Photo : 1lurer.am/TASS
Photo : 1lurer.am/TASS
By Neha Tresa George
WAR ON THE GROUND
On 24 June, Kyiv Post reported on the attack of a Russian cruise missile on a warehouse in the port city of Odesa causing a massive fire. From the beginning of the attack in 2022, the south-eastern port of Odesa had faced repeated missile and drone strikes from Russia. According to the Ukrainian Air Force: "Russian occupants attacked the Odesa region with two cruise missiles. One of them was eliminated.” In the attack, three men were wounded, and the fire had spread over 3,000 square metres. Oleg Kiper, the region’s Governor confirmed that the rescuers were working to curb the fire from spreading to the entire building. Russians were also reportedly attacking through guided aerial bombs in the Ukrainian-controlled areas of the southern region which resulted in serious injury of a 40-year-old man. Two people were also killed in the north-eastern region of Kharkiv when their car hit a Russian anti-tank mine near Lyptsi.
On 24 June, RFERL reported on the Russian missile attack targeting the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine. The strike led to the death of four people and injury of 34. Vadym Filashki, the governor of the region said that two-Islander M-missiles damaged a home and 16 others in the town of Pokrovsk. According to FilashkiL "This is one of the largest hostile attacks on civilians in recent times. Its final consequences are yet to be determined.” Another person was also killed in a Russian shelling in the Donetsk region, earlier that day.
On 24 June, Volodymyr Zelenskyy introduced Colonel Oleksii Morozov, the new Head of the Department of State Protection to the staff of the Department. The main duty of the new Head is to ensure that only patriotic specialists work in the institution. The President said that the new Head also has the responsibility to modernise its structure and operations to secure to the needs of wartime along with new approaches. This also involves the improvement of material and technical, and training bases of the Department along with a modern specialised Centre for Training. The newly appointed Head also thanked the President for his enduring trust and asked those present to support the transformation of the Department through his proposed implementations.
THE MOSCOW VIEW
Claims by Russia
On 24 June, the TASS reported on the declaration of a region-wide emergency in Sevastopol in the wake of Crimean attacks by the Ukrainian forces. Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Governor of the region, issued instructions in the decree of the state of emergency. It came against the backdrop of Ukrainian attack on the civilian infrastructure in Sevastopol using western weapons like the ATACMS tactical missiles equipped with cluster munitions. According to the reports, four people, including two children, were killed in the attack, with over 150 others being injured. Vladimir Putin, Russia’s President offered his condolences to the lost lives with 24 June declared as a day of mourning. The Russian Investigative Committee has launched a criminal probe designating it as a terrorist attack.
On 24 June, POLITICO reported on Moscow’s warnings to the US on its alleged involvement in the deadly strikes on Russian-occupied Crimea. Dmitry Peskov, Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation, “The involvement of the United States of America in hostilities, direct involvement in hostilities that result in the death of Russian civilians, this, of course, cannot but have consequences.” Moscow claims to have found out the use of five Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles donated to Ukraine by the US in the attack. Ukraine was trying to resist the advancing Russian troops mainly through the western weapons. The US agreed to deliver long range weapons like the ATACMS earlier this year along with its approval to use the western supplied weapons to hit targets inside Russia and the territories claimed by it. In the earlier week, Ukrainian forces also hit a military radar station in Crimea which was used for deep space surveillance.
THE WEST VIEW
Responses of the US and Europe
On 24 June, European Commission announced 14th package of sanctions on Russia. This includes restrictive measures against 69 individuals and 47 entities which were responsible for threatening the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. Particularly this targets business persons, propagandists, public figures and judiciary, person responsible for deportation of children from Ukraine. According to the European Commission, in the listed companies, few had actively engaged in circumventing EU sanctions via financial transactions and had delivered prohibited EU goods such as weapons and ammunitions from North Korea to Russia. The sanctioned companies also include, military and defence industry companies which provides vital dual-use technologies used in battlefield and “companies transporting weapons and military personnel. The move comes as part of the 17 and 18 April, European Council support to Ukraine and decision to weaken Russia’s ability to continue war.
On 24 June, Reuters reported on the Pentagon, the US’s Department of Defence’s response to Kremlin’s accusations of its alleged involvement in the attack on Crimea. Since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, tensions between the West and Russia reached its peak due to the War in Ukraine. According to Major Charlie Dietz, a Pentagon spokesperson, “Ukraine makes its own targeting decisions and conducts its own military operations.” He also offered his condolences to the lost lives of civilian people including the thousands of Ukrainians. The Kremlin directly blamed the US for the attacks as they found out the involvement of US-made ATACMS.
On 24 June, POLITICO reported that Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s President was expected to attend the European Council which was scheduled to be held in Brussels on Thursday. The President’s Office had not confirmed his travel due to security reasons. Zelenskyy’s visit could be indicative of the several European initiatives on Ukraine as the accession talks were to commence on Tuesday. According to Zelenskyy, “The EU has already approved the negotiating framework for Ukraine, and we expect the actual start of negotiations on June 25 — the Ukrainian Government delegation will be in Brussels for that.” He also added that Ukraine had been moving forward this for this historic event. The EU and Ukraine are set to sign a security pact at the summit.
References
Veronika Melkozerova And Barbara Moens, “Zelenskyy to attend EU leaders’ summit,” POLITICO, 24 June 2024
Joshua Posaner, “Russia threatens ‘consequences’ for US over Crimea missile strikes,” POLITICO, 24 June 2024
“Russian Missile Wounds 3, Sparks Warehouse Blaze in Odesa,” Kyiv Post, 24 June 2024
“Russian Missile Strike Kills 4 In Eastern Ukraine,” RadioFreeEuropeRadioLibrary, 24 June 2024
“Sevastopol declares state of emergency after Ukrainian attack,” TASS, 24 June 2024
“Ukraine makes its own targeting decisions, Pentagon says,” Reuters, 24 June 2024
“The President Introduced the New Head to the Staff of the Department of State Protection,” PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, 24 June 2024
“14th package of sanctions on Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine: EU lists additional 69 individuals and 47 entities,” European Commission, 24 June 2024