Vue normale

  • ✇The Kyiv Independent
  • Ukrainians forcibly deported by Russia held in basement without food, water, media reports
    Over 45 Ukrainians forcibly deported by Russia from Ukraine's occupied territories are being held in a basement at Russia's border with Georgia without food, water, and basic healthcare, independent media outlet Astra reported on June 21."We are in a basement without utilities: there is no shower or toilet, they don't feed us. Volunteers bring humanitarian aid, but it lasts for a couple of days and not for everyone," one of the held Ukrainians told Astra.A decree by Russian President Vladimir Pu
     

Ukrainians forcibly deported by Russia held in basement without food, water, media reports

21 juin 2025 à 18:54
Ukrainians forcibly deported by Russia held in basement without food, water, media reports

Over 45 Ukrainians forcibly deported by Russia from Ukraine's occupied territories are being held in a basement at Russia's border with Georgia without food, water, and basic healthcare, independent media outlet Astra reported on June 21.

"We are in a basement without utilities: there is no shower or toilet, they don't feed us. Volunteers bring humanitarian aid, but it lasts for a couple of days and not for everyone," one of the held Ukrainians told Astra.

A decree by Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered Ukrainians still living in occupied territories to leave unless they "regulate their legal status," namely, obtaining Russian citizenship.

"We emphasize that these systematic deportations and persecutions are part of Russia's genocide policy against the Ukrainian people," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said on March 21.

At least 45 Ukrainians have been held at the Verkhniy Lars border checkpoint between Georgia and Russia for several days.

One of the deported Ukrainians has been hospitalized as they await passage out of Russia and into Georgia.

"There were 8 of us, 3 days ago. Every day, more people are brought here and the number is growing. Now there are 45 people, some have been here for a month. There are disabled people and people with serious illnesses," one of the held Ukrainians said.

The basement facility has since 2023 held deported Ukrainians barred from entering the Russian Federation and the Ukrainian territories it occupies.

The held Ukrainians were denied entry into Georgia. Most did not have the necessary travel documents, but 16 Ukrainians with passports were denied entry as well, Astra reported, citing the non-profit organization Tbilisi Volunteers Organization.

"The basement is damp, there are drops of water on the ceiling, (it's hard) to breathe, everyone smokes, they don't let us outside. We sleep for four hours, taking turns. Some sleep on the floor," one of the deported Ukrainians said.

The basement only houses 17 sleeping spaces, but another 100 deported Ukrainians are expected to arrive at the facility, a volunteer told Astra.

Following a pause in deportations to Georgia in 2024, Russia has resumed deportations as Georgia prepares new immigration legislation, the Tbilisi Volunteers Organization says.

Serhiy Serdiuk, a resident of occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast, was deported and banned from re-entering Russia and Ukraine's occupied territories for 40 years, the Guardian reported on June 21.

Russian authorities pressed Serdiuk, an educator, to continue work under Russia's imposed school curriculum.

Serdiuk and other staff at a school in Zaporizhzhia Oblast's Komysh-Zoria town refused and were met with threats.

Serdiuk was similarly deported to Georgia, from where he flew to Moldova and crossed back into Ukraine.

Due to Russia's illegal and unrecognized annexation of Ukraine's occupied territories, Ukrainian citizens are pressured to obtain Russian citizenship or face deportation and entry bans.

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Ukrainians forcibly deported by Russia held in basement without food, water, media reportsThe Kyiv IndependentLinda Hourani
Ukrainians forcibly deported by Russia held in basement without food, water, media reports
  • ✇The Kyiv Independent
  • Russia has over 1,950 strategic missiles, Ukraine's military intelligence tells media
    Russia's weapons arsenal includes over 1,950 strategic missiles and thousands of drones, the news outlet RBC-Ukraine reported on June 21, citing a statement from Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR). According to HUR, the figures reflect Russia's stockpiles as of June 15. Throughout May and June, Russia has launched a series of mass missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian cities — including a large-scale strike against Kyiv on June 17 that left 30 dead and over 170 injured. Russia ha
     

Russia has over 1,950 strategic missiles, Ukraine's military intelligence tells media

21 juin 2025 à 15:18
Russia has over 1,950 strategic missiles, Ukraine's military intelligence tells media

Russia's weapons arsenal includes over 1,950 strategic missiles and thousands of drones, the news outlet RBC-Ukraine reported on June 21, citing a statement from Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR).

According to HUR, the figures reflect Russia's stockpiles as of June 15.

Throughout May and June, Russia has launched a series of mass missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian cities — including a large-scale strike against Kyiv on June 17 that left 30 dead and over 170 injured. Russia has repeatedly shattered its own drone record in attacks on Ukraine in the past month.

Russia's missile stocks include up to 500 Iskander-M ballistic missiles, HUR told RBC-Ukraine, as well as up to 150 hypersonic Kinzhal missiles. Moscow also has up to 60 North Korean-made KN-23 ballistic missiles.

In addition to ballistics, Russia possesses up to 300 Iskander-K cruise missiles, up to 260 Kh-101 cruise missiles, up to 280 Kh-22/Kh-32 cruise missiles, and over 400 Kalibr cruise missiles.

Russia produces up to 195 missiles per month, HUR said.

Moscow also aims to ramp up drone production from 170 to 190 units per day, according to HUR. As of June 15, Russia had over 6,000 Shahed-type attack drones and over 6,000 Gerberas, a cheap decoy version that imitates the Shahed.

Russia's arsenal highlights Ukraine's urgent need for additional air defense systems, something President Volodymyr Zelensky has been continuously lobbying Western partners to provide.

Zelensky announced on June 20 that Ukraine is boosting production of interceptor drones to combat the growing numbers of Shahed UAVs launched by Russia each night. Ukraine is also producing its own missiles and recently announced that its domestically produced Sapsan ballistic missile had entered serial production.

The president hopes to secure additional funding for defense production from allies at the upcoming NATO summit.

Russia has paired its intensifying nightly attacks with escalated rhetoric about its territorial ambitions in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 20 declared that "all of Ukraine" belongs to Russia, suggesting the Kremlin is looking to expand its illegal occupation .

Russian forces currently occupy five Ukrainian regions: Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

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Russia has over 1,950 strategic missiles, Ukraine's military intelligence tells mediaThe Kyiv IndependentKate Tsurkan
Russia has over 1,950 strategic missiles, Ukraine's military intelligence tells media

'Ukrainian drones for the foot of every Russian soldier' — Zelensky responds to Putin's threat to conquer all Ukraine

21 juin 2025 à 13:39
'Ukrainian drones for the foot of every Russian soldier' — Zelensky responds to Putin's threat to conquer all Ukraine

President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 21 responded to Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent statements on Ukraine, saying that Ukraine intends to defend itself and that the government had made several decisions to bolster security in light of the Kremlin's threats.

Putin said "all of Ukraine" belongs to Russia in a speech on June 20 at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, pointing to Moscow's maximalist territorial ambitions in Ukraine.

"Wherever the foot of a Russian soldier steps is Russian land," he said.

In his evening address on June 21, Zelensky described Putin's speech as a "performance" but said Ukraine was taking the threats seriously.

"But when a murderer says he wants to kill, we take it seriously and will respond together with our partners," Zelensky said.

"I hope with all our partners," he added, likely referring to the United States' diminishing support for Ukraine under U.S. President Donald Trump.

Zelensky said he held meetings with Vasyl Maliuk, head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha about how to bolster Ukraine's defense and international support.

"Of course, we will find Ukrainian drones for the foot of every Russian soldier," he said. "Of course, Ukraine will defend itself."

The Ukrainian government has made several decisions in light of Russia's overt threats, Zelensky said. These include a complete diplomatic overhaul and transformation of Ukraine's Foreign Ministry, intensified efforts to coordinate international sanctions, and more funding for drone development.

Kyiv's instructions for the SBU remain confidential, Zelensky said.

Russia ‘afraid to admit’ scale of losses, trying to hide by dumping soldiers’ bodies on Ukraine, Zelensky says
Ukrainian authorities have confirmed that at least 20 of the bodies Russia returned as Ukrainian were actually Russian soldiers, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
'Ukrainian drones for the foot of every Russian soldier' — Zelensky responds to Putin's threat to conquer all UkraineThe Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy
'Ukrainian drones for the foot of every Russian soldier' — Zelensky responds to Putin's threat to conquer all Ukraine
  • ✇The Kyiv Independent
  • Ukraine planning diplomatic overhaul to win stronger global support against Russia
    Kyiv is preparing to overhaul its Foreign Ministry and diplomatic corps in order to strengthen international support for Ukraine as the all-out war with Russia enters its fourth year, President Volodymyr Zelensky and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on June 21. The announcement is part of "a number of new decisions" Ukraine has made in response to Russia's stated aim to conquer all of Ukraine, Zelensky said in his evening address."(W)e will make changes to certain staff positions, including w
     

Ukraine planning diplomatic overhaul to win stronger global support against Russia

21 juin 2025 à 13:06
Ukraine planning diplomatic overhaul to win stronger global support against Russia

Kyiv is preparing to overhaul its Foreign Ministry and diplomatic corps in order to strengthen international support for Ukraine as the all-out war with Russia enters its fourth year, President Volodymyr Zelensky and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on June 21.

The announcement is part of "a number of new decisions" Ukraine has made in response to Russia's stated aim to conquer all of Ukraine, Zelensky said in his evening address.

"(W)e will make changes to certain staff positions, including within the Ukrainian diplomatic corps and institutional management, to increase Ukraine's potential both in relations with partners and in internal Ukrainian resilience," Zelensky said.

The president said that all of Ukraine's ambassadors will hold a meeting and that results of the diplomatic transformation should be apparent in a month.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, confirmed that the president had already made decisions regarding some diplomatic personnel and that the ambassadors' meeting was scheduled for July.

"The geopolitical situation requires the diplomatic service to find new arguments and approaches adapted to realities," Sybiha said in a television broadcast on June 21.

"Therefore, the president has already made certain personnel decisions regarding the heads of some foreign institutions, because the criterion is very simple: results."

According to Sybiha, expected results include military aid packages, humanitarian and financial assistance, and support for Ukrainians living abroad.

Sybiha described the coming month as a "month of full diplomatic mobilization to bring about a just and sustainable peace for Ukraine."

The announcement comes after the disappointing outcome of the Group of Seven (G7) Leaders' Summit in Canada and before the June 24-25 NATO summit in The Hague, where Zelensky will once again advocate for international support for Ukraine.

At the G7 summit, Zelensky hoped to reset relations with Washington during a face-to-face meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and potentially win an agreement to purchase weapons from the United States.

Trump's abrupt departure from the summit quashed those hopes, and Zelensky himself left the conference early. The G7 summit produced no unified statement on Ukraine and Trump reportedly objected to other leaders' call for stronger sanctions against Russia.

Zelensky told G7 leaders that "diplomacy is now in a state of crisis."

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Ukraine planning diplomatic overhaul to win stronger global support against RussiaThe Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy
Ukraine planning diplomatic overhaul to win stronger global support against Russia

  • ✇The Kyiv Independent
  • 'In any case, the aggressor loses' — Zelensky urges Trump to 'make the right choice for history'
    President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 20 called on U.S. President Donald Trump to "make the right choice for history" by standing with Ukraine against Russian aggression.Zelensky said Moscow is attempting to influence the U.S. president amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran."(Russian President Vladimir) Putin really wants us to be without America," Zelensky said during a briefing attended by the Kyiv Independent. "For President Trump right now, the Israel-Iran issue is definitely a
     

'In any case, the aggressor loses' — Zelensky urges Trump to 'make the right choice for history'

21 juin 2025 à 08:08
'In any case, the aggressor loses' — Zelensky urges Trump to 'make the right choice for history'

President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 20 called on U.S. President Donald Trump to "make the right choice for history" by standing with Ukraine against Russian aggression.

Zelensky said Moscow is attempting to influence the U.S. president amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.

"(Russian President Vladimir) Putin really wants us to be without America," Zelensky said during a briefing attended by the Kyiv Independent. "For President Trump right now, the Israel-Iran issue is definitely a higher priority."

The Ukrainian president cautioned that Moscow lacks the capability to meaningfully support Iran but will "pretend" otherwise to gain influence with Washington.

"I think this is also a sign to President Trump. And I really don't want him (Trump) to make a deal with the Russians that is not in our favor," he said.

Zelensky said that U.S. support remains essential for Ukraine's defense and long-term security. While some European countries have committed to backing Ukraine, he said, the loss of American support would be the most difficult scenario.

"So that President Trump makes the right choice for history," Zelensky said. "Because it's the right thing to be with us. Because Putin is the aggressor. And in any case, the aggressor loses."

He added that the Ukrainian delegation is actively working with U.S. officials, including a recent conversation between Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent regarding the minerals agreement and securing new military assistance.

"We handed over a specific weapons package we need, including Patriot systems, and we are awaiting feedback," Zelensky added. "We are ready to find the money for this entire package."

The president said these items — military aid, sanctions, and coordinated diplomatic pressure on the Kremlin — would be key topics in a potential meeting with Trump.

"We need greater certainty and greater pressure from the world on Putin — this is necessary for diplomacy," he said. "And I would like to discuss these formats with him."

Putin offered to mediate between Israel and Iran after speaking with both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on June 13.

Russia condemned Israel's strikes, which targeted Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure using 200 aircraft and 330 munitions. Iran retaliated with missile strikes on Tel Aviv and other cities, killing five Ukrainian citizens on June 14.

Zelensky traveled to the G7 Leaders' Summit in Canada on June 17, hoping for a one-on-one meeting with Trump. The U.S. president left the summit early, citing the escalating Israel-Iran crisis.

Despite rejecting Putin's offer to mediate in the Middle East conflict, Trump has not imposed any new sanctions on Russia, even as the Kremlin continues to reject ceasefire proposals in its war against Ukraine.

Russia ‘afraid to admit’ scale of losses, trying to hide by dumping soldiers’ bodies on Ukraine, Zelensky says
Ukrainian authorities have confirmed that at least 20 of the bodies Russia returned as Ukrainian were actually Russian soldiers, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
'In any case, the aggressor loses' — Zelensky urges Trump to 'make the right choice for history'The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy
'In any case, the aggressor loses' — Zelensky urges Trump to 'make the right choice for history'

Russia 'afraid to admit' scale of losses, trying to hide by dumping soldiers' bodies on Ukraine, Zelensky says

21 juin 2025 à 07:42
Russia 'afraid to admit' scale of losses, trying to hide by dumping soldiers' bodies on Ukraine, Zelensky says

Russia is using the return of war dead as a tool for manipulation to obscure the scale of its military losses from the public, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a briefing on June 20 attended by the Kyiv Independent.

According to Zelensky, Ukrainian authorities have confirmed that at least 20 of the bodies Russia returned as Ukrainian were actually Russian soldiers.

"Sometimes these bodies even have Russian passports," Zelensky said. He also cited the case of a deceased Israeli citizen fighting on Russia's side, whom Moscow had passed off as a Ukrainian soldier.

"Putin is afraid to admit how many people have died. Because if the moment comes when he needs to mobilize, his society will be afraid," he said.

Zelensky's remarks follow the June 2 prisoner and body exchange agreement in Istanbul, the most extensive of the full-scale war. Under that deal, Ukraine recovered 6,057 bodies of its fallen soldiers. Russia, according to Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky, took back only 78.

Explaining the difference between the two numbers, Zelensky said that the bodies of the vast majority of Russian soldiers currently killed on the battlefield remain in Russian hands.

"They were advancing, and their dead remained in the territory where they were," he said.

According to the president, exchanges of bodies and even severely wounded soldiers have taken place on the battlefield, but such exchanges are typically not publicized.

Russia 'afraid to admit' scale of losses, trying to hide by dumping soldiers' bodies on Ukraine, Zelensky says
President Volodymyr Zelensky presents evidence to the media in Kyiv on June 21, 2025, showing that Russia handed over the bodies of its own soldiers during exchanges. (Presidential Office)
Russia 'afraid to admit' scale of losses, trying to hide by dumping soldiers' bodies on Ukraine, Zelensky says
President Volodymyr Zelensky presents evidence to the media in Kyiv on June 21, 2025, showing that Russia handed over the bodies of its own soldiers during exchanges. (Presidential Office)

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko earlier confirmed a case in which the remains of Alexander Viktorovich Bugaev, a Russian soldier from the 39th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade, were returned to Ukraine disguised as a Ukrainian casualty.

"This shows how little human life means to Russia. Or maybe it's just a way to avoid paying compensation to the families. But they will have to pay anyway: we are returning these bodies," Klymenko said on June 19.

Ukraine's General Staff said on June 21 that Russian forces have sustained over 1,010,000 casualties — killed and wounded — since launching the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Independent Russian outlet Mediazona, along with the BBC Russian Service, has verified the identities of 111,387 Russian soldiers killed, emphasizing that the actual number is likely much higher.

Russia has continued to deny the scale of its losses, often inflating Ukrainian casualties and spreading false narratives. Zelensky warned that this is part of a broader propaganda effort to "break the reality in which we live," in which Russian forces are suffering far greater losses.

The June 2 negotiations in Istanbul led to the most extensive prisoner and body exchange agreement of the full-scale war, although no ceasefire was achieved.

On June 7, Russia accused Kyiv of rejecting a proposed body return, releasing footage that allegedly showed Ukrainian corpses stored in refrigeration units. Ukraine dismissed these claims, saying that the footage was shot on Russian territory, not at a designated handover site.

Kyiv has consistently called for an "all-for-all" exchange of prisoners of war, but Moscow has so far refused to agree to a comprehensive swap.

‘All of Ukraine is ours’ — Putin on Russia’s territorial ambitions in Ukraine
Editor’s Note: This story was updated with comments from Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. Russian President Vladimir Putin said “all of Ukraine” belonged to Russia in a speech on June 20 at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, amid increasingly aggressive official statements about Moscow’s final territorial ambitions in Ukraine. Putin’s
Russia 'afraid to admit' scale of losses, trying to hide by dumping soldiers' bodies on Ukraine, Zelensky saysThe Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova
Russia 'afraid to admit' scale of losses, trying to hide by dumping soldiers' bodies on Ukraine, Zelensky says
  • ✇The Kyiv Independent
  • Russia's Oreshnik missile production can be halted by 'urgent' sanctions, Zelensky says
    President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 20 said sanctions are "urgently" needed on more Russian defense companies in order to stall the mass-production of the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM).Speaking at a press briefing attended by the Kyiv Independent, Zelensky said a "large number" of companies were involved in the manufacture of Oreshnik which Russia has launched at Ukraine once, and used the threat of more launches to intimidate Kyiv and its Western allies.Russia first laun
     

Russia's Oreshnik missile production can be halted by 'urgent' sanctions, Zelensky says

21 juin 2025 à 07:18
Russia's Oreshnik missile production can be halted by 'urgent' sanctions, Zelensky says

President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 20 said sanctions are "urgently" needed on more Russian defense companies in order to stall the mass-production of the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM).

Speaking at a press briefing attended by the Kyiv Independent, Zelensky said a "large number" of companies were involved in the manufacture of Oreshnik which Russia has launched at Ukraine once, and used the threat of more launches to intimidate Kyiv and its Western allies.

Russia first launched the experimental Oreshnik missile in an attack against Dnipro on Nov. 21. Putin claimed the strike was a response to Ukraine's use of U.S. and British long-range missiles to attack Russian territory.

While little is known about the missile, defense experts say it is likely not an entirely new development, but rather an upgraded version of Russia's RS-26 missile. The RS-26, also known as the Rubezh, was first produced in 2011.

While Putin has announced plans for mass production of the Oreshnik, a U.S. official previously  told The Kyiv Independent that Russia likely possesses only a small number of these experimental missiles.

Zelensky said 39 Russian defense companies were involved in its production, 21 of which are not currently under sanctions.

"And this means that they receive parts and components for the Oreshnik, and they need it, because without these parts there will be no Oreshnik," he said.

Highlighting apparent difficulties Russia was already having in mass-producing the missile, Zelensky said it is "absolutely incomprehensible why sanctions should not be imposed urgently."

Russia's Oreshnik missile production can be halted by 'urgent' sanctions, Zelensky says
An infographic titled "Russia's new missile Orehsnik" created in Ankara, Turkiye on November 29, 2024. (Omar Zaghloul/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The Financial Times (FT) reported on Dec. 27. that the upgrades were developed using advanced manufacturing equipment from Western companies, despite sanctions.

Two key Russian weapons engineering institutes — Moscow Institute for Thermal Technology (MITT) and Sozvezdie — were named by Ukrainian intelligence as developers of the Oreshnik.

According to the FT, they posted job listings in 2024 that specified expertise in operating German and Japanese metalworking systems.

The listings cited Fanuc (Japan), Siemens, and Haidenhein (both Germany) control systems for high-precision computer numerical control machines essential for missile production.

Despite sanctions slowing the flow of such equipment, FT analysis found that at least $3 million worth of Heidenhain components were shipped into Russia in 2024, with some buyers closely tied to military production.

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Russia's Oreshnik missile production can be halted by 'urgent' sanctions, Zelensky saysThe Kyiv IndependentKollen Post
Russia's Oreshnik missile production can be halted by 'urgent' sanctions, Zelensky says
  • ✇The Kyiv Independent
  • Russia recruits Central Asia migrants as 'cannon fodder' in Ukraine war, HUR says
    Russia is systematically recruiting migrant workers from Central Asia to fight in its war against Ukraine as "cannon fodder," Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) reported on June 21. Citizens of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and other countries in the region are increasingly being drawn into Russia's war effort under duress or with misleading promises, HUR said. Many of those recruited are reportedly killed on the front lines.According to HUR, Russia's security services target migrant workers who ar
     

Russia recruits Central Asia migrants as 'cannon fodder' in Ukraine war, HUR says

21 juin 2025 à 06:11
Russia recruits Central Asia migrants as 'cannon fodder' in Ukraine war, HUR says

Russia is systematically recruiting migrant workers from Central Asia to fight in its war against Ukraine as "cannon fodder," Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) reported on June 21.

Citizens of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and other countries in the region are increasingly being drawn into Russia's war effort under duress or with misleading promises, HUR said.

Many of those recruited are reportedly killed on the front lines.

According to HUR, Russia's security services target migrant workers who arrive in the country seeking employment, offering short-term military contracts with promises of fast cash. These individuals often lack legal protections and face coercion, with few realistic alternatives.

Among the identified victims are Uzbek nationals Umarov Syroziddin Sabirjanovich and Kholbuvozoda Muhammad Faizullo, who served in motorized rifle units and died during combat operations in Ukraine.

"Mobilized migrants are formed into separate units, which are mainly used in the most dangerous areas of the front line," HUR said. Survivors may face criminal charges in their home countries for serving in a foreign military, carrying the risk of long prison sentences.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty previously reported that migrant workers are funneled into combat roles for financial reasons, with recruitment networks offering salaries unattainable in civilian life.

Russia has also intensified pressure on its naturalized migrant population.

On May 20, Investigative Committee head Alexander Bastrykin said that 20,000 naturalized migrants had been dispatched to Ukraine for failing to register for military service.

With public memory raw from the unpopular 2022 partial mobilization that prompted over 261,000 Russians to flee, the Kremlin has refrained from another mass draft.

Instead, it is relying on a combination of forced recruitment, enlistment bonuses, and targeted campaigns among vulnerable communities.

‘All of Ukraine is ours’ — Putin on Russia’s territorial ambitions in Ukraine
Editor’s Note: This story was updated with comments from Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. Russian President Vladimir Putin said “all of Ukraine” belonged to Russia in a speech on June 20 at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, amid increasingly aggressive official statements about Moscow’s final territorial ambitions in Ukraine. Putin’s
Russia recruits Central Asia migrants as 'cannon fodder' in Ukraine war, HUR saysThe Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova
Russia recruits Central Asia migrants as 'cannon fodder' in Ukraine war, HUR says
  • ✇The Kyiv Independent
  • At least 13 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day
    At least 13 civilians were injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past 24 hours, regional authorities reported on June 21. Russia launched 272 drones overnight, including Iranian-designed Shahed-type suicide drones, along with two ballistic missiles and six cruise missiles, Ukraine's Air Force said.Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 140 drones, three Iskander-K cruise missiles, one Kinzhal air-to-air missile, and one Kalibr cruise missile. Another 112 drones reportedly dropped off ra
     

At least 13 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day

21 juin 2025 à 04:43
At least 13 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day

At least 13 civilians were injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past 24 hours, regional authorities reported on June 21.

Russia launched 272 drones overnight, including Iranian-designed Shahed-type suicide drones, along with two ballistic missiles and six cruise missiles, Ukraine's Air Force said.

Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 140 drones, three Iskander-K cruise missiles, one Kinzhal air-to-air missile, and one Kalibr cruise missile. Another 112 drones reportedly dropped off radars — likely used as decoys to overwhelm Ukrainian systems.

The Air Force said the combined attack was repelled using aviation, mobile fire groups, electronic warfare units, and anti-aircraft missile systems.

In Kherson Oblast, Russian strikes on residential areas and social infrastructure injured seven civilians, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said. Kherson and surrounding settlements west of the Dnipro River face near-daily Russian attacks.

In Donetsk Oblast, three people were wounded in Russian strikes, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported. The region remains one of the most heavily targeted areas amid ongoing Russian offensive operations.

In Poltava Oblast, one person was moderately injured after Russian attacks damaged energy infrastructure and open areas, according to local officials.

A 75-year-old woman was injured in Sumy Oblast after a drone strike, regional authorities said. A woman was also wounded in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported, without specifying the nature of the attack.

The strikes come amid Russia's ongoing refusal to accept ceasefire proposals as it intensifies coordinated aerial assaults across Ukraine.

‘All of Ukraine is ours’ — Putin on Russia’s territorial ambitions in Ukraine
Editor’s Note: This story was updated with comments from Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. Russian President Vladimir Putin said “all of Ukraine” belonged to Russia in a speech on June 20 at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, amid increasingly aggressive official statements about Moscow’s final territorial ambitions in Ukraine. Putin’s
At least 13 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past dayThe Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova
At least 13 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day

Russian economy recession warnings 'greatly exaggerated,' Putin claims, denies war in Ukraine 'killing' growth

21 juin 2025 à 03:31
Russian economy recession warnings 'greatly exaggerated,' Putin claims, denies war in Ukraine 'killing' growth

President Vladimir Putin claimed on June 20 that Russia's economy is strong despite war and sanctions, brushing off mounting warnings from his own officials about stagnation and looming recession.

Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin was asked about reports that the ongoing war in Ukraine was "killing" the Russian economy.

"Rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated," he replied, quoting American writer Mark Twain.

The president claimed that Russia has outpaced global economic growth over the past two years, allegedly expanding by over 4% annually.

"Our most important task is to ensure the economy's transition to a balanced growth trajectory," Putin said. "At the same time, some specialists and experts point to the risks of stagnation and even recession. This should not be allowed under any circumstances."

The statement came just a day after Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina warned on that Russia's wartime economic momentum is fading fast. She said the economy is approaching the limits of its growth potential, adding that previously effective tools are now exhausted.

Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov echoed the concerns, telling a separate forum audience on June 19 that Russia is "on the verge of a transition to recession." He emphasized that recession is not inevitable and that "everything depends on our decisions."

Moscow has experienced rapid inflation and historically high interest rates amid its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The central bank raised rates repeatedly to combat inflation, but on June 6, it made its first cut in nearly two years, from 21% to 20%.

Putin has criticized the central bank's tight monetary policy for choking off private investment, especially in non-defense sectors.

Despite Putin's optimistic rhetoric, analysts attribute Russia's economic slowdown to sustained international sanctions, falling oil prices, rising wartime spending, and supply disruptions.

Russia's ever-mounting losses on the battlefield which recently passed the 1 million mark are also likely contrbuting to the economic turmoil as the Kremlin is having to pay people to sign up to fight rather than introduce what would be a hugely unpopular mass mobilization.

According to an analysis by economist Janis Kluge, Russia's daily bill just for sign-up bonuses is $24 million.

The ballooning bills come at a time when Russia's economy is already under huge strain from Western sanctions and falling oil and gas revenues.

"The implications for Russia are grave," energy security analyst Wojciech Jakobik wrote in an op-ed for the Kyiv Independent this week.

‘All of Ukraine is ours’ — Putin on Russia’s territorial ambitions in Ukraine
Editor’s Note: This story was updated with comments from Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. Russian President Vladimir Putin said “all of Ukraine” belonged to Russia in a speech on June 20 at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, amid increasingly aggressive official statements about Moscow’s final territorial ambitions in Ukraine. Putin’s
Russian economy recession warnings 'greatly exaggerated,' Putin claims, denies war in Ukraine 'killing' growthThe Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova
Russian economy recession warnings 'greatly exaggerated,' Putin claims, denies war in Ukraine 'killing' growth
  • ✇The Kyiv Independent
  • General Staff: Russia has lost 1,010,390 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
    Russia has lost 1,010,390 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 21.The number includes 1,060 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,955 tanks, 22,865 armored fighting vehicles, 52,617 vehicles and fuel tanks, 29,393 artillery systems, 1,421 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,188 air defense systems, 416 airplanes, 337 he
     

General Staff: Russia has lost 1,010,390 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022

21 juin 2025 à 02:21
General Staff: Russia has lost 1,010,390 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022

Russia has lost 1,010,390 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 21.

The number includes 1,060 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,955 tanks, 22,865 armored fighting vehicles, 52,617 vehicles and fuel tanks, 29,393 artillery systems, 1,421 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,188 air defense systems, 416 airplanes, 337 helicopters, 41,422 drones, 3,369 cruise missiles, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

Russia pulls its scientists out of Iranian nuclear plant, as Israeli strikes threaten decades of collaboration
Israel’s strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities have alarmed none more than Russia, the country that first brought nuclear power to Iran in defiance of Western objections. We’re “millimeters from catastrophe,” said Kremlin spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on June 18 in response to a bombing campaign that Israel launched against
General Staff: Russia has lost 1,010,390 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022The Kyiv IndependentKollen Post
General Staff: Russia has lost 1,010,390 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
  • ✇The Kyiv Independent
  • Russian attacks injure 7 people in Kherson Oblast
    Russian attacks on Kherson Oblast injured seven people between June 20 and 21, local officials reported.Russian forces launched drone attacks and artillery strikes on multiple settlements across Kherson Oblast, including the city of Kherson, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported on Telegram.Targets included Antonivka, Beryslav, Bilozerka, Vesele, Darivka, Zmiivka, Zorivka, Kizomys, Lvove, Mykolaivka, Novoberyslav, Novokairy, Olhivka, Poniativka, Sadove, Sofiivka, Tiahynka, Chervonyi Maiak, and Ch
     

Russian attacks injure 7 people in Kherson Oblast

21 juin 2025 à 01:02
Russian attacks injure 7 people in Kherson Oblast

Russian attacks on Kherson Oblast injured seven people between June 20 and 21, local officials reported.

Russian forces launched drone attacks and artillery strikes on multiple settlements across Kherson Oblast, including the city of Kherson, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported on Telegram.

Targets included Antonivka, Beryslav, Bilozerka, Vesele, Darivka, Zmiivka, Zorivka, Kizomys, Lvove, Mykolaivka, Novoberyslav, Novokairy, Olhivka, Poniativka, Sadove, Sofiivka, Tiahynka, Chervonyi Maiak, and Chervonyi Yar.

The strikes damaged civilian infrastructure, including two apartment buildings, 14 private homes, outbuildings, a garage, and several cars.

Kherson Oblast, located in southern Ukraine just north of Russian-occupied Crimea, has been repeatedly targeted by Russian forces since the start of the full-scale invasion.

‘All of Ukraine is ours’ — Putin on Russia’s territorial ambitions in Ukraine
Editor’s Note: This story was updated with comments from Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. Russian President Vladimir Putin said “all of Ukraine” belonged to Russia in a speech on June 20 at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, amid increasingly aggressive official statements about Moscow’s final territorial ambitions in Ukraine. Putin’s
Russian attacks injure 7 people in Kherson OblastThe Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova
Russian attacks injure 7 people in Kherson Oblast
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