13:47 Italy apparently wants to supply Ukraine with Storm Shadows
According to a report from "Il Fatto Quotidiano," Italy plans to deliver Storm Shadow missiles, among other military equipment, to Ukraine in the ninth military package. The state Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform reported this, citing the Italian daily. The defense ministry is expected to present the ninth military package to parliament at the end of June, according to the report, but the number was not mentioned.
13:02 Professor Convicted in Estonia for Spying for Russia A Russian political scientist, Viacheslav Morozov, has been sentenced to six years and three months in prison in Estonia for spying for Russia. This was reported by the Russian opposition medium Meduza, citing the Estonian public broadcaster. Morozov had been working at 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 Weapons NATO General Christian Badia considers intensive efforts for the defense against modern hypersonic weapons necessary. For a credible deterrence, both defense and the ability to attack must be addressed, Badia said in Berlin at a conference. Russia is already using 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 Arson at Russian Tank Farm Appears to be Work of Domestic Intelligence A source in the Ukrainian security service told the Kyiv Independent that the nighttime attack on a Russian tank farm in Asow was likely the work of the Ukrainian domestic intelligence service. According to the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry, the fire covered approximately 3200 square meters. Over 200 firefighters were working to extinguish the fire.
11:30 London: Russia Takes Control of Village Near Avdiivka According to British intelligence assessments, 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 Cooperation Russia and North Korea plan to sign a treaty on comprehensive cooperation during Putin's visit to Pyongyang. Putin has approved the draft 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 contents were disclosed.
10:20 China rebuffs NATO Chief Stoltenberg's sharp criticism
The Chinese government has rejected NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg's criticism of Beijing's stance on the Ukraine war. "We advise (NATO) to cease the attribution of blame to others, not to sow discord, and not to pour oil on the fire," said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian. Instead, NATO should take concrete steps "for the political resolution of the crisis." Stoltenberg criticized China's actions regarding the Russian aggression in Washington the previous day. The People's Republic is pretending to be neutral, Stoltenberg speculated, to "avoid sanctions and keep trade going." However, 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 Ukrainian woman gets 12 years in prison for anti-war symbols in Russia
A Military Court in Moscow has sentenced a Ukrainian woman to 12 years in prison because she played an anti-war declaration and the Ukrainian national anthem from the window of her apartment in Moscow. This was reported by Ukrainska Pravda, citing the Russian opposition media outlet Mediazona. The 35-year-old woman also allegedly released white-blue-white balloons, a protest symbol against Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
09:00 Russian Navy trains for combat against submarines
The Russian Navy has started exercises in the Pacific Ocean just before Putin's state visit to North Korea. According to the Russian Defense Ministry in Moscow, about 40 ships and boats, as well as approximately 20 planes and helicopters, are participating in the maneuvers. The exercises are reportedly taking place from June 21 to June 28 "in the waters of the Pacific Ocean, the Japanese Sea, and the Sea of Okhotsk." During the exercise, the combat against submarines and the defense against air attacks are to be trained.
08:28 Putin's portrait lines P'yongyang's streets
Putin's visit to North Korea is unmissable in the capital P'yongyang: The streets are not only lined with numerous Russian flags but also with Putin's portrait. This can be seen in videos, for example on the Russian state news agency TASS, on social media.
08:01 Munz: At Putin's North Korea visit, it's all about weapons
Russian President Putin is visiting North Korea today and tomorrow. Munz, NTV-Russia correspondent, believes that Putin likely has weapons in tow. But diplomatic support is also important:
07:48 Rwanda withdraws signature from Peace Summit declaration
Rwanda has withdrawn its signature from the closing declaration of the Ukraine Peace Summit in Switzerland, according to Ukrainian media. Ruanda's name no longer appears on the declaration's list of signatories on the Swiss government's website. Currently, 77 states and 5 organizations support the declaration.
07:22 Ukrainian military analyst testifies to Russia's issues with artillery production
According to the assessment of Ukrainian military analyst Petro Chernyk, Russia is facing shortages of explosives for artillery shells, as reported by the US think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Moreover, Russia is reportedly gradually shifting from self-propelled to towed artillery systems, but it also apparently has problems with these. However, Russia cannot produce more self-propelled systems as it only has five to six corresponding machines.
06:54 Ukraine reports destruction of all ten Russian drones in the night
The Ukrainian Air Force claims to have destroyed all ten Russian drones used in the night over the regions of Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk, according to their own statements on Telegram.
06:28 Russia confirms shooting down of rare Russian reconnaissance aircraft
Russian 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. The Kyiv Independent reports this. The Ukrainian Military Intelligence and the Ukrainian Air Force had claimed the shootdown 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 is said to have fewer than ten of these aircraft, whose price is estimated to be around 350 million dollars.
06:02 Oil refinery in Russian Asow on fire
According to the statements of the governor of the region, an oil refinery in the Russian city of Asov near the Ukrainian border has been on fire following a Ukrainian drone attack. "There are no casualties reported so far," the governor of the southern Russian region, Vasili Golubev, announced on Telegram. The investigations are ongoing, and the local fire department is working to bring the fires under control.
05:40 Kremlin: Holding talks with USA over exchange of Gershkovich
Russia confirms, according to statements by Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov, contacts with the USA over a possible prisoner exchange of the detained US reporter Evan Gershkovich. He referred to statements by President Vladimir Putin, who expressed a desire for such contacts earlier in June. "They are continuing, but they should continue in complete silence," Peskov emphasized. "Therefore, no announcements, declarations or information on this matter can be given." The 32-year-old reporter for the "Wall Street Journal" was arrested by the Russian domestic security service FSB in Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains on March 29, 2023. He is accused of espionage.
04:50 Arrested US Soldier Gordon Black partially confesses
The Russian news agency Interfax reports that the US Soldier Gordon Black, who was arrested in Russia for suspected theft among other reasons, confessed partially to the crime in court in Vladivostok. He admitted to being "partially responsible" for the theft but denied having done so intentionally. He also denied threatening his girlfriend with death. Several other US citizens are already in detention in Russia, including journalist Evan Gershkovich and former soldier Paul Whelan, who are accused of espionage.
03:50 Netzagentur imposes fine for incorrect values regarding Nord Stream 2
The German Federal Network Agency has imposed a fine of 75,000 Euros on the pipeline operator Gascade in connection with the controversial German-Russian gas pipeline Nord Stream 2. The agency in Bonn states that Gascade published incorrect values in 2021 due to IT problems, which suggested that the inservice date of Nord Stream 2 was near. The market reacted to the false report and assumed that the pipeline's commissioning was imminent. This led to significantly lower prices.
02:58 Putin thanks North Korea for military support in Ukraine
Before his visit to North Korea, Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked Pyongyang for its military support in Ukraine in an article published by the state North Korean news agency KCNA. "We highly value the fact that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) has resolutely supported Russia's military operation in Ukraine," Putin wrote in the article. Furthermore, it was stated there that both countries are working to "actively develop the multifaceted partnership."
01:57 Russia reports heavy fighting in Charkiw
According to Russian reports, heavy fighting has broken out in parts of the northeastern Ukrainian region of Charkiw. "The enemy is sending reinforcements and trying to launch a counterattack, but is facing fierce resistance from our troops," said the governor of the region, Vitali Gantschew, who was appointed by Russia. Russian troops have reportedly repelled the latest Ukrainian counterattacks near Vovchansk, five kilometers behind the border. Russian troops had advanced into parts of the region Charkiw in the past month and had reportedly taken control of around a dozen villages. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the Ukrainian forces would drive the Russian troops out of the contested area.
00:55 DIW President: Cutting social benefits for Ukrainian refugees is populist
Marcel Fratzscher, an economist, criticizes demands for reducing 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 them off from benefits," Fratzscher told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND). "The German state does not need to spend less money on refugees, but more efforts for a faster and better integration of refugees into the labor market and society," Fratzscher demanded.
23:55 A significant majority of Ukrainians see Zelenskyy as the legitimate president
According to a survey by the International Sociological Institute in Kiev, 70 percent of the 2011 interviewed Ukrainians believe that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy should remain in office until the end of the war. Only 22 percent are against this. This goes against Moscow's view that Zelenskyy's term has long expired and he is no longer the legitimate president of Ukraine.
22:55 The European Parliament expresses concern over Finland's deportation plans
The European Parliament expresses concern over the Finnish government's plan to return migrants from Russia, who, according to Helsinki, have been deliberately sent across the common border by Moscow. The draft law must be rejected, demands the Human Rights Commissioner of the European Parliament, Michael O'Flaherty, in a letter to Finland's Parliament President Jussi Halla-aho. The current Finnish center-right government intends to significantly tighten immigration law. Among other things, they submitted a bill at the end of May that would allow their border guards to turn back refugees.
22:15 Peskov: Results of the peace conference "strive for nothing"
The Kremlin continues to speak ill of the results of the Swiss peace conference for Ukraine. Without Russian participation, the summit could not have produced any results, said Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for President Vladimir Putin, in Moscow. "If one speaks of the results of this meeting, they naturally strive for nothing," he said. The fact that a number of Russia-friendly countries such as Serbia, Turkey, or Hungary supported the final declaration does not bother Moscow. "We will certainly take into account the position these countries have taken. That is important to us. We will continue to explain our arguments to them," Peskov said. The Foreign Ministry in Moscow described the conference as a "complete failure," according to a statement by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova quoted by the TASS news agency.
You can read about all previous developments here.
- The ninth military package delivers to Ukraine by Italy is expected to include Storm Shadow missiles and other military equipment, according to a report from Il Fatto Quotidiano.
- According to Meduza, a Russian political scientist, Viacheslav Morozov, has been sentenced to six years and three months in prison in Estonia for spying for Russia.
- NATO General Christian Badia has called for an intensive response to modern hypersonic weapons, considering it necessary for credible defense and deterrence. Russia has already deployed these weapons systems against Ukraine, reports suggest.
- A source in the Ukrainian security service told the Kyiv Independent that the attack on a Russian tank farm in Asow was likely the work of the Ukrainian domestic intelligence service, as reported.
- According to British intelligence assessments, Russian troops have likely taken control of the village of Novooleksandrivka near Avdiivka, bringing the Russian army closer to the T0504 highway, one of Ukraine's main supply lines.
