Ukraine-Russia War, the news. Russian attack in the Poltova region with 8 missiles and 272 drones
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was aware of those who warned of "the risk of stagnation or even recession for Russia," starting with the minister of economic development. But in his speech at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, he stressed that "such a scenario cannot be allowed to happen under any circumstances."
Meanwhile, Moscow and Kiev have held a new round of exchange of prisoners of war, the Russian and Ukrainian defense ministries reported. "Ukraine is bringing seriously wounded and sick defenders home from captivity," Kiev wrote on X, noting the ongoing work "to bring everyone back."
Zelensky accuses Moscow: “It handed over 20 bodies of Russian soldiers instead of Ukrainian ones”
President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of deliberately handing over the bodies of 20 Russian soldiers, including an Israeli citizen, to Kiev instead of the remains of Ukrainian soldiers, as agreed in a recent major prisoner-of-war exchange. "We believe they are doing this deliberately to show how many Ukrainian bodies they allegedly have" and to downplay the number of dead Russian soldiers, the Ukrainian president said at a news conference.
Tajani: “Putin also has economic issues to resolve”
"Putin must come to his senses, but I don't think he will do it very quickly, also because there are economic issues to resolve": this is what the Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani declared in Gubbio, on the sidelines of the Forza Italia youth event, "The Academy of Freedom". "A million Russian soldiers earn double what a Russian worker earns and the industry is now almost entirely converted to a war industry. Before he can backtrack, Putin must address these internal issues". The minister then relaunched the need for a new pressure strategy from the West. "If he doesn't do it - he said -, we need to intervene with sanctions that really impact Russian finances, so as to prevent him from continuing to pay the military. This is the current situation. We need to start applying pressure again so that a ceasefire can be reached".
Kiev, “8 Russian missiles and 272 drones over Ukraine during the night”
Russian forces attacked Ukraine last night with eight missiles, including two hypersonic ones, and 272 drones of various types, including Shahed kamikazes, the Kiev Air Force said on Telegram, adding that air defenses destroyed five missiles and 252 unmanned aerial vehicles. The Russians launched two Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic ballistic missiles from the airspace of occupied Crimea, four Caliber cruise missiles from the Black Sea, and two Iskander-K cruise missiles from Russia's Belgorod region. Ukrainian air defenses shot down three Caliber missiles, one Kinzhal missile, and one Iskander-K missile, a press release said. In addition, 140 Russian drones were shot down by Ukrainian fire, and 112 more were neutralized with electronic warfare systems.
Moscow, nearly 100 drones shot down in 24 hours
Russian air defense forces have shot down 97 Ukrainian drones over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said. “Air defense systems shot down four US-made JDAM guided air bombs and 97 fixed-wing drones,” it said. “Russian tactical aircraft, combat drones, missile and artillery forces struck factories for the production, assembly and storage of combat drones and ammunition and material depots,” it added. Russian forces also struck temporary staging sites of Ukrainian Armed Forces units in 142 areas.
Deportation program of pro-Kiev people to the occupied territories
A systematic program of deportations from the territories occupied by Russia in Ukraine has been implemented by the Moscow occupation forces. In the first months of the invasion, Russian forces began compiling lists to identify potential pro-Kiev hotheads in the territories. Many of them were kidnapped, tortured or detained in Russian prisons. Or even with a new, faster tactic: pro-Russian or Russian representatives approach these people to tell them: "it is in your interest to disappear from here or we will have to take you to the cellar" (the presence of several secret prisons where torture is practiced has been reported in the territories, ed.). People leave voluntarily, Serhiy Serdiuk , a former headmaster of a school in Komysh-Zoria, a town of 2,000 inhabitants in the Zaporizhzhia region, told the Guardian , forced to leave the country.
Russian attack on infrastructure in Poltava region
Last night, Russian troops again attacked key infrastructure in Ukraine. The main blow was inflicted on the Poltava region, in particular on the Kremenchuk district, where power plants were damaged. This was reported by the head of the Poltava regional military administration, Volodymyr Kogut , on his Telegram channel. "The enemy has again conducted a massive combined strike on the Poltava region. Most of the weapons were destroyed by the air defense forces. However, in the Kremenchuk district, direct hits and falling debris were recorded, both on energy infrastructure and in open areas," Kogut noted. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russian forces launched a total of 280 drones and missiles; Ukrainian air defenses downed 260 targets. Kremenchuk is a major energy center, although its hydroelectric power plant is undergoing repairs after damage in a November attack and its oil refinery was devastated at the start of the war.
Putin: "To resolve the crisis, Kiev must be neutral and not have nuclear weapons"
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that it is necessary to exclude the possibility of the appearance of nuclear weapons in Ukraine to resolve the crisis. "It is necessary to declare Ukraine's neutrality, non-alignment with any foreign alliance, and also exclude the possibility of obtaining nuclear weapons," the leader said in an interview with Sky News Arabia , reported by Tass . According to Putin, the expressed demands will become the basis for long-term stability in the region. The leader stressed that ignoring these and other conditions means "the possibility of a resumption of armed conflict."
Putin: “Ukraine should recognize the referendums in Donbass and Novorossiya”
Ukraine must recognize the results of the referendums held in Donbass and Novorossiya (the breakaway regions of Ukraine) to find a solution to the conflict, Vladimir Putin said in an interview with Sky News Arabia . Tass reported. "It is essential for Ukraine to recognize the results of the referendums held in the four regions," Putin said, referring to the regions of Lugansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. "Ukraine must also recognize its interest in maintaining long-term friendly relations with Russia."
Putin: “Kiev should act in the interests of the country, not third parties”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed hope that the authorities in Kiev will act in accordance with Ukraine's national interests, rather than serve the interests of third parties acting against Russia. In an interview with Sky News Arabia , the Russian leader noted that the parties had already been close to an agreement in Istanbul in 2022. "I hope that the Ukrainian leadership will pursue the country's national interests, rather than the interests of third parties acting against Russia," he said, Tass reports.
Putin: “We must eliminate Nazi elements in Kiev’s leadership”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for "the elimination of Nazi elements" in the Ukrainian leadership. "It is necessary to eliminate the Nazi character of Ukraine and Nazi elements in the Ukrainian leadership," the Russian leader said in an interview with Sky News Arabia, reported by Tass .
Kiev, Putin's words show 'contempt' for peace process
Ukraine has denounced Russian President Vladimir Putin as showing "contempt" for the peace process by suggesting Moscow could seize more Ukrainian territory, including the northeastern city of Sumy. "Putin's cynical statements demonstrate a complete disdain for the US peace efforts... The only way to force Russia to make peace is to deprive it of its sense of impunity," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said in a post on X.
Trump, Russia and Ukraine are making progress
Russia and Ukraine are making progress, Donald Trump told reporters.
Moscow's representative to the UN: "Only new realistic negotiations in Istanbul can save Ukraine"
"Only the immediate start of constructive and realistic negotiations with Russia can save Ukraine from total disaster," Moscow's permanent representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya , said, proposing a third round of negotiations in Istanbul "after June 22."
Kiev, Putin's statements show contempt for US peace efforts
"Putin's cynical statements demonstrate a complete disregard for the US peace efforts. While the US and the rest of the world are calling for an immediate end to the killings, Russia's top war criminal is discussing plans to seize more Ukrainian territory and kill more Ukrainians," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga told X.
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