Russia-Ukraine dispute over Kakhovka dam; Beijing criticizes AUKUS

ASEAN affirms stance on US-China relations, Chinese warships arrive in the Philippines, new developments in Sudan... are some notable international news in the past 24 hours.

Russia claims to have repelled Ukrainian attacks in Zaporizhzhia. (Source: Reuters)

The World & Vietnam Newspaper highlights some of the day's international news highlights.

Russia-Ukraine

* Kakhovka dam collapse : Russia and Ukraine blame each other: On June 9, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused the Ukrainian military of killing victims of the Kakhovka dam collapse by shelling. Among the victims was a pregnant woman. He criticized the targeted attacks as "barbaric". Ukraine has not yet commented on this statement.

In related news, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin confirmed that the water reserves of the Crimean Peninsula were not affected by the Kakhovka Dam collapse. According to him, the region's reservoir is full and has enough water reserves for 500 days.

For its part, also on June 9, the Ukrainian Internal Security Service posted on Telegram a 1.5-minute audio recording, which is said to be a discussion about Russia’s explosion of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant and dam. Meanwhile, writing on Telegram the same day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said: “For hundreds of thousands of people in many towns and villages, access to drinking water has been severely restricted. In more than 40 settlements, life has been devastated.”

* More countries speak out about the Kakhovka dam collapse: On June 8, the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement saying that the country's Ambassador to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) requested the need to protect people affected by the Kakhovka dam collapse in Ukraine.

“Systematic attacks on civilian infrastructure are unacceptable and violate international humanitarian law. They must stop immediately,” the statement said.

For his part, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said that in a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio affirmed Tokyo's readiness to provide emergency humanitarian aid following the Kakhovka Dam collapse. Mr. Matsuno also said that Japan's aid package is worth about $5 million and will be distributed through international organizations.

Another Northeast Asian country, North Korea, has also spoken out about the incident. In a KCNA article, O Song Jin, an expert at the North Korean Institute of International Studies, described the dam collapse as the second case of the Nord Stream pipeline explosion staged by the US and Ukraine to blame Russia for the humanitarian disaster and create a favorable political and military environment for "Ukraine's counterattack." (AFP/Reuters/VNA/Yonhap)

* Ukraine announced the shooting down of many missiles and UAVs : On June 9, the Ukrainian Air Force issued a statement saying that the country's military had shot down four cruise missiles and 10 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) during a nighttime Russian airstrike. The statement said that Russian forces had launched 16 UAVs and six cruise missiles, of which two cruise missiles had fallen on a civilian facility in central Ukraine in a previous attack on the evening of June 7.

On the same day, the Izvestia newspaper (Russia) quoted an informed source as revealing the VSU's counterattack plan. Accordingly, Kiev plans to attack in three directions and approach the Tokmok area. These forces will try to break through Russia's first line of defense and attack the strategic port city of Berdyansk in Zaporizhzhia province and possibly Mariupol.

The source said: “The situation is still difficult. Although the enemy has suffered losses, they still have enough forces and means to continue attacking. VSU is actively probing the defense force and looking for opportunities.” (Reuters)

* Russia, Ukraine accuse each other of attacking Zaporizhzhia : On June 9, the Russian Defense Ministry said that Moscow's forces continued to repel Kiev's attacks in the southern Ukrainian province of Zaporizhzhia. In a separate statement, the Russian Defense Ministry said it had carried out a long-range attack on a depot of "foreign-made ammunition and weapons" last night.

Meanwhile, for its part, the Ukrainian President's Office accused Russia of shelling a hospital in Zaporizhzhia, killing two people. (Reuters)

* Belgium continues to provide weapons to Ukraine : On June 9, in an interview with Le Soir newspaper, Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder stated: "Belgium will not suspend military aid to Kiev while waiting for a response from Ukraine."

Brussels had previously given Kiev a deadline of June 15 to clarify questions about the use of Belgian weapons in the Belgorod offensive. According to Dedonder, “all the supplied weapons are accompanied by a document stating that they are only allowed to be used to defend the territory of Ukraine, not to attack other countries; the document also emphasizes that human rights and international rules must be respected.” Minister Dedonder also noted that Belgium has so far provided weapons worth 274 million euros to Ukraine. (TASS)

Russia-China

* Russia promotes military cooperation with China : TASS (Russia) on June 9 quoted Chief of the General Staff of the Russian army, General Valery Gerasimov, affirming that Moscow and Beijing will continue to expand bilateral military cooperation.

General Gerasimov invited his Chinese counterpart to visit Russia. “Joint combat training between the armed forces of Russia and China remains an important area of ​​activity,” he said. (TASS)

Southeast Asia

* ASEAN affirms stance on US-China relations : On June 7, speaking to the Indonesian press, Secretary General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Kao Kim Hourn said: “At ASEAN, we work with all partners. The US and China are both important dialogue partners. Both are very important markets and sources of investment for ASEAN. We value the policy of continuing to cooperate closely with both countries.”

“The two countries are participating in all ASEAN-led mechanisms. We do not want to see any tension increase. We want to see tension reduced and open communication between the major powers,” he said. (VNA)

* Chinese warship sets sail for the Philippines : On June 9, China's largest naval training ship, the Shi Jiguang , set sail for the Philippines - the final stop on its "friendly" cruise in the region.

The ship left Brunei on June 8 for the Philippines as part of a roughly 40-day trip that will include stops in Vietnam and Thailand before visiting Brunei. By the end of the trip, the Shi Jiguang and its crew of 476 naval cadets and officers will have sailed through the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea, the South China Sea, the Gulf of Thailand and the Western Pacific. (Reuters)

Northeast Asia

* Chinese President calls for strengthening border protection : On June 9, Xi Jinping made a fact-finding trip to inspect border management, control and development of border forces in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, northern China.

The leader urged Chinese border guards to continue strengthening their capabilities in protecting and controlling border areas to build a “great wall of steel” along the country’s borders. (Xinhua)

* China criticizes AUKUS agreement : On June 8, speaking at the board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Permanent Representative of China Li Song criticized the Australia-UK-US security agreement (AUKUS).

The essence of the deal, he said, was the transfer of tons of weapons-grade enriched uranium from the United States and Britain, both nuclear-weapon states, to military ally Australia, a non-nuclear-weapon state.

He also noted that AUKUS had engaged in strategic military cooperation for “widely known geopolitical purposes,” in unprecedented violation of the principles and practices of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and seriously undermining the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and the IAEA safeguards system.

The meeting marked the eighth consecutive time the IAEA has considered AUKUS through intergovernmental discussions at China's initiative. The Chinese side noted that the AUKUS submarine deal and the three countries' attempts to politicize the issue at the IAEA... reflect a Cold War mentality and rival blocs. (Xinhua)

* South Korea protests Chinese Ambassador's statement : On June 9, the South Korean Foreign Ministry summoned Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming to protest. South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun Dong stated that the Beijing official's statements interfered in Seoul's internal affairs.

Earlier, on the evening of June 8, speaking at a meeting with Lee Jae-myung, Chairman of South Korea’s main opposition party, Xing Haiming, warned that Seoul was “betting wrong” in the US-China competition. He urged South Korea to stop “separating” from China and restore economic and diplomatic relations.

Ambassador Xing Haiming also called on Seoul to support Beijing's "One China" principle, and said that China-North Korea relations have recently faced "external challenges." (Reuters/Yonhap)

Europe

* Russia will deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus in early July: On June 9, during talks in the city of Sochi in the Krasnodar region with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko, President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow will begin deploying tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus after everything is ready on July 7-8.

Earlier, the two leaders agreed on a plan to deploy Russian short-range land-based nuclear missiles in Belarus, under Moscow's command. (Reuters)

* Russia: No basis for extending Black Sea Grain Initiative : Russia's ambassador to Turkey Alexei Yerkhov said on June 9 that Moscow continues to consult with the United Nations on the Black Sea Grain Initiative, but there is no basis for extending the deal. The initiative, brokered by Turkey and the United Nations in July 2022, allows Ukraine to resume grain exports from ports in the south of the country. The deal is set to expire next July if Russia refuses to extend it. (Reuters)

* Iceland will suspend the activities of its Embassy in Russia : On June 9, the Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it would suspend the activities of its Embassy in Russia from August 1, and at the same time asked Moscow to limit activities in the capital Reykjavik.

“The current situation simply does not allow Iceland’s small diplomatic mission to operate an embassy in Russia,” Foreign Minister Thordis Gylfadottir said, making Iceland the first country to do so. (AFP)

America

* Honduran President visits China : On June 9, Chinese state media reported that Honduran President Xiomara Castro arrived in Shanghai that morning. She is expected to visit China until June 14.

Previously, on June 5, China officially inaugurated its embassy in the Republic of Honduras, after the two countries established diplomatic relations on March 26. For its part, last May, Honduras also said that the two sides would soon promote discussions on a bilateral trade agreement.

President Xiomara Castro's government is also seeking deals with China to gradually ease Honduras's public debt burden. (Reuters)

Middle East-Africa

* Saudi Arabia announces new ceasefire in Sudan : On June 9, the Saudi Arabian Foreign Ministry said that the opposing factions in Sudan have agreed to a nationwide ceasefire for 24 hours, starting at 6:00 a.m. on June 10 local time (11:00 a.m. the same day Vietnam time).

A day earlier, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced the vandalism of the Saudi Embassy’s premises and property by its staff in Sudan. Riyadh also expressed its total rejection of all forms of violence and vandalism targeting diplomatic missions and missions. In addition, Saudi Arabia reaffirmed the importance of confronting armed groups that seek to undermine the security and stability of Sudan, as well as the lives of its people.

* Sudan : UN envoy is “ persona non grata ” : On June 9, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry announced: “The Government of the Republic of Sudan today informed the UN Secretary-General that Sudan has declared Mr. Volker Perthes... persona non grata.” Notably, the move came just weeks after Army Commander General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan accused Special Envoy Perthes of fueling conflict in Sudan and demanded his removal. (AFP)

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tin-the-gioi-96-nga-ukraine-tranh-cai-ve-dap-kakhovka-bac-kinh-chi-trich-aukus-230396.html