<p>Russia has raised the maximum conscription age for compulsory military service to 30 from 27, but has kept the lower limit to 18. This move will now increase the number of young men who will be taking up compulsory military service of one-year. The decision comes after lawmakers dismissed a proposal to raise the starting age for military service to 21, which was at 18 before as well.&nbsp;</p>

<p>State Duma Defence Committee Chairman Andrey Kartapolov told media personnel on Friday that the conscription age bracket now will be from 18 to 30 years.&nbsp;"The key amendment is that the upper age ceiling [in the conscription age bracket] will be set at 30 years old, while the decision was made to leave the lower age limit at 18, as there are many young people who would like to enlist for military service at the age of 18, and that opportunity is currently available to them," the senior Russian lawmaker said during the second reading of the bill in the lower house of Russia’s parliament, reported Moscow Times.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/terrorist-threatens-to-target-indias-foreign-minister-jaishankar-home-minister-amit-shah-618078">Terrorist threatens to target India's foreign minister Jaishankar, home minister Amit Shah</a></p>

<p>During the first reading last month, the bill sought to raise the lower age limit for men to be called up for compulsory military service from 18 to 21 years old. However, it was kept to 18 years after the second reading.&nbsp;</p>

<p>These new rules will come into effect on 1st January 2024 if the bill is enacted into law. Media reports quoting Kartapolov&nbsp;also said that the changes will not have any impact on new troops who will be called up this fall.</p>

<h2><strong>Timeline of the bill&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>In March, the bill was submitted by a coalition of lawmakers led by Kartapolov. Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament&nbsp;passed the bill in the first reading at the time.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/manipur-women-paraded-naked-was-spontaneous-act-say-authorities-618069">Manipur women paraded naked was 'spontaneous act', say authorities</a></p>

<p>The bill, in its original shape, had proposed a phased increase in the compulsory conscription age bracket. As per that, the bill first sought to keep the bracket at 19-30 years old in 2024, then to 20-30 years old in 2025, and then to 21-30 years old in 2026.</p>

<h2><strong>Duration of&nbsp;compulsory military service</strong></h2>

<p>Kartapolov, while speaking to media personnel, said that the time duration of compulsory military service in Russia will be kept at one year. He said there is no need for conscripts to serve for two years. "There is absolutely no need to serve for two years. Currently, in our country, a contemporary youth is capable of mastering any military specialization in six months maximum," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At present, all men in Russia are obligated to serve in the military. Alternatively, they can undergo equivalent training while pursuing higher education.</p>

<h2><strong>Controversies surrounding military service</strong></h2>

<p>Military service has been a sensitive topic in Russia, leading many individuals to take extreme measures to evade conscription during the call-up periods.</p>

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<p>Concerns escalated when some conscripts were deployed to participate in Russia's war in Ukraine, despite prior assurances to the contrary.</p>

<p>Additionally, the unexpected mobilisation of 300,000 men for a "special military operation" last autumn further fueled public criticism and prompted numerous people to flee the country to avoid being sent to fight.</p>

<h2><strong>Russia's efforts to strengthen its military</strong></h2>

<p>To bolster its military capabilities, Russia announced plans to increase its professional and conscripted combat personnel by over 30% to reach a total of 1.5 million. However, the country faced challenges due to undisclosed casualties in the ongoing war.</p>

<p>In a move to make avoiding military service more difficult, legislation was passed in April allowing conscription papers to be served online. Furthermore, last Tuesday, Russian parliament extended the maximum age at which men who completed compulsory service can be mobilised. The age limit was raised to 55 for some junior ranks and up to 70 for the most senior officers.</p>

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Russia has raised the maximum conscription age for compulsory military service to 30 from 27, but has kept the lower limit to 18. This move will now increase the number of young men who will be taking up compulsory military service of one-year.

Russia has raised the maximum conscription age for compulsory military service to 30 from 27, but has kept the lower limit to 18. This move will now increase the number of young men who will be taking up compulsory military service of one-year. The decision comes after lawmakers dismissed a proposal to raise the starting age for military service to 21, which was at 18 before as well. State Duma Defence Committee Chairman Andrey Kartapolov told media personnel on Friday that the conscription age bracket now will be from 18 to 30 years. "The key amendment is that the upper age ceiling [in the conscription age bracket] will be set at 30 years old, while the decision was made to leave the lower age limit at 18, as there are many young people who would like to enlist for military service at the age of 18, and that opportunity is currently available to them," the senior Russian lawmaker said during the second reading of the bill in the lower house of Russia’s parliament, reported Moscow Times. Also Read | Terrorist threatens to target India's foreign minister Jaishankar, home minister Amit Shah During the first reading last month, the bill sought to raise the lower age limit for men to be called up for compulsory military service from 18 to 21 years old. However, it was kept to 18 years after the second reading. These new rules will come into effect on 1st January 2024 if the bill is enacted into law. Media reports quoting Kartapolov also said that the changes will not have any impact on new troops who will be called up this fall. Timeline of the bill In March, the bill was submitted by a coalition of lawmakers led by Kartapolov. Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament passed the bill in the first reading at the time. Also Read | Manipur women paraded naked was 'spontaneous act', say authorities The bill, in its original shape, had proposed a phased increase in the compulsory conscription age bracket. As per that, the bill first sought to keep the bracket at 19-30 years old in 2024, then to 20-30 years old in 2025, and then to 21-30 years old in 2026. Duration of compulsory military service Kartapolov, while speaking to media personnel, said that the time duration of compulsory military service in Russia will be kept at one year. He said there is no need for conscripts to serve for two years. "There is absolutely no need to serve for two years. Currently, in our country, a contemporary youth is capable of mastering any military specialization in six months maximum," he said. At present, all men in Russia are obligated to serve in the military. Alternatively, they can undergo equivalent training while pursuing higher education. Controversies surrounding military service Military service has been a sensitive topic in Russia, leading many individuals to take extreme measures to evade conscription during the call-up periods. Watch | Rainfall in India and Pakistan × Concerns escalated when some conscripts were deployed to participate in Russia's war in Ukraine, despite prior assurances to the contrary. Additionally, the unexpected mobilisation of 300,000 men for a "special military operation" last autumn further fueled public criticism and prompted numerous people to flee the country to avoid being sent to fight. Russia's efforts to strengthen its military To bolster its military capabilities, Russia announced plans to increase its professional and conscripted combat personnel by over 30% to reach a total of 1.5 million. However, the country faced challenges due to undisclosed casualties in the ongoing war. In a move to make avoiding military service more difficult, legislation was passed in April allowing conscription papers to be served online. Furthermore, last Tuesday, Russian parliament extended the maximum age at which men who completed compulsory service can be mobilised. The age limit was raised to 55 for some junior ranks and up to 70 for the most senior officers. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Russia raises upper conscription age to 30 from 27, keeps lower limit at 18

<p>Worsening the relations, Kremlin on Thursday announced restrictions on the movement of British diplomats working in Russia. Moscow said the British workers&nbsp;will have to notify authorities about their movements in advance, according to an AFP report.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Russian foreign ministry summoned&nbsp;Britain's charge d'affaires Tom Dodd and informed&nbsp;him of a "notification procedure for the movement of employees of British diplomatic missions".</p>

<p>The procedure will be imposed on&nbsp;"accredited personnel" of the British embassy in Moscow and the consulate general in Yekaterinburg, in the Urals.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The diplomats will need to provide information of at least&nbsp;five working days of travel outside the "120-kilometre (75-mile) free movement zone". Additionally, the information provided should contain "the timings, purpose, type of trip, planned business contacts, accompanying persons, mode of transport, places of visit and accommodation as well as the route of the trip".</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-war-kyiv-used-missiles-from-uk-to-attack-luhansk-says-russia-592157"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Ukraine war: Kyiv used missiles from UK to attack Luhansk, claims Russia</strong></a></p>

<p>Moscow defended the decision saying it was introduced to counter the&nbsp;"hostile actions" of London, a key ally of Ukraine. It added the caveat that measures will not apply to the British ambassador and several other diplomats.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Britain continues to impose sanctions&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Earlier in the day, the British government imposed sanctions on&nbsp;13 individuals and businesses in the Central African Republic, Mali and Sudan that had alleged links to Russia's now-disbanded&nbsp;Wagner Group.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Wherever Wagner operates, it has a catastrophic effect on communities, worsens existing conflicts and damages the reputations of countries that host them," said Britain's minister for Development and Africa Andrew Mitchell.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ukraine-war-exposes-the-weaknesses-in-uk-military-617070"><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Ukraine war exposes the weaknesses in UK military</strong></a></p>

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<p>On Monday (July 17), Russian Education Minister&nbsp;Sergey Kravtsov was also placed on the sanctions list by the Rishi Sunak administration for hatching the forced deportation of Ukrainian children programme. Overall, 13 new sanctions were imposed, in response to&nbsp;"Russia's attempts to destroy Ukrainian national identity".&nbsp;</p>

<p>"In his chilling programme of forced child deportation, and the hate-filled propaganda spewed by his lackeys, we see (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's true intention - to wipe Ukraine from the map," said British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier this month, Moscow informed it had brought over 700,00 children from the conflict zones in Ukraine into Russian territory for protection. However, the Western world reacted sharply to the announcement saying Russia was sending these kids to "re-education camps" where they were being exposed to&nbsp;Russia-centric academic, cultural, patriotic, and military education.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
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Worsening the relations, Kremlin on Thursday announced restrictions on the movement of British diplomats working in Russia. Moscow said the British workers will have to notify authorities about their movements in advance, according to an AFP report.

Worsening the relations, Kremlin on Thursday announced restrictions on the movement of British diplomats working in Russia. Moscow said the British workers will have to notify authorities about their movements in advance, according to an AFP report. The Russian foreign ministry summoned Britain's charge d'affaires Tom Dodd and informed him of a "notification procedure for the movement of employees of British diplomatic missions". The procedure will be imposed on "accredited personnel" of the British embassy in Moscow and the consulate general in Yekaterinburg, in the Urals. The diplomats will need to provide information of at least five working days of travel outside the "120-kilometre (75-mile) free movement zone". Additionally, the information provided should contain "the timings, purpose, type of trip, planned business contacts, accompanying persons, mode of transport, places of visit and accommodation as well as the route of the trip". Also read | Ukraine war: Kyiv used missiles from UK to attack Luhansk, claims Russia Moscow defended the decision saying it was introduced to counter the "hostile actions" of London, a key ally of Ukraine. It added the caveat that measures will not apply to the British ambassador and several other diplomats. Britain continues to impose sanctions Earlier in the day, the British government imposed sanctions on 13 individuals and businesses in the Central African Republic, Mali and Sudan that had alleged links to Russia's now-disbanded Wagner Group. "Wherever Wagner operates, it has a catastrophic effect on communities, worsens existing conflicts and damages the reputations of countries that host them," said Britain's minister for Development and Africa Andrew Mitchell. Watch | Ukraine war exposes the weaknesses in UK military × On Monday (July 17), Russian Education Minister Sergey Kravtsov was also placed on the sanctions list by the Rishi Sunak administration for hatching the forced deportation of Ukrainian children programme. Overall, 13 new sanctions were imposed, in response to "Russia's attempts to destroy Ukrainian national identity". "In his chilling programme of forced child deportation, and the hate-filled propaganda spewed by his lackeys, we see (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's true intention - to wipe Ukraine from the map," said British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly. Earlier this month, Moscow informed it had brought over 700,00 children from the conflict zones in Ukraine into Russian territory for protection. However, the Western world reacted sharply to the announcement saying Russia was sending these kids to "re-education camps" where they were being exposed to Russia-centric academic, cultural, patriotic, and military education. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Moscow restricts movement of British diplomats in Russia. Know why

Cargo ships travelling to Ukraine can now become targets of Russian strikes. Moscow has warned from now on such vessels will be considered potential carriers of military cargo. This warning came in one day after it exited from the landmark black sea grain deal.

US says Moscow planning to attack ships, pass blame on Ukraine

Hope for Sweden’s imminent entry into the NATO security alliance began to fade on Monday when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan introduced a last-minute hurdle by linking his approval of the Nordic country’s bid to Turkey’s long-sought accession to the European Union. But just hours later, he made a surprise U-turn by dropping his opposition, paving the way for NATO to expand its fortification against a belligerent Russia as Moscow fights a war in Ukraine. But what caused this sudden change of heart in Turkiye?

Explained - Why Turkiye agreed to approve Sweden's NATO bid

<p>The United States has accused Russia of "an act of utter cruelty" after Moscow used its veto power at the UN Security Council&nbsp;to block a nine-month&nbsp;renewal of a cross-border aid deal designed to help people living in rebel-held north-west Syria.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The original deal, first brokered in 2014 to supply aid from Turkey into&nbsp;rebel-held areas of Syria's northwest Idlib Province via the Bab al-Hawa crossing, expired on Monday (July 10). The region is&nbsp;the last stronghold of the jihadist groups and Turkish-backed rebel factions.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Russia, considered an ally of the Syrian government, vetoed the proposal to extend the deal for a nine-month period. Despite 13 of the 15 council members voting for the extension, Moscow had its way.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Afterwards, Russia was only able to win support from trusted ally China, another permanent Security Council member, for a six-month extension.</p>

<p>“It’s a sad moment for the Syrian people.&nbsp;What we have just witnessed, what the world has just witnessed, was an act of utter cruelty," said&nbsp;Linda Thomas-Greenfield,&nbsp;the US ambassador to the UN.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Russia owns this failure. And it’s up to them to come to the negotiating table in good faith. The United States will continue to work with all Council members to renew the cross-border mechanism," she added.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/tense-russia-us-encounter-over-the-skies-of-eastern-syria-613153"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Tense Russia-US encounter over the skies of Eastern Syria</strong></a></p>

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<h2><strong>Why Moscow wants to gut the deal&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>For years, Moscow has attempted to gut the deal. It argues that the deal 'disregards' the will of the Syrian people.&nbsp;Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been ferociously against the deliveries saying it is a violation of&nbsp;sovereignty as Damascus never approved of them.</p>

<p>Notably, hundreds of trucks, lorries and other forms of transport pass through&nbsp;Bab al-Hawa to provide aid to 2.7 million civilians, who rely on it for food, shelter and healthcare.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The decision to pull the plug could not have come at a worse time. The region is still reeling from the devastating effects of the earthquake that struck in February, earlier this year, More than 4,500 people were killed while over 50,000 families were displaced.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/middle-east/turkey-syria-earthquake-aftermath-survivors-experience-crush-syndrome-what-is-it-569345"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Turkey-Syria earthquake aftermath: Survivors experience ‘crush syndrome’. What is it?</strong></a></p>

<p>Although two more crossings were opened in the aftermath of the earthquake, the&nbsp;Bab al-Hawa crossing was responsible was nearly 80 per cent of the aid reaching the troubled area. The two crossings that remain open are scheduled to close in a little over one month's time which could doom for the people living there.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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The United States has accused Russia of "an act of utter cruelty" after Moscow used its veto power at the UN Security Council to block a nine-month renewal of a cross-border aid deal designed to help people living in rebel-held north-west Syria.

The United States has accused Russia of "an act of utter cruelty" after Moscow used its veto power at the UN Security Council to block a nine-month renewal of a cross-border aid deal designed to help people living in rebel-held north-west Syria. The original deal, first brokered in 2014 to supply aid from Turkey into rebel-held areas of Syria's northwest Idlib Province via the Bab al-Hawa crossing, expired on Monday (July 10). The region is the last stronghold of the jihadist groups and Turkish-backed rebel factions. Russia, considered an ally of the Syrian government, vetoed the proposal to extend the deal for a nine-month period. Despite 13 of the 15 council members voting for the extension, Moscow had its way. Afterwards, Russia was only able to win support from trusted ally China, another permanent Security Council member, for a six-month extension. “It’s a sad moment for the Syrian people. What we have just witnessed, what the world has just witnessed, was an act of utter cruelty," said Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the UN. "Russia owns this failure. And it’s up to them to come to the negotiating table in good faith. The United States will continue to work with all Council members to renew the cross-border mechanism," she added. WATCH | Tense Russia-US encounter over the skies of Eastern Syria × Why Moscow wants to gut the deal For years, Moscow has attempted to gut the deal. It argues that the deal 'disregards' the will of the Syrian people. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been ferociously against the deliveries saying it is a violation of sovereignty as Damascus never approved of them. Notably, hundreds of trucks, lorries and other forms of transport pass through Bab al-Hawa to provide aid to 2.7 million civilians, who rely on it for food, shelter and healthcare. The decision to pull the plug could not have come at a worse time. The region is still reeling from the devastating effects of the earthquake that struck in February, earlier this year, More than 4,500 people were killed while over 50,000 families were displaced. Also read | Turkey-Syria earthquake aftermath: Survivors experience ‘crush syndrome’. What is it? Although two more crossings were opened in the aftermath of the earthquake, the Bab al-Hawa crossing was responsible was nearly 80 per cent of the aid reaching the troubled area. The two crossings that remain open are scheduled to close in a little over one month's time which could doom for the people living there. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Russia blocks delivery of aid to rebel-held regions of Syria after vetoing UN vote

Russia vetoed the United Nations security council's aid work in rebel-held areas of Syria. This comes at a time when the aid services to the conflicted region were due for renewal.

Deadly earthquake prompted Syria to open routes for aid work

<p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky brought back five former commanders of Ukraine's garrison in Mariupol from Turkey on Saturday, which was seen as a highly symbolic achievement that Russia called&nbsp;a violation of the prisoner exchange deal which was engineered last year.</p>

<p>The release was immediately denounced by Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, that&nbsp;according to the exchange agreement, Ankara had promised to keep the men in Turkey and charged the nation with not informing Moscow.</p>

<p>Zelensky had visited Snake Island, a Black Sea outcrop which was seized by Russian forces on the day of the invasion and later abandoned, to mark the 500th day of the war.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/anti-putin-forces-hint-at-fresh-attacks-in-russia-say-they-have-ambitious-plans-613522">Anti-Putin forces hint at fresh attacks in Russia, say they have 'ambitious plans'</a></p>

<h2><strong>Ukrainian commanders vow to return to&nbsp;battlefield </strong></h2>

<p>The five commanders, who were returned to Ukraine, had led a fierce three-month defence of Mariupol from the Azovstal Steel last year, which was the biggest city captured by Russia.<br />
<br />
"We are returning home from Turkey and bringing our heroes home,” Zelensky said, after meeting Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Friday.</p>

<p>Ukrainian commanders, meanwhile, vowed to go back&nbsp;to the battlefield after&nbsp;the prisoner swap. Commander of Azov regiment Denys Prokopenko said,&nbsp;“The most important thing for today is that the Ukrainian army has seized the strategic initiative on the front line and is moving forward every day.”</p>

<p data-analytics-observe="off" data-component-name="paragraph" data-editable="text" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_12C3D484-127D-6E95-AB6B-389D0373E873@published">“We are paraplegics with sparkling eyes, with a strong soul and a weak will. Eagle wings are growing behind our backs but we were shackled to the Turkish soil. We will continue to do our job. We are military men. We took an oath,” Palamar added.</p>

<p>Thousands of civilians lost their lives in Mariupol when Russian forces seized the city in the initial months of the war. The Ukrainian defenders held out in bunkers and tunnels under the Azovstal plant, till the unit was finally given an order to surrender by Kyiv in May last year.</p>

<h2><strong>Exchange agreement violated</strong></h2>

<p>Some of them were freed by Moscow in September in a prisoner swap which was brokered by Ankara under the terms which required the commanders to remain in Turkey till the Russia-Ukraine war ended.<br />
<br />
Speaking to Russia's RIA news agency, Peskov said, "No one informed us about this. According to the agreements, these ringleaders were to remain on the territory of Turkey until the end of the conflict."<br />
<br />
Peskov stated that the release of men took place due to heavy pressure that Turkey was facing from NATO allies ahead of the summit of the military alliance next week at which Ukraine hopes to get a positive sign about its future membership.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Kyiv: Russian attack kills 8, injures 13 in Lyman in Eastern Ukraine | Russia-Ukraine War</strong></p>

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<p>Zelensky, during a ceremony in the western city of Lviv, thanked Erdogan for helping secure their release and promised to bring home all remaining prisoners.<br />
<br />
He said that before the war started, "many people in the world still did not understand what we are, what you are, what to expect from us and what our heroes are. Now everyone understands."<br />
<br />
The return of the men was hailed by many Ukrainians. "Finally! The best news ever. Congratulations to our brothers!" said Major Maksym Zhorin, who is fighting in eastern Ukraine on the Telegram messaging app.</p>

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky brought back five former commanders of Ukraine's garrison in Mariupol from Turkey on Saturday, which was seen as a highly symbolic achievement that Russia called a violation of the prisoner exchange deal which was engineered last year.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky brought back five former commanders of Ukraine's garrison in Mariupol from Turkey on Saturday, which was seen as a highly symbolic achievement that Russia called a violation of the prisoner exchange deal which was engineered last year. The release was immediately denounced by Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, that according to the exchange agreement, Ankara had promised to keep the men in Turkey and charged the nation with not informing Moscow. Zelensky had visited Snake Island, a Black Sea outcrop which was seized by Russian forces on the day of the invasion and later abandoned, to mark the 500th day of the war. ALSO READ | Anti-Putin forces hint at fresh attacks in Russia, say they have 'ambitious plans' Ukrainian commanders vow to return to battlefield The five commanders, who were returned to Ukraine, had led a fierce three-month defence of Mariupol from the Azovstal Steel last year, which was the biggest city captured by Russia. "We are returning home from Turkey and bringing our heroes home,” Zelensky said, after meeting Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Friday. Ukrainian commanders, meanwhile, vowed to go back to the battlefield after the prisoner swap. Commander of Azov regiment Denys Prokopenko said, “The most important thing for today is that the Ukrainian army has seized the strategic initiative on the front line and is moving forward every day.” “We are paraplegics with sparkling eyes, with a strong soul and a weak will. Eagle wings are growing behind our backs but we were shackled to the Turkish soil. We will continue to do our job. We are military men. We took an oath,” Palamar added. Thousands of civilians lost their lives in Mariupol when Russian forces seized the city in the initial months of the war. The Ukrainian defenders held out in bunkers and tunnels under the Azovstal plant, till the unit was finally given an order to surrender by Kyiv in May last year. Exchange agreement violated Some of them were freed by Moscow in September in a prisoner swap which was brokered by Ankara under the terms which required the commanders to remain in Turkey till the Russia-Ukraine war ended. Speaking to Russia's RIA news agency, Peskov said, "No one informed us about this. According to the agreements, these ringleaders were to remain on the territory of Turkey until the end of the conflict." Peskov stated that the release of men took place due to heavy pressure that Turkey was facing from NATO allies ahead of the summit of the military alliance next week at which Ukraine hopes to get a positive sign about its future membership. WATCH | Kyiv: Russian attack kills 8, injures 13 in Lyman in Eastern Ukraine | Russia-Ukraine War Zelensky, during a ceremony in the western city of Lviv, thanked Erdogan for helping secure their release and promised to bring home all remaining prisoners. He said that before the war started, "many people in the world still did not understand what we are, what you are, what to expect from us and what our heroes are. Now everyone understands." The return of the men was hailed by many Ukrainians. "Finally! The best news ever. Congratulations to our brothers!" said Major Maksym Zhorin, who is fighting in eastern Ukraine on the Telegram messaging app. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Ukraine's Zelensky brings back Mariupol commanders, Moscow denounces return

According to a Newsweek magazine cover article titled "CIA's blind spot about Ukraine war," the enormous intelligence network is facing its greatest test in recent memory as the United States struggles to understand what is happening in the corridors of power in Moscow and Kyiv.

Clandestine war going on between Washington and Moscow :Reports | Russia-Ukraine War

Russia-Ukraine War: Proxy war between spy agencies amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine

In a bold move, Indian refiners have managed to save a staggering $7 billion in foreign exchange by ramping up their purchases of discounted Russian crude oil. As western buyers reduced imports from Russia due to the conflict in Ukraine, Moscow began offering attractive discounts on its crude. Indian refiners seized this opportunity, leading to remarkable savings.

Indian refiners save $7 bn on Russian crude | World Business Watch

Here we bring you a quick round-up of all the latest news and top headlines from all across the globe - Moscow signals end to Black Sea Deal, Russian bombers fly over Bering Sea, South Africa: Public outrage over public brutality, Russia-Ukraine War set to complete 500 days, Russian bombers fly over Bering Sea.

Moscow signals end to Black Sea Deal | Russian bombers fly over Bering Sea | WION Speed News

<p>Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili appeared on television for the first time in months on Monday, looking frail and emaciated, fuelling concerns over the detained politician's treatment.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 55-year-old — who before jail was a large man — was almost unrecognisable and looked like a ghost of his former self.</p>

<p>The images prompted war-torn Ukraine — of which Saakashvili is a citizen — to summon the Georgian ambassador, asking him to go to Tbilisi to help "save" Saakashvili.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Leader of the Caucasus country from 2004 to 2013, Saakashvili was jailed after returning from exile on abuse of power charges that rights groups denounce as politically motivated.</p>

<p>Doctors have said Saakashvili risks dying from conditions he has developed while in custody, though Georgian authorities say he is being given adequate medical care.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/anti-government-protesters-fill-the-streets-of-georgian-capital-tbilisi-again-580799">Anti-government protesters fill the streets of Georgian capital Tbilisi again</a></strong></p>

<p>Appearing via video link for a court hearing on the "abuse of office" charges, Saakashvili, 55, lifted his shirt to show his ribs protruding from his chest, a hollow abdomen, and skin clinging tightly to his bones.</p>

<p>"A totally innocent man is being kept in custody," he said in coverage carried live on several independent TV channels. "I did not commit any crime."</p>

<p>He is being held at a civilian hospital, where he was transferred last year after staging a 50-day hunger strike to protest his detention.</p>

<p>"Putting me in jail will not break me. I am going to be actively involved in Georgian politics," he said.</p>

<h2>'Save this man'</h2>

<p>In Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Georgian ambassador to Kyiv would be asked to "leave Ukraine within 48 hours to hold consultations with his capital" on Saakashvili's treatment.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Zelensky wants Saakashvili — whom he made a Ukrainian citizen in 2019 — to be transferred to a clinic in Ukraine or the West.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He called on Georgia to "hand over" Saakashvili to Ukraine and "save this man".</p>

<p>It was not immediately clear if the ambassador was being formally expelled.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukrainian-president-volodymyr-zelensky-asks-georgian-ambassador-to-kyiv-to-save-mikheil-saakashvili-611562">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asks Georgian ambassador to Kyiv to 'save' Mikheil Saakashvili</a></strong></p>

<p>Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba that the ambassador would arrive at his offices on Tuesday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Tomorrow morning, the Georgian ambassador will be at the Foreign Ministry, we will have a tough conversation with him, he will go to Georgia," Kuleba said on social media.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kyiv, which has been battling a Russian invasion for 16 months, has accused Tbilisi of increasingly cooperating with Moscow.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;First flight from Russia to Georgia since 2019 lands to protests</strong></p>

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<p>Zelensky accused Russia of "killing" Saakashvili "at the hands of the Georgian authorities".</p>

<h2>'Torture' in custody</h2>

<p>Two groups of doctors — one set up by Georgia's rights ombudsperson, another consisting of US-based medics — have said that Saakashvili's health continued to decline well after he ended his hunger strike.</p>

<p>The group of US-based doctors, who examined Saakashvili in person, said his deteriorating health was the result of "torture" in custody, saying he needed an immediate transfer to a medical centre abroad.</p>

<p>The politician, who once weighed more than 100 kilogrammes (220 pounds), has lost around 60 kilogrammes while in prison, the doctor groups say.</p>

<p>The European Union and the United States have urged Georgia to ensure that Saakashvili is provided medical treatment and that his rights are protected.</p>

<p>Amnesty International has branded his treatment as "apparent political revenge".</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili appeared on television for the first time in months on Monday, looking frail and emaciated, fuelling concerns over the detained politician's treatment.

Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili appeared on television for the first time in months on Monday, looking frail and emaciated, fuelling concerns over the detained politician's treatment. The 55-year-old — who before jail was a large man — was almost unrecognisable and looked like a ghost of his former self. The images prompted war-torn Ukraine — of which Saakashvili is a citizen — to summon the Georgian ambassador, asking him to go to Tbilisi to help "save" Saakashvili. Leader of the Caucasus country from 2004 to 2013, Saakashvili was jailed after returning from exile on abuse of power charges that rights groups denounce as politically motivated. Doctors have said Saakashvili risks dying from conditions he has developed while in custody, though Georgian authorities say he is being given adequate medical care. Also read: Anti-government protesters fill the streets of Georgian capital Tbilisi again Appearing via video link for a court hearing on the "abuse of office" charges, Saakashvili, 55, lifted his shirt to show his ribs protruding from his chest, a hollow abdomen, and skin clinging tightly to his bones. "A totally innocent man is being kept in custody," he said in coverage carried live on several independent TV channels. "I did not commit any crime." He is being held at a civilian hospital, where he was transferred last year after staging a 50-day hunger strike to protest his detention. "Putting me in jail will not break me. I am going to be actively involved in Georgian politics," he said. 'Save this man' In Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Georgian ambassador to Kyiv would be asked to "leave Ukraine within 48 hours to hold consultations with his capital" on Saakashvili's treatment. Zelensky wants Saakashvili — whom he made a Ukrainian citizen in 2019 — to be transferred to a clinic in Ukraine or the West. He called on Georgia to "hand over" Saakashvili to Ukraine and "save this man". It was not immediately clear if the ambassador was being formally expelled. Also read: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asks Georgian ambassador to Kyiv to 'save' Mikheil Saakashvili Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba that the ambassador would arrive at his offices on Tuesday. "Tomorrow morning, the Georgian ambassador will be at the Foreign Ministry, we will have a tough conversation with him, he will go to Georgia," Kuleba said on social media. Kyiv, which has been battling a Russian invasion for 16 months, has accused Tbilisi of increasingly cooperating with Moscow. Watch: First flight from Russia to Georgia since 2019 lands to protests × Zelensky accused Russia of "killing" Saakashvili "at the hands of the Georgian authorities". 'Torture' in custody Two groups of doctors — one set up by Georgia's rights ombudsperson, another consisting of US-based medics — have said that Saakashvili's health continued to decline well after he ended his hunger strike. The group of US-based doctors, who examined Saakashvili in person, said his deteriorating health was the result of "torture" in custody, saying he needed an immediate transfer to a medical centre abroad. The politician, who once weighed more than 100 kilogrammes (220 pounds), has lost around 60 kilogrammes while in prison, the doctor groups say. The European Union and the United States have urged Georgia to ensure that Saakashvili is provided medical treatment and that his rights are protected. Amnesty International has branded his treatment as "apparent political revenge". WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Health fears for Georgia's jailed ex-leader Saakashvili after TV footage

<p>Hello and Welcome. This is The Capitals.</p>

<p>In a relatively credible biographical account of Vladimir Putin's life, '<em>His Life and Times: Putin</em>' by British journalist Philip Short, the Russian president has been described as ruthless, shockingly pragmatic and a leader with autocratic bend who hates historical amnesia — a loss of collective national memory about an event — a euphemism for present-day Russia's lost Soviet glory.<img alt="Putin Biography" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1b47ffe9-ba73-45b3-b31b-618e023bed36" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-06-25T205019.484.png" /></p>

<p>But over the weekend, after Putin's own former chef-turned-businessman-turned-warlord directed his mercenaries towards Moscow, the shockwaves were felt across global capitals. The people in newsrooms, like this writer, felt they were witnessing history. A coup d'état appeared nearly imminent.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But in less than 36 hours, the armed uprising by Russia's Wagner mercenary group led by its boss Yevgeny Prigozhin ended as dramatically as it began. Putin's shocking pragmatism prevailed after he deployed one of his vassal states' leaders to diffuse the crisis. Prigozhin is now in Belarus after pulling his men back to their bases.&nbsp;<img alt="Vladimir Putin | Reuters" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5a95e5c5-8616-4e3e-885b-6a86121c2ccb" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-06-25T115710.522.png" /></p>

<p>Here is a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wagner-rebellion-when-putins-former-chef-served-a-dish-of-treason-ten-points-608452">blow-by-blow account</a> of the hours when Putin's former chef served him a dish of 'treason'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>More on The Capitals from capitals other than Moscow.</p>

<h2><strong>Washington DC, United States</strong></h2>

<p><img alt="India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi with US President Joe Biden during a White House state dinner hosted in former's honour" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fcc9d393-df46-4ffc-a0e3-db9197ad3e8a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-06-23T091155.002_0.png" /></p>

<p><em>India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi with US President Joe Biden during a White House state dinner hosted in former's honour | AFP</em></p>

<p>A State Dinner in the White House. A subtle insertion of democratic values advocated by great Indian Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore — <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/where-the-mind-is-without-fear-biden-invokes-tagore-in-state-dinner-for-modi-607649">'Where the mind is without fear</a>' — and a mega bilateral convergence on business interests. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi's State Visit to the United States had everything but lows.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Riding on India's moment of growth, Modi addressed the US Congress, met top business leaders and brought home billions in investments. India announced that it will sign Artemis Accords, a non-binding multilateral arrangement between the US and other governments designed to guide civil space exploration.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The two nations also hailed 'giant leap' in cooperation on space science, chip development and mineral security.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Paris, France</strong></h2>

<p><img alt="Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at a climate finance summit in Paris | @LulaOfficial/Twitter" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f34142b5-3dfd-405d-b12d-eea703dcb655" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-06-25T154157.736.png" /></p>

<p><em>Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at a climate finance summit in Paris | @LulaOfficial/Twitter</em></p>

<p>In yet another moment of Global South's geo-economic assertion, US dollar’s role as primary reserve currency for global trade was challenged at a finance summit in Paris by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva after the US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen defended the oversized role of US dollar in global markets.</p>

<p>"Why can’t we trade in our own currencies?" Brazilian President Lula asked an assertive US treasury secretary Janet Yellen.</p>

<p>South African President Ramaphosa said that the "issue of currency" would be discussed at the upcoming meeting of BRICS countries later this year, which South Africa is scheduled to host in August.</p>

<h2><strong>Athens, Greece</strong></h2>

<p><img alt="Greece election" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="124177fd-5dbd-4b33-aa29-9c006e70102c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202023-06-25T210732.487.png" /></p>

<p><em>People visit the Areios Pagos hill, with the Acropolis' Propylaea seen in the background, in Athens, Greece | Representative image/Reuters</em></p>

<p>For the corridors of power in one of the world's oldest capitals, voters across Greece headed to a repeat election this weekend. Fomer Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is seeking a second term to form the government.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Mitsotakis' New Democratic party won the election on May 21, twenty points clear of rival Alexis Tsipras' Syriza party. However, it fell short of the majority needed to rule without forming a coalition. As election rules this time would accord up to 50 bonus seats to the winner of the vote, the New Democracy party is widely projected to emerge victorious.</p>

<p>That's all for The Capitals this week. See you next weekend.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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Hello and Welcome. This is The Capitals. In a relatively credible biographical account of Vladimir Putin's life, 'His Life and Times: Putin' by British journalist Philip Short, the Russian president has been described as ruthless, shockingly pragmatic and a leader with autocratic bend who hates historical amnesia — a loss of collective national memory about an event — a euphemism for present-day Russia's lost Soviet glory.

Hello and Welcome. This is The Capitals. In a relatively credible biographical account of Vladimir Putin's life, 'His Life and Times: Putin' by British journalist Philip Short, the Russian president has been described as ruthless, shockingly pragmatic and a leader with autocratic bend who hates historical amnesia — a loss of collective national memory about an event — a euphemism for present-day Russia's lost Soviet glory. But over the weekend, after Putin's own former chef-turned-businessman-turned-warlord directed his mercenaries towards Moscow, the shockwaves were felt across global capitals. The people in newsrooms, like this writer, felt they were witnessing history. A coup d'état appeared nearly imminent. But in less than 36 hours, the armed uprising by Russia's Wagner mercenary group led by its boss Yevgeny Prigozhin ended as dramatically as it began. Putin's shocking pragmatism prevailed after he deployed one of his vassal states' leaders to diffuse the crisis. Prigozhin is now in Belarus after pulling his men back to their bases. Here is a blow-by-blow account of the hours when Putin's former chef served him a dish of 'treason'. More on The Capitals from capitals other than Moscow. Washington DC, United States India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi with US President Joe Biden during a White House state dinner hosted in former's honour | AFP A State Dinner in the White House. A subtle insertion of democratic values advocated by great Indian Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore — 'Where the mind is without fear' — and a mega bilateral convergence on business interests. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi's State Visit to the United States had everything but lows. Riding on India's moment of growth, Modi addressed the US Congress, met top business leaders and brought home billions in investments. India announced that it will sign Artemis Accords, a non-binding multilateral arrangement between the US and other governments designed to guide civil space exploration. The two nations also hailed 'giant leap' in cooperation on space science, chip development and mineral security. Paris, France Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at a climate finance summit in Paris | @LulaOfficial/Twitter In yet another moment of Global South's geo-economic assertion, US dollar’s role as primary reserve currency for global trade was challenged at a finance summit in Paris by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva after the US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen defended the oversized role of US dollar in global markets. "Why can’t we trade in our own currencies?" Brazilian President Lula asked an assertive US treasury secretary Janet Yellen. South African President Ramaphosa said that the "issue of currency" would be discussed at the upcoming meeting of BRICS countries later this year, which South Africa is scheduled to host in August. Athens, Greece People visit the Areios Pagos hill, with the Acropolis' Propylaea seen in the background, in Athens, Greece | Representative image/Reuters For the corridors of power in one of the world's oldest capitals, voters across Greece headed to a repeat election this weekend. Fomer Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is seeking a second term to form the government. Mitsotakis' New Democratic party won the election on May 21, twenty points clear of rival Alexis Tsipras' Syriza party. However, it fell short of the majority needed to rule without forming a coalition. As election rules this time would accord up to 50 bonus seats to the winner of the vote, the New Democracy party is widely projected to emerge victorious. That's all for The Capitals this week. See you next weekend. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

The Capitals: Moscow dodges mutiny bullet, Global South cements its rise in Washington and Paris

<p>In a dramatic turn of events, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the rebel leader of the Wagner Group of mercenaries, ordered his fighters to retreat from their advance toward Moscow to prevent any violent confrontation and avert potential bloodshed following a deal with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko under which Russia would drop all charges against him and he will be granted safe passage to Belarus.&nbsp;Prigozhin revealed on Saturday that his forces had made significant progress, covering a distance of 200 km (124 miles) within the past 24 hours, but he has now issued orders for them to promptly return to their respective bases.</p>

<p>The Wagner mutiny drama ended after Belarus claimed that President Alexander Lukashenko was able to persuade the Russian warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin to cease his march towards Moscow. If the claims are to be believed, it can lead to a potential end to the coup attempt in Russia, the first in last 30 years.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/archaeologists-unearth-4000-year-old-stonehenge-burial-ground-in-the-netherlands-608203">Archaeologists unearth 4,000-year-old ‘Stonehenge’ burial ground in the Netherlands</a></p>

<p>Media reports citing Lukashenko's press service said the president engaged in extensive negotiations with Prigozhin throughout the "entire day" after establishing a mutual understanding with Putin.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Before his negotiations with Wagner&nbsp;chief, Lukashenko held talks with Putin and they agreed on joint actions and “additionally clarifying the situation through his own channels.”</p>

<p>The press service stated that Prigozhin has accepted Lukashenko's appeal to halt the movement. It said Prigozhin had “accepted [Lukashenko’s] request to “stop the movement of armed men from the Wagner company on Russian territory and [take] further steps to de-escalate the situation.”</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/google-rolls-out-perspectives-tab-in-major-search-engine-revamp-608201">Google rolls out 'Perspectives' tab in major search-engine revamp</a></p>

<p>“At the moment, there is an absolutely advantageous and acceptable way to defuse the situation on the table, with security guarantees for Wagner’s fighters,” Lukashenko’s press service said, as per media reports.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">⚡️⚡️⚡️ President of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Belarus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Belarus</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lukashenko?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lukashenko</a> held talks w/ head of PMC Wagner <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Prigozhin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Prigozhin</a>. Negotiations continued throughout the day.<br />
<br />
‼️Y.Prigozhin accepted the proposal of President of 🇧🇾 to stop the movement of armed people of the Wagner company on the territory of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Russia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Russia</a> <a href="https://t.co/Kpf2SW7RNu">pic.twitter.com/Kpf2SW7RNu</a></p>
— Belarus MFA 🇧🇾 (@BelarusMFA) <a href="https://twitter.com/BelarusMFA/status/1672660872668368898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Before Wagner chief's decision to turn back his forces, Ukraine's defence ministry mocked the presence of Russian troops on the country's land on Saturday, urging them to return home and participate in the ongoing clashes between rebel mercenaries and Russia's military. The ministry's statement questioned the reason behind Russian soldiers still being stationed in challenging conditions instead of supporting their comrades involved in the conflict.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a statement, the Ukrainian ministry asked, "Why Russian soldiers are still sitting in muddy trenches rather than running to the aid of their comrades on both sides of the conflict. That would be far safer than confronting the Ukrainian army."</p>

<p><strong>Watch | 'Putin's chef' vs Defence Minister: Where has Wagner operated?</strong></p>

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<p>Many world leaders were also keeping a close eye on the events in Russia as Putin faced a tough battle to push back Wagner chief from making gains in several Russian regions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier in the day, Wagner chief pledged to overthrow Russia's military leadership and his forces were moving through the Lipetsk region, situated around 400 kilometres (250 miles) south of Moscow, however, it seems like a deal was brokered between the warring factions which ultimately lead to the turning back of mercenary forces.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Russia's parliamentary leaders had expressed support for President Putin against Wagner mercenaries. On Saturday, the speakers of both houses of the Russian parliament declared their backing for President Vladimir Putin amidst the Wagner mercenary group's attempted ousting of the country's military leadership.</p>

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In a dramatic turn of events, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the rebel leader of the Wagner Group of mercenaries, ordered his fighters to retreat from their advance toward Moscow to prevent any violent confrontation and avert potential bloodshed following a deal with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko under which Russia would drop all charges against him and he will be granted safe passage to Belarus.

In a dramatic turn of events, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the rebel leader of the Wagner Group of mercenaries, ordered his fighters to retreat from their advance toward Moscow to prevent any violent confrontation and avert potential bloodshed following a deal with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko under which Russia would drop all charges against him and he will be granted safe passage to Belarus. Prigozhin revealed on Saturday that his forces had made significant progress, covering a distance of 200 km (124 miles) within the past 24 hours, but he has now issued orders for them to promptly return to their respective bases. The Wagner mutiny drama ended after Belarus claimed that President Alexander Lukashenko was able to persuade the Russian warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin to cease his march towards Moscow. If the claims are to be believed, it can lead to a potential end to the coup attempt in Russia, the first in last 30 years. Also Read | Archaeologists unearth 4,000-year-old ‘Stonehenge’ burial ground in the Netherlands Media reports citing Lukashenko's press service said the president engaged in extensive negotiations with Prigozhin throughout the "entire day" after establishing a mutual understanding with Putin. Before his negotiations with Wagner chief, Lukashenko held talks with Putin and they agreed on joint actions and “additionally clarifying the situation through his own channels.” The press service stated that Prigozhin has accepted Lukashenko's appeal to halt the movement. It said Prigozhin had “accepted [Lukashenko’s] request to “stop the movement of armed men from the Wagner company on Russian territory and [take] further steps to de-escalate the situation.” Also Read | Google rolls out 'Perspectives' tab in major search-engine revamp “At the moment, there is an absolutely advantageous and acceptable way to defuse the situation on the table, with security guarantees for Wagner’s fighters,” Lukashenko’s press service said, as per media reports. ⚡️⚡️⚡️ President of #Belarus #Lukashenko held talks w/ head of PMC Wagner #Prigozhin. Negotiations continued throughout the day. ‼️Y.Prigozhin accepted the proposal of President of 🇧🇾 to stop the movement of armed people of the Wagner company on the territory of #Russia pic.twitter.com/Kpf2SW7RNu — Belarus MFA 🇧🇾 (@BelarusMFA) June 24, 2023 × Before Wagner chief's decision to turn back his forces, Ukraine's defence ministry mocked the presence of Russian troops on the country's land on Saturday, urging them to return home and participate in the ongoing clashes between rebel mercenaries and Russia's military. The ministry's statement questioned the reason behind Russian soldiers still being stationed in challenging conditions instead of supporting their comrades involved in the conflict. In a statement, the Ukrainian ministry asked, "Why Russian soldiers are still sitting in muddy trenches rather than running to the aid of their comrades on both sides of the conflict. That would be far safer than confronting the Ukrainian army." Watch | 'Putin's chef' vs Defence Minister: Where has Wagner operated? × Many world leaders were also keeping a close eye on the events in Russia as Putin faced a tough battle to push back Wagner chief from making gains in several Russian regions. Earlier in the day, Wagner chief pledged to overthrow Russia's military leadership and his forces were moving through the Lipetsk region, situated around 400 kilometres (250 miles) south of Moscow, however, it seems like a deal was brokered between the warring factions which ultimately lead to the turning back of mercenary forces. Russia's parliamentary leaders had expressed support for President Putin against Wagner mercenaries. On Saturday, the speakers of both houses of the Russian parliament declared their backing for President Vladimir Putin amidst the Wagner mercenary group's attempted ousting of the country's military leadership. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Wagner chief Prigozhin orders fighters to retreat, halt advance on Moscow to prevent bloodshed

Russian mercenaries have withdrawn from the southern city of Rostov after giving a challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin's authority. This puts an end to their swift progression toward Moscow.

IN PICS | From Wagner group's advance toward Moscow to withdrawal

<p>Yevgeny Prigozhin, the mercenary group Wagner's chief,&nbsp;on Friday, accused Moscow's military leadership of ordering strikes on his camps and killing a "huge" number of forces.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We were ready to make concessions to the defence ministry, surrender our weapons," Prigozhin said in an audio message released by his spokespeople.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Today, seeing that we have not been broken, they conducted missile strikes at our rear camps," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Russian defence ministry has denied Prigozhin's claims of strikes on camps of Wagner&nbsp;forces. As per a report by CNN,&nbsp;Russia’s domestic intelligence service has now&nbsp;opened a criminal case against him.</p>

<h2><strong>There was no need for Russia to invade Ukraine&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Wagner chief also blamed defence minister Sergei Shoigu for starting the war in Ukraine in February last year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prigozhin has often accused Shoigu and some other officials during the course of the war, but the latest allegation is significant, as it questions Russia's justifications for invading Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a video posted on social media on&nbsp;Friday (June 23), the Wagner chief can be heard saying that Russia did not face any imminent security threat to justify the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a half-hour video released by his press service, Prigozhin&nbsp;said, "The Armed Forces of Ukraine were not going to attack Russia with the NATO bloc. The Russian Defence Ministry is deceiving the public and the president."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-claims-to-have-rippled-13-cruise-missiles-fired-by-russia-607781">Ukraine claims to have struck down 13 cruise missiles fired by Russia</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>"On 24 February [2022] there was nothing extraordinary happening there. Now the Ministry of Defence is trying to deceive the public, deceive the president and tell a story that there was some crazy aggression by Ukraine, that - together with the whole NATO&nbsp;bloc - Ukraine was planning to attack us," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The war was needed... so that Shoigu could become a Marshal, so that he could get a second Hero Star… the war wasn't for demilitarising or de-nazifying Ukraine. It was needed for an extra star," he further added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Why did the special military operation begin? ... the war was needed for the self-promotion of a bunch of ba***rds," he added, further blaming Russian military leadership for "poorly planning" the invasion and "embarrassing" because of the setbacks on the battlefield.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-mounts-legal-challenge-to-keep-embassy-site-near-australian-parliament-607792">Russia mounts legal challenge to keep embassy site near Australian parliament</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>He said, "Shoigu killed thousands of the most combat-ready Russian soldiers in the first days of the war. The mentally ill sc**bags decided 'It's okay, we'll throw in a few thousand more Russian men as cannon fodder.&nbsp;They'll die under artillery fire, but we'll get what we want'."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"That's why it has become a protracted war," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prigozhin said that the war was also needed to enrich the ruling elite who were not satisfied with the commercial potential of part of Ukraine's Donbas region that Moscow seized control of in 2014 via a proxy separatist force.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He said, "The task was to divide material assets (in Ukraine). There was massive theft in the Donbas, but they wanted more."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Russian diplomat stages protest as Australia dismisses lease for Moscow embassy&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<h2><strong>Russia 'retreating' from Ukraine attacks&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Wagner's chief also said that Moscow's forces are retreating in Ukraine's east and south following Kyiv's counteroffensive - remarks that are basically contradicting recent assessments by Russian President Vladimir Putin that Ukraine was suffering "catastrophic" losses.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"On the ground now ... the Russian army is retreating on the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson fronts. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are pushing back the Russian army," Prigozhin said on social media.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Last year, just a few days after launching the invasion, Russia claimed that it annexed the southern Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. &nbsp;</p>

<p>"We are washing ourselves in blood. No one is bringing reserves. What they tell us is the deepest deception," Prigozhin added, referring to the Russian military and political leadership.</p>

<p><em><strong>Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.</strong></em></p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
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Yevgeny Prigozhin, the mercenary group Wagner's chief, on Friday, accused Moscow's military leadership of ordering strikes on his camps and killing a "huge" number of forces.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the mercenary group Wagner's chief, on Friday, accused Moscow's military leadership of ordering strikes on his camps and killing a "huge" number of forces. "We were ready to make concessions to the defence ministry, surrender our weapons," Prigozhin said in an audio message released by his spokespeople. "Today, seeing that we have not been broken, they conducted missile strikes at our rear camps," he added. The Russian defence ministry has denied Prigozhin's claims of strikes on camps of Wagner forces. As per a report by CNN, Russia’s domestic intelligence service has now opened a criminal case against him. There was no need for Russia to invade Ukraine Wagner chief also blamed defence minister Sergei Shoigu for starting the war in Ukraine in February last year. Prigozhin has often accused Shoigu and some other officials during the course of the war, but the latest allegation is significant, as it questions Russia's justifications for invading Ukraine. In a video posted on social media on Friday (June 23), the Wagner chief can be heard saying that Russia did not face any imminent security threat to justify the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In a half-hour video released by his press service, Prigozhin said, "The Armed Forces of Ukraine were not going to attack Russia with the NATO bloc. The Russian Defence Ministry is deceiving the public and the president." Also read: Ukraine claims to have struck down 13 cruise missiles fired by Russia "On 24 February [2022] there was nothing extraordinary happening there. Now the Ministry of Defence is trying to deceive the public, deceive the president and tell a story that there was some crazy aggression by Ukraine, that - together with the whole NATO bloc - Ukraine was planning to attack us," he said. "The war was needed... so that Shoigu could become a Marshal, so that he could get a second Hero Star… the war wasn't for demilitarising or de-nazifying Ukraine. It was needed for an extra star," he further added. "Why did the special military operation begin? ... the war was needed for the self-promotion of a bunch of ba***rds," he added, further blaming Russian military leadership for "poorly planning" the invasion and "embarrassing" because of the setbacks on the battlefield. Also read: Russia mounts legal challenge to keep embassy site near Australian parliament He said, "Shoigu killed thousands of the most combat-ready Russian soldiers in the first days of the war. The mentally ill sc**bags decided 'It's okay, we'll throw in a few thousand more Russian men as cannon fodder. They'll die under artillery fire, but we'll get what we want'." "That's why it has become a protracted war," he said. Prigozhin said that the war was also needed to enrich the ruling elite who were not satisfied with the commercial potential of part of Ukraine's Donbas region that Moscow seized control of in 2014 via a proxy separatist force. He said, "The task was to divide material assets (in Ukraine). There was massive theft in the Donbas, but they wanted more." Watch: Russian diplomat stages protest as Australia dismisses lease for Moscow embassy × Russia 'retreating' from Ukraine attacks Wagner's chief also said that Moscow's forces are retreating in Ukraine's east and south following Kyiv's counteroffensive - remarks that are basically contradicting recent assessments by Russian President Vladimir Putin that Ukraine was suffering "catastrophic" losses. "On the ground now ... the Russian army is retreating on the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson fronts. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are pushing back the Russian army," Prigozhin said on social media. Last year, just a few days after launching the invasion, Russia claimed that it annexed the southern Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. "We are washing ourselves in blood. No one is bringing reserves. What they tell us is the deepest deception," Prigozhin added, referring to the Russian military and political leadership. Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Wagner chief accuses Russian military of bombing his forces, vows revenge

A Russian diplomat in Canberra, Australia, is staging a sit-in protest on a piece of land near the Australian Parliament, where Moscow plans to build a new embassy. Australia dismissed Russia's lease for the land due to national security concerns, which Russia had held since 2008. The Australian police are monitoring the diplomat, but diplomatic immunity prevents his arrest. The Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, stated that the presence of the protesting diplomat does not pose a national security threat.

Russian diplomat stages protest as Australia dismisses lease for Moscow embassy

<p>Moscow region Governor Andrei Vorobyov on Wednesday said that the Russian forces brought down two drones outside the capital city as they approached a local military unit&nbsp;warehouse, which they say was Ukraine's latest attempt&nbsp;to strike targets inside Russia during the initial phase of Kyiv’s recent counteroffensive.</p>

<p>The third drone's wreckage was found discovered around 20 kilometres (12 miles) away from the site where the drones crashed, reported Russian media. No casualties or damage were reported in the alleged drone attack.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Russia calls it an 'unsuccessful attempt at a terrorist attack'</strong></h2>

<p>The Russian defence ministry said that it was “an unsuccessful attempt at a terrorist attack” by “the Kyiv regime” on its facilities located in the region of Moscow. In a statement, the ministry added that they brought down all three drones by radio-electronic means.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-planning-to-launch-missiles-at-crimea-russia-claims-606594https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-planning-to-launch-missiles-at-crimea-russia-claims-606594">Ukraine planning to launch missiles at Crimea, Russia claims&nbsp;</a></p>

<p>Ukraine, which generally does not confirm attacks it carries out on Russian soil, did not make any immediate comment about the drones which were downed. Earlier, Ukrainian officials emphasised the right of the country to strike any target in response to the invasion of Russia and the war that began in February 2022.</p>

<p>In December, Russia claimed to have shot down drones which were targeted at military air bases in the Ryazan and Saratov regions of western Russia.</p>

<h2><strong>Increasing drone attacks&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>As per reports, many drones have flown deep into Russia on several occasions. In February, a UJ-22 crashed 100 kilometres (60 miles) away from Moscow, after which the Russian capital has allegedly been repeatedly approached by Ukrainian drones.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Last month, the Russian capital was jolted by a drone attack, although it suffered only slight damage. The attack was seen as one of the deepest and most daring strikes by Kyiv into Russia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In that month, it was the second reported strike on Moscow after Russian authorities claimed that the Kremlin was targeted by two drones.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Ukraine: Counteroffensive leads to advancements in Southern region | Russia-Ukraine War</strong></p>

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<p>During that time, Russian President Vladimir Putin had stated that the air defence of Moscow “worked in a satisfactory way,” but added it was “clear what we need to do to plug the gaps” in the system.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, there was a disruption in the train traffic on the Crimean Peninsula on Wednesday, as per its Russian-installed governor Sergei Aksyonov.</p>

<p>Aksyonov did not specify what led to the disruption, however, some Russian media outlets stated that apparent sabotage operations blew up the rail lines overnight.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Moscow region Governor Andrei Vorobyov on Wednesday said that the Russian forces brought down two drones outside the capital city as they approached a local military unit warehouse, which they say was Ukraine's latest attempt to strike targets inside Russia during the initial phase of Kyiv’s recent counteroffensive.

Moscow region Governor Andrei Vorobyov on Wednesday said that the Russian forces brought down two drones outside the capital city as they approached a local military unit warehouse, which they say was Ukraine's latest attempt to strike targets inside Russia during the initial phase of Kyiv’s recent counteroffensive. The third drone's wreckage was found discovered around 20 kilometres (12 miles) away from the site where the drones crashed, reported Russian media. No casualties or damage were reported in the alleged drone attack. Russia calls it an 'unsuccessful attempt at a terrorist attack' The Russian defence ministry said that it was “an unsuccessful attempt at a terrorist attack” by “the Kyiv regime” on its facilities located in the region of Moscow. In a statement, the ministry added that they brought down all three drones by radio-electronic means. ALSO READ | Ukraine planning to launch missiles at Crimea, Russia claims Ukraine, which generally does not confirm attacks it carries out on Russian soil, did not make any immediate comment about the drones which were downed. Earlier, Ukrainian officials emphasised the right of the country to strike any target in response to the invasion of Russia and the war that began in February 2022. In December, Russia claimed to have shot down drones which were targeted at military air bases in the Ryazan and Saratov regions of western Russia. Increasing drone attacks As per reports, many drones have flown deep into Russia on several occasions. In February, a UJ-22 crashed 100 kilometres (60 miles) away from Moscow, after which the Russian capital has allegedly been repeatedly approached by Ukrainian drones. Last month, the Russian capital was jolted by a drone attack, although it suffered only slight damage. The attack was seen as one of the deepest and most daring strikes by Kyiv into Russia. In that month, it was the second reported strike on Moscow after Russian authorities claimed that the Kremlin was targeted by two drones. WATCH | Ukraine: Counteroffensive leads to advancements in Southern region | Russia-Ukraine War During that time, Russian President Vladimir Putin had stated that the air defence of Moscow “worked in a satisfactory way,” but added it was “clear what we need to do to plug the gaps” in the system. Meanwhile, there was a disruption in the train traffic on the Crimean Peninsula on Wednesday, as per its Russian-installed governor Sergei Aksyonov. Aksyonov did not specify what led to the disruption, however, some Russian media outlets stated that apparent sabotage operations blew up the rail lines overnight. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Russia claims to have shot down three drones outside Moscow, calls it an attack by Ukraine

United Nations has spoken out against Russia stating that the latter has declined the request to aid in the relief efforts in the aftermath of the Kakhovka dam destruction. Earlier, the UN asked Moscow to act in accordance to their obligations under the International Humanitarian Law, while Moscow maintained its allegations against Kyiv.

Dam breach: Russia declines UN aid, latter says, 'obligation under International Humanitarian Law'

<p>A former United States paratrooper and musician was arrested on Sunday (June 11) in Russian capital Moscow on drug charges. He is reported to be in custody at least for two months pending a possible trial.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What do we know about the court appearance?</strong></h2>

<p>Khamovniki District Court of Moscow has said that the name of the American citizen is Michael Travis Leake, the spelling of his name has since been disputed. The 51-year-old was described as a “former paratrooper and musician” and accused of running a drug dealing business.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He was seen on Russian state television locked in a metal cage. Meanwhile, REN TV has previously shown an image of him being detained on June 6 in Moscow, lying on the floor in his underpants and a t-shirt with his hands restrained behind his back, reported Reuters. The US citizen was reportedly presented in the court on June 10.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/evan-gershkovich-us-journalist-arrested-in-russia-on-charges-of-espionage-denied-bail-583727">Evan Gershkovich: US journalist arrested in Russia on charges of espionage denied bail</a></strong></p>

<p>In a statement, Moscow’s courts of general jurisdiction said, “On June 10, 2023, Moscow's Khamovniki District Court took a measure of restraint against a US citizen.” The message on Telegram added, “The former paratrooper and a musician, who is accused of running a drug dealing business involving young people, will remain in custody until Aug. 6, 2023.”</p>

<p>According to Russian media reports, if convicted, the 51-year-old could face 12 years in prison. The suspicious substance was found at Leake’s apartment, reported REN TV.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What do we know about the US citizen and his arrest</strong>?</h2>

<p>As per media reports, the US citizen had been living in Russia for some years now. Notably, Leake’s arrest comes amid deteriorating relations between Moscow and Washington as Russia has arrested several US citizens recently.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brittney-griner-breaks-silence-on-return-from-russia-to-play-in-wnba-in-2023-543834">Brittney Griner breaks silence on return from Russia, to play in WNBA in 2023</a></strong></p>

<p>Washington has also accused Moscow of arbitrary detentions of US citizens for use as bargaining chips to secure the release of Russians jailed in the United States. It was not immediately clear if Leake had access to legal counsel.&nbsp;</p>

<p>An anonymous source told Reuters, that the rock group that Leake was a part of had not played a concert since 2019. Additionally, when the US citizen first came to Moscow he worked as an English teacher and helped translate songs for Russian bands, reported Reuters.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>How has the US responded to the arrest?</strong></h2>

<p>A US state department spokesperson said they are aware of the arrest but did not reveal any further details citing privacy concerns. “We are aware of reports of the recent arrest of a US citizen in Moscow. When a US citizen is detained overseas, the department pursues consular access as soon as possible and works to provide all appropriate consular assistance.”&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em><br />
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A former United States paratrooper and musician was arrested on Sunday (June 11) in Russian capital Moscow on drug charges. He is reported to be in custody at least for two months pending a possible trial.

A former United States paratrooper and musician was arrested on Sunday (June 11) in Russian capital Moscow on drug charges. He is reported to be in custody at least for two months pending a possible trial. What do we know about the court appearance? Khamovniki District Court of Moscow has said that the name of the American citizen is Michael Travis Leake, the spelling of his name has since been disputed. The 51-year-old was described as a “former paratrooper and musician” and accused of running a drug dealing business. He was seen on Russian state television locked in a metal cage. Meanwhile, REN TV has previously shown an image of him being detained on June 6 in Moscow, lying on the floor in his underpants and a t-shirt with his hands restrained behind his back, reported Reuters. The US citizen was reportedly presented in the court on June 10. Also read | Evan Gershkovich: US journalist arrested in Russia on charges of espionage denied bail In a statement, Moscow’s courts of general jurisdiction said, “On June 10, 2023, Moscow's Khamovniki District Court took a measure of restraint against a US citizen.” The message on Telegram added, “The former paratrooper and a musician, who is accused of running a drug dealing business involving young people, will remain in custody until Aug. 6, 2023.” According to Russian media reports, if convicted, the 51-year-old could face 12 years in prison. The suspicious substance was found at Leake’s apartment, reported REN TV. What do we know about the US citizen and his arrest? As per media reports, the US citizen had been living in Russia for some years now. Notably, Leake’s arrest comes amid deteriorating relations between Moscow and Washington as Russia has arrested several US citizens recently. Also read | Brittney Griner breaks silence on return from Russia, to play in WNBA in 2023 Washington has also accused Moscow of arbitrary detentions of US citizens for use as bargaining chips to secure the release of Russians jailed in the United States. It was not immediately clear if Leake had access to legal counsel. An anonymous source told Reuters, that the rock group that Leake was a part of had not played a concert since 2019. Additionally, when the US citizen first came to Moscow he worked as an English teacher and helped translate songs for Russian bands, reported Reuters. How has the US responded to the arrest? A US state department spokesperson said they are aware of the arrest but did not reveal any further details citing privacy concerns. “We are aware of reports of the recent arrest of a US citizen in Moscow. When a US citizen is detained overseas, the department pursues consular access as soon as possible and works to provide all appropriate consular assistance.” (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US citizen arrested in Russia over drug dealing charges

Ukraine has announced that its forces have retaken three villages in the Eastern region of Donetsk. This is the first reported gains of Ukraine's much anticipated counter-offensive which President Zelensky confirmed is now underway.

Russia Ukraine War: Kyiv claims 3 villages taken in Donetsk, Moscow yet to confirm the fall

<p>In what might be the first gains since Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave the strongest indication yet that Kyiv’s long-awaited pushback of Russian troops has begun,&nbsp;Kyiv announced on Sunday that Ukrainian forces had retaken three villages in the eastern region of Donetsk. Ukraine, on Monday (June 12) also claimed that it&nbsp;recaptured a fourth village in a cluster of settlements in the country's&nbsp;southeast region.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“The settlements of Blahodatne and Makarivka were liberated,” Ukraine's deputy defence minister Hanna&nbsp;Maliar&nbsp;said in an&nbsp;update on Telegram.</p>

<p>A third village,&nbsp;Neskuchne, was also claimed by a Ukrainian army brigade on Sunday, though Kyiv defence leaders are yet to comment on the development. Russian military bloggers have&nbsp;made unofficial reports&nbsp;that Neskuchne has been recaptured by Ukraine's troops, reports CNN.<br />
<br />
Video footage posted online&nbsp;showed soldiers holding up the Ukrainian flag in&nbsp;Donetsk region's Storozheve with the defence minister thanking&nbsp;the 35th Separate Brigade of Marines for regaining control of the village.</p>

<p>This comes after Zelensky said that the “relevant counter-offensive defensive actions are taking place in Ukraine,” on Saturday. “Neskuchne of the Donetsk region is under the Ukrainian flag again,” said the state border guard, along with a video of Ukrainian troops announcing the takeover.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ukrainian soldiers were also seen shouting Kyiv’s traditional battle cries such as “Glory to Ukraine!” and reportedly derided Russian President Vladimir Putin.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-claims-to-repel-attack-by-ukraine-on-black-sea-warship-603188">Russia claims to repel attack by Ukraine on Black Sea warship</a></strong></p>

<p>This was hours after Ukrainian Land Forces announced that soldiers of the 68th Separate Hunting Brigade had retaken the village of Blahodatne in the Donetsk region.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-citizen-arrested-in-russia-over-drug-dealing-charges-603227">US citizen arrested in Russia over drug dealing charges</a></strong></p>

<p>The video showed soldiers hoisting a Ukrainian flag over a destroyed building. The Ukrainian government also has released a video for the third consecutive weekend that subtly acknowledges, without directly mentioning, the summer counteroffensive against Russia. &nbsp;<br />
<br />
The most recent video features Kyrylo Budanov, the head of military intelligence, sitting silently at his desk, gazing into the camera and after 20 seconds or so the words “More to Come” appear, which is followed by the slogan, “Plans Love Silence.” The recurring theme seems to point to the Kyiv government’s efforts symbolising the importance of maintaining silence.</p>

<h2><strong>Russia blows up another dam</strong></h2>

<p>Ukraine has accused Russia of blowing&nbsp;up another dam in the Zaporizhzhia region, following the destruction of the major Nova Kakhovka on Monday, which caused widespread flooding.</p>

<p>Ukraine says the dam was blown up by Russian forces, who have controlled it since February 2022.</p>

<p>Valeriy Shershen, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian military, said Moscow's forces had chosen to blow up a second dam near the village of Novodarivka, which "led to the flooding on both banks of the Mokri Yaly river", Kyiv Independent reported.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Russia, Ukraine prisoner&nbsp;swap</strong></h2>

<p>The Russian defence ministry, on Telegram, announced 94 Russian servicemen “who were in mortal danger” are being released after negotiations and will be taken to medical institutes for examination.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ukraines-counter-offensive-against-russia-under-way-603074">Ukraine's counter-offensive against Russia under way</a></strong></p>

<p>Head of Ukraine’s presidential administration, Andriy Yermak, said 95 Ukrainian troops had been returned by the Russians. The Ukrainian official also said that some of them were injured and among those who returned were also members of the national guard and border guards.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Is Russia taking control of Wagner?</strong></h2>

<p>Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of Russia's Wagner mercenary, on Sunday, said his fighters would not sign any contract with the country’s Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-says-it-repels-many-attacks-by-ukraine-ukraine-claims-gains-in-bakhmut-603084">Russia says it repels many attacks by Ukraine; Ukraine claims gains in Bakhmut</a></strong></p>

<p>This comes after the Russian defence ministry on Saturday said Shoigu had ordered all “volunteer detachments” to sign contracts with his ministry by the end of the month. According to the defence ministry, it is in a bid to increase the effectiveness of the Russian army.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Ukraine's counter-offensive against Russia underway</h2>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ukraines-counter-offensive-against-russia-under-way-603074/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>While no particular group or forces were mentioned by the ministry, the move is being seen as an attempt to take direct control of Wagner. However, Prigozhin, in response to a request for comment on the matter said, “Wagner will not sign any contracts with Shoigu,” adding that the order did not apply to Wagner.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-dam-collapse-zelensky-says-world-shamefully-indifferent-to-disaster-603032">Ukraine dam collapse: Zelensky says world ‘shamefully indifferent’ to disaster</a></strong></p>

<p>This comes as the Wagner chief has repeatedly criticised the Russian military brass for incompetence and deliberately undersupplying Wagner fighters in Ukraine. “Shoigu cannot properly manage military formation,” said Wagner chief.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He also went on to say that his group is well integrated with the Russian military and its effectiveness would be affected if they are required to report to the defence minister.</p>

<h2><strong>Russia said it hit Leopard tanks, Bradley vehicles and Ukrainian fighter je</strong>t</h2>

<p>Earlier, on Sunday, Russia claimed that it destroyed at least seven German-made Leopard tanks and five United States-made Bradley vehicles in the past 48 hours while repelling Ukrainian attacks.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-opposition-failing-to-unite-against-putin-heres-why-603145">Russian opposition leaders meet in Brussels, fail to unite against Putin. Here's why</a></strong></p>

<p>It also later claimed that it had successfully taken down a Ukrainian Su-25 fighter jet in the Kherson region. Russian forces have also repelled three Ukrainian attacks in the Zaporizhzhia region, the ministry said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
<br />
<em><strong>Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.</strong></em></p>

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In what might be the first gains since Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave the strongest indication yet that Kyiv’s long-awaited pushback of Russian troops has begun, Kyiv announced on Sunday that Ukrainian forces had retaken three villages in the eastern region of Donetsk.

In what might be the first gains since Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave the strongest indication yet that Kyiv’s long-awaited pushback of Russian troops has begun, Kyiv announced on Sunday that Ukrainian forces had retaken three villages in the eastern region of Donetsk. Ukraine, on Monday (June 12) also claimed that it recaptured a fourth village in a cluster of settlements in the country's southeast region. “The settlements of Blahodatne and Makarivka were liberated,” Ukraine's deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar said in an update on Telegram. A third village, Neskuchne, was also claimed by a Ukrainian army brigade on Sunday, though Kyiv defence leaders are yet to comment on the development. Russian military bloggers have made unofficial reports that Neskuchne has been recaptured by Ukraine's troops, reports CNN. Video footage posted online showed soldiers holding up the Ukrainian flag in Donetsk region's Storozheve with the defence minister thanking the 35th Separate Brigade of Marines for regaining control of the village. This comes after Zelensky said that the “relevant counter-offensive defensive actions are taking place in Ukraine,” on Saturday. “Neskuchne of the Donetsk region is under the Ukrainian flag again,” said the state border guard, along with a video of Ukrainian troops announcing the takeover. Ukrainian soldiers were also seen shouting Kyiv’s traditional battle cries such as “Glory to Ukraine!” and reportedly derided Russian President Vladimir Putin. ALSO READ | Russia claims to repel attack by Ukraine on Black Sea warship This was hours after Ukrainian Land Forces announced that soldiers of the 68th Separate Hunting Brigade had retaken the village of Blahodatne in the Donetsk region. ALSO READ | US citizen arrested in Russia over drug dealing charges The video showed soldiers hoisting a Ukrainian flag over a destroyed building. The Ukrainian government also has released a video for the third consecutive weekend that subtly acknowledges, without directly mentioning, the summer counteroffensive against Russia. The most recent video features Kyrylo Budanov, the head of military intelligence, sitting silently at his desk, gazing into the camera and after 20 seconds or so the words “More to Come” appear, which is followed by the slogan, “Plans Love Silence.” The recurring theme seems to point to the Kyiv government’s efforts symbolising the importance of maintaining silence. Russia blows up another dam Ukraine has accused Russia of blowing up another dam in the Zaporizhzhia region, following the destruction of the major Nova Kakhovka on Monday, which caused widespread flooding. Ukraine says the dam was blown up by Russian forces, who have controlled it since February 2022. Valeriy Shershen, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian military, said Moscow's forces had chosen to blow up a second dam near the village of Novodarivka, which "led to the flooding on both banks of the Mokri Yaly river", Kyiv Independent reported. Russia, Ukraine prisoner swap The Russian defence ministry, on Telegram, announced 94 Russian servicemen “who were in mortal danger” are being released after negotiations and will be taken to medical institutes for examination. ALSO WATCH | Ukraine's counter-offensive against Russia under way Head of Ukraine’s presidential administration, Andriy Yermak, said 95 Ukrainian troops had been returned by the Russians. The Ukrainian official also said that some of them were injured and among those who returned were also members of the national guard and border guards. Is Russia taking control of Wagner? Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of Russia's Wagner mercenary, on Sunday, said his fighters would not sign any contract with the country’s Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu. ALSO WATCH | Russia says it repels many attacks by Ukraine; Ukraine claims gains in Bakhmut This comes after the Russian defence ministry on Saturday said Shoigu had ordered all “volunteer detachments” to sign contracts with his ministry by the end of the month. According to the defence ministry, it is in a bid to increase the effectiveness of the Russian army. Ukraine's counter-offensive against Russia underway While no particular group or forces were mentioned by the ministry, the move is being seen as an attempt to take direct control of Wagner. However, Prigozhin, in response to a request for comment on the matter said, “Wagner will not sign any contracts with Shoigu,” adding that the order did not apply to Wagner. ALSO READ | Ukraine dam collapse: Zelensky says world ‘shamefully indifferent’ to disaster This comes as the Wagner chief has repeatedly criticised the Russian military brass for incompetence and deliberately undersupplying Wagner fighters in Ukraine. “Shoigu cannot properly manage military formation,” said Wagner chief. He also went on to say that his group is well integrated with the Russian military and its effectiveness would be affected if they are required to report to the defence minister. Russia said it hit Leopard tanks, Bradley vehicles and Ukrainian fighter jet Earlier, on Sunday, Russia claimed that it destroyed at least seven German-made Leopard tanks and five United States-made Bradley vehicles in the past 48 hours while repelling Ukrainian attacks. ALSO READ | Russian opposition leaders meet in Brussels, fail to unite against Putin. Here's why It also later claimed that it had successfully taken down a Ukrainian Su-25 fighter jet in the Kherson region. Russian forces have also repelled three Ukrainian attacks in the Zaporizhzhia region, the ministry said. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Kyiv recaptures four villages in Donetsk as Ukraine's counter-offensive begins

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Intense cross-border shelling between Ukraine and Russia continues into the 16th month of the war. Ukraine force of Russian partisan has now infiltrated a Russian city and captured multiple Russian soldiers.

Russia-Ukraine War: Russia 'thwarts' Ukrainian assault on Donetsk | World News | WION

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