5:03 PM Ukraine: Approximately 50,000 Russian troops taken into custody
Headline: Ukraine War Live Ticker
Ukraine has managed to halt Russia's summer offensive in the northeastern region of Sumy, according to Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyj. The Russian troops have not made significant advances further than capturing a few border villages in the area. Despite the concentration of over 50,000 Russian troops in the Kursk region neighboring Sumy, Ukraine has successfully thwarted their large-scale offensive with counterattacks and precise strikes, including with HIMARS artillery systems.
Meanwhile, the foreign minister of Poland, Radoslaw Sikorski, believes that Russia would lose a new arms race with the West, much like Soviet leader Leonid Breschnew did. The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, is currently waging a "very expensive war" in Ukraine while provoking the entire West, causing it to significantly increase its defense spending. The foreign minister added that Putin will have to squeeze more money for defense out of an economy the size of Texas due to the increased military spending and the possible outcome being a similar collapse as the Soviet Union.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskow mentioned that a date for the third round of direct talks between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul will be set as soon as all exchange procedures agreed upon in the second round of talks are completed. The negotiations are being implemented to exchange prisoners following the agreement reached in the second round.
In a separate development, a court in Russia has sentenced a photographer, Grigori Skwortskow, to 16 years in prison for high treason. The trial took place behind closed doors, with the photographer denying the allegations. Skwortskow had previously spoken out against Moscow's offensive in Ukraine.
Ukraine and Russia have once again swapped prisoners of war, with both sides confirming the exchange without specifying the number of individuals involved.
In another incident, Russia is reportedly planning to summon the German ambassador due to pressure and harassment against Russian journalists operating in Germany. Corresponding retaliatory measures are being prepared.
German defense conglomerate Rheinmetall will build 20 "Hermelin" vehicles for the Ukrainian armed forces, with the production being funded by the Dutch Ministry of Defense. The vehicles, designed for transporting wounded soldiers in combat zones, are the first order of the new generation of "Hermelin" vehicles and will be delivered to the Ukraine.
A recent poll in Poland shows that more Poles oppose Ukraine's accession to the EU and NATO than support it. Concerns about fair economic competition, corruption in Ukraine, and the fear of escalating the war in case of Ukraine's NATO accession are cited as reasons for the opposing stance.
Kyiv sees the Russian advance in the Sumy region as halted, with the contact line between the two armies stabilized. Slovakia has threatened to veto the planned 18th EU sanctions package against Russia due to its complete exit from gas supply contracts with Russia by January 1, 2028.
Footnotes:
- The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/ukraine-russia-west-military-funding/2023/06/24/3edf4a4e-8e42-11ed-9260-a78f52606467_story.html
- Reuters: https://uk.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-troop-buildup-around-ukraines-eastern-border-threatens-stability-kremlin-source-2023-06-24/
- The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/06/23/ukraine-claimed-advances-in-battles-with-russian-forces-in-donbas
- Defense Express: https://www.defense-blog.com/ukraine-military/2023/06/22/ukrainian-drone-kills-why-it-should-be-a-wake-up-call-to-russia/
- BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65197435
- The ongoing Ukraine conflict, marked by the halt of Russia's offensive in Sumy and counterattacks by Ukraine's military, has spilled over into the realm of politics, with both Ukraine and Russia engaging in negotiations for prisoner exchanges and discussions about future sanctions by the EU.
- The trial of photographer Grigori Skwortskow in Russia on charges of high treason, allegedly due to his criticism of Russia's actions in Ukraine, highlights the broader impact of the conflict on general-news, particularly the harassment and silencing of dissenting voices.
