Ukraine Daily

Wednesday, 15 June 2022

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Russia’s war against Ukraine

Khrystyna Liuta-Mykhalchuk (L) married her groom Volodymyr Mykhalchuk at the same time as Vitaliy Orlych (R) married his bride, Khrystyna Kalinovych-Orlych during the June 12 ceremony. (The Kyiv Independent)

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Reuters: Pentagon official says Putin still hopes to capture all of Ukraine. Speaking at an event hosted by the Center for New American Security, Pentagon official Colin Kahl said that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin still aims to capture all of Ukraine, but he believes it is unlikely to happen. Despite some tactical successes, Russia is unlikely to achieve its “grandiose objectives,” the official said.

Zelensky: Ukraine won’t use long-range weapons to attack Russia. President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a press conference that Ukraine won’t shell residential areas in Russia if the West provides it with long-range weapons. “We are not terrorists,” he said, adding that Ukraine needs the weapons to liberate its territory.

Explosions reported in Russian-occupied Nova Kakhovka, Kherson Oblast. Social media users published videos and photos of explosions at a warehouse with Russian military ammunition, online newspaper Ukrainska Pravda reported.

Number of injured in Lviv Oblast attack up to 6. A Russian missile was downed by Ukraine’s air defense over the town of Zolochiv on June 14 but its debris fell and damaged an infrastructure facility. Civilians wounded by the debris, including one child, were hospitalized, said Lviv Oblast Governor Maksym Kozytsky. Air defense also shot down several more Russian missiles that flew over Ternopil Oblast.

General Staff: Russian troops try to storm settlements in Donetsk, Luhansk oblasts. Russian troops tried to storm the town of Zolote in Luhansk Oblast and settlements near the Russian-occupied Rubizhne in the same region, Ukraine’s General Staff said. They also tried to seize the village of Berestove in Donetsk Oblast but the attack was repelled by Ukrainian troops, according to the General Staff.

Official: Ukraine has received 10% of arms requested from West. According to Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar, every day the Ukrainian military uses 5,000-6,000 artillery shells, ten times less than Russia. “No matter how professional our army is, we cannot win this war without the help of Western partners,” she said.

Russian governor says Bryansk Oblast shelled. According to Russia’s Bryansk Oblast Governor Alexandr Bogomaz, several houses were damaged and four people injured in the village of Zaimische, Klintsy city district. Local media outlets reported explosions near a military base. Klintsy is roughly 50 kilometers away from Russia’s border with Ukraine.

Ukraine, EU agree on road transport liberalization. Mustafa Naiem, deputy infrastructure minister, said on June 14 that the government has agreed on the final version of the special agreement with the EU. The deal, which is expected to be signed by the end of June, envisages the abolition of the permit system for Ukrainian carriers.

Governor: Air defense shoots down several missiles over Ternopil Oblast. According to preliminary data, there were no civilian casualties or damage, Ternopil Oblast Governor Volodymyr Trush said, urging people to hide in shelters during air raids. On June 11, Russia attacked the city of Chortkiv in the oblast, injuring 23 people.

Bloomberg: Ukraine asks Europe for temporary grain storage. Ukraine asked Europe for temporary grain storage to help secure its next harvest, Bloomberg reports. Earlier on June 8, Ukraine’s Deputy Agriculture Minister Markian Dmytrasevych said Russian attacks and occupation in southern and eastern Ukraine have reduced the country’s total grain storage capacity by 15 million tons.

Russia says it will open humanitarian corridor from Azot plant in Sievierodonetsk to occupied territory. Russia’s Defense Ministry announced that it will open a humanitarian corridor for civilians remaining at the Azot plant in Sievierodonetsk, Luhansk Oblast, to the Russian-occupied part of the oblast on June 15. According to the oblast’s governor Serhiy Haidai, around 500 civilians, including 40 children, remain at the chemical plant. Recent Russian shelling of Azot caused an oil leak, leading to a large fire on June 11.

Zelensky asks commander-in-chief to check if soldiers have enough protective gear. President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed Valery Zaluzhny, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, following reports that there are shortages of protective equipment. “Everyone on the front should have enough of everything for protection,” he said in his address to the nation.

Nearly two-thirds of Ukrainian children have been internally displaced or fled the country. Afshan Khan, UNICEF’s Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, speaking in New York, said: “The numbers are staggering. Almost two thirds of Ukrainian children are displaced either internally or across the border as refugees.” She also added that 277 children have been killed and another 456 were injured since the start of the invasion. According to Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office, the number of killed children is higher and sits at 288.

Read our exclusive, on the ground stories

To ease transportation throughout Kharkiv, Mayor Ihor Terekhov ordered the relaunch of the metro starting on May 24. Residents were still allowed to stay in designated spaces at metro stations and shelter overnight, but the subway is now running regularly. Read our story on how Kharkiv residents return home after months spent underground here.

While Russia’s war has been a heavy burden for Ukrainians to bear, even those in the thick of the fighting find the time to celebrate life, love and happiness. Read our story on two military couples who met while at war and celebrated their wedding in Donbas.

The human cost of Russia’s war

Well-known activist from Kyiv killed in combat near Izium. Roman Ratushnyi, 24, was an active participant of the EuroMaidan Revolution when he was just 15 years old, as well as the leader of the non-profit “Let’s Protect Protasiv Yar,” which fought against illegal construction at a natural park in Kyiv. When the war began, Ratushnyi joined the army. He was killed near Izium, Kharkiv Oblast, on June 9.

Russia returns 64 bodies of fallen Azovstal defenders. Ukraine’s Ministry of Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories reported that another exchange of bodies of soldiers killed in combat took place in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The Ministry did not specify how many bodies of Russian soldiers were exchanged.

Governor: Russia’s war killed 3 civilians in Donetsk Oblast on June 14. According to Donetsk Oblast Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko, four people were injured. Overall, the death toll in the region has exceeded 500 people since Feb. 24.

4 killed, 1 wounded in Russian attack on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. The city of Apostolove, located 37 kilometers south from Kryvyi Rih, was shelled by Russian Uragan multiple rocket launcher late on June 14. Four people were killed in the attack, said Apostolove Mayor Andrii Osa. The wounded man is being treated in hospital.

International response

Schwarzenegger denounces Europe for buying Russian fuel. Hollywood star and ex-California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said at the Austrian World Summit in Vienna that “we have blood on our hands because we are financing the war.” The European Union has imposed a partial oil embargo on Russia but refused to impose an embargo on Russian gas.

German howitzers will be sent to Ukraine soon. Ukrainian troops will soon complete their training on using Panzerhaubitze 2000s, and “the first howitzers will be delivered,” German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said. In May, Germany announced it would send seven Pazerhaubitze 2000s to Ukraine. The German government has been repeatedly accused of blocking arms supplies to Ukraine and constantly breaking its promises on such supplies. So far, not a single German heavy weapon has been sent to Ukraine since the large-scale Russian invasion began.

Deutsche Welle: NATO chief urges ‘more heavy weapons’ for Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said at a news conference on June 14 that the West needs to send Ukraine more heavy weapons as it battles Russia’s war. “Ukraine should have more heavy weapons and NATO allies and partners have provided heavy weapons … and they are also stepping up,” Stoltenberg said.

Biden: US to build silos on Polish border to export Ukrainian grain. The plan is to speed up grain exports by rail since Russia has blocked Ukraine’s Black Sea ports. This could help Ukraine to export 20 million tons of grain stuck in the country due to the war, U.S. President Joe Biden said.

US extends several Russian banks’ licenses for energy-related transactions. According to the U.S. Treasury Department, the list includes Russia’s central bank, Sberbank, VTB Bank, Alfa-Bank, and a few others. The license, which allows purchases and production of oil and oil products, coal, and wood, was extended until Dec.5. Western countries have imposed sanctions on major Russian banks but have been criticized for creating a major exception for oil and gas transactions.

EBRD to lend 300 million euros to Ukraine’s Naftogaz. The money will be used to offset the drop in oil and gas firm Naftogaz Ukrainy’s natural gas production as a result of the Russian invasion, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development said. According to the bank’s Vice President Alain Pilloux, the replenishing of Ukrainian gas stocks should start now to avoid “serious consequences in the autumn,” when the heating season begins.

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