© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
A man accused of aiding Russian forces in occupied Berdiansk and organizing torture chambers has been killed, according to Ukrainian military intelligence agency, which just reported his death without confirming its involvement.
On 18 June 2025, in Russian-occupied Berdiansk, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, a pro-Russian collaborator and suspected war criminal, Mykhailo Pavlovych Hrytsai, was reportedly shot dead, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) stated.
Hrytsai, originally from Poltava Oblast, previously led the local branch of the “Socialist Ukraine” party. Following the Russian occupation of Berdiansk in 2022, he began cooperating with Russian forces and assumed roles in the so-called occupation administration. He held the titles of “acting city mayor” and “deputy for infrastructure, utilities, and the fuel and energy sector.”
Ukrainian intelligence says Hrytsai exploited state property for the benefit of the Russian occupiers while holding these posts.
According to HUR, Hrytsai was directly involved in war crimes. These included persecuting the local population, identifying and reporting pro-Ukrainian residents to Russian authorities, and participating in the organization of torture chambers within Berdiansk.
THe Ukrainian law enforcement previously charged him in absentia on 1 April 2022 under Article 111, Part 2 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code for state treason.
Though the HUR statement did not directly claim responsibility for Hrytsai’s killing, it reaffirmed that “for every war crime committed against the Ukrainian people, there will be fair retribution.”
In the early hours of 19 June, a mass drone attack targeted multiple parts of Russia. In Volgograd, the attack prompted emergency flight restrictions and the temporary activation of the Kovyor airport shutdown protocol. The outcome of the assault remains unknown.
Volgograd is situated about 500 km from the frontline and hosts numerous military and military-industrial facilities, including the Titan-Barrikady defense plant, the Marinovka air base with Su-24 and Su-34 aircraft, and a major oil refinery crucial for military fuel logistics. Last time, Ukraine targeted an oil refinery in Volgograd in March.
According to Rosaviatsiya, temporary flight bans were introduced at Volgograd and Kaluga airports around 04:00 Kyiv time. The standard Kovyor plan — which halts all takeoffs and landings and redirects inbound aircraft — was enacted at Volgograd Airport due to the drone threat.
The governor of Volgograd Oblast, Andrey Bocharov, stated that Russian forces allegedly repelled a mass UAV assault across Kalachivskyi and Horodyschenskyi districts as well as southern Volgograd. He claimed the attack resulted in no injuries or damage.
Meanwhile, social media platforms circulated videos appearing to show fires caused by the drone strikes or crashes.
Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+ posted video footage filmed in Volgograd, showing a fire in the city and a cloud of smoke from possible interception of a drone.
Russia’s Volgograd targeted by drones
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) June 19, 2025
Volgograd and Kaluga saw early-morning air traffic halted under emergency measures.https://t.co/NwkwcV8GKQ pic.twitter.com/tbb6HfCzgL
“Volgograd, this night UAVs attacked the city, consequences are being clarified,” the channel reported in the morning.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed its air defenses intercepted or downed 81 drones during the attack. The reported breakdown included:
A meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump is not currently on the table due to unresolved tensions in bilateral relations, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Russian state-controlled newspaper Izvestia on June 19.
The U.S. president has repeatedly floated the idea of meeting Putin, saying the Russia-Ukraine war cannot be resolved without them talking face-to-face. Nevertheless, the two have not met since Trump returned to the White House this January.
While Trump has adopted a more amicable policy toward Russia than his predecessor, U.S. ex-President Joe Biden, he has taken a more critical tone toward Moscow recently as Putin continues to reject a truce in Ukraine.
"Until the necessary 'homework' is done to remove the irritants in our relations with the United States, it makes no sense to organize a meeting," Peskov said. He added that while talks aimed at resolving these issues had begun, progress remained minimal and the key obstacles were still in place.
His remarks come just days after the Russian Foreign Ministry claimed that Washington had canceled the next round of talks to restore diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The meetings, which were expected to take place in Moscow, were part of a broader dialogue to address ongoing disputes, including Russia's war against Ukraine, and improve the functioning of each side's diplomatic missions.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said the planned round was intended to "eliminate irritants," such as staffing restrictions and banking issues for embassies. She expressed hope that the U.S. pause in talks "will not become too long."
The last two rounds of discussions, in Riyadh in February and Istanbul in April, marked the first formal diplomatic contact between the U.S. and Russia since Moscow began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Both sides described the Istanbul round as "constructive," though it focused largely on technical matters.
The Trump administration has so far refrained from introducing new sanctions against Russia, despite pressure from Kyiv and growing alarm in Europe over Moscow's continued refusal to agree to a ceasefire.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly urged Washington to take a firmer stance, warning that "America's silence... only encourages Putin."
After a deadly Russian attack on Kyiv that killed 28 and injured over 130 people, Trump remained silent, with the U.S. Embassy only issuing a late statement denouncing the attack.
The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
Eight individuals, including four officials from Slovakia’s Ministry of Defense, have been detained as part of a European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) investigation into alleged misuse of €7.4 million intended for Ukraine’s military support.
On 18 June, the EPPO’s office in Bratislava conducted evidence-gathering activities tied to suspicions that funds allocated for Ukraine’s defense were misappropriated. The investigation focuses on the misuse of EU resources meant for military aid, specifically ammunition, which was donated to Ukraine during the early stages of the Russian invasion.
According to the EPPO, senior Ministry of Defense officials submitted reimbursement applications to the European Peace Facility (EPF) between February and March 2022 for costs related to donated ammunition. However, investigators suspect the officials intentionally breached public procurement procedures and budgetary rules.
EPPO emphasized that all eight suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in Slovak courts.
© Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
© ASSOCIATED PRESS
Editor's note: The story is being updated.
Ukraine has brought home a group of soldiers released from Russian captivity, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on June 19, marking yet another in a recent series of exchanges with Moscow.
"These are warriors of the Armed Forces, the National Guard, and the State Border Guard Service. Most of them had been held captive since 2022," Zelensky said, without revealing their numbers.
The exchange follows four similar swaps carried out last week in accordance with Ukraine-Russia agreements reached at peace talks in Istanbul on June 2.
As in the other recent cases, the latest swap focused on severely ill and wounded prisoners of war (POWs), Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of POWs said.
"We are working to bring our people back. I thank everyone who helps make these exchanges possible. Our goal is to free every single one of them," Zelensky said.
Russia's Defense Ministry also announced a prisoner exchange with the Ukrainian side, without specifying the number of soldiers involved.
"Every defender released today has serious medical diagnoses and illnesses resulting from their injuries and captivity," the Coordination Headquarters said.
A significant part of the released captives defended Mariupol during the Russian siege in 2022, while others fought elsewhere in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kyiv oblasts. All of them are privates or non-commissioned officers.
The oldest of the released captives was 63 years old, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said, adding that another, a 45-year-old service member, was released on his birthday.
The Istanbul deal was reached during the second round of direct talks between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Istanbul at the beginning of the month.
While no political breakthrough was achieved, both sides agreed to a phased exchange of prisoners and the repatriation of fallen soldiers' bodies. As part of that agreement, Russia pledged to return the bodies of up to 6,000 Ukrainian service members and citizens.
Moscow has handed over 6,057 bodies to Ukraine in several stages over the past few days. Kyiv later said these also included fallen Russian soldiers, though it is unclear whether this was done on purpose or by accident.
The June 2 agreements came after the largest-ever POW swap in late May, when 1,000 prisoners were exchanged on each side.
Ukraine repeatedly called for a prisoner exchange in an all-for-all format, but Russia continues to reject the offer.
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed willingness to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy while simultaneously bringing up the Russian narrative of Zelenskyy’s “illegitimacy” as the president.
Putin indicated that a meeting with Zelenskyy would only occur during the final phase of peace negotiations to finalize any agreement, according to a state-funded news agency TASS.
The Russian president framed the encounter as a concluding formality rather than a substantive negotiating session, telling journalists he would meet with Zelenskyy only to “put a period” on completed talks.
The legitimacy question forms the central obstacle in Putin’s framework for potential discussions.
“From a propaganda standpoint, one can say anything about the legitimacy of the current government in Ukraine. But for us, when resolving serious issues, the legal component is what’s important,” Putin stated.
Putin argued that any peace documents must be signed by representatives he considers legitimate Ukrainian authorities, claiming that agreements signed by illegitimate officials would “end up in the trash later.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s five-year presidential term officially ended on 20 May 2024, as he was elected in 2019. However, he continues to serve as president because Ukraine is under martial law due to the ongoing Russian invasion, which legally prohibits holding elections during this period for security reasons.
The United Nations and Ukraine’s key international allies recognize Zelenskyy as the legitimate head of state, emphasizing his democratic election in 2019.
However, questions about his legitimacy have emerged primarily from Russian propaganda efforts and have been echoed by some Western critics, including former US President Donald Trump, who have claimed his term expired and that he avoids elections to retain power.
Earlier, Trump labeled Zelenskyy as a “dictator” and blamed Ukraine for “provoking” Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion. These claims echo Russian propaganda and have raised concerns among US allies about Trump’s stance potentially benefiting Moscow.
Meanwhile, the Institute for the Study of War assesses that the Kremlin is intensifying efforts to delegitimize the Ukrainian government as part of a broader strategy to undermine Ukraine as a negotiating partner. This campaign includes demands for “regime” change and “demilitarization”, while Moscow insists on Ukraine’s capitulation and control over extensive territories, tying any ceasefire to the lifting of Western sanctions.
The European Union is developing a plan to generate more revenue for Ukraine by shifting nearly 200 billion euros ($215 billion) in frozen Russian assets into higher-yield, riskier investments, Politico reported on June 19, citing unnamed sources.
The assets, largely held by Belgium-based clearinghouse Euroclear, have been immobilized since 2022 under EU sanctions imposed following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Under the current framework, the funds are invested conservatively with the Belgian central bank, generating low but steady returns. In 2024, this approach yielded around 4 billion euros ($4.3 billion) in windfall profits, which the EU allocated to help service a G7-backed 45-billion-euro loan for Ukraine (around $50 billion).
Now, with that loan largely disbursed and concerns mounting over future financing, especially amid signals from U.S. President Donald Trump that American support could be scaled back, EU officials are under pressure to find new funding streams.
According to Politico, the proposed plan would redirect the frozen Russian assets into a special investment fund under EU control, allowing for higher returns without confiscating the assets — a move designed to sidestep legal and political opposition.
As part of the current G7-led funding framework, Ukraine has already received 7 billion euros ($8 billion) from the EU under the Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) initiative, which uses profits from frozen Russian sovereign assets to fund loans.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal confirmed on June 13 that a fifth tranche of 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) had been disbursed to support Ukraine's state budget. The ERA mechanism, part of the broader $50 billion G7 program, aims to ensure stable financing for Kyiv while making Russia shoulder the cost of its aggression.
According to Politico, finance ministers from all 27 EU countries are expected to debate the idea during an informal dinner in Luxembourg on June 19.
Poland, which currently holds the Council of the EU's rotating presidency, emphasized the urgency of the discussions, writing in an invitation letter seen by Politico that "further steps regarding the sanctions regime" and the potential use of frozen Russian assets "must be addressed."
The European Commission has also been holding informal consultations with a group of member states, including France, Germany, Italy, and Estonia, to explore legal options for keeping the Russian assets frozen in case Hungary exercises its veto power during the semiannual sanctions renewal process. So far, no workaround has been finalized.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has repeatedly threatened to block sanctions extensions as a gesture of goodwill toward Moscow, raising concerns the assets could be unfrozen and returned to Russia by default.
By now, much of the EU's 50-billion-euro ($57 billion) Ukraine Facility, agreed in 2023 and intended to last through 2027, has already been spent. The bloc's broader 1.2-trillion-euro ($1.37 billion) budget is stretched thin, and any additional top-ups would also require unanimous support.
The Kyiv IndependentChris York
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to meet in August and September and noted the supposed "rough edges" that emerged among G7 leaders during their summit, said Putin's aide, Yuri Ushakov, on June 19.
In a phone call, the two leaders agreed to meet at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin, China, between Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, and hold bilateral talks on Sept. 2, Ushakov said, according to the state news agency TASS.
China has been a key ally to Russia during its full-scale war, helping Moscow evade Western sanctions and becoming the leading source of dual-use goods fueling the Russian defense industry. Xi and Putin previously met during the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow in May.
While their phone call focused on the escalating security situation in the Middle East, the leaders also touched upon the G7 summit, noting "the well-known rough edges that emerged among the participants of this meeting," Ushakov said.
Putin and Xi also reportedly made mocking comments toward President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying it was not his "most successful trip abroad."
Zelensky was expected to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the G7 summit in Canada, held from June 15 to 17, to discuss ways to increase pressure on Russia to end the war. Before Zelensky even arrived, Trump left the summit to address the escalating crisis in the Middle East, snubbing the meeting with the Ukrainian leader.
The G7 leaders were also unable to agree on a joint statement as the U.S. pushed for watered-down language on Russia. Instead, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney issued a summary saying that "G7 leaders expressed support for President Trump’s efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine."
"They recognized that Ukraine has committed to an unconditional ceasefire, and they agreed that Russia must do the same. G7 leaders are resolute in exploring all options to maximize pressure on Russia, including financial sanctions," the statement read.
While initially pledging to broker a swift peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow, Trump has become increasingly disengaged with the effort and resisted calls to increase pressure on Russia via additional sanctions.
Despite Trump's departure and disagreements with the U.S., Zelensky left the G7 summit with additional pledges of military support from Canada and new sanctions imposed against Russia's energy sector.
"Today, we have concrete decisions on increased military support, new tranches of aid funded by frozen Russian assets, and additional sanctions targeting what fuels Russia’s war," Zelensky said after the summit.
Zelensky also told the G7 leaders that "diplomacy is now in a state of crisis" and urged allies to press Trump "to use his real influence" to force an end to the war.
The Kyiv IndependentDmytro Basmat
It’s increasingly rare for Russian regiments to organize a large mechanized attack. Running low on armored vehicles but flush with fresh infantry, the Russians increasingly attack on motorcycles, quad bikes … or on foot.
So it’s worth taking note when and where Russians forces roll out some of their vanishingly rare tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers. The targets of the infrequent mechanized assaults are some of the Russians’ main objectives as their wider war on Ukraine grinds into its 40th month.
It should come as no surprise that the town of Kostyantynivka is one of those main objectives. Frustrated in their attempts to directly attack the fortress city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast, Russians forces are trying to flank Pokrovsk—by rolling through Kostyantynivka, 40 km to the northeast. They’re willing to risk some of their armored vehicles for the chance to capture Kostyantynivka.
On Wednesday, a substantial Russian force—around a dozen up-armored BMPs and other vehicles—split into two sections and rolled northeast from Novoolenivka, heading for the village of Yablunivka.
They didn’t get very far. The Ukrainian 36th Marine Brigade and 12th Azov Brigade spotted the approaching vehicles—and hit them with drones and potentially other munitions. When the smoke cleared, half or more of the vehicles were on fire.
The Wednesday assault was one of several in the area. All failed. “Russian forces assaulted Ukrainian defense forces positions near Predtechyne, Bila Hora, Oleksandro-Shultyne and Yablunivka,” the Ukrainian Center for Defense Strategies noted. “Ukrainian units prevented any deterioration of tactical positions.”
But “the enemy continues to build up forces for further attacks,” CDS noted. And at least one analyst isn’t optimistic Ukrainian lines will hold. The Russians may be low on armored vehicles, but they’ve got infantry to spare thanks to strong recruiting numbers—driven in part by generous enlistment bonuses.
— imi (m) (@moklasen) June 18, 2025
48.401173, 37.676050 destr. BMP-2 675
48.400666, 37.675930 UA AFV loss
48.415713, 37.67238 destr. BMP-2 675@UAControlMap @GeoConfirmed pic.twitter.com/9OumiDf5tm
“Things aren’t going well for Ukraine,” wrote Tatarigami, founder of the Ukrainian Frontelligence Insight analysis group.
While the Russian military steadily inducts 30,000 fresh infantry every month—more than enough to replace permanent losses to Ukrainian action and establish a few new units, the Ukrainian military is still struggling to recruit the 80,000 new infantry it needs to fully staff existing brigades. “With current resources, Ukraine can’t win,” Tatarigami claimed.
“Russians will likely take Pokrovsk and Kostyantynivka, and Kupiansk is also at risk,” Tatarigami added, without saying when the Russians might take those cities and towns.
But a Russian advance through and around Pokrovsk wouldn’t necessarily signal catastrophic defeat for Ukraine—nor decisive victory for Russia. “The most optimistic anticipated outcome here is where both sides lose,” Tatarigami explained.
“Russia’s realistic goal … may no longer be outright occupation,” Tatargami added, “but rather rendering Ukraine unviable as a functioning state—undermining its economy, depopulating its cities and precipitating long-term sociopolitical collapse.”
But “the Russian state itself suffers economic and demographic decline,” Tatarigami pointed out. In 40 months, more than a million Russians have been killed or wounded. War spending now accounts for 40% of the Kremlin’s budget. “Even a ‘successful’ outcome in Ukraine could leave Russia so depleted that it enters its own period of internal instability and geopolitical marginalization.”
“If Ukraine manages to repel Russian advances, why wouldn’t that constitute a victory? Because, as noted, winning a war is not only about holding ground—it’s about what remains afterward.”
Half a million Ukrainians have been killed or wounded. Entire cities are in ruin. “A country left with ruined infrastructure, lost territories, millions of its citizens displaced and a dramatically aged population with a GDP per capita over twice smaller than Mexico cannot claim a strategic win.”
It’s better for Ukrainian forces to repulse a Russian mechanized attack than to not repulse a Russian mechanized attack. But that’s fleeting good news in a war that’s catastrophic for both sides. “If you think this has a happy ending,” Tatarigami concluded, “you haven’t been paying attention.”
Bridget Brink, who resigned earlier this year as the US Ambassador to Ukraine in protest of President Donald Trump’s Ukraine policy, has announced her candidacy for the 2026 congressional election in Michigan’s 7th District.
M Live says Bridget Brink announced on 18 June that she is running as a Democrat for Michigan’s 7th Congressional District in the upcoming 2026 election.
In her announcement, Brink said:
“I’ve dedicated my life to public service, making the hard calls, tackling the toughest problems and holding the powerful accountable. And right now, our rights, our freedoms, our very democracy is at stake.”
Trump quietly scraps internal Russia pressure task force, Reuters sources say
In an op-ed published earlier, Brink voiced strong disapproval of Trump’s foreign policy.
“Unfortunately, President Trump keeps pressuring our democratic ally, Ukraine, rather than the aggressor, Russia,” she stated. “Appeasing a dictator never has, and never will, achieve a lasting peace. And it’s just not who we are.”
Ex-ambassador Brink says she quit over Trump’s Ukraine policy, calls it dangerous appeasement
Brink was appointed as Ambassador to Ukraine by President Joe Biden in early 2022. Prior to that, she served as US Ambassador to Slovakia starting in 2019. Her career with the US Department of State began in 1996 and spanned various foreign policy roles in eastern European and western Asian countries.
The seat Brink is seeking is currently held by Republican Rep. Tom Barrett of Charlotte, who won it in 2024 by defeating former Democratic state Senator Curtis Hertel, Jr. with 50.28% of the vote to 46.56%.
Finland's parliament voted on June 19 to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines, citing growing security concerns from Russia's aggressive posture and the threat it poses to the region, Reuters reported.
The vote aligns Finland with its Baltic allies, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, whose parliaments have already approved similar exits from the treaty.
Defending the decision earlier this week, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said the security reality along Finland's 1,300-kilometer (800-mile) border with Russia had changed dramatically since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to TVP.
"The reality in the endgame is that we have as our neighboring country an aggressive, imperialist state called Russia, which itself is not a member of the Ottawa Treaty and which itself uses landmines ruthlessly," Stubb said.
Russia has widely deployed landmines across Ukrainian territory since launching its invasion in 2022, a tactic condemned by human rights organizations and Western governments.
Finland, which joined NATO in 2023, has significantly ramped up its defense posture amid growing concern over potential Russian provocations. The country closed its border with Russia over a year ago, accusing Moscow of orchestrating a "hybrid operation" by directing asylum seekers toward Finnish territory. Helsinki claims such hybrid tactics have intensified since it joined the alliance.
The Finnish Border Guard completed the first 35 kilometers (22 miles) of a planned 200-kilometer (124-mile) fence along its eastern frontier on May 21. The move came amid growing evidence of Russian military infrastructure expansion near the Finnish border.
Finland is "closely monitoring and assessing Russia's activities and intentions," Finland's Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen told AFP on May 22.
"We have excellent capabilities to observe Russian operations. As a member of the alliance, Finland holds a strong security position."
Russia's Defense Minister Andrei Belousov said in December 2024 that Moscow must be ready for a potential conflict with NATO within the next decade. Western officials have repeatedly warned of the possibility that Moscow could target NATO members in the coming years.
The Kyiv IndependentDmytro Basmat
Ukraine must accept Moscow's terms for ending the war or face further military advances and eventual "surrender," Russia's ambassador to the United Kingdom, Andrei Kelin, said in a June 18 interview with CNN.
Talking to CNN host Christiane Amanpour, Kelin said Russia is continuing its offensive and sees no need to stop hostilities, publicly acknowledging Moscow's disregard for U.S.-backed ceasefire efforts.
The comments come as Russia continues to reject a U.S. truce proposal backed by Kyiv and only intensifies both ground operations and aerial strikes against Ukrainian cities.
"We are now on the offensive and Ukraine is in retreat," Kelin said. "In May, we have taken about 600 square kilometers (230 square miles) of the territory of Ukraine, and we continue to gain more ground."
According to the open-source intelligence group DeepState, Russian forces occupied approximately 449 square kilometers (173 square miles) in May, the highest monthly figure this year, but still well below Kelin's claim.
Kelin outlined an ultimatum for Kyiv: either agree to a permanent ceasefire on Russia's terms or face worse consequences.
"For Ukraine, there is a choice: either they will take our conditions right now… or we will continue this drive and Ukraine will have to surrender under much worse conditions," he said.
In the most recent peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on June 2, Russia again pressed its longstanding maximalist demands, including recognition of Russia's annexation of Crimea, as well as Kherson, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Luhansk oblasts — none of which are fully under Moscow's control.
The Kremlin also insists on Ukraine's complete military withdrawal from these regions.
The ambassador's remarks come amid reported preparations for a third round of negotiations with Ukraine after June 22, though no date has been officially confirmed. Kelin described the talks as "stage by stage," citing prior agreements on prisoner exchanges and humanitarian issues.
Kelin also reiterated long-standing Kremlin demands for Ukraine's neutrality and the prohibition of NATO membership, calling the alliance "very threatening to us."
The ambassador insisted on "reestablishment of normal human rights" for ethnic minorities in Ukraine, including Russians, Hungarians, and Poles, a claim Kyiv and Western officials have repeatedly dismissed as a false pretext for invasion.
CNN's host challenged Kelin on whether such terms amounted to capitulation rather than negotiation. Kelin denied the characterization, maintaining that talks are ongoing and involve "important agreements."
When asked about Russia's capacity to sustain its military campaign, Kelin claimed Moscow is spending "only 5–7%" of its budget on the war and recruiting up to 60,000 volunteer soldiers monthly, figures Western analysts have not independently verified.
"Only 5–7%" of the budget accounts for around 13.5 trillion rubles ($126 billion). Russia's spending on war and law enforcement agencies exceeds expenditures on education, healthcare, social policy, and the national economy combined.
The Kyiv IndependentChris York
The Russian economy appears to be "on the verge of a transition to recession," Russian Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov said on June 19, adding that the next step will be decisive.
The comments underscore Russia's mounting economic challenges as it continues its all-out war against Ukraine.
"According to figures, we have a cooling stage (in the economy). But all our numbers are like a rearview mirror," Reshetnikov said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum when asked about Russia's economic situation.
"According to current business perceptions, we are already, it seems, on the verge of a transition to a recession," the minister added. Reshetnikov clarified that recession is not inevitable and that "everything depends on our decisions."
Russia has faced soaring inflation during its invasion of Ukraine, driven by record wartime spending. This forced the central bank to set one of the highest key interest rates in decades, hurting private investments in non-defense-related sectors.
Facing government pressure, the central bank slashed the interest rate from 21% to 20% earlier this month.
Reshetnikov himself urged the central bank to cut rates in order to boost growth, aiming to achieve a 3% growth target set by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russia has been forced to slash key projects across various sectors in the face of an economic slowdown, brought on in part by plummeting oil prices. Major Russian exporters have also cut down on rail shipments of metals and oil products, even beyond earlier projected reductions.
After some positive signals earlier in 2025 due to U.S. President Donald Trump's outreach to Moscow and hopes for a ceasefire, more recent reports again indicate a sharp slowdown in Russia's economic growth.
Analysts have connected this development to the central bank policies, sanctions, low oil prices, supply difficulties, and high inflation.
The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
The European Union is considering moving nearly €200 billion of frozen Russian state assets into riskier financial instruments to generate higher returns for Ukraine, Politico reports.
According to four unnamed EU officials cited by Politico, the European Commission is weighing a proposal to transfer Russian sovereign assets held in Belgium into a “special purpose vehicle” under the EU’s umbrella. The assets, frozen since 2022 in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, could be placed in higher-yield investments without affecting the underlying capital.
This strategy aims to deliver greater financial support to Ukraine “while avoiding accusations of stealing Moscow’s money,” which remains opposed by several EU countries including Germany and Italy.
The initiative comes amid increasing urgency to secure sustained funding for Ukraine, as US president Donald Trump threatens to cut US support. The EU’s €18 billion share of a previously agreed €45 billion G7 loan is expected to be fully paid out by the end of 2025, raising concerns about Ukraine’s finances in 2026.
EU finance ministers will convene on 19 June in Luxembourg to begin informal talks on future funding strategies. An invitation letter from the rotating Polish Council presidency, obtained by Politico, urges ministers to explore all available options, including the use of frozen Russian assets and the EU’s new defense loan scheme, SAFE.
The current sanctions regime that blocks Russian assets requires unanimous EU renewal every six months. Hungary under pro-Russian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has repeatedly threatened to veto these renewals, potentially risking the unfreezing of the funds.
To circumvent this, the EU is discussing ways to shift the assets from Euroclear, which currently invests them at low risk with the Belgian central bank, into a “special purpose vehicle” that could pursue higher returns. However, no final workaround has yet been devised to neutralize a Hungarian veto, Politico notes, citing two informed officials.
Russian forces launched a mechanized offensive near Toretsk on 17 June using armored and motorized vehicles, signaling a possible shift in operational focus amid ongoing equipment shortages, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported.
ISW’s 18 June report mentions Russia’s advances in northern Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts and near Donetsk Oblast’s Chasiv Yar and Toretsk.
ISW cited geolocated footage from 17 June showing Russian troops carrying out a mechanized assault west of Yablunivka, which lies west of Toretsk in Donetsk Oblast. The footage confirmed the presence of at least three armored vehicles and four motorized units, likely all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), in the assault.
On 18 June, Ukrainian military observer Yuriy Butusov reported that a reinforced company-sized Russian assault near Kostiantynivka ended in failure. Ukrainian defenders reportedly destroyed 15 heavy armored vehicles and eight motorized vehicles during the clash.
Russian airstrikes intensify on Ukrainian second defensive line northeast of Pokrovsk
According to ISW, Russian forces have decreased the frequency of mechanized assaults since Winter 2024–2025. This change likely stems from increasing effectiveness of Ukrainian drone operations and a dwindling Russian supply of armored vehicles.
ISW: Russia slows tank reserve use, turns to motorcycles and ATVs amid drone threats
As traditional tank reserves diminish, ISW observed that Russian forces increasingly rely on civilian vehicles, ATVs, and motorcycles. In April 2025, the Russian Ministry of Defense began formal efforts to integrate motorcycles into offensive tactics. These changes highlight growing logistical limitations for Russian mechanized units.
“Russian mechanized assaults in the Toretsk direction may indicate that the Russian military command intends to prioritize this sector of the front,” ISW wrote.
Vladimir Putin has warned Germany against supplying Ukraine with missiles, stating that it would do “serious damage” to the two nations’ relationship.
© EPA
Ukraine will receive €3.883 billion from the European Union in July under the Ukraine Facility after passing a key reform demanded by Brussels, according to Ukraine’s envoy to the EU, cited by RFI.
On 18 June, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a bill to reform the Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA), a body responsible for identifying, seizing, and managing assets obtained through criminal means. A total of 253 Ukrainian lawmakers supported the legislation. The reform was a prerequisite for unlocking additional EU financial support.
Ukraine’s representative to the EU, Vsevolod Chentsov, told RFI that the law enabled Ukraine to increase its request for the next installment of funding under the Ukraine Facility.
“This allowed us to increase our request for the next tranche under the financial instrument for Ukraine, the Ukraine Facility, to €3.883 billion,” Chentsov stated.
The reform led to a €600 million increase in the amount of the upcoming tranche, according to Chentsov. The European Union is set to deliver the funds in July. Kyiv receives financing under the Ukraine Facility in stages, with each tranche contingent upon progress in EU-related reforms.
Argentina has uncovered a Russian intelligence operation working to spread pro-Kremlin disinformation and influence public opinion, Argentine presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni announced on June 18, citing the country's intelligence, according to AFP and Infobae.
The La Compania network, which is allegedly linked to the Russian government and the Kremlin's Project Lakhta, was led by Russian nationals Lev Konstantinovich Andriashvili and his wife Irina Yakovenko, who are both residents of Argentina, according to authorities.
The U.S. Treasury Department has previously accused the Project Lakhta, reportedly formerly overseen by late Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin, of election interference in the United States and Europe.
Prigozhin led the Russian Wagner mercenary group that was deployed in some of the deadliest battles in Ukraine, like the siege of Bakhmut. The oligarch was killed in a plane crash under suspicious circumstances in August 2023, around two months after leading a brief armed rebellion against the Kremlin.
Andriashvili and Yakovenko are accused of receiving financial support to recruit local collaborators and run influence operations aimed at advancing Moscow's geopolitical interests.
Their objective was to "form a group loyal to Russian interests" to develop disinformation campaigns targeting the Argentine state, Adorni said at a press briefing.
The spokesperson added that the alleged operation included producing social media content, influencing NGOs and civil society groups, organizing focus groups with Argentine citizens, and gathering political intelligence.
"Argentina will not be subjected to the influence of any foreign power," Adorni said, noting that while some findings have been declassified, much of the investigation remains a state secret.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, there has been a significant uptick in Russian migration to Argentina, some of which officials fear could be linked to covert intelligence operations.
Authorities reportedly said these espionage activities are often facilitated by a 2009 bilateral agreement between Argentina and Russia allowing visa-free travel, a deal that remains in effect despite growing security concerns.
In response to the threat, Adorni announced the creation of a new Federal Investigations Department (DFI) within Argentina's Federal Police, modeled in part on the U.S. FBI. The agency will focus on countering organized crime, terrorism, and foreign espionage, with investigators trained in advanced techniques and bolstered by experts in law, psychology, and computer science.
The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
A hundred days since Ukraine agreed to a U.S. proposal for a ceasefire, "Russia continues to choose war," Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on June 19, urging international pressure to push Moscow toward ending the war.
"It has been exactly 100 days since Ukraine unconditionally accepted the U.S. peace proposal to completely cease fire, put an end to the killing, and move forward with a genuine peace process," Sybiha said on X.
Ukraine backed the U.S. proposal for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire during talks in Jeddah on March 11. Russia has rejected the offer, instead pushing maximalist demands while intensifying attacks across Ukrainian cities.
"A hundred days of Russian manipulations and missed opportunities to end the war. A hundred days of Russia escalating terror against Ukraine rather than ending it," Sybiha said.
Ukraine's top diplomat stressed that Kyiv remains committed to peace, while Russia disregards U.S. efforts to "end the killing."
While U.S. President Donald Trump initially pledged to broker a swift peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow, the U.S. administration has become increasingly less engaged in negotiations as the progress stalls.
Trump has evaded calls for exerting additional pressure on Russia via sanctions, and compared the two warring sides to "two young children" who should be let "fight for a while" before being pulled apart.
The U.S. president has also become increasingly preoccupied with the Middle East amid escalating hostilities between Iran and Israel.
"It is time to act now and force Russia to peace. Peace through strength, increased sanctions, and enhanced capabilities for Ukraine," Sybiha said.
European leaders have declared they are ready to impose additional sanctions on Russia as the 18th sanctions package is being prepared. In turn, a U.S. bill imposing heavy sanctions on Russian oil has been postponed, as other foreign policy issues dominate the agenda in Washington.
The Kyiv IndependentElsa Court
Failure to provide stronger military and financial support for Ukraine could leave Europe vulnerable to growing Russian influence, meaning Europeans might have to "start learning Russian," the EU's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said, the Guardian reported on June 17.
"We know that Russia responds to strength and nothing else," Kallas said. She called Ukraine "Europe's first line of defense" and emphasized the need for continued sanctions against Russia and more aid to Kyiv.
The comments come as Russian forces are intensifying their attacks on Ukrainian cities and the Kremlin continues to reject a push by Kyiv and its Western allies for an unconditional ceasefire.
"To quote my friend, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte: if we don’t help Ukraine further, we should all start learning Russian," Kallas said.
Kallas cited a sharp increase in Russia's military spending, noting that Moscow is now allocating more money to defense than the EU combined, and more than its own health care, education, and social policies put together.
"This is a long-term plan for a long-term aggression," she said.
In light of this, Kallas urged governments to adopt NATO's new target of spending 5% of GDP on defense, warning of Russia's hybrid warfare tactics, including airspace violations, attacks on critical infrastructure, and covert sabotage operations within EU borders.
The 5% defense spending target is expected to be formally adopted during the upcoming NATO summit, which will take place on June 24 and 25 in The Hague. U.S. President Donald Trump has insisted that the European allies increase their defense budgets.
Earlier, Kallas said Russian President Vladimir Putin "cannot be trusted" to mediate peace while continuing to bomb Ukrainian cities and civilians, as Moscow suggested to mediate negotiations between Israel and Iran amid growing escalation.
"Clearly, President Putin is not somebody who can talk about peace while we see actions like this," she said during a June 17 briefing, after a massive Russian missile and drone strike on Kyiv killed at least 28 people and wounded over 130.
Kallas also reiterated her call for the EU to move forward with tightening the oil price cap on Russian exports, even without U.S. backing. She warned that the ongoing Israel-Iran crisis could cause oil prices to spike, boosting Russia's war revenues.
The EU is currently preparing its 18th sanctions package against Moscow, targeting energy, defense, and banking sectors. The 17th round of sanctions came into effect in May.
The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova
Editor's note: The story was updated after one of the injured victims died in the hospital.
Russian attacks killed at least one civilian and injured at least 27 over the past 24 hours in Ukraine, regional officials reported on June 19.
According to Ukraine's Air Force, Russian forces launched 104 Shahed-type drones and decoy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) overnight from Russian territory and occupied Crimea.
Ukrainian air defenses shot down 40 drones, while 48 disappeared from radars or were intercepted by electronic warfare.
In Kherson Oblast, nine people were injured amid heavy shelling and drone attacks on dozens of settlements, including Kherson city, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said. Russian forces struck social infrastructure facilities, three apartment buildings, and 10 houses. A gas pipeline, an ambulance base, a fire station, and several vehicles were also damaged.
In Donetsk Oblast, 13 people were wounded in Russian strikes across the region, Governor Vadym Filashkin said.
In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, five people were injured in morning attacks on the Nikopol district, including an 11-year-old child, Governor Serhii Lysak reported. One of the victims, a 59-year-old man, later died in the hospital, Lysak said.
In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, one person was injured, Governor Ivan Fedorov said. Over the past day, Russian forces carried out 410 strikes on 12 settlements in the oblast, including 10 air strikes and 264 drone attacks. Additional shelling from artillery and multiple launch rocket systems damaged at least 94 houses, vehicles, and infrastructure sites.
The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
Russia has lost 1,008,240 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 19.
The number includes 1,080 casualties that Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
According to the report, Russia has also lost 10,951 tanks, 22,853 armored fighting vehicles, 52,420 vehicles and fuel tanks, 29,328 artillery systems, 1,420 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,187 air defense systems, 416 airplanes, 337 helicopters, 41,229 drones, 3,369 cruise missiles, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.
The Kyiv IndependentNick Allard
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