by Lorenzo Cremonesi, Marco Imarisio, Andrea Nicastro, Guido Olimpio and Andrea Marinelli
Monday 20 June War News Live. According to the NYT, Moscow has used at least 210 cluster munitions banned by international treaties
• The war in Ukraine has reached the 117th day.
• Azov regiment commanders captured at the Azovstal Steel Plant in Mariupol are being held in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison, reports Tass, citing a Russian fortress.
• Former Prime Minister Medvedev scorns Europe in a post on Telegram: The EU could disappear before Ukraine can join.
• NATO warns war could last for years.
• The Ukrainian parliament has approved a bill banning the import and distribution of books and editorial products from Russia, Belarus and areas of Ukraine temporarily occupied by Russian forces. Limits were also imposed on music, with the ban on public performances, demonstrations, concerts by Russian citizens.
• The Ukrainian counter-offensive began to recapture Kherson: airstrikes, sabotage and partisan attacks (here the military point).
07:10 – European ministers meet at the grain block
Today, EU foreign ministers will discuss ways to release millions of tons of grain still in Ukraine due to the blockade of Russia’s Black Sea port at a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday.
Ukraine is a major global supplier of wheat, but since Russia invaded it, its shipments have stalled and more than 20 million tons have been locked in silos. The EU supports UN efforts to reach an agreement to resume Ukraine’s sea exports in exchange for facilitating Russia’s food and fertilizer exports, but Moscow’s green light is needed.
07:00 – Zelenskyy: Historic week between Ukraine and EU, but Russia will be more hostile
A truly historic week begins tomorrow (today, editor’s note). A week in which we will hear the European Union’s response on the candidate status for Ukraine. We already have a positive decision from the European Commission, and by the end of the new week there will be a response from the European Council. I am convinced that only a positive decision will serve the interests of the whole of Europe. We will use every opportunity to defend the European perspective for Ukraine, for each of us, and to win new supporters for us.
So said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a video address posted last night. Obviously – he said again – we should expect further hostile activities from Russia. Conscious and demonstrative. Exactly this week. And not only against Ukraine, but also against other European countries. We prepare. We are ready. We warn the allies.
The occupiers are gathering forces in the direction of Kharkiv in the Zaporizhia region. They hit our fuel infrastructure again – they want to make the fuel situation worse. Of course we will answer that too. Fierce fighting continues in Donbass. The Russian army deploys there the greatest number of artillery, the greatest number of offensive forces. But Severodonetsk, Lysychansk, Avdiivka, Krasnohorivka and other hotspots are holding out. Our people like it. Our army is resisting. And I am grateful to everyone whose strength today means our victory tomorrow, he concluded.
01:07 – Cnn, according to 007 USA, Moscow will try to undermine the midterm vote
Moscow is likely to seek to discourage voting and undermine American confidence in November’s midterm elections in retaliation for the American-led Western response to the invasion of Ukraine: CNN reveals, citing a new declassified document by the Interior Department’s intelligence agency. We expect Russian interference in the 2022 midterm elections, as Russia sees such activities as a just response to Washington’s actions and an opportunity to both undermine the US global position and influence American decisions, the report said CNN explained, that Homeland Security and National Security officials are concerned that Russia may exploit US divisions in the midterm elections to incite angry and violent reactions. For example, with minor hacking to the detriment of local voting systems, with the conscious purpose of being noticed (without downloading to third parties) and using the maneuver to sow further conspiracies about the integrity of voting in the US, with the amplification of the problems in social networks. Efforts to link doubts fueled by Donald Trump and his allies to false allegations of mass election fraud.
11:45 pm – NYT: Russians have used over 210 banned ammunition
The New York Times, using over 1,000 photos taken by its reporters and other sources, has identified more than 2,000 munitions used by Russian forces in Ukraine, the vast majority of which are unguided. According to the newspaper, more than 210 types of ammunition belong to types that have been largely banned under various international agreements. Almost all of them were cluster munitions, including their submunitions, which posed a serious threat to civilians decades after the war ended, the newspaper pointed out, adding that more than 330 other weapons appeared to have been used against or near facilities. civilians.
11:44 PM – Zelenskyy: Russian raids will increase next week
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that he expects Russia to step up its attacks on Ukraine as Ukraine awaits the EU’s decision to grant it candidate country status. Obviously, we should expect Russia to intensify its hostile activities this week, to cite one example, Zelenskyy said in his late-night video address. And not only against Ukraine, but also against other European countries. We prepare. We are ready, he added. The Guardian reports on it.
19:47 – Luhansk governor: difficult situation, fierce fighting in Severodonetsk
The most difficult military situation in Ukraine in the Luhansk region. Governor Sergei Haidai said so while taking stock of the ongoing fighting in the region on Telegram. In Severodonetsk – he says – fierce fighting continues, the enemies are trying to take complete control of the city, but they fail and suffer huge losses. Today – Haidai continues – the Russians tried to bring about change in the Toshkivka region and even succeeded, but after the work of our artillery the invaders were defeated and their attack was repelled. After all, the city of Lysychansk is under Ukrainian control, but it is constantly bombed, the governor reports, stressing that despite this, deliveries by truck are made every day and the evacuation continues. Only today – reports the state rescue service SES on Telegram – 18 civilians were evacuated from Lysychansk with their cars. The column reached a safe city in Donetsk region.
7:36pm – Mike Tyson on video for Ukraine: I’m with you
Hey Ukrainians, I’m Mike Tyson and I’m with you: This is how the former boxing champion expressed his support for Ukraine in the war with Russia in a short video reposted by the Ukrainian Boxing Federation on Twitter. This is not the first time that the former world heavyweight champion has been involved in the Ukraine crisis: a few days ago, the controversial American radio host Alex Jones, a supporter of numerous conspiracy theories, suggested that he mediate between Moscow and Kyiv. A contingency Iron Mike dismissed on the grounds that you have to look at the different levels of things, think ahead before you do anything. Jones reminded Tyson of when former basketball player Dennis Rodman went to Pyongyang for a meeting with North Korean leader Kim-Jon Un, a meeting Jones said eased tensions between North Korea and Washington.
June 20, 2022 (Modification June 20, 2022 | 07:15)
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