Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 22:07 As a result of today's Russian strike on Kharkov, five people were injured, the prosecutor's office specified. Private houses, university buildings and dormitories, as well as the State Emergency Service building were damaged. It was established that the Russian military used super-powerful modernized FAB-500 from the UMPK for the first time to strike Kharkov. One of the FAB-500 hit the wall of a private residential building and did not detonate. State Emergency Service specialists removed the explosive device and are retrieving an unexploded shell from the yard.
21:59 In the evening, the Russians struck the center of Kurakhovo, Donetsk region from Hurricanes - two people were killed, two were wounded, said the head of the OVA Vadim Filashkin. In addition, during the day one person was wounded in Gornyak, Kurakhovskaya community, and two more in New York, Toretsk community.
20:53 The US, Israel and Ukraine are discussing the delivery of up to eight Patriot systems to Kiev, the Financial Times reports, citing sources. The agreement, which has not yet been finalized, will most likely involve sending the Patriot systems first from Israel to the US and then to Ukraine.
20:38 Ukraine has received 50,000 units of ammunition under the Czech initiative, iRozhlas reports. This is part of the 180,000 units of ammunition financed by Germany, the Czech Defense Ministry reported. As of today, the supply of 500,000 shells has been financially secured - they should be delivered to Ukraine by the end of the year in tranches of several tens of thousands per month.
20:16 Kyiv expects the Washington NATO summit to make a decision on strengthening the Alliance's role in coordinating security assistance and training for the Ukrainian military, as well as long-term financial commitments for stable support for Ukraine, Zelensky said following a meeting with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
18:40 On Friday, June 28, regional power companies will apply hourly shutdown schedules from 00:00 to 24:00, Ukrenergo reported.
18:37 Today, for the first time, the Russians used FAB-500 with a planning and correction module in Kharkov, said the head of the regional prosecutor’s office, Alexander Filchakov. “It is twice as powerful as the KAB- and FAB-250 that were used before, which are used to bomb Kharkov every day,” he added. According to Filchakov, two aerial bombs were launched from a Su-34 aircraft from Maiskoye in the Belgorod region, from the launch site to the impact site - 65 km.
18:32 Stoltenberg believes that Russian troops are currently not capable of "significant breakthroughs" in Ukraine, while Kiev is causing significant damage to it with strikes deep into Russian territory. At the same time, the Secretary General warned that Russia will most likely "continue to advance along the front line" and carry out airstrikes on Ukraine. "But we see that the Ukrainians have been able to hold the front line. They have been able to continue to inflict heavy losses on the Russian occupiers - both along the front line and with strikes deep into Russian territory," Stoltenberg noted.
18:28 The Czech Republic will allocate about 35 million euros as part of its initiative to supply artillery ammunition to Ukraine, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said. He clarified that the funds will be used to purchase ammunition from the Czech company STV Group.
18:23 The Ukrainian Armed Forces have driven Russian troops out of the Kanal microdistrict in Chasovy Yar in the Bakhmut district of Donetsk Oblast, said Nazar Voloshin, spokesman for the Khortytsia operational-strategic group of forces. At the same time, he added that in the Kramatorsk direction, the enemy has not abandoned its intentions to break through in the Chasovy Yar area.
18:14 The Russians attacked the Kievsky district of Kharkov, said Oleg Sinegubov, head of the OVA. A private house and two buildings of a higher educational institution were damaged. Four people were injured, two more had an acute reaction to stress.
18:10 Germany will continue training Ukrainian recruits in 2025, said EU Command Head Andreas Marlow: "We have received more requests for training as Ukraine continues to mobilize, including for basic training, which is mainly carried out by the UK." In Germany, instructors from 14 countries train Ukrainian servicemen in various specialties.
17:43 Budapest has put forward a number of conditions to Kyiv to begin negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU, Ukrayinska Pravda has found out. In particular, Orban wants Kyiv to change a number of laws, grant special rights to the Hungarian minority, and even change the Constitution. His demands include recognizing schools with even one Hungarian class as Hungarian; abolishing the rule on a certain percentage of Hungarians who must live in a certain territory for it to be recognized as Hungarian; amending the electoral legislation to ensure representation of Hungarians in the Verkhovna Rada. Moreover, such government officials should have the right not to know the Ukrainian language, but to use Hungarian.
17:07 South Korea has imposed sanctions against a number of Russian ships and companies for transporting petroleum products and military equipment between the Russian Federation and the DPRK.
16:40 The security agreement between Ukraine and the EU does not have a clearly defined term, as is the case with the US and other countries - it will be in effect as long as Kiev moves along the European path, according to a document published on the presidential website. The document is called Joint Security Commitments between Ukraine and the EU. According to the document, the EU guarantees Ukraine sustainable and long-term support in terms of military equipment, assistance in defense reform, cooperation in the defense industry, assistance in cyber defense, support for energy and nuclear security, and intelligence sharing.
Ukraine is also guaranteed macro-financial and humanitarian assistance and support for the country’s reconstruction. Kyiv is committed to continuing reforms, strengthening transparency and accountability of aid received, and contributing to the security of the EU and its countries. In the event of future Russian aggression, Ukraine and the EU will hold rapid consultations to determine the country's needs.
16:13 PACE adopted a resolution in which it stated the need for payments to Ukrainian refugees so that they would return home after the end of the war. The document notes that the process of returning refugees to Ukraine cannot be instantaneous and may require many years of preparation, so it must begin now. The document also states that Ukrainian refugees must be given the legal right to reside in the country after three years of stay in it.
In addition, in its resolution, PACE called for long-term support not only for refugees, but also for internally displaced persons within Ukraine.
15:49 Ukraine and the European Union signed an agreement on security guarantees. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said that "this agreement covers military, financial, diplomatic assistance and will be a channel for the flow of resources from windfall revenues from frozen Russian assets." In addition, Zelensky signed an agreement on security guarantees with Lithuania and Estonia.
15:11 Ukraine and its partners must, within a few months, develop a joint action plan following the results of the first Peace Summit and the Ukrainian Peace Formula, which would force the Russian Federation to peace, Zelensky said at a joint press conference with European Council President Charles Michel in Brussels. "We need next steps now. The next steps are to work on a plan for every crisis point of this war that Putin has brought to our country. And we have to prepare this plan within months... We don't have much time because we have many people are dying. Therefore, we do not want the war to continue for many years. We want to prepare this plan as soon as possible,” the Ukrainian president added.
14:27 Russian troops attacked a civilian vehicle with an FPV drone in Novovorontsovka, Kherson region, two people were injured, OVA reported.
13:38 Zelensky said that he arrived in Brussels to take part in a meeting of the European Council. The President will meet with the heads of the EU and member states, hold bilateral negotiations and sign three security agreements, one of which is with the European Union. It will for the first time cement the commitment of all 27 member states to provide broad support to Ukraine, despite any institutional changes within.
13:33 The area of the fire at the military training ground on the Crimean Cape Chauda has grown several times over the past day, Radio Liberty reports. A comparison of satellite images from June 25 and 26 shows that the area engulfed by the fire has grown significantly, as a result of which the fire has reached buildings on the territory of the military unit.
13:24 The European Union provided Ukraine with a tranche of 1.9 billion euros as part of the Ukraine Facility assistance program, Shmygal said. According to him, total EU budget support since the beginning of this year has reached almost 8 billion euros.
13:15 After Zelensky’s trip to the Donetsk region, ministers will be sent to the regions, with special attention to the front-line regions, Shmygal said. “Based on the results of such trips, reports from government members will be heard on the situation in key areas. The social sphere, energy, defense, preparation for the school year, medicine, shelters, infrastructure, production - all this is in the focus of the government,” the prime minister added.
12:59 Ukraine plans to cancel power outages in frontline areas, Ukrenergo CEO Volodymyr Kudritsky reported. According to him, the Cabinet of Ministers is currently working on the possibility of changing the methodology for applying power outages for some frontline areas, where the humanitarian situation is already dire and there is a real threat to life due to shelling. It is planned that a zone close to the front line will be determined where power outages will no longer be applied.
12:22 On June 26, the Russian DRG attempted to conduct military operations in the area of the border Sotnitsky Kazachok in the north of the Kharkov region. The attack was repelled by border guards, said Andrey Demchenko, spokesman for the State Border Service.
12:14 Russians shelled Toretsk in Donetsk Oblast this morning, killing one person, OVA chief Vadim Filashkin reported. In addition, the enemy dropped an aerial bomb on Selidovo, wounding six people, including two teenagers. Another person was injured as a result of shelling of Yasenovo in the Pokrovskaya community. Over the previous day, one person was killed (in Toretsk) and 14 were wounded in the region.
12:09 At a summit in July, NATO will offer Ukraine a new headquarters in Germany to manage military assistance, The New York Times writes, citing sources. This will guarantee the Alliance's long-term commitment to the country's security, hailed as a "bridge" to Kyiv's eventual membership. The mission will operate under the auspices of NATO and should continue to operate even if Trump wins the US presidential election. The mission will coordinate military assistance to Ukraine, training of military personnel, etc. All NATO countries support the idea of its creation, officials said.
11:56 In the morning in the Nikolaev region, fragments of a downed rocket fell on the highway, a truck driver was injured. As a result of this, an accident occurred in which another person was injured, said the head of the OVA, Vitaly Kim.
11:37 Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are calling on the EU to build a 700-kilometer (430-mile) defense line on the border with Russia and Belarus, Reuters reports. The countries said the project is aimed at protecting the 27-nation bloc and its 450 million people, so it would require financial support from all EU members. Its cost is estimated at 2.5 billion euros.
11:05 The Ukrainian Armed Forces used HIMARS for the second time on the afternoon of June 26 to attack the Kursk region, reports the opposition Russian publication Astra. As a result of the strike, an inactive school where Russian military personnel were based was damaged in the area of the village of Stropitsy, Rylsky district. Five servicemen of the Russian Defense Ministry were wounded.
10:38 On the night of June 27, four drones attacked the Redkinsky pilot plant in the Tver region, reports the opposition Russian publication Astra. The company also produces aviation fuel. As a result of the attack, the pipeline, roof and building of one of the workshops were damaged, but no one was injured.
10:31 Zelensky said that he arrived in Lvov and had already visited the Field of Mars, where he paid tribute to the memory of the fallen soldiers. The media write that today, June 27, a summit of EU leaders starts in Brussels, at which they plan to sign a security agreement with Ukraine. For this, Zelensky must arrive there.
10:29 Owners of destroyed housing in temporarily occupied territories or in combat zones will be able to file an application to the international Register of Losses through Diya, said the head of the Ministry of Digital Development, Mykhailo Fedorov. According to him, the data from this Register will become the basis for reparations that the Russian Federation must pay.
10:24 The decision to begin negotiations with Russia will be made by Ukraine, said the US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby, commenting on the “peace plan” of Trump’s advisers. According to him, Washington’s position remains unchanged - “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.” Kirby also emphasized that the White House is not going to force Ukraine to make territorial concessions, because if Putin is allowed to conquer Ukraine, the consequences will be dire.
10:06 About 10 thousand migrants who received Russian citizenship went to war in Ukraine, said the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Alexander Bastrykin.
09:28 North Korea will send military construction and engineering forces to participate in "reconstruction work" in the occupied Donetsk region as early as July of this year, reports South Korean television channel TV Chosun.
08:37 In the Kherson region, over the past day, as a result of Russian shelling, one person was killed, 16 were injured, including two children, reported the head of the OVA, Oleksandr Prokudin. A multi-storey building and 15 private houses, an industrial facility, a store, a warehouse of the humanitarian headquarters and a gas pipeline were damaged.
08:20 The General Staff announced the estimated losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of June 27:
personnel - about 539,320 (+1260) people,
tanks - 8042 (+3),
armored combat vehicles - 15,459 (+9),
artillery systems - 14,363 (+42),
MLRS - 1108 (+0),
air defense systems - 868 (+5),
aircraft - 359 (+0),
helicopters - 326 (+0),
Operational-tactical level UAVs - 11,459 (+24),
cruise missiles – 2324 (+0),
ships/boats - 28 (+0),
submarines - 1 (+0),
automotive equipment and tank trucks - 19,468 (+61),
special equipment - 2420 (+11).
07:49 Air defense destroyed five of six Russian missiles and all 23 Shahed-131/136 attack UAVs at night, the Air Force reported. In particular, air defense forces managed to destroy all four Kalibr cruise missiles and one Kh-59/Kh-69 guided air missile. In addition, Russia used one Kh-47 M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missile during the night attack.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] The number of military clashes at the front increased to 104.
In the Toretsky direction, the number of Russian assaults increased to 25, in Pokrovsky - to 23.
Over the past 24 hours, the number of military clashes along the entire front line has increased to 104. The hottest areas are in the Toretsky and Pokrovsky directions, which account for almost half of all enemy assaults. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced this in an evening report on Thursday, June 27.
In the Kharkov direction, Russian troops attempted to attack here three times. Fighting continues in the Vovchansk area.
Since the beginning of the day, in the Kupyansky direction, Ukrainian defenders have repelled 10 assault attacks by the occupying forces. The battle at Sinkovka continues. The area around Petropavlovka received an air strike.
In the Kramatorsk direction, the enemy increased pressure in the Chasovoy Yar area. There are two fights going on. In total, the enemy has attacked here five times today.
In the Toretsk direction, the number of assaults by the invaders has increased to 25. The units of the Defense Forces have repelled 22 offensive attempts by the Russian Federation troops, three attacks are still ongoing. The enemy used aviation and bombed Toretsk with KABs.
In the Pokrovsky direction, the occupiers are not reducing pressure. Since the beginning of the day, the enemy has attacked the defensive lines of the Ukrainian defenders 23 times. Seven assault operations are ongoing.
One hostile attempt to attack in the Dnieper direction was added. In general, this is already the seventh of the day, six are reflected. In other areas, the situation has not undergone significant changes.
Earlier it was reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces ousted the Russian invaders from the Kanal microdistrict in the city of Chasov Yar in the Donetsk region. At the same time, the Russians do not give up their intentions to break through.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces successfully repulse attacks.
In the Pokrovsky direction, the occupiers lost more than 300 servicemen and a dozen pieces of equipment in one day.
As of 22:00 on Thursday, June 27, 119 military clashes took place at the front. The hottest destinations during the day remained Toretskoye, Pokrovskoye and Kurakhovskoye. The situation in the combat areas is difficult, however, under the control of our defenders, the press service of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported.
During the day, the enemy launched six missile strikes (eight missiles in total) and 43 air strikes (dropped 56 UABs in total) on Ukrainian territory, used 458 kamikaze drones, and carried out 2,863 attacks on our troops' positions and populated areas using various types of weapons.
In the Kharkov direction, three enemy assaults in the areas of Volchansk, Liptsev and Sotnitsky Kazachok were unsuccessful.
Kupyansk direction. There were 10 combat contacts. The occupiers attacked in the areas of Stepnaya Novoselovka, northeast of Petropavlovka, Peschanoye, Stelmakhovka and Andreyevka. All attacks were repelled. The defense forces are taking measures to strengthen the lines and prevent the enemy from advancing.
There were no significant changes in the situation in the Liman direction. During the day, the aggressor tried eight times to break through our defenses in the areas of Kopanok, Nevsky, Makeevka, Ternov and Torsky. Four attacks were repulsed, fighting continues.
In the Seversky direction, the Defense Forces successfully repelled six enemy attacks near Sporny, Razdolevka and Vyemka.
In the Kramatorsk direction, the enemy has already tried 6 times to oust units of the Defense Forces from their positions in the Chasov Yar area. Three attacks repulsed. The fighting continues.
The occupiers continued to actively operate in the Toretsk direction during the day. In total, the enemy attempted to storm the positions of our defenders in the areas of Druzhba, Zhelezny, Severny, Toretsky and New York 26 times. One battle continues.
According to preliminary information, in the Toretsk direction the enemy lost 70 people, five vehicles and an artillery system. Two vehicles and an artillery system were damaged.
The situation in the Pokrovsk direction also remains tense. The enemy does not abandon attempts to penetrate our combat formations in the areas of the settlements of Vozdvizhenka, Novoaleksandrovka, Evgenyevka, Progress, Novoselovka Pervaya, Karlovka and Umanskoye. In total, 27 attacks have occurred, one is ongoing.
According to available information, the enemy lost more than 300 servicemen, a tank, three armored fighting vehicles, five artillery systems and one vehicle in this direction. Three tanks, four armored fighting vehicles and four artillery systems were damaged.
During the day, in the Kurakhovsky direction, the invaders attacked the positions of the Defense Forces 18 times. Two clashes are still ongoing. The situation is under the control of our defenders.
Preliminarily, the enemy lost about 50 servicemen in the Kurakhovsky direction today. Four tanks and nine armored combat vehicles were also destroyed. Five more tanks were damaged.
In the Vremivsk direction, the enemy was pressing in the Konstantinovka area. Two attacks were repelled, one combat contact continues.
In the Orekhovsky direction, the aggressor’s attempt to attack our defenders in the Malaya Tokmachka area was unsuccessful.
Dnieper direction. Ten enemy attacks were successfully repulsed. Loss of positions is not allowed. The situation is under the control of the defense forces.
Since the beginning of the day, units of our aviation, missile forces and artillery have inflicted defeats on five areas where enemy personnel and weapons and military equipment are concentrated, an anti-aircraft missile system, a radar station and three enemy ammunition depots.
Earlier it was reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces ousted the Russian invaders from the Kanal microdistrict in the city of Chasov Yar in the Donetsk region. At the same time, the Russians do not give up their intentions to break through.
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[EngMilRu] This morning, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation delivered a group strike by long-range sea-based precision weaponry, Kinzhal hypersonic air-launched ballistic missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles at the Ukrainian airfield infrastructure, where Western-made aircraft were planned to be stored.
The goal of the strike has been achieved. All the assigned targets have been engaged.
Units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 42nd, 57th Mechanised brigades, 113th, 125th, 127th Territorial Defence brigades near Volchansk, Neskuchnoye, and Lipsy (Kharkov region).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 190 Ukrainian troops, four armoured fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, two UK-made 155mm FH-70 howitzers, and three 122mm D-30 howitzers.
Units of the Zapad Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and inflicted losses on formations of the AFU 14th, 21st, and 115th Mechanised brigades near Nevskoye (Lugansk People's Republic), Sinkovka (Kharkov region), and Grigorovka (Donetsk People's Republic).
One counterattack launched by assault detachments of the AFU 63th Mechanised Brigade was repelled.
The AFU losses amounted to up to 585 Ukrainian troops, four motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155mm M777 howitzer, one 152mm D-20 howitzer, one 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and one 122mm D-30 howitzer.
Four AFU artillery ammunition depots, one U.S.-made AN/TPQ-50 counterbattery warfare station, and one reconnaissance radar station were destroyed.
Units of the Yug Group of Forces improved the tactical situation along the front lines, as well as inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 79th Air Assault Brigade and 46th Airmobile Brigade near Kurakhovo and Konstantinovka (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to more than 640 Ukrainian troops, one armoured personnel carrier, five motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155mm M777 howitzer, one U.S.-made 155mm M198 howitzer, three 152mm D-20 howitzers, and one 122mm D-30 howitzer were eliminated.
Five AFU field ammunition depots were destroyed.
Units of the Tsentr Group of Forces improved the tactical situation and inflicted losses on formations of the AFU 24th Mechanised Brigade and 109th Territorial Defence Brigade near Novgorodskoye and Toretsk (Donetsk People's Republic).
Six counterattacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 23rd, 41st, 31st, 68th Mechanised brigades, and 95th Air Assault Brigade were repelled.
The AFU losses amounted to up to 345 Ukrainian troops, three motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155mm M777 howitzer, one 152mm 2A65 Msta-B howitzer, four 122mm D-30 howitzers, and one 100mm MT-12 Rapira anti-tank gun.
Units of the Vostok Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 123rd Territorial Defence Brigade and 17th National Guard Brigade near Urozhaynoye and Velikaya Novosyolka (Donetsk People's Republic). Two counterattacks launched by units of the AFU 58th Motorised Infantry Brigade were repelled.
The AFU losses amounted to more than 115 Ukrainian troops, one armoured fighting vehicle, five motor vehicles, one UK-made 155mm FH-70 howitzer, one 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, one 122mm D-30 howitzer, and one U.S.-made 105mm M119 howitzer.
Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 35th and 37th Naval Infantry brigades near Dneprovskoye, Tokaryovka, and Otradokamenka (Kherson region).
The AFU losses amounted to up to 80 Ukrainian troops and 13 motor vehicles.
In the course of counter-battery warfare, three U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS, one U.S.-made 155mm M777 howitzer, one UK-made 155mm FH-70 howitzer, and one 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system were destroyed.
Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces engaged AFU manpower and hardware clusters in 117 areas during the day.
Air defence units shot down two MiG-29 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force, 62 unmanned aerial vehicles, four U.S.-made Patriot air defence guided missiles, and two U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles.
In total, 615 airplanes and 276 helicopters, 26,704 unmanned aerial vehicles, 533 air defence missile systems, 16,439 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,356 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 10,963 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 23,008 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFront] 23:59 Official summary of the DPR Representative Office in the JCCC from 00:00 06/27/2024 to 00:00 06/28/2024.
A total of 25 cases of armed attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces were recorded by the DPR Representative Office in the JCCC over the past 24 hours.
Information was received about a civilian being injured.
DAMAGED:
Two residential buildings,
One civil infrastructure facility.
A total of 15 artillery attacks in the Donetsk direction,
Nine artillery attacks in the Gorlovka direction,
One artillery attack in the Velikonovoselkovsky direction.
A total of 65 units of various ammunition were fired.
23:48 Operational report: Kherson direction.
It is reported that today the Russian Aerospace Forces aviation worked on the identified enemy positions on the right bank. The crew of the 152mm D-20 cannon was hit.
UVAB-250 and UVAB-500 hit enemy fortifications and deployment points of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
It is reported that the location of the enemy's missile systems, from where launches were made against Crimea and the South, was hit.
21:35 Statements by representatives of the North, West, South, Center, East and Dnepr groups on the progress of the special military operation (as of June 27, 2024) -video.
20:55 Telegram channel «Fisherman»:
Slobozhansky direction: battles in Volchansk and counterattacks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Glubokoye, the situation by the end of the day on June 27, 2024
Ukrainian formations do not give up attempts to advance, from time to time carrying out counterattacks in several areas in order to dislodge Russian troops from their positions.
In the Glubokoye area, the enemy from Liptsev conducts raid attacks, using infantry and armored vehicles, all attacks are successfully repelled by the Russian Armed Forces. Russian operational-tactical aviation is actively operating in Liptsy and nearby forest plantations, including covering enemy armored groups that are forming.
In the Zeleny area, fighting is still going on in the vicinity of the settlement. It is not possible to dislodge the enemy from strongholds near the village due to the lack of cover in the vast fields and the high activity of enemy drones in the sky.
Counter clashes continue in the Staritsa-Bugrovatka area. Ukrainian formations occasionally make forays from Izbitskoye and the forest south of the Vovcha River from Grafskoye. In fact, both sides conduct raids on each other's positions without significant changes in control zones.
In Volchansk, fighting continues unabated in the area of ??multi-storey buildings, which remains under the firm control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, even despite multiple air and artillery strikes, including the TOS-1A Solntsepek.
There are also battles on the territory of the Volchansk Aggregate Plant. The private sector to the east of Olesya Dosvitnogo Street and Korolenko Street to Zernovaya and Khleboroba Street is in a vast "gray zone" where assault groups of the Russian and Ukrainian Armed Forces sometimes exchange fire with each other from neighboring buildings, which, however, is quite typical for urban battles.
To the east, in the Tikhoy area, no significant changes in the situation are observed, and to the south of Volchaya, artillery crews of the Russian Armed Forces are constantly firing at enemy armored vehicles and personnel. Targets are also hit by aircraft and UAV operators, knocking out artillery and tanks of Ukrainian formations to a depth of up to 30 kilometers from the front.
In addition, according to data from enemy resources, fighting has broken out in the Sotnitsky Kazachok area to the west of the current areas of active clashes in the Slobozhansky direction and the activity of Russian special forces groups and intelligence officers is being recorded. However, at the moment we cannot confirm or deny this information.
20:11 Airstrikes by winged FABs, ODABs, and cluster RBK-500 for forest plantations with Ukrainian Armed Forces positions.
While the artillery is operating, you can see the consequences of the arrival of aerial bombs in the form of circles with no vegetation.
19:29 Volchansk. TOS crews continue to support storming the city with our forces.
18:25 Our artillerymen hit the target with precision destroyed Ukrainian UAV crew in the Berislav district of the Kherson region.
17:12 Around 16.15 Moscow time stopped an attempt by the Kyiv regime to carry out a terrorist attack using an aircraft-type UAV against targets on the territory of the Russian Federation.
A Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle was destroyed by air defense systems on duty over the territory of the Belgorod region.
16:52 BMP-3 crew destroyed fortified area with enemy infantry in the Orekhovsky direction.
During the combat work, servicemen of the Dnepr group of troops hit the dugouts of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and destroyed a group of infantry of up to seven people. The enemy unit also suffered medical losses.
16:25 Special military operation. Situation as of June 27 –map.
15:31 RF Ministry of Defense reported, that a strike was carried out using hypersonic Kinzhal missiles and other types of weapons on airfields where it was planned to deploy Western aircraft transferred to Ukraine. The goals of the strikes were achieved.
14:51 Relative situations with the activity of the Russian Armed Forces on the border with the Khar'kov region west of Liptsy.
For now, this is simply a probing of the enemy's front line. Just like it happened recently in Sumy Oblast, where the enemy lost a village on the border as a result of a similar probing.
In addition to keeping the enemy on edge, such activity allows the Russian Armed Forces to create operational ambiguity in their actions, forcing the enemy command to guess whether there is something more to these actions than tactical activity and whether there is preparation for a larger advance hidden behind it, as has already happened in the Volchansk region, where the enemy overslept the advance of our troops.
14:18 Khar'kov direction (area of Kupyansk settlement).
It is reported, that our barrel artillery has been actively working since early morning. In particular, our 152mm self-propelled guns 2S5 "MSTA-S" have been working on the enemy's fortified positions.
13:27 Telegram channel «Fisherman»:
Liman direction: battles on the Tor ledge.
For a long time, the situation in the Liman direction has undergone virtually no significant changes. However, now some revival of the combat situation has been noticed in the area again.
The attacks of the Russian Armed Forces in the direction of Tern resumed. The footage published by the enemy showed artillery attack of a Russian armored group, including with cluster munitions.
This is far from the first offensive of troops in Laptev Yar and Kruglaya Gully, the previous ones of which were not particularly successful, and the results of the latest attacks also remain in question.
At the same time, an attempt by the Russian Armed Forces to advance in the direction of Torskoye in the forest plantations four kilometers to the east of the village was recorded. The outcome of the battle is unclear, but the very fact of the attack in this area indicates that several forest belts to the east and a small reservoir have come under control.
At the same time, the Russian Aerospace Forces' operational-tactical aviation raids on Liman continue. In addition to the classic FAB-500 with UMPK, ODAB-1500 are often used for these purposes, and their frequency of use in this area has increased.
The settlement is used by the enemy as a transit base: both for the treatment of the wounded from the front lines and for the rotation of units and their subsequent dispatch to the Torsky salient and in the direction of Seversk.
12:14 They report that the assault units of the 106th Guards Airborne Division drove the enemy out of Razdolovka.
11:27 Statement by the head of the press center of the Dnepr group -video.
Units of the Dnepr group of forces carried out combat missions in the SVO zone, using artillery fire to prevent the enemy troops from regrouping. They continued to destroy Ukrainian Armed Forces watercraft seeking to land on the left bank of the Dnieper. They actively destroyed FPV drones, reconnaissance and attack UAVs.
During the day, the enemy's losses amounted to 60 servicemen; during the counter-battery battle, a 152mm D-20 gun and a 105mm M119 gun were destroyed. Three ammunition depots and two infantry fighting vehicles were destroyed.
The use of attack UAVs disabled three units of automotive equipment.
10:53 Summary on the morning of June 27, 2024.
In the Khar'kov direction, fierce fighting continues in the village. Volchansk. Assault groups of the Russian Armed Forces knock out the enemy from the area of high-rise buildings. The enemy tried to cross the Volchya River with up to a motorized infantry company, and up to 50 Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers were destroyed by artillery and FPV drones of our troops.
The enemy continues to build up forces on the right bank of the Volchya River. Missile weapons destroyed two UAV warehouses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces with crews and transport. The enemy is bringing light rifle battalions into the battle, trying to increase pressure on our positions.
In the Kupyansk direction, the Russian Armed Forces have resumed offensive operations southeast of Sin'kovka. There are reports of battles for enemy strongholds.
North of Chasov Yar, the enemy brought in reserves and counterattacked in the Kalinovka area. The battle continues in the Kanal microdistrict, as well as near Kleshcheyevka and Andreyevka.
In the Toretsk direction, where the Russian Armed Forces recently resumed attack operations, they managed to reach the outskirts of the village. Zheleznoye (on the map – Zaliznoye, Ukrainian). A frontal protrusion also formed from the Mayorskaya railway station deep into the enemy’s defense at a distance of 1.7 km.
West of Avdievka there are oncoming battles, the advance of the Russian Armed Forces is noted on the southern sector of the front from Netailovo to Karlovka.
In the Vrem'yevsky direction, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched several unsuccessful counterattacks near Staromayorsky and Urozhayny, including using armored vehicles.
On the Zaporizhzhya Front, there are no significant changes in the LBS. In the Pyatikhatki area, the Russian Armed Forces are covering enemy positions with fire from the TOS
In the Kherson direction, shooting skirmishes were reported near the Antonovsky Bridge. The Russian Armed Forces continue to operate on the islands in the floodplain of the Dnieper River in difficult conditions. The enemy has intensified the use of FPV drones.
The civilian population of the Belgorod region continues to suffer from attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In the Shebekinsky urban district, a man was wounded in Novaya Tavolzhanka. Under attack by Murom, Bogun-Gorodok, Borisov district, Bezymeno, Grayvoronsky urban district, Kolotilovka, Krasnoyaruzhsky district.
A cynical blow hit the parking lot of the Grayvoronskaya Central District Hospital, and a couple suffered: the man suffered a mine-explosive injury, shrapnel wounds to the hip and forearm, and the woman suffered a closed craniocerebral injury. The enemy also continues to target cars on the roads. On the Arkhangelskoye-Ziborovka highway in the Shebekinsky urban district, a drone attacked a parked official car. Another drone attacked a car in the village of Novostroevka-Pervaya, Grayvoronsky urban district.
In the Kursk region, the Sudzha checkpoint, the villages of Gornal, Guevo, Nikolaevo-Daryino and Sverdlikovo, the village of Ol'eshnya in the Sudzhansky district, the village of Gordeevka and the village of Uspenovka in the Korenevsky district, the village of Tyotkino, the village of Sergeevka and the village of Elizavetovka in the Glushkovsky district, the village of Milaevka in the Belovsky district were repeatedly shelled.
Drone attacks were observed near the village of Glushkovo, the village of Uspenovka in the Korenevsky district, the village of Stropitsy in the Rylsky district, the Sudzha checkpoint, the village of Sverdlikovo in the Sudzhansky district, and the village of Goptarovka in the Belovsky district.
A Ukrainian missile was shot down by air defense over the Dmitrievsky district. During the day, 20 Ukrainian drones were destroyed and suppressed using small arms and electronic warfare equipment in the border areas.
In the DPR, as a result of attacks by the Armed Forces of Ukraine with 155mm artillery on Donetsk and Gorlovka, a civilian was killed and six were wounded, incl. two children.
10:17 During last night stopped an attempt by the Kyiv regime to carry out a terrorist attack using unmanned aerial vehicles of the aircraft type against targets on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Air defense systems on duty destroyed four UAVs over the territory of Tverskaya, two UAVs over the territory of Moskovskaya, and one UAV over the territory of Belgorod Oblast.
09:52 Criminal Kyiv regime continues to fire at the civilian infrastructure of settlements on the left bank of the Kherson region, yesterday during the day the Ukrainian Armed Forces fired from cannon artillery:
--in Kakhovka settlement five rounds;
-- n.p. Novaya Kakhovka four rounds;
-- Six rounds in the village of Dnepryany;
-- n.p. Lyubimovka three rounds;
-- Three rounds in the village of Malokakhovka;
As a result of the attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, one person was injured. In the village In Dnipro, residential buildings were destroyed, power lines were damaged, and an outbuilding caught fire. In addition, the village was attacked by UAVs. Kakhovka, and in the village In Lyubimovka, two households caught fire.
During the night, the Kiev regime continued to shell civilian infrastructure in the villages of Novaya Kakhovka, Kakhovka, Korsunka, Aleshky, and Verkhniy Rogachik, firing a total of 20 rounds from cannon artillery.
Civilian casualties and destruction of infrastructure are being determined.
09:30 Telegram channel «WarGonzo»:
Frontline report for the morning 06/27/2024
- Zaporozhye Front. In the Rabotino area and north-west of Verbovoy there are positional battles. Long-range weapons are actively working.
- Donetsk Front. Fighting continues on the approaches to Konstantinovka. In Koasnogorovka there are more tactical successes of the Russian Armed Forces. In Nevelskoye - no changes. In the area of Karlovka, Russian troops continue to improve their positions, preparing for a further assault on the settlement. Heavy fighting in Yasnobrodovka, where the Ukrainian garrison continues to resist. Heavy fighting also continues in Sokol, the LBS has not changed significantly.
– Chasovoyarsk direction. Russian troops continue to push the Ukrainian Armed Forces to the west in the suburb of Chasov Yar. The Ukrainian garrison is resisting fiercely.
- Khar'kov Front. No major changes. Fierce fighting continues in Volchansk and in the Glubokoye area.
08:49 Telegram channel «Fisherman»:
Chronicle of a special military operation for June 26, 2024
– Russian troops hit Ukrainian Armed Forces facilities in Kharkov, Belgorod-Dnestrovsky, Odessa region, and in the Nikolaev region.
– The enemy continues to shell the Russian border area and tried to attack Russian Armed Forces facilities in the Smolensk region with drones.
– In the Kupyansk-Svatovsky direction, Russian troops are advancing in the direction of Petrovpavlovka from the side of Olshany, and have also expanded the zone of control on the approaches to Stelmakhovka.
– In the Avdeevka direction, Russian troops repelled an enemy counterattack in the Yasnobrodovka area and are engaged in fierce battles in the Sokol and Novopokrovskoe area.
– In the Vrem'evsky direction, clashes continue on the northern outskirts of Staromayorsky and in Urozhany.
08:00 Official summary of DPR Representative Offices in the JCCC:
46 cases of armed attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces were recorded by the DPR Representative Office in the JCCC.
There were reports of a civilian being killed, and six civilians, including two children, were injured.
Damaged:
A total of residential buildings,
Two civil infrastructure facilities.
A total of 19 artillery attacks in the Donetsk direction,
A total of 26 artillery attacks in the Gorlovka direction,
One artillery attack in the Volnovakha direction.
In total, the Ukrainian Armed Forces fired 147 units of various ammunition.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] In Sevastopol, close to the shore, Emergencies Ministry divers found three submunitions, the department's press service reported on June 27. The specialists began the search after the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched a missile strike on Crimea on June 23.
By surveying the bottom of the Black Sea in the area of the beach in Uchkuyevka, divers have completed half of the planned work to date.
“Two submunitions were found in the water within 24 hours, a total of three since the beginning of the search. They will be destroyed on site while observing security measures,” the department said.
It is noted that the work is being carried out by 19 specialists from the underwater demining group.
As Regnum reported, on June 23, the Ukrainian army fired five ATACMS operational-tactical missiles with cluster warheads into Crimea: four were intercepted by the air defense system, the warhead of the fifth missile exploded in the air.
Four civilians, two of whom were children, were killed and another 153 people were injured. The people killed and injured were on the beaches in the Uchkuyevka and Lyubimovka area at the time of the strike.
The Ministry of Defense named the United States as responsible for the strike on civilians. Kiev receives ATACMS from the United States, and American specialists enter flight missions into them, using US satellite intelligence data.
The day before, on June 26, the Ministry of Emergency Situations reported the discovery of an unexploded cluster munition in the area of the beaches in Uchkuyevka and Lyubimovka.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] Former Minister of Defense of the Donetsk People's Republic Igor Girkin (call sign: Strelkov), convicted of calls for extremism, was transferred to a penal colony, his wife Miroslava Reginskaya reported on her Telegram channel.
“According to information received from the lawyer, this morning, June 27, Igor Strelkov was transferred to a penal colony,” she wrote.
The ex-minister’s wife noted that she was not informed which colony her husband was sent to.
As reported by the Regnum news agency, on May 29, the first appellate court of general jurisdiction upheld Strelkov's four-year sentence. Following the appellate court's verdict, the sentence came into force and is subject to execution.
The former minister was detained on July 21, 2023, he publicly called on Internet users to engage in extremist activities. On January 25, 2024, the Moscow City Court sentenced the former Minister of Defense of the DPR to four years in a general regime colony.
In April 2024, the convicted man's lawyer announced his desire to participate in the SVO in Ukraine. A document was attached to the appeal stating that one of the front-line military units agreed to sign a contract with Strelkov.
In 2014, he led a militia unit for several months during battles with the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Slavyansk (DPR). In early July 2014, Strelkov's unit retreated from the city on his orders. From May to August 2014, he commanded the DPR Armed Forces. In May 2014, he was appointed Minister of Defense of the republic. In August of the same year, Strelkov was dismissed.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Artemy Sharapov
[REGNUM] Vladimir Putin's recent visit to the DPRK and the signing of a cooperation agreement between the two countries have greatly alarmed the South Korean authorities. The response was swift: if Moscow transfers modern weapons and technology to Pyongyang, Seoul will lift the current restrictions and begin deliveries to Kiev. This was stated by the head of the National Security Department of the Presidential Administration of South Korea, Chang Ho-jin, on the air of the KBS television channel.
The agreement signed by Putin and Kim Jong-un provides for military assistance in the event of an attack on one of the parties to the agreement. The text does not directly stipulate arms supplies, but Seoul is seriously concerned about North Korea acquiring modern strike weapons. Supplies to Kiev are seen there as a mirror response.
At the same time, the country’s authorities previously insisted that they do not plan to send weapons to Ukraine.
For Kyiv, a possible partnership with Seoul opens up rich prospects, since South Korea has effectively become the workshop and forge of NATO’s eastern flank.
They are pushing out Germany and the USA
South Korea has a developed military industry, which operates under conditions close to martial law. Since the Republic of Korea and the DPRK are in a constant state of readiness for war, Seoul keeps defense enterprises in good shape and increases production speed.
In addition, South Korea is actively entering the global arms market.
In August 2022, Poland ordered several batches of weapons worth a total of $12.4 billion from Korea. South Korean companies will supply the Polish army with 230 multiple launch rocket systems, 980 tanks, 648 self-propelled howitzers and 48 aircraft. The first batches of weapons have already arrived in Poland in 2022–2023.
The second stage of the deal between Warsaw and Seoul provides for the creation of industrial capacities on Polish territory for the production of K2 tanks and K9 self-propelled guns. After 2026, Poland plans to produce 800 tanks. Therefore, do not think that Korea is far away and cannot have any relation to Ukraine. Korea is close.
At the same time, military cooperation between Poland and South Korea began back in 2008, when Warsaw began production of AHS self-propelled artillery mounts, based on the same Korean K9 self-propelled guns.
In addition to Poland, the Romanian authorities also showed interest in the Korean self-propelled guns.
On June 19, the country's Defense Minister Angel Tilvar confirmed plans to purchase K9 self-propelled artillery units from South Korean manufacturers for a total of $920 million. The statement was made after a meeting between the head of the Romanian Defense Ministry and his South Korean counterpart Shin Won-sik.
The turn of the former Eastern Bloc countries from European suppliers to South Korean ones is understandable, military expert Alexander Mikhailovsky noted in a commentary to Regnum. Manufacturers from Germany and the USA were unable to produce large quantities of armored vehicles for export. In addition, German and American tanks did not perform well on the fields of the Northern Military District.
"It turned out that European countries, and the US, have not fought a serious enemy for a long time, and their requirements for armored vehicles do not meet modern standards. Therefore, buyers are turning their attention to Israel or South Korea. Their military-industrial complex is constantly in good shape, and their products better meet modern requirements," the expert notes.
In 2019, the US purchased Iron Dome missile defense systems from Israel for the first time, which are better suited to repel drone and rocket attacks than American weapons.
At the same time, Mikhailovsky says, South Korean enterprises produce weapons manufactured according to NATO standards, which allows them to be integrated into the armed forces of any European country. Korea is also actively introducing civilian developments into military equipment, which makes it modern and high-tech.
“The same K9 self-propelled guns are produced by Samsung Techwin - the flagship of modern technologies. K2 tanks, aka “Black Panther”, are produced by a whole club of advanced Korean enterprises. In this regard, they are ahead of both the German Rheinmetall and the American General Dynamics, manufacturers of the Leopard 2 and Abrams tanks,” adds IA Regnum’s interlocutor.
In turn, the Norwegian armed forces are considering purchasing K2 tanks instead of Leopard 2A7 tanks, and Turkey has chosen a Korean tank as the basis for the Altay tanks - the first armored vehicle to be produced on Turkish soil, despite the fact that the Turkish defense industry has close ties with the German ones manufacturers, and the main tank of the armed forces is the Leopard 2.
In general, South Korea is becoming a supplier of weapons to NATO countries. If we talk about Ukraine, cooperation with it is possible, but only in the distant future.
WHAT SEOUL CAN GIVE TO KYIV
The Ukrainian troops need artillery shells most of all. The EU countries cannot increase their industrial capacity to the level that would allow them to meet their own needs, let alone the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. At the same time, aid from the US comes to Ukraine every other time and with long delays.
Hypothetically, South Korea could significantly ease the situation for the Ukrainian Armed Forces and allocate some ammunition from its reserves, for example, shells with an expiring shelf life. However, organizing the supply will be problematic.
Under normal conditions, Seoul could transfer 330,000 155-mm artillery shells to Kiev, the Washington Post reported in December 2023, citing National Security Advisor to US President Jake Sullivan. He explained that the delivery of ammunition from South Korea to Ukraine would take 41 days.
Now the period will increase, since any ship with shells must circumnavigate not only the entire Asian continent, but also Africa. Given that ships traveling through the Red Sea are constantly targeted by missile attacks, it is unlikely that ammunition cargo will be sent through the Suez Canal.
Accordingly, any cargo of Korean ammunition will be able to reach, say, Romania or Bulgaria only in a few months. Not to mention that the ammunition still has to be transported from NATO ports to the front line.
That is, if the South Korean authorities authorize the supply of ammunition to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, they will not be at the front immediately. Kyiv should not count on supplies of armored vehicles and weapons, especially against the backdrop of worsening relations between South and North Korea.
"The management of Korean enterprises is not made up of philanthropists, but businessmen. Yes, they like to expand their presence in the market, but they work for money.
The Korean government will also not supply weapons from its reserves, since the likelihood of a conflict with the DPRK in the coming years does not look zero. Every tank counts for them,” Alexander Mikhailovsky is sure.
The Ukrainian leadership can only wait for supplies from European partners, the expert adds. In the meantime, in response to Kyiv's calls to its allies for air defense supplies, NATO has generously donated two Patriot air defense missile system divisions. One will be donated by Romania, the second by the Netherlands together with an unnamed country.
Of course, Kyiv can also count on the supply of hundreds of tanks and self-propelled guns from Seoul, but not before Ukraine has the money for it. But they don’t exist, so we have to beg the allies for what’s lying around in warehouses.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Andrey Zvorykin
[REGNUM] On June 26, 2024, it became known that on October 2 of this year, the new, fourteenth Secretary General of NATO will be the former head of the government of the Netherlands Mark Rutte, who recently resigned as prime minister of the kingdom.
There has been speculation for quite some time about who will replace the Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg, who was Secretary General for almost ten years, in the combat post of head of the “defensive” (as he positions himself) alliance.
The London Telegraph two years ago confidently wrote that ex-Prime Minister and catalyst of the Ukrainian conflict Boris Johnson would sit in the post of Secretary General. The Canadian CBC predicted the “secretary general” for the head of the Canadian Ministry of Finance, the ethnic Ukrainian Chrystia Freeland.
Up until a certain point, there were two more ladies on the shortlist: former British Prime Minister Theresa May and her current Estonian counterpart Kaja Kallas. In general, the transformation of the alliance into a "women's kingdom" was the most common forecast, and it was the Baltic women who were mentioned most often: former Lithuanian Prime Minister Dalia Grybauskaite and former Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid were mentioned. In addition, it was said that the Balkans could be encouraged by inviting former Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic as Secretary General.
But the four main players in the alliance – the USA, Britain, France and Germany – came out in support of the man from Old Europe – Mark Rutte.
“I know that I am leaving NATO in good hands,” Jens Stoltenberg commented on the appointment on the social network X (formerly Twitter). Why would a Norwegian hand over his post to a Dutchman?
AN OLD BACHELOR WITH A TEFLON REPUTATION
Mark Rutte was born on February 14, 1967 in The Hague, the birthplace of the artist Vermeer, the group Shocking Blue, and one of the de facto capitals of the kingdom: the parliament and the cabinet of ministers sit in The Hague, and the royal residence is also located here. But what is more important is that the headquarters of globalist and Atlanticist structures, about one hundred and fifty in number, are concentrated here. In this “city of peace and justice” (the official title of The Hague), the tribunal for the former Yugoslavia sat, Slobodan Milosevic died here, and the headquarters of the International Criminal Court are also here.
Rutte, who had a successful career that earned him the nickname "Teflon Mark," was an early graduate of the globalist school. The future prime minister was born into a family of one of the country's richest citizens, the director of a large trading company that made money in the colony of the Netherlands East Indies, now Indonesia.
The family professed rather strict religious views of the Calvinist persuasion, Mark was the seventh child. The future politician received a history education, graduating in 1992 from Leiden University with a corresponding specialization. After completing his studies, he worked at Unilever, a company engaged in the production of food and household chemicals (and at the same time demonstratively caring for the environment), as a personnel manager. Since 2008, he has taught courses in sociology at the Jan de Witt College in his native The Hague.
At the same time, Mark Rutte began his political career. While still a student, the future prime minister headed the youth organization of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (NPSD). From 1993 to 1997, he was a member of the party's Executive Council.
The NPSD was created in 1948 on the basis of the conservative-liberal Freedom Party and several leaders of the Labor Party who left the latter because, in their opinion, it was too socialist. For most of the time since its founding (53 out of 75 years, from 1948 to 2023), the NPSD has been part of the ruling coalition, which was achieved due to the “half-hearted” liberal-conservative ideological direction of the party, divided by this factor into two approximately equal wings. Mark Rutte considers himself to be on the liberal wing.
In 2002–2004 he served as Secretary of State (deputy minister participating in government meetings) of labor and social protection, and after, until 2006, the formation in the government of Jan Peter Balkenende, a leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal party, the NPSD was a partner in the ruling coalition. At the same time, since 2003, Rutte occupied the seat of a deputy in the lower house of parliament.
In 2006, after the resignation of Josias van Aertsen, the previous chairman of the NPSD, Rutte nominated himself for this post, his main opponent was Rita Verdonk, a figure in the conservative wing of the party. During the voting, Mark won, gaining 52% of the votes against 46% for Verdonk. The following year, 2007, Rita Verdonk was expelled from the ranks of the NPSD.
The reason was that Verdonk accused her party and parliamentary colleague, Somali migrant and feminist Ayaan Hirsi Ali, of either not having received Dutch citizenship or having received it with violations. Ali's documents were corrected, the conservative Verdonk was ostracized, and "Teflon Mark", who did not interfere in the scandal, came out on top.
Let us add that Rutte’s personal reputation also seems to be unblemished – the unmarried and childless politician has nevertheless not been suspected of anything reprehensible, unlike, for example, the married family man Donald Trump.
COVID ALMOST RUINED CAREER
In 2010, Rutte led the party in the parliamentary elections and was declared the winner of the televised debates. In his election program, the liberal Rutte played with nationalist and left-wing populist agendas: he promised to tighten immigration laws, raise the retirement age and reduce benefits for immigrants, and to use the freed-up money to combat the consequences of the 2008 economic crisis.
In the October 2010 elections, the PPSD won 20% of the vote and 31 seats (9 more than before) in the second chamber of parliament. On October 14, Queen Beatrix announced the appointment of Mark Rutte as Prime Minister of the country. A coalition government of the NPSD and the Christian Democratic Party was immediately formed.
Subsequently, Mark Rutte resigned from his post and returned to it three more times: in 2012, due to disagreements over the formation of the budget, the coalition split and Rutte had to reorganize the cabinet, this time together with the Labor Party. In 2017, regular parliamentary elections were held, as a result of which Rutte again headed the cabinet.
Finally, in 2021, his government resigned again as a result of mass protests caused by anti-coronavirus measures. However, in the early elections, the cabinet of the winning coalition was again headed by Mark Rutte. In all of the above cases, between elections, Rutte led the country as acting head of government.
On 7 July 2023, Rutte submitted his resignation to King Willem-Alexander due to disagreements with the Christian Union, a coalition party, on the migration issue: the Christian Union refused to support measures to restrict migration to the Netherlands put forward by the NPSD. On 14 August, Rutte also resigned as party chairman. However, following the November 2023 elections, a new government was not formed due to the impossibility of forming a coalition, so Mark Rutte is still acting Prime Minister.
A STAUNCH PRO-UKRAINIAN
The politician was first offered the post of NATO Secretary General back in January 2023, but then Mark Rutte refused, citing a desire to end his political career after the end of his next term. However, after his resignation in July of that year, Rutte returned to the proposal.
In February 2024, it became known that the Dutch politician was the main contender for the post of Secretary General, his candidacy was supported by 28 of the 32 member countries of the alliance. The current Secretary General of the organization, former Prime Minister of Norway Jens Stoltenberg, announced his resignation on October 2, 2024. In June 2024, all members of the alliance confirmed Rutte's candidacy.
It is worth mentioning that the Dutch politician, while serving as prime minister, ardently supported Ukraine back in 2014.
On March 1, 2022, almost immediately after the start of the SVO, Rutte signed a bilateral security agreement with Vladimir Zelensky, promising to provide financial assistance. Rutte also warmly supported the recent summit in Switzerland, saying that Russia has no right to participate in it until it “complies with international principles.”
"Mark is a true transatlanticist, a decisive leader and a consensus builder," Stoltenberg, his predecessor, said of Rutte.
Rutte himself said the following during his April visit to Lithuania:
"It is vital that NATO maintains deterrence, that we all understand that this border of the Baltics and other countries on the eastern flank with Belarus and Russia is our collective border... First of all, this means that we all spend at least 2 percent (of GDP) on defense. This also means strengthening the defense of the eastern flank."
So there is no need to expect any changes in the alliance’s policy towards Russia. It was in this spirit that Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov assessed the appointment:
“It is unlikely that this choice will change anything in the general line of NATO and the members of the Atlantic alliance.”
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] Russia will soon present to the International Court of Justice evidence that Kiev committed genocide in the Donbass, Ambassador-at-Large and Russia’s representative for cases before the International Court of Justice Gennady Kuzmin said at the XII St. Petersburg International Legal Forum (SPBILF) on June 27.
“We will have to provide the court with evidence of the Kiev regime’s acts of genocide [in Donbass], which we plan to do in the near future,” Kuzmin said at a session on “International Justice: Contemporary Problems and Challenges.”
The diplomat added that the International Court of Justice decided to consider the issue of committing genocide in Kyiv in the Donbass. Thus, according to him, Ukraine not only failed in accusing Russia of genocide, but, while still a plaintiff, it itself found itself in the dock.
As reported by the Regnum news agency, in February, the UN International Court in The Hague refused to consider a number of issues within the framework of Ukraine's lawsuit against Russia, filed in 2022 due to the special operation. In January, the UN court refused to recognize Russia as an "aggressor state" and the DPR and LPR as "terrorist organizations." In addition, the court rejected all of Kiev's demands for compensation.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in February that the International Court of Justice completely rejected all of Kiev's claims about Russia's alleged violation of the Genocide Convention. At the same time, the diplomat added that Kyiv put itself in the dock as part of its own claims. As a result, only one question remained pending in the Hague court - whether Ukraine committed genocide in Donbass, Zakharova explained.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
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