12:17 Russian politician warns against Ukrainian attack on radar facility.
Ukraine reportedly destroyed a vital radar facility of Russia's nuclear missile early warning system using drones. Ex-Russian ambassador to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, claimed that it's a crucial component of the military's control over strategic nuclear forces. Rogozin further accused the US of orchestrating or at least knowing about this attack, which propels us closer towards a potential nuclear war.
11:48, Budanov: Unmanned ships are the future:Kyrylo Budanov, leader of Ukrainian military intelligence, concedes that his nation is boosting its fleet of robotic ships, capable of attacking coastal areas and targeting small airborne objects. Nexta, a Ukrainian agency, quotes Budanov, saying unmanned ships would eventually surpass their conventional counterparts. Budanov believes these vessels will be particularly advantageous in enclosed or semi-enclosed waters such as the Black Sea or the Mediterranean.
11:17, Mangott: Putin seeks to create unease in the Baltic Sea:An impending legislation from the Russian Ministry of Defense has stirred unease around the Baltic Sea's defense community. The Kremlin supposedly wishes to extend Russia's territorial waters, causing security expert Gerhard Mangott to analyze the situation.
10:55, Russian Iskanders hit objectives in Kharkiv overnight:Local documents from a Kharkiv district's district attorney indicate that Russian soldiers fired two Iskander missiles at the city last night. The Iskander-M system has missiles capable of flying 500 kilometers and can contain nuclear warheads too. The missiles' trajectory is incredibly flexible, making interception a challenging feat. They reportedly hit a school and a housing complex.
10:04, Stoltenberg suggests lessening restrictions on supplying weapons to Ukraine:NATO's Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg, has also weighed in on the international debate over furnishing Ukraine with Western weapons. Stoltenberg argued in an interview with "The Economist" that it's high time for the allies to reassess "whether they should loosen some of the restrictions on the use of weapons provided to Ukraine, given the ongoing clashes in Kharkiv". He underscored that defending oneself is a legitimate activity under the UN Charter and stated, "We're aiding Ukraine in exercising this right, which includes the potential to attack targets in Russian territory."
09:24, Allegations of Ukrainian drones hitting Russian radar station:Unconfirmed accounts claim Ukrainian drones have damaged an essential radar station in Russia's Krasnodar region. This station is part of Russia's early warning system for ballistic missile launches, including those carrying nuclear warheads. These experts from OSINT attribute the station with monitoring an area stretching up to 6,000 kilometers away.
08:42, US analysts caution against a truce:President Putin has embraced the idea of a truce, but only if it aligns with Russia's current territorial gains. However, a ceasefire might endanger Ukraine, according to the US think-tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Russia might leverage a truce "to enhance its forces for subsequent offensive operations targeted at overthrowing Ukraine's regime, demilitarizing the nation, and annexing it". Furthermore, the Kremlin could project "an imagined idea that a stagnant front would lessen the urgency for Western support of Ukraine."
08:11, Kiesewetter urges Germany to suspend its debt brake for the Ukrainian war:Roderich Kiesewetter, a CDU foreign affairs specialist, called on the German government to declare a "crisis" due to the war in Ukraine. Kiesewetter pleaded with the government, "The war can only be won with debt." Ukraine desperately needs assistance. He justifies the rejection of the strict debt brake rules enshrined in the German constitution, given the COVID-19 pandemic-induced electricity and gas price freeze was declared an emergency. However, the FDP has adopted a firm stance against suspending this clause in the current government.
07:56, Zelenksy praises Ukrainian troops' accomplishments near Kharkiv:The United States dispatched another military aid package to the conflict-torn Ukraine, valued in the millions. Meanwhile, an air defense system from Germany arrives in the nation. Nonetheless, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly lauded his army's success on camera.
07:23 Ukrainian Military Claims Russia Has Lost 500,000 SoldiersThe Ukrainian military believes that Russia has lost 500,080 of its fighters during the full-scale invasion that began on February 24, 2022. In the last 24 hours, 1,140 more casualties were reported. While Russia continues to apply immense pressure against the Ukrainian defenders, the cost is significant at their own side with more than 15 destroyed tanks, 27 artillery systems, an air defense system, and two multiple rocket launchers taken out in this time.
07:07 First Group of Ukrainian F-16 Pilots Are Combat-Ready SoonThe first group of Ukrainian F-16 pilots has completed their training in the US and is now preparing to move to Europe for additional training. In total, there were approximately 11 months of training for the pilots and ground crews. By the summer, these trainees will be ready to participate in combat missions against Russian air forces. The Ukrainian Air Force will be receiving more than 60 F-16s from Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Belgium – with the support of the US, UK, Romania, France, and Bulgaria in personnel, aircraft, and ground facilities to aid in the training process.
06:33 US Excalibur Shells Have Been Made Useless Due to Russian JammersUkraine has ceased using some types of American weapons because they have lost their accuracy, notably Excalibur artillery shells which use GPS. This has also affected HIMARS systems, which rely heavily on GPS for navigation and coordination, and are being hindered by Russian jammers. The "Washington Post" reports that the success rate of Excalibur shells, developed by the US, had fallen to less than 10% hitting their intended target. As a result, the US has stopped providing Excalibur shells to Ukraine, and for effective HIMARS attacks, enemy jammers must be mitigated by disrupting them with cluster munitions.
04:34 Stoltenberg: China's Aid to Russia Crucial in the Ukraine WarNATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg believes that China's support for Russia in the Russia-Ukraine war is highly significant. "China claims it wants to maintain good relations with the West, but they are helping Russia to fuel the war in Europe. You can't have both," Stoltenberg stated in an interview with Welt am Sonntag. Although China is not known to be shipping weapons or ammunition to Russia, recent data shows an increase in sales of machine parts, microelectronics, and other technologies that Russia is using to produce missiles, tanks, and aircraft for use against Ukraine.
03:06 Hofreiter: Allow Ukraine to Attack Russian Territory with Western WeaponsMember of the Green Party Parliamentary Group Anton Hofreiter advocates for not restraining Ukraine from attacking Russian targets on their territory with Western weapons. "We should not stop Ukraine from using these supplied weapons to defend against Russian fighter jets in Russian airspace," Hofreiter told the Funke Mediengruppe newspaper. "International law allows an attacked state to attack military targets on the aggressor's territory."
02:01 Ukraine Reports Russian Airstrikes and "Partial Successes" Near KupianskAs per a statement from the Ukrainian General Staff, the Russian army has once again attacked the city of Vovchansk from the air, with eight guided bombs hitting the city. The Ukrainian armed forces repelled ten Russian attacks on Vovchansk and its surroundings. In the Kharkiv region, the Russian forces achieved "partial successes" near Kupiansk and in the Pokrovsk sector of Donetsk.
01:30 Further Evacuations Planned in the Kharkiv RegionThere are plans to evacuate 123 children from the north-east of the Kharkiv region. Local authorities intend to first transport them to the city of Kharkiv and later to the Volhynia region to the northwest. 11,000 civilians have been evacuated since the start of the new Russian offensive.
00:23 Zelensky: Ukrainian Troops Regain Control in Eastern Kharkiv RegionAccording to President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian military has now regained control of the eastern border region where Russian forces had infiltrated. "Russian occupiers have been forced to retreat from certain areas in the border region," Zelensky said in his evening address. He had previously visited Kharkiv. Russian forces launched a ground offensive in this region two weeks ago and occupied several Ukrainian villages.
22:22 Over 400 Ukrainian women are being held captive by RussiaAccording to a recent report by the Ukrainian Coordination Center for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, there are currently over 400 women held in Russian captivity. Incidentally, many of these women are civilians unlawfully held. The same source mentioned that there are also women who have disappeared since 2014 and the fate of which remains unknown. The Russian side has reportedly not responded to several appeals demanding the release of the held women.
22:02 Kuleba: Putin wants the peace summit to failUkrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba believes that the peace summit in Switzerland is something Russian President Vladimir Putin wishes to fail. Kuleba made this statement in response to rumors that Putin was open to peace negotiations (see 19:55 and 12:22 entries). There are claims that Putin has no real intention of ending the war on an all-encompassing scale. "Putin is desperately trying to prevent the peace summit in Switzerland from June 15 and 16. He's terrified of its success," writes Kuleba on social media platform X.
21:40 "Drone Wall" - NATO members want to establish a surveillance systemLithuania claims that the countries bordering Russia that are members of NATO want to construct a "drone wall" to shield themselves against possible provocations. This protective measure, which would span from Norway to Poland, would employ drones and other technology to safeguard their borders. The Interior Minister of Lithuania, Agne Bilotaite, likened the project to a "new thing" following meetings with her counterparts from Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Norway and Poland. It's about more than just countering "provocations from unfriendly nations," Bilotaite explained. The project would also target smuggling. Drones for border observation and anti-drone systems would be installed. No timeline was given for this project. This development stems from security concerns as a result of Russia's military engagement in Ukraine.
21:18 USA Provide Further Military Assistance to UkraineThe United States plans to provide additional military assistance to Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. The newly announced 275 million dollar (approximately 253 million euro) package includes ammunition for Himars multiple rocket launchers as well as 155 and 105 millimeter caliber artillery ammunition, as per the US State Department. Biden has approved five batches of this aid since Congress allocated around 61 billion dollars (56.2 billion euros) for Kiev towards the end of April. Reports indicate that aid from previous packages has already arrived at the frontline. The latest batch will be delivered "as quickly as possible" to aid the Ukrainian military's defense and protection of its people. Since the onset of the Russian conflict against Ukraine more than two years ago, the US has already provided over 50 billion dollars in military aid to Kiev, the Pentagon states.
20:30 Compulsory Military Training in RussiaStarting with the current school year, Russian children and teenagers will be required to learn another subject: "Fundamentals of Life Safety". This seemingly harmless curriculum includes lessons on military skills such as shooting and treatment of injuries.
19:55 "Ground Realities": Putin sets terms for Ukraine negotiationsRussian President Vladimir Putin, who initiated the conflict against Ukraine more than two years ago, has again expressed his purported readiness for negotiations - on the condition that it's not regarding the return of seized territories, in violation of international law. "Now, people are talking about the need to return to negotiations," Putin said during a visit to his ally, Belarus, reported by Interfax agency. "Let's go back to them. But not based on what one side wants, but (...) on the basis of the realities that have arisen on the ground"(refer to entry from 12:22 p.m.). Russia has pursued war against Ukraine since February 2022 and currently occupies about a fifth of its neighboring country. Ukraine has made clear that the withdrawal of Russian troops from its land is a requirement for a permanent peace.
For a recap of prior developments, read this. [link]
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- The cyberwar between Ukraine and Russia intensified further, with allegations of Ukrainian drones targeting a crucial Russian radar station, raising concerns about potential escalation.
- Amidst the Ukraine conflict and military operations, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg suggested loosening restrictions on supplying weapons to Ukraine, stating that self-defense is a legitimate activity under the UN Charter.
- Ex-Russian ambassador to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, accused the US of knowing about or orchestrating the attack on a Russian radar facility in Ukraine, a crucial component of their military's nuclear forces control.
- The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Selensky, praised his military's accomplishments near Kharkiv, coinciding with reports of US and German military aid deliveries to support Ukraine in its ongoing defense against Russian aggression.
Source: www.ntv.de