Photo : RFE/RL
Photo : RFE/RL
By Fleur Elizabeth Philip
WAR ON THE GROUND
On 16 June, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported that Russia launched drone and missile attacks on Kyiv, killing 14 and injuring 44 people. Ukrainian officials said that Russian airstrikes landed on major districts in the region. Mayor of Kyiv Vitaliy Klitschko said that nine were wounded in Sviatoskynskiy, 11 in Solomainskiy. Fires broke out in two other regions due to the debris from the drones. Apart from Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia received four airstrikes. On 16 June, Mayor of Moscow Sergei Sobyanin said that the Russian air defence intercepted two Ukrainian drones headed for Moscow. The Russian Defence Ministry said that air defence forces destroyed 51 Ukrainian drones in the Belgorod region.
On the same day, at the G7 meeting in Canada, a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump was scheduled, but Trump had to cut short his trip following the tensions between Israel and Iran. Russia has constantly attacked Ukraine despite the ceasefire efforts from the US and Ukraine. Moscow has rejected all the ceasefire proposals by Kyiv and the US, and Ukraine dismissed the demands made by Russia, calling them “ultimatums.”
On 16 June, the BBC reported that Ukraine and Russia had completed their final stage of the exchange of dead bodies. In the last set, Kyiv received 1,245 bodies, bringing the total to 6,057 fallen soldiers, and Russia received 78 bodies, for a total of 6,060 bodies received. Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko accused Russia of “deliberately complicating” the identities of the bodies, and said that the bodies remain disfigured, with the body parts in different bags. He also said that in the previous exchanges, among the body exchange, some Russian bodies were there. The bodies were in white bags and transported in refrigerated lorries. This exchange was monitored by the Red Cross, but it has not mentioned the numbers exchanged.
On 16 June, France 24 reported that Russian missiles and drones landed in Kyiv. Klitschko said that around 20 people were injured in Kyiv, and the majority of the injured are from the Solomyansky district. He added that UAVs were coming in from three different directions. Head of the Kyiv city military administration Tymur Tkachenko said that Kyiv was under a “combined enemy strike.” Multiple drones and missiles landed in several regions in Ukraine, damaging the infrastructure. He also noted that around 12 airstrikes landed in five districts of Kyiv.
THE WEST VIEW
Claims by Europe and the US
On 16 June, The Korea Herald reported that around 6000 North Korean troops have sustained injuries fighting against Ukraine in the Kursk region. The UK Defence Ministry said that more than half of the troops from Pyongyang were deployed and confirmed that around 5000 troops fighting in Kursk are injured. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea said that the total casualties come to 11,000. The UK Defence Ministry said that the North Korean troops are confined to the Kursk region, and the decision to deploy further troops must come after approval must come from Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean President Kim Jong Un.
On 16 June, The Financial Times reported that in the G7 meeting in Canada, several leaders pressured Trump to impose another set of sanctions upon Russia, but Trump was dobious about the new set of sanctions. Trump said that imposing sanctions is not easy, it is a “one-way street,” and this costs the US tremendous money. He expressed his frustration over the fact that he could not broker a deal or a ceasefire between the two regions, as pledged in his campaign. He also does not want to take steps against Russia like the European Countries, and the draft of sanctions made by Senator Linsey Graham, from South Carolina, and Senator Richard Blumenthal from Connecticut. Trump also said that it was a “big mistake” to exclude Russia from the G7 summits, there would not have been a war between Russia and Ukraine. He added that he would like to see the return of the G8, bringing Moscow back, as the overthrow of Russia occurred before the annexation of Crimea.
On 16 June, The Financial Times reported on the European Commission proposal to ban all contracts to purchase the new Russian gas. As per the proposal, by the EU, all companies are banned from signing any new contracts with Russia effective immediately, that include contracts on pipeline gas, and liquified natural gas. All short-term contracts to be terminated by 2026, and long-term by 2028. Countries like Hungary and Slovakia that import Russian gas will be granted an exemption until 2027 to find alternative solutions to their contracts with Russia. This comes following the Commission’s announcement of cutting all imports from Russia. According to the Ember think tank, in 2024, it was recorded that of the EU's total imports, 14 per cent came from Russia, which mainly consisted of Russian LNG. There have been several questions raised on the enforcement of the proposals, and the possibility of Hungary and Slovakia going against the proposal. The commission is to use the trade law, where the proposal will be passed if the majority approve. Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said that he would cut off all electricity exports to Ukraine if the bill were to pass. Ukraine's power imports come to 40 per cent from Hungary. Slovakia’s Deputy Economy Minister Vladimír Šimoňák said that his government is not satisfied with the proposal. Prime Minister Robert Fico said that he would oppose any further restrictions proposed by the EU, especially in the energy sector.
References
“Deadly Overnight Strike Targets Kyiv Residential Areas, Killing 14,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 16 June 2025
Jaroslav Lukiv & Danny Aeberhard, “Russia and Ukraine fulfil deal to repatriate dead soldiers,” BBC, 16 June 2025
“Over 6,000 N. Korean troops killed or injured in Ukraine war: British defence ministry,” The Korea Heard, 16 June 2025
“Russia strikes Kyiv with waves of drones and missiles, sparking fires,” France 24, 16 June 2025
James Politi, Ilya Grineff & David Sheppard, “Donald Trump sceptical of imposing new sanctions on Russia,” Financial Times, 16 June 2025
“EU plans ban on new Russian gas contracts using trade law,” The Financial Times, 16 June 2025