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Ukraine Invasion
Defense Policy / Programs
Foreign Policy
News Reports

Ukraine Invasion

• The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.2022 to 17.06.2023 Ukraine MOD 17 Jun 2023
• Russian Strikes, Shelling Kill Civilians In Kharkiv And Kherson As Fighting Under Way In Eastern, Southern Ukraine RFE/RL 17 Jun 2023 -- Russian missile strikes and shelling killed at least six people over the past 24 hours in Ukraine, regional officials said, as the Ukrainian military reported limited advances in its recently launched counteroffensive to regain territory occupied by Russia since the start of its unprovoked invasion.
• Latest in Ukraine: Putin, Zelenskyy Reject African Peace Initiative VOA 17 Jun 2023 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected a peace initiative brought to St. Petersburg on Saturday by a delegation of African leaders hoping to see an end to Russia's war on Ukraine.
• Latest in Ukraine: Biden Says US Won't 'Make it Easy' for Ukraine to Join NATO VOA 17 Jun 2023 -- U.S. President Joe Biden said Saturday his administration would not "make it easy" for Ukraine to join NATO, noting the war-ravaged nation must meet the same standards as other member states.
• Russia destroyed Ukraine's drones targeting oil refinery: Moscow Press TV 17 Jun 2023 -- Russia said its air force has repelled a Ukrainian drone attack on an oil refinery in the southern border region of Bryansk.
• Ukraine Demilitarization Mainly Completed as Kiev Using Own Weapons Much Less Sputnik 17 Jun 2023 -- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday that Ukraine's demilitarization had been mainly completed as Kiev was using its own weapons much less and deploying more weapons supplied by the West.
• Putin: Kiev Threw Possible Russia-Ukraine Settlement Deal 'Into Dustbin of History' Sputnik 17 Jun 2023 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin presented the African delegation with the draft of the Istanbul agreement on the Ukraine settlement, which, as the Russian president said, specifies everything from the number of armed forces to units of military equipment and personnel.
• Russia Launched Group Strike on Decision-Making Center of Ukraine's Armed Forces Sputnik 17 Jun 2023 -- The Russian military carried out a group strike with long-range precision weapons on one of the decision-making centers of the Ukrainian armed forces on Friday, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
• Russia Repels Ukraine's Drone Attack on Druzhba Pipeline in Bryansk Region Sputnik 17 Jun 2023 -- Russian air defense repelled Ukraine's overnight drone attack on the Druzhba oil pumping station in the Novozybkovsky district of the Bryansk Region, governor Alexander Bogomaz said on Saturday, adding that three aircraft-type drones had been downed.
• Russian Forces Repel Attacks From Ukrainian Assault Groups, Blow Up Stronghold Sputnik 17 Jun 2023 -- Units of the Russian 'Yug' Group of Forces have repelled attacks of Ukrainian assault groups near five different villages in the Artemovsk area, a Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson told Sputnik.
• 'Everyone For Themselves': Attacks In Border Towns And Cities Bring The War To Russia's Doorstep RFE/RL 17 Jun 2023 -- Following a spate of recent attacks in the region, Sergei says he decided to make the journey from his home in St. Petersburg to the city of Belgorod, which is only 40 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, looking to join the local territorial defense unit.
• Russia: Statement by the Spokesperson on intentions to hold "elections" in occupied territories of Ukraine European External Action Service (EEAS) 17 Jun 2023 -- This week, the Central Election Commission of Russia decided to hold "elections" in September in the territories of Ukraine that Russia temporarily militarily occupies, in yet another violation of international law.

Defense Policy / Programs

• 'Using nuclear war to save the world is like using a guillotine for a headache': Russian experts respond to call for atomic strike RT 17 Jun 2023 -- Professor Sergey Karaganov's "Tough-but-necessary decision" article - which claims that by using its nuclear weapons, Russia could save humanity from a global catastrophe - has provoked plenty of reaction domestically.
• Russia's Samara Region to Launch Drone Production in December Sputnik 17 Jun 2023 -- Production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is expected to begin in December in Russia's Samara Region, potentially creating 1,000 working places, regional governor Dmitry Azarov told Sputnik on Saturday.
• Putin: We may use nuclear arms only if Russia's existence is threatened Press TV 17 Jun 2023 -- Reiterating Moscow's nuclear posture, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the country may deploy nuclear weapons only if Russia's existence is threatened.
• Over 80% of Russia-China trade settlement now using local currencies: Russian president Global Times 17 Jun 2023 -- Over 80 percent of trade settlement between Russia and China is now conducted in Russian rubles and Chinese yuan, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday, according to media reports.
• Russia maintains economic stability despite challenges: Putin People's Daily 17 Jun 2023 -- Russia has successfully maintained economic stability in the face of "unprecedented challenges," President Vladimir Putin said on Friday.

Foreign Policy

• Meeting with heads of delegations of African states President of Russia 17 Jun 2023 -- Vladimir Putin received heads of delegations of African states in the Constantine Palace.
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's statement to the media following the meeting of President of Russia Vladimir Putin with heads of African states' delegations, St Petersburg, June 17, 2023 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 17 Jun 2023
• Putin and African Delegation Discuss Ukraine Conflict, Developing Relations and BRICS Sputnik 17 Jun 2023 -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Senegalese leader Macky Sall, Comoros President Azali Assoumani and Zambian head of state Hakainde Hichilema, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, the foreign minister of Uganda, and the Congolese minister of state participated in the talks.
• Russia: Statement by the Spokesperson on intentions to hold "elections" in occupied territories of Ukraine European External Action Service (EEAS) 17 Jun 2023 -- This week, the Central Election Commission of Russia decided to hold "elections" in September in the territories of Ukraine that Russia temporarily militarily occupies, in yet another violation of international law.

News Reports

• Russia's Net Tightens Around Dissidents Sheltering In Kyrgyzstan RFE/RL 17 Jun 2023 -- Russian activist Yevgenia Shamina received a panicked phone call on June 5 from a friend of Aleksei Rozhkov, an anti-Kremlin, anti-war political emigre living in Kyrgyzstan's capital, Bishkek, after Rozhkov stopped returning her phone calls.
• Flipping The Channels: Moldova Faces A Huge Challenge Countering Pro-Kremlin Propaganda RFE/RL 17 Jun 2023 -- A video claiming to show Romania massing troops and military hardware on the Moldovan border was quickly picked up by pro-Russian media and widely shared on Telegram and Twitter in February of this year.