Tuesday, June 17. Russia's War On Ukraine: News And Information From Ukraine
Dispatches from Ukraine. Day 1,210.
Kyiv. Russian drones and missiles struck Ukrainian capital Kyiv early on Tuesday, June 17th, destroying an apartment building, residential structures, injuring up to 16 people, city officials said.
Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least 14 civilians between June 13-16. Donetsk oblast, or region, in eastern Ukraine bore the brunt of the Kremlin's systematic attacks, with heavy shelling resulting in nine civilian deaths. In the south, authorities in Kherson region reported three locals killed, while aerial strikes in Zaporizhzhia oblast killed two civilians.
Ukraine has received the remains of 1,245 fallen soldiers and civilians, concluding the final phase of a sweeping prisoner-of-war swap brokered during talks with Russia in Istanbul earlier this month. The exchange, coordinated with support from the Red Cross, brought the total number of bodies returned to Ukraine under the agreement to 6,057. Russian officials, in turn, reported receiving only 78 bodies.
Ukraine's Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko accused Russia of returning severely mutilated bodies and, in some cases, including its own dead among fallen Ukrainian soldiers. He further said the condition of the remains, often mixed across multiple bags, further complicates already difficult identification efforts.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made his first visit to Austria since 2020, pressing for help repatriating Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. At a joint press conference with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, Zelenskyy urged Austria to support European Union sanctions against Moscow and asked for a more forceful crackdown on Ukrainian corruption suspects sheltering in Vienna. Zelenskyy thanked Austria, whose neutrality is enshrined in its constitution and whose government is divided on supporting Ukraine, for the $350 million in humanitarian and economic aid it has provided.
A Russian airstrike damaged a building used by Boeing in Kyiv in what may have been a targeted attack on the American aerospace behemoth. The strike came during an overnight bombardment involving over 300 drones. Verified images showed structural damage in the facility. The company, however, stated there had been 'no operational disruption' after the strike.
Although no employees were injured, the incident raised concerns over Moscow's deliberate targeting of Western companies with ties to Ukraine's defense and aviation sectors. Boeing collaborates with Ukrainian national aircraft manufacturer Antonov despite war risks. According to the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine, nearly one-third of its 700 member companies have suffered employee casualties, and almost half have reported damage to facilities since 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's public trust rating has slipped to 65% from a peak of 74% in early May, marking the first decline since a steady rise that began in December 2024. A new poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) shows the share of Ukrainians expressing distrust in Zelenskyy has risen from 22% to 30%, an indication that the 'rally-around-the-flag' effect of U.S. President Donald Trump's re-election and critical view of Ukraine is starting to subside.
While Zelenskyy retains strong support in western regions with 73% approval, confidence in him has fallen most sharply in central and southern Ukraine. Analysts at KIIS note that as the wartime unity effects wane, Ukrainians are increasingly attuned to internal issues, including corruption and quality of governance, which may further erode Zelenskyy's standing.
The European Union will not move unilaterally to lower the $60-per-barrel price cap on Russian oil to $45, without backing from G7 partners, EU diplomats told Ukrainian news outlet European Pravda. Aimed at ratcheting up pressure on Moscow's ability to finance its war, the measure, which had been proposed for inclusion in the EU's 18th sanctions package, was discussed during a June 16 internal EU meeting.
Despite Ukraine's push for a $30 price cap, EU member states remain wary of diverging from the G7 (so called Group-of-Seven developed democratic nations, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan) consensus. Previous reports have highlighted the EU's readiness to cut the Russian oil price cap, juxtaposed with reluctance from Washington, which largely shapes the official G7 position, making a unilateral European move increasingly unlikely.
By Danylo Nosov, Karina L. Tahiliani
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