Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Prominent Russian filmmaker added to Ukraine’s ‘kill list’

"Multi-award-winning Russian filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev has been added to Ukraine’s notorious Mirotvorets (Peacemaker) ‘kill list’ for visiting Crimea.
According to the entry, the director supposedly violated “Ukraine’s territorial integrity” by setting foot in the region that overwhelmingly voted to become part of Russia in a 2014 referendum. Kiev still claims the territory and refuses to recognize the outcome of the vote.
The personal details of Zvyagintsev’s mother, Galina, and his wife, Anna Matveeva, have also been doxed.
The filmmaker, who currently resides in France, has been openly critical of Russia’s military campaign against Ukraine.
Taking the podium at the Cannes Film Festival in May, after his film Minotaur was awarded the Grand Prix, Zvyagintsev addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling on him to “stop this carnage.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded by saying that the director “has no right” to make such criticisms, as he had never condemned the “bloody massacre that the Kiev regime unleashed in Donbass, starting from 2014, when the war began.”
Launched in 2014 as a nominally independent project, Mirotvorets has been linked to Ukraine’s security services and is notorious for publishing the personal details of anyone remotely deemed an enemy of the Ukrainian state. The website has targeted a wide range of international figures, including American journalist and podcaster Tucker Carlson, Hollywood director Woody Allen, former US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Croatian President Zoran Milanovic, former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the late US diplomat Henry Kissinger, and musician Roger Waters.
Several individuals whose details were made public by Mirotvorets – including journalists and politicians – have been subsequently killed." RT

Major power outage in France as Europe wilts under record heat

"Temperatures climbed across Europe again on Wednesday, as a record-breaking heatwave left
tens of thousands of people without power and boosted air conditioner sales on a continent unused and ill equipped to handle searing heat.

France's national temperature indicator -- an average of daytime and nighttime temperatures across 30 stations -- reached 29.8C on Tuesday, the hottest since measurements began in 1947." msn

Ukrainian air defence downs 95 out of 101 Russian drones, six hits recorded

"
Russian forces attacked Ukraine with 101 drones of various types on the night of 23-24 June. Air defense forces have intercepted 95 UAVs, although six strikes have been recorded at five locations and debris from downed aerial assets has fallen at a further six locations." Pravada

5.2 Earthquake - 265 km SSE of Dunhuang, China

"A strong magnitude 5.2 earthquake hit 266 km (165 mi) away from Dunhuang, Gansu,
China, late in the evening at 11.29 pm local time (Asia/Shanghai GMT +8). The quake had a very shallow depth of 8.1 km (5 mi) and was not felt (or at least not reported so)." VD

251 clashes on front line over past day

"251 combat engagements between Ukraine’s Defense Forces and Russian troops were recorded.
In the Northern Slobozhanshchyna and Kursk sectors, nine clashes were reported.
Russian forces carried out 68 shelling attacks, including seven using MLRS.
In the Southern Slobozhanshchyna sector,
Ukrainian troops repelled 13 attacks near Kozacha Lopan, Izbytske, Starytsia, and Okhrimivka, as well as toward Kutkivka, Lyman, and Vovchanski Khutory.
In the Kupiansk sector, one attack was recorded toward Shyikivka.
In the Lyman sector,
Ukrainian forces repelled 16 Russian assaults near Ozerne, Novoselivka, Drobysheve, and Lyman.
In the Sloviansk sector,
Russian troops carried out 16 assaults near Kryva Luka, Riznykivka, Zakitne, and toward Rai-Oleksandrivka.
In the Kramatorsk sector,
Russian forces attempted one attack toward Malynivka.
In the Kostiantynivka sector, 20 attacks were recorded near Pleshchiivka, Ivanopillia, Illinivka, Kostiantynivka, and Rusyn Yar.
The Pokrovsk sector recorded the highest number of assaults over the past day, where
Ukraine’s Defense Forces repelled 44 Russian attacks, according to the General Staff. Russian forces were active near Bilytske, Nikanorivka, Dobropillia, Rodynske, Novooleksandrivka, Serhiivka, and Kotlyne, as well as toward Hryshyne, Myrne, Vilne, Torske, Kucheriv Yar, Dorozhnie, Novyi Donbas, Hannivka, Muravka, and Filiia.
In the Oleksandrivka sector,
Russian forces attempted one assault toward Oleksandrohrad.
In the Huliaipole sector,
Russian forces launched 24 attacks over the past day, attempting to advance near Velyka Tersa, Huliaipilske, Rybne, Dobropillia, Huliaipole, and Zaliznychne. Enemy forces also attempted to push forward toward Rivne, Kosovtseve, Zarichne, Staroukrainka, Danylivka, and Charivne." Ukrin