New Bradleys from the United States and a deadly missile strike on Kryvyi Rih: highlights of June 13

New military assistance from partners

The United States has announced a new military assistance package for Ukraine worth up to $325 million. It includes support for air defense, as well as artillery, combat vehicles, anti-tank systems, and ammunition. This includes 15 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, 10 Stryker armored personnel carriers, and ammunition for HIMARS.

Meanwhile, the UK has also announced a new package worth 92 million pounds (about $115 million) to strengthen “vital air defense capabilities”. It includes radars to protect against indiscriminate Russian strikes, guns, and “significant quantities” of ammunition.

In addition, according to the Wall Street Journal, the United States is considering providing Ukraine with depleted uranium tank shells.

Fighting at the frontline

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Ukrainian troops are successful in an offensive in the Berdiansk sector. Over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian troops have recaptured 500 meters to 1 km of territory, and the area under their control is up to 3 square kilometers.

At the same time, Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi said that “heavy defensive and offensive battles are continuing in the east and south”. According to him, “we are having some success, implementing our plans, moving forward”.

Attack on Kryvyi Rih

At night, Russian troops launched a missile attack on Kryvyi Rih, hitting a residential area. As a result of the attack, the first to fifth floors of two building entrances caught fire. The missiles also hit a bottled water warehouse where about 25 civilians were working around the clock.

As of the evening, 11 people were killed and 36 wounded. The search and rescue operation has already been completed and the structures are being dismantled. Tomorrow, June 14, a day of mourning has been declared in Kryvyi Rih.

Situation with the Kakhovka dam explosion

On the seventh day after the Russians destroyed the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant, the water level in water bodies, including the Dnipro in Kherson, continues to decline. Nitrites have increased in the Ingulka River.

The State Environmental Inspectorate said that there is no major water contamination, but cholera and E. coli have already been found in the water. In Odesa Oblast, salmonella and an intestinal infection were found in the sea.

However, Chief State Sanitary Doctor Ihor Kuzin assured that no cases of cholera infection or suspected cases have been recorded in Ukraine. According to him, bottled water for the population meets sanitary rules and regulations.

Conclusions of the Venice Commission

The Venice Commission has criticized the Ukrainian law on de-oligarchization, which the Verkhovna Rada adopted in 2021. The Commission is convinced that the law should not be applied as it is now, and instead, a “systematic” approach to solving the problem is needed.

The Venice Commission also recommends that Ukraine revise or clarify several provisions of the law on national minorities. For example, to extend the right to organize events in minority languages to all people.

Other news

• In Kyiv, ex-MP Chornovil was doused with brilliant green and thrown into a trash bin for insulting military officer Alina Mykhailova.
• The IAEA will send a mission to Ukraine to assess the consequences of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant explosion.
• The Ministry of Digital Transformation offers a million dollars to the developer who will present the best “hunter” for enemy drones.
• Rada TV channel fired seven employees because of footage from the Russian Emergencies Ministry in a story about evacuations in Kherson Oblast.
• In Istanbul, a police officer tried to take away a Ukrainian flag from a fan at the Champions League final.
• The UN proposes to create an artificial intelligence observer agency.