07:24 Selenskyj: After Russian attack on Vilnius the number of victims could still rise
In a Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Varnashenske (Wilnjansk) in the Saporizhzhia region, there are dead and injured (see entries 00:32 and 05:41). According to official reports, at least seven people have died, among them children. Thirty-one other people were injured in the rocket attack, the civil defense reports. "Unfortunately, the number of casualties may still increase," writes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the X platform.
06:55 Ukraine: Russian troops bomb Derhachy with air bombs
Russian troops have attacked the city of Derhachy in the Kharkiv region. This was reported by the head of the military administration of Derhachy, Vyacheslav Zadorenko, on Telegram. According to Zadorenko, three people were injured in the attack. This is the most massive attack on Derhachy since 2022, during which four air bombs were dropped. Two men aged 68 and 75, and a 71-year-old woman, were taken to the hospital. According to Zadorenko, the shelling damaged several buildings, including at least 25 residential buildings, agricultural buildings, a garage cooperative, cars, and a civilian company, and partially destroyed power lines.
06:20 Weapon exports have increased again: Germany exports weapons for 7.5 billion Euros
After a record year for weapons exports in the previous year, weapon export approvals have increased significantly in the first half of 2024 due to further increasing weapons deliveries to Ukraine. According to the Federal Government's response to a parliamentary inquiry by Bundestag member Sevim Dağdelen of the Left Party (Die Linke), the Federal Government authorized the export of military goods for at least 7.48 billion Euros abroad from January 1 to June 18. This represents an increase of over 30% compared to the entire first half of 2023. Almost two-thirds of the exports (65% or 4.88 billion Euros) are destined for Ukraine.
05:41 Casualties in Wilnjansk: Moscow targeted a military objective
After the Russian shelling of the Ukrainian city of Varnashenske (Wilnjansk) in the Saporizhzhia region, with at least seven fatalities, the Russian Defense Ministry speaks of an attack on a military objective. According to Interfax news agency, a railway station with ballistic Iskander missiles was attacked in Saporizhzhia. The Russian military leadership claims that a train loaded with military cargo was hit. Photos and videos show that residential buildings and parked cars in the city center were hit.
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04:53 Kyiv Minesweeping Corps: 30,000 Square Kilometers have been clearedSpecialists from the Ukrainian Defense Ministry have cleared 30,000 Square Kilometers of Ukraine from mines in the past two years - an area comparable to the size of Belgium or Moldova. This was reported by the "Kyiv Independent" with reference to Colonel Ruslan Berehulia, Head of the Environmental Safety and Demining Department. Since the Russian invasion in February 2022, approximately 174,000 Square Kilometers of Ukrainian land have been contaminated with explosives. In April 2022, Ukraine established the Minesweeping Corps. Units from the Defense Ministry and the Ukrainian Armed Forces joined by 2024. These units, with 5000 specialists, are currently active in the regions of Mykolajiw, Cherson and Charkiw.
03:53 IFO Survey: Nearly Half of Personnel Managers use "Jobturbo" ineffectivelyAccording to a survey by the Munich IFO Institute among 627 personnel managers in Germany, nearly half find the "Job-Turbo" and the Skilled Labor Immigration Act unhelpful for businesses. This is evident from an IFO survey. The initiative aims to integrate Ukrainian refugees more quickly into the labor market. However, other respondents recognize positive effects: Nearly every fourth company reports that through the new regulations, more skilled labor is available. In addition, the respondents mention that due to compulsory language courses before job placement, language barriers are less of a problem. Every 18% of personnel managers praise shorter hiring procedures and simpler recognition of diplomas. The respondents were allowed multiple answers. Almost half of them find that the bureaucracy in the hiring of foreign labor is still too high, although 17% also observe a reduction in bureaucracy.
02:37 Governor: Russian region of Kursk under fire all dayAccording to local governor Alexej Smirnow's statements on Telegram, Ukraine continued to bombard the Russian border region of Kursk all day on Saturday. Governor Smirnow writes that Ukrainian forces attacked eight border villages repeatedly. Two people were injured in the process. A video Smirnow posted in his Telegram channel shows a destroyed house and debris. Previously, Smirnow reported the deaths of five people due to a Ukrainian drone attack early on Saturday morning.
01:29 "Putin loves Farage": Activists mock FarageThe British campaign group Led by Donkeys pranked Nigel Farage, the leader of the right-wing Reform UK party, during a campaign appearance. After Farage recently made headlines with the claim that the West, not Russian President Vladimir Putin, had provoked the war in Ukraine, activists dropped a banner with Putin's image behind him. Farage was reportedly not amused, according to the activists.
00:32 Emergency services in Vilniansk are working through the debrisEmergency services are clearing the debris of a Russian attack on the city Vilniansk in the region Zaporizhzhia. After the completion of search and rescue operations, it is established: Seven people were killed, among them two children, and 31 people were injured, among them eight children. "The fire was extinguished simultaneously at two locations: in a two-story building and near parked cars on a surface of 300 square meters as well as in two one-story buildings on a surface of 150 square meters. The search and rescue operations are completed", the Ukrainian state emergency service shares.
21:24 Seehofer: No shelter for young Ukrainian menApproximately 1.2 million Ukrainians have found refuge in Germany from the war in their homeland. CSU state group leader Alexander Dobrindt recently called for the expulsion of Ukrainians who do not work. "The proposal can be misunderstood", says CSU honorary chairman Horst Seehofer to the "Augsburger Allgemeine". Mothers and children from the war-torn land find it difficult to work; be it due to lack of language skills or a lack of kindergarten places. "It belongs to a humanitarian state to provide protection." However, young men who evade military service in Germany should not be granted asylum, he means.
20:51 Man lights grenade in Luzk city centerA resident of the city of Khmelnytskyi lights a grenade in the city center of Luzk and is arrested. There are no injured reported. This is reported by the Ukrainian domestic intelligence service SBU. The motive of the 23-year-old is still unclear.
You can read about earlier developments here.
- In response to the ongoing Ukraine conflict, Volodymyr Selenskyy, the Ukrainian President, expressed concern about the increasing number of casualties following Russian military operations in various cities, such as Varnashenske and Derhachy.
- The recent surge in weapon exports from Germany to Ukraine has been attributed to the ongoing conflict, with more than 65% of the total exports going towards supporting Ukraine's military efforts.
- As part of the international response to the attack on Ukraine, NATO has increased its support and is reportedly engaged in various cyberwar activities aimed at countering Russia's cyber operations.
- Russia's Defense Ministry has defended its military operations in Ukraine, claiming that they were targeted at military objectives, such as the railway station in Saporizhzhia, which allegedly contained ballistic missiles.
- In response to the hostile actions from Russia, Ukraine has strengthened its military presence, particularly in regions close to the border, demonstrating a resilient and determined stance towards the ongoing conflict.
