Ukraine Breaking News Today Live on 06-03-2024

Did you know that Russia, drug cartels in Latin America, and Hezbollah from the Middle East are business partners?

The Ministry of Finance maintains steady pace of bond placement.

Bonds: MoF maintains steady pace of bond placement

During May, the Ministry of Finance offered the same amount of UAH bonds every week, while gradually reducing rates in the primary bond market.In May, the MoF borrowed the equivalent of UAH46.3bn, including UAH40.6bn and EUR113.6mn (the equivalent of UAH5.7bn), achieving a 102% ratio of debt refinancing in local currency and 41% in EUR-denominated papers. YTD, the Ministry borrowed UAH189bn in all currencies, with a total rollover rate at 132%, including 169% in local currency, 96% in US dollars, and 81% in Euros.The Ministry placed EUR-denominated bills twice in May, but saw low demand for them at EUR54-60m vs the EUR200m weekly cap. At the same time, the demand for UAH instruments increased significantly in May, enabling the MoF to increase borrowings and/or lower interest rates. The Ministry offered three UAH bonds every week, maturing in one, two, and three years, with a cap of UAH3bn for each. The MoF did not increase the offer in response to high demand.Every week in May, demand significantly exceeded supply, and the difference was especially large for three-year notes. Last week, the three-year paper got a six-fold oversubscription, but the MoF sold only the planned amount of UAH3bn. This allowed the Ministry to lower the cut-off rate by 31bp to 16.62% (see details in the auction review). Therefore, since the beginning of the spring cycle of monetary policy easing, interest rates on this instrument have already decreased by 188bp, the most among the instruments the Ministry offered at the primary auctions. For one-year bills, the rate reduction during this time is 182bp and for two-year paper 170bp.

The verdict of Donald Trump’s criminal trial proved that the members of the jury stuck by their oath to arrive at a verdict based solely on the facts that were presented – others disagree.

The jurors in the criminal trial of Donald Trump, the 45th US president, took an oath to put aside all bias, keep an open mind, and follow the facts and law wherever they led in rendering their verdict. The jurors who previously got most of their news from Truth Social and Fox News clearly kept that oath.

Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville showed up at the trial in a bright red tie determined to do the opposite - to keep a closed mind, ignore the evidence presented in his presence, and hew to his party leader no matter what – which is completely antithetical to America’s system of justice.

The issue has been deeply divisive among Ukraine's supporters, with some reluctant to permit Ukraine to strike over the border, fearing this could drag them closer to direct conflict with Moscow.

Ukraine said on Monday it would urge allies to give its troops more freedom to strike military targets inside Russia after the United States partially lifted restrictions on the use of some Western-supplied weapons.

Washington last week gave Ukraine limited permission to use Western-supplied weapons to strike some military targets on Russian territory as part of Kyiv's efforts to fend off attacks on its eastern Kharkiv region.

The Kremlin's Kasta EW Radar was first observed on Ukrainian territory in 2021 in the occupied Luhansk region, ironically brought in by Russians before the full-scale invasion to counter UAV attacks.

The Ukrainian Special Operation Forces (SSO) claimed to have successfully destroyed a state-of-the-art Russian Kasta-2E2 aerial surveillance and early warning (EW) radar using a strike drone.

In a Telegram report, the SSO announced the destruction of the Kasta-2E2, and showed video captured during aerial reconnaissance in one of the operational sectors.

Kyiv had launched its own drones and anti-aircraft missiles into Russian territory before, but never American-made high-tech M42 guided rockets. The US green-lighted the launches on Friday.

Ukrainian forces waited less than 24 hours after getting the green light from Washington, London, Paris and Berlin to hammer targets inside Russia with precision-guided munitions fired by top-end made-in-the-USA artillery, according to reports, firing dozens of long-range rocket salvoes across the border.

Heavy Russian artillery systems, troop concentrations and at least one major bridge appeared to be the focus of the Ukrainian strikes starting in the early morning hours of Sunday.

Ukrainian intelligence said more than 20,000 Ukrainian children were forcibly taken from Ukraine and named more than 200 Russians and Ukrainian collaborators complicit in the abductions.

Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) has created a database of Russians and Ukrainians who were involved in abducting and forcibly deporting children from Ukraine.

HUR’s database said those listed included “everyone involved in the deportation of Ukrainian children: officials who make decisions, [and] participants of ‘re-education’ youth organizations,” among whom were officials high and low alongside public figures and Ukrainian collaborators.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the hacking attack as part of Russia’s attempts to destabilise the European Union ahead of next month’s European Parliament elections.

The Polish government said Friday (31 May) that a false story stating that Poles would be mobilised to fight in Ukraine that appeared on the state news agency was likely a Russian cyberattack.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the hacking attack as part of Russia’s attempts to destabilise the European Union ahead of next month’s European Parliament elections.

The US seems to have finally given Kyiv authority to carry out cross border strikes on Russian forces but is still insisting on limitations on where, when and which of its weapons can be used.

The Biden Administration’s support for cross border strikes on Russian forces is a welcome decision. Yet it is really more of the White House’s ‘just enough’ strategy, which is merely reactive in its response to Russia’s aggression that cedes the Kremlin the initiative on the battlefield.

Fine print matters. In carefully worded releases regarding rules of engagement – actually restrictions placed on Ukraine which allows for “limited strikes inside Russia with American-made weapons … for counter-fire purposes in the Kharkiv region … against Russian forces that are attacking them or preparing to attack them.”

The law, which critics say is modelled on Russian legislation used to stifle dissent, has triggered weeks of daily protests in the capital Tbilisi and condemnation from Georgia's Western partners.

Georgia signed controversial "foreign influence" legislation into law on Monday, prompting its pro-European opposition to vow far-reaching political reforms if they win October's elections.

The law, which critics say is modelled on Russian legislation used to stifle dissent, has triggered weeks of daily protests in the capital Tbilisi and condemnation from Georgia's Western partners.

Investigations identified multiple senior members among Pravfond legal organization’s management are ex-Russian intelligence officers, with the group’s finances linked to propaganda efforts abroad.

Fund for Support and Protection of the Rights of Compatriots Living Abroad (Pravfond), a Russian legal foundation, has been the Kremlin’s front to fund propaganda activities across 48 nations with former Russian intelligence officers residing over its management positions, recent investigations discovered.

According to The Guardian, citing Pravfond’s leaked internal documents, the foundation has spent millions of euros financing pro-Russian websites in Europe and subsidized legal defense fees for arms trafficker Viktor Bout and assassin Vadim Krasikov, the latter convicted for murdering a former Chechen commander in Berlin in 2019.

Zelensky publicly criticizes China's pro-Russian stance for the first time.

China on Monday denied accusations by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that it was trying to prevent other nations from attending a planned peace summit on the war in Ukraine.

Speaking Sunday at a security forum in Singapore, Zelensky accused Beijing of "working hard today to prevent countries from coming to the peace summit" due to be hosted by Switzerland this month.

The CIA and FBI have launched public and covert campaigns to attract informants, leveraging modern technology and social media to bypass Russian security measures.

Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine has presented US intelligence services with a unique opportunity to target Kremlin insiders dissatisfied with the handling of the war for recruitment, as reported by CCN.

“Disaffection creates a once-in-a-generation opportunity for us. We’re very much open for business,” CIA Director Bill Burns said during a speech in the United Kingdom last year.

Ukrainian president continues his latest flurry of diplomatic activity aimed at forcing Russia to stop its war against his country.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky will participate in the upcoming G7 summit in Italy either online or in person, his spokesman told state media Monday.

A key agenda item of the summit to be held in southern Italy from June 13 to 15 will be ways to use profits from frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine, which has been urging allies for more military help.

An exclusive video obtained by Kyiv Post shows Ukrainian HUR special forces attacking enemy checkpoints, strongholds, foot patrols, and convoys of military equipment in the Golan Heights of Syria.

Exclusive videos obtained by Kyiv Post from sources within Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Directorate (HUR) show Ukrainian special forces and Syrian rebels destroying Russian mercenaries in Syria. The video is dated March 2024.

The HUR special squad “Khimik,” in collaboration with the Syrian opposition, is attacking Russian mercenaries fighting alongside the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria.  

Poles and Ukrainians share a long interconnected history. So perhaps it’s no wonder that Ukrainian refugees have been relatively successful in integrating into Polish society.

After the outbreak of the full-scale war, millions of Ukrainian refugees crossed the Polish border, fleeing from Russian aggression. Hearing Ukrainian conversations on the streets of Polish cities no longer surprises anyone – it has become a part of the landscape. When speaking of Ukrainians living in Poland, the first thing that comes to mind is war refugees seeking safe shelter. However, this is not the full picture – the issue is much more complex and it goes for the economy, social integration, and all other aspects of life. Who are they, what is their life like in Poland, how do they interact with Poles, and what are the prospects for the future?

The background

Andreas Umland, analyst at the Stockholm Center for Eastern European Studies gives Kyiv Post his take on the relaxation of the limitations on Ukraine’s use of Western supplied weapons.

Can you understand Olaf Scholz's hesitation on this issue?

The hesitancy Germany, politicians from other countries, and also a number of experts show is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the factors that drive Russia's international behavior. Moscow’s current foreign policy - whether using military or other means – is aimed at achieving results that can be sold to the Russian population as successes.

The world in focus, as seen by a Canadian leading global affairs analyst, writer and speaker, in his review of international media.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday China was working hard to stop countries from going to a peace summit, which Beijing has publicly criticized because Russia is not invited. “China, unfortunately, is working hard today to prevent countries from coming to the peace summit,” Zelensky told reporters on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, which draws defence officials from around the world. Beijing believes the conference “should have the recognition of Russia and Ukraine, equal participation of all parties and fair discussion of all peace plans”, foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a regular news conference. “Otherwise, it is difficult for the conference to play a substantive role in restoring peace,” she said. Zelensky said on Sunday that more than 100 countries and organisations had signed up to the conference, and he urged Asia-Pacific nations to join. - AFP

Saudi Arabia does not want to take part in the planned Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland. The German Press Agency learned this on Sunday from diplomatic circles in Riyadh. The reason for the government in Riyadh's decision is that Russia will not take part in the summit on June 15 and 16. There was initially no official confirmation of the step.

Recent U.S. military support is bolstering Ukraine’s defense and offensive capabilities, with new long-range missiles hitting critical targets in Crimea and slowing Russian advances near Kharkiv.

The $61 billion military support package, which was finally approved by the US Congress in April after months of delays, is already making a difference.

As reported by Economist, over the past week, there has been a slowdown in Russia's offensive against Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv.

Some of those veterans are in the Ukrainian squad currently taking part in the Euro 2024 football amputee championship in France.

Sport has given Ukrainian veterans maimed in the war with Russia "new dreams and goals to aspire to", Ukraine football legend Andriy Shevchenko told AFP.

Some of those veterans are in the Ukrainian squad currently taking part in the Euro 2024 football amputee championship in France.

Iryna Tsybukh, known as Cheka, was a 25-year-old paramedic who was killed on rotation in Ukraine's northeast region, where Russian forces launched a major ground offensive last month.

Almost 1,000 mourners gathered in central Kyiv on Sunday for the memorial service of a high-profile journalist and volunteer combat medic who was killed in action last week.

In the run-up to a major NATO summit, a host of former generals have issued a plea for those attending the summit to take a harder line with Russian aggression, lest the Alliance fall apart.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of an Alliance that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin describes as the “strongest and most successful in human history.” Its 32 members will meet in Washington in July for NATO’s 75th-Anniversary Summit. But what would ordinarily be an occasion for celebration, camaraderie, and good cheer has been muted by the collective appeal of a group of retired generals who have issued a dire warning of what may come unless the Alliance resets its policy regarding military and technical support to Ukraine.

For the first time since World War II, an authoritarian superpower on Europe’s border invaded a peaceful and much weaker neighbor and ignited a horrific conflagration in the very heart of Europe.

What employers and employees need to know about their rights and obligations with respect to draftable employees under Ukraine’s new mobilization laws.

This month two new laws came into effect in Ukraine significantly increasing the responsibility of both citizens obligated for military service and their employers for violation of effective military registration rules.

The new laws include: “On Mobilization Preparedness and Mobilization Process” (effective as of May 18, 2024) and the Law “On Amendments to the Administrative Violations Code of Ukraine Regarding Enhancement of Liability for Violation of Military Registration Rules and Legislation on Defense, Mobilization Preparedness, and Mobilization Process” (effective as of May 19, 2024). 

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from the ISW:

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with US and Singaporean officials and highlighted the upcoming Global Peace Summit during the International Institute for Strategic Studies' (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on June 2.
• The provision of Western air defense systems and the lifting of Western restrictions on Ukraine's ability to strike military targets Russian territory with Western-provided weapons remain crucial for Ukraine to repel Russian glide bomb and missile strikes against Kharkiv City.
• Ukrainian field commanders are reportedly compensating for training difficulties that mobilization has exacerbated by training new personnel on the frontline.
• Ukrainian field commanders' decisions to train newly-deployed personnel on the front before committing them to combat indicates that the overall quality of Ukrainian forces will likely remain higher than that of Russian forces in the near- to mid-term.
• The New York Times (NYT) published an investigation on June 2 into the forced relocation and deportation of 46 Ukrainian children from a foster home in occupied Kherson Oblast during 2022.
• The Telegraph reported on June 1 in a since-removed article that British officials ordered the United Kingdom's (UK) Security Service (MI5) to refocus its counterintelligence efforts towards Russian, People's Republic of China (PRC), and Iranian agents operating in the UK.
• Russian war commentator Alexander Artamonov drew backlash from Kremlin-affiliated Russian propagandists for claiming that Ukrainians are "second-class citizens." contradicting the Kremlin’s false efforts to portray Ukrainian and Russian people as one nation.
• Russian forces recently advanced near Vovchansk, Avdiivka, Donetsk City, and Krynky.
• Russia continues to indoctrinate Russian minors into military-political thinking to set conditions for long-term force generation.

Taiwan has slammed his comments, calling them “provocative and irrational.”

Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun declared on Sunday that any attempts to separate Taiwan from China would be “crushed and bring about their own downfall,” as reported by DW citing Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore, Dong’s comments followed recent Chinese military drills around Taiwan, which China claims as its territory. These drills were widely perceived as an effort to intimidate Taiwan.