Prisoners of War Exchanged at 14:15: Further Exchange of POWs Occurs
title: Live Updates: Ukraine War and Global Developments - June 21, 2025
Ukraine War and Global Developments - June 21, 2025:
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As the Ukraine war and global geopolitical developments unfold, here are the latest updates and significant happenings throughout the day.
14:15 - Prisoner Exchanges Continue:Russia and Ukraine have continued their phased prisoner exchange agreement. The sixth exchange took place at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, as announced by the Ministry of Defense in Moscow. No numbers were given, but media reports suggest both sides exchanged the same number of prisoners shortly afterward, which was confirmed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He noted that the majority of the troops returning from Russian captivity had been there for over two years, including defenders from the city of Mariupol in the Donetsk region.
14:00 - Merz Not Open to Talking to Putin Yet:The German federal government has rejected Russia's latest offer of a conversation. Government spokesman Stefan Kornelius said there was no direct contact when asked if Chancellor Friedrich Merz is open to a phone call with Putin. The federal government continually emphasizes a political solution to end the war, Kornelius added.
13:33 -Warning Issued: Russian Minister of Economy:The annual Russian Economic Forum in St. Petersburg usually brings positive news from the government. Yet, this year is different: the Russian Minister of Economy has issued a warning. The course of the Russian Central Bank is expected to significantly impact the nation's future development.
13:10 -Bundeswehr's Warnings: Russia is an "Existential Threat":The German Armed Forces warn aggressively about the threat posed by Russia. In a confidential policy paper obtained by Spiegel, Russia's military forces are described as an "existential threat" to Germany and Europe. Kremlin is aligning its industry and command structures to meet the requirements for a large-scale conflict against NATO by the end of this decade.
12:49 - Russian Activist Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison:A Russian pro-Ukrainian activist has been sentenced to 22 years in prison, according to state news agency RIA. The verdict was handed down by a Moscow military court. The woman was charged with treason and terrorist activities based upon a social media post and claimed to have helped 25,000 Ukrainians flee Russian-controlled regions in 2022 and 2023.
12:26 - Progressreported: Kharkiv region:Russian forces reportedly made advancements in the northeastern Ukrainian Kharkiv region, capturing the settlement of Myrne, according to the Ministry of Defense in Moscow. The situation on the ground cannot be independently verified.
12:05 - FSB Agent Arrested for Arson and Murder Plans:The Security Service of Ukraine's counterintelligence department and the National Police have arrested an FSB agent involved in arson and planning a murder in Kyiv. The 33-year-old had previously deserted his military service in Russia and joined the FSB, the Prosecutor's Office said.
11:46 - Putin's PromisedLong Speech:Dmitri Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, announced that Vladimir Putin's speech at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum will be "very informative, long, and comprehensive." Guests from Indonesia, Bahrain, and China will also speak. The Kremlin expects 20,000 participants from 140 countries.
11:14 - Russian Troupstarget Chassiv Yar:Soldiers of the Russian army are reportedly targeting the Ukrainian city of Chassiv Yar, with Andrei Marochko, a military expert, stating that Russian forces have captured the fortified area of Ukrainian forces in the central part of Chassiv Yar, drove out Ukrainian militants from city buildings along Pushkin Street, and advanced to the southern city limits. Kyiv is expected to send reinforcements to the area.
10:42 - Video Evidence of Russian Cannibalism:Ukrainian military intelligence has released an excerpt of a Russian radio transmission in which a missing Russian soldier is alleged to have eaten his comrade. The commander of a unit of the 68th motorized rifle division of the Russian armed forces told of his soldier with the code name "Brelok" consuming the comrade "Foma," who was listed as missing. "Cannibalism is another proof of the deep moral and psychological decay of Russian troops, who lack any respect for human life, even their own," the intelligence service concludes.
10:15 - Wadephul on Major Investments and Bundeswehr:Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul calls on the federal government and the ruling coalition parties to more actively represent the new course in defense policy. Citing the need for military and civil defense investments, Wadephul suggests this defines the new phase of the turning point in defense policy.
09:52 - Estonia fortifies Border:The army in Estonia is starting, in cooperation with the National Center for Defense Investments, the construction of a defense line at the southwestern border. Trenches are currently being dug with excavators, ERR reports.
09:27 - Russian Airforce Strikes Ukrainian Drones:The Russian army has attacked a drone production facility of the Ukrainian armed forces in Sofiivka near Saporizhzhia with a Geran-2 aircraft, according to the defense ministry in the Kremlin. A video showing the attack was published on Telegram.
09:05 - Drone Strike Odesa:Following the Russian drone strike on Odessa, local authorities report an increase in casualties: one person was killed, and at least 14 others were injured. Residential high-rises, an educational institution, a gas pipeline, and several cars were damaged. The Odessa train station was also hit, with damage to power lines and tracks.
08:40 - Moscow ReportsTwo Drone Attacks:The Russian air defense has intercepted two drones heading towards Moscow, according to the Moscow mayor, Sergei Sobyanin.
08:18- Peskovon Trump's Sharp Remark:Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responds to Trump's sharp remark directed at Vladimir Putin. "President Trump has his own unique way of speaking and his own unique language," Peskov says in an interview with Sky News. "We are quite tolerant and expect tolerance from everyone."
07:57 - Wadephul SeeksGerman Leadership in NATO:Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul urges a leading role for Germany in NATO's defense policy, just days ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague. Wadephul is optimistic that the heads of state and government of the NATO countries will agree to increase their defense spending and spending on defense-related infrastructure to five percent.
07:17 - Ukrainian Army Destroys Russian Sun Chain:Operators of attack drones from the "Phoenix" unmanned flight system unit of the Revenge Brigade of the Ukrainian Border Guard Service destroy a Russian flamethrower system "Solntsepek" and several other vehicles of the Kremlin troops near Kharkiv. "We have burned down the 'Sun Chain' of the enemy and disassembled the tank to the last detail," the military forces proudly report.
06:56 - German Opinion on Five-Percent Target:A poll by the YouGov polling institute commissioned by "Süddeutsche Zeitung Dossier" reveals more Germans support a five-percent target for defense spending than oppose it. 45 percent are in favor of increasing defense spending up to five percent of GDP, while 37 percent oppose it.
06:35 - Putin Speaks Today at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum:Russian President Vladimir Putin will deliver his views on the political and economic situation of the world at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum today. A panel discussion with international guests is expected to follow.
You can track previous developments here.
Ukraine ConflictUkraineMilitaryMilitary OperationsRussiaNATOCyberwarAttack on UkraineVolodymyr ZelenskyyVladimir PutinWars and ConflictsWar Crimes
- The Ukrainian-Russian prisoner exchange, as seen in the sixth exchange that occurred at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border, is a pertinent example of the ongoing implementation of community policy within the context of the Ukraine War.
- The direct rejection of Russia's offer of a conversation by the German federal government, as demonstrated by government spokesman Stefan Kornelius, signals a significant political stance in the global news regarding the Ukrainian-Russian conflict.
