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12:33 AM

Southern Command: Russian forces launch drone attacks over Mykolaiv, Odesa oblasts.

Russian forces have launched an air strike over Mykolaiv and Odesa oblasts using Shahed-136/131 drones, Ukraine’s Southern Command reported in the early hours of June 10.

12:30 AM

NYT: Satellites detected explosion at Kakhovka dam shortly before collapse.

U.S. spy satellites detected an explosion at the Kakhovka dam just before it collapsed on June 6, the New York Times (NYT) wrote on June 9, citing a senior U.S. official.

11:44 PM

Explosions reported in occupied parts of Kherson Oblast.

Explosions have been reported in the occupied Henichesk district of Kherson Oblast, the exiled Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov wrote on June 9.

11:21 PM

32 countries join Ukraine's genocide lawsuit against Russia.

The majority of the judges at the United Nations' International Court of Justice (ICJ) have authorized the inclusion of 32 countries in Ukraine's genocide lawsuit against Russia, the ICJ announced on June 9.

10:42 PM

Media: Fuel warehouse in Russia's Ufa on fire.

A fuel and lubricant warehouse in the city of Ufa in Russia is on fire, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti and Russian media outlet msknet.ru reported.

10:20 PM

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This Week in Ukraine Ep. 11 – Russia’s destruction of Ukrainian dam, and catastrophic flood it caused

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9:31 PM

Kyiv Independent journalists win European Press Prize.

Kyiv Independent reporters Anna Myroniuk and Alexander Khrebet on June 9 won the European Press Prize in the Special Award: Ukraine Reporting category.

8:14 PM

Media: Belgium to provide Ukraine with $35 million worth of ammunition.

Belgium’s government has approved supplying Ukraine with 105mm ammunition worth 32.4 million euros ($35 million), Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws (HLN) reported on June 9.

8:09 PM

White House: Iran helping Moscow build drone factory in Russia.

Iran is providing Moscow with materials to build a drone factory in Russia, the White House revealed on June 9. These efforts are meant to provide a steady supply of weaponry for Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

7:31 PM

Russian governors claim drone attacks on Belgorod, Kursk.

Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of Russia's Belgorod region, claimed on June 9 that a drone crashed into an office building and caught fire in the city of Belgorod. Later the same day, Russia's Kursk region Governor Roman Starovoyt reported a drone crash near an oil depot in the regional capital.

7:16 PM

Ministry: Economic recovery faster than expected.

Compared to the last quarter of 2022, Ukraine's gross domestic product (GDP) experienced a 2.4% increase in the first three months of 2023, the Economy Ministry reported on June 9.

6:43 PM

US announces $2.1 billion in military aid to Ukraine.

The aid package includes HAWK air defense systems and missiles, Puma reconnaissance drones, additional ammunition for Patriot air defense systems, 105mm and 203mm artillery rounds.

6:17 PM

Military reports advance near Bakhmut.

Ukrainian troops have advanced up to 1,200 meters in some areas in the Bakhmut direction, Serhii Cherevaty, the spokesperson for the eastern command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said on June 9.

6:07 PM

Kyiv authorities initiating changes to legislation on bomb shelters.

The Kyiv City Military Administration will initiate a change to the legislation to prevent property developers from bypassing the requirements to equip residential buildings with bomb shelters.

5:25 PM

Field report

Saving lives from Russia’s flood: Inside inundated, shelled Kherson

5:11 PM

Russian authorities report drone crash in Voronezh.

Voronezh Oblast Governor Alexander Gusyev claimed on June 9 that a drone had crashed in the center of Voronezh, Russia.

4:18 PM

Authorities: 2 killed in Russian attack on medical facility in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Russian forces hit a medical facility in Huliaipole, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, with a guided aerial bomb, the regional administration reported on June 9.

3:41 PM

European Commission on Kakhovka dam disaster: Russia bears 'primary responsibility' as it invaded Ukraine.

Russia bears "primary responsibility" for the Kakhovka dam destruction in Kherson Oblast as it had started the war in the first place, European Commission spokesperson Dana Spinant said on June 9.

2:22 PM

Belarus weekly

Belarus Weekly: We pushed Belarus toward Russia, says Macron

2:21 PM

Interior Ministry: 5 dead, 13 missing due to flooding caused by Kakhovka dam breach.

At least five people died, and 13 are considered missing as a result of the massive flooding in southern Ukraine caused by the Kakhovka dam breach, the Interior Ministry reported on June 9.

1:21 PM

SBU: In intercepted phone call, Russian soldier confirms Russia destroyed Kakhovka dam.

In an intercepted phone call published by Ukraine's Security Service (SBU), an alleged Russian serviceman said a Russian sabotage group had destroyed the Kakhovka dam in Kherson Oblast.

12:31 PM

UK Defense Ministry: Russia likely sabotaging grain deal to force reopening of ammonia pipeline.

Russia is likely continuing to sabotage Ukrainian grain shipments to force concessions on the reopening of its Togliatti-Odesa ammonia pipeline, the U.K. Defense Ministry wrote on June 9.

11:25 AM

Governor: Russian attacks in Donetsk Oblast kill 1, injure 7 over past 24 hours.

Russian attacks in Donetsk Oblast killed one person and injured 7 others over the past 24 hours, Donetsk Oblast governor reported on June 9.

10:37 AM

Governor: Flood water levels in Kherson Oblast begin to fall.

The flood water level on the right bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson Oblast fell by 20 centimeters overnight, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported on June 6.

9:58 AM

Politico: Duda, Scholz, Macron to meet in Paris, discuss security guarantees for Ukraine.

Politico reported on June 9 that several anonymous French officials confirmed German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish President Andrzej Duda were expected in Paris on June 12 to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron and discuss security guarantees for Ukraine.

MORE NEWS

General Staff: Russian soldiers didn't prepare for Kakhovka dam destruction, suffered losses on Dnipro River's east bank

Retired US General Petraeus: ‘Now it's inevitable – we should give the ATACMS’

On Ukraine’s southern front line, tension reigns before decisive counteroffensive

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IOC seeks to allow Russians, Belarusians to compete in upcoming Olympics

by Anastasiya Gordiychuk January 26, 2023 5:21 AM 2 min read

The logo for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in the Christmas village is shown in front of the Hotel de Ville on Dec. 25, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Diego Puletto/Getty Images)

This audio is created with AI assistance

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Jan. 25 announced its plan to let Russians and Belarusians participate at Paris Olympics as "neutral athletes" despite President Volodymyr Zelensky's call to bar them.

The IOC said that it will prolong its sanctions against Russia and Belarus, which include a ban on national symbols and the invitation of government officials, but will not prevent athletes from participating "just because of their passport."

"A pathway for athletes' participation in competition under strict conditions should therefore be further explored," the IOC statement read.

The board also "welcomed and appreciated the offer from the Olympic Council of Asia" to allow Russians and Belarusians to participate in Asian competitions so that they could qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The move has already been criticized by the Global Athlete and Athletes for Ukraine association.

"Today's decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete in qualifiers to attend the 2024 Paris Olympic Games sends a message to the world that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) endorses Russia's brutal war and invasion of Ukraine," the joint statement read.

"By allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete, the IOC is strengthening Russia's propaganda machine, empowering the Putin regime, and undermining peace."

The IOC recommended barring Russian and Belarusian athletes from competitions on Feb. 28, after Russia, with the support of Belarus, launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Recently on Jan. 24, during a call with French President Emmanuel Macron, Zelensky expressed his concerns that Russian athletes should be barred from the Olympics.

"I particularly emphasized that athletes from Russia should have no place at the Olympic Games in Paris," Zelensky wrote on Telegram.

The IOC stated that the decision has been backed "by the vast majority of the participants in each of the consultation calls."

Anastasiya Gordiychuk

News reporter

Anastasiya Gordiychuk is a news reporter at the Kyiv Independent. She has previously worked as an associate business and labor editor at The Varsity, where she focused on business and finances. She holds a BA in journalism from the University of Toronto. Her work has also been published in Maclean’s, Global Summitry Project, and the Toronto Observer.

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