On the 116th day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, NATO is not optimistic about a possible end to this war. Jens Stoltenberg, the general secretary of the alliance, fears that it will last ” years “. Serhiy Haidai, the governor of the Luhansk region, says ” prepare for the worst while the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, promises that his country will “take back” all the territories where the Russian army has advanced.
► Moscow has blocked the RFI website, which broadcasts information in fifteen languages including Russian. An alternative URL address allows access to the site in French and in Russian. RFI in Russian is also available on Telegram: https://t.me/RFI_Ru via a VPN and in Russia in French via satellite on Hotbird.
► RFI’s Russian editorial site broadcasts Ukrainian public radio (in the Ukrainian language) from home page.
The main points:
► The Secretary General of NATO fears that the war in Ukraine will extend over a long period. ” We must be prepared that this may last for years “, confides Jens Stoltenberg to the German newspaper Picture.
► Returning from a visit to the southern front, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky insisted that his country would ” take it all back » territories where the Russian army has advanced.
► Russian state television aired videos of two US Army veterans, Alexander Drueke and Andy Huynh, left to fight in Ukraine against the Russian army. Although they had not been heard from for several days, they appeared in these videos as prisoners of the Russian army near Kharkiv.
► About a possible official candidacy of Ukraine to the European UnionUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky describes the positive opinion of the European Commission as ” historical achievement ”, pending the decision of the European Council next week. ” We will do everything to make our ties with Europe as strong as possible “, did he declare.
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4 p.m.: In an interview with the JDD, Macky Sall clarifies his position on Ukraine
There is an urgent need to solve the problem of access to fertilizers in Africa and part of the solution is at stake in Ukraine. This is essentially what the Senegalese President and Chairman-in-Office of the African Union repeats in Sunday newspaper. In this interview, published this Sunday, June 19, Macky Sall looks back on his meeting with Vladimir Poutine on June 3 in Sochi. Accompanied by the chairman of the AU Commission, the Senegalese head of state had spent more than three hours with him.
►Our article
3:30 p.m.: a recession in the United States is not “ inevitable “says the Secretary of the Treasury
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says a recession is not ” inevitable in the United States, a few days after a new increase in the key rates of the American central bank which raises fears of the prospect of an economic contraction. ” I don’t think a recession is inevitable “, she said on the channel ABC Newsconceding however to expect “ until the economy slows down ” as part of a transition to a ” slow and stable growth “.
The hypothesis of a recession in the United States is gaining momentum after the historic decision on Wednesday by the central bank (Fed) to raise its key rates by three quarters of a point, in an attempt to curb galloping inflation. Janet Yellen points to Russia’s war in Ukraine as one of the reasons for these food and fuel price hikes.
2:50 p.m.: firefighters mobilized in Mykolaiv
On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky traveled to Mykolaiv, in the south of the country, where Russian forces are carrying out a major offensive. The presence of the Head of State did not prevent Moscow from continuing its bombardments. The firefighters of Ukraine must therefore intervene to put out the fires caused by the Russian bombardments.
2:30 p.m .: faced with the lack of Russian gas, Germany will run its coal-fired power plants
Faced with Russian blackmail on gas and the explosion of prices due to the war in Ukraine, the German government announced that it would use coal-fired power stations more, despite their environmental cost. This decision is a reversal for the coalition government, giving pride of place to environmentalists, and which has pledged to phase out coal by 2030.
► Find our article by clicking here
1 p.m.: in Lyssytchansk, the police mobilized to distribute humanitarian aid
In the Donbass, fighting is still raging for control of the great city of Sievierodonetsk. The region is constantly bombarded. In Lysytchansk, the police came to bring some humanitarian aid.
► Find the report of our special correspondents by clicking here
12:00 p.m.: Donetsk, the day after the deadly bombardments
On Saturday, Ukrainian bombardments on the capital of the self-proclaimed “republic” of Donetsk, in the pro-Russian part of Donbass, left five dead and twelve injured among the civilian population. In the aftermath of these attacks, the damage is still visible, as in this market.
11:20 a.m .: Russian army pushed back near Severodonetsk, according to Ukraine
The Ukrainian army claims to have repelled Russian attacks near Severodonetsk, in the east of the country. ” Our units repelled the assault in the Toshkivka area. The enemy has retreated and is regrouping “, assures the Ukrainian army on Facebook. The local governor, Serhiy Haidai, described as ” lying » the idea that the Russians controlled the strategic locality of Severodonetsk. ” Indeed, they control the majority of the city but they do not control it entirely “, he said on Telegram.
9:10 a.m .: Germany takes emergency measures in the face of falling Russian gas deliveries
Germany will take emergency measures to secure its supply in the face of recent drops in Russian gas deliveries, notably involving increased use of coal, the government said. Earlier in the week, several cuts in gas deliveries were announced by the Russian group Gazprom, against the backdrop of a showdown between Western countries and Russia, four months after the start of Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine.
” To reduce gas consumption, less gas must be used to generate electricity. Instead, coal-fired power plants will have to be used more “, declares the German Ministry of Economy in a press release. A political choice seen as a reversal for the coalition government, which has promised to phase out coal by 2030. It’s bitter, but it’s essential to reduce gas consumption “Reacted the Ecologist Minister of the Economy, Robert Habeck, in a press release.
► To read also: Energy: Russian gas is scarce in European pipes
8:20 a.m.: Ukraine will take it all back to Russia, promises Volodymyr Zelensky
Back from Mykolaiv, a city on the Black Sea on the southern front where he went on Saturday, Volodymyr Zelensky assures that his troops are keeping their morale up and have no doubts about victory against the Russian army. ” We will not give the South to anyone, we will take everything back, and the sea will be Ukrainian, it will be safe “says the Ukrainian president in a video posted on the Telegram network.
7:40 am: Miami collects weapons for Ukraine
The city of Miami, Florida, has a program in place to buy back firearms from individuals. The objectives: to reduce the circulation of weapons in the streets and to send these weapons recovered to Ukraine, to support the Ukrainians against the Russian invader. On Saturday, citizens who wanted to were able to give their weapons to the police during the collection organized at City Hall.
For a handgun, a $50 gift card was given. This amount rose to $100 for a shotgun or a simple shotgun, and to $150 for a high-caliber assault rifle type rifle. The City of Miami has assured that no questions will be asked of gun owners coming to the collection.
06:36: the war could “ last for years “, dreads NATO
In an interview with the German daily Picturethe NATO Secretary General warns that the war in Ukraine could last ” years “. ” We have to be prepared for this to go on for years. We must not falter in supporting Ukraine, even if the costs are high, not only in terms of military support but also because of rising energy and food prices says Jens Stoltenberg.
Moreover, the former Norwegian Prime Minister calls on the countries of the Atlantic Alliance to continue their arms deliveries to kyiv. ” With additional modern weapons, the likelihood of Ukraine being able to repel (Vladimir) Putin’s troops from Donbass would increase », insists Jens Stoltenberg.
06:30: Hello and welcome to this live
You can find our live from yesterday by following this link.