Ukraine Breaking News Today Live on 06-06-2024

US officials said last week that Washington had partially lifted its restrictions to enable Ukraine to defend its eastern Kharkiv region, which borders Russia.

President Joe Biden insisted Thursday that US weapons would not be used to attack Moscow after he authorized Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia with Western-supplied arms.

In response to the Russian offensive in northeast Ukraine, the United States and some other countries have allowed Kyiv to use Western-donated weapons to strike inside Russian territory.

Ukraine’s largest state-owned energy companies received substantial financial aid from EBRD to build decentralized energy system after Russian missiles destroyed power-generating capacities.

Ukrnafta, Ukrhydroenergo and Ukrenergo will receive €300 million ($326 million) from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to restore generating capacities.

Ukrnafta, and EBRD will begin constructing peaking power plants capacities, which will, in the medium term, help support Ukraine's energy system, which has suffered from attacks by Russian missiles.

Demand remains sufficient to reduce rates

The Ministry of Finance increased the supply of bonds offered and easily placed the planned amount, reducing interest rates even more despite overall demand decreasing by 5% to UAH33.8bn.

The Ministry increased supply to UAH11bn, increasing the cap on two and three-year bonds to UAH4bn for each and keeping the cap for 12-month paper at UAH3bn. Oversubscription for one-year bills was almost twofold, and for two and three-year bonds, it was more than threefold.

Ukraine was forced last month to divert manpower to the northeastern Kharkiv region from other areas of the front line after Russian forces launched a ground offensive into the border territory.

Ukraine on Thursday, June 6, ordered the evacuation of children and their guardians from several towns and villages in the eastern Donetsk region, where fighting with Russia is intensifying.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Russian firepower is now concentrated in Donetsk, which the Kremlin claimed to have annexed in 2022 despite not having full control over it.

British paratroopers, recreating a D-Day airdrop to mark its 80th anniversary, were met by French border control and customs officials at a makeshift checkpoint in Normandy.

The UK’s Daily Mail, among others, expressed consternation that 250 British paratroopers from the UK’s 16 Air Assault Brigade were met by French customs officials as they landed in Sannerville northern France on Wednesday as part of the 80th D-Day anniversary commemorations.

Video footage posted on X/Twitter shows that, while their 70 or so US and Belgian colleagues collected their equipment and made their way to the transport sent to collect them, the UK soldiers wearing camouflage combat gear were standing in line waiting to show their passports and documents to waiting French customs officials.

“80 years ago today, the weather broke, and the greatest invasion force in history left the shores of Britain to liberate Europe” – Rishi Sunak the UK Prime Minister.

On Tuesday, June 6, 1944, Operation Neptune, better known as D-Day and part of Operation Overlord, the largest seaborne invasion in history, began. It saw tens of thousands of Allied soldiers landing on five beaches in Normandy, northern France – with the codenames Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword.

The operation was the start of the liberation of France – and, subsequently, the rest of Western Europe – laying the foundations of the Allied victory on the Western Front. The Neptune amphibious assault was supported by the landing of 24,000 US, British, and Canadian airborne troops. At the same time, Operation Bodyguard, a number of diversionary attacks in the Balkans, southern France, Norway and Bulgaria, were carried out to mislead the Germans as to the date and location of the main Allied landing.

Between Thursday and Sunday roughly 350 million voters will elect the 720 members of a new European Parliament. Commentators look at how this shift should be handled.

Between Thursday and Sunday roughly 350 million voters will elect the 720 members of a new European Parliament. The far-right groups ID (Identity and Democracy) and ECR (European Conservatives and Reformists) are expected to make strong gains. Commentators look at how this shift should be handled.

In search of the lesser evil

By the end of this year only 20 Ukrainian F-16 pilots are expected to graduate, half of the number needed to man a full squadron of 20 of the fighter aircraft.

Ukrainian officials are urging the US and other countries to expedite F-16 pilot training, stating that the current graduation rate is insufficient to produce enough aviators to operate the aircraft soon to be donated to Kyiv, as reported by Politico.

The Politico report, based on interviews with former and current US, Ukrainian, and European officials and lawmakers, many of whom spoke anonymously about sensitive diplomatic conversations, outlines the situation.

Paying homage to the US and other Allied soldiers who fought on the Normandy beaches in June 1944, Biden stressed that "strong alliances" were key.

Democracy is more under threat now than at any time in the last eight decades, US President Joe Biden said Thursday at a ceremony to mark the World War II D-Day landings.

"We're living in a time when democracy is more at risk across the world than at any point since the end of World War II," he said in the French town of Colleville-sur-Mer.

The ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are full of artists and writers. Now one of the country’s most beloved literary figures has decided to join the fight more directly.

Serhiy Zhadan, one of Ukraine’s most internationally acclaimed writers, has joined the Ukrainian National Guard.

“I’ve Joined the ranks of the 13th brigade of National Guard of Ukraine ‘Khartia’ [Charter]. I am in training. Serving the Ukrainian people,” he wrote on his official Facebook page.

Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence destroyed a critical tugboat the Kremlin needs to move heavy military equipment and supplies from Russia to the Crimean Peninsula.

The Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) of the Ministry of Defense reported via Telegram the destruction of a Russian Project 498 Saturn class tugboat critical to the transport of heavy military equipment and supplies from mainland Russia to the occupied Crimea peninsula.

“Saturn will no longer sail - the special forces of the HUR destroyed the Russian tugboat,” read the caption accompanying the released video.

On Thursday, June 6, Western leaders gathered on the northern beaches of France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and Olena Zelenska arrived in Normandy for the D-Day anniversary commemoration. 

On Thursday, June 6, Western leaders gathered on the northern beaches of France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, which were pivotal in freeing Europe from Nazi control.

While the trip might end up being a one-way ticket for some Ukrainian men, not updating the data would also bar them from receiving consular services abroad.

Ukrainian men abroad of military age would be required to return to Ukraine to update their military registration if certain rules had been violated previously, said the country’s Ministry of Defense on Tuesday, June 4.

Since the new mobilization law came into effect on May 18, Ukrainian men – both domestic and abroad – could update their data within 60 days through the Reserv+ mobile application.

The express train from Prague, which had more than 300 passengers on board, was travelling to the Ukrainian town of Chop when it collided with the freight train, which was carrying calcium carbide.

Four people were killed and more than 20 injured when an express train crashed head-on with a freight train in the Czech city of Pardubice, officials said Thursday.

The express train from Prague with more than 300 passengers on board was travelling overnight to the Ukrainian town of Chop when it collided with the freight train, which was carrying calcium carbide, a caustic and flammable chemical.

Odesa resident and Italian citizen Ugo Poletti talks to Kyiv Post about how Italy's connection to Ukraine has spurred the current government in Rome to deepen its support.

In the early hours of 6 June 2023, the massive Soviet-era dam was blown up, pouring billions of litres of water downstream and flooding dozens of villages on the banks of the vast Dnipro river.

Standing in what remains of her house, partially destroyed by a Russian artillery strike, Raisa Abramtseva painted a bleak picture of her daily life in southern Ukraine's Kherson region.

"Nowhere to live, no water," she said, summarising the day-to-day in her village of Novovorontsovka, which faces regular Russian bombardments and is still suffering from the fallout of the destruction of the Kakhovka dam one year ago.

Attacks on Ukraine's thermal and hydroelectric plants in recent weeks have forced authorities to take sweeping measures to keep the grid from total collapse.

Kyiv on Thursday said it would maintain emergency blackouts across the country and import electricity from Europe to ease the fallout from Russian strikes on its power plants.

Attacks on Ukraine's thermal and hydroelectric plants in recent weeks have forced authorities to take sweeping measures to keep the grid from total collapse.

Kyiv Post takes you to the banks of the Dnipro River, with an exclusive photo reportage about what’s now at the site of the Kakhovka Reservoir, which Russia destroyed.

The Novoshakhtinsky petroleum plant, the largest supplier of petroleum products in the south of Russia and the only oil refinery in the Rostov region, was targeted in an overnight attack.

Kyiv Post sources in Ukraine’s special services confirmed that in the early morning of Thursday, June 6, Ukrainian drones targeted the Novoshakhtinsky petroleum plant in the Rostov region and an oil depot in the Starooskolsky city district of the Belgorod region.

According to the head of the Rostov region, Vasily Golubev, more than 120 rescuers and at least 15 pieces of equipment, including a fire train, were deployed to extinguish the blaze following the strike on the Novoshakhtinsky plant.

Russia denies harboring any military intentions. Yet it had previously denied preparing for a military offensive in Ukraine before launching an assault on Feb. 24, 2022.

Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed foreign news outlets on Wednesday, June 5, stating that Moscow has no "imperial ambitions" and dismissed the notion that Russia might attack NATO as "bollocks."

When asked by AFP about the presence of Soviet and Russian imperial flags at Gazprom's headquarters, where the meeting was held, Putin said, "There is no need to look for some imperial ambitions of ours. There are none. There is no need to look for something that is not there."

Emmanuel Macron will host Joe Biden, King Charles III and Justin Trudeau, representing the Allied powers whose troops gave their lives in the landings on the Normandy beaches on June 6, 1944.

Western leaders were Thursday to remember the 1944 World War II D-Day landings in northern France to liberate Europe from Nazi occupation, mindful of the over two-year war raging again in Europe after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron will host US leader Joe Biden, King Charles III of the UK and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, representing the Allied powers whose troops gave their lives in the landings on the Normandy beaches on June 6, 1944.

The White paper sets out three priorities for Ukraine to progress simultaneously, along with key challenges facing the nation amidst a protracted war with Russia.

Ukraine has established three key priorities for economic growth during Russia’s continuing full-scale invasion, according to a new policy paper issued by the government. These include economic stability, removing constraints on growth, and reforms.

The White Paper on Immediate Economic Policy Priorities for Growth, issued by the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Economy on June 5, outlines the vision and measures for economic development in detail.

The US multinational has reportedly applied to register several of its trademarks through Russia’s intellectual property service.

The US multinational coffeehouse chain Starbucks, which withdrew from Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has submitted applications to register several trademarks through Russia’s intellectual property service, Rospatent.

The Seattle-based company began to operate in Russia in 2007 but suspended work and deliveries in Russia on March 10, 2022, just days after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine before completely exiting the Russian market in May.

The world in focus, as seen by a Canadian leading global affairs analyst, writer and speaker, in his review of international media.

Russia has knocked out or captured more than half of Ukraine’s power generation, causing the worst rolling blackouts since the start of its full-scale invasion in 2022. Moscow’s missile and drone attacks in recent months have homed in on Ukrainian power plants, forcing energy companies to impose nationwide shutdowns while scrambling to repair the damage and find alternative supplies. Before Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine’s domestic energy production was about 55 gigawatts of electricity, among the largest in Europe. That power generation capacity has currently dropped below 20GW, due to bombardments or to Russian occupation taking those plants offline, according to Ukrainian officials. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal told government meeting on Thursday that the consequences of Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector are “long-term”, which means that saving power “will be part of our daily life in the years to come”. A Russian attack on Saturday struck energy facilities in five regions, causing significant damage, said Kyiv energy minister German Galushchenko. The latest strikes have also targeted pumping facilities for underground natural gas storage being used by EU customers. Though these pumps can be easily replaced, the attacks do highlight concerns about security of supply come winter — both for domestic use and exports to the bloc. One Ukrainian government official described Saturday’s assault as “devastating” while another said it was likely to mean that by winter residents would be spending a vast majority of their day without electricity. - FT

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on June 5 that Russia could provide advanced long-range weapons to Western adversaries in an "asymmetric" response to Ukrainian missile strikes deep into Russian territory. Putin, speaking in rare press conference with foreign news organizations at Russia's annual economic forum in St Petersburg, said Russia was thinking of delivering such weapons to regions of the world from which they could strike the countries that are supplying weapons to Ukraine. “If someone thinks it is possible to supply such weapons to a warzone to attack our territory and create problems for us, why don't we have the right to supply weapons of the same class to regions of the world where there will be strikes on sensitive facilities of those [Western] countries?" Putin asked. “That is, the response can be asymmetric. We will think about it," he told reporters. - RFE/RL

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from the ISW:

• US officials continue to attempt to clarify US policy regarding Ukraine's ability to strike a limited subset of Russian military targets within Russia with US-provided weapons, but public communications about US policy remain unclear.
• Western-provided artillery ammunition has reportedly started arriving to Ukrainian forces on the frontline, although not at a scale that would allow Ukrainian forces to fully challenge the Russian military's current artillery shell advantage.
• Russian missile and drone strikes have caused significant long-term damage to Ukraine's energy grid, and Ukraine will reportedly face even greater energy constraints in summer 2024.
• Ukrainian outlet Liga reported on June 4 that a source in Ukraine's Main Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR) stated that there are roughly 550,000 Russian military and paramilitary personnel concentrated in occupied Ukraine and near the international border.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on June 4 that former Russian Defense Minister and Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu will coordinate efforts to increase Russian defense industrial capacity alongside former Tula Oblast Governor and Presidential Aide Alexei Dyumin and Security Council Deputy Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev.
• The apparent demotion of former First Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council and United Russia Secretary Andrei Turchak on June 4 is likely part of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ongoing effort to remove from power the political and military figures that violated his trust in 2023.
• A recent meeting of the Kremlin-appointed Russian Human Rights Council (HRC) on Russia's migration policy reflects Russia's competing imperatives of attracting migrants to offset Russian labor shortages while also catering to its ultranationalist anti-migrant constituency.
• Chechen Republic Rosgvardia Head and Russian State Duma Deputy Adam Delimkhanov accused State Duma Deputy Chairman and New People Party Head Vladislav Davankov of contradicting the Russian Constitution and attempting to divide Russian society, exposing continued tension between Chechen efforts to operate autonomously and the Russian state’s efforts to regulate perceived Islamic extremist threats from migrant and indigenous Muslim communities.
• Russian state-owned gas company Gazprom reportedly assesses that it is unlikely to recover gas sales it lost following the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, illustrating how Western sanctions are achieving some long-term impacts against Russian revenue streams supporting Russia's war effort.
• Russian investigative outlet the Insider and Moldovan outlet Little Country published an investigation on June 5 detailing how former Moldovan Chief of the General Staff Igor Gorgan operated as an agent on behalf of the Russian General Staff’s Main Directorate (GRU).
• Russian forces recently advanced southeast of Kupyansk, near Chasiv Yar, west of Avdiivka, and southwest of Donetsk City.
• The Kremlin likely authorized the Crimean branch of the Kremlin-created "Defenders of Fatherland" state fund to help grant combatants in Russian private military companies (PMCs) legal veteran statuses, possibly as part of an ongoing state effort to centralize control over irregular formations operating in Ukraine.