Have Ukrainian forces reduced their operations in the south and east of the country? This is what Russia said on Thursday. “After actively conducting hostilities over the past sixteen days, suffering significant losses, the enemy has reduced its activity and is in the process of regrouping” its forces, said Thursday, June 22, according to Russian agencies, the Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu, during a meeting of the Russian Security Council.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has been repeating for a week that the Ukrainian counter-offensive is a failure, nevertheless noted that Ukraine retained “an offensive potential”. “It must be assumed that the offensive potential of the adversary is not exhausted. A series of strategic reserves are not employed, and I ask that this reality be taken into account in the elaboration of the combat work”, he said.
The counter-offensive “will take time”, warns the Ukrainian Prime Minister
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal warned on Thursday that the army’s counter-offensive against Russian forces “will take time”, but said he was “optimistic” about its success. “We will carry out intelligent offensive operations, and for this reason (the counter-offensive) will take time,” he said at a press conference in London where an international conference for the reconstruction of the army is being held. ‘Ukraine.
“The counter-offensive is made up of many military operations, some are offensive, others are defensive,” he explained, adding that “unfortunately, during our preparation for this counter-offensive, the Russians also prepared .There are so many minefields that it slows the progress of the troops a lot. “I am totally optimistic about the liberation of our territories occupied by the Russians,” insisted Denys Chmygal.
In an interview with the BBC on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky admitted that the progress of this offensive was “slower than desired”. “Some people think it’s a Hollywood movie and expect results now. It’s not,” he said.
Ukraine accumulates financial support for its reconstruction
Ukraine has received a total of 60 billion euros in new financial support to rebuild its economy at the end of the international conference on its reconstruction organized in London, British Foreign Minister James Cleverly said on Thursday.
“We did not think of this conference as a pledging conference. However, today we are making announcements for a total of 60 billion euros in support for Ukraine”, from State or international organizations in the short or medium term, declared the minister, during the closing session of the conference.
The bulk of the €60 billion in commitments comes from a €50 billion aid package that the European Union has planned to release until 2027, and announced on the eve of the conference. The United States also announced support of 1.3 billion dollars (about 1.2 billion euros) in aid, targeted in particular on the energy and infrastructure sectors.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) announced various support schemes, including 600 million euros in loans and grants for energy projects. Nearly 500 companies from 42 countries have pledged to mobilize for the reconstruction of the country. But the needs are great and growing, with no end of conflict in sight. The recovery of the Ukrainian economy in the medium term has been estimated at more than 400 billion dollars at this stage, while the urgent needs for reconstruction have been assessed at 14.1 billion euros.
JO-2024: the Council of Europe wants the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes
The parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe spoke out on Thursday for the total exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes from the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris “as long as Russia’s war of aggression (on Ukraine ) keep on going”.
In a resolution adopted during its summer plenary session, which is being held this week in Strasbourg, the assembly urged “the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and its constituent sports bodies to maintain the position expressed in 2022 and to prohibit the participation” of these athletes in the next Olympics and “all other major sporting events”, she said in a press release.
This resolution comes as the IOC “is currently considering the possibility of authorizing athletes” with a Russian or Belarusian passport “to compete in Paris as ‘neutral athletes'”, continues the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe. Europe (PACE).
The IOC recommended last March the reinstatement of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international competitions, under a neutral banner and “in an individual capacity”, provided that they did not actively support the war in Ukraine.
IOC: Thomas Bach regrets that kyiv “sanctions” its own athletes
At the same time, on Thursday, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, deplored the absence of Ukrainians from several recent competitions, “sanctioned” by their government anxious to protest against the reinstatement of Russian and Belarusian athletes.
“It is really difficult to understand why the Ukrainian government is depriving its own athletes of a chance to qualify for the 2024 Olympics, and depriving the Ukrainian public of this pride”, launched the German leader during the 140th session of the Olympics. Olympic body. “They are sanctioned by their own government for a war launched by the Russians and Belarusians,” said Thomas Bach.