Ukraine and Russia swap bodies, Moscow plans to take over Odesa – Wednesday brief
RBC-Ukraine collage
Ukraine and Russia have begun exchanging bodies in a 6,000 for 6,000 format. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned of Moscow's plans to capture Odesa.
Read more about what happened on Wednesday, June 11.
Ukraine retrieves over 1,200 fallen defenders
The bodies of 1,212 fallen defenders were returned to Ukraine. Among them are fighters who fought in the east and south of Ukraine, as well as in the Kursk region, according to the Coordination Headquarters on the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
Among the returned "on the shield" are defenders who died in:
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the Kursk region;
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Kharkiv region;
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Luhansk region;
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Donetsk region;
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Zaporizhzhia region;
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Kherson region.
Russia wants to seize Odesa and reach Moldova-Romania border - Zelenskyy
Russia wants to take control of Odesa. After that, the enemy plans to reach the border with Romania and Moldova, stated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the Ukraine–Southeast Europe Summit held in Odesa.
"Russia wants to destroy it, just as it has done with countless towns and villages in the occupied territories. Russian military plans point to this region - Odesa - and then to the border with Moldova and Romania," he added.
Serbia's president refuses to sign Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit declaration
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić did not sign the declaration of the Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit, which took place today, June 11, in Odesa, according to Le Monde, RTS, and the summit declaration published on the website of the Office of the President of Ukraine.
Vučić told reporters that he was the only one who did not sign the Ukraine–Southeast Europe Summit declaration, saying that by doing so, he "did not betray Russia."
US Treasury Secretary: Ukraine’s economy could surpass Russia’s in 20 years
The Ukrainian economy could surpass the Russian one in 20 years. This is possible under several conditions, states US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during a hearing in Congress.
"I believe that we could imagine in two decades, that the Ukrainian economy — through good management, through a partnership like this and through global investment — could be larger than the Russian economy. And I think that would provide an extreme deterrent for whoever is running Russia then," he added.
