Bolstering Ukraine’s air defenses and artillery on the agenda as allies meet
Ukraine and its allies are meeting Thursday to discuss Kyiv’s ongoing military needs and requirements, with Kyiv’s military command saying that strengthening air defense, artillery and counter-battery capabilities are “important objectives.”
The meeting of the so-called Ukraine Defense Support Group in Brussels, Belgium, will “focus on bolstering Ukraine’s air defense and other near-term capability priorities, as well as training and sustainment to enhance Ukraine’s enduring strength over the long term,” according to a readout of a phone call between U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Ukrainian Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov earlier this week.
The Ukraine Defense Support Group includes 54 countries, ranging from those in the NATO military alliance to non-members such as Australia, Japan, South Korea and Ireland.
Ukrainian soldiers at their artillery position on the Donetsk front line in Ukraine on April 24, 2023.
Diego Herrera Carcedo | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
Ahead of Thursday’s meeting, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi said he had spoken to U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and updated him on the counteroffensive Ukraine launched last week to reclaim Russian-occupied territory.
“Heavy defensive and offensive battles are currently taking place in the east and south of our country. While we have achieved certain successes and are implementing our plans, we continue to push forward,” he said on Telegram.
“Priorities for the Ukrainian army were discussed in preparation for the upcoming regular meeting of the contact group on defense issues, which follows the “Ramstein” format. Strengthening air defense, artillery, and counter-battery capabilities were identified as important objectives.”
— Holly Ellyatt
Photos show devastating Russian missile strike in eastern Ukraine
At least three people died after shelling destroyed seven homes and damaged dozens more in the eastern Ukrainian cities of Kramatorsk and Kostiantynivka on Wednesday, according to a Telegram post from Pavlo Kyrylenko, governor of the Donetsk province.
The Associated Press reported that the Ukrainian presidential office said a missile hit the Ukrainian-controlled city of Kramatorsk, where Kyiv’s forces are headquartered. The office said that strike killed two civilians and wounded two others while damaging 29 homes.
Meanwhile, Russian shelling in the eastern city of Kostiantynivka in Ukraine killed one civilian, with 57 houses damaged, it added.
This aerial view shows municipal workers as they use a mechanical digger to clear debris from a residential area in the aftermath of a Russian attack on Kramatorsk, June 14, 2023.
Ihor Tkachov | Afp | Getty Images
Residents stand in the remains of their homes as municipal workers clear debris in the aftermath of a Russian attack on Kramatorsk, June 14, 2023.
Anatolii Stepanov | Afp | Getty Images
Residents stand in the remains of their homes in the aftermath of a Russian attack on Kramatorsk, June 14, 2023.
Anatolii Stepanov | Afp | Getty Images
A resident salvages belongings from the remains of her home in the aftermath of a Russian attack on Kramatorsk, June 14, 2023.
Anatolii Stepanov | Afp | Getty Images
Residents salvage belongings from the remains of their home in the aftermath of a Russian attack on Kramatorsk, June 14, 2023.
Anatolii Stepanov | Afp | Getty Images
— The Associated Press and Anatolii Stepanov | AFP | Getty Images
Blinken set to galvanize allies in London as Ukraine plans reconstruction efforts
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken boards his plane for travel to Berlin at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, June 22, 2021.
Andrew Harnik | Pool | Reuters
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to London to meet with his counterparts from the U.K. and Ukraine during the Ukraine Recovery Conference.
He will also meet with several allies on the sidelines of the conference and is expected to galvanize allies and the private sector to support Ukraine’s reconstruction efforts.
— Amanda Macias
Turkey says Sweden has not done enough to join NATO alliance
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Murat Cetinmuhurdar | Reuters
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters traveling with him that Sweden has not done enough to be admitted to the NATO military alliance, according to a Reuters report.
Ankara has previously accused Stockholm of harboring terrorists. The latest revelation comes as NATO members are set to meet next month in Lithuania.
Finland and Sweden began the formal process of applying to NATO last May as Russia’s war in Ukraine marched into its third month.
At the time, Ankara demanded certain concessions from both Finland and Sweden before approving NATO membership. Earlier this year, Turkey formalized the ratification of Finland to join the NATO alliance.
— Amanda Macias
Belarus president says he wouldn’t hesitate to use Russian nuclear weapons to fight aggression
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko talks with Russian TV presenter Olga Skabeyeva during his visit to the missile production enterprise in the Minsk region of Belarus, June 13, 2023.
Belarusian Presidential Press Office via AP
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said the country has received some of Russia’s tactical nuclear weapons and warned he wouldn’t hesitate to use them if Belarus faced an act of aggression, the Associated Press reported.
Lukashenko’s comments contradict earlier statements by President Vladimir Putin who has said Russia will retain control of the weapons and is stationing them in Belarus, similar to the U.S.’ agreements to deploy weapons in their allied countries, according to Reuters.
The deployment is Moscow’s first move of such warheads outside Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union, and it is being monitored closely by the U.S., its allies and China, Reuters reported.
Lukashenko, who has allowed his country to be used by Russian forces attacking Ukraine, said the nuclear deployment will act as a deterrent against potential aggressors, the AP reported. Belarus borders the NATO member countries Lithuania, Latvia and Poland.
— Melodie Warner
Kremlin says ‘goodwill’ on grain deal might not last much longer
The Kremlin said it could withdraw from the grain export deal with Ukraine when the current agreement expires in mid-July.
The agreement, known formally as the “Black Sea grain Initiative,” has enabled over 31 million metric tons of vital agricultural exports to leave three of Ukraine’s ports amid the ongoing war.
Russia has reluctantly extended the UN and Turkey-brokered deal several times but has complained that its own own grain and fertilizer exports face continuing obstacles due to restrictions on payments and access to insurance.
An aerial view of a dry cargo ship transporting grain from Ukraine under the U.N,-brokered Black Sea deal.
Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov was asked by reporters to comment on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s comment yesterday that Russia is considering the possibility of withdrawing from the deal, and was asked if this could take place when it’s set to expire, or before.
“At the end,” the Kremlin spokesman replied, according to news agency Interfax.
Peskov was also asked why Moscow was considering withdrawing from the deal now, despite long-standing grievances about it.
“Russia has repeatedly made such gestures of goodwill [by extending participation in the deal], showing a very responsible approach, but, unfortunately, in the absence of reciprocity and the absence of the desire of the collective West to fulfil part of the agreements regarding Russia, of course, this is a manifestation of goodwill and political will cannot be endless,” Peskov said, Interfax reported.
On Tuesday, President Putin said that “we are now thinking about how to get out of this grain deal. Especially since these corridors along which the ships go are constantly used by the enemy to launch drones, sea drones,” he said, without presenting evidence. Ukraine says that Russia has repeatedly sought to undermine and hinder the grain export deal.
— Holly Ellyatt
Ukraine facing ‘extremely fierce’ battles and ‘partial success’ in counteroffensive
Ukrainian servicemen of the 10th Mountain Assault Brigade “Edelweiss” fire a rocket from a BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher toward Russian positions, near Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, June 13, 2023.
Anatolii Stepanov | Afp | Getty Images
Ukrainian forces are facing “extremely fierce” battles as their counteroffensive experiences “partial success,” according to Ukraine’s deputy defense minister.
Commenting on Telegram, Hanna Maliar said Ukrainian fighters had advanced up to 500 meters in the Bakhmut area over the past 24 hours, and up to 350 meters in the Zaporizhzhia area in southern Ukraine.
“Our troops are moving in the face of extremely fierce battles, aviation and artillery superiority of the enemy,” Maliar said Wednesday.
She said fighting was continuing near the village of Makarivka in the direction of the southern port city of Berdiansk, as well as in the areas of Novodanylivka and Novopokrovsk in the Mariupol direction. CNBC was unable to immediately verify the information.
— Holly Ellyatt