WAR IN UKRAINE: July 15, 2022
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: Day 142
Russian missiles have struck a city far from the eastern frontline, killing at least 23 people including three children, Ukrainian officials say. Some 100 more were reported injured in the attack in Vinnytsia, to the south-west of Kyiv and a long way from the heart of the fighting in Donbas - BBC
Italy’s Five Star party splits as Ukraine war shakes Italian politics. Prime Minister Mario Draghi resigns, plummeting the country into turmoil. Internal party debates over the level of support for Ukraine’s battle against Russia is at the heart of the turmoil. party leader Giuseppe Conte, who preceded Draghi as prime minister, is critical, saying arming Ukraine only prolongs the conflict. Party leader Giuseppe Conte, who preceded Draghi as prime minister, is critical, saying arming Ukraine only prolongs the conflict.
A new report by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) details violent acts committed by Russian soldiers in Ukraine between April 1 and June 25. The report noted several particularly brutal cases, including rape and gang rape of children in front of family members, summary executions, and torture of civilians in torture chambers, all of which constitute crimes against humanity - Kyiv Independent
Ukraine’s foreign minister says there is nothing to discuss with Russia regarding the cessation of hostilities at the peace talks with Russia, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Wednesday. “Currently, there are no talks between Russia and Ukraine because of Russia’s position and its continued aggression against our country. So, there is nothing to discuss," he told CNN. “Ukraine's objective in this war is to liberate our territories and restore our territorial integrity and full sovereignty in the east and south of Ukraine. This is the end point of our negotiating position," he added. Kuleba also played down suggestions there might be fatigue abroad with the conflict. He said that the Ukrainian government’s website has reached 600 million people around the world, including 91 million in June.
Ukraine cuts diplomatic ties with North Korea after it recognized the self-proclaimed administrations in occupied Donetsk and Luhansk. "In response to such an unfriendly act, Ukraine announces the severance of diplomatic relations with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Political and economic contacts with the DPRK are not carried out due to the international sanctions imposed on this country," said the message of the speaker of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oleh Nikolenko on Facebook.
Expert: Russia has stolen $613 million worth of agricultural products from Ukraine since February. According to Roman Neyter, a researcher at the Kyiv School of Economics, this is the estimated worth of the grain and agricultural oils Russia has stolen from Ukraine - Kyiv Independent
An indication of the depth of economic pain in Ukraine: a Kyiv-based businessman overheard tonight in Warsaw saying some 80 percent of his properties standing unused. A big reason is many tech workers and entities have fled to Western Europe. “We are waiting to see more clarity of the situation.” He added that NATO and the West are reluctant to provoke a nuclear-armed Russia and that the twisted mind of President Vladimir Putin could see missiles launched to European capitals neighboring Ukraine. “Ukraine is in a very difficult economic situation. We don’t have the resources to deal with things like the huge budget deficit.”
