Rutte appointed as next NATO Secretary General
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte will take over the position from current NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg when his ten-year term ends in October.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
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Zelensky visits Donetsk Oblast along with newly appointed General Hnatov
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he and Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi "officially officially introduced Andrii Hnatov to all those responsible for defense in the Donetsk region" and visited the 110th and 47th brigades.
Trial for jailed US journalist Gershkovich begins in Russia
Russia formally accused Evan Gershkovich of spying for the CIA and finalized his indictment on June 13, announcing that he would finally go to trial. Russian authorities have not publicly released any evidence to support the charges.
US backs ICC investigation into Shoigu, Gerasimov, State Department says
When asked about the U.S. reaction to the arrest warrants, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said, "We support a range of international investigations into Russia’s atrocities in Ukraine, including the one conducted by the ICC."
General Staff: Russia has lost 538,060 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
This number includes 1,220 casualties Russian forces suffered over the past day.
North Korean troops fighting in Ukraine would be 'cannon fodder,' Pentagon says
"I think that if I were North Korean military personnel management, I would be questioning my choices on sending my forces to be cannon fodder in an illegal war against Ukraine."
Ukraine to demand extradition of suspects accused of attempting to assassinate Kazakh journalist
The Prosecutor General's Office is preparing to request the extradition of two suspects accused of attempting to assassinate the Kazakh opposition activist and journalist Aidos Sadykov in Ukraine.
Court orders house arrest for controversial lawmaker Tyshchenko
The Kyiv Pechersk District court on June 25 approved the prosecutor's request to impose round-the-clock house arrest on controversial Ukrainian lawmaker Mykola Tyshchenko.
Ukraine war latest: IСС issues arrest warrants for Russia's ex-Defense Minister Shoigu, Russian army Chief Gerasimov
Key developments on June 25: * International Criminal Court issues arrest warrants for Russia's Shoigu, Gerasimov * Czech PM confirms Ukraine received first batch of shells under Prague-led initiative * European Court of Human Rights finds Russia guilty of violating human rights in occupied Crimea * Ukraine brings back 90 POWs from Russian captivity
Media: German authorities find no evidence of Russian attack on metal factory
The factory, which belongs to Diehl Metal Applications, a subsidiary of the Diehl group that manufactures IRIS-T air defense systems used by Ukraine, caught on fire in May, resulting in the destruction of much of the building.
Over 3,000 Nepalis joined Russian army, captured POW estimates
"I guess around 3,000 to 4,000 Nepalis joined the Russian army," Rai Bikash, the captured POW said, after estimating that he saw around 200 Nepalis with his own eyes during his short time in the Russian military.
Zelensky says he's sure Ukraine will become EU member as accession talks kick off
"As of today, we have full confidence — Ukraine will definitely become a full member of the European Union," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his address. "Now, the focus is on the technical work between Ukraine and the EU, adapting our system to the EU, and Europe's political will to make the European project truly complete."
Statistics service: Ukraine's GDP up 6.5% in first quarter
Preliminary estimates suggest that Ukraine's gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 6.5% in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the first quarter of 2023, Ukraine's State Statistics Service reported on June 25.
Von der Leyen reportedly nominated for second term as European Commission president
EU leaders have reportedly nominated European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for a second term, Politico reported on June 25, citing five EU officials.
Czech PM confirms Ukraine received first batch of shells under Prague-led initiative
"The first shipment of ammunition from our initiative arrived in Ukraine some time ago. We are doing what it takes," Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on 25 June.
Russia has blocked more than 80 European media outlets, Foreign Ministry says
The announcement was in response to a decision by the Council of the EU the previous day that banned access within the bloc to four key Russian state-run or controlled media outlets, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Voice of Europe, RIA Novosti, and Izvestiya.
Breaking: International Criminal Court issues arrest warrants for Russia's Shoigu, Gerasimov
The International Criminal Court (ICC) announced on June 25 that it has issued arrest warrants for ex Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, now secretary of Russia's Security Council, and Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian army, for war crimes against Ukraine. The charges relate to Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, the ICC said.
Ukraine's military intelligence says it set fire to ammunition depot in Russia's Voronezh Oblast
Operatives reportedly set fire to a depot in the oblast's Olkhovatsky district, located some 70 kilometers (43 miles) from the border with Ukraine's Luhansk Oblast. The fire resulted in an explosion, the agency said.
Controversial lawmaker Tyshchenko charged with illegally detaining ex-soldier
The charges follow a widely circulated video earlier in June that showed Mykola Tyshchenko and his bodyguards arguing and then fighting with a former soldier, later identified as Dmytro Pavlov, who was walking in the city center of Dnipro with his child.
Ukraine, Moldova begin EU accession talks in Luxembourg
"We have surpassed the barrier of promise to delivery," Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna told the Financial Times (FT) ahead of the opening of the negotiations.
General Staff: Russia has lost 536,840 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
This number includes 1,180 casualties Russian forces suffered over the past day.
Ukraine war latest: Russia increases use of chemical weapons on battlefield, Kyiv says
Key developments on June 24: * Ukraine reports increase in Russian chemical weapons attacks on battlefield * Zelensky dismisses Lieutenant General accused by soldiers of heavy losses * Russian saboteurs likely behind arson attack on German factory, security officials tell WSJ * EU Council announces 14th round of sanctions against Russia * At least 5
Ukraine returned only 800 out of about 20,000 children abducted by Russia, minister says
"We do not know the exact number of children who were taken away. We have managed to establish that it is about 20,000 children, of whom 800 have already been returned," Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said.
Work on 15th sanctions package against Russia to 'start immediately,' Finnish FM says
The EU Council adopted the 14th round of sanctions against Russia on June 24, aimed at tackling the circumvention of existing measures and to further restrict profits from Russia's energy industry.
Ukraine to receive profits from Russia's frozen assets in 2 tranches starting next week, Borrell says
"We have a process in order to make this work quickly. The first tranche of money will come next week, in July. The second will come some months later," Josep Borrell said during the press briefing in Luxembourg.
Russian guided bomb attack on Kurakhovo in Donetsk Oblast kills man
A 62-year-old man was killed and another person injured after a Russian guided bomb attack on the town of Kurakhove in Donetsk Oblast, Governor Vadym Filashkin said on June 24.
EU blocks access to 4 Russian media outlets
The four outlets are Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Voice of Europe, RIA Novosti, and Izvestiya.
Ukraine reports increase in Russian chemical weapon attacks on battlefield
Ukraine recorded 715 cases of Russian chemical weapons use on the battlefield in May, 271 more than in the previous month, the Ukrainian military's Support Forces said on June 24.
63-year-old woman killed in Russian attack on Toretsk, Donetsk Oblast
Toretsk, the strategically important town located less than 8 kilometers (5 miles) from the front line, had a population of around 31,000 before the start of the full-scale invasion.
Russian subsidiary of Bank of China stops accepting payments from Russian banks, sources say
According to Kommersant's sources, Bank of China will refuse to accept payments from any sanctioned Russian bank starting on June 24.
EU devises workaround for possible Hungary veto of funds for Ukraine, FT reports
The EU has developed a legal workaround to prevent Hungary vetoing a move to use profits from frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine, the Financial Times reported on June 24.
General Staff: Russia has lost 535,660 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
This number includes 1,300 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
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