07:53 According to the Ukrainian General Staff, Russia has suffered the loss of 500,000 soldiers.
The Ukrainian military reports a total of 500,080 Russian soldiers have been lost since the beginning of the full-scale invasion on February 24th, 2022. This includes 1,140 losses in the past 24 hours. Russia has been exerting immense pressure on Ukrainian defenders in various locations, causing significant casualties on their own side. In the past day, Ukrainian forces have counted the destruction of 15 Russian tanks, 27 artillery systems, an air defense system, and two multiple rocket launchers.
07:07: First Ukrainian F-16 pilots ready for combat training in Europe
The first batch of Ukrainian F-16 pilots have successfully completed their training in the USA and are now going to Europe for further training, as per the US Air Force. The training for the pilots and ground personnel took nearly a year, and they are expected to be ready to fly combat missions against Russian air forces by summer. Ukraine is set to receive more than 60 F-16s from Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Belgium. In addition to these nations, the US, UK, Romania, France, and Bulgaria are also mobilizing personnel, aircraft, and military facilities to train the Ukrainians in the handling and maintenance of the fighter jets.
06:33: American Excalibur shells rendered ineffective due to Russian jammers
Ukraine has stopped using certain US weapons due to their significantly reduced accuracy, thanks to Russian jammers. As reported by "Washington Post," several weapons controlled by GPS are affected by this issue, particularly the Excalibur artillery shells but also the HIMARS systems. Russian jammers have caused the success rate of the precision-guided Excalibur shells, developed by the US, to drop drastically - to below 10 percent. As a result, the US has stopped providing Excalibur shells to Ukraine. To successfully conduct HIMARS attacks, enemy jammers must be neutralized, which can be done by deploying cluster munitions.
04:34: Stoltenberg: China's assistance to Russia is critical for the Ukraine war
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg views China's support for Moscow in the Russia-Ukraine conflict as "decisive." He stated to "Welt am Sonntag" that China is trying to maintain positive relations with the West while simultaneously aiding Russia in this war. While China hasn't directly supplied weapons or ammunition to Russia, the sale of machine parts, microelectronics, and other technologies used to produce missiles, tanks, and aircraft for use against Ukraine has noticeably increased, according to Stoltenberg.
03:06: Hofreiter suggests Western weapons be allowed for targets on Russian soil
Green Party foreign policy expert, Anton Hofreiter, advocates allowing Ukraine to use Western weapons to strike Russian territory. He argues, "It's about protecting the Ukrainian population. We should, therefore, not prevent Ukraine from using the provided weapons to defend against Russian fighter jets in Russian airspace." Under international law, a targeted state is allowed to attack military targets in the aggressor's territory, Hofreiter adds.
02:01: Ukrainian forces report Russian air strikes and partial successes near Kupiansk
The Ukrainian military claims that Russian aircraft have once more attacked Vovchansk from the air, dropping eight guided bombs. Ukrainian defenders repelled ten Russian assaults on the city and its surroundings. Russian forces achieved "partial successes" near Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region and in the Pokrovsk sector in Donetsk region.
01:30: More evacuations planned in Kharkiv region
123 children from the northern Kharkiv region will be evacuated. According to "Kyiv Independent," the local authorities intend to relocate them first to Kharkiv and then to the Volhynia region to the northwest. Over 11,000 civilians have already been evacuated since the onset of the latest Russian offensive.
00:07: Zelensky: Combat control restored in the eastern Kharkiv region
According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian army has regained control over the border region in the eastern Kharkiv region. "Our fighters have now regained control of the border area where the Russian occupiers have intruded," Zelensky stated in his evening address. Zelensky had recently visited Kharkiv, where Russian forces had initiated a ground assault two weeks ago, occupying several Ukrainian villages.
00:01: Over 400 Ukrainian women held captive by Russia
There are presently 403 Ukrainian women held captive by Russian forces, as per a report from the Ukrainian Coordination Center for the Treatment of Prisoners of War. Many of these women have been illegally detained civilians while others have been missing since 2014. Despite numerous appeals, the Russian side has refused to return these captive women.
22:05 Kuleba: Putin fears Ukraine peace summit triumphUkrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba believes Russian President Vladimir Putin hopes for the failure of the upcoming Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland. Kuleba's response comes after reports claimed Putin was ready for peace talks (see 19:55 and 12:22). Kuleba stated that Putin doesn't desire to entirely end the Moscow-led war. "Putin is determined to impede the Switzerland peace summit on June 15 and 16. He's concerned about its success," Kuleba states on X.
21:30 "Drone gate": NATO members aim to fortify border with 'drone wall'Lithuania discloses that six NATO nations bordering Russia plan to fortify their borders with a "drone wall". The project, stretching from Norway to Poland, entails employing drones and other technologies to safeguard their frontiers. Lithuanian Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite spoke of this plan after coordinating with Estonian, Latvian, Finnish, Norwegian, and Polish counterparts. It's not solely about deterring "provocations by unfavorable nations", but also combatting smuggling. Utilizing border-surveilling drones and anti-drone systems is part of this "unprecedented thing". Bilotaite didn't validate a specific timeframe for this venture. The impetus behind border enhancements stems from heightened security concerns due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
21:00 USA bestows additional military aid upon UkraineThe United States plans to provide Ukraine with more military aid to thwart the Russian war of aggression. Valued at $275 million (around €253 million), this latest package includes ammunition for Himars multiple rocket launchers, plus 155 and 105 millimeter caliber artillery ammunition, per the US State Department. This is the fifth batch authorized by US President Joe Biden, following Congress's allocation of approximately $61 billion (€56.2 billion) for Kiev in late April. Aid from previous packages reached the frontlines, as per reports. The new material will be delivered "as promptly as possible" for Ukraine's military to protect their country and its citizens, the State Department mentions. Since Russia initiated its hostility toward Ukraine over two years ago, the US has given Kiev over $50 billion in military support, according to the Pentagon.
19:35 Soviet remnant: Kremlin makes teenagers enroll in fundamental military trainingFrom this academic year, Russian youths are compelled to learn a seemingly innocuous subject: "Elements of Life Safety". This course instructs them in military basics, encompassing abilities like firing weapons and treating wounds.
19:55 Reality check: Putin sets prerequisites for Ukraine negotiationsEver since Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine began two years ago, President Vladimir Putin has reiterated his supposed readiness for talks - albeit not on the restitution of seized territories, which were acquired illegally per international law. "Once more, individuals are speaking about the necessity of returning to negotiations," Putin stated during a visit to the friendly neighboring nation of Belarus, per Interfax news agency. He then emphasized, "Let's return to them. But not on the premise the one side dictates, but (...) on the basis of today's realities that have arisen on the battlefield" (see also 12:22). Currently, Russia is openly engaging in war against Ukraine and annexes roughly 20% of its neighboring country. Ukraine repeatedly insists upon the removal of Russian troops as a prerequisite for permanent peace.
Read about all previous developmentshere. [satisfaction] [completion] [accomplishment] [conclusion]
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- Despite Russia's significant losses in military operations, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg believes China's assistance to Russia is crucial for the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
- In response to Russian jammers making certain US weapons, such as Excalibur artillery shells, ineffective, Ukrainian forces are now considering targeting military targets on Russian soil with Western weapons, as suggested by Green Party foreign policy expert Anton Hofreiter.
- Volodymyr Selensky, the President of Ukraine, praised the success of Ukrainian military forces in regaining control of border areas in the eastern Kharkiv region, which had been occupied by Russian forces for several weeks.
- As part of efforts to strengthen their borders against potential threats from Russia and other "unfavorable nations," NATO members, including Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Norway, and Poland, plan to build a "drone wall" along their shared border with Russia.
Source: www.ntv.de
