2023-06-21 11:25:18
► The European Union agrees on a new package of sanctions against Russia
EU member states agreed on Wednesday June 21 on an eleventh package of restrictive measures against Russia, intended in particular to avoid the circumvention of the sanctions already in place, we learned from an official source.
“This package includes measures aimed at combating the circumvention of sanctions and individual sanctions”indicated Sweden, which holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU.
► Destroyed dam: kyiv estimates the environmental damage at 1.5 billion dollars
The Ukrainian government estimated on Wednesday at 1.5 billion dollars the damage to the environment from the destruction in early June of the Kakhovka dam on the Dnieper, which caused major flooding.
This “preliminary estimate (…) does not include losses relating to agriculture, infrastructure, housing or the cost of rebuilding the plant itself”Prime Minister Denys Chmygal said at a press conference in London.
► Three drones shot down near a military base in the Moscow region
Three drones were shot down on Wednesday near a military base in the Moscow region, without causing any casualties or damage, local governor Andrei Vorobyov said.
“Today, an attempt by the kyiv regime to carry out a terrorist attack with three drones against sites in the Moscow region was halted,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement. “All drones were neutralized by electronic warfare systems, lost control and crashed,” he explained.
Moscow and its region, located more than 500 km from the Ukrainian border, have so far been rarely targeted by drone attacks since the start of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, even if this type of attack has multiplied elsewhere in Russia.
► Prisoners of war: kyiv accuses Budapest of playing Russia’s game
Ukraine said on Wednesday it had recovered three prisoners of war recently transferred to Hungary from Russia, but Kiev accused Budapest of violating international humanitarian law during the process and playing into Moscow’s hands.
“I confirm that three former prisoners of war are back in Ukraine” out of a total of 11 transferred to Hungary on June 8, said Ukrainian parliamentary human rights officer Dmytro Loubinets. “From the beginning of this story, Hungary played the game of the Russian side and Russian propaganda”he however accused. “It was planned as a special operation against Ukraine (conducted) by Russian special services with the involvement of the Hungarian side”.
► kyiv claims to have intercepted six Iranian drones
The Ukrainian Air Force said Wednesday morning that it intercepted six Iranian-made Shahed 136/131 explosive drones, launched by Russia during a new night attack against its neighbor.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, all the aircraft were launched from the north and shot down over the Khmelnytsky region in the west of the country, where Russia says it regularly targets Ukrainian military targets located several hundred miles behind the front line.
► The United States announces new aid of $1.3 billion
The United States will provide $1.3 billion (1.2 billion euros) in additional aid to Ukraine’s economy, particularly its critical infrastructure, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Wednesday during the international conference for the reconstruction of Ukraine in London. “As long as Russia continues to destroy, we will be there to help Ukraine rebuild: rebuild lives, rebuild their country, rebuild their future,” assured Antony Blinken.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, the United States has already released more than 20 billion dollars to support the economy and the development of Ukraine, and more than 40 billion for military support.
► Flood toll rises to 41 dead in areas controlled by Moscow
Russia on Wednesday raised the death toll from floods in areas it controls in southern Ukraine to 41, following the destruction of a dam on the Dnieper River in early June.
“Unfortunately, the death toll has risen to 41,” said the head of the Russian occupation in the Kherson region, Andrei Alekseyenko. A previous report communicated last Saturday by the authorities installed by Russia reported 29 dead.
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