Russian Army manpower losses as of June 25: 536, 840
Children killed (according to the Prosecutor General Office of Ukraine): 551
Ukraine’s EU accession talks start today
Ukraine’s European Union accession talks begin today, 25 June, marking a significant milestone in the country’s decade-long journey towards EU membership. An EU-Ukraine intergovernmental conference is scheduled in Luxembourg to officially launch Ukraine’s EU accession negotiations. “It is a truly historic week. Ukraine has been moving towards this for a decade, and this is the personal result of everyone who chose Ukraine on February 24, who fights for our country, who strengthens Ukraine with everything necessary,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a day prior.
EU Council approves text of security agreement between Ukraine and EU
Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib noted that participants of the meeting were preparing for the next summit of the European Council, which will take place at the end of the week in Brussels. "This meeting will give a comprehensive picture of our support for Ukraine in all ways. I would also like to note that this morning, the EU Council approved the draft joint security commitments between the EU and Ukraine," she said.
ECHR finds Russia guilty of human rights violations in Crimea
The case Ukraine v. Russia (re Crimea) dealt with Ukraine's accusations of systematic violations of the European Convention on Human Rights by the Russian Federation in Crimea since February 2014. It also alluded to charges of systematic persecution of Ukrainians for their political positions and/or pro-Ukrainian activities (Ukrainian political prisoners), which occurred mostly in Crimea, but also in other parts of Ukraine or the Russian Federation, since the beginning of 2014. It also claims that Russia committed systematic human rights violations as part of a repressive campaign that included disappearances, illegal detentions, ill-treatment, the inability to renounce Russian citizenship, the suppression of work of Ukrainian media and the functioning of the Ukrainian language in schools, and transfers from Crimea to remote Russian prisons.
“Crimes against humanity”: International Court issues arrest warrants for Russia’s Shoigu and Gerasimov
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for former Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov for war crimes against civilians committed in Ukraine from at least 10 October 2022 until at least 9 March 2023. The warrants, issued on 24 June, accuse Shoigu and Gerasimov of directing a series of missile strikes by Russian armed forces against Ukrainian electric infrastructure, causing excessive harm to civilians.
First batch of ammunition arrives in Ukraine under Czech initiative
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said that the first batch of ammunition had been delivered to Ukraine as part of the Czech initiative to purchase shells for the country.
Pentagon on strikes on Crimea: If Russia is concerned about its losses, it should stop the war
The Pentagon has responded to Russia’s accusations of US involvement in a “hybrid war” following Ukrainian attacks on Crimea, stating that Ukraine independently chooses its targets for attacks. “It’s important to take a look back at how we got to where we are today, which was Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, and if they’re concerned about casualties among their forces, then they should stop this war immediately and return Ukraine’s sovereign territory versus throwing their forces unnecessarily into this,” Pentagon spokesman said.
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