War

Ukraine has managed to return 103 civilians illegally detained by Russia between March and May. Iryna Vereshchuk, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories, said this in an interview with Ukrinform. "We have managed to return 103 people only during the exchanges that we conducted. There were 14 of them in the last three months -- in March, April and May. Now I am not dealing with exchanges. Therefore, I do not know what the concept of this work will be. Maybe it will be different. But while I was in charge of the…

Ukrainian defense forces have liberated 1,026 settlements from Russian soldiers since the beginning of the all-out Russian invasion. Kyrylo Tymoshenko, Deputy Head of the Ukrainian President's Office, said this on Telegram, Ukrinform reports. "As many as 1,026 settlements have been liberated. The infrastructure in the occupied territories is being restored," he said. At the same time, Tymoshenko said that work was underway to prepare a plan for the rapid reconstruction of people's homes, schools, kindergartens, and medical facilities that had been destroyed by Russian forces. According to him, reconstruction work is underway every day in the regions. In particular, the…

The military leadership of Belarus plans to set up the Southern Operational Command, which will be responsible for the “Ukrainian direction.” In the near future, the participation of the Belarus forces in Russian aggression against Ukraine is unlikely, but it cannot be ruled out completely. This was announced in an interview with Ukrinform by Oleksandr Pavliuk, Commander of the Kyiv Defense Group. "The illegitimate leadership of the Republic of Belarus continues to aggravate the situation around the alleged military threat from Ukraine and the spread of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict to their country’s territory. Under the guise of these fabrications, they…

In Luhansk Region, fierce battles are raging in the city of Sievierodonetsk. Russian troops are extensively shelling the city of Lysychansk and making attempts to cut off the ‘road of life’, Lysychansk-Bakhmut highway. The relevant statement was made by Luhansk Regional Military Administration Head Serhii Haidai on Telegram, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. “In Luhansk Region, fierce battles and raging in Sievierodonetsk and satellite settlements. Lysychansk is under extensive enemy fire. [Russian] orcs are attempting to encircle along the Lysychansk-Bakhmut highway but have no success,” Haidai wrote. In his words, Russian troops are trying to gain full control over Sievierodonetsk and…

One civilian has been killed and six injured in Russia’s shelling of the city of Mykolaiv and Mykolaiv Region over the past day. Residential houses, industrial enterprises and infrastructure facilities were damaged. The relevant statement was made by Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration on Facebook, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. In the morning of June 21, 2022, the Russian military launched missile strikes on a Mykolaiv-based industrial object, causing damage to the premises of the enterprise. In addition, they fired at residential areas with prohibited cluster munitions. “One of cluster munitions exploded in the yard of a detached house. Two men stood there.…

A total of 324 children have been killed and over 592 injured in Ukraine since the Russian invasion started. The relevant statement was made by the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office on Telegram, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. “As of June 22, 2022, over 916 children in Ukraine were affected by the Russian armed aggression. According to the data from juvenile prosecutors, a total of 324 children were killed and over 592 injured,” the report states. These data are not final, as they are being investigated within the areas of hostilities, temporarily occupied and liberated areas. Currently, most casualties were recorded in…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the seventh package of EU sanctions against Russia must be approved as soon as possible. He said this in a nightly video address, according to an Ukrinform correspondent. "In all negotiations with foreign partners, I constantly emphasize that the seventh package of EU sanctions is needed as soon as possible. Russia must feel the growing pressure for the war and its aggressive anti-European policy," he said. According to him, new Russian threats to Lithuania, the next wave of energy pressure and the next portion of lies from Russian officials about the food crisis…

The Ukrainian Air Forces shot down a Russian missile, two drones and destroyed two ammunition depots on Tuesday, June 21. The Ukrainian Air Force Command said this on Facebook, Ukrinform reports. In the Kyiv and Donetsk regions, anti-aircraft missile units of the Ukrainian Air Force destroyed two unmanned aerial vehicles of the Russian troops, the statement said. A Kh-59 air-to-surface missile was destroyed. "Strike groups of attack and bomber aircraft, supported by fighter jets, launched several air strikes on enemy positions. Up to ten armored combat vehicles and manpower of the enemy were eliminated, and two ammunition depots of the…

U.S. citizen Stephen Zabielski has died while fighting alongside Ukrainian soldiers against Russian aggression. The U.S. State Department on Tuesday confirmed the death of an American citizen in Ukraine whose obituary said he died in mid-May while fighting in the war, CNN reported. "We can confirm the death of U.S. citizen Stephen Zabielski in Ukraine," a State Department spokesperson said. “All possible” consular assistance has been provided to his family, the statement reads. It is noted that Zabielski died on Sunday, May 15, 2022, while fighting the war in the village of Dorozhnianka. He was 52 years old and is…

Germany has delivered to Ukraine as part of security assistance the first consignment of Panzerhaubitze2000 self-propelled artillery units. That’s according to Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov, who broke the news on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.  “We have reinforcements! The first Panzerhaubitze2000s – German Panzerhaubitze2000s with trained Ukrainian crews have joined the Ukrainian artillery family,” Reznikov wrote. The Minister of Defense noted that this is the 6th type of 155 mm artillery that strengthens Ukraine's defenses. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are already engaging the Russian troops with the following types of artillery: M777, FH70, M109, AHS Krab, and Caesar.…