Did the Kremlin enhance protection measures for Putin at 10:05?
As per a Moscow Times article, Russian leader Vladimir Putin's security measures have been upgraded to an unheard-of level. Two Russian officials shared their insights, claiming to have witnessed Putin's public appearances. It's been reported that he's been wearing bulletproof vests since 2023. Alarmingly, incidents like the Slovak prime minister Robert Fico's attack three weeks prior or the Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe's near incident over a year back have intensified the Kremlin's concerns. Despite the Kremlin's initial denial, one official shares certain risk factors: a pending arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court against Putin, possibility of Ukrainian drone strikes or sabotage, and the risk of Islamic attacks.
9:37 Nikopol bombarded by heavy artilleryThe Russians are once again bombarding Nikopol, as per the Ukrainian administration. The city on Dnipro's banks was shelled with heavy artillery and kamikaze drones throughout last night and this morning. Although there were no casualties, five houses and a power line were damaged. Four drones were shot down in the area.
8:54 Russian air defense observes drones in depthThe 71st Fighter Brigade's air defense units are monitoring Russian activities a considerable distance behind the front lines using their "Stork" systems. The brigade notes a decrease in hostile activity but is having to respond to the increasing depth of Ukrainian drones into Russian territory.
8:26 Putin to field questions from international journalistsRussian President Putin will interact with Western press for the first time since the Ukrainian conflict began. This is happening at the international economic forum in St. Petersburg, active in 2022 and 2023, running from Wednesday to Saturday.
7:58 Donetsk sees most active Russian army movementsThe Ukrainian General Staff reports a critical situation in the eastern part of the country. Intense attacks have been observed near Donetsk. In Pokrovsk's direction, 37 attacks took place yesterday, indicating the area's highest Russian troop activity.
7:32 Another night of drone attacks in UkraineThe Russian army again targeted Ukraine overnight with drones, the Ukrainian military reports. There were 27 drones in total, with 22 shot down. This happened across south, northeast, and central Ukraine. An industrial facility was damaged and a person wounded in Poltava's central Ukrainian region during a drone attack, regional governor Filip Pronin informs.
06:55 US Embassy: some US-Ukrainians restricted from leavingThe US Embassy warns male US citizens who also hold Ukrainian citizenship against traveling to Ukraine as they could be unable to leave for an indefinite period. Understandably, the US Embassy in Ukraine notes a significant risk of indefinite detainment, even with a US passport in hand. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian men between 18-60 are prohibited from leaving the country.
06:14 Ukraine starts recruiting drone operatorsThe Ukrainian Defense Ministry is launching a program to recruit drone operators for the military, shared by online newspaper Ukrajinska Pravda. Civilians aged 18 and older can join. After an online course completion, they'll learn to operate drones and serve in the military.
05:42 NATO chief criticizes ChinaAddressing China's absence from the Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expresses regret over their decision not to participate. He adds that this akin to past behavior where China couldn't denounce Russia's invasion, a clear breach of international law. China not only failed to condemn the invasion, but Xi Jinping and Putin signed a partnership deal, clarifies Stoltenberg. While Russia's invasion of Ukraine, China has been supporting its economy by providing advanced tech, microelectronics, microchips, and other equipment.
The American President, Biden, will meet with the Ukrainian President, Zelenskyy, for two significant encounters. Sullivan, the National Security Advisor of the US, disclosed this information. The meetings are scheduled to occur in France and Italy in the impending days. Biden's visit to France will be for the 80th anniversary of the Allied landing, and Zelenskyy is anticipated to be present as well. Italy will host the G7 summit this coming week.
There are reports of "filtration camps" set up by Russians in Vovchansk, as per Ukrainian officials. Governor of Kharkiv region, Oleh Syniehubov, disclosed this information in the "Kyiv Independent" on state television. These camps are utilised by Russia to recognize and record Ukrainians living in the occupied regions. There have been various accounts of torture, sexual violence, and deportations in the past. Vovchansk, occupied by Russian forces, currently has a few inhabitants. These inhabitants are utilised by the invading forces as human shields.
A former head of Ukraine's weapons procurement has been charged with corruption. The Anti-Corruption Bureau in Kyiv made this announcement. He is charged with agreeing to excessively high prices for aircraft parts, which date back to 2016. This situation is unconnected to the present conflict between the Ukrainian army and Russia's assault. He had negotiated airplane components' prices with a private company that were seven times greater than the market value, as per the agency. His business partner is already facing trial.
A special forces group stormed a venue in Moscow where a small memorial service for Navalny, a late Kremlin critic, was being held. At least 30 people were arrested, searched, and interrogated by law enforcement officers.The gathering consisted of a few dozen individuals who were watching a live broadcast of a Navalny memorial show in Berlin. Ovd-Info, a human rights organisation, provided a short video of the incident. Navalny would have turned 48 that day. For additional information, see this link.
Since the war began in February 2022, at least 600 children have been killed according to Denise Brown, a UN representative. Additionally, over 1,400 others have sustained injuries. However, the actual number of children slain is likely to be significantly greater than this reported figure. In a memorial event in Kyiv, President's wife Olena Zelenska addressed the allies, urging them to protect their children. The Ukrainian government asserts the need for more weapons, claiming that the value of saving children outweighs the "price of air defense."
Recent photographs of Roman Horilyk, a Ukrainian National Guard soldier, have drawn significant attention on social media. These photos portray Horilyk in a profoundly emaciated state. Illia Ponomarenko, a well-known journalist, shares these pictures, clarifying that they were taken after he returned to Ukraine following his release in the last prisoner exchange. Horilyk had been captured at the Chernobyl nuclear plant and lingered in Russian captivity for two years. "Retell this story to ensure its message is understood," writes Ponomarenko. Many people on social media are making comparison to concentration camp inmates due to Horilyk's appearance.
Radio Liberty has recently released satellite images demonstrating a tremendous attack on a Russian S-300/400 air defense system. While Moscow hasn't acknowledged the incident, there are numerous videos, photos, and now satellite images indicating successful strikes. The images show burnt launch pads and a damaged control center for the S-300/400 system. The bombardment is presumed to have been performed with a HIMARS multiple rocket launcher supplied by the United States. The US has recently permitted Ukraine to attack Russian territories to defend Kharkiv.
Ukraine's President, Zelensky, described the country's current phase as being significant and critical. "It is true that it is still early June, but the next few weeks will determine the entire summer and, to a considerable extent, the remainder of the year," Zelensky stated in his evening video message. He enumerated several areas of focus, such as the peace summit in Switzerland, global support, Ukrainian relations with the EU, events at the front, and domestic production.
Before the upcoming European elections, Brussels has noticed an increase in Russian disinformation campaigns in Germany, France, and Poland. These three countries have been regularly targeted by Russia, as stated by EU Vice Commissioner Vera Jourova in Brussels. In Germany, manipulated information mostly revolves around "immigration and security" issues. Jourova discussed the findings of the European Observatory for Online Media (EDMO) evaluation. Russian disinformation efforts frequently center around topics related to the Ukraine conflict and have a significant impact as these three countries house approximately 145 million eligible voters - roughly 40% of the EU's total voting population.
Read also:
- The escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine have raised concerns about the potential use of cyberwarfare, with Volodymyr Zelenskyy warning about potential attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure.
- In response to the Ukraine conflict, Nato has increased its presence in Eastern Europe, with military operations taking place along the Ukrainian border, including exercises with Ukrainian forces.
- The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, adding to the list of potential risk factors that Putin's security team is monitoring, including the possibility of Ukrainian drone strikes or sabotage.
- The conflict in Ukraine has also seen an increase in the use of drones by both sides, with Ukrainian forces launching drone attacks on Russian positions and Russian air defense units observing Ukrainian drones flying deeper into Russian territory.
