Russia-Ukraine crisis live updates | Biden’s wife, daughter among 25 more Americans banned from Russia

Here are the latest developments from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict on June 28, 2022

June 28, 2022 08:47 am | Updated June 29, 2022 08:15 am IST

People watch as smoke bellows after a Russian missile strike hit a crowded shopping mall, in Kremenchuk, Ukraine, Monday, on June 27, 2022.

People watch as smoke bellows after a Russian missile strike hit a crowded shopping mall, in Kremenchuk, Ukraine, Monday, on June 27, 2022. | Photo Credit: AP

Leading economic powers conferred by video link with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday as they underscored their commitment to Ukraine for the long haul with plans to pursue a price cap on Russian oil, raise tariffs on Russian goods and impose other new sanctions. In addition, the U.S. was preparing to announce the purchase of an advanced surface-to-air missile system for Kyiv to help Ukraine fight back against Vladimir Putin’s aggression.

Russian long-range bombers struck a crowded shopping mall in Ukraine’s central city of Kremenchuk with a missile on Monday, raising fears of what President Volodymyr Zelensky called an “unimaginable” number of victims in “one of the most daring terrorist attacks in European history.” The toll from the missile strike has risen to 16 dead and 59 wounded, the head of Ukraine’s emergency services said early Tuesday. “As of now, we know of 16 dead and 59 wounded, 25 of them hospitalised. The information is being updated,” Sergiy Kruk said on Telegram.

Ukraine has called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council over recent Russian strikes on civilian targets, the presidency of the U.N. body said Monday. The missile strike on the shopping centre "is the main focus" of the meeting, set for Tuesday at 1900 GMT, said a spokesman for the Albanian mission, which currently holds the rotating Security Council presidency. The "shelling all over Kyiv" on Sunday, which hit a residential complex, will also be discussed at the meeting, the spokesman said.

Here are the latest updates:

Russia

Biden's wife, daughter among 25 more Americans banned from Russia

U.S. President Joe Biden's wife and daughter have been banned from Russia, along with 23 other Americans, the Russian foreign ministry said on Tuesday.

"As a reaction to the constantly expanding US sanctions against Russian political and public figures, 25 American citizens are added to a 'stop list,'" the ministry said in a note accompanying the list.

The list featured several US senators, including Susan Collins of Maine, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Charles Grassley of Iowa, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York.

It also included several university professors and researchers and former US government officials. == AFP

Russia

Russia says hit on weapons depot in Kremenchuk caused fire at shopping centre

Russia’s defence ministry on Tuesday said it fired missiles against a weapons depot in the Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk, with the subsequent explosion of ammunition triggering a fire in a nearby shopping mall.

At least 16 people were killed on Monday in what Kyiv said was a Russian missile strike against a busy shopping centre in Kremenchuk. - Reuters

Moscow

Rouble firms towards 53 vs dollar after West says Russia is in default

The rouble firmed towards 53 to the dollar on Tuesday due to capital controls and month-end taxes that offset a negative impact of Western statements that Russia has defaulted on its international bonds for the first time in more than a century.

The White House and Moody’s credit agency said Russia has defaulted as sanctions have effectively cut the country off from the global financial system, rendering its assets untouchable.

But the Kremlin, which has the money to make payments thanks to oil and gas revenues, has rejected the claims and accused the West of driving it into an artificial default. - Reuters

Germany

G7 leaders agree to study Russian energy price caps

G7 leaders have agreed to study potential price caps on Russian oil and gas in a bid to limit Moscow’s ability to fund its invasion of Ukraine, G7 officials said on Tuesday.

The European Union will explore with international partners ways to curb energy prices, including the feasibility of introducing temporary import price caps, a G7 document seen by Reuters said. The official said this meant both oil and gas. - Reuters

Germany

G7 leaders wrap up summit meant to bolster Ukraine support

The Group of Seven developed economies on Tuesday wraps up a summit intended to send a strong signal of long-term commitment to Ukraine’s future, ensuring that Russia pays a higher price for its invasion while also attempting to alleviate a global hunger crisis and show unity against climate change.

The leaders of the U.S., Germany, France, Italy, the U.K., Canada and Japan on Monday pledged to support Ukraine “for as long as it takes” after conferring by video link with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The summit host, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, said he “once again very emphatically set out the situation as Ukraine currently sees it.” - AP

Brussels

NATO to boost rapid reaction force, Ukraine military support

NATO will increase the strength of its rapid reaction force nearly eightfold to 300,000 troops as part of its response to an “era of strategic competition,” the military alliance’s secretary-general said Monday.

Kharkiv

Russian shelling kills five civilians in Ukraine’s Kharkiv

Russian forces shelled central districts of the city of Kharkiv on Monday, hitting apartment buildings and a primary school and killing five people and wounding 22, the regional governor said.

Five children were among the injured, Oleh Synehubov, the governor of the Kharkiv region, said.

The attacks shattered apartment buildings, video footage showed. The blast gouged a vast crater in front of the school, with debris strewn about classrooms, their windows all blown out. - Reuters

Germany

G7 denounces ‘war crime’ as Russian strike kills shoppers

A Russian missile strike on a crowded mall in central Ukraine killed at least 16 people on June 17 in what Group of Seven leaders branded “a war crime” at a meeting in Germany where they looked to step up sanctions on Moscow.

The leaders vowed that Russian President Vladimir Putin and those responsible would be held to account for the strike in the city of Kremenchuk, carried out during the shopping mall’s busiest hours.

“Indiscriminate attacks on innocent civilians constitute a war crime,” they said in a statement condemning the “abominable attack.” - AFP

Ukraine

16 killed, 59 wounded in missile strike on Ukraine mall

A Russian missile strike on a crowded mall in the central Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk killed at least 16 people, the head of emergency services said early Tuesday, sparking international outrage.

“The Russian strike today on the shopping centre in Kremenchuk is one of the most brazen terrorist acts in European history,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening broadcast posted on Telegram.

KREMENCHUK, Ukraine

Russian missile strike hits crowded shopping mall in Ukraine

Rescuers work at a site of a shopping mall hit by a Russian missile strike, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in Kremenchuk, in Poltava region, Ukraine on June 27, 2022.

Rescuers work at a site of a shopping mall hit by a Russian missile strike, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in Kremenchuk, in Poltava region, Ukraine on June 27, 2022. | Photo Credit: Reuters

Russian long-range bombers struck a crowded shopping mall in Ukraine’s central city of Kremenchuk with a missile on Monday, raising fears of what President Volodymyr Zelensky called an “unimaginable” number of victims in “one of the most daring terrorist attacks in European history.”

Mr. Zelensky said that many of the more than 1,000 afternoon shoppers and staff inside the mall managed to escape. Giant plumes of black smoke, dust and orange flames emanated from the wreckage, with emergency crews rushing in to search broken metal and concrete for victims and put out fires. Onlookers watched in distress at the sight of how an everyday activity such as shopping could turn into a horror. - AP

June 27

Russia fails to pay debt but denies default

Russia said Monday that two of its debt payments were blocked from reaching creditors, pushing the country closer to its first foreign default in a century due to sanctions over the Ukraine offensive.The announcement came on the 124th day of Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine, with Western sanctions so far failing to force the Kremlin to change its course.

The Western economic penalties have largely severed the country from the international financial system, making it difficult for Moscow to service its debt. The Russian authorities insist they have the funds to honour the country’s debt, calling the predicament a “farce” and accusing the West of seeking to drive Moscow into a default artificially.

June 27

Russia’s Putin to make first foreign trips since launching Ukraine war

Vladimir Putin will visit two small former Soviet states in central Asia this week, Russian state television reported on Sunday, in what would be the Russian leader’s first known trip abroad since ordering the invasion of Ukraine.

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