In view of the parliamentary vote on Tuesday, in which the parties are called to decide on the sending of new weapons to Kiev with a split majority, amidst Salvini's doubts and a resolution against the 5 Star Movement, Zelensky launches an appeal to the Italy: “Support us, please” , he affirms speaking on video link at the ISPI Global Policy Forum.
The Russians want to take Lugansk by Sunday . After weeks of siege, Moscow's campaign to conquer the Donbass Oblast is nearing a turning point. In the twin cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk "decisive battles are being fought and the Russian leadership is demanding that its troops reach the administrative borders of the region by June 26," explained Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar.
"Now - he added - the Russian army has launched practically all its forces and means to attack the surrounding settlements . They are trying to break through the defenses of our troops and surround them".
The pro-Russians have meanwhile claimed the conquest of Toshkivka , on the western bank of the Siverskiy Donets River. From there they could try to break the defense lines and launch the decisive assault on Lysychansk , where President Volodymyr Zelensky made a secret visit in the past few hours to "see for himself how the situation evolves" and encourage the troops at the front.
Severodonetsk, on the other hand, is now de facto in the hands of Moscow , although the armed stalemate remains with the defenders of the Azot chemical factory, barricaded in the bunkers along with more than 500 civilians, including about forty children.
In the first draft of the European Council of 23 and 24 June , in the chapter on Ukraine, we read that "the EU reiterates its strong support for Ukraine for its economic, military, social and financial resilience" and " reminds Russia to the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all its troops from the entire Ukrainian territory according to internationally recognized borders ".
The provisional text will be on the table tomorrow at the General Affairs Council in Luxembourg. In the next few hours, the position of the summit regarding the granting of candidate status to Kiev will be included.
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The day by the hour:
Deputy Prime Minister to the Ukrainians: "Leave Kherson, the counter-offensive begins"
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk urged the inhabitants of the Kherson region to leave the area - including going to Russia - before the counter-offensive of the Kiev forces begins, thus facilitating their task.
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Moscow: "We treat captured Americans as mercenaries, not prisoners"
Americans captured in Ukraine are "mercenaries" who have to pay the price for their "crimes" and "cannot count on the protection of the Geneva Convention" on prisoners of war. This was stated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in an interview with MSNBC, taken up by Ria Novosti.
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Ukrainian raid on a gas platform, 7 missing in the Black Sea
At least 7 people are reported missing after the Ukrainian raid on a drilling platform in the Black Sea of the company Chernomorneftegaz, which has its base in Crimea. The Russian authorities say so.
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Biden: "Ukraine is very likely to become an EU country"
Joe Biden thinks it is "very likely" that Ukraine will become a member of the EU. The president told reporters in Dewalare. Biden also said he is "unlikely" to go to Ukraine during his visit to Europe.
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Borrell: "Military aid to Kiev will continue"
"The ministers today renewed their commitment to help Kiev militarily: the war continues, will continue and every day there is a heavy burden in terms of human lives, it seems that Putin wants to destroy Ukraine physically, eliminate the very idea of a Ukrainian nation. ". This was stated by the high representative of EU foreign policy Josep Borrell at the end of the foreign affairs council in Luxembourg. "We must support Ukraine for as long as it is needed, but asking for a truce to export cereals", he specified.
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Odessa, Russian raid destroys food warehouse
A food warehouse in the southern port city of Odesa, Ukraine was destroyed in a Russian missile attack today. This was announced by the Ukrainian army, specifying that Russian forces fired 14 missiles, but no civilians were killed.
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Zelensky: "Difficult negotiations to unlock ports"
"Difficult negotiations are underway to unblock Ukrainian ports." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this to the African Union.
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Zelensky secretly visits Lysychansk
Ukrainian president "Zelensky was secretly in Lysychansk". This was announced by Ukrainian MP Mariana Bezugla, according to what Ukrainska Pravda writes, which publishes a photo of the Ukrainian leader together with the military.
According to Bezugla, Zelensky went to Lysychansk, which continues to be the subject of heavy bombing, to "see for himself how the situation evolves".
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Missile raids in Odessa
"After an alarm launched at around 2 pm local time," missile attacks have been reported in Odessa. Ukrainska Pravda writes it, quoting the deputy Oleksiy Honcharenko on Telegram, who has launched an appeal to take shelter "in air-raid shelters". The Kyiv Independent reports "explosions" in the Ukrainian city, citing a spokesperson for the regional administration. The explosions were heard after the air raid sirens sounded.
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Zelensky, appeal to Italy: "Support us"
"Please support us". This was stated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaking on video link to the ISPI Global Policy Forum, referring to a question from former Prime Minister Mario Monti on tomorrow's vote in Parliament, which will decide on the dispatch of weapons.
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Humanitarian disaster in Mariupol
"Mariupol is experiencing one of the largest humanitarian disasters caused by the Russian aggression. Despite the delivery of water once a week announced by the Russians, not all residents can collect it. In some areas where water supply is partially available, people she is forced to use non-potable water. Due to problems with humanitarian aid, people stand in line for 3-4 hours in front of supermarkets to buy food ". The advisor to the mayor of Mariupol Petro Andriushchenko wrote on Telegram, reported by Ukrinform. "Prices skyrocketed soon after Mariupol residents received money from the Russians: they are taking advantage of the problems at every step." At present, more than 100,000 people remain in the occupied city.
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12 pm - Draft of the EU summit: "Aid to Kiev and immediate withdrawal of Russia"
"The EU reiterates its strong support for Ukraine for its economic, military, social and financial resilience" and "calls on Russia to immediately and unconditionally withdraw all its troops from the entire Ukrainian territory according to internationally recognized borders". This is what we read in the first draft of the European Council of 23 and 24 June, in the chapter on Ukraine. This is a provisional draft which, tomorrow, will be on the table of the General Affairs Council in Luxembourg, while in the next few hours, the position of the summit regarding the granting of candidate status to Kiev will be included in the text.
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Medvedev: "Relations with the US are absolutely zero"
"Relations with the United States are at zero Kelvin. We have no relationship with them now. And there is no need to thaw them today, nor to negotiate with them. Let them run or crawl. And they appreciate it as a special favor." Dmitry Medvedev, vice president of the Security Council of Russia and ally of President Putin, wrote this on social media, talking about the prospect of further negotiations on nuclear treaties. The Guardian reports it.
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Nyt: "Widespread use of Russian cluster bombs in Ukraine"
An analysis by the New York Times showed "Russia's widespread use in Ukraine of cluster weapons prohibited by some international treaties."
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United Kingdom: "Russia's limited success due to the inability of air power"
"In the conflict in Ukraine to date, the Russian air force has performed poorly. Its inability to consistently deliver air power is one of the most important factors behind the limited success of the Russian campaign." This was stated by the British Ministry of Defense in its latest intelligence report published on Twitter. "For years, much of Russia's air training was likely programmed to impress senior officials rather than develop dynamics among air crews."
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Two civilians killed by Russian missiles in Donetsk
Two civilians were killed and 12 wounded in the past 24 hours during a Russian army missile attack in the Donetsk region, announced the head of the regional military administration Pavlo Kyrylenko, quoted by UNIAN. Kyrylenko added that the enemy troops in the district are trying to establish full control over the village of Bogorodichne and create the conditions for the development of the offensive on Slovyansk.
(Unioneonline)