Russo-Ukrainian War, day 858: Zelenskyy says Ukraine expects strong defense commitments from NATO at Washington summit
he Ukrainian leader emphasized that if the Alliance doesn't extend an invitation for Ukraine to join, it must provide the country with the necessary weapons to defend against Russian aggression.
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Ukraine’s IT Army now aids drone strikes on Russian oil refineries. Once focused on disrupting Russian banks and businesses, Ukraine’s volunteer hacker group is now shifting to Russian military targets, from Starlinks to CCTV cameras during long-range drone raids. |
Military
Ukrainian drones attack Russia’s Novolipetsk steel mill. Russian media reported that seven drones were involved in the attack.
Forbes: Ukraine awaits green light to target Russia’s Voronezh Malshevo air base with ATACMS. Despite the potential to use strike drones and other tactics, Ukraine faces challenges in targeting the heavily defended base.
Ukrainian forces destroy 19 Russian armored combat vehicles, 53 artillery systems in single day – General Staff. Over the last 24 hours, Ukrainian troops neutralized 1,140 Russian soldiers.
As of 30 June 2024, the approximate losses of weapons and military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces from the beginning of the invasion to the present day:
- Personnel: 542700 (+1140)
- Tanks: 8080 (+7)
- APV: 15524 (+19)
- Artillery systems: 14533 (+53)
- MLRS: 1110 (+1)
- Anti-aircraft systems: 873 (+2)
- Aircraft: 360
- Helicopters: 326
- UAV: 11584 (+46)
- Cruise missiles: 2331
- Warships/boats: 28
- Submarines: 1
- Vehicles and fuel tanks: 19643 (+75)
Intelligence and technology
The Telegraph: Russia’s GPS jamming disrupts hundreds of RAF flights. Analysis shows Russian GPS jamming disrupted 142 out of 504 RAF flights in Eastern Europe from January to April 2024.
AP: Putin calls for restart of intermediate missiles production after suspension of treaty with US. His claims sparked fears over arms control amid the war in Ukraine.
International
Zelenskyy says Ukraine expects strong defense commitments from NATO at upcoming summit in Washington. If the Alliance doesn’t invite Ukraine to join, it must provide the country with the weapons it needs to defend itself from Russia.
Yonhap: South Korea’s arms supply for Ukraine is legal, unlike North Korea’s aid to Russia, says Stoltenberg. Following a strategic partnership between Russia and North Korea, South Korea is considering supplying weapons to Ukraine. NATO’s Jens Stoltenberg supports this move, highlighting the legality of aiding Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s illegal invasion.
Media: Rasmussen says Russia’s war in Ukraine to last at least until end of 2024. Former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen asserts that even the full occupation of Ukraine will not fulfill Vladimir Putin’s broader territorial ambitions.
Ukraine’s first top-level National Prayer Breakfast addressed by USA’s Johnson, Pence. Ukraine’s first National Prayer Breakfast under President Zelenskyy’s auspices brought together a diverse group of 836 participants from 15 countries and 12 denominations, with top officials, like US Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and former Vice President Mike Pence, praying for the peace in Ukraine.
Bild: Swedish defense minister warns of growing Russian threat, calls for strengthening NATO. Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson cautioned that the Kremlin is actively working to sow political discord within the European Union and NATO and emphasized the importance of investing in armed forces to maintain NATO’s ability to defend its territory, while Ukraine currently acts as a “shield” to other European countries.
Humanitarian and social impact
Ukrainian Intel: Abduction of civilians is evidence that Russia wages genocidal war against Ukraine. Since the war’s onset, Ukraine has returned 3,310 citizens from Russian captivity.
The number of injured after Russian attack on Vilniansk rises to 31, day of mourning declared for 7 killed. In response to the Russian attack on Vilniansk, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the urgent need for partners to provide additional modern air defense systems to protect Ukrainian cities.
Political and legal developments
ISW: Ethnic and religious tensions rise in Russia after Russian official criticises “islamic terrorism”. The 23 June terrorist attacks in Dagestan reignited discussions about Russia’s migration policies, with Russian ultranationalists calling for stricter measures in dealing with “Islamic terrorism” while others, including Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, warn against Islamophobia.
OSCE declares Russia’s actions in Ukraine genocide, urges decolonization. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) identified the decolonization of Russia as a necessary precondition for establishing enduring peace in Ukraine, calling for support of the Peace Formula and Crimean Platform and urging member states to establish a Special Tribunal to hold Russia accountable for its atrocities in Ukraine.
New developments
Western media criticized for amplifying Russian narratives on Crimea strike. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense confirmed striking a crucial Russian space surveillance facility in Crimea, used for targeting civilians in Ukraine, but leading Western media outlets focused their reports on Russian civilian casualties based on Russian statements that were incoherent.
Read our earlier daily review here
