13:02 Professor in Estonia convicted of spying for Russia
Russian political scientist Viacheslav Morozov has been sentenced to six years and three months in prison in Estonia for espionage. This was reported by the Russian opposition media outlet Meduza, citing the Estonian public broadcaster. Morozov reportedly worked for the university in Tartu, Estonia, until his arrest in January, and shared his knowledge about the political situation in Estonia and its relations with the EU with Russian intelligence services.
12:19: NATO General calls for response to modern hypersonic weaponsNATO General Christian Badia considers intensified efforts for defense against modern hypersonic weapons necessary. For effective deterrence, both defense and the ability to attack must be established, Badia said in Berlin at a conference. Russia is already deploying these weapons systems against Ukraine. The warning time could shrink to only about two minutes, it was reported at the meeting. Markus Ziegler from the German Aerospace Industries Association said: "Distance Moscow-Berlin: If you're fast, five minutes from there to here. Even Beijing-Berlin, where they say Beijing is infinitely far away, only 20 minutes."
11:57: Fire at Russian fuel depot likely caused by intelligenceThe nighttime attack on a fuel depot in the Russian city of Asow is believed to be the work of the Ukrainian security services, a source in the agency told The Kyiv Independent. According to the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry, the fire covered about 3200 square meters. More than 200 firefighters were reportedly on the scene to extinguish the fire.
11:30: London: Russia takes village near AvdiivkaBritish intelligence assesses that Russian troops have likely taken control of the village of Novooleksandrivka, about 20 kilometers north of Avdiivka. This would bring the Russian army closer to the T0504 highway, one of Ukraine's main supply lines.
10:48: Putin and Kim Jong Un plan comprehensive cooperationRussia and North Korea plan to sign a treaty on comprehensive cooperation during Putin's visit to Pyongyang. Putin has approved the draft of the treaty from the Foreign Ministry, the Kremlin announced. The document is expected to be signed at the highest level, that is, by Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. No details about the treaty's content were disclosed.
10:20: China reacts sharply to Stoltenberg's criticismThe Chinese government has rejected the criticism of NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg regarding China's stance on the Ukraine conflict. "We advise (NATO) to stop attributing blame to others, not to sow discord, and not to pour oil on the fire," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian. Instead, NATO should take concrete steps "for the political resolution of the crisis." Stoltenberg had criticized China's actions regarding the Russian attack war in his visit to Washington the previous day. China is pretending to be neutral, Stoltenberg speculated. "But the reality is that China is heating up the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II and at the same time maintaining good relations with the West."
09:36 A woman from Moscow has been sentenced to twelve years in prison by a military court in Russia for playing an anti-war declaration and the Ukrainian national anthem from her apartment window in Moscow. This was reported by Ukrainska Pravda, citing the Russian opposition media outlet Mediazona. The woman, who is 35 years old, is also said to have released white-blue-white balloons, a symbol of protest against Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
09:00 The Russian Navy is training for combat against submarines The Russian Navy has started exercises in the Pacific Ocean immediately before Putin's state visit to North Korea. Approximately 40 ships and boats, as well as about 20 planes and helicopters, are involved in the maneuvers, according to the Defense Ministry in Moscow. The exercises are reportedly taking place in the waters of the Pacific Ocean, the Japanese Sea, and the Sea of Okhotsk until June 28. During the exercise, the Navy is said to be training for the combat against submarines and the defense against air attacks.
08:28 Putin's portrait lines the streets of Pyongyang Putin's visit to North Korea is noticeable in the capital Pyongyang: not only are there numerous Russian flags lining the streets, but also portraits of the Russian president. This can be seen in videos, for example on the Russian state news agency TASS, on social media.
08:01 Munz: Weapons are the focus of Putin's North Korea visit Russian President Putin is visiting North Korea today and tomorrow. According to Rainer Munz, correspondent for ntv-Russia, Putin likely has weapons in his luggage. However, diplomatic support is also important.
07:48 Rwanda withdraws signature from peace summit declaration Rwanda has withdrawn its signature from the final declaration of the Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland, according to Ukrainian media. Ruanda's name no longer appears in the list of signatories on the Swiss government's website since Monday. Currently, 77 states and 5 organizations support the declaration.
07:22 Ukrainian military analyst assesses problems with Russian artillery production According to Ukrainian military analyst Petro Chernyk, Russia is experiencing shortages of explosives for artillery shells, as reported by the US think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Russia is also reportedly transitioning from self-propelled to towed artillery systems, but is allegedly experiencing problems with these as well. However, Russia cannot produce more self-propelled systems.
06:54 Ukraine reports destruction of all ten Russian drones launched at night The Ukrainian Air Force claims to have destroyed all ten drones launched by Russia during the night over the regions of Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk. The drones were reportedly shot down by the Ukrainian Air Force and the information was shared on Telegram by the Ukrainian Air Force.
06:28 Russia confirms shooting down of rare Russian reconnaissance aircraftRussian authorities have confirmed that the Ukrainian Air Force shot down a rare Russian Early Warning and Control aircraft of the type A-50 over the Azov Sea in February, resulting in the deaths of ten crew members. According to The Kyiv Independent. The Ukrainian Military Intelligence and the Ukrainian Air Force claimed the shoot down at the time. The aircraft was reportedly important for detecting air defense systems and missiles as well as coordinating targets for Russian fighter jets. Russia reportedly has fewer than ten of these aircraft, with an estimated price of around 350 million dollars.
06:02 Oil depot in Russian Asow on fireIn the Russian city of Asow in the Rostov region near the Ukrainian border, oil depots have caught fire following a Ukrainian drone attack, according to the local governor, Vasili Golubev, via the Telegram messaging service. "There are no casualties reported so far," Golubev stated. Investigations are ongoing, and local firefighters are working to bring the blazes under control.
05:40 Kremlin: Holding talks with USA over exchange of GershkovichRussia has confirmed, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, that negotiations are ongoing with the USA regarding a potential prisoner exchange for detained US reporter Evan Gershkovich. Peskov referred to statements from President Vladimir Putin, who expressed a desire for such talks earlier in June. "They are continuing, but they should continue in complete silence," Peskov emphasized. "Therefore, no announcements, declarations, or information can be provided regarding this matter." The 32-year-old reporter for the "Wall Street Journal" was arrested by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) in Yekaterinburg, in the Ural region, on March 29, 2023. He is charged with espionage.
04:50 Detained US soldier pleads partial guiltDetained US soldier Gordon Black has partially confessed to the charges against him in a Russian court in Vladivostok. According to the Russian news agency Interfax, Black admitted to being "partially guilty" of the theft but insisted he did not intend to commit the crime. He also denied threatening to kill his girlfriend. Several other US citizens are already detained in Russia, including journalist Evan Gershkovich and former soldier Paul Whelan, both of whom are charged with espionage.
03:50 Bundesnetzagentur imposes fine for incorrect Nord Stream 2 valuesThe German Federal Network Agency has imposed a fine of 75,000 euros on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline operator Gascade for publishing incorrect values in relation to the controversial German-Russian gas pipeline Nord Stream 2. According to the agency in Bonn, Gascade published erroneous data due to IT issues in 2021, which suggested that the pipeline's commissioning was imminent. The market reacted to the false information, believing that the pipeline's activation was imminent, resulting in significantly lower prices.
02:58 Putin thanks North Korea for military support in Ukraine
In the lead-up to his visit to North Korea, Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked Pyongyang for its support of Russia's offensive in Ukraine in an article published by the state North Korean news agency KCNA. "We greatly appreciate the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) for its resolute support of the Russian military operation in Ukraine," Putin wrote on Tuesday in the article. Furthermore, it was stated therein that both countries are working on "actively developing the multifaceted partnership."
01:57 Russia reports heavy Ukrainian attacks in Kharkiv
According to Russian reports, fierce fighting has broken out in parts of the northeastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv. "The enemy is sending reinforcements and attempting to launch a counterattack, but is encountering fierce resistance from our troops," says the pro-Russian governor of the occupied territories in the Kharkiv region, Vitali Ganchev. Russian troops have reportedly repelled the latest Ukrainian counterattacks near Vovchansk, five kilometers behind the border. Russian troops had reportedly entered parts of the Kharkiv region a month ago and had taken control of around a dozen villages according to official reports. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the Ukrainian forces will gradually drive out the Russian troops from the contested area.
00:55 DIW President: Cutting social benefits for Ukrainians is populist
Marcel Fratzscher, an economist, criticizes demands for a reduction in social benefits for Ukrainian refugees as "bare populism." "No one will be better off, and no one will even have an extra Euro if Germany treats refugees poorly and cuts their benefits," says the president of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND). "The German state does not need to spend less money on refugees, but rather make more efforts for a faster and better integration of refugees into the labor market and society," Fratzscher demands.
23:55 Ukrainians see Zelenskyy as legitimate president
A large majority of Ukrainians view State Head Volodymyr Zelenskyy, despite the extended war-time tenure, as a legitimate president. According to a survey by the International Sociological Institute in Kiev, 70 percent of the 2011 interviewees believe that Zelenskyy should remain in office until the end of the war. Only 22 percent are against it. The Ukrainians contradict the position of Moscow, which argues that Zelenskyy's tenure has long expired and that he is no longer the legitimate president of Ukraine.
22:55 European Parliament concerned about Finland's deportation plans
The European Parliament is expressing concern over the Finnish government's plan to return migrants from Russia, as reportedly arranged by Moscow and sent across the common border. The draft law must be rejected, urges European Human Rights Commissioner Michael O'Flaherty in a letter to Finnish Parliament President Jussi Halla-aho. The current Finnish Centre-Right government intends to significantly tighten immigration laws. For instance, they presented a bill at the end of May allowing border guards to turn back asylum seekers.
22:15 Peskov: Peace conference results "striving towards zero"
The Kremlin continues to criticize the outcomes of the Swiss peace conference for Ukraine. Without Russian participation, the summit could not yield any results, stated Dmitri Peskov, spokesperson for President Vladimir Putin, in Moscow. "When speaking about the results of this conference, they naturally aim towards zero," Peskov said. Moscow is not disturbed by the fact that Russia-friendly countries like Serbia, Turkey, or Hungary supported the closing declaration. "We will certainly take into account the stance these countries have taken. That is important to us. We will continue to explain our position to them," Peskov added. The Russian Foreign Ministry labeled the conference a "complete failure," as reported by the TASS news agency in a statement from Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
You can read about previous developments here.
- Volodymyr Selensky, the Ukrainian President, faces criticism from the Russian side as they reject his legitimacy as the leader of Ukraine amidst the ongoing conflict.
- NATO General Christian Badia calls for response to modern hypersonic weapons, expressing concerns about their deployment by Russia against Ukraine.
- Russia's political relations with Europe are strained as Estonia arrests Russian political scientist Viacheslav Morozov on espionage charges.
- The Ukraine conflict continues to reverberate in the realm of politics, with China dismissing criticism from NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg regarding its stance on the issue.
- The potential escalation of the Ukraine conflict ventures into cyberspace as Ukrainian Air Force reports the destruction of all ten Russian drones launched at night over Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk through a cyberwar.
