Russia camouflages warships, Ukraine wants to 'shape' the conflict?

Ukraine shot down a Russian ballistic missile, Japan corrected a statement by the US President, and the EU imposed additional sanctions on Iran… these are some of the notable international news stories from the past 24 hours.

The Admiral Essen destroyer of the Russian Navy in the Black Sea. (Source: Russian Ministry of Defense )

The World & Vietnam newspaper highlights some of the day's most prominent international news.

* Russian Navy camouflages Black Sea Fleet warships : The US-based Naval News website, citing satellite imagery from Planet Labs (US) on June 23, reported that the Russian Navy has begun painting its ships in the Black Sea with camouflage paint.

Specifically, the bow and stern of the Admiral Essen, a multi-purpose frigate of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, have been painted in a dark color over the standard gray paint. The Admiral Essen is the second frigate of Project 11356R "Petrel". It belongs to the 30th Surface Division and is one of the most powerful ships in the Black Sea Fleet.

It is expected that such camouflage could deceive the operators of Ukraine's "suicide" drones. These devices use cameras to identify targets, so the camouflage could cause them to become confused. (Naval News)

* Russia denies the possibility of using nuclear weapons in Ukraine : On June 22, speaking to the mass media about reports suggesting Russia might use tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine, Ambassador Anatoly Antonov said: “Speculation about Russia potentially using tactical nuclear weapons is absurd. The provocative and short-sighted rhetoric of US lawmakers only contributes to escalating tensions and increases the risk of the situation sliding to an even more dangerous line.”

Earlier, on June 22, US Senator Lindsey Graham said that lawmakers were introducing a resolution that would consider Russia's use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine an attack on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Commenting on this information, Antonov criticized it as another "crazy initiative," noting that Russia's deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus was carried out on a legal basis. He said: "We have not violated any international obligations and have done exactly what the Americans have been doing for decades: deploying nuclear bombs on the territory of a European ally." (Sputnik)

* Ukraine shoots down 13 Russian cruise missiles : On June 23, the Ukrainian Air Force stated in the media: “We destroyed 13 of their cruise missiles today.... The attack targeted a military airfield in Khmelnytskyi... This series of launches was carried out by four Tu-95MS bombers around midnight on June 22 from the Caspian Sea.” Ukraine also claimed to have shot down a Russian reconnaissance drone last night. (AFP)

* Is Ukraine advancing in the South, blocking Russia in the East ? On June 23, speaking on Ukrainian television, Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Maliar stated: “We have had fierce clashes in the direction of Kupiansk and Lyman, but our soldiers have stopped the enemy there.”

Ukrainian defense officials claim their military operations in the south are proceeding according to plan and their forces are advancing despite numerous obstacles such as minefields and gunfire from the other side. She stated, “Yes, things are moving slowly, but our forces are gaining a foothold on these borders and are advancing steadily.”

In another development, the head of the Wagner Group (Russia), Yevgeny Prigozhin, said: “On the ground... Russian troops are retreating on the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson fronts. The Ukrainian Armed Forces (VSU) are pushing back Russian troops.” (Reuters/AFP)

* Ukraine: Counteroffensive will 'reshape' the conflict: On June 23, writing on Twitter , Ukrainian President's advisor Mykhailo Podolyak affirmed: “The counteroffensive is not a new season of a Netflix show. No need to expect action and buy popcorn. VSU offensive operations continue in some areas. Systemic operations are underway to reset the situation.”

He argued that the time Ukraine needed to convince its Western partners to supply the necessary weapons gave the Russian military an opportunity to deepen and strengthen its defensive lines. At the same time, he acknowledged: “Breaking the Russian front today requires a rational and balanced approach. The life of a soldier is the most important value for Ukraine today.” (Reuters)

* US Report: Ukraine's Counteroffensive Not Going as Expected : On June 22, CNN quoted a Western official as saying that Kyiv's counteroffensives "have not met expectations in any direction." According to the report, Russia has built several strong defensive lines, effectively repelling attacks by the VSU with the help of missiles and numerous minefields. (CNN)

* US and India support Ukraine's "territorial integrity" : On June 22nd in Washington DC, a joint statement following a meeting that day between US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi "called for respect for international law, the principles of the UN Charter, sovereignty and territorial integrity." (AFP/Reuters)

* Israeli Prime Minister expresses his views on the Ukraine issue: On June 23, in an interview with the Jerusalem Post (Israel), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Western weapons supplied to Ukraine have been discovered near the borders of the Jewish state.

Regarding the Israeli government's position on the situation in Ukraine, he stated: "Israel is in a unique situation, different from Poland, Germany, France, or any other Western country that is supporting Ukraine. First of all, we have a close military border with Russia. Our pilots are flying alongside Russian pilots in the skies over Syria."

In my opinion, it is important that we maintain our freedom of action in the face of Iran's attempts to place troops on our northern border…Secondly, we are concerned that any systems sent to Ukraine could fall into Iranian hands and be used against us…”. (Jerusalem Post)

* US wants to tighten semiconductor exports to China : On June 22, informed sources said Washington plans to expand controls on semiconductor exports to Beijing. A senior US government official reportedly informed Japan and the Netherlands of the plan.

Specifically, this plan aims to align with Japan's new restrictions. Tokyo will add 23 pieces of equipment to its current restricted list starting in July. The revised list will go beyond the current U.S. restrictions, which include various advanced equipment in cleaning, lithography, and etching—essential for the production of high-end chips. (Kyodo)

* The US and China have a responsibility to cooperate : On June 23, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen emphasized: “As the two largest economies in the world, we have a responsibility to cooperate on global issues. That is what we can do and what the world expects of us.” This statement was made by the US official at the Paris Summit on Debt Reduction for Poor Countries and Climate Action, which was attended by Chinese Premier Li Qiang and other leaders. (Reuters)

Southeast Asia

* Cambodia passes new law on election eligibility : On June 23, the Cambodian National Assembly passed a law prohibiting anyone who did not vote in the upcoming national elections from running in future elections. Specifically, Cambodian Interior Minister Sar Kheng stated that anyone who did not vote “without a valid reason… will lose the right to run in four consecutive elections.” Thus, the law will prohibit candidates from participating in the 2024 Senate elections, the 2024 municipal elections, the 2027 commune elections, and the 2028 general election.

Cambodians are expected to vote in the general election this July. Currently, Prime Minister Hun Sen's party has virtually no candidates, while the main opposition party does not meet the eligibility requirements to run. (AFP)

* Philippines: Fishing boat sinks, many casualties: On June 23, the Philippine Coast Guard reported the sinking of the fishing vessel Genesis 2 in waters 337 km east of the main island of Mindanao.

Accordingly, 14 out of 23 crew members were rescued by other fishing vessels shortly afterward. Joseph Dacuyan, an official with the Philippine Coast Guard in Davao Oriental province, said: “The waves were very strong at the time; the fishermen were surprised and did not anticipate such strong waves.” Therefore, the ship “sunk within minutes” after it began to take on water.

Authorities have recovered the bodies of two fishermen on June 22nd and 23rd. However, the captain and six crew members remain missing. Authorities are investigating the cause of the incident and continuing the search for the missing. (AFP)

Northeast Asia

* Japan and France agree to strengthen defense partnership : On June 22, Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa and his French counterpart Catherine Colonna reaffirmed their joint efforts to counter China's growing military power.

Mr. Hayashi and Ms. Colonna also pledged to strengthen bilateral defense cooperation through activities such as joint exercises between the Japan Self-Defense Forces and the French military. They also agreed to establish a working group to address economic security issues.

Regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Mr. Hayashi and Ms. Colonna affirmed that Tokyo and Paris will maintain tough sanctions against Moscow. Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa is currently on a trip to Europe from June 20-24. (Kyodo)

* Japan responds to US President's statement on defense policy : On June 23, the Japanese government sent a response to the US administration after the White House asserted that he had persuaded Japanese leaders to strengthen their defense capabilities. Tokyo reportedly responded that "the decision to increase defense spending was made by Japan itself."

Earlier that day, NHK (Japan) reported that during a speech to supporters in California on June 20, Biden claimed he had persuaded Japan to increase its defense budget. The leader stated that Japan had not increased its defense spending for "a long time." However, he asserted that in three separate meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio on three different occasions, including at the G7 summit in Hiroshima, he convinced Kishida that "something different had to be done."

Additionally, at another campaign event on June 19, Joe Biden said he had tried to persuade Japan to change its attitude toward South Korea, its defense budget, and its involvement in Europe. (Yomiuri)

Europe

* NATO completes air exercise in Europe : On June 23, NATO concluded its largest-ever air exercise in Europe. Speaking on NTV (Germany), Air Force Commander Ingo Gerhartz stated: “We wanted to demonstrate that these 25 different countries can operate together from day one, and we have done that.” He also described the exercise as a “complete success” at both the organizational and tactical levels.

Previously, the German-led “Air Defender 23” exercise brought together approximately 250 military aircraft from 25 NATO countries and partner nations, including Japan and Sweden. Up to 10,000 military personnel participated in the exercise, aimed at enhancing interoperability and readiness to defend against drones and cruise missiles in the event of an attack within NATO territory. (AFP)

America

* Cuba Reaffirms Relations with Russia: Speaking to the press on June 23, Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Gerardo Peñalver said that the two sides had reaffirmed their relationship through a series of key agreements related to oil supplies, wheat sales, and the resumption of flights suspended due to the situation in Ukraine. According to him, these agreements and other new efforts between the two traditional allies, both facing economic sanctions from the US, are the result of Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero's recent visit to Russia.

Mr. Peñalver, who accompanied the delegation, affirmed that "progress has been made in high-level political dialogue, given that both countries are strategic allies and are affected by unilateral coercive measures."

Specifically, Russia pledged to continue supplying fuel to the Caribbean island nation during this difficult time for Havana. At the same time, Aeroflot (Russia) will resume flights between the two countries from July 1st. Mr. Peñalver also mentioned the possibility of Cuba purchasing wheat and fertilizers from Russia thanks to new payment methods, as well as the fact that the two sides have reached a framework for Russian entrepreneurs to enter the Cuban market through direct investments. (VNA)

Middle East-Africa

* EU imposes additional sanctions on Iran for supplying UAVs to Russia : On June 23, the European Union (EU) added four Iranian organizations to its list of entities directly supporting Russia's military-industrial complex, accusing them of supplying UAVs to Moscow. In addition, the EU added several third-party entities to the list, citing their circumvention of trade restrictions related to Moscow. To date, a total of 87 entities from various countries have been added to the EU's latest sanctions list. (Sputnik)

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tin-the-gioi-236-nga-nguy-trang-tau-chien-ukraine-muon-dinh-hinh-xung-dot-232081.html