Russia Ukraine war: Germany urges citizens to save energy as Moscow reduces gas flow

As brutal Russian aggression against Ukrainians continues, a Russian spy who tried and failed to secure an internship at the international criminal court (ICC), was arrested by Dutch intelligence officials. Citing the officials, The Guardian reported that the 36-year-old Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov tried to spy in the court using the false identity of a Brazilian citizen. The intelligence officials alleged that the man is an agent of  Russia’s Glavnoye Razvedyvatelnoye Upravlenie (GRU) military intelligence and had flown to the Netherlands in April intending to obtain important documents and evidence related to the war crimes.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday called on the government to step up support for the country's car industry. Speaking at a meeting with government officials and industry representatives, he pointed out that the cost of cars had increased "dramatically". But it was essential to make available "a sufficient supply" of passenger cars, Putin said. The president stressed the need to boost Russia's own manufacturers in order to ensure Russia's "technological sovereignty". The meeting took place on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, an annual gathering aimed at investors.

Germany’s vice chancellor is stepping up an appeal for the country’s residents to save energy after Russia’s Gazprom announced significant cuts in natural gas deliveries through a key pipeline. State-owned Gazprom announced on Tuesday that it was cutting gas flows through the undersea Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany by 40%, then, a day later, announced a further cut that brings the overall reduction to about 60%. 

The reduction in gas flows comes as Germany and the rest of Europe try to reduce their dependence on Russian energy imports. Germany, which has Europe’s biggest economy, gets about 35% of its gas to the power industry and generates electricity from Russia.

Alex Drueke and Andy Huynh are both military veterans from Alabama, so it was natural that they formed a bond once they met in Ukraine, where each travelled separately with the intention of helping defend democracy against Russian invaders. “They became buds,” Dianna Shaw, Drueke’s aunt, said in an interview Thursday. Both men are now missing after their group came under heavy fire in the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine near the Russian border on June 9, leaving loved ones at home anxiously awaiting information about their whereabouts. The two families are in touch. “The waiting is the hard part, but we always knew this was a possibility,” Shaw said.

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A chemical plant is on fire in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Kyiv Independent reported on Thursday. According to the report, the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration reported on Telegram that a fire broke out at the Coagulant chemical plant in the town of Polohy in Zaporizhia Oblast on Thursday evening. There are no reports of deaths or injuries.

Amid relentless war in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during a meeting on Thursday, directed the National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksiy Danilov to check the possible threats from Belarus. During the meeting, the president asked o keep a track of the regions bordering Belarus.

Amid souring relations between Russia and the European Union, the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the EU believes although both parties prefer not to slam the door shut, their relations reached the lowest point ever. While speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum-2022, Russia’s envoy to the EU, Vladimir Chizhov acknowledged that the relationship between Russia and the EU deteriorated ever since President Vladimir Putin started a "special military operation" against Ukraine. 

Citing the EU as the most preferred partner for business, he said neither Russia nor the 27-bloc union would shut their doors despite several disparities among both parties. "Of course, we don’t slam the door shut, and they also are too cautious to slam the door shut, because, whatever one may say, the European Union remains our largest trade and economic partner," he said.
The special envoy noted before the war, energy cooperation between Russia and the European countries served as a "stabiliser of relations", but the current circumstances have changed everything.
 

The leaders of France, Italy, and Germany visited war-torn Ukraine on Thursday and took a "first-hand glimpse" of Russia's brutal aggression against its neighbouring country. At first, the three leaders chose to visit Irpin-- one of the suburbs of Kyiv devastated at the start of the war-- after completing 10 hours long train journey via Poland. Though the other European and Western countries, on several occasions, criticised French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for not visiting the EU aspiring nation, the leaders grabbed this opportunity to calm down the soaring chaos.

While speaking at a press conference following their visit to the war zone, all the leaders-- Draghi, Scholz and Macron-- vowed their support to Ukraine in getting the membership of the European Union. In a joint statement, the leaders expressed their support for Ukraine and also pledged to push more lethal weapons to the war-torn country. French President Emmanuel Macron promised Ukraine six more truck-mounted artillery guns. 

Germany's chancellor on Thursday expressed his support for Ukraine and Moldova's ambitions to join the European Union.

"The bravery of the (Ukrainian) soldiers is great. It is admirable how the Ukrainians are fighting back against Russia's invasion. For that, Mr. President, Germany pays you great respect." 

"Ukraine belongs to the European family. A milestone on its precondition-rich path is the status of an accession candidate. The EU member states will be discussing this in the next few days. We know: It needs unanimity among the 27 EU states. At the European Council, I will push for a unified position. Germany is in favor of a positive decision in favor of Ukraine. That also applies to the Republic of Moldova."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday told European leaders that only a unified effort could force Russia to stop the war. Instead, "only collectively, only together, only united" could leaders force President Vladimir Putin to end the military operation, he said during a joint news conference in Kyiv. Amid Ukrainian fears that Western resolve could wane, the visit by the European leaders carried heavy symbolism. France, Germany and Italy have all faced criticism for continuing to engage with Putin - and failing to give Kyiv the amount of weaponry it says its needs.

A Dutch intelligence agency said Thursday that it foiled a sophisticated attempt by a Russian spy using a false Brazilian identity to work as an intern at the International Criminal Court, which is investigating allegations of Russian war crimes in Ukraine.

The General Intelligence and Security Service of the Netherlands said the 36-year-old man, identified as Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov, worked for Russia’s shadowy GRU agency and tried to gain access to the global court based in The Hague under the cover name of Viktor Muller Ferreira.

As the leaders of France, Germany and Italy visited war-ravaged Ukraine in a show of solidarity and support for its citizens amid Russia’s brutal invasion, the Kremlin on Thursday warned the European leaders against “pumping weapons” into Ukraine, which it stressed, could prolong the conflict and exacerbate the suffering of the people.

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi arrived in Kyiv on June 16 where they met with Ukraine’s president Vlodomyr Zelenskyy. Macron told reporters that he had a "message of European unity addressed to Ukrainian men and women." 

UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace on Thursday said that the conflict is in a “very difficult place” and Ukraine's victory depends on the supply of the heavier weapons to the frontline for a counteroffensive. In a statement to CNN broadcaster, after NATO Defense Ministers meeting in Brussels, Wallace said: “I think Russia, we're going to discover, is in a very, very difficult place, certainly in its depth of its reserves and its morale and that will make every meter they fight for even harder. And at the same time, we're now going to see some of these heavier weapons coming into the hands of Ukraine delivered into the country and that will again change the balance.”

Russia is “desperately trying to find some form of victory no matter how small to make its morale feel a bit better,” Wallace said, and has strenghtened the offensive. “Russia has been in the field for months; remember, they were predominantly deployed three months before the invasion. No army is designed to be [a] conscript army out in the field that way, badly equipped, suffering huge losses,” he said.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday that its weapon supply to Ukraine is not "provocation" but that the Alliance supports independent sovereign nation. "This is a war that he has decided to conduct against an independent sovereign nation, and what NATO has been doing for many years is to support a sovereign independent nation in Europe — Ukraine," Stoltenberg said at a conference after holding a meeting with defense ministers.

Head of the Russian Central Bank warned on Thursday that the country’s economy faces pressure from abroad that could persist indefinitely, dampening hopes that conditions could return to what they were before Russia sent troops into Ukraine.

“It seems to me that it’s obvious to everyone that it won’t be as it was before,” Elvira Nabiullina said at a session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, an annual showpiece gathering aimed at investors.

“External conditions have changed for a long time indeed, if not forever,” she said.

Russia was hit by a wide array of sanctions after the start of the Ukraine military operation, including major banks being cut off from the SWIFT international payment system and Western bans on flights. Hundreds of foreign companies have suspended operations in Russia or pulled out entirely. 

Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov told the same session that the prognosis is for Russia’s gross domestic product to fall by 7.8% this year, but “in the last month, there’s been a wave of improving assessments and prognoses.”

Images Credit: Associated Press

Associated Press Report 

European Union is beefing up its code of practice on disinformation by enlisting more tech companies beyond Google, Twitter and Facebook parent Meta and adding measures to prevent online purveyors of fake news from profiting. The code is, however, backed by the EU’s upcoming Digital Services Act, a wide-ranging overhaul of the bloc’s digital rulebook that includes requirements for tech giants to address “systemic risks” on their platforms.

The EU’s executive Commission unveiled an update Thursday to its four-year-old voluntary code that, together with sweeping new rules in the pipeline for digital companies, will step up its efforts to fight the spread of false information in the 27-member bloc.

EU leaders are alarmed about disinformation flourishing on online platforms, notably involving the COVID-19 pandemic and Russian propaganda amid the war in Ukraine. The code shows Europe’s efforts to take a global lead in clamping down on fake news, while officials in the U.S. have done little to curb its spread.

Disinformation “is a growing problem in the EU, and we really have to take stronger measures,” Commission Vice President Vera Jourova told reporters in Brussels. She said the update comes as Russia weaponizes disinformation as part of its war in Ukraine “but also when we see attacks on democracy more broadly.”

Source: Associated Press

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on June 16 said that the and allies and partners must intensify their shared commitment to Ukraine's self-defense. "We must push ourselves even harder to ensure that Ukraine can defend itself, its citizens, and its territory," said Austin. 

NATO makes decisions by consensus, and all NATO allies have to agree to Sweden and Finland’s Alliance membership bid, NATO chief said on June 16. Stoltenberg said that while he waits to address Turkey’s legitimate concerns on terrorism and weapons supply to extremist factions like PKK, he cannot give the exact date on when the two Baltic states will be formally incorporated into the Alliance when those terms are reached. 

In a press conference on June 16, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the alliance will strengthen the deterrence and defense in its eastern flank in face of Russian aggression. At the Defence Ministerial meeting,  Stoltenberg had iterated that he wants to send a strong message from all NATO Allies and partners that "we are prepared for long haul." The ministerial meeting of NATO Defence Ministers is being held to prepare for the Summit later this month in Madrid.

After his visit to Kyiv,  Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi tweeted that the EU allies of Ukraine will “rebuild everything." Draghi toured the war-torn city of Irpin and later tweeted:  “We will rebuild everything. They destroyed the kindergartens, they destroyed the children's gardens. Everything will be rebuilt. They have already started." 

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on June 16 met with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis. Ukrainian interior minister Anton Gerashchenko posted images on Telegram of the key meeting. 

Credit: Telegram/Антон Геращенко/Anton Gerashchenko

Credit: Telegram/Антон Геращенко/Anton Gerashchenko

Credit: Telegram/Антон Геращенко/Anton Gerashchenko

Credit: Telegram/Антон Геращенко/Anton Gerashchenko

Advisor to Ukraine's president Zelesnkyy released the footage of Armed Forces of Ukraine destroying the Russian BMP-3 with ammunition that he estimated costs1.5 million dollars.

Ukraine’s Irpin and Bucha towns have “become a symbol of the unimaginable cruelty of the Russian war,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said after he visited the towns ravaged by Russian troops. “The brutal destruction in this city is a memorial — this war must end," Scholz asserted in a tweet.  

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis meanwhile tweeted that Romania wants “all Russian perpetrators to be held responsible by the international criminal justice.” “No words to describe the unimaginable human tragedy and horrible destructions we saw today in Irpin,“ Iohannis wrote. 

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has averred that the forthcoming summit in Madrid would be "transformative" for Euro-Atlantic security. The upcoming NATO summit is scheduled to be held later this month on June 19-30.

According to the NATO chief, the Summit will be transformative for Euro-Atlantic security because it would improve the military alliance's long-term defence and deterrence posture in order to meet the challenges of a "more perilous world," Anadolu Agency reported. Stoltenberg made these remarks ahead of the second day of the NATO defence ministerial meeting in Brussels. 

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Polish defence minister on June 16 called for a coordinated action to ensure that the military and humanitarian aid reaches Ukraine in accordance with the expectations of the war-torn country. Mariusz Blaszczak attended the first day of the NATO defence ministers' meeting in Brussels on June 15 where he made the appeal. During the press conference, Polish defense minister Blaszczak underscored that the ongoing negotiations were centred on providing various assistance to Ukraine. 

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Ukrainian lawmakers have accused the Russians of "using entities in Georgia" to bypass the Western sanctions imposed to weaken Russian President Vladimir Putin's resolve in Ukraine. Russians “use heavily right now Georgian banks, Georgian financial system, Georgian companies and so on,” Ukraine’s chief negotiator with Russia  David Arakhamia reportedly said. Georgian Embassy in Washington reportedly denied the claims calling it "false.”

US State Department has told reporters that it was "aware" that two American fighters have been captured by the Russian soldiers after their 10-manned unit managed to disable a Russian tank. A spokesman for the department, however, declined to make further comments on the subject. In a Telegram post, the Russian forces informed that they had captured the two American fighters, Robert Drueke, 39, and Andy Huynh, 27, enlisted under Ukraine's foreign legion. Drueke had served with the US Army in Iraq, while Huynh is a former US Marine.

A fighter who, at the time, was with the armed unit told newspaper telegraph that the two American fighters separated from their cohort and disappeared after destroying the Russian tank. "We were out on a mission and the whole thing went absolutely crazy, with bad intel. We were told the town was clear when it turned out the Russians were already assaulting it. They came down the road with two T72 tanks and multiple BMP3s [armored fighting vehicles] and about 100 infantry. The only thing that was there was our ten man squad," the soldier who did not disclose his identity for security purpose said.

Russia's military forces had planned to take control of Kyiv within 12 hours after they launched an all out assault in Ukraine, latter's Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov told American broadcaster CNN in an interview.  Reznikov backed his claims citing a document obtained from a killed Russian military officer that outlined the Russian military's plans. 

"They thought they were going to be in the center of Kyiv in 12 hours," Ukraine's defense minister told the outlet.  They [Russian troops] had anticipated to seize the Ukrainian capital within 72 hours of the invasion on Feb 24, also believing that the Ukrainian government would flee the capital. "Frankly speaking, our partners in the different capitals of the world also were naive. They told us that invasion was imminent, and you will fall. You only have 72 hours. That's why they didn't give us heavy weaponry," he said in the interview to the American broadcaster on June 16. 

French president’s office on Thursday said President Emmauel Macron's visit to Kyiv is a "message of European unity for the Ukrainian people." The visit demonstrates the support for Ukraine now and in the future, "because the weeks to come will be very difficult,” Macron said. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Premier Mario Draghi also accompanied Macron to Ukraine via a special overnight train provided by the Ukrainian authorities. As he left the hotel, Macron, putting his hand on his heart, said in English: “I want to show my admiration for the Ukrainian people.”

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is escorted as he arrives at the Kyiv train station. Credit: Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP

French President Emmanuel Macron, centre, is escorted as he arrives at the Kyiv train station. Credit: Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP

French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that there are signs of war crimes in a Kyiv suburb following “massacres” by Russian forces. He spoke in the town of Irpin while on a visit with the German, Italian and Romanian leaders to show support for Ukraine. He denounced the “barbarism” of the attacks that devastated the town, and praised the courage of residents of Irpin and other Kyiv region towns who held back Russians forces from attacking the capital.

The four European leaders arrived earlier in Kyiv to the sound of air raid sirens as they made a high-profile show of collective European support for the Ukrainian people as they resist Russia’s invasion. The visit, which includes a planned meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, carries heavy symbolic weight given that the three Western European powers have faced criticism for not providing Ukraine with the scale of weaponry that Zelenskyy has been asking for.

French President Emmanuel Macron, third left, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, second left, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, right, visit Irpin, Ukraine. The leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Romania arrived in Kyiv on Thursday in a show of collective European support for the Ukrainian people as they resist Russia's invasion, marking the highest-profile visit to Ukraine's capital since Russia invaded its neighbor. Credit: Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP

French President Emmanuel Macron, left, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, center right, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz , center, visit Irpin, Ukraine. Credit: Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP

Source: Associated Press

French diplomatic source hastold Sky news that the country wants the Ukraine military's victory of the entire territory occupied by Russian forces including Crimea annexed in 2014 by Moscow's troops. The remarks came as the French leader Emmanuel Macron is in Kyiv to re-establish a relationship and pledge solidarity to President Volodymr Zelenskyy and Ukraine. 

New military aid pledged to Ukraine will help its forces to reclaim the Russian-occupied territory, including Crimea and Donbass, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov told American broadcaster CNN in an interview in Brussels. "We are going to liberate all our territories, all of it all, including Crimea," he said. "Crimea is a strategic objective for Ukraine because it's Ukrainian territory," Reznikov added. "But we will move step by step."

Russia is refortifying Snake Island to resume operations from the Kherson seaport as well as secure its defenses in the Black Sea, where it has blocked the Ukrainian grain from beig shipped to the international markets, according to the satellite imagery shared by military and warfare intel specialist.  Multiple Russian air defense, fuel trucks, radar systems and also a control centre are now on the island.

Credit: Twitter/@OSINT88

While the Russian forces are pushing their ground offensive in thestrategic eastern city of Severodonetsk, US military analysts have said in an update published by ISW think tank that Russians have not been able to take "full control" of the city. "Russian forces launched ground assaults in Severodonetsk and settlements in its vicinity but have not taken full control over the city," they said. 

Russian troops llaunched largely "unsuccessful offensive operations" around the T1302 Bakhmut-Lysychansk highway in an effort to cut Ukrainian ground lines of communication (GLOCs) to Lysychansk. They have been advancing along the E40 highway to Slovyansk and southeast of Izyum. Russia is attempting to fortify fallback positions in Zaporizhia and Kherson Oblasts, while undertaking defensive measures to strengthen Russian presence in the Black Sea, US military analysts have said. 

Credit: ISW Think Tank 

As the battle rages on for the control of eastern Ukraine, NATO members on June 16 pledged more weapons to Ukraine's military. Pentagon chief, the retired US Army general, insisted that the US and allies will continue to flow more weaponry into Kyiv as “when you’re in a fight, you can never get enough” resources. 

United States has recently pledged an additional $1 billion in military aid to Ukraine in order to push back on the invading Russian troops. Although, the Britain’s defense secretary on Thursday argued that the West needed to shift its focus to training “exhausted” and outgunned Ukrainian troops over shipping more advanced weaponry. 

As the Biden administration detailed the weaponry and the equipement that it is sending to Ukraine in its new $1 billion package of military aid,  it listed advanced Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers to be shipped for the first time. US is also sending 18 more M777 howitzers, artillery that launch 155 mm explosive shells that have been “absolutely lethal” in the conflict so far, said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin after the meeting at Brussels headquarters of NATO. 

The fight between the Ukrainian and Russian soldiers in the eastern Donbass region has developed into combat between smaller groups of troops, British defense officials have informed in an intelligence update. Russian troops in the eastern Donbass region are “highly likely operating in increasingly ad hoc and severely undermanned groupings” as they combat against 30 soldiers in some battalion groups. Ukraine “has probably managed to withdraw a large proportion of its combat troops” who were defending the strategic city," the UK intelligence revealed. 

Russian troops now need to conduct a contested river crossing “or advance on its currently stalled flanks” to gain an operational advantage in the territory. 

At least four civilians were killed and six others were injured in an overnight rocket strike in the north-eastern city of Sumy, the governor said in an update on June 16. One more Russian airstrike hit an area on the Russian border at around 5am in the morning and there were at least 26 mortar rounds fired from across the border, he informed. 

In an English language version of the troops and equipment losses encountered by Russian forces that the Kyiv Independent  published, Ukraine's military notified that Russia has lost a further 200 troops and 17 APVs, as well as around nine tanks and seven artillery systems.

Ahead of the meeting with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had said that NATO is at a "critical juncture in the history" of the security alliance. 

"We see that as Finland and Sweden have made the historic decision to seek NATO membership. We welcome that. They are proud, capable democracies who share NATO’s core values," he said.

"In recent months, NATO has united in the face of Russia’s unjustified, cruel, and indefensible invasion of Ukraine. We’ll continue to strengthen our allies to meet the greatest threat to European security in decades," Lloyd added.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov told CNN that US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, UK Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace and other Western officials said: "Oleksiy, don't worry, we will not stop. We will continue help your country, your people, and your president," he said.  

"I heard it yesterday and I felt it absolutely honestly, I saw the eyes of Lloyd Austin for example ... I saw the real understanding that they will never stop," Reznikov said, when asked if long-term US commitment to Ukraine is sustainable.
 

In the latest development pertaining to deteriorating Russia-US ties, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said that the relations between both the countries are at “zero”. He told the RIA news agency that there was virtually no dialogue between Moscow and Washington. Earlier on Wednesday, the Kremlin spokesperson had also noted that communication remains “essential” in ties with the US as both countries have further drifted apart over military aggression in Ukraine. 

As the Russia-Ukraine war continued unabated for day 113, a Kremlin spokesperson told RIA on Thursday that Russia and Washington must discuss the extension of the START nuclear arms reduction treaty. According to Peskov, the matters surrounding the treaty were important for global security and Russia’s military operation in Ukraine was no reason to avoid its discussions. 
 

The Russian embassy in the US on Wednesday dismissed the speculations about a possible “new Nuremberg Trial”  against Russian soldiers as inadmissible and absolutely false. In a statement shared on its Telegram channel, the Russian embassy wrote, “We think any speculations about organizing a ‘new Nuremberg Trial’ against Russian soldiers allegedly responsible for crimes in Ukraine are inadmissible”.

According to Russian news agency TASS, the embassy averred that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin's troops are “defending civilians in Donbas from the Nazi” who are receiving the support of the US along with several other European nations. It said that the “collective West openly propagates misanthropic ideas”. 
 

Sumy Oblast Governor Dmytro Zhyvytsky said that a Russian missile had hit the village of Sad in the region at night and killed at least four people while injuring six others.

According to Sputnik, Republic Head has confirmed that Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), which is ruled by pro-Russia separatists, might make the decision on the execution of the two Britons, who were sentenced to death after being accused of being mercenaries fighting for Ukraine. 

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has confirmed that the defence alliance is  ready for long-term arms supplies to Ukraine amid war with Russia. 

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Italian PM Mario Draghi, who arrived in Kyiv on Thursday, are set to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and discuss the West’s support for Ukraine and its application to join the European Union.

In the latest intelligence update, UK Ministry of Defence said, "Russia’s combat force in the Donbas is highly likely operating in increasingly ad hoc and severely undermanned groupings. As claimed by the Ukrainian authorities, some Russian Battalion Tactical Groups (BTGs) - typically established at around 600 to 800 personnel - have been able to muster as few as 30 soldiers."

It added, "For both sides fighting in contested towns, front line combat is likely increasingly devolving to small groups of troops typically operating on foot. Some of Russia’s strengths, such as its advantage in numbers of tanks, become less relevant in this environment. This is likely contributing to its continued slow rate of advance.”

Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Agriculture of Poland Henryk Kowalczyk said on Facebook that it may take three to four months to set up temporary storage facilities for Ukrainian grain in Poland. He said, "I think the granaries should be where the wide rail tracks from Ukraine end. Then it will be easier to reload the grain and thus increase the capacity. With the current capacity, the maximum amount of grain that can be transhipped in Poland is about 1.5 million tonnes, while Ukraine's needs are about 5 million tonnes per month". He noted that "the implementation of this type of investment takes about three to four months."

Ahead of acquiring the rotating European Union (EU) presidency, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said "Europe and the whole world have been undergoing a crucial change" and added that Russia's military aggression in Ukraine has "shaken many our certainties". 

“We have two concrete goals,” Czech PM said told the Parliament. “The first one is to grant Ukraine a candidacy status as soon as possible … and the second one is our support for the toughest possible sanctions against Russia.”

The United Nations (UN) has said that more than 2.5 million people have returned to Ukraine since the end of February. The High Commissioner for Refugees has announced that over 2.5 million Ukrainians have returned to their home country since late February when Russian president Vladimir Putin announced the "special" military operation in the neighbouring country. 

Over 5 million of Ukrainians registered for temporary protection or similar national protection schemes in Europe as of June 14. At least 7.5 million people have left Ukraine due to Russia’s invasion, the agency said.
 

Ukraine's Office of the Prosecutor General has said that as a result of Russian aggression in Ukraine, 318 children were killed and more than 581 injured.

Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the Russian-imposed military-civilian administration in the occupied Kherson region told Russian news agency RIA Novosti, "Children born after 24 February in the Kherson region will automatically receive citizenship of the Russian Federation. Plus, orphans will also be registered as citizens of the Russian Federation". 

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Italian PM Mario Draghi arrived in Kyiv on Thursday in their first-ever visit to Ukraine since the war broke out on February 24. 

The United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Michelle Bachelet on Wednesday voiced concerns over the "forced deportation" of orphaned Ukrainian children to Russia. In a statement, the rights chief noted the frequently arising reports of abduction of orphaned Ukrainian children from occupied regions and taken to Russia for adoption. Bachelet said, her office has recorded complaints of "youngsters being taken away" from orphanages in Donbass, where Russia steadily gained foot amid escalated battles in past weeks. 

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Italian prime minister Mario Draghi are expected to visit Kyiv today (June 16). “We are at a point when we need to send clear political signals, us Europeans, towards Ukraine and its people when it is resisting heroically,” Macron said while delivering his address in Romania, as quoted by The Guardian. 

According to reports, the trip has not been publicly announced due to security reasons. It comes a day before EU President Ursula von der Leyen is due to make a recommendation on Kyiv's candidacy. 

Japan's Zipair Tokyo airlines on Wednesday decided to drop the letter 'Z' from its logo to avoid misunderstanding. The president of the company told Japan Times that some people might see the current logo as associated with the Russian war in Ukraine. "I think some people might feel that way when they see it without any explanation,” Shingo Nishida, chief of Zipair Tokyo said, as quoted by Japan Times. 

On Wednesday, two former US Army soldiers, who joined the fight against Russia, were arrested by Russian occupiers in Kharkiv. According to Telegraph; the veterans have been identified as Alexander Drueke and Andy Huynh. 

Turkey on Wednesday expressed its readiness to host a 4-way talk to ensure grain exports through Ukrainian Black Sea ports. A report by Deutsche Welle, citing Turkish FM Mevlut Cavusoglu, stated that Ankara is willing to set ground for negotiations between the UN, Russia, and Ukraine. 

Touting a fearless stance against Russia and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin’s ‘special military operation' in Ukraine, Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs on Wednesday said that the European leaders must not be deterred by a fear of provoking the Kremlin leader. The Latvian diplomat also called on the international community to not pressure Ukraine into making any concessions to end the war which has now entered day 112. 

In an exclusive interview with CNN in Washington, Rinkēvičs, who is visiting the US, critiqued the European leaders without naming anyone. According to the Latvian Foreign Minister, some leaders in Europe have a “fear” of vexing Putin and said he was referring to “those who are well-known from time to time openly saying that they don't want to see him humiliated or that we need to provide some off-ramp” which appeared to be a jibe at French President Emmanuel Macron. 

In June, Macron had said that “We must not humiliate Russia so that the day when the fighting stops we can build an exit ramp through diplomatic means”. But, Rinkēvičs called the French President’s suggested approach “not rational”. The Latvian Foreign Minister told the media outlet that the “mentality in many of the capitals needs to be changed”

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The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) on Wednesday said that Russian occupiers are facing trouble in implementing propaganda due to pro-Ukrainian pressure in captured territories. Citing an example, the US-based think tank stated that Russian troops were unable to open schools in Berdyansk due to resistance from Ukrainian teachers.

At least a thousand civilians, including women and children are trapped amid harrowing conditions in Severodentsk. According to the UN spokesperson, the people are facing acute food and water supply shortage. Meanwhile, the situation in the Azot chemical plant is also dire as displaced Ukrainians are living in bunkers amid an absence of sanitisation and electricity. 

Amid the strained geopolitical situation, French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday appealed that the European Union must continue sending "clear political signals" to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people "in the context of heroic resistance," which has now lasted for several months, Ukrinform reported. Speaking on grain export from Ukrainian Black Sea ports, the French leader stressed that "continuing efforts on cooperation and financial efforts" were vital under the circumstances. Macron's speech came during visit to Romania and Moldova on June 14-15. 

"At some point, when we will help to resist as much as possible, when, I hope, Ukraine will win, and especially when the fire stops, we will have to negotiate. The Ukrainian President will have to negotiate with Russia, and we Europeans will be at this table," Macron said. 

Over 1 lakh houses were destroyed or damaged in Ukraine since the inception of the war, said Kyiv Deputy Director of the Department of Housing Policy and Improvement, Svitlana Startseva. Speaking at the online conference “Reconstruction of Ukraine. Accommodation for those who have returned," she noted that the devastated residential infrastructure belonged to over 3.5 million Ukrainians. 

"As of June 1, 3.5 million Ukrainians have damaged or destroyed homes. We are talking about 116 thousand objects with a total area of ​​14 million square meters. Of these, multi-storey buildings - 12.3 thousand (12 million square meters), individual estates - 104.1 thousand (1.7 million square meters). 3.8 thousand apartment buildings and 24.4 thousand individual houses were slightly damaged (up to 25%). 30 thousand apartment buildings and 27.3 thousand individual houses need to be restored by new construction. Overhaul or reconstruction - 58.5 thousand apartment buildings and 52.6 thousand individual houses," said Startseva gave an estimate, as quoted by Ukrinform. 

The United States, on Wednesday, announced another military aid worth $1 billion for Ukrainian troops who have been shielding the country since the onset of the war. According to the latest announcement by US President Joe Biden, the package includes anti-ship missile launchers, howitzers and the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS). Biden affirmed that the new set of weapons will be delivered swiftly to the war-ravaged country as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been demanding for quite a long time.

Notably, the major development came after Biden and Zelenskyy held a telephonic conversation on Wednesday where the American leader assured his Ukrainian counterpart to supply long-range weapons to deter Russian aggression. "This morning, I spoke with President Zelenskyy to discuss Russia’s brutal and ongoing war against Ukraine. I reaffirmed my commitment that the United States will stand by Ukraine as it defends its democracy and supports its sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of unprovoked Russian aggression," Biden said in a statement released on June 15. 

Canada, on Wednesday, announced a new military aid for Ukrainian troops as the Zelenskyy administration continues to call on allies to supply heavy weapons to the war-hit country. The aid, which amounts to US$9 million, complements the country’s previous donation of M777 howitzers, over 2,000 rounds of compatible artillery ammunition, and Canadian Armed Forces training in the use of this equipment, according to an official statement by the Trudeau administration. 

“The approximately $9 million purchase of 10 immediately-available replacement barrels will ensure that the M777 howitzers maintain their distance range and accuracy, as worn barrels require regular replacement. This support aligns with the sustainment of a critical capability provided to Ukraine by Allies and partners,” Canadian Defence Ministry said. 

Notably, the military support was announced by the country’s Minister of National Defence Anita Anand during the Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting, hosted by Pentagon Chief Defence Lyyod J Austin III. She had previously touted the possibility of this aid during a call with her Ukrainian counterpart Oleksii Reznikov. Anand said that Russia’s invasion was not only illegal and unprovoked but also unjustified. 

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NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, on Wednesday, appealed to the countries to provide more weapons and troops to Ukraine in order to stop Russia's goal to capture Donbass. Stoltenberg, while speaking at a press conference in Brussels, said "pre-positioned equipment - weapons - is essential for any rapid reinforcement and added, "extra forces are to be earmarked and pre-assigned for that specific territory, meaning that they will train, they will rotate in and out, they will know the country, the territory." “We will now take decisions on the scale and design of our posture for the longer term. To ensure that we can defend every inch of Allied territory," he added. 

The Russian military said it used long-range missiles to destroy a depot in the western Lviv region of Ukraine where ammunition for NATO-supplied weapons was stored, and the governor of a key eastern city acknowledged Russian forces are advancing in heavy fighting. Notably, the battle for Sievierodonetsk in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas area has become the focus of Russia’s offensive in recent weeks.

Amid the row over Sweden and Finland joining the NATO military alliance, the conflict of interest does not seem to be settled anytime soon as the Turkish President has now sought a "written response" over their concerns from the Nordic nations to get their support in joining the US-backed military alliance. While speaking to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg over the phone, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asserted Ankara's position will not alter until both-- Sweden and Finland-- assure Ankara to resolve all the grievances raised by Turkey. 

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and what Europe must do to counter the consequences of that have become the key task for the Czech Republic’s upcoming presidency of the 27-nation European Union. The Czech Republic’s motto for the six-month presidency, which it takes over from France on July 1, is “Europe as a Task: rethink, rebuild, repower,” based on a 1996 speech by the late Czech President Vaclav Havel. “Europe and the whole world have been undergoing a crucial change,” Prime Minister Petr Fiala said Wednesday as he introduced his country’s priorities. “The Russian invasion have shaken many our certainties.”

AP

As Europe already facing energy turmoil as it tries to reduce its extensive use of Russian oil and natural gas amid the war in Ukraine, Russia’s major gas company- Gazprom, announced a reduction in natural gas flows through a key European pipeline. According to the latest announcement, it was "forced to stop" the operation of another Siemens gas turbine engine on the Nord Stream gas pipeline. In a statement released on the microblogging site, Gazprom the major action was taken due to the expiration of the prescribed time before the overhaul, resulting in the supply will be decreased by one-third from June 16 midnight. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took to the microblogging site to confirm his virtual presence at the upcoming NATO Summit in Madrid. In his late-night Twitter post, Zelenskyy also mentioned about the invitation he received from Germany in order to attend G7GER Summit. He confirmed he will attend both the events. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday released his evening address, commenting on telephone calls with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson and US President Joe Biden. "We look forward to increasing this support," Zelenskyy added about the third Rammstein format meeting, the summit of world defence chiefs that was held in Brussels Wednesday.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III convened the third meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Belgium with at least 50 countries on Wednesday. Austin, who landed in Brussels on Tuesday, urged the attending nations to "not lose steam" in their efforts to supply Ukraine with the means to defend itself from the Russian invasion. He affirmed that more than 45 nations gathered at NATO headquarters and pointed out that the stakes are too high to fail in this effort. During the meeting, the top US defence official sat beside Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov and stressed that the war-ravaged country has been facing a pivotal moment on the battlefield and added, "We're seeing what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned us about: after failing to take Kyiv and after reassessing its combat aims, Russia has shifted its focus to the Donbas." 

Amid the relentless war in Ukraine and its desperate bid to join the European Union, leaders of Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia support, who were in Kyiv to take a closer look at Russia's brutal aggression, vowed their support for its EU membership application. After taking the "glimpse" of the war in Ukraine's national capital, Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama and Prime Minister of Montenegro Dritan Abazovic met with embattled President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday.

Amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, the United Nations has expressed concern over the condition of civilians who remain trapped in Severodonetsk. The UN has said that thousands of civilians, including women, elderly people and children remain trapped in Severodonetsk with reduced clean water supply, sanitation and electricity, BBC News reported. Saviano Abreu, the spokesperson for United Nations Humanitarian Affairs office, stressed that an urgent situation continues to develop in the bunkers underneath the Azot Chemical Plant in Severodonetsk, where hundreds of civilians continue to take shelter. 

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US President Joe Biden on Wednesday called on U.S. oil refiners to produce more gasoline and diesel, saying their profits have tripled during a time of war between Russia and Ukraine as Americans struggle with record high prices at the pump. “The crunch that families are facing deserves immediate action,” Biden wrote in a letter to seven oil refiners. “Your companies need to work with my Administration to bring forward concrete, near-term solutions that address the crisis.”

French President Emmanuel Macron suggested Wednesday that he would soon go to Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy but said he would not publicly discuss details about such a trip.

Answering a journalist’s question during an official visit to Romania, Macron said the timing was right for a visit to Ukraine’s capital but that he would not “enter into logistics.” Ukraine has been at war since Russia invaded the neighboring country more than 3 1/2 months ago.

“We are in a moment where we need to send clear political signals - us, Europeans, us, the European Union - toward Ukraine and the Ukrainian people,” Macron said after meeting with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis at an air base in southeastern Romania.

AP

Amid the ongoing ravaging war in Eastern Europe, Russian energy giant Gazprom has reduced the gas supplies to Italy by about 15%, without giving any specific reason for the move. Italian multinational oil and gas company, Eni stated that the Russian company neither gave an explanation for the reduction nor stated how long will it persist.

"Eni confirms that Gazprom has notified it about a limited reduction in gas supplies by about 15% for today. The reasons for the reduction are not disclosed at this time. Eni is constantly monitoring the situation," a spokesman with the Italian energy company told TASS news agency on Wednesday. 

French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged to "do everything" to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine, signalling a shift from his previous approach towards Moscow. Macron, who landed in Romania for a three-day trip to NATO's southern flank and Moldova, has been chastised by Ukraine and its Eastern European allies for what they see as a lack of support for the country as it fights Russian soldiers.

"We will do everything we can to stop Russia's war forces, to aid the Ukrainians and their army, and to continue to talk," Macron told French, American, British, and other ally troops at NATO's Kogalniceanu military station near Romania's Black Sea town of Constanta. 

On Wednesday, US President Joe Biden announced another $1 billion in weapons for Ukraine. According to the statement released by the White House, the military aid includes anti-ship systems, artillery rockets and rounds for howitzers.
“This morning, I spoke with President Zelenskyy to discuss Russia’s brutal and ongoing war against Ukraine. I reaffirmed my commitment that the United States will stand by Ukraine as it defends its democracy and support its sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of unprovoked Russian aggression,” Biden wrote in a statement.

Ukrainian Health Ministry claimed that at least 1,000 people have been evacuated by medical trains from Donbass. According to the ministry, arranged by Ukraine's railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia and Medecins Sans Frontieres have evacuated over 1,000 persons, including 690 injured and sick residents of Donbass. 
 

According to the head of Luhansk's military administration, the Ukrainian military's defence in the eastern region is becoming more difficult. “It is getting harder, but our military is holding back the enemy from three directions at once,” Serhiy Hayday stated on Telegram. 

Taras Vysotskyi, First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, has said that the country is preparing additional storage facilities to store last year's remaining residues and new harvests in case, exports do not take place through ports. Vysotskyi said that there could be a deficit of 10-15 million tonnes of storage capacities due to last year's transitional balances and yield forecast of 2022, Ukrinform reported. According to Taras Vysotskyi, mobile storage capacities are being imported to Ukraine in case grains do not get exported quickly. 

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Chinese President Xi Jinping held a telephonic conversation with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Wednesday. Following the conversation, Jinping indicated that China and Russia will continue to support each other on matters of sovereignty and security. The two leaders also discussed the ongoing war in Ukraine, with Jinping reminding Putin that all parties involved should work together to resolve the conflict. He also pledged that Bejing will play a positive role in the process.

IKEA, a Swedish furniture company, has declared that it will further reduce its business in Russia and Belarus. Earlier on March 3, the company had halted operations in both countries amid the ongoing war in Eastern Europe. "Businesses and supply chains across the world have been heavily impacted and we do not see that it is possible to resume operations any time soon," the company said in a statement. 

According to Western intelligence and military officials, the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine has reached a "critical stage" that will determine the conflict's long-term outcome, CNN reported citing sources. They also believe that this critical juncture may also compel Western governments to make a difficult choice, as their backing for Ukraine has come at a gradually increasing cost to their economy and weapons stockpiles. 

Russia has expressed concerns over the United States' plans to send more High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMRS) to Ukraine. Russian diplomat Anatoly Antonov stated that Colin Kahl's, US Under Secretary of Defense, remarks about the possibility of increasing HIMARS supply to Ukraine are exceedingly worrying and reflect Washington's intentions towards escalation. "The fact that a high-ranking Pentagon official sees the possibility of broadening supplies of long-range systems causes extreme concern. This remark may be viewed as Washington’s intention to move towards further escalation," Antonov remarked, the TASS news agency reported. 

In its latest operational update the Ukrainian Defence Ministry claimed that Russia has lost nearly 32,750 soldiers, 3,528 Armored Personnel Vehicles (APV), 1,440 tanks, 722 artillery systems and 230 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), and at least 97 anti-aircraft warfare. In addition, the invaders also lost as many as 3,528 vehicles and fuel tanks, 591 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), 213 aircraft, 179 helicopters, 129 cruise missiles, and 55 special equipment and 13 boats, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry stated. 
 

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said that the alliance is preparing a plan to transfer the Ukrainian army from post-Soviet weapons to Alliance weapons​​​​​​. 

The Greek government has decided to send at least 30 BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine to fight the Russian army.

Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office said that Russia's war has killed at least 313 children, and injured 579 others. According to the Prosecutor General’s office, on June 14 a baby was injured by Russian shelling in Zolochiv, Lviv Oblast. The office also reported the deaths of 25 children, aged 14 to 17, in Donetsk Oblast as a result of Russian shelling and bombing from March to May, 21 of which were in Mariupol. The figures are expected to be higher due to the difficulty of reporting in areas where hostilities are ongoing or in Russian-occupied areas.

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

In its latest intelligence report, UK Defence Military has said that Russia now controls most of Severodonetsk. It added that their urban warfare tactics, heavily reliant on artillery, have led to severe collateral damage throughout the city. The report also revealed that several Ukrainian troops along with civilians have taken shelter in Azot Chemical Plant.

Ukraine’s Operational Command “South” reported that Zlenskyy's troops struck Russian military equipment in Kherson Oblast, including three howitzers, 19 armoured vehicles and 33 other vehicles, as well as four units of engineering equipment. Russian forces have also lost two ammunition depots. According to Kyiv independent, at least 70 Russian soldiers were reportedly killed. 

Ukrainian military is holding back the Russians from three directions at once to prevent them from advancing to Lysychansk, the Head of Luhansk Regional Military Administration Serhii Haidai said on Wednesday. The city is located in the Sievierodonetsk Raion of the Luhansk Oblast where Russians are pushing for total control. "In Lysychansk, if you are alive, it is a good day," the police chief, who oversees the Luhansk region told BBC. 

It has been 112 days since Vladimir Putin first ordered his troops to launch a military assault on Ukraine. Since then many cities have been annihilated and their citizens left dead and tortured. As the war of attrition continues, Kyiv is pressing forward for a quick membership of the European Union. 

Here are the latest snapshots shared by Associated Press from Ukraine

NATO chief urges ‘more heavy weapons’ for Ukraine. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, on Tuesday, called on western states 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.

Pulling out of Russia is not only morally right but also profitable for business, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said. Citing a report by Yale School of Management, the Ukrainian official said that research proves that companies leaving Russia are generously rewarded by markets while those remaining suffer financial and reputation risks. "Pull out of Russia, feel good, make profits!" he quipped.  Hundreds of thousands of brands, including Pizza Hut, Starbucks, Netflix etc have halted supplies to the Russian Federation. 

The head of Russian State Space Corporation 'Roscosmos' Dmitri Rogozin called for a final 'end' for all the Ukrainians. "If we do not end them, as unfortunately our grandfathers did not end them, we will have to die, otherwise our grandchildren have to end it at an even greater cost. So let's just get it over with. Once and for all," he said. His remark came as the war continued for 112 days. 

There are currently three cruise missile carriers in the Black Sea, which pose a threat of rocket fire, according to the operational command "South" in the summary at the beginning of the day on June 15. Russian troops have once again reformatted their naval group in the northwestern part of the Black Sea. according to radiosvoboda.org.

In his nightly address, Zelenskyy said, "We keep telling our partners that Ukraine needs modern anti-missile weapons. Our country does not have it at a sufficient level yet, but it is our country in Europe that needs such weapons most right now".  As the Russian Federation's war of attrition continues, he emphasised that any delay in the supply cannot be justified. 

He said, "I will constantly emphasize this when talking to our partners. We made the first requests for anti-missile systems long before the full-scale invasion".

At the Economic Forum in Russian St. Petersburg, Russian Officials showed a scheme of the administrative-territorial division of Ukraine in the event of its occupation as a result of the so-called "special operation." The scheme is designed for a "transitional period" – 3-5 years, according to Ukraine Now.

Embattled President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took to Twitter to express gratitude to the Latin American countries for their support. On Tuesday, he spoke to Ecuadorian President Lasso Guillermo and discussed Russia's war of attrition. Taking to Twitter later, he wrote, " (We) Noted the principled position on RF's invasion, stopping trade with the aggressor. Congratulated on 's election to #UN Security Council. Count on 's experience in demining & post-war reconstruction aid."