The Russian Economy Is Already Crumbling; We Will Support This Process Even More – Address by the President

20 June 2025 – 20:26

I wish you good health, fellow Ukrainians!

A brief update on today. Another phase of the exchange has been completed, and we are preparing the ones to follow. Today, our warriors returned home to Ukraine – warriors from various branches of our Defense Forces, many of whom had been in captivity for over two years. The exchange process must continue.

Also today, there was a meeting of the Staff – a very detailed report on the frontline. Particular attention was paid to the Sumy region, to operations in the border areas. I am grateful to our units for their resilience. The Russians had various plans and intentions there – absolutely insane, as usual. We are holding them back and eliminating these killers, defending our Sumy region. We also held very detailed discussions on all agreements regarding arms supplies: contracts, funding, and specific commitments from partners. The volume of support this year is the largest since the start of the full-scale war. I instructed that work with partners be increased even further to secure investment in our production, in our weapons. We are also preparing a new platform for such production. This is a long-term, systemic effort, and I want to thank every country already taking part. We are preparing new agreements for next week – together with our NATO partners. Specifically regarding investment in production. These are primarily technologies – first and foremost, drones and artillery shells. We are also making separate efforts on interceptor drones, which must strengthen our defense against Shahed attacks. Several of our domestic enterprises – and accordingly, drone types – are already delivering results. We are working with our partners to secure more substantial funding, and I am confident we will get it. Production volumes of interceptors are already increasing.

Today, there was an extensive report on our sanctions policy, specifically in regard to the areas affecting Russia’s economic capabilities in our temporarily occupied territories. We are preparing relevant National Security and Defense Council decisions.

Today, we also have a new sanctions package adopted by our state, targeting individuals and legal entities who help Russia, including with drone production. We will continue this pressure together with our partners. Our sanctions will be extended by our partners – we are working on that, and, by the way, not only in European jurisdictions.

And one more thing.

I’ve instructed the team to prepare some additional options for cooperation within the Coalition of the Willing – efforts that will strengthen our shared security architecture. Today, the Russians once again openly and absolutely cynically declared that they are “not in the mood” for a ceasefire. Russia wants to wage war. Even brandishing some threats. This means the pressure the world is applying isn’t hurting them enough yet, or they are trying very hard to keep up appearances. Well, the Russian economy is already crumbling. We will support this process even more. Ayatollah Putin can look at his friends in Iran to see where such regimes end up, and how far into decay they drive their countries. More of our decisions will follow, for the sake of restoring security. I thank everyone who is helping us! I thank all our people!

Glory to Ukraine!

Georgia:

Day 205 of daily, nationwide protests in Georgia. This is Rustaveli Avenue, blocked for almost 7 months. ✅

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— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 2:04 PM

“Revolution!” written in front of the Georgian Parliament on Rustaveli Avenue, which has been blocked for the 205th day in a row.

Protests continue in 8 cities. We demand the resignation of the GD regime, free and fair elections, and the release of our 60+ political prisoners.

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— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 1:57 PM

People chant: Revolution

#GeorgiaProtests
Day 205

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 1:54 PM

Georgia’s route to freedom is currently excruciatingly slow, but I believe we are on the right path and are going through all the purgatories to get there. In the meantime, more frequent public use of the word “Revolution” is observable. 1/2

📷 @rusudandjakeli.bsky.social

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 2:31 PM

Day 205 of #GeorgiaProtests and the 6th anniversary of the day when Georgia’s liberation essentially began, the June 20, 2019 anti-Kremlin protest and the subsequent violent crackdown. 2/2.

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 2:31 PM

Those detained during the pro-European rallies, whose court hearings were held today, expressed solidarity with the media and NGOs from the courtroom.

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 6:42 AM

Nika Melia has been charged with contempt of court after throwing water at a judge – an offense punishable by up to 2 years in prison. He is already imprisoned for failing to pay bail after skipping a GD investigation commission hearing, which carries a 1-year sentence.

#TerrorinGeorgia

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 6:46 AM

❌ Judge Shota Siradze of Kutaisi Court of Appeals upheld a GEL 2K fine against Mzia Amaglobeli — despite expert reports proving that the video evidence presented by the MIA was recorded after her release from administrative detention and could not depict the events that led to the charges.
#FreeMzia

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) June 20, 2025 at 8:51 AM

🗣️ “Mzia’s case is very high on the agenda, we are all watching what is happening with huge concern”, Interview with the #EU Ambassador to #Georgia, Pawel Herczyński.
@euingeorgia.bsky.social

#FreeMzia
#RepressionInGeorgia

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) June 20, 2025 at 10:23 AM

One might assume that the liberation of Georgia began on June 20, 2019, the “Gavrilov’s Night.”

Since then, it’s constant crisis, broken promises and perpetual struggle. 1/

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 11:24 AM

The Georgian Dream put a Russian MP Sergey Gavrilov in the Chair of the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia and spontaneous anti-Kremlin protests erupted, brutally suppressed by the regime. Several people lost eyes with rubber bullets. 2/

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 11:24 AM

Ivanishvili then promised fully proportional representation to trick people into leaving the streets, only to abandon his promise later.

Today, activists coloured the fountain at the Parliament in red. “We remember what you did on June 20.” 3/

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 11:24 AM

The Minister of Internal Affairs back then was Giorgi Gakharia, now-one of the opposition leaders whose resignation was demanded by the protesters but instead got him as the Prime Minister. 4/

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 11:24 AM

While Gakharia states that it wasn’t him who gave the order to assault people, he also does not expose the guilty ones, and maintains that he was protecting the Parliament and the state from an assault.

This is one of the main reasons why Gakharia has not been embraced by the public. 5/5.

— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 11:24 AM

“Today, Russians arrested my teacher.” 🥺 Nino teaches Georgian language and literature.

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— Rusudan Djakeli (@rusudandjakeli.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 2:10 PM

Another woman, Nino Datashvili, now arrested for up to 7 years over a physical confrontation with a court security guard, which he started to begin with. #terrorinGeorgia

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 5:42 AM

The US:

Trump telling everyone to watch their mouth when asked about Ukraine is fucking rich, considering he never does.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 6:20 PM

He should know. He doesn’t, but he should.

Odesa was on fire last night. Meanwhile, the US Senate delays russia sanctions bill “due to the Middle East escalation.”
Indeed, why rushing? russia’s war has only been ongoing for almost 12 years. Ukrainians can wait another decade until busy people find time to deliver “peace through strength.”

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— Olena Halushka (@halushka.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 4:03 AM

Just in case you forgot who we’re dealing with.
This is a real patch worn by Russian soldiers. It says:

“I’ll take back everything that’s mine”

If you’re still thinking “it’s not our war” think again.

They are ill and that’s their mindset.

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— SAINT JAVELIN (@saintjavelin.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 5:49 AM

Some Americans risk their lives to help Ukrainians rebuild what other Americans allow Russia to destroy.

Those in power are clearly not acting in the interest of their own people — polls show support for Ukraine is only growing.

You don’t have to love Ukraine to condemn and stand up to evil.

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— Victoria (@victoriaslog.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 7:12 AM

The EU and Germany:

Curious what intelligence Germany has that is leading it to this conclusion:

‘…“We are very certain, and we have intelligence evidence for this, that Ukraine is just a step on the path to the West,” [BND chief] Kahl told the Table Today podcast on June 9…’

apnews.com/article/euro…

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— Shashank Joshi (@shashj.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 9:52 AM

From The Associated Press:

BRUSSELS (AP) — Russia poses a direct threat to the European Union through acts of sabotage and cyberattacks, but its massive military spending suggests that President Vladimir Putin also plans to use his armed forces elsewhere in the future, the EU’s top diplomat warned on Wednesday.

“Russia is already a direct threat to the European Union,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said. She listed a series of Russian airspace violations, provocative military exercises, and attacks on energy grids, pipelines and undersea cables.

Kallas noted that Russia is already spending more on defense than the EU’s 27 nations combined, and this year will invest more “on defense than its own health care, education and social policy combined.”

“This is a long-term plan for a long-term aggression. You don’t spend that much on (the) military, if you do not plan to use it,” Kallas told EU lawmakers in Strasbourg, France.

“Europe is under attack and our continent sits in a world becoming more dangerous,” she added.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has said that Russia is producing as much weapons and ammunition in three months as the 32 allies together make in a year. He believes that Russia could be in a position to launch an attack on a NATO ally by the end of the decade.

Last week, the head of Germany’s foreign intelligence service (BND), Bruno Kahl, warned against underestimating Russian intentions toward the West and NATO.

“We are very certain, and we have intelligence evidence for this, that Ukraine is just a step on the path to the West,” Kahl told the Table Today podcast on June 9, according to German news agency dpa.

Russia’s goal is to expand its sphere of influence westward, the BND chief said.

“They want to catapult NATO back to the state it was in at the end of the 1990s. They want to kick America out of Europe, and they’ll use any means to achieve that,” Kahl said.

He warned that “this must be nipped in the bud,” and that deterrence is the “most bloodless way” to prevent war. NATO countries are set to agree a new defense investment pledge at a summit in the Netherlands next week, pouring billions of dollars more into security-related spending.

Estonia:

Estonia has begun actively building dozens of bunkers and digging anti-tank ditches on the border with Russia

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 1:03 PM

Back to Ukraine.

Another prisoner of war exchange between Ukraine and Russia has taken place!

After more than two years in captivity, our people are finally home.

Welcome back, heroes, you were never forgotten. ❤️‍🩹

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 7:35 AM

Tortured and starved, but alive! Welcome home, defenders!

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 10:02 AM

Ukrainians and their unique problems 😂

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 6:08 PM

Putin claims Russia supposedly isn’t pushing for Ukraine’s surrender, just wants them to accept “realities” on the ground.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 11:36 AM

Putin claims the Russian and Ukrainian people are one, so “all of Ukraine is ours.” He falsely insists “we never questioned Ukraine’s sovereignty.” Showing imperial vibes, he added, “where a Russian soldier steps, it’s ours.”

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 12:24 PM

Wherever a russian soldier sets foot, there is death, destruction, mass graves, mined kids’ toys, murdered animals, torture chambers, and of course looted homes

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— Mira of Kyiv 🇺🇦 (@reshetz.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 4:10 PM

If allowed, Putin will take the whole of Ukraine. But he won’t stop there: He considers the Baltic states, and the whole of what used to be the “Soviet bloc” of Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria – all now EU states – to be vassals of the Kremlin.

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— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 1:56 PM

Statements like these definitely provide the framing context for the German intel analysis and the EU’s assessments of Putin’s/Russia’s intentions.

⚡️🇺🇦 You can’t hide in the pipes! The enemy infantry is destroyed!
The orcs tried to hide in the canal pipes. But the 5th Assault Brigade’s FPV drone operators found the hiding place and destroyed the infantry group with a direct hit. No hiding place can save you from the accuracy of our work 💥

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— Vitalis Viva (@vitalisviva.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 3:30 PM

Odesa:

Last night, ten russian drones attacked Odesa, causing fires and significant destruction. The attack killed one person and injured 14 others, including three rescue workers.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 3:10 AM

If you justify, romanticize, or “understand” russia — you are aligning with what it’s doing: the bombings, the terror, the murder.
There is no neutral ground between the victim and the assassin.

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— Olena Halushka (@halushka.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 5:35 AM

Russia attacked the Langeron beach area in Odesa, right next to the most popular hotel for kids — Nemo.

There’s damage near the dolphinarium. I’m not sure who’s more shocked the children or the dolphins.

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— Victoria (@victoriaslog.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 6:22 AM

Kharkiv:

A Russian drone strikes a parking lot wedged between apartment buildings in Kharkiv yesterday evening.
No one was killed by some miracle

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 11:12 AM

The Kursk cross border offensive:

Ukrainian Air Force dropped a slick GBU-39 airstrike on a Russian drone operators’ base somewhere in Kursk Oblast.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 12:38 PM

A destroyed Russian assault group on the border between Russia’s Kursk region and Ukraine’s Sumy region. Yesterday, footage showed five bodies of Russian infantrymen at this location. Today, the number has grown to around two dozen.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 11:28 AM

Sumy:

Putin: “We don’t have the task of taking Sumy, but, in principle, I don’t rule it out.”

Putin chooses his words carefully when he plans a TV appearance meaning there is a message he wants to send. In this case, Russian attempts to take Sumy have collapsed. At least for now.

#OSINT #UkraineWar

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— OSINT Intuit (@urikikaski.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 7:15 PM

Putin: We’re not aiming to take Sumy, but I wouldn’t rule it out.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 11:55 AM

Putin also added that Russia supposedly has to create a security zone along its border with Ukraine. He also noted that Kyiv’s actions in Kursk have effectively doubled the frontline length.

— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 11:58 AM

The Russian occupied portion of Zaporizhzhia Oblast:

Ukrainian fighters from the 65th Mech Brigade UAV unit pulled off a successful op behind Russian lines on Zaporizhzhia front, hitting an enemy post, then destroying a 1L122 “Garmon” radar and wrecking their gear.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 2:24 PM

Tula, Tula Oblast, Russia:

Per ASTRA, Ukrainian forces hit Tula’s Shipunov Instrument Design Bureau twice in three days, halting operations. On June 18, five drones damaged a power station, three warehouses, and an admin building, sparking a 400 sqm fire. On June 20, one drone wrecked a loading hangar’s roof and walls.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) June 20, 2025 at 10:05 AM

That’s enough for tonight.

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Передробоче. Проводжу інструктаж для Марсика (він же Марс, який і планета, і шоколадний батончик). Така кличка, бо він чимось схожий на марсохід, тільки замість космічних кратерів бачить кратери від мін. Страшний трудяга: ніколи не гавкає, не валяється в траві, не обнюхує кожну калюжу на вході. Офіційно Марс робот, а для мене — напарник. Він холодний, але точно не бездушний. Хвилююсь за нього дуже. Бо такі, як Марс, дуже цінні у нашій роботі. Не те, що я не ціную всіх інших… Та Марсик має залізний характер і не має нервових закінчень. Це значить, що йому не болітиме, якщо станеться щось страшне. Але я дуже хочу, аби йому ніколи, ну просто ніколи(!) не довелось це перевіряти. Мрію оце тепер, щоб у Марса зʼявилась подружка. Марселла. Бо думаю, що йому може бути самотньо. А поки спробую подружити його з роботом-пилососом. А що у вас цікавенького? Всім лизь 👅 #песпатрон

♬ Jet2 Advert – ✈️A7-BBH | MAN 🇬🇧

Here’s the machine translation of the caption:

Pre-work I conduct briefings for Marsik (aka Mars, which is both a planet and a chocolate bar). Such a nickname, because it is somewhat similar to a rover, only instead of space craters it sees craters from mines. Terrible hard worker: never barks, never lies in the grass, never sniffs every puddle at the entrance. Officially, Mars is a robot, and for me it is a partner. He is cold, but definitely not heartless. I am very worried about him. Because people like Mars are very valuable in our work. It’s not that I don’t appreciate everyone else… But Marsyk has an iron character and no nerve endings. This means that he will not be in pain if something terrible happens. But I really want him to never, well, never (!) have to check it. Now I dream that Mars will have a girlfriend. Marcella Because I think he can be lonely. In the meantime, I will try to make him friends with a robot vacuum cleaner. What is interesting about you? Everyone lick 👅#песпатрон

Open thread!