The United Kingdom has started to refuse asylum to Ukrainians, explaining that they can return to safer regions of the country, source The Guardian. The EU summit failed to adopt a statement in support of Ukraine. Hungary blocked the EU summit’s decision to start negotiations on Ukraine’s admission. The 18th package of sanctions against Russia also failed to pass at the summit on June 26 in Brussels, European Council chief Antonio Costa said at a press conference after the meeting. As reported by the Index publication, the adoption of the 18th package of sanctions was blocked by Slovakia, represented by Prime Minister Robert Fico, who imposed the right of veto.
According to French sources, Russia has taken control of the second of Ukraine’s four lithium deposits. It is located in Shevchenko, Donetsk region, and is considered the most promising in Ukraine.
Estonia has declared itself ready to welcome aircraft of NATO allies with nuclear weapons on board, said the head of the Ministry of Defense of the republic, Pevkur. In response, the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said: “Estonia’s intention to host NATO aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons represents an immediate danger to Moscow.”
“For real and lasting peace,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the EU to lower the price of Russian oil to $30 “The facts are clear: for Russia’s propensity for war to decrease, its oil profits must decrease. Therefore, I ask you to support further measures to lower the price ceiling for Russian oil. A ceiling of $45 can help bring peace closer. But for real and lasting peace, it is necessary to set the price at $30 per barrel.” Zelensky noted that sanctions remain one of the most effective tools to limit “Russian aggression.” In Ukraine, 75% of Ukraine’s annual budget was spent in the first quarter on the security and defense sector, hence the “hole” in the budget, says MP Nina Yuzhanina. According to the MP, the reason for this deficit was the lack of armed support from Ukraine’s partners in the first quarter of 2025.
“After humanitarian issues,” Ukraine plans to move on to the topic of the leaders’ meeting, Defense Minister Umerov said on negotiations with Russia: “Further clarifications on the progress of negotiations, as well as the format for their continuation, will be provided soon. Ukraine expects a substantive dialogue.” Other statements by the Defense Minister: “The issue of lowering the mobilization age is not being considered. Units consisting of contract soldiers aged 18 to 24 demonstrate high efficiency.” “To date, more than 50% of the volume of fortifications planned for this year has been completed. In addition, the Ministry of Defense has introduced a new model of fortifications – compact strongholds with mandatory protection from drones. Fortifications are adapted to the specifics of each direction.” “The DPRK has already sent about 11,000 “elite soldiers” to the war against Ukraine. They were selected from about 50,000 “reserve units” of the Kim Jong-un regime. These units have reportedly already suffered significant losses,” Umerov said.
Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Medvedev said that he considers what happened in the Kursk region a personal tragedy, as it has roots in that region. The Russian Armed Forces will not give the Ukrainian Armed Forces any reason to appear in the Kursk region again, Medvedev added in an interview with TASS. Finance Minister Anton Siluanov told RT: “There is no recession in Russia, there is a planned cooling of the economy.”
The President of the Russian Federation also spoke about economies, sanctions and assets frozen by Minsk: “In the event of the “theft” of Russian gold and foreign currency reserves by the West, the regionalization of payment systems will become irreversible, which will be beneficial for the global economy.” “They constantly say that they will steal our money. But once this happens, the movement towards the regionalization of payment systems will accelerate and will undoubtedly become irreversible. And this is, in general, good for the global economy. Perhaps it is worth paying for it.” Later, Putin added, “as a lawyer,” that “theft is the secret theft of other people’s property, here it will be an open theft, that is, a robbery.”
Decisions on reducing the list of parallel imports will be taken based on the saturation of the market with domestic products or similar products from friendly countries. There is no talk of banning this mechanism at the moment, the press service of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade reported.
And now a look at the front line as of 15:30 on June 27. During the night, Russian forces used a larger than usual number of Gerans to destroy Ukrainian targets behind Ukrainian lines. In addition, two hypersonic Kinzhals were spotted in Starokostjantyniv. Explosions were heard in the regions of Zhytomyr, Kiev, Khmelnytsky, Cherkasy, Dnipropetrovsk, Kropyvnytsky, Zaporizhia, Sumy, Mykolaiv and Poltava.
By midnight on June 26, the Russian Defense Ministry reported the destruction of Ukrainian drones in Crimea and the Black Sea, Kursk, and Bryansk regions. Three civilians were injured in a drone strike in Bryansk.
On the Kursk border section, the Ukrainians attempted to break through only once (unsuccessfully) in the area of the village of Novyi Put’, although they had previously sent reinforcements. Apparently, they are rotating worn-out units and conducting reconnaissance. As a result of falling drone fragments, three outbuildings caught fire in the village of Voroshnevo, Kursk region. Chinese correspondent for Phoenix TV, Lu Yuguang, was injured in the Korenevsky region as a result of a drone strike.
In the direction of Sumy, the Russian Northern Group of Forces reports: “thirteen unsuccessful counterattacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces” launched in the direction of Andriivka, Yablunivka, Novomykolaivka, four in Aleksiivka, three in Yunakivka and in the area of the village of Sadki. “Russian troops continue to assault Yunakivka itself, repelling Ukrainian countermeasures. Russian Aerospace Forces are shelling the area with FABs. Fighting is ongoing.” They write in the Russian social sphere.
From the direction of Kostyantynivka, Ukrainian resources report a Russian assault on the area of the waste heap northwest of the dynamite basin. There are also reports of an advance north of Yablunivka and an assault on the village itself.
In the direction of South Donetsk, the “East” Group of Forces took the same settlement of Shevchenko, with rare lithium reserves in the area. Assault groups approached Zirka from the east. Ukrainian defenses near Vuhledar are starting to crumble – Ukrainian resources
On the Zaporizhia front, leading Ukrainian resources reported the advance of Russian forces in the southeastern part of Kamenskoye and further south along the forest strips. However, this information could be related to the abandonment of positions by the Ukrainian side under the fire of Russian drones and FABs. It will take time to clarify the situation.
The Kherson region reports targeted forest fires by the Ukrainian side: their area exceeds 600 hectares. The attacks hit Kakhovka, Nova Mayachka, Nova Kakhovka, Lazurne, Rabochy, Tavriiske and Chornyanka.
Graziella Giangiulio
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