Ukraine's Audacious Drone Attack Sends Critical Message to Russia - and the West
Ukraine says it completed its biggest long-range attack of the war with Russia on June 1, after using smuggled drones to launch a series of major strikes on 40 Russian warplanes at four military bases. President Volodymyr Zelensky said 117 drones were used in the so-called "Spider's Web" operation by the SBU security service, striking "34% of [Russia's] strategic cruise missile carriers". SBU sources claimed that it took a year-and-a-half to organise the strikes. Russia confirmed Ukrainian attacks in five regions, calling them a "terrorist act". The attacks come as Russian and Ukrainian negotiators are heading to Istanbul, Turkey, for a second round of peace talks on June 2. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported a massive drone and missile attack on its territory over May 31-June 1. At least six people, including a seven-year-old child, were injured following a strike in Kharkiv in the early hours of June 2, the region's governor said. Click here to read…
Russia, Ukraine set for Round 2 of Peace Talks in Turkey; US warns Putin ‘is Preparing for More War’
Russia and Ukraine are due to sit down for peace talks on June 2 in Turkey's Istanbul for their second round of direct peace talks since 2022, a day after 40 Russian planes were destroyed by a Ukrainian drone attack. Meanwhile, Moscow also pounded Ukraine with missiles and drones. Russian President Vladimir Putin is stalling at the peace table while preparing a new military offensive in Ukraine, two senior US senators warned, arguing that the next two weeks could shape the future of a war that has already smashed cities, displaced millions and redrawn Europe’s security map. The first round of talks on May 16 yielded the biggest prisoner swap of the war but no sign of peace - or even a ceasefire as both sides merely set out their own opening negotiating positions. Click here to read…
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland's presidential election
The presidential runoff pitted Trzaskowski, a liberal pro-EU politician, against Nawrocki, a conservative historian backed by the right-wing Law and Justice party. Nawrocki won 50.89% of votes in a very tight race against liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, who received 49.11%. The result was a dramatic shift from an initial exit poll released immediately after voting ended at 9 p.m. In that survey, which had a 2-percentage point margin of error, Trzaskowski had 50.3 percent compared to 49.7 percent for Nawrocki. As Poland's new president, Nawrocki is likely to continue to use his presidential power of veto to block Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk's pro-EU programme. Nawrocki supports traditional Catholic and family values and is a strong supporter of Polish sovereignty within the EU. He backs continued support for Ukraine, but has said he does not want to see the country joining NATO and the EU during Russia's ongoing aggression. He supports a strong sovereign Poland and does not want the country to cede any more powers to Brussels. He opposes the EU's climate and migration policies. In his speech immediately after the polls closed, when the result was still in doubt, Nawrocki said: “We will save Poland, we will not allow the power of Donald Tusk to be complete.” Click here to read…
Russia and Ukraine Fail Again to Agree Ceasefire but Commit to Prisoner Swap
A second round of direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine that took place on June 2 have ended without a major breakthrough, and only a deal to swap more prisoners of war. Ukrainian negotiators said Russia had again rejected an "unconditional ceasefire" - a key demand by Kyiv and its allies in Europe and the US - but the two committed to return the bodies of 12,000 soldiers. The Russian team said it had proposed a two- or three-day truce "in certain areas" of the vast front line, but gave no further details. At the second round of talks, which were held in the Turkish city of Istanbul and lasted just over an hour, the two sides did agree to exchange all sick and heavily wounded prisoners of war, as well those aged under 25. Expectations were low even before the talks started, with both sides remaining deeply divided on how to end a war that has been raging since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Moscow currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory, including the southern Crimea peninsula it annexed in 2014. Click here to read…
Dutch Government Collapses after Far-Right Leader Quits Coalition
The Dutch government has collapsed after Geert Wilders withdrew his far-right party from the governing coalition following a row over migration. Prime Minister Dick Schoof confirmed he was stepping down and offered the resignation of the cabinet to King Willem-Alexander. In televised remarks following an emergency cabinet meeting, Schoof said Wilders' decision to withdraw the support of his PVV party was "irresponsible and unnecessary". "As far as I'm concerned, this shouldn't have happened," he added. The governing coalition was in place for less than one year. The row which led to its collapse came after Wilders pushed for 10 additional asylum measures, including a freeze on applications, halting the construction of reception centres and limiting family reunification. Click here to read…
Ukraine Strikes Kerch Bridge in Crimea with Underwater Explosives
Kyiv has hit the Kerch bridge in Crimea — a key piece of Russian infrastructure illegally built by Moscow after its unilateral annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula in 2014. Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) released the video of the attack, showing the explosion underwater. The operation, which took months to plan, was carried out by the SBU and took months to plan. In the official statement on Telegram, the SBU explained how exactly it managed to strike Russia’s illegally constructed bridge for the third time since the beginning of Moscow’s full-scale invasion. The SBU added that the bridge's underwater supports were severely damaged as 1,100 kilograms of explosives in TNT equivalent were detonated. The Kerch bridge links Russia and the Ukrainian peninsula and therefore is a critical supply and transport route for Russian forces to the occupied Ukrainian territories, specifically in southern Ukraine. Kyiv has hit the bridge twice previously, in October 2022 and July 2023, damaging it significantly but not destroying it, as it remained operational. Click here to read…
Russian Attack on Ukraine's Sumy kills at least Three and Injures 20
Russia attacked the Ukrainian city of Sumy on Tuesday, killing at least three people and injuring 20, according to Ukraine’s emergency service. According to the preliminary investigation results, Russia struck the city with long-range multiple-launch rocket systems. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at least one of the missiles failed to detonate, piercing the wall of a nine-story residential apartment building. “The Russians launched a savage strike on Sumy – directly targeting the city and its ordinary streets with rocket artillery. It was a fully deliberate attack on civilians”, Zelenskyy said in a statement. Sumy region military administration reported that a medical facility, cars and residential buildings were damaged by the strikes. The Sumy region in north-eastern Ukraine borders Russia’s Kursk and Belgorod regions. Its proximity to the border made it a constant target of Russian shelling and repeated assaults. Click here to read…
Putin tells Trump Russia ‘Will Have to Respond’ to Ukraine Drone Attack
Donald Trump spoke with Vladimir Putin for more than an hour on June 4, but he conceded the talks would not lead “to immediate peace” in Ukraine, and warned that Russia would respond to Ukraine’s successful attacks this week on its airfields. The US president, who repeatedly claimed he could end the Ukraine war in 24 hours during his election campaign, did not attempt to discourage the Russian leader from retaliation, according to his description of the discussion on his Truth Social platform. In separate remarks, Putin once again ruled out a comprehensive ceasefire in Ukraine, claiming it would just give Kyiv time to regroup and rearm, while Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy described Moscow’s peace proposals presented earlier this week as nothing more than an “ultimatum”. The comments from both leaders confirmed negotiations in Istanbul on June 2 had made no headway towards a truce, but the two sides signalled progress on other issues, including the transfer of captives and bodies. Click here to read…
Damage, Disruptions Reported following Explosion on Train Tracks in Russia's Voronezh Oblast
An explosion on a rail line in Russia's Voronezh Oblast on June 5 caused damage to the track and disrupted train travel along the line, regional Governor Alexander Gusev claimed. The explosion occurred in a remote area between the communities of Yevdakovo and Saguny in Voronezh Oblast. Gusev claimed that no one was injured in the explosion that immediately disrupted the travel of at least 19 passenger and commercial trains. The explosions were allegedly caused by an improvised explosive device. Ukraine's intelligence agencies as well as Ukrainian partisan movements have previously been involved in sabotage attacks on Russian railways, disrupting the transport of military cargo toward the front line. Neither the Ukrainian military nor the partisan movement Atesh commented on the alleged attack. Ukraine's Military Intelligence Agency (HUR) said Ukrainian drone operators destroyed three Russian fuel tanks during a strike on a train moving through occupied areas of Zaporizhzhia Oblast on May 24. Click here to read…
Russia Attacks Ukraine with Nearly 500 Drones and Missiles in Latest Record Strike
In yet another massive overnight attack, Russia launched a total of 499 drones and missiles at Ukraine on June 9. According to the official statement by Ukraine’s Air Defence forces, 479 of them have been downed. In a record wave of strikes, Moscow launched 479 Shahed type attack drones and various decoy UAVs, four Kh 47M2 "Kinzhal" air-launched ballistic missiles, 10 Kh 101 cruise missiles, three Kh 22 cruise missiles, two Kh 31P anti radar missiles and one Kh 35 cruise missile. Ukraine reportedly neutralised 479 of the incoming targets, shooting down 292 and jamming 187 via electronic warfare. Apart from Kyiv, Russia’s latest attacks have specifically targeted western Ukraine. At least one person was reported injured in the city of Rivne in northwestern Ukraine, near the border with Belarus. The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said it scrambled fighter jets in response to the Russian aerial attacks in western Ukraine. Click here to read…
Indian External Affairs Minister Embarks on a Week-Long Trip to Europe
Since June 8, Jaishankar is on a week-long visit to Europe to hold talks with leaders of France, the European Union and Belgium to boost bilateral ties and reaffirm India's policy of zero-tolerance against terrorism. The external affairs minister would travel to Paris and Marseille where he would be holding bilateral discussions with his counterpart minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean Noel Barrot. Jaishankar would also participate in the inaugural edition of the Mediterranean Raisina Dialogue to be held in the city of Marseille, France. In Brussels, Jaishankar will hold a strategic dialogue with the EU High Representative and Vice President Kaja Kallas. It said Jaishankar would hold bilateral consultations with the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Belgium Maxime Prevot and would also meet the senior leadership of the country. He will also interact with the members of the Indian community, in addition to think tanks and media. Click here to read…
EU Proposes Fresh Sanctions on Russia's Oil, Banks, Nord Stream and 'Shadow Fleet'
The European Union has formally proposed a fresh round of sanctions against Russia to pressure the Kremlin into accepting a 30-day unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine, a step that Western allies consider an indispensable prelude to serious peace negotiations. If approved by Member States, it would mark the 18th package of sanctions since February 2022, the largest regime ever imposed by the bloc. The latest proposal, unveiled on June 10 by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and High Representative Kaja Kallas, blacklists an additional 22 Russian banks and extends the ban on transactions to entities based outside the country that contribute to the circumvention of sanctions. The Russian Direct Investment Fund, a sovereign wealth fund with an estimated capital of $10 billion (€8.75 billion), is targeted. "Russia continues to bring death and destruction to Ukraine," von der Leyen said. "Russia's goal is not peace, it is to impose the rule of might." Click here to read…
UK Agrees Post-Brexit Deal over Gibraltar
The UK has agreed a deal with the European Union over Gibraltar's status after Brexit. Talks on rules governing the border between Spain and the British Overseas Territory have been ongoing since the UK left the EU in 2020. The UK said the agreement would avoid the need for checks on people and goods crossing the Gibraltar-Spain border. For travellers arriving at Gibraltar airport, passport checks will be carried out by Gibraltar and Spanish officials. Spanish border officials would be able to deny entry as it would be possible for British arrivals to continue their travel into Spain and the EU free-travel area without further checks. This is similar to the system in place for Eurostar passengers at London's St Pancras station, where travellers pass through both British and French passport control before boarding international trains. Click here to read…
Polish PM Donald Tusk wins Confidence Vote
Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk has won a vote of confidence in his pro-EU government after his political camp narrowly lost the recent presidential election. Some 243 parliamentarians voted in favour of the coalition government, with 210 voting against and no abstentions. Tusk's coalition has a 12-seat majority in the lower house, the Sejm, and only a simple majority in the presence of half the 460 parliamentarians was required to win. Ahead of the vote, Tusk told the house that they could not "close their eyes" to the reality that his government faces "greater challenges" thanks to the election of Karol Nawrocki, who is supported by the Law and Justice (PiS) opposition. Tusk's coalition lacks a big enough parliamentary majority to overturn a presidential veto. Nothing can be done about that, but a reconfirmation by parliament puts Tusk's government on the front foot again, at least for now. He has also announced a cabinet reshuffle would take place in July. Click here to read…
Ukraine Collects 1,212 Bodies in Latest Swap with Russia
The bodies of 1,212 Ukrainian soldiers have been returned from Russia, Kyiv says, as part of a prisoner exchange agreement between the warring countries. In return Russia received 27 bodies, Moscow's chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said. The prisoner exchange deal was the only tangible result of peace talks in Turkey last week, with both sides agreeing to hand over as many as 6,000 dead bodies each, as well as sick and heavily wounded prisoners of war, and those aged under 25. Medinsky announced that Russia would begin exchanging "severely wounded prisoners" on Thursday. The dead soldiers were from various regions of Ukraine, including Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine's co-ordination centre for the treatment of prisoners of war said on Telegram. The centre added it would "establish the identities of the deceased as soon as possible". Click here to read…
Thousands attend ‘red line’ protest in The Hague against Israel’s Gaza war
Tens of thousands of pro-Palestine demonstrators gathered in the Netherlands to oppose Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza and to call on the government to take a stronger stance, as nearly 55,300 Palestinians have now been killed in the more than 20-month-long war. On June 15, huge crowds of people marched through the streets of The Hague for the second time in four weeks towards the International Court of Justice. Rights groups, who were among the organisers of the rally, including Amnesty International and Oxfam, said the demonstration aimed to create a symbolic “red line” that they say the government has failed to set to halt Israel’s war on Gaza and its Palestinian population. Demonstrators sang, delivered speeches and marched past the courthouse, which is hearing a case by South Africa accusing Israel of committing genocide during its war on the besieged enclave. Click here to read…
Macron Criticises Trump’s Threats to take over Greenland During Visit
Emmanuel Macron has criticised Donald Trump’s threats to take over Greenland as he became the first foreign head of state to visit the vast, mineral-rich Arctic territory since the US president began making explicit threats to annex it. “I don’t think that’s what allies do,” Macron said as he arrived in the Danish autonomous territory for a highly symbolic visit aimed at conveying “France’s and the EU’s solidarity” with Greenland on his way to a summit of G7 leaders in Canada. The French president said: “It’s important that Denmark and the Europeans commit themselves to this territory, where the strategic stakes are very high and whose territorial integrity must be respected.” Trump has said repeatedly the US needs Greenland, which is strategically located at the crossroads between the Atlantic and the Arctic, for US national security reasons, and has refused to rule out the use of force to secure it. Click here to read…
