War in Ukraine: Russian Iskander-K cruise missile and combat drones… update on the situation

Every day, Midi Libre takes stock of the situation in Ukraine. This Sunday, June 2, 2024, discover the latest news around this conflict.

After more than two years of war in Ukraine, diplomatic tensions and armed conflicts continue. We take stock of the latest news.

24 Russian drones shot down

Ukraine’s air defense systems destroyed 24 drones launched by Russia overnight from Saturday to Sunday, the Ukrainian Air Force said on Sunday.

Russia also launched an Iskander-K cruise missile towards Ukraine's Kharkiv region and an anti-aircraft guided missile, it said the air force on Telegram.

Zelensky in Singapore

Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky met with heads of state and parliamentarians Saturday evening and Sunday morning in Singapore during a surprise visit to the Shangri-La Dialogue, an international conference on Security. Volodimir Zelensky and his Defense Minister, Roustem Oumerov, met with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Sunday on the sidelines of the summit.

Lloyd Austin discussed U.S. military assistance with Volodymyr Zelensky and “reaffirmed the United States' commitment to providing strong support (to Ukraine),” a Pentagon official said after the meeting. “They are committed to strengthening the strategic defense partnership between the United States and Ukraine,” the representative said.

Volodymyr Zelensky said on the social network X that he had met with Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto, a delegation of members of the US Congress and East Timorese President Jose Ramos-Horta.

“It is extremely important for us to begin the process of establishing a just peace,”, the Ukrainian president said. "Russia does not want the war to end. This is why we must work with the rest of the world to move closer to peace."

Volodimir Zelensky indicated that Jose Ramos-Horta had agreed to participate in the summit on peace in Ukraine scheduled for June 15 and 16 in Switzerland. Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun said in a speech on Sunday that China was careful not to support Russia or Ukraine.

"Regarding the Ukrainian crisis, China has promoted peace talks with a responsible attitude", a-t -he says. "We have never supplied weapons to any party to the conflict. We have imposed strict controls on exports of dual-use goods and have never done anything to fan the embers. We stand firmly on the side of peace and dialogue."

Volodimir Zelensky is also scheduled to speak at the latest summit meeting titled "Rethinking Solutions for Global Peace and Regional Stability" which is to be held on Sunday. The Shangri-La Dialogue, organized annually in Singapore by the International Institute for Strategic Studies for 21 years, ends on Sunday. Russia has not participated in the Shangri-La Dialogue since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.