10:49 Munz comments on peace conference: "Worldwide backing wanes, Russia achieves success"
While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy campaigns for participation in a peace conference in Switzerland, Russia attempts to prevent as many countries as possible from attending - with success. At the outset of the conflict, 141 UN nations condemned Russia's aggression, but a considerably reduced number plan on attending the gathering, according to NTV reporter Rainer Munz.
10:05: Did the Kremlin enhance security measures for Putin?
A report in the Moscow Times suggests that the Kremlin has significantly raised security measures for Vladimir Putin. Two high-ranking Russian officials who have attended numerous public events with Putin informed the paper that Russian security services have instituted unprecedented security. Additionally, a source close to the Kremlin confirmed this new degree of caution. Since 2023, Putin has reportedly worn a bulletproof vest during all public appearances. The growing concern over attacks on prominent politicians, such as the Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has ignited this heightened awareness. The Kremlin itself had previously denied any increase in security measures. These officials also raised the following potential risks: an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Putin, the threat of Ukrainian drone attacks or sabotage, and the risk of Islamic extremist actions.
09:37: Nikopol attacked with heavy artillery
Russian forces are firing on Nikopol, as per the Ukrainian administration. Last night and this morning, the city situated along the Dnipro River was bombarded with heavy artillery and kamikaze drones, claims the governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region. No injuries were reported, but five houses and a power line were damaged. Four drones were shot down in that region, the governor adds.
08:54: Storks monitor Russian activity with drones
The 71st Fighter Brigade's air defense units use their "Storks" to surveil Russian activity deep behind the front lines. The unit sees less hostile activity occurring. Nonetheless, Ukrainian drones are venturing deeper into Russian territory, compelling the air defense to take action.
08:26: Putin to answer questions from foreign media for the first time since the war's onset
Russian President Vladimir Putin will engage with Western media representatives for the first time since the start of his over two-year-long incursion into Ukraine at the international economic forum in St. Petersburg. The forum took place in 2022 and 2023. The economic conference begins on Wednesday and continues until Saturday.
07:58: Ukraine faces intense combat in Donetsk region
The Ukrainian military reports a precarious situation along the frontline in the east of the country. There are reports of continuous attacks northwest of Donetsk. Yesterday, there were 37 attacks adjacently to the city of Pokrovsk, according to the military report. The Russian troops are most active in the vicinity of Ocheretyne. There, they are attempting to progress in various directions. The locality is located between Donetsk and Pokrovsk.
07:32: Ukraine encounters another night with drone attacks
The Russian military pummeled Ukraine once more with drone attacks during the night. The Ukrainian armed forces state that they downed 22 out of 27 drones. The drones were purportedly shot down in southern, northeastern, and central Ukraine. During an attack, an industrial structure was damaged and a person was injured in the central Ukrainian region of Poltava, as regional governor Filip Pronin reports.
06:55: US Embassy states that US citizens with Ukrainian nationality cannot leave Ukraine
The United States urges male American citizens who also hold Ukrainian citizenship not to travel to Ukraine, as they may be barred from exiting the country indefinitely. "There is a very high likelihood that your departure will be denied, even if you possess a US passport," reads a statement from the US Embassy in Ukraine. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60 have been forbidden from leaving the country.
06:14: Ukraine seeks to hire drone operators
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense is initiating a project to enlist drone operators for the military. This is reported by the online publication "Ukrajinska Prawda". Individuals over 18 years old are eligible, it states. The individuals will first complete an online course, then master drone operation, and pledge to enlist in the army.
05:42: NATO Secretary-General remarks about China
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg criticizes China for declining participation in the Swiss peace conference. "It's regrettable that China has decided not to participate," says the Norwegian in a podcast for NDR Info, "Streitkräfte und Strategien". The refusal aligns with previous behavior, he explains, as China failed to denounce Russia's invasion of Ukraine - a clear breach of international law. Moreover, he notes that China has been aiding Russia's war economy by selling it advanced technology, microelectronics, microchips, and other equipment.
U.S. President Biden is slated to engage in two crucial meetings with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in the impending future, as per the declaration of the U.S. National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan. Both leaders are set to partake in commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings in France. In the upcoming week, the G7 summit will be held in Italy.
02:42 Updates on "Filtration Camps" in Vovchansk
The Russian forces are constructing what is known as "filtration camps" in the disputed city of Vovchansk, per Ukrainian authorities. These camps are utilized by Russia to monitor and record Ukrainians in the occupied regions. The Governor of the Kharkiv region, Oleh Syniehubov, revealed this information during a broadcast on state television. In the regions of Vovchansk subjugated by Russian troops, only a few inhabitants remain, according to Syniehubov. These people are exploited by the adversaries as shields.
00:44 Trial of Former Head of Ukraine's Arms Procurement
The former director of Ukraine's arms procurement is anticipated to confront corruption charges in court, alleged to have endorsed exorbitant prices for aviation components, as disclosed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau in Kyiv. The episode stems from 2016 and is unrelated to the current combative association between the Ukrainian military and Russia's hostilities. He is claimed to have agreed on aircraft part prices with a private company, the value of which was seven times greater than the market prices. His partner in crime is currently standing trial.
23:26 Timeline of Navalny Memorial Gathering Disruption
In Moscow, law enforcement authorities are applying brutal force against supporters of the deceased Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who assembled for a modest memorial event on his birthday. Representatives of a special unit invaded a location housing around 30 persons who assembled to view a live broadcast of a Navalny memorial concert in Berlin. Ovd-Info, a human rights organization, has documented that around 30 people were apprehended, searched, and investigated. The media outlet "Sota" has also published a brief video featuring several masked officers encroaching on the scene. Navalny would have turned 48 today. For more details, refer to the link provided.
22:56 Casualties of the War: Child Victims
Ukrainians remembranced the children slain during the war today. In excess of 600 children have been killed since the war's inception in February 2022, with an additional 1,400 injured, as per a UN official, Denise Brown. The statistics offered by the United Nations only represent the verified damages, and the real number of casualties could be significantly higher. "Let's hasten to shield our children," stated President's wife Olena Zelenska at a gathering in Kyiv intended for allies. Ukraine urgently needs more weaponry. The worth of children's lives supersedes "the cost of air defense."
At 22:00, fraught visuals of Ukrainian POWs - analogies with concentration camp prisoners
Social media is currently engulfed with unnerving images purported to portray Roman Horilyk, a Ukrainian officer of the National Guard. Notable journalist Illia Ponomarev has disseminated these recordings, exhibiting Horilyk's visibly emaciated state. "This is the soldier's condition upon his return to Ukraine after the most recent prisoner exchange," penned Ponomarev. Horilyk was apprehended at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and spent vainly more than two years in captivity under the Russian forces. "The cycle persists, and its lessons must be discerned." Numerous social media users are compared the appearance of Horilyk to that of prisoners from German concentration camps.
At 21:11, satellite imagery discloses a ruinous hit on Russian terrain
The recent strike on a Russian S-300/400 air defense system has drawn considerable interest. Notably, as it involves a pivotal system and is situated on Russian land. Moscow refuses to affirm the assault, yet there are several videos, images, and now satellite photographs exhibiting clear damages - published by Radio Liberty. Present are burn scars from launch platforms and a damaged control center of the S-300/400 air defense system. The strike allegedly was executed with a HIMARS multiple launch rocket from the United States. The U.S. has recently permitted Ukraine to engage in retaliatory battles on Russian soil to secure the Kharkiv region.
At 20:33, Zelensky: Crucial Fortnight for Ukraine
Ukrainian President Zelensky suggests that his nation is, once again, in a significant phase. "Although it is still only mid-June, the next few weeks will warrant significant consequences for the entire summer and, in many aspects, for the entire year," revealed Zelensky in his evening video address. He mentions the peace conference in Switzerland, "the galvanization of the global arena for Ukraine, affairs with the EU, front-line progressions, and the nation's production," among other endeavors.
Building up to the European elections, an increased prevalence of Russian disinformation has been noted in Germany, France, and Poland, as revealed by Brussels. According to EU Vice Commissioner Vera Jourova, based in Brussels, these three countries have been consistently targeted by Russia lately. In Germany, the focal points for manipulated information are mostly linked to "immigration and security issues," Jourova asserts. The EU Vice Commissioner also shared her insights from the findings of the European Observatory for Online Media (EDMO). She mentioned that Russian disinformation efforts frequently surround topics about the ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine. Approximately 145 million eligible voters are represented by Germany, France, and Poland, which amounts to approximately 40% of the total electorate in the EU.
Read also:
The peace conference in Switzerland, aimed at resolving the Ukraine conflict, faces decreased international participation due to Russia's efforts to prevent nations from attending. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine continues to advocate for participation.
Russia increases its security measures for President Vladimir Putin following reports of potential risks, such as an International Criminal Court arrest warrant or Ukrainian drone attacks.
Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg criticizes China for not denouncing Russia's invasion of Ukraine and refusing to participate in the Swiss peace conference, accusing China of aiding Russia's war economy with advanced technology.
The Ukrainian military experiences nightly drone attacks from Russian forces, leading to damage and injuries in certain regions. Ukrainian forces respond by downing incoming drones and take precautions to counter the attacks.
