Russia-Ukraine war: EU President lauds "strength & resilience" of Ukraine's citizens

Petro Andryushchenko, an adviser to the Mayor of Mariupol in Ukraine, revealed that Russian troops are exporting stolen metals from the occupied city. As per Andryushchenko, June 12, which is celebrated as Russia Day, marked the third instance of metal exports by the Russian forces, The Kyiv Independent reported.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in a Twitter post earlier today, celebrated the "strength and resilience" of Ukraine's citizens amid the war. "They are defending courageously their country, in very difficult conditions. But I see life springing back in Kyiv", she said in a statement. More about von der Leyen's Kyiv visit.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry claimed that around 32,150 personnel of the Russian military have been eliminated since the Russian invasion began on February 24. According to the Ministry's data, the Ukrainian military has destroyed 3,484 Russian armoured vehicles, 1,430 tanks, over 200 aircraft and around 2,400 vehicles and fuel tanks.

As Russian tanks and trucks rumbled close to their village, a Ukrainian teenager and his father stealthily launched their small drone into the air.

Working as a team, they took bird’s-eye photos of the armored column moving toward Kyiv and pinpointed its coordinates, swiftly messaging the precious information to the Ukrainian military.

Within minutes, artillery batteries rained shells down on the invading forces, with deadly effect.

Andriy Pokrasa, 15, and his dad, Stanislav, are being hailed in Ukraine for their volunteer aerial reconnaissance work in the early days of the invasion, when Russian troops barreling in from the north made an ultimately failed attempt to take the capital and bring the country to its knees. Read full AP story here.

A UN Commission has begun its investigations into the alleged war crimes committed by the Russian forces in Ukraine's Kyiv Oblast. According to The Kyiv Independent, the first leg of the investigations will last until June 16. This comes after the UN voted in May calling for investigating the alleged human rights violation by Russian troops. Earlier today, a UN delegation landed in Ukraine to identify suspects, collect evidence and prepare materials "so that no one can escape punishment".

Russian outlets of American fast-food giant McDonald's, which withdrew operations from Russia in retaliation to Moscow's war on Ukraine in March, were reopened in the country as a new brand - 'Vkusno & tochka' - which translates to "Tasty and that's it", on June 11.  

On March 14, shortly after Russia began its military offensive against Ukraine, McDonald's closed all 850 of its Russian outlets. On May 16, the company, which had a 7% share of the catering market, announced its withdrawal from Russia and sold the business to a Russian buyer, Alexander Govor, through the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Tap here to read full story.

The UK's Intelligence reports have claimed that Russia is planning to deploy reserved battalions. UK's Defense Ministry also claimed that Russia continues to seek to generate more combat units to deploy to Ukraine. "In recent weeks, it has likely started preparing to deploy the third battalion from some combat formations", the Ministry said in a statement.

US President Joe Biden said that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to "obliterate" Ukraine and its culture. In his address on June 12, which is also celebrated as Russia Day, Biden said Putin "believes there’s no such thing as an independent Ukrainian culture" and that is why "we’re giving help to Ukraine", The Kyiv Independent reported him saying.

A Canadian lottery winner has pledged some of his prize money worth $70 million toward rebuilding Ukraine. Citing Canadian CTV News, The Kyiv Independent reported that the person named Marcel Lussier hails from Quebec and plans to help Ukraine residents with autism.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been awarded the Boris Nemtsov Prize 2022 for his courage and leadership during the ongoing Russian war. According to the Ukrainian media house Ukrinform, Zelenskyy beat Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, leader of the Okean Elzy band Sviatoslav Vakarchuk, founder of a unit of combat volunteer medics Yuliia Paievska (Taira), presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych, and others to win the prize.

Luhansk Oblast Governor Serhiy Haidai revealed that the Russian forces have destroyed the second of three bridges connecting Sievierodonetsk. He further revealed that the Russians are currently shelling the last overpass leading to Sievierodonetsk with an aim to cut the town off. 

The Russian Federation is trying to repeat the Holodomor famine in Ukraine, head of the country’s Presidential Office Andriy Yermak said as Russians continued their invasion of Ukraine with "outdated" weapons. In a statement shared on Telegram, Yermak asserted that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s troops were shelling agricultural lands in an attempt to annihilate the harvest. Notably, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has many times highlighted that invaders were deliberately destroying crops and agricultural equipment.

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A day after US President Joe Biden blamed Russia for unprecedented inflation in the United States, Russian First Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Dmitry Polyanskiy held POTUS responsible for skyrocketing prices of commodities in his country and said, "Looks like President Putin is governing the US as well." Notably, the prices of gas, food and most other goods and services surged in May, raising inflation to a new four-decade high. On Friday, the US President again blamed the Russian invasion of Ukraine for rising inflation in the US and Europe.  

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The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Saturday reestablished communication lines with Europe's largest nuclear plant in Europe, Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine's state energy regulator Energoatom said in a statement.  "Communication between the ZNPP servers, which were monitoring nuclear materials, and the IAEA has been reestablished," the company said in a message on its Telegram channel. Notably, the operation of radioactive material data transfer systems was deactivated since May 30 after mobile operator Vodafone suspended services in Energodar city following the Russian takeover.  

At least 21 adults, including a 12-year-old child, were injured after Russian troops bombed five-storey residential building in Chortkiv, Ternopil. The wounded individuals have been hospitalised and under critical treatment, the head of Ternopil Regional State Administration, Volodymyr Trush told Ukrinform. Among the victims are seven women. 10 ambulances are at the blast site for now, he added. 

Activists and critics of the Russian war against Ukraine on June 12 staged silent protests outside Moscow's Defence Ministry building with banners and placards saying "It is not my day," NEXTA reported. 

Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics on Sunday wished Moscow "defeat" in the war in Ukraine in his message to Kremlin on Russian day. In his rather mocking greeting, he urged Russia to give up its "imperial ambitions" and embrace the modern society. 

The Ukrainian military, in its daily war update on Sunday, reported the killing of hundred Russian soldiers in the last 24 hours. According to the armed forces General Staff, its forces have killed 32,150 Russian soldiers and destroyed at least 1430 war tanks since the onset of the invasion. Besides, it claimed that the Russian troops suffered the biggest losses in Severodonetsk and Bakhmuts regions. 

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on June 12 send a congratulatory Telegram to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the 30th occassion of Russian Day. Moscow commemorates this day for the adoption of the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) on June 12, 1990.

On receiving truckloads of Starlink antennas, Ukraine Armed Forces on Saturday extended their gratitude to Elon Musk, saying his satellite systems have helped the Ukrainian intelligence services to render more accurate damages to Russian artillery units. "Multitasker @elonmusk manages not only to work on preparations for the Mars mission but also to pass the Starlinks to our intelligence so needed for their special missions," the Ukrainian Defence Ministry in a Twitter post. "UAarmy defends freedom on Earth so that it can be established on Mars as well," they added as over thousands of terminals are actively involved in determining and destroying Russian targets.

In its latest batch of humanitarian supplies to Ukraine, Japan will donate 33 water purifiers to Odesa. The announcement was made by Kyiv's ambassador to Tokyo, Sergiy Korsunsky, via a Facebook post. 

As the Russian war continued in East Europe, China on Sunday reiterated its support for dialogue between Moscow and Kyiv. However, addressing the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore, Chinese Foreign Minister Wei Fenghe stressed that Beijing did not believe sanctions were appropriate measures to push back Russia, instead, it could contribute to worsening the situation. "A conflict or a war is the last thing that China would want to see in Ukraine. At the same time, we do not believe that maximum pressure or sanctions can solve the problem. It may cause even more tensions and make the problem even worse," Fenghe said in his speech, as quoted by TASS News Agency.

[IMAGE: AP]

The Ukrainian Army is running out of ammunition near the frontline regions of the south, said Mykolaiv governor Vitaliy Kim, urging for immediate international military assistance. “Russia's army is more powerful, they have a lot of artillery and ammo. For now, this is a war of artillery... and we are out of ammo," Kim said, as quoted by VOA News. 

Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN Serhiy Kyslytsya on Saturday warned Russian President Vladimir Putin of biblical consequences for the brutal war he waged in Ukraine. Addressing a mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York, Kyslytsya stated: "Neither power, nor the army, nor wealth will save any Putin and his wicked allies from the wrath of God. (They) can put on heavy golden crosses and walk in a circle with shamans and hummingbirds… But war criminals go straight to hell." Urging Putin to "repent" for his actions, Kyslystya added, otherwise "no shamanic" spells will help save him.

[IMAGE: AP]

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Saturday lashed out at Russia for attempting to oppress its neighbours through all-out war. “Russia's invasion of Ukraine is what happens when oppressors trample the rules that protect us all, is what happens when big powers decide that their imperial appetites matter more than the rights of their peaceful neighbors," he said on the sidelines of the International Institute for Strategic Studies’ 19th Asia Security Summit, also known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, a major annual defense and security forum in the Indo-Pacific region. 

The Pentagon chief also decried Russia's total disregard for global order and called on partners and allies to unite in response to Moscow's attempts to unilaterally change the status quo. "It's a preview of a possible world of chaos and turmoil that none of us would want to live in...These challenges demand shared responsibility and common action, and we must all reaffirm our common commitment to uphold international law, defend global norms and oppose unilateral changes to the status quo," he added, as quoted by Ukrinform. 

Russian foreign ministry on Saturday issued a stern warning against NATO build-up in Poland. According to the Interfax news agency, Moscow will launch a "proportionate" response in case of NATO troop amassment at the Polish border. " A response, as always, will be proportionate and appropriate, intended to neutralise potential threats to the security of the Russian Federation,” said Oleg Tyapkin, the head of a foreign ministry department in charge of Russian relations with Europe, as quoted by the publication. 

As all-out Russian war stepped into day 109, invading forces have lost over 32,000 troops, said Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his usual night address. He hailed the defenders who were holding against fierce Russian strikes in Severodonetsk- the larges city in Donbass. 

At least 2.5 million Ukrainians have returned home ever since the onset of war on February 24, claimed The European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex. Within the last ten days, an average of 37,000 Ukrainians left the EU member states every day, heading to Ukraine and Moldova, the agency said in a statement. About 5.5 million Ukrainian citizens have fled to the EU since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, Frontex noted. 

Elon Musk extended his support to Ukraine with the supply of its Starlink Satellite Internet service for extended coverage to ensure Kyiv is online amid the burgeoning Russian war. Musk's Starlink system is a unique contribution at the time as it uses terminals that are similar to TV antennas that access the internet via satellite connections in rural or disconnected areas. Ukraine so far has received thousands of Starlink dishes from SpaceX as well as Europe. 

An independent commission appointed by the United Nations arrived in Ukraine on Saturday to probe into war crimes by Russin Federation. In an elaborate Facebook post, Olena Kondratyuk, deputy chairwoman of Verkhovna Rada, affirmed that Kyiv will contribute to the "successful work of the mission." The visiting commission discussed the directions of the work in Ukraine, which was established to record human rights violations, international humanitarian law, and other crimes related to Russian aggression. The main task is to identify the suspects, gather evidence, and prepare materials so that no one escapes punishment.

Ukrainian law enforcement agencies are investigating more than 16,000 war crimes and crimes of aggression committed since February 24, 2022, including more than 5,000 killings and 6,000 civilian injuries. Unfortunately, these numbers are growing every day. At the same time, a separate investigation is being conducted into the crime of genocide, Kondryatuk said.

[Image: @OlenaKondryatuk/Facebook]

Zelenskyy, on June 10, lashed out at the petition to lift the ban for men of 18-60 years old to leave Ukraine and cited Article 17 of the Constitution, which mandates the men in the country to defend the sovereignty of their nation.

"Fighting for the territorial integrity of the country in Ukraine is the responsibility of its people," Ukraine's president asserted.

Zelenskyy referenced Article 64, which allows for the rights and liberties to be limited during the martial law, which his administration imposed on February 24 after Russia's military launched an all-out military assault in Ukraine. 

After first invoking the Martial Law, Zelenskyy extended it for the next 30 days -- nearly 19 days after it was first introduced in the backdrop of Russia's invasion.

Notably, Martial law is the temporary imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to a temporary emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in occupied territory. In a video message, President Zelensky had assured that his government along with the army will work to deter Russian aggression in the territory, also urging that the civilians refrain from panicking and instead fight. 

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French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Italian PM Mario Draghi will embark on a trip to Kyiv for meeting their Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This was reported by Bild am Sontag, citing government sources. Official information on the same is awaited. 

Former Vice President of Russian state-owned Gazprom Bank, Igor Volobuev, reportedly joined the Freedom of Russia legion to fight for Ukraine. 50-year-old Volobuev fled Russia in April to fight alongside Ukraine. 

The US government has decided to boycott the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum to be hosted by Russia "in all capacity," the US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement. He also called on other companies to join the boycott to deliver a clear message that "there is not usual business" with Moscow in the wake of the war in Ukraine.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on June 10 called on the international community to join the efforts in response to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, and oppose the Kremlin’s attempts "to undermine rules-based international order". Speaking on the sidelines of Shangri-La Dialogue, International Institute for Strategic Studies’ 19th Asia Security Summit in Singapore, Austin underscored the global security implications of Russia’s war and military assertiveness in the region as it continues to dismantle the rules-based international order. 

“Russia's invasion of Ukraine is what happens when oppressors trample the rules that protect us all, is what happens when big powers decide that their imperial appetites matter more than the rights of their peaceful neighbours,” US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said.

"It's a preview of a possible world of chaos and turmoil that none of us would want to live in,” he added.

Former American President Barack Obama, on Friday, warned that Russia’s ongoing war on Ukraine is far from over and would have far-reaching consequences. Addressing Copenhagen Democracy Summit on Friday, Barack Obama reckoned, “Make no mistake, this war is far from over. The costs will continue to mount." Furthermore, calling for “strong and sustained" aid to Ukraine, he underscored that the trajectory of the war remains unpredictable. 

His remarks came as the Russian invasion of Ukraine transcended 100 days. Lauding the fierce resistance of the Ukrainian soldiers and civilians against the military aggression, the former US President said that it was because of the indomitable “courage” that Russian President Vladimir Putin had still not been able to achieve his desired strategic objectives within the eastern European country. 

Russia is claiming that as the intense fighting continues in the eastern Donbass region, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation EMERCOM has been providing "uninterrupted assistance" to the people of Donbass. In the last few days, Russians have sorted through the rubble and cleared the debris to find survivors, has delivered 15'000 tonnes of drinking water, distributed 1,3 tonnes of vital supplies among the residents. Russia also claims that the agency workers found 32'000 explosive dives and disarmed them to avoid civilian casualties. 

Russian Defence Ministry has been accusing the Ukrainian military forces of using its citizens as 'human shields' and waging the war from the civilian residential buildings for blaming Russia's armed forces for the civilian losses.  "Your nationalist government employs the same tactics as terrorists. They want to use you as a human shield," Major General Igor Konashenkov, the Russian Defence Ministry's spokesperson, had said in a footage. Russia on Saturday shared the footage of the site as the evidence. 

Credit: Telegram/Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation EMERCOM/RussianMFA

Czech Republic national has reportedly been killed fighting alongside the Ukraine's Armed Forces in the eastern region, Czech foreign minister Jan Lipavsky said. 

 "I can confirm that a Czech citizen has died in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. The body should be transported to the Kharkiv region tomorrow," 

During a visit to Kyiv by the European Union’s top official, Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy called for a new round of “even stronger” EU sanctions against Russia. Zelenskyy called for the new sanctions to target more Russian officials, including judges, and to hamper the activities of all Russian banks, including gas giant Gazprom’s bank, as well as all Russian companies helping Moscow “in any way.”

He spoke during a brief press appearance with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the heavily guarded presidential office compound in Kyiv. The pair discussed Ukraine’s aspirations for EU membership. Zelenskyy said Ukraine “will do everything” to integrate with the bloc.

Source: Associated Press

Ukraine’s state-run nuclear power operator Energoatom  has reportedly restored internet connection between the International Atomic Energy Agency and the servers of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant that was occupied by the Russian forces earlier. The connection was lost on May 30 and was restored on June 10, yesterday the operator informed. 

Decision on Ukraine’s request to join the European Union is expected as early as next week, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has reportedly told president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During her second visit to Ukraine, Von der Leyen told Zelesnkyy that EU “will enable us to finalise our assessment by the end of next week." "You have done a lot in strengthening the rule of law but there is still need for reforms to be implemented, to fight corruption for example," she told the Ukraine's leader. 

EU's Von der Leyen praised Ukraine’s “strength and resilience” in the face of Russia’s “horrible and atrocious” invasion and said the EU would assist with reconstruction so the country could “rise from the ashes.” “We are mourning with you. We share the tears with you,” she said. Von der Leyen was on her second visit to Ukraine since Russia invaded its neighbor. She was one of the first European leaders to go to Ukraine during the war, according to associated press. 

Ukrainian governor has accused Russia of using incendiary weapons in the village of Vrubivka in Ukraine’s eastern Luhansk province, southwest of the fiercely contested cities of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk in a Teelgram post. 

While the use of flamethrowers on the battlefield is legal, Serhii Haidai, governor of Luhansk province, alleged the attacks overnight caused widespread damage to civilian facilities, he said, according to associated press. The claims could not be independently verified.

“Information about the number of victims in Vrubivka, in the Popasnyanska district, is being specified. At night, the enemy used a flamethrower rocket system - many houses burnt down,” Haidai wrote on Telegram on Saturday.

Ukrainian and British officials warned Saturday that Russian forces are relying on weapons able to cause mass casualties as they try to make headway in capturing eastern Ukraine and fierce, prolonged fighting depletes resources on both sides.

Russian bombers have likely been launching heavy 1960s-era anti-ship missiles in Ukraine, the U.K. Defense Ministry said. The Kh-22 missiles were primarily designed to destroy aircraft carriers using a nuclear warhead. When used in ground attacks with conventional warheads, they “are highly inaccurate and therefore can cause severe collateral damage and casualties,” the ministry said.

Russia is also likely using the 5.5-tonne (6.1-ton) anti-ship missiles because it is running short of more precise modern missiles, the British ministry said. It gave no details of where exactly such missiles are thought to have been deployed.

Russian long range bomber Tu-22M3 flies during an air strike.

Source: Associated Press

Image: Associated Press

Ukraine's ambassador has said that he expects Germany to send IRIS-T missiles to Ukraine in October. Andriy Melnyk, the Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, said that the October deadline is justified because the IRIS-T air defense systems are being manufactured. Earlier this month, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had announced that Berlin will supply Ukraine with the IRIS-T modern air defence and radar systems as criticism mounted against his government that he wasn't doing much to help Kyiv. 

“The government has decided that we will send the IRIS-T system – the most modern system that Germany currently possesses,” the German chancellor had told parliament.

IRIS-T missiles are developed with other NATO nations. Germany has already sent more than 15 million rounds of ammunition, 100,000 hand grenades and about 5,000 anti-tank mines to Ukraine's military. 

A South Korean national who was captured by the Russian soldiers as he fought alongside Ukraine’s army will go on trial in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, Interfax news agency has reported citing an official Natalia Nikonorova. “A verdict is being prepared now on a mercenary from South Korea. He is their citizen who fought for the armed forces of Ukraine,” Interfax quoted her as saying. 

Ukraine has said that it is "taking all the necessary measures" to save lives of the three foreign nationals fighters, two Britons and a Moroccan, who were sentenced to death by authorities in the Donbass region after they were captured in Mariupol. A Ukrainian lawmaker from the parliamentary security and defence committee said that government was taking measures to save Moroccan national Saaudun Brahim and British nationals Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner. 

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered his cabinet to use all their power to help free two British nationals facing the death penalty in pro-Russian Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) for fighting in favour of Ukraine. In a statement, a spokesperson for 10 Downing Street stated that Johnson was "appalled" at the sentencing. The UK PM has been following the case closely and "asked his ministers to do everything in their power to reunite" the British nationals with their families.

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Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking remotely at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, said that the outcome of the ongoing war in his country affected not just Ukraine, but the future of international order. "I am grateful for your support... but this support is not only for Ukraine, but for you as well," he said. "It is on the battlefields of Ukraine that the future rules of this world are being decided along with the boundaries of the possible." 

Zelenskyy said that his military forces had no ambitions to move into Russian territory.

"Please remember the war is being waged on our soil. People in Ukraine are dying. ... We don't want to go to Russian soil."

Russian troops continuing blockade of ports in the Black Sea and Azov Sea has been hindering the Ukrainian grain export to the world market that has triggered the global food insecurity, Ukraine's Zelesnkyy said on Saturday. 

"If due to Russian blockades we are unable to export our foodstuffs, the world will face an acute and severe food crisis and famine in many countries in Asia and Africa," he added.  Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine would "definitely prevail in this war that Russia has started" and described how his military had no ambitions to move into Russian territory.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the future rules of the world is being decided on Ukraine's frontlines as his forces continue to deter the advancement of the Russian troops inside his territory. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, the Ukrainian leader iterated that the globe's fate and the future of international rules based order is being decided by the ongoing war in his country.

As he addressed 575 delegates from 40 countries, Ukraine's leader said: "I am grateful for your support but this support is not only for Ukraine, but for you as well. It is on the battlefields of Ukraine that the future rules of this world are being decided along with the boundaries of the possible."

Ukraine's President Vlodomyr Zelesnkyy told IISS Shangri-La Dialogue that a pre-emptive diplomacy and sanctions were needed against Russia before the war started in Ukraine. Ukraine's president was responding to a question about France's president Emmanuel Macron’s recent call to avoid humiliating Putin. 

"We needed pre-emptive diplomacy and sanctions before the war. It is too late to try to reach out to or comfort the Russian leadership," said Zelenskyy. 

Director of the Economic Cooperation Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Dmitry Birichevsky during his briefing on global food security said that the global food market situation began to take shape "a while ago" and has nothing to do with the beginning of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine. 'It dates back to February 2020 and is linked to the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the world economy was 'disoriented' and had to be restored," Birichevsky stressed.

Russia's minister blamed the US "missteps in regulating its economy" during the pandemic that has triggered the global food insecurity. He blamed EU's what he described "overestimation of the alternative energy sources" that resulted in a dramatic price hike of the fuel. 

"Irrational one-sided sanctions against Russia - one of the world’s leading food and energy producers" has triggered global food insecurity, said Director of the Economic Cooperation Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry. 

A British Conservative MP has said that the two Briton fighters of the Ukraine Armed Forces' Foreign Legion sentenced to death by a court is a “monstrous flouting of their human rights." He criticised the human rights ombudsman in the self proclaimed republic in Donetsk for voilating the international laws. 

Russian-controlled Ukraine convicted 28-year-old Aiden Aslin, from Newark, 48-year-old Shaun Pinner, from Watford, and Saaudun Brahim, whom they call "mercenaries" on charges of “terrorism” for committing the war crimes. UK officials are calling it a "disgusting Soviet-era show trial." 

Former head of the British Army, General Lord Richards, on Saturday said that the West lacks a 'coherent strategy in Ukraine' and that the UK officials must be "properly trained and qualified" in the defense strategy. Richards said that British minister must demonstrate “moral courage robustly to speak truth unto power.” 

In a piece published in UK's newspaper The Telegraph, ex-head of the British Army iterated: "There is, at best, what might be termed incremental strategy with again no early and decisive synchronisation of ends, ways and means. It is a “let’s see how it goes” “strategy”, in other words not really strategy at all." He went on to add, "There is still little idea in London, Washington or elsewhere how “we” want the war to pan out, or what sort of Russia we are seeking to shape, especially on the vital long-term issue of relations with China."

Russian troops are installing the fortification equipment of the second and third lines of defense and military checkpoints made of reinforced concrete structures near the bridges across the North Crimea Canal, the Armed Forces of Ukraine informed in a post. 

"In the Volyn and Polissia directions, up to seven battalions of the Belarus Armed Forces continue to strengthen the Ukrainian-Belarusian border in Brest and Gomel regions. Deadlines have been extended: an inspection of combat readiness – until June 18; and the closure of airspace over the southern part of Belarus – until July 8," the statement of the Ukraine's military read. 

Credit: Twitter/RussianMFA Crimea

Russia is planning to isue 'USSR' passports to the residents of Kyiv in the regions occupied by Russian troops, Ukraine's security service (SBU) has claimed sahring pictures as the evidence. A cache of passport forms was issued to the Ukrainians with the residency of the former USSR near the town of Makariv, Ukraine's SBU said on Telegram messaging app. Russian forces planned to create an occupation administration and organise a pseudo-referendum, they said citing the intelligence.

Amid the BALTOPS 22 naval drills by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Moscow on Friday conducted maritime exercises with 60 surface warships and supply vessels, and 45 aircraft and helicopters. According to the Russian Defence Ministry statement, as quoted by Xinhua, at least 10,000 soldiers were involved in the said exercises. 

[IMAGE: @Cootchyface/Twitter]

A Moscow-appointed official of the occupied Zaporizhzhia region, Vladimir Rogov, on Friday, informed that at least 70,000 people have applied for Russian passports in the region. The issuance of passports will begin from June 11, said Rogov, as quoted by NEXTA. 

[IMAGE: Unsplash]

As Russia increases attacks on the eastern industrial region of Ukriane, photographs showing the effects of the war have surfaced. Shared by Associated Press, the first image showcases a journalist clicking pictures of smoke rising from an explosion. The second one features, two British citizens and one Moroccan citizen who have been sentenced to death for fighting alongside Ukrainian troops in Donetsk. The third one features a Ukrainian tank in the industrial Donetsk. 

[IMAGES: AP]

Russian troops on Saturday pummelled the village of Vrubivka in Ukraine's Luhansk region. They also renewed attacks on Severeodonetsk, said Luhansk Regional Military Administration head Sergiy Haidai. 

[IMAGES: AP]

US President Joe Biden on Friday said that his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy “did not want to hear it” when American intelligence shared information on a potential Russian invasion of his country. Galvanising support for the war-torn country, the American leader, while speaking to donors at a Democratic fundraiser, affirmed that nothing like the ongoing conflict has happened since the second world war. “I know a lot of people thought I was maybe exaggerating. But I knew we had data to sustain he” — meaning Russian President Vladimir Putin — “was going to go in, off the border.”

It has been 108 days since Russia launched its ‘Special Military Operation’ on Ukraine and since then has turned it into a war of attrition. Zelenskyy has, although emerged as a voracious and valiant leader, his preparedness for the war has reportedly been questioned. Speaking about the same, Biden said, “There was no doubt (about the war). “And Zelenskyy didn’t want to hear it.”

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[IMAGE: Shutterstock]

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday ordered his cabinet to use all their power in order to help free two British nationals facing the death penalty in pro-Russian Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) for fighting in favour of Ukraine. In a statement, a spokesperson for 10 Downing Street stated that Johnson was "appalled" at the sentencing. The UK PM has been following the case closely and "asked his ministers to do everything in their power to reunite" the British nationals with their families. 

[Image: AP]

The UN human rights office has voiced concern about the death sentences imposed by pro-Moscow rebels in Ukraine on three captured foreigners who were fighting on the Ukrainian side.

A court in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic found two Britons and one Moroccan guilty of seeking the violent overthrow of power. The men were also convicted of mercenary activities and terrorism.

UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani noted Friday that, according to the Ukrainian military, all three were part of Ukraine’s armed forces. She said if that is the case they “should not be considered as mercenaries”.

Shamdasani said that, since 2015, the office has observed that the judiciary in rebel-run separatist areas “has not complied with essential fair trial guarantees, such as public hearing, independence and impartiality of the court and the right not to be compelled to testify.”

She added that “such trials against prisoners of war amount to a war crime.”

[IMAGE: AP]

Former Ukrainian defence minister, Andriy Zagorodnyuk, stressed that Ukraine “shouldn’t overestimate the ability to fight against Russia”. In a televised interview with the American broadcaster CNN on Saturday, Zagorodnyuk said: "We can win, Ukraine will win, however we need to complete those plans with ally countries and get those equipment we’ve been promised."

His remarks were made after reports emerged that Ukraine was incurring heavy troop loses on the frontlines and the fate of the war was now depending on the West's weapons to deter the invading forces. 

Ukrainian Armed Forces have eliminated an estimated 32,050 Russian soldiers between February 24 and June 11, including 150 in the past 24 hours, General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces informed on Facebook. Ukrainian defenders also destroyed 1,419 (+10) tanks, 3,466 (+16) armored fighting vehicles, 712 (+0) artillery pieces, 222 (+0) multiple launch rocket systems, 97 (+0) anti-aircraft warfare systems, 212 (+0) warplanes, 178 (+0) helicopters, 579 (+7) operational and tactical level UAVs, 125 (+0) cruise missiles, 13 (+0) warships/cutters, 2,448 (+10) other vehicles and tanker trucks, and 54 (+0) pieces of special equipment.

Credit: Facebook/General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces

UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) in its latest war briefing stated that Russia is likely resorting to such inefficient weapon systems because it is running short of more precise modern missiles, while Ukrainian air defences still deter its tactical aircraft from conducting strikes across much of the country.

European Union President Ursula von der Leyen on Saturday reached the Kyiv to meet with embattled Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenksyy. "With Zelenskyy, I will take stock of the joint work needed for reconstruction and of the progress made by Ukraine on its European path," she wrote in a Twitter post.

Ukraine's envoy to Germany, Andriy Melnyk, in an interview with Novoe Vremya said that Germany will supply Gepards and 7 self-propelled Howitzers to Ukraine on June 22. 

As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine grinds into its fourth month, officials in Kyiv have expressed fears that the specter of “war fatigue” could erode the West's resolve to help the country push back Moscow's aggression.

The U.S. and its allies have given billions of dollars in weaponry to Ukraine. Europe has taken in millions of people displaced by the war. And there has been unprecedented unity in post-World War II Europe in imposing sanctions on President Vladimir Putin and his country.

But as the shock of the Feb. 24 invasion subsides, analysts say the Kremlin could exploit a dragged-out, entrenched conflict and possible waning interest among Western powers that might lead to pressuring Ukraine into a settlement.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy already has chafed at Western suggestions he should accept some sort of compromise. Ukraine, he said, would decide its own terms for peace.

“The fatigue is growing, people want some kind of outcome (that is beneficial) for themselves, and we want (another) outcome for ourselves,” he said.

Associated Press

As the military aggression by Russian troops transcended 100 days, the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen met with the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State, Pope Francis on Friday to discuss ways to stop the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and alleviate the worldwide food crisis it has aggravated. According to the Holy See Press Office, they met at the Secretariat of State and had a "cordial" conversation.

The Pope and the EU chief concentrated on their good bilateral ties and shared commitment to work to end the war in Ukraine, paying special emphasis to the humanitarian issues and food repercussions of the conflict's prolongation, The Vatican News reported.  

Taking to Twitter to apprise about the meeting, Ursula von der Leyen remarked, “We stand with those suffering from the destruction in Ukraine. This war must end, bringing peace back to Europe."

According to a brief by Ukraine State Border Guard Service (SBGS), at least "38,000 people arrived in Ukraine last night, 34,000 of them Ukrainians." On the contrary, over the past day, more than 38 thousand people left Ukraine. Almost 24,000 of them crossed the border with Poland, the rest went to Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces killed about 32,050 Russian soldiers between February 24 and June 11, including 150 in the past 24 hours.

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported this on Facebook.

Ukrainian defenders also destroyed 1,419 (+10) tanks, 3,466 (+16) armored fighting vehicles, 712 (+0) artillery pieces, 222 (+0) multiple launch rocket systems, 97 (+0) anti-aircraft warfare systems, 212 (+0) warplanes, 178 (+0) helicopters, 579 (+7) operational and tactical level UAVs, 125 (+0) cruise missiles, 13 (+0) warships/cutters, 2,448 (+10) other vehicles and tanker trucks, and 54 (+0) pieces of special equipment.

Serbia and Kosovo must recognize each other in order to join the European Union, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Friday said as he expressed support for quicker integration of the Western Balkans into the bloc amid the war in Ukraine.

Scholz, on a visit to the Western Balkans, also pressed Serbia to join Western sanctions against Russia despite its historic and current ties to Moscow, which supplies most of Serbia’s energy needs.

“It is important that we all together show solidarity and help Ukraine defend against the aggression,” Scholz said during a joint press conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade. “It is our expectation that these sanctions must be supported by all those who are candidates for EU membership.”

Credit: AP 

Former US President Barack Obama has cautioned that Moscow's ongoing war against Kyiv will not end anytime soon and warned it will have far-reaching consequences.

"Make no mistake, this war is far from over. The costs will continue to mount," Obama said during a speech at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit on Friday. He added that the trajectory of the war remains unpredictable and appealed to the world to remain "strong, steadfast and sustained" in its support until the conflict ends.

He further praised the fierce resistance of Ukrainian forces and civilians against the aggression of Russian troops, citing their "courage" as a reason that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin has been unable to achieve his desired strategic objectives within the eastern European country.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has directed his ministers to do "everything in their power" to secure the release of two Britons captured by Russian forces while fighting for Ukraine and sentenced to death, Sky News reported.

Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner were captured in Mariupol in April during the intense fight for control of the port city and were accused of being mercenaries.

Speaking to donors at a Democratic fundraiser, President Joe Biden said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “didn’t want to hear it” when US intelligence gathered inputs that Moscow was preparing to attack.

This comes as Biden was talking about his work to rally and solidify support for Ukraine as the conflict continues into its fourth month.

“Nothing like this has happened since World War II. I know a lot of people thought I was maybe exaggerating. But I knew we had data to sustain he” — meaning Russian President Vladimir Putin — “was going to go in, off the border.”

“There was no doubt,” Biden said. “And Zelenskyy didn’t want to hear it," Biden added.

In its latest operational update, Ukrainian forces informed that they have built fortified checkpoints in Kherson to strengthen their position in the 2nd and 3rd lunes of defence in southern regions of the country. 

Ukrainian military's Southern Command on Saturday informed that it killed 39 Russian soldiers, including paratroopers and 11 military units in the last 24 hours. "Having no success in advancing on land, the enemy is testing our position’s defenses by helicopter strikes from the air. In response, our Mi-8 struck at an enemy group in the Kherson region, and our Su-27 – at the ammunition depot and the accumulation of enemy hardware in Mykolayiv region. While exploring the route of advance into the occupied Kherson region, our reconnaissance group destroyed a unit of racist paratroopers, seizing their weapons and communication means," the statement by the Ukraine Armed Forces said. 

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Saturday claimed the Western nations are purporting plans to capture the western part of Ukraine, a Minsk-based news house reported. 

Activists of Promote Ukraine are set to form a human chain in support of granting Ukraine candidate status in the European Union. "We invite you to join the creation of a symbolic EU-Ukraine living chain around the European Commission's Berlamon building to support Ukraine's application for EU candidate status! On June 12, from 14:00 to 16:00, Europeans and Ukrainians covered with Ukrainian and EU flags will stand around the Berlamon building, holding hands and showing Europe that Ukraine belongs to the European family," the organisation wrote in a statement on Facebook.

According to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy's advisor, Oleskiy Arestovych, as many as 100 defenders were killed per day in the early days of the war. As told to NEXTA, he estimated that about 10,000 Ukrainians could have been killed in over 100 days of the war. 

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace on Friday travelled to Kyiv to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov to discuss Ukraine's efforts to "fight off Russia's brutal and unjustified invasion."

Ukrainian officials are increasing the urgency of their requests for Western weapons systems due to Russia’s artillery superiority. Russian forces are preparing to renew offensive operations toward Slovyansk and made minor gains to the north of the city, said the Institute for Study of War (ISW) in its latest war briefing.

At least 9 European countries, including Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia urged the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) to bolster security in the eastern flank of Europe amid the Russian war. The leaders appealed to the NATO General Secretary during the meeting held in the Romanian capital Bucharest on Friday.

 "In view of the increased security risks in Romania and the Black Sea, consolidating NATO on its eastern flank, in a unified and balanced manner, becomes all the more urgent and crucial," said Romanian President Klaus Iohannis at the opening of the meeting, which he co-chaired with Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda, as quoted by TRT World. 

As the Russian war in Ukraine entered day 108, Ukraine on Friday conducted its 11th prisoner exchange with Moscow. A Telegram message by Mykolaiv region governor Vitaliy Kim, quoted by TRT World, said that Kyiv swapped four Russian captives for five Ukrainians.

Scrapping its neutrality, Switzerland on Friday joined the European Union’s decision to adopt the sweeping package of sanctions, including an embargo on crude oil, against Russia and Belarus, Tass reported, citing a statement by the government. "On June 10, the Federal Council took the decision to adopt new EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus," said the statement. The government instructed the Federal Department of Economic Affairs "to adopt the Ordinance on measures in connection with the situation in Ukraine," the statement said, as quoted by TASS. Just to note, despite not being an EU member, Swiss government has joined the bloc in its measures against Russia and Belarus amid the ongoing war in Europe. 

The NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg on Friday expressed his gratitude to the Bucharest Nine (B9) countries for their "substantial contribution" to helping Ukraine deter Russian aggression. "The NATO Secretary-General thanked Group B9 for its strong support for transatlantic unity, its significant contribution to Euro-Atlantic security, and its substantial support for Ukraine's sovereignty. He stressed that today's meeting is especially timely in the context of President Putin's second invasion of Ukraine, which led to the worst security situation in Europe since World War II," the statement said, as quoted by Ukrinform. 

In retaliation to the conviction and death sentence imposed on three foreign nationals, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kukeba on Friday stated that the trial did not adhere to the international order and thus was a "sham". "As combatants, they are protected by international humanitarian law and must be treated accordingly," Kuleba wrote in a tweet, further adding that Ukraine will keep working with the UK to ensure their release.

France on Friday blasted Russia for the "sham trial" that handed death sentence to three foreign nationals in a pro-Russian court of Donetsk People's Republic (DPR). In a statement, the French Foreign Ministry expressed "deep concern" over the conviction of three men who volunteered to fight for Ukraine in the war against Russia, CNN reported. 

Russian war "will affect every country in the world," stated Japan PM Fumio Kishida, speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Friday. 

Addressing his countrymen in his usual nightly videos, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy warned that Russian troops want to destroy every city of Donbass. Noting the ruins of high-rises in Mariupol and Volnovakha, he added, "All these ruins of once-happy cities, the black traces of fires, the craters from explosions- this is all the Russia can give to its neighbours, to Europe, to the world." 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday discussed weapons supply with British defence minister Ben Wallace during his visit to Kyiv, the embattled president said in his usual night video address. His appeal came as Ukrainian troops are doing everything to stop the offensive of the occupiers, he said. "All that we have asked for and continue to ask for from our partners - allow them," he said in his nightly video address.

US President Joe Biden responded to the June 10 Consumer Price Index report, which highlighted ongoing high inflation. However, Biden stated that reducing inflation is his "top economic priority," while at the same time blaming the persistently high prices on Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

Biden, in a statement, remarked, "Even as we continue our work to defend freedom in Ukraine, we must do more—and quickly—to get prices down here in the United States. Putin’s Price Hike hit hard in May here and around the world: high gas prices at the pump, energy, and food prices accounted for around half of the monthly price increases, and gas pump prices are up by $2 a gallon in many places since Russian troops began to threaten Ukraine."

Ukrainian Defence Ministry has claimed that around 31,900 Russian troops have lost their lives since the onset of the invasion on February 24. The Russian forces have lost 1409 tanks, 3450 armoured combat machines, 222 multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) and 712 artillery systems. In addition, the Defence Ministry of Ukraine stated that Russia has lost 97 anti-aircraft warfare systems, 212 aircraft, 178 helicopters, 2438 vehicles and fuel tanks, 13 ships or boats, 125 cruise missiles, 572 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and 54 special equipment.

Russian troops have demolished at least 1,300 residential and commercial buildings in Mariupol since the war began, said Mariupol's mayor Vadym Boychenko. He added that the invading troops pummelled the living quarters without removing the dead bodies of the residents.