The Kremlin refused to comment after Donald Trump said he would end the war against Ukraine if re-elected in November. Trump made the remarks during the presidential debate American on Thursday, where he and President Joe Biden competed to appear tougher on foreign policy.
“As far as Russia and Ukraine, if we had a real president, a president who knew — who was respected by Putin, he would never — he would never invade Ukraine,” Trump said. Biden responded: “Go ahead, let Putin come in and control Ukraine, and then move on to Poland and other places. Watch what happens then. He has no idea what the hell he’s talking about.”
Meanwhile, Russia attacked Ukraine with 10 Shahed-131/136 attack drones which Kiev’s air defense forces destroyed. And in the meantime they would be there “incontrovertible” evidence that ballistic missile remnants found in Ukraine came from North Korea: Jonah Leff, executive director of Conflict Armament Research, an investigative organization based in the United Kingdom that follows arms supplies in conflict-affected areas, said this yesterday to the UN Security Council.
Administration Biden announced that he will supply Ukraine with $150 million worth of weapons and ammunitionincluding Hawk air defense interceptors and 155-millimeter artillery munitions.
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What happened yesterday
12:24
Ukraine: EU approves new sanctions against Belarus
The Council of the European Union has approved a new package of sanctions against Belarus to align several restrictive measures that the EU is already imposing on Russia for its war against Ukraine and prevent Moscow from circumventing them thanks to Minsk’s cooperation. The sanctions include a ban on imports of coal, crude oil (and any other mineral products), gold, diamonds or helium from Belarus, and also prohibit other countries from exporting to Minsk goods and technologies that can have dual use (both military and civilian), as well as products that can be used to refine oil and liquefy natural gas.
12:10
Peskov: “Putin doesn’t wake up to watch debate”
Although the Kremlin has refused to comment on Donald Trump’s claims that he can end the war between Russia and Ukraine, Russian state media has reported the debate in detail, focusing on Joe Biden’s weak performance and Trump’s remarks on conflict resolution. The Kremlin has downplayed the scope of the debate. “I don’t think you expect the president of Russia to set an alarm clock, get up before the morning and watch the debates in the United States of America,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked whether Putin had attended the debate. “The debates in the United States are not among the main issues on the agenda,” he added. But while the Kremlin maintained an indifferent stance on the event, Russian state media analyzed it thoroughly. In its coverage of the debate, state news agency Ria Novosti included a tally of how many times the candidates mentioned the name “Vladimir Putin” (seven times for both) and Russia (Trump: 16, Biden: 0). Several Russian media outlets also published editorials on Trump’s words that “Ukraine will not win that war” because of Biden “and his stupid decisions.”
11:48
For images
Ukrainians returned from Russian captivity yesterday during a prisoner-of-war exchange in Kiev. Among them also a politician and two priests
(afp)
11:40
Archbishop of Kiev: Grateful to the Pope, he personally helped free the two priests
«Pope Francis personally contributed to the liberation of our Redemptorist priests Bohdan and Ivan» from Russian captivity. This was underlined by the archbishop of Kiev, Sviatoslav Scevchuck the day after the release of the two priests. «We rejoice – says the major archbishop – because the Lord God has preserved the lives of our priests. In a moment of great joy today, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who did everything possible to make this day, this long-awaited moment, come. On my behalf and on behalf of our entire Church, I would like to express my gratitude to the Holy Father, Pope Francis, who personally contributed to the liberation of our Redemptorist priests Bohdan and Ivan. Despite the great obstacles, given that their imprisonment lasted more than a year and a half, the efforts of Vatican diplomacy achieved a victorious result.” Shevchuck thanks all the Vatican diplomacy that has been expended: «I would like to thank all the employees of the diplomatic structures of the Holy See, in particular the Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin, and Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, President of the Italian Episcopal Conference, which the Holy Father has responsible for the release of captured and Ukrainian prisoners. Special thanks also go to Monsignor Visvaldas Kulbokas, Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine. Today, we address words of gratitude to all the faithful of our Church, to the millions of Ukrainians who have prayed for the salvation and liberation of our priests.” Shevchuck still recalls that «today more than 28,000 Ukrainian civilians are prisoners in Russia. These are journalists, doctors, local self-government officials, members of the clergy, and cultural figures, all who are considered by Russians to be dangerous expressions of Ukrainian identity. Now we must all engage in the struggle to secure the release of all Ukrainian prisoners, including civilians, as their detention violates any international norms, practices of warfare and international law as such.”
10:41
Tajani: the priority is a just peace
In Ukraine “we want to achieve peace, but a just peace.” This was reiterated by the Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, speaking at the Dubrovnik Forum. “Italy decided days ago to send a new package of weapons to Ukraine with the Samp-T for the air defense of this country against Russian aggression,” he added. “We also want to work hard for Kiev to become a full member of the European Union.” On Ukraine, he concluded, the G7 message “is very clear, peace and justice”.
09:44
Kiev: 10 Russian kamikaze drones shot down during the night
Last night the Ukrainian Air Defense Forces shot down all 10 Iranian-made Shahed kamikaze drones launched by the Russians over Ukraine. The air force writes this on its Telegram channel, cited by Ukrinform. The drones, Kiev writes, were launched from the Russian region of Primorsko-Akhtarsk and were intercepted over the Ukrainian regions of Mykolaiv, Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Cherkasy and Vinnytsia.
08:17
Moscow: 5 civilians killed by Ukrainian drone in Kursk region, 2 were children
At least five people, including two children, have been killed in a drone strike in Russia’s Kurk region, an operation local authorities have blamed on Ukrainians. “A Ukrainian drone attacked a residential building in the town of Gorodishche in Rylsky District last night,” regional governor Alexey Smirnov said via Telegram. “Five people, including two young children, were killed in the attack.” The victims were all from the same family, and two other relatives, he added in a complaint relayed by Russian news agency Tass, are hospitalized “in serious condition.”
07:19
Attack during the night with 10 Russian drones destroyed by Ukrainian anti-aircraft
Russia attacked Ukraine with 10 Shahed-131/136 attack drones that Kiev’s air defense forces destroyed. The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on Telegram. “On the night of June 29, 2024, the enemy attacked with 10 Shahed-131/136 attack UAVs from the Primorsko-Akhtarsk region of the Russian Federation,” the note reported by Ukrinform.
07:18
New 150 million dollar package from the USA for Kiev Including Hawk air defense interceptors, artillery ammunition
The Biden administration will supply Ukraine with weapons and ammunition worth 150 million dollars, including Hawk air defense interceptors and 155 mm artillery ammunition: this was reported by the Reuters agency on its website, citing two US officials. The aid package is expected to be announced on Monday, according to the officials, who preferred to remain anonymous. The United States began shipping Hawk interceptor missiles to Ukraine in 2022 as an upgrade to its shoulder-launched Stinger air defense missile systems, a smaller, shorter-range system. The MIM-23 HAWK, an acronym for ‘Homing all the way killer’, was introduced in the 1950s and updated over the years.
