As the war enters its 853rd day, here are the main developments.
Here is the situation as of Thursday June 27, 2024.
Struggle
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited soldiers defending the eastern Donetsk frontline region and introduced Brigadier General Andriy Hnatov, the new commander of the joint forces. Hnatov’s main tasks are to “preserve the lives of as many fighters as possible” while repelling the invading Russian forces, Zelensky said in a video. The video was recorded in front of the sign for Pokrovsk, where five people were killed and dozens injured in Russian attacks earlier this week.
- Five Lithuanians were injured when their vehicle came under fire while transporting aid to troops in Pokrovsk, officials and team members said. “All five of us are in the hospital,” Sigitas Maliauskas, one of the Lithuanians, told the AFP news agency via Facebook. One of the volunteers had a leg amputated, a colleague said.
- Oleh Syniehubov, governor of the northeastern Kharkiv region, said the situation in the border town of Vovchansk was “volatile” amid intense fighting with invading Russian forces. He said several dozen Russian troops were trapped inside an industrial facility in the city and that Moscow was also using planes to attack Vovchansk, located about 5 km from the border.
- A Russian missile attack hit the southern Ukrainian city of Odessa, damaging an administrative building, regional governor Oleh Kiper said. No casualties have been reported.
Politics and diplomacy
- Wall Street Journal correspondent Evan Gershkovich continued closed trial in Russia for espionage. Gershkovich, a US national, appeared on a glass-walled platform with his head shaved. He and the Journal have vigorously denied the allegations. The United States designated the journalist as “wrongfully detained.” The next hearing will take place on August 13.
- Russia said it ordered Carola Schneider, chief Moscow correspondent for Austrian broadcaster ORF, to leave the country in what it considers a “forced retaliatory measure” after Vienna’s decision to revoke the accreditation of the chief correspondent of the national news agency TASS in Austria.
- The European Union announced sanctions against Belarus “to close the biggest gap in our sanctions regime” against Russia, the EU presidency said in a statement. The bloc this week adopted its 14th set of sanctions against Russia over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
- The US Department of Justice said it charged Russian Amin Timovich Stigal, 22, with conspiracy to hack and destroy computer systems and data in Ukraine and allied countries, including the United States, and has announced a $10 million reward for information on his whereabouts.
- NATO has chosen Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as the organization’s next secretary general, succeeding Jens Stoltenberg. Mr. Rutte, a strong supporter of Ukraine, will take up his new role on October 1.
- Russian pranksters using the pseudonyms ‘Vovan and Lexus’ have released footage of a video call with British Foreign Secretary David Cameron after tricking him into believing he was speaking to former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. The Foreign Office has not commented on the authenticity of the video, but acknowledged earlier this month that the call had taken place. “Vovan and Lexus” are well known in Russia for deceiving a series of Western politicians over the years, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Weapons
- The EU is expected to sign a security deal with President Zelensky on Thursday. The agreement will set out the EU’s commitment to help Ukraine in nine areas of security and defence policy – including arms deliveries, military training, defence industry cooperation and mine clearance – according to a draft seen by Reuters news agency.
