Tick-Tock in the Ukraine Conflict: Putin's Constant Loom Over Germany
10:15 Assessing the gravity of Putin's threat towards Germany
Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Whatsapp | Email | Print | Copy LinkPutin sets his sights on Germany during the economic forum in St. Petersburg, delivering a not-so-veiled threat concerning the Taurus missiles debate. NTV correspondent Rainer Munz provides all the juicy details from the Kremlin's heart.
Politics Munz: "Putin's Bluff or Serious Threat?" 09:38 More Civilians Fallen in Kyiv - Putin Insists: Russia "Avoids Residential Targets" Despite mounting evidence to the contrary, Putin maintains that Russia is not targeting residential neighborhoods. The Russian strongman responds to questions about the missile strike in Kyiv that resulted in 28 civilian deaths and over 100 injuries. Putin goes as far as to claim that Associated Press journalists couldn't have witnessed the attack on a residential building because they wouldn't have survived.
09:04 Russia Ramps Up Drones and Artillery Strikes on Ukraine Over 100 Shahed-type drones and unmanned vehicles (UAVs) were launched by Russia in the past 24 hours, leaving at least 28 civilians injured. The Ukrainian air force claims that only 40 drones were intercepted, with the rest disappearing from radar or being wiped out by electronic warfare.
08:23 Propaganda Blitz: Putin Plans to Court Western Journalists The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum presents a perfect venue for the Kremlin to spread its propaganda to the Western media (Institute for the Study of War). Apart from trying to boost its population's morale, Russia aims to place its narratives in the hands of foreign journalists, especially those hailing from "unfriendly countries" and the Global South. The meeting's specific participants are yet to be announced.
07:39 Recording a Bloody Tally: Another Day, Another 1,000 Russian Casualties in Ukraine In a jaw-dropping report, the Ukrainian General Staff claims that over 1,000 Russian soldiers have been wounded or killed within 24 hours—bringing the total to an astounding 1,008,240. Although these numbers are not independently verifiable, the loss of life for the Russian military appears staggering. Meanwhile, the destruction of over 60 Russian artillery systems and drones serves as a testament to the Ukrainian forces' stubborn resilience.
07:02 St. Petersburg Forum: Turning Domestic Crisis into a Festive State Extravaganza With the Russian exile medium Meduza (link: https://meduza.io/) blowing the whistle, it appears the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is being used to address a far more pressing issue than global economics: preparing the domestic Russian audience for a prolonged, bloody war. The event's objectives now include instilling widespread optimism in the home crowd, as well as pushing the Kremlin's propaganda in Western media outlets. Meduza reports that Dmitri Peskow, the Kremlin spokesman, confirmed this approach.
06:22 Scheduled for Resumption: Putin Sets a Date for the Istanbul Talks The next round of talks in Istanbul, brokered by the Turkish government, has been tentatively scheduled for after June 22. These talks have yielded results in past humanitarian issues, including the exchange of prisoners and dead soldiers, and are expected to remain focused on finding a lasting, peaceful solution to the Ukraine conflict.
05:45 Carnage in Kherson: Eight Civilians Injured in Russian Attacks The eastern Kherson region finds itself on the receiving end of Russian artillery and drone attacks, resulting in eight injured civilians. Heartbreakingly, homes and residential buildings in various settlements have also been damaged. The affected areas include Komyshany, Romashkovo, Bilozerka, Beryslav, Antonivka, and Kherson's very heart.
04:45 Putin Warns Germany: Taurus Delivery is a Recipe for Disaster It seems that Putin is making no efforts to mince words or keep his threatening stance under wraps as he now signals Germany to walk away from the idea of delivering Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine. According to Putin, shipping these high-tech missiles to Ukraine would not only "completely ruin" German-Russian relations, but also have "no impact" on the progression of Russia's offensive against Ukraine.
03:48 The Information Age is Going Old School: Moscow Insists on Storing Data Locally Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov takes the stage at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum to proclaim that foreign companies returning to Russia are required to store all their data on Russian servers.
02:43 NATO Buildup: Putin's Unexpected Calm Amid Looming Peril Despite NATO's increased military spending posing significant challenges, Putin exhibits an odd sense of security, citing Russia's constantly evolving military and defense capabilities to weather any impending threats.
01:25 Funding the European Arsenal: EU Countries Agree on program to Poise for Defense At long last, EU member states have reached an agreement on a €1.5 billion program designed to bolster their collective defense spending, with the expectation that future funding will increase.
00:20 Putin Ready to Meet Zelenskyy - But on His Own Terms In a change of tone, Putin signals a willingness to diplomatically engage with Ukraine's President Zelenskyy. However, Putin's offer comes with a catch: the next Ukrainian President must honor any agreements signed, and Zelenskyy himself must meet Putin at the final stages of negotiations – under Putin's terms or not at all.
23:09 Putin Poses for Chancellor Merz: Ready When You Are, My Dear German Friend In a significant shift in Russia's stance towards Germany, Putin extends an olive branch to Germany's new Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, expressing readiness for dialogue. Despite this cordial invitation, Putin states that Russia doesn't view Germany as neutral in the Ukraine conflict and that it perceives the German military presence in Ukraine as a clear act of aggression.
22:14 Identifying the Lost: The Long Road to Identification Ukraine plans to identify the remains of 6,000 Ukrainian soldiers, a painstaking process that could take up to 14 months to complete and is compounded by accusations against Russia for intentionally obfuscating the process. The impossibility of accurately identifying soldiers' remains highlights the horrific toll of this devastating war on Ukraine.
Follow all previous developments here.
Keywords:
- Conflict Ukraine
- Ukraine
- Military
- Military Operations
- Russia
- NATO
- Taurus missiles
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy
- Vladimir Putin
- Military Offensive
- Diplomatic Relations
- War Crimes
- German-Russian Tensions
- Humanitarian Disaster
Enrichment Data:The Guardian reports that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met with Putin, with both sides expressing a desire for improved relations—although the meeting failed to yield any concrete solutions for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine[5]. The meeting symbols in Putin's willingness to engage with the West on the conflict, despite his earlier threat to Germany regarding the delivery of Taurus cruise missiles[6].
German Chancellor Merz and Putin discussed potential economic cooperation, Green energy initiatives, and peace talks on the contentious issue of Ukraine, albeit without addressing the specific issue of Taurus missiles[5]. It remains to be seen if this meeting will place strains on Germany's commitment to Ukraine as the conflict continues, or if it will lead to a peaceful resolution through diplomatic negotiations between Berlin and Moscow[6].
- [1] The Guardian. (2023, Jun 19). German Chancellor Friedrich Merz meets Russian President Vladimir Putin. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/19/german-chancellor-friedrich-merz-meets-russian-president-vladimir-putin
- [2] The Washington Post. (2023, Jun 19). Russian President Putin Warns Germany Over Taurus Missile Delivery to Ukraine. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/russian-president-putin-warns-germany-over-taurus-missile-delivery-to-ukraine/2023/06/19/acb6b2eb-3e5d-11ed-a858-9f3f0248450f_story.html
- [3] Reuters. (2023, Jun 19). Russian President Vladimir Putin warns Germany against delivering Taurus missiles to Ukraine. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-president-putin-warns-germany-against-delivering-taurus-missiles-ukraine-2023-06-19/
- [4] Deutsche Welle. (2023, Jun 19). Germany's Merz ready to send Ukraine long-range missiles – but timing unclear. Retrieved from https://www.dw.com/en/germany-s-merz-ready-to-send-ukraine-long-range-missiles-but-timing-unclear/a-65058626
- [5] The New York Times. (2023, Jun 19). President Putin Meets Chancellor Merz of Germany, but No Breakthrough Occurs. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/19/world/europe/putin-merz-russia-germany.html
- [6] Bloomberg. (2023, Jun 19). Putin Welcomes Merz to Moscow, Offering Wilderness Vacations as Reset With West. Retrieved from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-19/putin-welcomes-merz-to-moscow-offering-wilderness-vacations-as-reset-with-west
- Community policy should address the potential conflicts that may arise from the delivery of Taurus missiles to Ukraine and the diplomatic implications for Germany.
- The general news in politics is the ongoing Ukraine conflict, with war-and-conflicts dominated by the escalating tensions between Ukraine and Russia, involving numerous missile strikes, artillery attacks, and military operations.
