Thursday, June 29

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov speaks to the press during a joint statement with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at NATO Headquarters on the first day of the NATO Defense Ministers’ Meeting on June 15, 2023, in Brussels, Belgium. (Photo: Omar Havana/Getty Images)

Zelensky touts reforms, modernization in Ukrainian Constitution Day address. President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke of the country’s goals for security, modernization, and development during his address to the parliament on Constitution Day on June 28.

Polish President Duda arrives in Kyiv. Polish President Andrzej Duda made an unannounced visit to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 28, the Polish president’s office reported.

SBU detains man suspected of spotting Kramatorsk attack. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported on June 28 that it detained a Russian spy suspected of coordinating Russian fire in the attack on Kramatorsk’s restaurant on June 27.

Reznikov: Ukraine fulfills 3 key conditions for NATO membership. Ukraine has achieved all three key prerequisites for joining NATO, Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov told The Guardian on June 28. Reznikov listed these conditions as interoperability with NATO forces, a transparent procurement system, and civilian control of the military.

Media: Russian general Surovikin arrested over Wagner rebellion. Russian General Sergei Surovikin has been arrested, the Moscow Times wrote on June 28, citing its sources in Russia’s Defense Ministry.

CNN: Russian security services possibly knew about Wagner rebellion in advance. Russian security services or military cadres may have had prior knowledge of the Wagner Group armed insurrection, CNN reported on June 28, citing a European intelligence official.

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Media: Investigation reveals Russian soldiers acted ‘on command’ at Kakhovka dam. Journalists from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Slidstvo.info have identified members of the Russian military who controlled the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant at the time of the dam explosion on June 6, according to a joint investigation.

Belarus blocks Ukrainian news sites for allegedly ‘discrediting Lukashenko.’ Belarus has started to block access to several Ukrainian news websites for allegedly “discrediting the President of the Republic of Belarus,” the Belarusian Prosecutor General’s Office announced on June 28.

Belarusian opposition group claims Lukashenko complicit in Ukrainian children abduction. The Belarusian opposition organization National Anti-Crisis Management (NAM) submitted evidence to the International Criminal Court (ICC) on June 27 alleging the complicity of Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko in the illegal transfer of Ukrainian children.

Ukraine’s parliament returns monthly bonus system to military. The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, voted to return to a monthly bonus system where soldiers, members of the Territorial Defense forces, and police get an extra Hr 100,000 ($2,700) per month if they serve in a designated active combat zone.

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Ukraine war latest: Reznikov says ‘main event’ of counteroffensive ahead

The “main event” of Ukraine’s long-awaited counteroffensive is yet to come, and the key NATO-trained troops have still not been deployed, Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said in an interview on June 28.

Photo: Wojciech Grzedzinski/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Human cost of war

Death toll in Kramatorsk missile strike rises to 11. At least 11 people have died in a June 27 missile strike on the city of Kramatorsk in Donetsk Oblast, the State Emergency Service reported on June 28.

Russian shelling kills 3 in Kharkiv Oblast. Russian forces shelled the town of Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast around 1 p.m. on June 28, killing three men, of 48, 45, and 57 years of age respectively, oblast governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.

International response

Switzerland joins EU in expanding sanctions against Russia. Switzerland is expanding its sanctions against Russia in line with the EU’s 11th package of sanctions, the Swiss government announced on June 28.

Polish, Lithuanian presidents back Ukraine’s NATO membership ahead of Vilnius summit. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky met his Polish and Lithuanian counterparts, Andrzej Duda and Gitanas Nausėda, in Kyiv on June 28, to discuss military support and Ukraine’s NATO aspirations.

Poll: 65% Americans support arming Ukraine. Around 81% of Democrats, 56% of Republicans, and 57% of independents expressed their support for supplying Ukraine, a Reuters/Ipsos poll published on June 28 revealed.

Media: Poland supports easing restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural products. Polish President Andrzej Duda hopes for easing restrictions on the EU’s imports of Ukraine’s agricultural products, Interfax-Ukraine reported on June 28. “I hope these decisions will be reduced as quickly as possible to allow free trade,” Duda said.

Lithuania restricts transit of dual-use goods that could end up in Russia, Belarus. The Lithuania government approved a temporary ban on the land transport of dual-use goods that could reach Russia or Belarus and be used in the war against Ukraine, Baltic News Agency (BNS) reported on June 28.

Switzerland blocks re-export of 96 Leopard tanks to Ukraine. The 96 non-operational Leopard-1 tanks, currently in Italy, were supposed to be sent to Germany to be modernized and delivered to Ukraine, but Switzerland rejected the plan over the country’s neutral policy, according to a communiqué seen by European Pravda.

Croatia recognizes Holodomor as genocide against Ukrainians. The Croatian parliament recognized the Holodomor of 1932-1933 as genocide against the Ukrainian people, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported on June 28.

Opinion: Why it is important to conduct journalistic investigations during war

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