Tuesday, June 4

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba (L) and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia Margus Tsahkna (R) walk near the memorial ‘Wall of memory of fallen defenders of Ukraine in the Russian-Ukrainian war’ on June 3, 2024 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Eduard Kryzhanivskyi/Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

UK military chief confident Ukraine will win the war, but allies must ‘maintain support.’ Radakin insisted that Russia is “failing” despite the ongoing offensive in Kharkiv Oblast and Ukrainian forces, which have been recently facing both a lack of personnel and ammunition shortage.

Zelensky: Russia strikes Ukraine almost 1,000 times over past week. “Complete disregard for human life and constant terror is what Russia is trying to spread. In this week alone, Russian troops have launched almost 1,000 strikes with missiles of various types, satellite-guided KAB bombs, and attack drones,” President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram.

107 countries, organizations confirm participation in Ukraine’s peace summit, Presidential Office says. The Philippines and Singapore, which President Volodymyr Zelensky visited before the peace summit, will also attend the event.

Restarting Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant ‘difficult to envisage’ during war, says IAEA chief. The Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the largest nuclear power station in Europe, has been under Russian occupation since March 2022.

Presidential Office confirms Zelensky’s participation in G7 meeting in Italy. The Presidential Office did not specify whether the president would join in person or remotely.

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Russia claims to down 20 Ukrainian drones in Kursk. Russian air defense units on June 3 allegedly intercepted 20 Ukrainian drones in the southern Kursk region, which borders Ukraine, according to regional governor Alexei Smirnov.

Russian legal foundation working in EU is actually ‘Kremlin influence operation,’ Guardian says. Russian Fund for Support and Protection of the Rights of Compatriots Living Abroad (Pravfond) describes its goal as providing “Russian compatriots with comprehensive legal and other necessary support in cases of violation of their rights, freedoms, and legitimate interests.”

Russian propaganda sought to cast Medvedchuk as Zelensky’s replacement, WP reports. A Russian propaganda operation was meant to present pro-Kremlin oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk to the international public as a potential replacement for President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Washington Post (WP) reported on June 3, citing undisclosed officials and documents.

Kyiv council denies permission to hold KyivPride event in metro system. Kyiv has not hosted an LGBT+ pride event since the launch of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Last year’s event was hosted by Liverpool, England.

Read our exclusives

Ukraine war latest: US Vice President Kamala Harris will attend global peace summit in Biden’s place

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will attend the upcoming global peace summit to be held on June 15-16 in Switzerland, the White House said on June 3.The announcement comes a few days after it was reported President Joe Biden would likely miss the event as it clashes with a campaign fundraiser.

Photo: Johannes Simon/Getty Images

‘Everyone says culture has nothing to do with it. It does’ — Ukrainian writer Volodymyr Rafeyenko on Russia’s war

Ukrainian author Volodymyr Rafeyenko never thought he would write a novel in Ukrainian. He was a native of Donetsk, an eastern Ukrainian city where he grew up speaking Russian and completed a degree in Russian philology. Early on in his career, he was the winner of some of Russia’s most prestigious literary prizes.

Photo: Genya Sevilov/AFP via Getty Images

Human cost of war

Russia’s attack on Dnipro leaves 6 injured, including 2 children. Russia struck Ukraine’s city of Dnipro with missiles overnight on June 4, causing fire, Governor Serhii Lysak said. At least six civilians, including a one-month-old baby and a 17-year-old boy, were injured in the attack.

Russian attack against Kherson Oblast village injures elderly man. A Russian attack against the village of Tomyna Balka in Kherson Oblast on June 3 injured a man aged around 70, the regional military administration said.

Russian strike in Donetsk Oblast kills 2, including 12-year-old boy. The Russian military carried out the strike in the morning with a guided aerial bomb, according to local authorities.

Georgian volunteer fighter killed in Ukraine. Last month, two Georgian volunteer soldiers fighting for Ukraine were killed in combat near Avdiivka.

Opinions and insights

Opinion: Much ado about Russia’s nuclear rumblings?

“Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the Kremlin has sought to play the nuclear card – both to frighten Ukraine and to deter the West from assisting,” writes Steven Pifer, former

U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, in his latest op-ed.

Photo: Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images

International response

VP Kamala Harris to attend global peace summit, confirming Biden snub. The announcement comes a few days after it was reported President Joe Biden would likely miss the event as it clashes with a campaign fundraiser he is set to attend alongside, among others, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Jimmy Kimmel.

China responds to Zelensky’s accusation of interference in global peace summit. China has never “fanned fire or fueled the flames” of Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning.

Czechia launches pilot project for voluntary return of Ukrainian refugees.

The Czech government launched a pilot project to help Ukrainian refugees return home if they wish to do so, Radio Prague International reported on June 2.

Italy to send Ukraine second SAMP/T air defense system, foreign minister confirms. Ukraine has asked international partners to deliver more air defense in the wake of an increase in Russian strikes targeting energy infrastructure since March, and devastating aerial attacks in Kharkiv Oblast.

Swiss upper house rejects $5.58bn aid plan for Ukraine. While refusing to supply Kyiv with military aid on account of its long-term neutrality policy, Switzerland has provided economic and humanitarian support worth over $3 billion.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Martin Fornusek, Kateryna Hodunova, Nate Ostiller, Oleg Sukhov, Chris York, and Olena Goncharova.

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