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LIVE UPDATES: Russia Puts Biden's Wife and Daughter on Sanctions List

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Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine in February in response to calls by the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics for protection from... 28.06.2022, Sputnik International

2022-06-28T04:56+0000

2022-06-28T19:04+0000

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FILE - President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden walk with Col. David Bowling, commander of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, second from right, and his daughter Ashley Biden after stepping off Marine One at Fort Lesley J. McNair, Sunday, April 17, 2022, in Washington - Sputnik International

LIVE UPDATES: Russia Puts Biden's Wife and Daughter on Sanctions List

04:56 GMT 28.06.2022 (Updated: 19:04 GMT 28.06.2022)

Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine in February in response to calls by the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics for protection from Ukrainian troops.

Russia's armed forces and the Donbass militias are advancing amid the special operation, liberating multiple cities in the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics.

At the same time, Ukrainian military continue to shell Donbass cities and settlements.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the operation aims to "protect people subjected to genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years."

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Table of contents

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02:48 GMT 29.06.2022

Russia Is Interested in Liberation of Donbas As Soon As Possible - Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia is interested in the liberation of Donbas as soon as possible, Director of the Second CIS Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Alexey Polishchuk, said in an interview with Sputnik.

"Like the residents of Donbas, we are interested in the liberation of the region as soon as possible," he said.

Polishchuk said that "the special military operation, going according to plan, is aimed at this. All its goals will certainly be achieved."

02:00 GMT 29.06.2022

Antonov on US Sanctions: Washington Suffers From Its Own Restrictions Against Russia

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States itself suffers from its own restrictions against Russia, Russian Ambassador in Washington Anatoly Antonov said.

"The United States itself suffers from anti-Russian bans. The growth of consumer prices here has set an anti-record over the past 40 years. As a result of the restrictions introduced, the search for a replacement for the dollar for use in settlements with trading partners has intensified," Antonov said as quoted by the Russian diplomatic mission.

"As for food security, it was the wave of anti-Russian restrictions imposed by the collective West led by the United States that spurred on the global food crisis. Its root causes are incompetent macroeconomic steps by a number of developed countries, climate change, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The way out of the situation is possible only by ensuring free access of grain and fertilizers, including Russian ones, to the world markets," he said.

01:41 GMT 29.06.2022

Germany, Netherlands to Send 6 Additional PzH 2000 Howitzers to Ukraine - Defense Ministry

BERLIN (Sputnik) - Germany and the Netherlands will send Ukraine an additional six PzH 2000 howitzers, the German Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Such plans were earlier reported by the DPA news agency.

"We are supplying additional Panzerhaubitzen 2000s to Ukraine, Minister [Christine] Lambrecht said. Together with the Netherlands, we will support [Ukraine] with an additional six systems, three of them from Germany. Panzerhaubitzen 2000s are among the most advanced artillery systems in the world," the ministry said on Twitter.

Earlier, Germany and the Netherlands supplied Ukraine with 12 such systems. According to Lambrecht, new deliveries are being made at the request of Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov.

20:40 GMT 28.06.2022

Ukrainian Drone Shot Down Near Russia's Kursk - Regional Governor

A Ukrainian drone was shot down near the Russian town of Kursk on Tuesday, Roman Starovoit, the region’s governor said, adding that, presumably, the incident did not lead to any casualties.

"Today, at about 10:17 p.m. [19:17 GMT], a Ukrainian drone was shot down east of Kursk. Our military is working on the spot, and representatives of the special services are on their way. According to preliminary information, there were no casualties or damage. Please stay calm," Starovoit wrote on his Telegram channel.

20:39 GMT 28.06.2022

Over 4,700 Civilians Killed in Ukraine Conflict, 5,900 Others Injured - UN Official

UN Under Secretary-General for Political Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo said on Tuesday that a total of 4,731 civilians have so far been killed in the conflict in Ukraine and 5,900 others injured.

"As of 26 June, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights recorded 10,631 civilian casualties in the country: 4,731 killed and 5,900 injured," DiCarlo said during a UN Security Council meeting.

DiCarlo added that the numbers she cited are based on verified incidents but the actual figures may be considerably higher.

Moreover, DiCarlo said most of the civilian casualties were caused by explosive weapons fired indiscriminately into populated areas.

On February 24, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk requested help to defend them from intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops. Russia has said its goals are to demilitarize and de-Nazify Ukraine. Russia also said it is solely targeting Ukraine's military infrastructure and is taking special precautions to protect civilians while accusing the Ukraine troops of positioning weapons and units in civilian areas and using residents as human shields.

18:07 GMT 28.06.2022

UN Secretary-General Cannot Designate Russia as State Sponsor of Terrorism, Spokesperson Says

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres cannot designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism following missile strikes in Kremenchug, United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday.

"It's not for the Secretary-General to designate, to issue these kinds of designations," Dujarric said in the briefing.

Earlier on Tuesday, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia should be designated as a state sponsor of terrorism due to the missile attack on a shopping mall for which Ukraine says it believes Russia bears responsibility.

The accusation came after the the head of the Poltava region administration Dmytro Lunin reported that 18 people were killed in the strike, adding that the death toll could rise.

The United Nations Secretariat, of which the UN Secretary-General is part, does not issue state designations for member states.

Russia has said the special military operation it launched on February 24 seeks to demilitarize and de-Nazify Ukraine and its sole target is the country's military infrastructure. Russian defense officials have said Ukraine has often hid weapons and positioned military units in civilian structures while misusing residents as live shields.

17:06 GMT 28.06.2022

Zelensky to Address UN Security Council on Tuesday, Source Says

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is going to address the UN Security Council by videoconference at 3:00 p.m. EST (19:00), a UNSC source said.

"They have received a request from president Zelensky to address the SC via the VTC at today’s SC meeting. His request is going to be fulfilled," the source said.

16:13 GMT 28.06.2022

US State Department Sanctions Russia's FSB

15:58 GMT 28.06.2022

France's President Emmanuel Macron talks to the media with Moldova's President Maia Sandu prior to a working lunch at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021. Moldova's President Maia Sandu is in Paris for bilateral talks with France's President Emmanuel Macron. - Sputnik International, 1920, 28.06.2022

Russia

Macron Declines Ukraine's Demand to Label Russia as 'State Sponsor of Terrorism'

28 June 2022, 15:56 GMT

15:46 GMT 28.06.2022

Russian Armed Forces Discover Large Depot of Foreign Weapons in Kharkov Region

15:11 GMT 28.06.2022

US Bans Import of Gold of Russian Origin in Latest Round of Sanctions

Russia

US Bans Importation of Gold of Russian Origin in Latest Round of Sanctions

28 June 2022, 15:14 GMT

12:49 GMT 28.06.2022

Lavrov: US Plans to Supply NASAMS to Kiev are Counterproductive

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday called US plans to supply Ukraine with medium and long-range NASAMS missile defense systems "counterproductive and harmful," given that such actions will only add fuel to the fire.

"These plans [to supply Ukraine with missile defense system] are being implemented amid outrageous statements about the inadmissibility of building peace on the terms voiced by Russia, about the inadmissibility of starting peace negotiations until Ukraine achieves a decisive breakthrough in the hostilities," Lavrov said during a press conference, adding that such a course was "absolutely counterproductive and harmful."

The more Ukraine is pumped with Western weapons, the longer the conflict will last, the Russian foreign minister added.

"The more weapons are supplied that are designed to prolong the conflict, prolong the suffering of civilians constantly living under shelling by the Ukrainian regime, the more tasks we will perform on the ground. These tasks will be fulfilled," Lavrov said.

12:13 GMT 28.06.2022

Macron Supports Introduction of Price Ceiling for Russian Gas by G7 States

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday spoke in support of the introduction of a price ceiling for Russian gas, which G7 states will continue to discuss "in the coming weeks."

"The second issue we need to move forward on is doing the same [introducing a price ceiling] with Russian gas, and it's easier because it is going through pipelines... I'm very supportive of this. We must interact on this issue as well," Macron said during a press conference after the G7 summit.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has also supported the idea of a price ceiling for Russian gas, according to the French leader.

"We will continue to interact on this topic in the coming weeks," Macron added.

11:50 GMT 28.06.2022

Australia Looking for New Ways to Help Ukraine, Defense Minister Says

Australia is looking for new ways to help Ukraine and preserve the principles of world order, the Australian defense minister, Richard Marles, said on Tuesday.

"While Ukraine is a long way from Australia, we really do see that the principles which are at stake in the conflict - which is essentially that the global rules-based order that Australia stands for and helped build and protect - needs to be protected everywhere," Marles said, adding that Australia is looking for new ways to support Ukraine, the Australian broadcaster SBS reported.

Australia promised to provide Ukraine $300 million in financial aid but not all had yet been transferred, the broadcaster noted, adding that the country also decided to send 40 Bushmaster vehicles while only 20 of them have so far been delivered to Ukraine.

Since Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine on February 24, Western countries have been supplying Kiev with weapons and military equipment. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that any shipments to Ukraine containing arms might be treated as a legitimate target for Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov echoed those statements, adding that the continuous flow of Western weapons to Ukraine is hampering the negotiation process.

10:49 GMT 28.06.2022

G7 Pledges to Ensure Energy Supplies, Reduce Price Increases, Including Through Price Caps

The G7 leaders agreed on Tuesday to take urgent measures to ensure energy supplies and curb price increases due to "extraordinary market conditions," including through placing price caps.

"We will take immediate action to secure energy supply and reduce price surges driven by extraordinary market conditions, including by exploring additional measures such as price caps. We reaffirm our commitment to phase out our dependency on Russian energy, without compromising on our climate and environmental goals," the leaders said in a joint statement.

10:45 GMT 28.06.2022

Roscosmos Chief: Ukrainian Military Using Data Provided to NATO by US' Maxar

The Ukrainian armed forces have been using data provided to NATO by private Western satellite operators, including US space company Maxar Technologies, which closely cooperates with Pentagon, Dmitry Rogozin, the chief of Russian state-owned space agency Roscosmos, said.

"The information is available from a variety of sources. We do not have to disclose them, but I can say that all leading private companies, such as Maxar, are now working exclusively on the formation of a single data cloud that is used by NATO to transmit specific information to the Ukrainian armed forces," Rogozin said, adding that there was "not the slightest doubt" about it.

10:44 GMT 28.06.2022

G7 Countries Will Support Ukraine For as Long as Necessary, Providing Both Military and Diplomatic Assistance - Statement

10:39 GMT 28.06.2022

Kremlin Spokesman Explains What Should be Done to Stop Hostilities in Ukraine

Black smoke and dirt rise from the nearby city of Severodonetsk during battle between Russian and Ukrainian troops in Donbass on 9 June, 2022. - Sputnik International, 1920, 28.06.2022

Russia's Special Operation in Ukraine

Kremlin on Kiev's Remark About Operation Timing: Kiev Can Stop Everything Before Day-End

28 June 2022, 10:33 GMT

09:44 GMT 28.06.2022

Russian Foreign Ministry Summons Charge D'Affaires of Sweden, Tells Him Two Swedish State Organizations Have to Stop Operating in Russia

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday summoned Swedish Charge d'Affaires Johannes Danielsson and informed him about the termination of activities of two Swedish state organizations in the country.

"On June 28, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Swedish Charge d'Affaires ad interim in Russia J. Danielsson, who was informed that any activity of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and the Swedish Institute on the Russian territory was undesirable and had to be stopped immediately," the ministry said in a statement.

If Swedish diplomatic and consular offices continue efforts to promote projects of these organizations, their employees will be declared personae non gratae, the statement read.

"The head of the Swedish diplomatic mission was given a corresponding note," the ministry added.

The Swedish International Development Agency and the Swedish Institute are state organizations engaged in the practical implementation of the Swedish government's policy in relief and promotion of national culture, language and lifestyle abroad, according to the statement.

"Currently, these departments are an instrument for the implementation of the Swedish government's strategy to support democracy, human rights and environment in Russia for 2020-2024 with a total budget of 389 million Swedish kronor [$38 million]," the ministry said.

The organizations' projects being implemented in Russia do not meet the stated goals of promoting the development of bilateral humanitarian and environmental cooperation, but instead focus on the desire to destabilize the Russian society, according to the Russian foreign ministry.

"The funding of such projects, despite repeated reminders from the Russian side of the need to make them transparent, has been opaque in nature," the statement added.

09:22 GMT 28.06.2022

WATCH Russian Ka-52 Helicopters Striking at Ukrainian Forces' Strongholds