the Alppila cargo ship was loaded at the Polish port of Swinoujscie at the end of May.

"It is important for Ukraine whether the German solidarity is worth something or is not worth a penny. From our point of view ... Germany daily transfers several hundred million euros to Russia. With that money, it is possible to buy 300-400 Marders. Ukraine has been waiting for a hundred [Marders] for weeks, and there is still no decision from the German chancellery," Melnyk added.

Donetsk was subjected to yet another shelling by Ukrainian troops on Monday evening , explosions are heard in the city centre, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

Russian air defence systems repel the attack, at least one target was shot down.

Earlier on Monday, a strike hit a market in Donetsk, as a result 3 people were killed and another 18 injured. Another 13 people were injured as a result of the shelling of the Budennovsky district of Donetsk. The Kuibyshevsky and Kirovsky districts of the city were also subjected to shelling. In a number of cases, in addition to the MLRS, shells of NATO 's 155th caliber were used.

Ukraine expects German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to support its accession to the EU during his upcoming visit to Kiev, Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Andrei Melnyk said on Monday.

Earlier in the day, Italian media reported that Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi will visit Kiev on 16 June.

"The chancellor himself said that he does not need photo shoots. We don't need selfies in Kiev either, but what my compatriots hope is that the chancellor will come to Kiev with a clear commitment to the issue of [Ukraine’s] membership in the EU," Melnyk was quoted by German newspaper Bild as saying.

Melnyk added that he also expects Scholz to announce a new military aid package that would include German-made Leopard-1 tanks and Marder armoured fighting vehicles.

At the end of February, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, after the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian provocations. Western countries have been supplying Kiev with weapons and military equipment.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the application for Ukraine's accession to the EU on February 28. During the EU delegation's visit to Kiev on April 8, Zelensky received a questionnaire to begin Ukraine's accession process. Von der Leyen said that the document was "the basis for discussions in the coming months." Zelensky turned in Ukraine's questionnaire to EU Ambassador in Ukraine Matti Maasikas on April 18.

Ukrainian forces targeted a busy market in central Donetsk on Monday, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

According to the correspondent, the attack killed a woman and a child. Some more people were injured. The number of casualties may increase.

Ukrainian banks have blocked deposit accounts of the residents of the Kherson Region in the east of Ukraine, which went under Russian control during hostilities, Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the newly-formed regional military-civilian administration, said on Monday.

On 4 June, Stremousov lashed out at Kiev for "robbing" Kherson residents after the Ukrainian military cut Ukrainian-supplied internet in the region and Ukrainian banks stopped servicing accounts and cards of local clients.

"The deposits remained blocked. This shows yet again how Ukraine, while claiming to be transferring money to people's cards, knows that they will not be able to withdraw it. This is another fraud carried out by Ukraine's leadership, which got used to stealing from people. With regard to deposits of the region's residents, we will try to resolve this situation somehow and help the population, especially retired seniors. We will work things out to cope with the situation so that people feel protected," Stremousov said.

The new authorities in Kherson have already made the decision that local residents will have their utility debts and debts on loans issued by Ukrainian banks written off, Stremousov said.

The Kherson region and about two-thirds of the neighbouring Zaporozhye region went under the control of Russian forces in the period from March-May. Both regions acquired new administrations with mixed civilian-military representation. They now use the Russian national currency ruble and are connected to Russian-supplied internet and cellular connection, as well as Russian television and radio broadcasting. The new authorities have announced plans to hold referendums on accession to Russia.

Borisov expects high-precision weapons to become more important in the future and their firepower to increase. This, in turn, will allow the military to strike the infrastructure and main forces of the enemy before direct contact, which could save the lives of Russian soldiers, the official said.

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi will visit Kiev on 16 June, Italian newspaper La Stampa reported on Monday, citing government sources.

German newspaper Bild am Sonntag reported about the upcoming visit on Saturday without specifying the date, citing Ukrainian and French government sources.

La Stampa said it managed to source the date of the visit despite the Italian government's ordinance to keep it confidential due to security concerns.

The three European leaders are expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss demining of Ukrainian ports and the imports of grains. Draghi could also discuss with his counterparts the outcomes of his two-day visit to Israel, which he begins on Monday.

The diplomat added that The Holy See’s initiatives may be effective but Kiev “has abandoned agreements” in past.