07:55 Sweden's Defense Minister: Russia wants to divide the EU and NATO
Russia has interest in politically dividing the EU and NATO. This is what Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson stated in an interview with the "Bild" newspaper. "I believe that there is awareness in the Kremlin and with Putin himself that they would lose this war. But I believe that Russia is very interested in politically dividing us, both within the EU and in NATO", says Jonson. The best way to maintain peace, according to Jonson, is to make NATO stronger and focus on deterrence and defense. Jonson adds that more responsibility for European security means investing more in military forces.
07:24 Zelenskyy: After Russian attack on Velyka Nova Basana, death toll may rise
There are casualties following a Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Velyka Nova Basana in the Zaporizhzhia region. According to official reports, at least seven people, including children, have been killed (see entries 00:32 and 05:41). Thirty-one more people were injured in the rocket attack, the civil defense reports. "Unfortunately, the number of victims may still rise," writes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the platform X.
06:55 Ukraine: Russian troops bombard Derhachi
Russian troops have attacked the city of Derhachi in the Kharkiv region. This was reported by the head of the Derhachi Military Administration, Vyacheslav Zadorenko, on Telegram. According to Zadorenko, three people were injured in the attack. It was the most massive attack on Derhachi since 2022, during which four aerial 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 enterprise, and partially destroyed power lines.
06:20 Arms exports have increased again: Germany exports weapons for 7.5 billion Euros
Following a record year for arms exports in the previous year, arms export authorizations have significantly increased in the first half of 2024 due to further increasing arms deliveries to Ukraine. From January 1 to June 18, the German government authorized the export of military goods for at least 7.48 billion Euros abroad. This represents an increase of around 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. This is evident from the Federal Ministry of Economics' response to a query by Bundestag member Sevim Dağdelen from the Left Party (The Left).
05:41 In Wilnjansk, Ukraine: Moscow reportedly targeted a military objective
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, a military objective in the Ukrainian city of Wilnjansk, in the region of Zaporizhia, was reportedly targeted. Interfax news agency reported from the Russian ministry's statement that a railway station with ballistic Iskander-Raketen was attacked. A military train carrying military cargo was hit, claimed the Russian military leadership. Photos and videos show that residential buildings and parked cars in the city center were hit.
04:53 Ukrainian Mine-Clearing Corps: 30,000 square kilometers have been cleared
Specialists 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. The Kyiv Independent reported with reference to Colonel Ruslan Berehulia, head of the department for Environmental Safety and Mine Clearance. Since the Russian invasion in February 2022, approximately 174,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian land have been contaminated with explosives. The Ukraine established the Mine-Clearing Corps in April 2022. Units of the Defense Ministry and the Ukrainian Armed Forces joined by 2024. These units with 5000 specialists are currently active in the regions of Mykolajiw, Kherson and Kharkiw.
03:53 IFO Survey: Nearly half of personnel managers use "Jobturbo"
According to a survey by the Munich IFO Institute among 627 personnel managers in Germany, 48% find the "Job-Turbo" and the Skilled Workers Immigration Act unhelpful for companies. The initiative aims to integrate Ukrainian refugees faster into the labor market. However, nearly every fourth company reports positive effects: about one in four companies state that the new regulations have made more skilled workers available. In addition, they report that they have to deal with fewer language barriers due to mandatory language courses before job placement. Every 18% of personnel managers praise shorter hiring procedures and simpler recognition of diplomas. Nearly half of them find that the bureaucracy in hiring foreign labor is still too high, although 17% observe a bureaucracy reduction.
02:37 Governor: Russian region of Kursk under fire all day
According to the local governor, the Ukrainian forces reportedly fired on the Russian border region of Kursk all day on Saturday. Governor Alexei Smirnov wrote on Telegram that Ukrainian forces had repeatedly targeted eight border villages. Two people were reportedly injured. A video Smirnov posted on his Telegram channel shows a destroyed house and debris. Previously, Smirnov had reported the death of five people due to a Ukrainian drone attack early on Saturday morning.
01:29 "Putin loves Farage": Activists mock Farage
The British campaign group Led by Donkeys pranked the leader of the right-wing Reform UK party, Nigel Farage, during a campaign appearance. After Farage recently claimed 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 not pleased, the activists write laconically.
00:32 Emergency services working through the ruins in Varniansk
Emergency services are clearing the ruins of a Russian attack on the city of Varniansk in the Saporischschja region. After the search and rescue operations are completed, it is determined: Seven people were killed, including two children, and 31 people were injured, including eight children. "The fire was extinguished simultaneously at two locations: in a two-story building and near parked cars on a 300 square meter area, as well as in two one-story buildings on a 150 square meter area. The search and rescue operations are completed," the Ukrainian state emergency service reports.
21:24 Seehofer: No asylum for young Ukrainian men
Approximately 1.2 million Ukrainians have found refuge in Germany from the war in their homeland. CSU state group leader Alexander Dobrindt recently called for Ukrainians to be deported if they 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 lacking language skills or a lack of kindergarten places. "It belongs to a humane state to provide protection." Young men who evade military service in Germany, however, should not be granted asylum, he thinks.
20:51 Man lights grenade in Luzk city center
A resident of the city of Chmelnyzkyj lights a grenade in the city center of Luzk and is arrested. There are no injured. This is reported by the Ukrainian Security Service SBU. The motive of the 23-year-old is still unclear.
You can read about earlier developments here.
- The Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson believes that Russia is interested in politically dividing both the EU and NATO, even though they may recognize that they would lose a cyberwar or military operations against Ukraine.
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian President, expressed concern about the rising death toll following a Russian attack on the city of Velyka Nova Basana, with at least seven people, including children, reported killed and over 30 injured.
- In response to the Ukraine conflict, the German government authorized the export of military goods for over 7.5 billion Euros abroad in the first half of 2024, with almost two-thirds of the exports going to Ukraine to support their military operations.
- The Russian Defense Ministry reportedly targeted a military objective in the Ukrainian city of Wilnjansk, Zaporizhia region, during their military operations, according to Interfax news agency, resulting in damage to residential buildings and parked cars in the city center.
- Nigel Farage, the leader of the Reform UK party, was mocked by activists who dropped a banner with Putin's image behind him during a campaign appearance in the UK, as Farage had claimed that the West, not Putin, had provoked the war in Ukraine.
