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Developments in eastern Ukraine

Ukrainian army ready to cease fire in east in 5-7 days - Security Council chief

The government had been instructed to organise unilateral demarcation of the border with Russia

KIEV, June 16, /ITAR-TASS/. The Ukrainian troops engaged in an army operation in the east of the country will be ready to cease fire in 5-7 days, Security and Defence Council Secretary Andrei Paryby said on Monday, June 16.

“We think we will be ready to commence the president’s peace initiatives in 5-7 days. The period for implementing these steps will not exceed two weeks,” he said.

President Petro Poroshenko said his peace plan would become effective on Monday, June 16.

“A peace plan will take effect. A ceasefire will be offered to launch the president’s peace plan. I hope it will happen this week,” Poroshenko said at a meeting of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council on Monday.

He said Ukraine “does not need to be involved in a lengthy negotiating process” and recalled that the biggest part of his peace plan had been outlined in his inauguration speech.

Parliament Speaker Alexander Turchinov said that Poroshenko would submit a decentralisation bill to the parliament this week.

“I have talked with the president. He is planning to initiate changes to the Constitution this week with regard to decentralisation of power,” he said.

In the meantime, the Security and Defence Council is considering imposing martial law in the eastern Lugansk and Donetsk regions.

“This issue is under consideration. But I stress that at first we will do everything we can to suggest to the armed side which is using weapons against Ukrainian citizens, against the state of Ukraine, that it lay down its arms and leave the state of Ukraine,” Paruby said.

He also said that the government had been instructed to organise unilateral demarcation of the border with Russia in accordance with a decree to be signed by the president.

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Eastern Ukraine

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US decision to allow missile strikes deep into Russia fuels global escalation — Slovak PM

Robert Fico also rejected the belief that this escalation would not impact "those living far away, in Spain, England, or America"

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Lukashenko tells Putin situation is "starting to get tense with Wagner"

The Belarusian leader noted that they want to go to Warsaw

Ukraine conflict entering decisive phase, Polish PM says

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US, West have no capabilities to intercept new Russian hypersonic missile — expert

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Decision on strikes inside Russia seals US puppet Zelensky’s fate — commentator

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Russian forces gain foothold in Chasov Yar’s industrial zone — expert

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Oreshnik can reach targets across entire Europe — missile troops commander

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NATO enters conflict, Russia has every right to attack its targets now — expert

Col. (Ret.) Lawrence Wilkerson confirmed to TASS that the launch of ATACMS missiles would be impossible without "US/NATO satellite feeds and/or personnel"

US to impose export restrictions against up to 200 Chinese firms — agency

According to Reuters, the Commerce Department plans to publish the new regulations "prior to the Thanksgiving break"

Illegal decisions on Russian property in Finland will not go unanswered — diplomat

Maria Zakharova noted that the Russian Embassy in Helsinki has sent requests to clarify the situation

US, European officials suggest returning nukes to Ukraine — NYT

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Japanese lawmaker praises Putin's restraint amid decision to strike deep into Russia

Top EU diplomat Josep Borrell confirmed that the US administration had lifted restrictions for US-supplied missiles to be used for strikes up to 300 kilometers inside Russia

West builds up military presence near Russia’s Arctic borders — presidential aide

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Ukrainian defense line in Donbass may soon collapse — expert

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Bulgarian politician sees Oreshnik missile strike as wake-up call for peace

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Houthis say they attacked Israeli military base with hypersonic missile

The Israel Defense Forces said on Thursday evening that it had intercepted a missile launched from Yemen before it entered the Israeli airspace

Zelensky’s actions make Ukraine vulnerable to coup, says politician

"Democratic institutions in the country have been destroyed, rendering dialogue between the government and the people impossible," Viktor Medvedchuk said

Russian military to warn Ukrainian civilians of future Oreshnik attacks — Kremlin

Earlier, the Russian Armed Forces carried out a precision strike on Ukraine’s Yuzhmash defense industry facility in retaliation for the use of US-and UK-made weapons for strikes on Russia

German politician slams Ukraine’s ‘irresponsible’ strike on Russia with UK-made missiles

"A diplomatic search for balance and mutual understanding should be the goal, instead of further escalation," Alice Weidel said

Russia’s Oreshnik has no analogues worldwide — Putin

"We know what kind of developments are being carried out there, but this will happen tomorrow or in a year or two, but we have such a system already today," the president said

Ukraine loses up to 160 troops in battlegroup East’s responsibility area — top brass

Units of the Russian battlegroup East continue fulfilling military tasks in the area of the special military operation

Western air defense systems unlikely to intercept Russian missiles — France’s Le Monde

According to the French military source, Russia's recent use of the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile should be taken in the context of possible negotiations regarding the ongoing Ukrainian conflict

Trump seeks to restore peace in entire world — transition team on Putin’s address

Trump’s inauguration will take place on January 20, 2025

US not seeking confrontation with Russia, but will continue assistance to Kiev — Pentagon

Department of Defense Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh also claimed that Washington, while helping Ukraine, is not attempting to turn the conflict into a large-scale regional confrontation that spills beyond the country’s borders

Trump to rely on forces that brought him to power — Russian presidential aide

Nikolay Patrushev agreed that Trump, when he was still a candidate, "made many statements critical of the destructive foreign and domestic policies pursued by the current administration"

Russian servicemen control 30% of Chasov Yar in DPR — expert

According to military expert Andrey Marochko, 10% of the territory is the so-called grey zone

West irrational, fails to understand it cannot intercept Russia's new missiles — Kneissl

The former Austrian foreign minister stressed that she "counted on rational Western decision-makers, but irrationality is unfortunately on the rise among them"

Ex-German chancellor never expected Russia to tolerate Ukraine’s NATO membership — memoir

Angela Merkel added that another fallacy was the belief that the status "would act as a deterrent," and that Moscow "would accept these developments without taking action"

Captives, Ukrainian losses: situation in Kursk Region

Over the day, the enemy lost more than 150 people, while five Ukrainian servicemen surrendered

Russia’s reaction to Austrian OMV’s failure to pay for gas justified — MFA

The company stated it would seek damages amounting to 230 million euro for failing to receive the contracted volume of gas from the Russian company for delivery to Germany

Zelensky begs ‘for his country to be flattened’ — US journalist

"Ukraine should be forever grateful that President Putin is calm, rational and kind - because Zelensky is practically begging for his country to be flattened," American political commentator Jackson Hinkle said

Any escalation scenario possible in Ukraine conflict — Medvedev

According to the politician, Western nations need to understand that they are fighting on Ukraine’s side

Russian ambassador says UK prime minister doesn’t understand situation in Ukraine

Turning to the Labour Party’s domestic policies, Andrey Kelin said Starmer’s plans to spur the economy were "not met with applause by the population

IN BRIEF: What Putin said about Russia’s new missile, and Moscow’s response to the West

Moscow used its new Oreshnik medium-range hypersonic ballistic missile in response to the West’s decision to authorize strategic-depth strikes on Russia

Russia hammers Ukrainian military-industrial facilities, energy sites over week

Russian forces liberated seven communities in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past week, the Defense Ministry reported

Oreshnik missile to go into serial production, Putin says

The president stressed that given the weapon’s special power, it "will be provided precisely to the Strategic Missile Forces"

Zelensky fine with conflict continuing due to Western help — Slovak PM

Robert Fico pointed out that "more and more evidence show that the West seeks to prolong the war in Ukraine for various reasons"

Russia uses aerial bombs to destroy Ukrainian positions near DPR’s Konstantinovka — source

According to the report, at least 15 Ukrainian servicemen were killed as a result of the attack

Western countries should 'be afraid, tremble' after Putin's statement — lawmaker

Andrey Kartapolov added that the special military operation in Ukraine "will continue its course until all tasks are completed"