Our live coverage of Russia's war in Ukraine has moved here.
June 13, 2023 Russia-Ukraine news
By Kathleen Magramo, Rob Picheta, Schams Elwazer, Aditi Sangal, Mike Hayes and Elise Hammond, CNN
Updated 12:01 a.m. ET, June 14, 2023
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Putin signs law setting strict passport rules for military conscripts
From CNN's Uliana Pavlova
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law Tuesday defining conditions to invalidate Russian travel passports, according to the document published on the government portal website.
The new law puts strict travel restrictions on Russian citizens who could be conscripted to mandatory military service.
Conscripted Russians would have to submit their travel passports to authorities within five business days from the date of being notified “of the decision to restrict the right of a citizen of the Russian Federation to leave," the law said.
Russian citizens usually have two passports — internal and travel passports.
If a citizen whose right to leave Russia has been limited has not transferred the passport for storage to the correct government department, the passport can also be canceled.
Russian citizens discharged from military service in the FSB —the Federal Security Service — would have to give up their travel passports for storage for up to five years from the date of dismissal from military service.
Diplomatic or service passports could be recognized as invalid if not returned without a good reason within five working days after the completion of a business trip, the law states.
Under the new law, a travel passport becomes invalid if it has been lost, expired, or if the owner has changed personal data — such as name, gender, date or place of birth.
The law also establishes the grounds under which the passport can be withdrawn, for example, if there is a suspicion it contains false information, is issued on the basis of forged documents, or is recognized as unsuitable.
Some more context: Russia has experienced a significant outflow of men fleeing war, especially since the announcement of partial mobilization in September 2022.
Moreover, in April 2023, Russia adopted a package of amendments to the law "On military duty and military service." The amendments creation of a digital register of those liable for military service and introduced electronic summonses, which are considered received from the moment they are posted in the personal account on the State Services. From the date of delivery of such a summons, it is prohibited to travel abroad.
Ukrainian soldiers fighting to drive back Russian forces in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, commander says
From CNN's Yulia Kesaieva
A Ukrainian military commander said Tuesday that soldiers are fighting fiercely to drive back Russian forces along the border of the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Brigadier General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, Commander of the Tavria Operational and Strategic Group of Forces, whose soldiers are tackling occupied parts of the Zaporizhzhia region and the parts of the Donetsk region that border it, said:
“In the Tavria sector, the Ukrainian Defence Forces are systematically destroying Russian manpower and equipment.”
“Missile and artillery units of the Ukrainian defense forces in the Tavria sector carried out 1,504 firing missions over the last day,” he said, adding that “an enemy ammunition depot was also destroyed."
CNN cannot independently verify battlefield claims.
However, both sides have reported clashes in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions
Ukrainian military accuses Russian forces of blowing up small dams in areas Kyiv is on the offensive
From CNN's Yulia Kesaieva
A Ukrainian military official has reiterated accusations that Russian forces are blowing up small dams in areas where Ukrainian troops are on the offensive.
Major Vladyslav Dudar, a representative of the Environmental Safety and Mine Action Department of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, said Russian troops had mined a large number of “hydraulic structures” in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.
"They are now blowing up small hydraulic structures in various settlements every day," Dudar said, adding that the results were not large-scale and affected the agricultural land of one or two villages, according to Ukraine’s Military Media Center.
On Tuesday, the Ukrainian military said Russian forces had blown up a small dam at a reservoir near the village of Novodarivka in the Zaporizhzhia region, leading to flooding on both banks of Mokri Yaly River.
Novodarivka is one of several villages in the area that the Ukrainians have claimed in recent days amid offensive operations along several points of the frontlines in southern Ukraine.
Some more context: This comes after the collapse of the much larger Nova Kakhovka dam last week. Kyiv and Moscow have traded accusations over the dam’s destruction, without providing concrete proof that the other is culpable. The dam was occupied by Russia at the time of its collapse. It is not yet clear whether the dam was deliberately attacked or whether the breach was the result of structural failure.
NATO chief says Ukraine is gaining ground in its offensive
From CNN's Kevin Liptak
NATO's secretary general says Ukraine is gaining ground in its offensive, a fact he said underscored the need for continued Western assistance.
"The Ukrainians have launched an offensive. It’s still early days, but they are making process. They are gaining ground. The more ground the Ukrainians are able to gain, the stronger hand they will have around the negotiating table,” Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday at the White House following talks with President Biden.
With Ukrainian gains on the battlefield, Russian President Vladimir Putin will recognize that he can't win the war, the NATO chief said.
The main focus of the Oval Office talks was July’s NATO summit in Lithuania, including the need for members of the alliance to recommit to defense spending levels.
Ukraine's military has seen some gains in its offensive, head of armed forces says
From CNN's Josh Pennington
The Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's armed forces, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, said Tuesday that the military has seen “certain gains” in its offensive and is “moving forward.”
He said he informed the United States’ top General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, about the situation along the frontline in a phone call.
“Both defensive and offensive fierce fighting is ongoing in the East and South of our nation. We have certain gains, implementing our plans, moving forward,” Zaluzhnyi said in a Facebook post.
Biden says NATO allies have never been more united in meeting with secretary general
From CNN's DJ Judd
President Joe Biden welcomed NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to the White House Tuesday, telling the European leader he’s done “an incredible job” leading the alliance.
“We saw each other last in Warsaw, and I think you said, and I agree, NATO allies have never been more united. We both worked like hell to make sure that happened and so far, so good,” he told Stoltenberg during a brief press spray in the Oval Office.
The President joked that, in invading Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s hopes for a divided NATO backfired.
“I remember you and I talked—I think I said it to you, I know I said that Putin is making a mistake—he was looking for the Finland-ization of NATO, he got the NATO-ization of Finland, and hopefully Sweden,” Biden said. “And your friendship and leadership has meant a great deal. We also strengthened NATO’s Eastern Flank, made it clear that we’ll defend every inch of NATO territory, and I say it again—the commitment of the United States to NATO’s Article 5 is rock solid.”
Looking forward to next month’s NATO summit in Lithuania, Biden pledged the alliance would “be building on that momentum,” while touting support from Asian allies in Japan and South Korea.
And he offered effusive praise for Stoltenberg’s leadership on the European continent, noting, “In no small part because of your leadership, we’ve got, beyond NATO, another 30-something, well a total of 40 nations that are committed to the independence of Ukraine.”
“And I think it’s a real clear message—so God willing, we’re going to be able to keep this unity up, and thank you for your leadership."
Biden did not respond to shouted questions on the Trump indictment.
Putin says Russia is thinking about leaving Black Sea grain deal
From CNN’s Uliana Pavlova
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that Russia is contemplating withdrawing from the Black Sea grain deal, noting Russia took part in the agreement to maintain relationships with “friendly” countries.
“We are now thinking about getting out of this so-called grain deal. Moreover, these corridors along which the ships go are constantly used to launch naval drones,” Putin said during a televised meeting with pro-Kremlin journalists.
Putin said that Russia entered the Black Sea grain deal to help “friendly” countries in Africa and Latin America and maintain good relationships.
“We are not doing this for Ukraine, we are doing this for our friendly countries in Africa and Latin America. Because grain should go first … to the poorest countries in the world," Putin said.
"It was promised that our grain would not be subject to export restrictions,” he said. "But unfortunately, we were once again deceived. Nothing has been done in terms of liberalizing the supply of our grain to foreign markets."
Putin claimed Europe is the largest importer of Ukrainian grain and this “seems to be the main source of foreign exchange earnings for Ukraine.”
Some more context: On May 17, an agreement was reached to extend the deal that allows grain to be exported from Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea, according to Turkish and Ukrainian officials.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the agreement between Ukraine and Russia, which was brokered by Turkey and the United Nations, would be extended for two months. The deal was originally signed last year and has since been extended.
After invading Ukraine in February 2022, Russia blockaded vital grain exports from key Ukrainian Black Sea ports, including Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Pivdennyi, which meant that millions of tons of Ukrainian grain were not being exported to the many countries that rely on it.
The impact of the war on global food markets was immediate and extremely painful, as Ukraine accounts for 10% of the world wheat market, 15% of the corn market, and 13% of the barley market.
UN aid agencies still awaiting safety guarantees to send support to Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine
From CNN’s Zahid Mahmood and Richard Roth
Aid agencies from the United Nations say they are still awaiting the “necessary safety guarantees” to send support to Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine, a statement from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs said on Tuesday.
“The Russian Federation is yet to provide the safety guarantees we need to cross the front line to the left bank of the Dnipro River, including to Oleshky,” the UN’s humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, Denise Brown said in a statement.
“These guarantees are necessary for the safety of our team and not to create additional risks for the people we intend to serve," she added.
Brown continued to say that the UN would continue to deliver assistance in the areas controlled by Ukraine and make “every effort” to reach those people who have been stranded by the floods and require “life-saving assistance, no matter where they are.”
Brown also condemned the overnight missile strikes that took place in Kryvyi Rih where at least ten people were killed saying that Russia’s invasion has “once again, claimed lives and brought suffering to the people of Ukraine.”