Photo : CNN/Reuters
Photo : CNN/Reuters
By Neha Tresa George
WAR ON THE GROUND
On 24 June, Ukrinform reported on Russia’s attack on Ukraine's southeastern Zaporizhzhia, targeting nine settlements. According to Ivan Fedorov, the regional governor of Zaporizhzhia, an airstrike in the Polohy district resulted in the injury of an 87-year-old woman. The report said that the Russian troops carried out airstrikes on Verkhnia Tersa and Kamianske along with 193 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) attacking Huliaipole, Levadne, Robotyne, Mala Tokmachka, Malynivka, and Novoandriivka. While, Mala Tokmachka, Robotyne, Levadne, and Novoandriivka were hit by Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) attacks, around 294 artillery strikes were launched on Orikhiv, Huliaipole, Mala Tokmachka, Novoandriivka, Robotyne, Levadne, and Malynivka.
On 24 June, Ukrinform reported on Russia’s attack in the Obukhiv district of the Kyiv region damaging 72 private houses and eight apartment blocks. The damage was caused due to the fragments of Russian missiles over the area according to Ruslan Kravchenko, head of the region’s military administration. The missile strikes also resulted in the damage of hospital buildings and 13 other buildings, including a utility company, a driving school, a pharmacy, a gas station, a grocery store, an employment centre, a hotel, a medical centre, several businesses, and a car wash. Kravchenko confirmed that the population was provided with all the required aid as the representatives of the Kyiv regional military administration and the local community was helping to process information about people's necessities. He also added that The Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) and the Andrii Zasukha Charitable Foundation had joined in the restoration of damaged structures.
THE MOSCOW VIEW
Claims by Russia
On 23 June, at least four people including two children were found to be dead in a Ukrainian missile attack on the Crimean Peninsula of Russia. Initially, Mikhail Razvozhae, the Governor of Sevastopol said that all the required ambulances were sent to the area of Uchkuduk, the northern part of the port city on the Black Sea.
According to the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, the attack resulted in the injury of 124 people including 27 children. Maria Lvova-Belova, Russian Commissioner for Children’s Rights also added that five children were in serious condition. The Ministry of the Defence of the Russian Federation confirmed that the attack involved the usage of several US-made ATACMS long-range missiles armed with cluster munitions, which are banned in more than 100 countries. Russian troops were able to destroy four of them although the fifth attained damage from fire, leading it to change its course and detonate over the city. The disintegrated cluster munitions falling over the city resulted in various casualties according to the military.
On 22 June, RT reported on the alleged training provided by the US to train Ukraine’s neo-Nazi Azov Brigade before the US State Department lifted its ban on military assistance to the unit. This came against the backdrop of the US State Department’s announcement that the Azov Brigade was not involved in any human rights violations and would be eligible to receive American military aid. The photograph of Andrey ‘Spyder’ Ignatyuk, receiving a certificate for the completion of a training course organised by US Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) was posted on his social media account. However, a certificate handed to him by an American soldier was dated December 2023. The caption under the picture also highlighted that the course focused on “civil-military cooperation,” along with instructors from other European nations. Another photo also showed a large group of American, Polish, and Ukrainian troops holding each other’s national flags, along with the flag of the Azov Brigade. Both the Pentagon and the Azov Brigade declined to comment on the report published concerning the photo.
THE WEST VIEW
Responses of the US and Europe
On 23 June, Associated Press reported on Ukraine’s attempt to persuade the US to grant permission for the use of American-made ATACMS long-range missiles for deep strikes into Russia. Although the US permitted Ukraine to use Western weapons for cross-border attacks in late May, it did not authorise to strike 200 miles into Russia or the use of long-range weapons. According to the three unnamed US officials interviewed by the AP News, Biden did not allow the use of ATACMS missiles with a range of up to 300km to strike inside Russian territory. An artillery commander of Ukraine said, “If the US were to reverse this policy, Kiev could target [Russian] brigade command points and the entire northern grouping, because they are located 100 to 150 kilometres from the front line.” The Ukrainian officials were hoping to convince the US to reverse their policy as they found it difficult to strike back with the opposite territory actively advancing their troops. Putin warned the West threatening to arm North Korea thus reflecting Western long-range weapons deliveries to Ukraine.
References
“Сhildren killed in Ukrainian attack on Crimea,” RT, 23 June 2024
“Ukraine pushing US to allow strikes deeper into Russia – AP,” RT, 23 June 2024
“Woman injured as Russians launch 518 strikes on Zaporizhzhia region in past day,” Ukrinform, 24 June 2024
“72 private houses, 8 apartment blocks damaged in Russia's June 23 attack on Kyiv region,” Ukrinform, 24 June 2024
“US may have secretly trained Ukrainian neo-Nazis,” RT, 22 June 2024