Ukraine Daily

Wednesday, June 29

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Russia’s war against Ukraine

A rescuer works at the scene of the explosion after a Russian missile strike hit a shopping mall in Kremenchuk, Poltava Oblast on June 27, 2022. (State Emergency Service/Telegram)

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Zelensky: Russia has fired over 2,800 missiles at Ukraine’s cities since start of war. In his nightly address, President Volodymyr Zelensky said: “As of this evening, a total number of Russian missiles that have hit our cities is already 2,811. And how many more air bombs (they have dropped), how many artillery shells (have been fired)? The UN Security Council today stood up (in a moment of silence) to honor the memory of all Ukrainians killed by the Russian army on our land. The members of the Russian delegation looked back at everyone present in the hall and also decided to stand up - just so they do not look like outright murderers. However, everyone knows that it is Russian terror, it is Russia that is killing innocent people in this war.”

Ukrainian military destroys Russian Grad missile launcher, field ammunition depots. Ukraine’s Operational Command “South” reports on June 28 that fighting continues in southern Ukraine with Russia continuing long range artillery and air strikes on military and civilian targets. Over the past 24 hours, Russia has lost at least 22 soldiers on the southern frontlines, two field ammunition depots, three armored vehicles and five other military vehicles.

Study: Ukraine’s population may decrease by third due to war. According to a study by NoBrainerData, Russia’s war against Ukraine may create a demographic catastrophe due to an excess of war-related deaths, extreme internal mobility, an increase in emigration, fewer births, and possible loss of territory.

SBU arrests man suspected of providing Russia with coordinates for Yavoriv military base. The suspect, who was previously part of the KGB, sent maps with marked locations to the Russian military, which were used to fire on the site. Russia’s attack on Yavoriv military base in Lviv Oblast resulted in 50 Ukrainian soldiers killed and 150 more injured. According to Ukraine’s State Security Service (SBU), the man is being held in custody without bail. He could be charged with treason.

Politico: Ukrainian forces training to use NASAMS air defense system before its delivery to Ukraine. Sources told Politico that a NASAMS, a medium-to-long-range surface-to-air missile-defense system, is expected to be among the next batch of heavy weapons approved for Ukraine.

Wives of Russian soldiers from Buryatia ask local authorities to bring their husbands home from Ukraine. Over a dozen women recorded a video address to Buryatia’s head, Alexei Tsydenov, saying their husbands have concussions and are physically and morally exhausted. “Everyone is afraid, there is an order to be silent. Let the death of every military man in this unjust war be on your conscience,” the women said.

Governor: Six Russian missiles target Dnipro Oblast on June 28. According to Governor Valentyn Reznichenko, three of the missiles were intercepted by Ukraine’s air defense. Railway infrastructure, an industrial enterprise, and a car repair shop in the city of Dnipro were hit. Authorities are going through the rubble, casualties remain unknown, he said.

Belarusian opposition leader asks Zelensky to support unity of both nations. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of the Belarus opposition in exile, said in the video address to the Ukrainian president that “our peoples now support each other, and politicians should help them do that.“ The address comes amid intensified reports that Belarus may officially join Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Foreign Policy: Ukraine to request NATO’s assistance in deterring possible Russian nuclear or chemical attacks. Ukrainian officials are likely to ask NATO to do more to deter possible Russian chemical and nuclear attacks on the country, as the 30-nation alliance holds a summit in Spain this week, Foreign Policy reports citing draft documents provided to them. Ukrainian officials are also calling for the “establishment of effective measures of deterrence” to prevent Russia from using its weapons of mass destruction.

Cabinet of Ministers approves dismissal of Kherson governor. The Cabinet of Ministers supported the dismissal of Hennady Lahuta, who was appointed the head of Kherson Regional State Administration only eight months ago. Ukraine’s southern Kherson Oblast is almost completely occupied by Russian forces.

Institute for the Study of War: Russia’s next moves in Donbas will depend on ability to recoup combat power from the Sievierodonetsk forces. The U.S. think tank said in its latest assessment that the next part of Russia’s offensive will likely depend on its ability to transfer its units used in the battle of Sievierodonetsk to the rest of the offensive. The main factor is the units ability to cross the Siverskyi Donets River as all bridges were destroyed. If Russian forces threaten to complete the encirclement by pushing from the north and southwest of Lysychansk, then Ukrainian forces will likely abandon Lysychansk as well and conduct a fighting withdrawal to more defensible positions, the experts predict.

Zelensky calls on UN to recognize Russia as terrorist state. President Volodymyr Zelensky in an address to the UN Security Council said that the organization should adopt the legal definition of a terrorist state. He also asked to recognize the Russian missile strike on Kremenchuk shopping mall, which killed at least 20 people, as a terrorist act. Although the UN Charter should maintain peace globally, “Russia has not been punished on an international level yet,” he said.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko makes plea for more weapons for Ukraine: ‘Wake up, you will be next.’ “You are going to be next, this is going to be knocking on your door just in the blink of an eye,” Klitschko said, addressing reporters in Madrid on June 28. Klitschko and his brother, former boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, were in Madrid to attend a defense think tank forum ahead of the 2-day NATO summit.

Read our exclusive, on the ground stories

Since Russia began its brutal full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, many multinational companies have announced that they are voluntarily curtailing or halting their business there. However, not every company that claimed to pull out of Russia entirely did so, according to a June 28 report by the Moral Rating agency, an organization focused on tracking companies’ response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Read our story detailing the report here.

The human cost of Russia’s war

2 people killed, 6 injured by Russian shelling in Kharkiv Oblast in 1 day. Two civilians were killed and one injured by shelling of the village of Tsyrkuny, northeast of Kharkiv, on June 28. Five people were injured by shelling in the southeastern part of Kharkiv, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov.

Governor: 2 killed, 3 injured after Russian attack on Mykolaiv high-rise. Mykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych reported early on June 29 that a high-rise in the city has been hit - presumably by a Russian missile. Mykolaiv Oblast Governor Vitaliy Kim added that two people were killed and three injured, including a rescue worker, in the attack. The rescue operation is underway. The air raid alert began sounding in the city at 3 a.m. local time and was out by 7 a.m.

Russia attacks Sumy Oblast with missiles, artillery, killing 2. Early on June 28, Russian forces launched a massive missile attack firing close to 20 missiles from helicopters that targeted Kransopillia and Myropillia communities, Sumy Oblast Governor Dmytro Zhyvytskyi reported. Later, troops reportedly fired from Grad multiple rocket launchers at various settlements in the region. Two people were killed and three wounded in the attack.

The death toll continues to grow after the Russian missile attack on the shopping mall Amstor in Kremenchuk, Poltava Oblast, on June 27. At least 20 people were killed in the attack, according to Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office. Interior minister says there is no hope to find survivors under debris of Kremenchuk mall after the Russian missile strike. Read our story here.

International response

Canada’s Justin Trudeau announces additional aid for Ukraine. As the G7 meeting concluded on June 28 in Elmau, Germany, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced $118 million in new humanitarian, development, and peace and security support for Ukraine. Canada will also provide $155 million through the International Monetary Fund to help Ukraine with liquidity issues.

The Guardian: Wimbledon reportedly eases dress code to allow players show solidarity with Ukraine. The tennis tournament has very strict rules on uniforms which states “competitors must be dressed in suitable tennis attire that is almost entirely white,“ but it seems to have made exceptions for players that want to show support for Ukraine. On June 28, Poland’s Iga Świątek, the women’s world No. 1, wore a blue and yellow ribbon on her cap, meanwhile Ukrainian players Lesia Tsurenko and Anhelina Kalinina are likely to wear similar ribbons in their match on June 29. Belarussian and Russian players are banned from competing in the tournament due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

France to send ‘significant quantities’ of armored vehicles to Ukraine. In his first major interview since his appointment, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced that France will be soon sending armored vehicles to Ukraine. The exact number of vehicles was not disclosed. He also said the French government is considering providing Ukraine with Exocet anti-ship missiles.

Lithuania bans gas imports from Russia. On June 28, the Seimas adopted a law restricting Russia’s access to the country’s gas transportation system, as well as to the LNG terminal in the city of Klaipeda, amid a “threat to national security.” Only the transit of gas to Russia’s Kaliningrad will be allowed through the country’s territory.

People from 89 countries have already donated to Ukraine’s fundraising program UNITED 24. The state-launched platform reported it has already raised almost $63 million. Most donations came from the U.S., Germany, France, Canada, the U.K. and Ukraine. 60% of all donations from the U.K., Canada, and France were for defense, while residents of Germany donated 25 percent of their funds to military needs. The majority of donations from Germany – 65% – were for medical aid.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Asami Terajima, Daria Shulzhenko, Thaisa Semenova, Anastasiia Lapatina, Nayalia Datskevych, Oleg Sukhov, Olga Rudenko, Olena Goncharova, Toma Istomina, Brad LaFoy and Sergiy Slipchenko.

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