Live blog: Moscow 'misleading Russians' over Ukraine offensive — Wagner

Wednesday, June 21, 2023

The chief of mercenary group Wagner has accused Moscow's top brass of deceiving Russians about the course of Ukraine's offensive and pointed to Kiev's progress on the battlefield.

Early this month Kiev's military launched its counteroffensive in the east and south of the Western-backed country in an effort to claw back territory lost since last year.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said that Ukraine's offensive is failing.

But Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose forces had for months led an assault for towns in eastern Ukraine including Bakhmut, accused the defence ministry of not telling the truth and losing territory to Ukrainian troops.

"They are misleading the Russian people," he said in an audio message released by his spokespeople. A number of villages including Pyatykhatky has been lost, Prigozhin said, pointing to a lack of arms and ammunition.

"Huge chunks have been handed over to the enemy," he said, adding that Ukrainian troops have already sought to cross the Dnipro River, a natural border on the frontline. "All of this is being totally hidden from everyone," he said.

"One day Russia will wake up to discover that Crimea too has been handed over to Ukraine," he said.

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1748 GMT — Top Russian court rejects bid to strike down war protest law

Russia's constitutional court has rejected an attempt by rights groups to seek the repeal of a law that bans people from speaking out against Russia's offensive against Ukraine.

In a lengthy ruling, the court rejected the bid to strike down Article 20.3.3 of the code of administrative offences, which bans "public actions aimed at discrediting the use of the armed forces".

Campaigners including legal defence group OVD-Info and the banned human rights organisation Memorial had filed the case in April, saying it violated articles of Russia's constitution including free speech and freedom of conscience.

1703 GMT — Zaporizhzhia plant plans to pump water from burst dam's reservoir - IAEA

The International Atomic Energy Agency said last week it was unclear whether it would be possible to pump water from the reservoir to cool reactors and spent fuel at Europe's biggest nuclear plant given how much the reservoir's level has fallen.

While the plant can fall back on other water sources, including a cooling pond with what the IAEA says is months' worth of water in it, whatever can be pumped from the reservoir should buy more time before stocks have to be replenished.

"Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) is planning to resume pumping water that still remains accessible despite a major loss of water in the Kakhovka reservoir caused by the destruction of the downstream dam earlier this month," the IAEA said in a statement.

1645 GMT — Kiev 'not optimistic' about grain deal renewal

"We are not optimistic at this time," deputy prime minister for the restoration of Ukraine, Oleksandr Kubrakov, told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in London.

"Since the beginning of May, the corridor efficiency has decreased," he said, adding that Ukraine recently exported more agricultural products via other routes than through the corridors under the agreement.

1652 GMT — Ukraine PM Shmyhal expects to secure almost $7 billion in aid

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said he expected to secure almost $7 billion in aid, after telling a London conference Russia's offensive meant Kiev was facing the largest reconstruction project in Europe since World War Two.

"The key objective is to mobilise resources to finance rapid recovery," he said on Telegram.

Earlier on Wednesday, he said Ukraine needs just over $6 billion more in the next 12 months to help recover from the conflict.

1642 GMT — Ukraine de-mining like clearing Europe after WWII: UN

Clearing the landmines in Ukraine will require an operation comparable to clearing Europe of explosive hazards after World War II, the United Nations said.

The task will need up to $300 million per year over the next five years to clear those landmines causing the biggest drag on Ukraine's economy, said Paul Heslop, the head of UN mine action for the UN Development Programme in Ukraine.

"What we're facing in Ukraine is very much what was faced in Europe at the end of World War II," he told a news conference in Geneva, explaining that Europe solved its explosive hazard problem within 15 years of the end of the war.

1635 GMT — Allies pledge billions for Ukraine rebuilding and seek big-business investment at London conference

Ukraine's allies pledged several billion dollars in non-military aid to rebuild its conflict-ravaged infrastructure, fight corruption and help pave the country's road to membership in the European Union.

Stressing the vast scale of the task, diplomats and political leaders at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London urged private-sector companies to invest and revive an economy battered by almost a year and a half of conflict.

Delegates from more than 60 countries attended the conference, which is both a fundraising forum and a message to Russia that Ukraine’s Western supporters are in it for the long haul.

The World Bank has estimated the cost of the reconstruction at more than $400 billion, a figure rising daily alongside the human toll of Russia's offensive. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US would give more than $1.3 billion in new aid, including more than $500 million to restore and improve Ukraine's battered energy grid.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced $55 billion in support through 2027, while Britain pledged $305 million in aid and $3.8 billion in World Bank loan guarantees for Ukraine.

Germany announced a further $416 million in humanitarian aid.

1339 GMT — EU approves 11th sanctions package against Russia over Ukraine

The package forbids the transit via Russia of goods and technology which might be used by the Russian military or help its defence and security sector.

It also makes it possible to impose restrictions on the sale of sensitive dual-use goods and technology to countries that might sell it on to Russia and expands the list of restricted goods that could serve Russia's military and its defence sector.

The package extends the suspension of the broadcasting licences in the European Union of five Russian media outlets controlled by the Russian state. The package adds a further 71 persons and 33 entities to have assets kept in the EU frozen over their involvement, among other things, in the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia.

To curb the practice of ships loading Russian crude oil or petroleum products at sea to avoid the EU ban on Russian crude and petroleum product imports, the package bans access to EU ports for ships which engage in ship-to-ship transfers if there is reasonable cause to suspect the cargo loaded was of Russian origin.

1258 GMT — Russia: 41 killed, 121 hospitalised in Kakhovka dam breach

Russia's emergency situations minister said that 41 people had been killed and 121 hospitalised as a result of the breach of the Kakhovka dam in a Russian-controlled part of Ukraine earlier this month.

Speaking during a televised government meeting chaired by President Vladimir Putin, Alexander Kurenkov said that more than 8,000 people were evacuated from the flood zone.

1250 GMT — Putin: Russia seeing 'lull' in Ukrainian counteroffensive

President Vladimir Putin said in remarks shown on Russian state television that Moscow had seen a "lull" in the Ukrainian counteroffensive, and that Kiev had suffered heavy losses in attacks in the south.

Putin also said that although Ukraine retained offensive potential, Kiev already understood that it had "no chance" in its counteroffensive.

1246 GMT — Kiev: 3 former POWs in Hungary returned to Ukraine

Ukraine said that three prisoners of war released by Russia and transferred to Hungary had been returned to Ukraine, but criticised Budapest for hampering the process.

The European Union meanwhile said it would demand an explanation from Hungary, a member of the bloc.

Earlier this week, Ukraine said Hungary was barring access for Ukrainian officials attempting to make contact with 11 former prisoners of war handed over to Budapest by Moscow.

1123 GMT — Brussels: Ukraine makes some progress on conditions for EU talks

Brussels said Ukraine had completed two of seven reform benchmarks set before formal negotiations on joining the European Union can start, diplomats said.

The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, issued the update in a meeting with the ambassadors from the bloc's 27 countries.

Ukraine was considered as having made "some progress" on the other five criteria, diplomats said.

1120 GMT — EU adds $3.8B to Ukraine weapons fund

The EU agreed to add $3.8 billion to a fund used to pay for weapons for Ukraine, as the bloc looks to keep up support for Kiev.

Sweden, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, said the green light had been given to bolster the European Peace Facility at a meeting in Brussels.

1214 GMT — Putin: Russia's new Sarmat nuclear missiles soon ready for deployment

Putin said that Russia's new generation of Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missiles, which are capable of carrying 10 or more nuclear warheads, would soon be deployed for combat duty.

In a speech to new graduates of military academies, Putin stressed the importance of Russia's "triad" of nuclear forces that can be launched from land, sea or air.

1141 GMT — UN official: Mines dislodged by Ukraine dam collapse could wash up on beaches

A United Nations official said that the mines dislodged by the flood waters from Kakhovka dam in Ukraine could float downstream and reach as far as Black Sea beaches.

Paul Heslop, head of UN Mine Action at the United Nations Development Programme in Ukraine, told reporters in Geneva that PMF-1 mines, also known as "butterfly" mines, were light enough to float downstream for a large distance.

"I would not be surprised to see that those mines have either got down as far as the sea or over the coming months, as the water is continuing to flow, will be transported down there," he said. "Unfortunately, we could see anti-personnel pressure mines washing up on beaches around the Black Sea."

1130 GMT — Ukraine to come up with new debt relief plan early next year

Ukraine is likely to decide early next year whether to try and extend the current freeze on its international bond repayments or begin looking at potentially more complex alternatives, its top debt management chief said.

Kiev's bondholders agreed last August to suspend Ukraine's repayments for two years, but attention is already turning to what to do next as the war with Russia continues to rage.

"The uncertainty is still there," Yuriy Butsa, government commissioner for public debt management, said, referring to the war's impact on Ukraine's finances. "But we don't want to get to this time next year and have no proposal."

1126 GMT — Japan to host Ukraine investment conference by early 2024

Japan will host a conference to encourage companies to invest into Ukraine sometime between the end of the year and early 2024, foreign minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said.

Private-sector actors will be able to "strongly support the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine," Hayashi told the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London.

Japan was planning to support Ukraine mainly through projects focused on mine clearance, basic infrastructure such as electricity, agriculture and strengthening democracy, Hayashi said.

1107 GMT — Progress in counteroffensive 'slower than desired': Zelenskyy

"Some people believe this is a Hollywood movie and expect results now. It's not," BBC quoted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as saying in an interview.

Zelenskyy was quoted as saying the military push was not going easily as 200,000 square km of Ukrainian territory had been mined by Russian forces.

"Whatever some might want, including attempts to pressure us, with all due respect, we will advance on the battlefield the way we deem best," Zelenskyy told the BBC.

1012 GMT — Russian investigator says over 30 Ukrainian 'nationalists' jailed for war crimes

Alexander Bastrykin, head of the Investigative Committee, said courts operating on territory in parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions controlled by Russian forces had been working hard to jail people who had fought on the Ukrainian side against Russian forces.

"After the liberation of Mariupol and other settlements, many Ukrainian nationalists surrendered. In the course of further work, we began to establish their involvement in crimes against peace and human security, including the killing of civilians," Bastrykin told Russia's TASS news agency.

He said 90 criminal cases had been sent to courts.

0834 GMT — Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has said it was necessary to move towards real projects for the reconstruction of Ukraine.

"We must move from agreement to real projects," he said at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London.

"There is a Ukrainian delegation that will present concrete things and we propose to do them together during my tour," he added.

0827 GMT — Russian ally Belarus starts 'mobilisation exercises'

Belarus has said that its armed forces were beginning 10 days of annual "mobilisation exercises".

The Belarus defence ministry said the exercises were aimed at assessing the degree of preparation of state institutions to mobilise reservists. All Belarusian men must perform military service and remain in the reserves after completing it.

Belarus allowed Russia to use it as one of the launchpads for its full-scale incursion of Ukraine last year. Since then, it has held frequent exercises with Russia and let Russian forces use its bases for training.

0749 GMT — Ukraine reports 'partial success' in southern fighting, digging in

Ukrainian forces are reinforcing positions they have reached in areas of the southern front line after having "partial success" fighting Russian forces, a military spokesperson has said.

Ukrainian forces are conducting offensive operations in the direction of the Russian-occupied cities of Melitopol and Berdiansk in the Zaporizhzhia region, General Staff spokesperson Andriy Kovalev said, listing names of southeastern villages.

"They had partial success in the directions of Novodanilivka - Robotyne, Mala Tokmachka - Verbove, Vilne Pole - Makarivka, they are consolidating at the achieved boundaries," he was quoted as saying by the Ukraine Military Media Center.

Ukraine is also fighting to hold back an advance of Russian troops in the east, with "especially heavy fighting" taking place near Lyman in the Donetsk region, he said.

0612 GMT — Ukraine dam flood toll hits 41 in Russia-controlled area

The toll from flooding sparked by a breach of a huge Ukrainian dam has risen to 41 in areas under Russian control, an official said.

"Unfortunately the number of dead has risen to 41," said Andrei Alekseyenko, a senior official with Russian occupation authorities.

In areas under Ukrainian control, at least 16 people have died and 31 are missing, according to latest figures from Kiev

The June 6 breach of the Russia-controlled Kakhovka dam inundated huge swathes of the Kherson region, forcing thousands to flee and sparking fears of an environmental disaster.

Kiev has accused Moscow of blowing up the dam on the Dnipro River, while Russia has blamed Ukraine.

0540 GMT — Russia 'downs' drones near Moscow - officials

Russia downed three drones using electronic warfare in two neighbourhoods outside Moscow, law enforcement officers have told TASS news agency.

"Three drones were downed by electronic warfare out in a field near the village of Lukino in Novaya Moskva and in the area [of deployment] of the Tamanskaya division in [the Naro-Fominsky District of] the Moscow Region; they fell without damaging any facilities," a law enforcement officer said.

The debris will be sent for expertise, he added.

According to the official, initial reports suggest no casualties, and an investigation is underway.

2300 GMT — Pentagon's Ukraine accounting error revised up to $6.2 billion

The Pentagon has found it had overestimated the amount of funding for ammunition, missiles and other equipment it sent to Ukraine by $6.2 billion due to an accounting error, a spokesperson said, more than double the amount previously disclosed.

The value of the accounting error was revised up from the $3 billion that was first reported by Reuters in May, the result of assigning a higher-than-warranted value on US weaponry shipped to Ukraine.

Additional funding was uncovered as Pentagon officials researched the situation more thoroughly and clarified protocols for valuing equipment based on Financial Management Regulation and Department of Defense policy, Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said.

The $6.2 billion breaks down to $3.6 billion for fiscal year 2023 and $2.6 billion for fiscal year 2022, she said, adding that the errors did not impact the size of presidential drawdown authority or support for Ukraine.

2130 GMT — UK unveils $3B backing for Ukraine as fighting rages in east

The UK will back Ukraine's economy to the tune of $3 billion over the next three years while it fights back against Russian forces, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced.

The International Ukraine Recovery Conference 2023, starting on Wednesday, is looking for more help from private-sector investors to strengthen the war-torn nation's battered finances.

Downing Street said Ukraine's GDP has taken a 29 percent hit since the start of the war in February last year, with Russia targeting the economy as well as its towns and cities.

But the UK backing would help Ukraine unlock vital World Bank loans to help bolster its vital public services, including schools and hospitals.

2021 GMT — US blames Russia's war on Ukraine for 'record-breaking' increase in number of refugees

The US envoy to the UN has blamed Russia for the "record-breaking" increase in the number of refugees due to its war in Ukraine.

"President Putin's unjustifiable war in Ukraine is primarily responsible for the record-breaking increase in the number of refugees," said Linda Thomas Greenfield in a statement on World Refugee Day.

"The destruction of the Kakhovk dam two weeks ago in Ukraine's Kherson Region has placed countless more in urgent need."

In 2022, 108.4 million people — of which 35.3 million were refugees — were forcibly displaced, a record-high number, according to the UN refugee agency.

Greenfield said the US contributed over $17 billion to support the most vulnerable displaced people.

For our live updates from Tuesday (June 20), click here.