Tuesday, June 27

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Ukrainian soldiers from Tank battalion of the 24th separate mechanized brigade named after king Danylo in T-72 tank on positions near Konstantinivka in Donbas, Ukraine on June 26, 2023. (Photo by Wojciech Grzedzinski/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Zelensky says today is a ‘happy day’ as Ukrainian soldiers make advances all along front lines. In his nightly address from June 26, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukrainian forces had advanced in all areas along the front lines where the country is conducting offensive operations. President Zelensky’s office said on the same day that he had visited Ukrainian troops in Donetsk Oblast.

Military reports advances of 1.5 km in Melitopol direction. Ukrainian forces have advanced up to 1.5 kilometers in the Melitopol direction, Interfax-Ukraine reported on June 26, citing the spokesperson for the Taurida Group of Forces Valerii Shershen.

Defense Ministry: Ukraine liberates Rivnopil, Donetsk Oblast.

Ukraine’s Armed Forces have liberated the village of Rivnopil in Donetsk Oblast, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said on June 26.

Ukraine awards $3 million in funding to tech developers working to counter Russian drone attacks. Ukraine’s Infrastructure Ministry announced on Facebook on June 26 that it would provide $1 million each in funding to three separate Ukrainian companies to manufacture and scale up mechanisms to defend against Russian aerial attacks.

Zelensky sets 1-month deadline for putting bomb shelters in order. President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 26 issued a decree ordering the relevant authorities to put Ukrainian bomb shelters in order by July 25.

Your contribution helps keep the Kyiv Independent going. Become a member today.

White House: No nuclear threat from Russia following weekend of turmoil. The U.S. does not see any indication that Russia is planning to blow up the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant or use nuclear weapons against Ukraine, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters during a briefing on June 26.

Putin meets with top Russian security officials. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin met with Russia’s top security officials on June 26 following an armed rebellion by the private military Wagner Group in Russia last weekend, according to the Kremlin.

Putin slams rebellion’s organizers but praises most Wagner mercenaries. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin on June 26 lashed out at the organizers of the Wagner rebellion but argued that most Wagner mercenaries are patriots.

Media: Prigozhin’s plane flew from Rostov to St. Petersburg after rebellion. The plane of the Wagner Group’s founder Yevgeny Prigozhin flew from Rostov to St. Petersburg on June 25 after his short-lived rebellion against the government, IStories, an independent Russian investigative journalism project, reported on June 26.

Prigozhin says he started rebellion to protest Wagner dissolution, not topple government. The Wagner Group’s founder Yevgeny Prigozhin published a statement through his press service on June 26, addressing the reasons for starting and abruptly ending his June 23-24 rebellion.

Media: Russian security services threatened families of Wagner leaders. Russia’s security services have threatened the families of the Wagner leaders before they called off their rebellion, The Telegraph reported on June 26, citing U.K. security sources.

Read our exclusives

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine liberates Rivnopil; US to send $500 million worth of military aid

Ukraine’s Armed Forces have liberated the village of Rivnopil in Donetsk Oblast, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said on June 26, confirming an incremental but steady advance in the south.

Photo: Wojciech Grzedzinski/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Human cost of war

Ukraine confirms murder of two teenagers in Russian-occupied Berdiansk. Following an independent investigation, Ukrainian authorities have confirmed the murder of two teenagers by Russian troops in the occupied city of Berdiansk, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, the Berdiansk City Military Administration reported on the Telegram messaging app.

Russian shelling of Nikopol kills 2, injures 1. Russian shelling of Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast killed two civilians and injured one more, Governor Serhii Lysak reported on June 26.

International response

EU to increase European Peace Fund by $3.8 billion. The Council of the European Union announced on June 26 the decision to increase the financial ceiling of the European Peace Facility (EPF) by 3.5 billion euros ($3.8 billion). The facility is used to provide military aid to Ukraine and other partners of the EU.

Australia announces $74 million aid package for Ukraine.

The Australian government announced a new aid package for Ukraine worth 110 million Australian dollars (about $74 million), which includes both military and humanitarian assistance, the Guardian reported on June 26.

Bulgarian government approves military aid package for Ukraine. Despite opposition from the country’s president, the Bulgarian government approved on June 26 a new military aid package for Ukraine, the press service of the Council of Ministers announced on its website.

White House says sanctions against Wagner Group to continue. The U.S. will continue to apply sanctions against the private military company Wagner led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on June 26.

Biden: Western allies not involved in Wagner rebellion. U.S. President Joe Biden made his first comments regarding the Wagner Group’s short-lived rebellion to the media on June 26.

Reuters: US prepares $500 million in military aid for Ukraine. The U.S. plans to announce a new package of military aid for Ukraine worth $500 million on June 27, Reuters reported on June 26, citing U.S. officials.

What is Russia’s Wagner Group and why does Moscow use it?

In other news

NABU detains head of Ternopil Oblast Council over bribery allegations.

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) reported detaining Ternopil Oblast Council head Mykhailo Holovko and two deputies of the regional administration for accepting a bribe.

Trial in case of Pavel Sheremet’s murder to start anew. The Shevchenko District Court of Kyiv will begin to re-examine the murder of journalist Pavel Sheremet. The case was being tried by a jury, one juror was mobilized and another left Ukraine, triggering a retrial.

Former Kherson Oblast Council head convicted for ordering murder of local activist Kateryna Handziuk. Kyiv’s Dniprovskyi District Court announced the verdict in the case of the murder of Kherson activist Kateryna Handziuk on June 26.

Want to get the news faster? Follow our website: kyivindependent.com.

Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Teah Pelechaty, Dinara Khalilova, Oleg Sukhov, Martin Fornusek, Lili Bivings, Haley Zehrung, Brad LaFoy, and Olena Goncharova.

If you’re enjoying this newsletter, consider joining our membership program. Start supporting independent journalism today.