'Book of Executioners', support for Ukraine's EU bid, armaments for Armed Forces: last night's highlights

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the launch of a special "Book of Executioners" to detail Russian crimes in Ukraine and warned of "the most difficult winter since Independence," while the European Parliament supported granting Ukraine EU candidate status. Here is what you may have missed from the previous night.

"Book of Executioners"

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the launch in Ukraine of a special "Book of Executioners" — an information system that collects confirmed data on war criminals and criminals from the Russian army.

According to Zelensky, the "Book of Executioners" will be one of the bases of responsibility of the direct perpetrators of war crimes — soldiers of the Russian army, as well as their commanders.

Preparations for the heating season

The Cabinet of Ministers is creating a headquarters that will prepare daily for the 2022/23 heating season. President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that due to the Russian aggression it will be the most difficult winter in all the years of Ukraine's independence.

At this time, Ukraine will not sell gas and coal abroad — all domestic production will be directed to the domestic needs of Ukrainians. But the government is working to increase electricity export opportunities. Ukraine has the opportunity to meet its own needs and export electricity to Europe.

The European Parliament will support Ukraine

The European Parliament will recommend that the participants in the EU leaders' summit on June 23-24 grant Ukraine candidate status and the defense assistance it requests.

David McAllister, chairman of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, said the EP also recommended providing Ukraine with weapons and all equipment, monitoring the application of EU sanctions and more.

Weapons for Ukraine

The United States and its allies are working to provide Ukraine with anti-ship missiles and systems to strengthen the country's coastal defenses. This was reported by Voice of America with reference to a senior White House official.

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that the best guarantees for the demining of Ukrainian ports would be the provision of weapons needed by Ukraine and its deployment in the region. In particular, he spoke about anti-ship systems.

The Ambassador of Ukraine to Israel Yevhen Korniychuk has said that Ukraine wants to purchase the Iron Dome air defense system from Israel.

He also asked Israel to sign the transfer of its Spike SR anti-tank missile system from Germany to Ukraine. "Last week, from what I know for sure, Americans gave permission for the anti-spike missiles to be transferred from Germany to Ukraine, and Israel said no," Korniychuk said.

Russia will not comply with ECtHR decisions

Russia has decided not to implement the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, issued after March 15, 2022 — the relevant bills were passed by deputies of the State Duma of the Russian Federation. One of the adopted laws stipulates that until January 1, 2023, the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation may pay monetary compensation to the applicant according to the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights issued before March 15, 2022. But such will be only in rubles and only into accounts with Russian banks.

According to Russian media, Russia already owes about 74 million euros in compensation as per ECtHR rulings. This is excluding the record 1.9 billion euros in favor of former shareholders of the Yukos Oil Company.