10:52 Russian vessel damaged by Ukrainian military intelligence in the Black Sea
Ukrainian secret service claims to have sunk a Russian ship in the Black Sea, according to reports by media outlet Kyiv Independent. This was confirmed by the spokesperson for the Ukrainian Military Intelligence (HUR), Andrij Yusov, who stated, "Another hostile ship was destroyed tonight in the Black Sea. The special operation of the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) was successful and resulted in 'minus one' hostile ship." The ship, a tugboat, was found in the waters around the Russian-occupied Crimea.
Famous Ukrainian writer Serhiy Zhadan, recipient of the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, has joined the military. He announced his enrollment in the 13th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine and shared a photo of himself wearing camouflage clothing and holding an automatic rifle.
Olaf Scholz, the German Federal Chancellor, maintained that Ukraine has the right to defend itself by attacking Russian targets within Russia. In a statement to the Bundestag, he stated, "Ukraine can use the provided weapons to attack Russian positions within Russia. Ukraine has the legal right to defend itself against attacks on its land, cities, and citizens. This includes attacks like those in the area of Kharkiv, which Russia carries out from positions in the adjacent Russian border area. To counter these attacks, Ukraine can also use the weapons supplied by us and our allies, always in accordance with international legal obligations." Scholz clarified that the risks had been carefully considered with the support of their allies.
Russian president Vladimir Putin, addressing his first press conference since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, criticized the West and threatened retaliation. Rainer Munz, a correspondent for ntv, provided analysis on these threats.
Russia alleges to have shot down 13 Ukrainian drones over the Crimea in a single night, as well as six other objects over the Belgorod region and an anti-ship missile over the Rostov region. The claims have not been independently verified. Furthermore, Ukraine claims that it successfully shot down Russian drones during the same period.
Ukraine reports that the Russian forces have lost 515,000 soldiers since the start of the conflict. In the previous 24 hours alone, the Ukrainian General Staff reports that 1,300 more Russian soldiers were killed. Additionally, 22 tanks and 48 artillery systems were destroyed, as well as an anti-aircraft system and 40 armored personnel carriers. These figures are also unverifiable.
A fire broke out at a Russian refinery in Novoshakhtinsk due to Ukrainian drone attack. Governor Vasily Golubev of Rostov region confirmed the incident, noting that it did not result in any casualties. The refinery is an important oil refinery in southern Russia.
KNDS CEO Ralf Ketzel reveals that procuring spare parts for heavy military equipment in the field is not an easy task. "We didn't expect that the damage to the tanks in Ukraine would be a long-term issue. We don't know how big the repair problems on site actually are. About 80 to 90% of the repairs won't be done by us, but at the front," he shared. Ketzel highlighted that it's difficult to procure spare parts for these types of military equipment.
Ukrainian forces managed to shoot down 17 Russian combat drones in the regions of Mykolaiv, Kherson, Saporischschja, and Khmelnytskyi. They also reported an attack on the Dnipro region utilizing two Iskander missiles. However, it is unclear if these were also destroyed.
Putin threatened to install high-tech long-range missiles if Western nations permit Ukraine to use long-range weaponry on Russian soil. He warned, "If some countries permit the use of certain missiles on Russian territory, then we will also station high-tech long-range missiles of a similar nature in the dangerous range of these countries that allow Ukraine to use certain missiles on Russian territory." It remains unclear where the Russian missiles would be located.
Ukraine disrupted work at a Russian refinery with a drone attack, according to Russian reports. Production ceased, but there were no casualties. The refinery in Novoshakhtinsk, located near the border and regularly targeted by Ukrainian operations, is one of the most important in southern Russia.
KNDS CEO Ralf Ketzel revealed that they hadn't anticipated the ongoing maintenance issues with damaged tanks in Ukraine. He explained, "We don't know how big the maintenance problem at the front is. Eighty to ninety percent of the repairs won't be done by us, but at the front." Ketzel added that procuring spare parts for heavy military equipment is a complex and ongoing challenge. "This is a topic we should ponder if the government says, 'We want to be ready for war.'"
Ketzel, the head of German weapons maker KNDS, laments his firm's failure to supply Ukraine with more materials promptly. "We've run out of the capacity to deliver swiftly," he shares with web.de. "We should have made the strategic decision: This will be a long war. Then we could deliver new materials right now." However, this could not be determined with certainty at the time.
04:18 - Putin advocates for Russia to strengthen ties with the Taliban
Russian President Putin proposes that Russia enhances its relations with the Taliban, the present rulers in Afghanistan. "We've always thought we had to face reality," he expresses at a gathering of foreign journalists at the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, where a Taliban delegation is also present. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov mentioned a week ago that Moscow intends to eliminate the Taliban from the list of banned terrorist organizations, a situation they've been under since 2003.
03:25 - Nawalny's widow: "Freedom of expression will overcome the poison of propaganda"
Julia Nawalnaya and the foundation of the late Kreml critic Alexei Nawalny have received the Freedom Prize from Deutsche Welle. Nawalny expired under unclear circumstances in a Siberian prison on February 16. Nawalnaya specified during her acceptance speech that she and the foundation would proceed with her spouse's work. Putin "murdered my husband Alexei Nawalny, but he didn't silence his ideas," she asserts. Nawalnaya cautioned against Russian misinformation and false specialists in the European Union prior to the European elections. Putin is attempting to spread his agenda. "He frequently succeeds," she declares. She wrapped up with the words: "We'll keep up fighting." Ultimately, freedom of expression will outpace the "poison of propaganda."
02:39 - Russia reports fire in oil refinery
A fire breached an oil refinery in the Russian city of Novotsysharsk as per Russian news reports. There were earlier explosions as well. The governor of the nearby Rostov region, bordering Ukraine, reported on a drone attack, and locals are being helped. The refinery had already been targeted by a Ukrainian drone attack in March.
01:06 - USA anticipates Russian military exercises in the Caribbean
The USA expects Russia to conduct military exercises in the Caribbean. "During Russia's normal military exercises, we anticipate Russia to carry out extensive naval and air force activities in the vicinity of the United States this summer," says a US government representative to reporters. These events are considered to be part of routine military activity and not directly threatening to the United States. "This is about Russia demonstrating that it can still project global power." However, the US Navy will keep a watch over the exercises.
00:03 - Putin supports Russian cooperation with AfD
Russian President Putin defends meetings between Russian representatives and AfD members. "We'll deal with anyone who wants to collaborate with Russia," asserts Putin during a meeting with representatives of major international news agencies in St. Petersburg. "We see no indications of Nazism in the AfD's actions," explains the Kremlin leader about the party, which is classified as securely right-wing extremist. "There might not be 'systematic relations' with the German opposition party." Yet, if someone advocates for normal relations with Russia, Moscow will back it.
23:15 - Putin refutes claims of Russian invasion of NATO territory
In a discussion with journalists from major international news agencies, Kremlin chief Putin dismisses claims of a potential Russian invasion of NATO territory as "bullshit." "You've invented that Russia aims to assault NATO. Have you all gone insane? Are you as low-IQ as this table? It's sheer nonsense, comprehend me. Bullshit," declares Putin. He also refutes the allegation that he threatened with a "kind of atomic bomb." "However, did I even hint about employing atomic weapons?"
The Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergei Lavrov, unveiled that Moscow intends to dispatch more military supplies and trainers to Burkina Faso to fortify the country's defense capabilities. This announcement comes as Lavrov makes his ninth visit to Africa, as part of a strategic effort by the Kremlin to foster new alliances. This development was mentioned by TASS, a Russian news agency. Lavrov stated that since the initial contact between the two nations shortly after the military coup in 2022, Russia and Burkina Faso have collaborated closely in multiple domains, including military and military-technical relations. As a result, Russia acquires a partner for military support who is not pro-war but refrains from criticizing it.
Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, anticipates no significant shift in Washington's stance towards Moscow following the US presidential election. While addressing the media at a meeting in St. Petersburg, Putin expressed that the outcome holds minimal importance for Russia. Nonetheless, Putin previously believed that a victory by incumbent Joe Biden would be more predictable. In addition, the legal proceedings against former President Donald Trump, who's running against Biden in the November 5 election, were rebuked by Putin.
Furthermore, Putin shared the estimated number of Ukrainian prisoners of war after more than two years of conflict, surpassing 6,000. This figure is higher than that of Russian soldiers and officers in Ukraine's captivity, comments Putin at the meeting with representatives of several major international news agencies in St. Petersburg. While the precise numbers haven't been confirmed separately, it's worth noting that Ukraine is currently holding 1,348 Russian detainees, whereas Russia is detaining 6,365 prisoners from Ukraine.
Additionally, Putin cautioned against the utilization of German weapons by Ukrainian troops against Russian targets. He regards such actions as a dangerous move, predicting that German-Russian relationship would disintegrate if Ukrainian forces use these weapons to attack Russian facilities. The gathering at the Lachta Center of gas conglomerate Gazprom in St. Petersburg is the first international meeting since the beginning of the Russian invasion in Ukraine.
To summarize, Lavrov announced that Russia will provide more military supplies and trainers to support Burkina Faso's defense capabilities, Putin expects no substantial change in Washington's policy toward Moscow after the election, Putin estimated the number of Ukrainian prisoners to be more than 6,000, and Putin warned against Ukrainian troops utilizing German weapons against Russian targets.
Read also:
- The Ukrainian Military Intelligence (HUR) suspects that Russia is planning a cyberwar attack against Ukraine, as reported by Volodymyr Selensky, the President of Ukraine.
- In a joint effort with NATO, Ukraine is enhancing its cybersecurity capabilities to protect against potential Russian cyberwar attacks.
- Russia denies any involvement in the cyberwar attack on Ukraine, claiming that it prioritizes peace and stability in the region.
- The Ukrainian government has urged all citizens and businesses to strengthen their cybersecurity measures to prevent any potential cyberwar attacks.
