Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

At the summit in Évian, G7 leaders agreed to increase pressure on russia through new sanctions on oil and gas exports, with the aim of cutting off sources of funding for military operations against Ukraine. The participants also pledged to increase the supply of air defense systems and interceptor missiles to Ukraine and agreed to provide support to strengthen Ukraine’s energy resilience ahead of the coming winter.

G7 leaders stated their readiness to consider granting licenses for the production of interceptor missiles directly in Ukraine. “We reaffirm our solidarity with the Ukrainian population suffering from attacks on their critical infrastructure and cultural heritage. We commend Ukraine for its resilience and progress on the battlefield in recent months and emphasize there is now a new momentum,” the joint statement reads.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has emphasized that NATO is aware that russia is not alone and receives vital support from China and Iran, and that there are mutual agreements between those countries that “are not always legally enshrined on paper”.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte believes that US President Donald Trump is consistently working to end russia’s war against Ukraine and is playing an important role in efforts to reach a peace agreement. He has also assured that the USA and its European allies remain united in their commitment to systematically support Ukraine in its defense against russia’s aggression and will continue to provide the necessary assistance.

US President Donald Trump has pointed out that the United States now has the option not to extend the exemptions on russian oil following the conclusion of an agreement to end the war with Iran.

On June 17, a ban on the supply of russian pipeline gas under short-term contracts concluded more than a year ago will take effect in the European Union. This decision marks the first phase of the EU’s ban on imports of raw materials from russia.

The Government of the Swiss Confederation has expanded its sanctions lists against russia, having added 23 individuals and legal entities to them. The lists include the so-called heads of youth affairs departments in Sevastopol and other regions of Ukraine temporarily occupied by the rf, as well as educators and leaders of children’s organizations engaged in ideological work aimed at “re-educating” Ukrainian children.

Minister of Internal Affairs of Germany Alexander Dobrindt has opened a center in Berlin dedicated to combating hybrid threats, which is intended to address espionage, sabotage, disinformation, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, transnational repression, state terrorism, and other forms of hybrid threats. According to the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, russia is currently the most active in carrying out hybrid threats against Germany.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye Hakan Fidan conveyed to minister of foreign affairs of the rf sergey lavrov a demand to “refrain from actions in the Black Sea that threaten regional security and Türkiye’s interests”.

The accounts сhamber of the rf has found a shortfall of more than 2 trillion rubles in revenue in the 2026 budget.

Optimism among russian entrepreneurs is rapidly fading. russian companies’ price expectations have been falling in June for the fifth consecutive month. In June, they dropped to 15.9 points from 16.4 points in May. russia’s central bank’s business climate index fell to 1.1 points in June from 1.7 points in May.

The fuel crisis in russia continues to spread: restrictions on fuel sales for private vehicles are now in effect in 53 regions of the country.

Transportation costs for russian businesses have risen by 15–30% due to fuel shortages.

Filling stations operated by “rosneft”, as well as those operated by “bashneft” and “tnk” (which are subsidiaries of “rosneft”), have banned the sale of petrol in jerry cans in all regions of russia.

In russia, between January 2022 and April 2026, the cumulative increase in railway  tariffs was 82.8%. Between 2022 and 2025, the transportation of construction materials decreased by approximately 29%, of timber – by 44%, and of coal – by 13%.

According to expert forecasts, 429,000 flats will remain unsold in the rf by the end of this year. The value of this real estate is estimated at approximately 5 trillion rubles.

Investment in commercial real estate in russia has fallen by 40% since the beginning of 2026.

Nearly 60% of housing in russia was commissioned late, and among the top three developers, this figure reaches 70% or higher.

In January–May 2026, bank “st. petersburg” saw its net profit decline by 43.1% compared to the same period last year.

In January–May 2026, retail sales of honey in the rf, in volume terms, fell by 7–8% compared to the same period last year. Market participants attribute this decline primarily to rising prices: over the past year, honey has become more expensive  by about 12–16%.

In russia, the weight of an “alenka” chocolate bar has decreased from 90 to 75 grams, while the price has remained the same. Over the past six years, “alenka” has lost a quarter of its weight: in 2020, it weighed 100 grams. In recent years, it’s not just chocolate that’s “shrinking” in russia: manufacturers are reducing the weight of packages containing grains, dairy products, and snacks in an effort to maintain the usual price per unit while the actual cost per kilogram or liter has risen.

The russian engineering center “ikar” has completed work to extend the service life of 40 Airbus A320 family passenger aircraft operated in russia. The danger lies in the fact that in 2023, “ikar” became the first organization in the world to certify such a procedure for the A320 without the manufacturer’s involvement.

In March 2026, the average salary in moscow was 219,618 rubles, while the average across russia was 112,654 rubles. This nearly twofold difference reflects not merely a statistical gap but a systemic economic asymmetry, where the main financial resources, high incomes, and attractive jobs are concentrated in the capital. At the same time, most regions continue to have significantly lower wage levels, effectively creating a development model that prioritizes moscow while leaving the periphery significantly behind.

russian doctors say that the war russia launched against Ukraine is the reason for the sharp spread of various viral diseases. According to unofficial reports, russia is also recruiting people living with HIV who do not receive adequate medical care either in the rf or on the front lines. “HIV is going to war, multiplying in the trenches and returning to russia on a new scale; we are experiencing a secret resurgence of the epidemic,” is how one russian expert described the situation.

In russia, during the full-scale war against Ukraine, the average prison sentence in politically motivated cases has increased sharply. While in 2021 it stood at 6 years and 7 months, by 2026 it had reached 11 years.

Lithuania is seeking to strengthen sanctions against belarus and russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. President of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda made this statement during his annual address to Parliament.

Lithuanian lawmakers are pushing for the adoption of a law that would prohibit companies with commercial ties to russia or belarus from operating at critical infrastructure facilities, particularly at airports.

Industrial production in belarus fell by 1.4% over the first five months; a year ago, it had grown by 1%.

Over the past year, product inventories in belarusian warehouses have increased by 3.1%; over the past five years – they have more than doubled.

In belarus, the persecution of dissidents under the criminal charge of “treason” continues. As of June 16, at least 129 people had been convicted under this charge.