Thursday, June 27

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Ukraine and Belgium ended up with a 0:0 draw that placed Belgium in the second place of the Group E table and Ukraine – in the 4th, the last one.

Russian court sentences 5 foreigners who fought for Ukraine to prison in absentia. A Rostov-on-Don court sentenced five citizens from the U.K., Sweden, and Croatia in absentia to prison terms ranging from 3.5 to 23 years on June 26 for fighting alongside Ukraine amid Russia’s full-scale war, the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office claimed.

33% of Ukrainians think Ukraine moving in ‘right direction,’ 47% disagree, survey shows. A recent survey by the Razumkov Center, published on June 26, indicates that 33% of Ukrainians believe the country is moving “in the right direction,” while 47% feel it is heading “in the wrong direction.”

Military intelligence behind cyberattack on several providers in occupied Crimea, source confirms. Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) carried out a cyberattack on several of Russia’s largest Internet providers operating in Russian-occupied Crimea on June 26, a source in the agency confirmed to the Kyiv Independent.

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Zelensky signs law on use of English in Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law on June 26 establishing English as an official language of international communication in Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian parliament’s website.

Ukraine’s crowdfunded satellite takes over 4,000 images of Russian facilities, military intelligence says. A satellite purchased via a Ukrainian crowdfunding campaign took 4,173 images of Russia’s targets in almost two years, Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) said on June 26.

State Department confirms death of US embassy employee in Kyiv. “We can confirm the death of the U.S. government employee who was under chief mission authority at the embassy in Kyiv. We extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of our colleague,” U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said at a briefing on June 26.

Ukraine eliminated from Euro 2024 after goalless draw with Belgium. Ukraine and Belgium ended up with a 0:0 draw that placed Belgium in the second place of the Group E table and Ukraine – in the 4th, the last one.

Zelensky visits Donetsk Oblast along with newly appointed General Hnatov. President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he and Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi “officially officially introduced Andrii Hnatov to all those responsible for defense in the Donetsk region” and visited the 110th and 47th brigades.

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Ukraine war latest: Zelensky visits front line in Donetsk Oblast alongside newly appointed general

President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Donetsk Oblast on June 26 along with the newly appointed Commander of the Joint Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Brigadier General Andrii Hnatov.

Photo: Presidential Office

EXPLAINER: Does Ukraine have political opposition?

More than two years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine’s political opposition has diminished, but continues to affect Ukraine’s politics, experts say. Although President Volodymyr Zelensky and his party still control the parliament, parliamentary members outside of his party still exert some influence on public and international positions on Ukrainian issues.

Photo: Maxym Marusenko/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Political divide over Ukraine manifests in Pennsylvania, crucial US swing state

Once a month in the basement of a minimally marked neighborhood building, an age-spanning group of Ukrainian Americans gather to discuss the typical meeting minutes of most nonprofits: dues, membership, and events.

Photo: Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Human cost of war

Russian drone attack on Kherson injures 5, including children. Russian forces attacked the city of Kherson on June 26, injuring five people, including two children, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said.

Russian guided bomb attack on Kharkiv Oblast town injures at least 4. Russian troops hit the town of Derhachi in Kharkiv Oblast on June 26 with a guided aerial bomb. Nine people suffered in the attack, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.

International response

Denmark to allocate nearly $5 million to restore Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in Kharkiv, Mykolaiv oblasts. The total amount of donor contributions to the fund are over 551 million euros (around $558 million) as of June, according to Ukraine’s ministry.

EU states agree on new sanctions package against Belarus to ‘strengthen measures’ in response to Russia’s war. “Belarus must no longer serve as a route to circumvent our sanctions against Russia,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

PACE adopts 3 resolutions on Ukraine, including on Russia’s cultural genocide. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted three resolutions related to Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine on June 26, said Maria Mezentseva, the head of the Ukrainian delegation.

Lithuania to allocate at least 0.25% of its GDP to support Ukraine’s security, defense. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda announced on June 26 that Lithuania will allocate at least 0.25% of its GDP to assist Ukraine’s security and defense.

US backs ICC investigation into Shoigu, Gerasimov, State Department says. When asked about the U.S. reaction to the arrest warrants, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said, “We support a range of international investigations into Russia’s atrocities in Ukraine, including the one conducted by the ICC.”

Rutte appointed as next NATO Secretary General. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte will take over the position from current NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg when his ten-year term ends in October.

Estonian PM Kallas will take over as next EU foreign policy head, sources tell RFE/RL. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas will reportedly succeed Josep Borrell, who has held the position since 2019.

US efforts to sanction Russia, Iran hampered by desire to keep gas prices low, sources tell WSJ. “(President Joe Biden) has wanted to do everything that he could to make sure that American consumers have the lowest price possible at the pump, as it affects families’ daily lives,” a senior administration official told the Wall Street Journal.

Russian oligarch Pumpyansky wins appeal against EU sanctions. Russian oligarch and business tycoon Dmitry Pumpyansky has successfully appealed against sanctions imposed by the European Union, according to a decision by the EU General Court published on June 26.

Kingdom of Tonga joins global peace summit communique, Zelensky says. The Kingdom of Tonga has become the ninth participant to sign the joint communique following the first global peace summit.

In other news

Trial for jailed US journalist Gershkovich begins in Russia. Russia formally accused Evan Gershkovich of spying for the CIA and finalized his indictment on June 13, announcing that he would finally go to trial. Russian authorities have not publicly released any evidence to support the charges.

Ukrainian directors Chernov, Loznitsa invited to US Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Mstyslav Chernov and Serhii Loznitsa were among 487 new members invited to join the more than 10,000-strong body that votes on the annual Oscar winners of the Academy Awards.

SBU: Former Ukrenergo official charged with embezzling funds designated for bulletproof vests. Investigators from the SBU and National Anti-Corruption Bureau allege that the unnamed former official organized the procurement of bulletproof vests at an “artificially inflated price” in the spring of 2022, following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in the spring of 2022.

Russia arbitrarily depriving political prisoners from contact with family, Amnesty International report finds. Russian authorities are being accused of systemically depriving Russian political prisoners and government critics of contact with families in order to ensure cooperation and “impose additional suffering on them and their families,” an Amnesty International report released on June 26 concluded.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Nate Ostiller, Toma Istomina, Kate Tsurkan, Katya Denisova, Teah Pelechaty, Kateryna Hodunova, Martin Fornusek, Dmytro Basmat, and Rachel Amran.

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