Listed here are the important thing occasions on day 1,211 of Russia’s conflict on Ukraine.
That is how issues stand on Thursday, June 19 :
Preventing
- The demise toll from a large-scale Russian assault on Kyiv earlier this week has risen to twenty-eight, with 130 injured, though rescue work continues to be beneath manner.
- The assault was carried out by 440 drones and 32 missiles, in response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
- Moscow characterised the assault as precision strikes on “military-industrial amenities within the Kyiv area”, though video footage confirmed the assault levelling elements of an condominium block within the Ukrainian capital.
- Russia mentioned it captured the village of Novomykolaivka in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy area, the place Russian forces have renewed their offensive. The area has been on the centre of combating because the Russian invasion in 2022.
Diplomacy
- Chatting with international media at a late-night information convention, Russian chief Vladimir Putin dismissed fears that he was planning to assault the NATO army alliance. He mentioned the army bloc and its rearmament didn’t threaten Russia.
- Putin mentioned he would contemplate Germany to be a direct actor within the Ukraine conflict ought to it provide Kyiv with Taurus cruise missiles. Earlier this month, Germany’s Ministry of Defence mentioned it didn’t have plans to take action, regardless of repeated requests from Ukraine.
- Putin additional mentioned he doesn’t contemplate Germany to be a “impartial state”, however a “occasion supporting Ukraine, and in some circumstances … as accomplices in these hostilities”.
- Regardless of his remarks, Putin mentioned he was ready to satisfy with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, though he additionally expressed doubts about Germany’s function as a mediator within the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
- Putin has supplied to satisfy with Zelenskyy however solely in the course of the “closing section” of talks to finish the battle. Final month, Putin declined to attend a face-to-face summit in Istanbul with the Ukrainian president.
- Zelenskyy is reportedly planning to attend a NATO assembly in The Hague subsequent week, the place members will focus on elevating defence spending to five p.c of gross home product (GDP).
Sanctions
- Canada introduced new sanctions focusing on 77 people, 39 entities and 200 vessels in Russia’s “shadow fleet” of oil tankers. Along with the sanctions, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged an extra $1.47bn in army help for Ukraine.
