13:41 China refuses to attend Ukraine peace discussions.
China has indicated that it won't participate in the Ukraine peace conference arranged by Switzerland as the conference's design doesn't match its expectations and those of the international community, making it challenging for China to take part. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning in Beijing stated that the concerns have been conveyed to the relevant parties. Mao added, "According to the reports of all parties and the announced setup of the meeting, it seems that the three elements proposed by China are difficult to realize." China has these three elements in mind: acceptance of the conference by both Russia and Ukraine, equal participation of all parties, and a fair discussion of all peace options.
13:21: Scholz: "Precaution is necessary; a substantial war must be prevented"German Chancellor Olaf Scholz defends his policy after allowing Ukraine to use German weapons against Russian targets. Scholz, speaking at the Catholic Congress in Erfurt, stated, "We must avoid a significant war - a war between Russia and NATO." He also emphasized the need for ensuring Ukraine's independence and sovereignty. An escalation can't be prevented "without caution," he said, adding that it's crucial to coordinate carefully with allies.
13:07: Kurmasheva's detention extended by Russian courtA Russian court has extended the detention of US journalist Alsu Kurmasheva until early August. Her defense lawyers' application to release her on house arrest was rejected by the district court in Kazan. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported that Kurmasheva, who works for the Tatar program of the broadcaster, has been prevented from leaving Russia for a year and has been in prison since October. The broadcaster condemned her imprisonment and called it a vengeful measure for her journalistic work.
12:43: Medvedev cautions the West: Nuclear weapons use not a bluffRussia threatens to use nuclear weapons in the Ukraine conflict now that Western restrictions on supplying Ukraine with weapons have been relaxed. Former President Dmitry Medvedev warned the West about the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons designed for battlefield use. The conflict could escalate into a total war, he cautioned. A leading Russian lawmaker also told the West of an asymmetrical war. Medvedev's remarks come after a change in Western policies regarding the conditions for Ukraine to use Western weapons. Until now, it was assumed that they couldn't be used against targets in Russia. US government sources claim that President Joe Biden has now authorized the use of US weapons against targets in Russia supporting the Russian offensive in northeastern Ukrainian city Kharkiv. These could be planes launching missiles at Kharkiv from Russian territory. Germany is also giving Ukraine the freedom to defend itself in Kharkiv.
12:17 ntv-reporter Sharma on US weapons: "Russian targets in the hinterland are legitimate military targets"The United States is allowing Ukraine to use American weapons against Russia under specific circumstances. This decision has been causing a stir among NATO nations. NTV reporter Kavita Sharma, filing from Kharkiv, discusses the issue.
12:00 Pistorius: No new debate over Taurus missiles for UkraineGermany's Defense Minister Boris Pistorius justifies the government's decision to allow the use of German weapons against Russian military targets as a "strategic adjustment to changing circumstances." Pistorius, speaking at a meeting with his Moldovan counterpart Anatolie Nosatii in Chisinau, declared, "This decision is right. It's what we have been doing since the beginning of the war Putin started against Ukraine." Pistorius added that the debate over providing Ukraine with long-range German missiles like Taurus won't be renewed by the government. The minister clarified that the debate would focus on missiles with several hundred kilometers range. "The border is still the same, even after our own and our partners' statements."
11:46: Strack-Zimmermann: Still hopeful for TaurusOutgoing chairwoman of the Bundestag Defense Committee, FDP politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, is hopeful that the discussion over providing Ukraine with Taurus missiles might resume. While her confidence is limited, she believes that the situation is fluid, given the Russian attacks on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. The West's support for Ukraine is predictable, and "at these times, one should not be predictable," Strack-Zimmermann said.
Since the beginning of the war, Putin has constantly made threats against Europe and NATO. He also warned about the use of Western weapons during a debate. However, despite all the warnings, countries are still aiding Ukraine. Putin's only remaining option, according to NTV reporter Rainer Munz, is not actually an option.
11:19 Zelenskyy: Russian troops mock Ukrainians, "hunt" them
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in an interview with the British newspaper "Guardian" that the delay in President Biden's decision to use Western weapons against Russian targets has led Kremlin forces to mock the Ukrainians and "hunt" them. According to Zelenskyy, the White House's hesitations have cost lives. "I find it completely illogical that we have weapons and the murderers, the terrorists who are killing us, are on the Russian side," said Zelenskyy. "Sometimes they just laugh at this situation. It's like a hunt. A hunt for people. They know we can see them, but we can't reach them."
11:08 Orban: NATO moving closer to war every week
The NATO is getting closer to war every week, as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban predicts. NATO's plans to engage more in the Ukraine conflict remind him of a firefighter attempting to extinguish a fire with a flamethrower. It's absurd. A NATO intervention in Ukraine could potentially cause a world war rather than safeguarding the alliance's member states, Orban points out. The Hungarian prime minister has a good relationship with the Russian government and has been at odds with Western nations since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022 regarding their support for Ukraine. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stated yesterday at a meeting of the alliance's foreign ministers in Prague that it was time for member nations to consider restrictions on the use of weapons they've provided to Ukraine.
10:51 Germany grants Ukraine permission to use German weapons against Russian targets
The German government has granted Ukraine permission to use German-supplied weapons against Russian military targets. This was confirmed by spokesman Steffen Hebestreit in Berlin.
10:46 Insider: Zelenskyy to attend security conference in Singapore this weekend
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to attend the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore this weekend. Six sources informed Reuters about Zelenskyy's participation, reporting that support for Ukraine will be a major topic. American Defense Minister Lloyd Austin and his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun will also be present. Ukraine is trying to gain participation in its peace conference, organized by Switzerland, which Zelenskyy claims Russia is trying to prevent from happening.
10:16 China: Our requests for a peace conference are fair
China is calling for a peace conference with the participation of both Russia and Ukraine. These requests are fair and impartial, says Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning. They do not target any specific party. Reuters reported that China will not participate in the Ukraine Peace Summit in mid-June in Switzerland. This conference is being held at Ukraine's request, and Russia will not participate or be invited. "China regards the first Ukraine peace summit hosted by Switzerland as highly important," Mao adds. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov suggested that China could organize a peace conference.
10:04 Russian Defense Minister Beloussov: Ukrainian troops retreat in Kharkiv
According to Russian Defense Minister Andrei Beloussov, the Ukrainian armed forces have retreated in significant areas in the Kharkiv region in the northeast by around eight to nine kilometers. Back in May, the Russian military had taken control of more than 28 settlements in Ukraine, reports the state news agency Interfax, citing the minister. They had captured a total area of 880 square kilometers this year.
09:52 Energy facilities in Kyiv damaged by Russian rocket attack
Several energy facilities in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv have been damaged by a Russian rocket attack. The energy company DTEK reports that a power plant has been destroyed, and the power grid in the Holosiivskyi district has been damaged. Some private homes still have no power. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian armed forces attacked with drones and ballistic short-range missiles of the type Iskander.
09:28 Ukrainian General Staff: Russian depot in Black Sea port of Kavkaz targeted
The Russian oil depot in the Black Sea port of Kavkaz has been attacked, according to the Ukrainian General Staff.
Ukrainian forces targeted an oil depot in the Russian Black Sea port of Kavkaz during the night, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces stated. Previously, onlookers reported explosions and a big fire in the port of Kavkaz on social media, with several clips supposedly showing the attack. The depot was damaged by a few Neptune missiles of Ukrainian production, as reported by the General Staff. There isn't any more information on the damage's extent at this time. Additionally, Ukrainian forces also targeted two ferries near the Kerch Bridge. The port of Kavkaz is positioned on the island of Tuzla, near the city of Kerch on the Ukrainian territory in Crimea that Russia has occupied.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg saw no escalation risk due to the US's decision to allow Ukraine limited strikes on Russian targets, despite this. "Russia escalates by assaulting another country," Stoltenberg asserted during the NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting in Prague. He also urged Germany and other countries to allow comparable attacks with weaponry they have supplied. "Ukraine has the right to self-defense, which includes the right to attack lawful military targets in Russia," reaffirmed Stoltenberg. The situation in the Kharkiv region near the Russian border, which is witnessing fighting, makes this more crucial.
The Ukrainian Air Force's air defense units successfully intercepted four Russian Shahed attack drones and one Iskander-K cruise missile during the night, according to Mykola Oleschtschuk, the commander of the Ukrainian Air Force. They used Ukrainian air defense missile systems and mobile artillery groups to shoot down four Shahed drones in Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk, as well as an Iskander-K missile in Kyiv.
A fourth victim was found among the ruins following a Russian rocket strike in Kharkiv. The number of casualties increased to four, with 25 more people injured as a result. The governor of the Kharkiv region, Oleh Syniehubov, announced this via Telegram, according to the Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform. "Unfortunately, another body was discovered in the destroyed building. Now there are four fatalities," Syniehubov said.
Within a day, Kyiv claims 1,390 Russian soldiers have been killed or have become unable to fight. According to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, 507,650 Russian soldiers have been "eliminated" since the conflict began in February 2022, and 18 more tanks (7,728) have perished. Since the start of the Russian invasion, Ukraine has documented nearly 15,000 armored vehicles and around 10,500 drones no longer in the possession of the Russian army or that have been destroyed.
In the southern Russian region of Krasnodar, two people were harmed in a Ukrainian air attack on oil facilities, according to local authorities. Governor of the region Veniamin Kondratyev announced via Telegram that the infrastructure of an oil depot in the Temrjuk district was damaged. This caused a fire from the falling debris of shot-down drones. In the Krasnodar region, the Russian Defense Ministry stated they destroyed five rockets and 29 drones fired by Ukraine on the area early in the morning. Similar drone attacks were also reported in Voronezh, Belgorod, and Tambov.
Eyewitnesses reported a series of explosions in the occupied Crimea overnight. The Crimean Wind Telegram channel reported the news, citing residents of Kerch who heard eight to ten explosions. A fire is reported at an oil depot in Port Kavkaz. The port had previously experienced a large fire. The Ukrainian General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said two ferries from Kerch were struck by ATACMS missiles.
4:34 AM: US: China's backing of Russia poses threat to Europe
The US government sees China's support for Russia as a threat to European security as well. The US, joined by G7 partners and other EU and NATO countries, believes that China's backing of Russia "not only risks Ukraine but also European security." Vedant Patel, a deputy spokesperson for the US State Department, stated this during a press conference. The US had accused the Chinese leadership of supporting Russia's war in Ukraine the day prior and warned of possible further sanctions. If China doesn't curtail its support for the Russian arms industry, the US prepared to take additional measures, Patel added.
2:50 AM: Rocket strikes residential building in Kharkiv: 3 civilians dead, 16 injured
Russia launched rockets from Belgorod towards Kharkiv at night, according to local authorities. There were five recorded hits in the city, including one on a five-story residential building. A total of 20 residential buildings sustained damage, as reported by Ukrainian newspaper Ukrayinska Pravda, which shared images. Three people lost their lives in the rocket attack, 16 others were injured. Two children were also among the injured.
1:46 AM: SPD politician advocates for using Western weapons on Russian military targets
SPD foreign policy spokesman Nils Schmid supports allowing Ukraine to use Western weapons against Russian military targets. "It's reasonable to lift the restriction on targets in Russian territory," says the SPD's foreign policy spokesperson to the media outlets in the Funke Media Group. "This decision should be made by NATO allies collectively."
12:06 AM: Scholz dismisses idea of sending German soldiers to Ukraine, establishing no-fly zone
Chancellor Olaf Scholz dismisses the notion of sending German soldiers to Ukraine or participating in a no-fly zone. "We don't want our soldiers to be involved," he said at a meeting with the "Thuringian General" in Erfurt. "This applies as well to the reckless idea of a no-fly zone." Scholz said that this would entail shooting down aircraft of other nations using one's own aircraft. "Then you're in a war." It was crucial for NATO and Russia to avoid conflict. "The German chancellor is firm on this issue," Scholz emphasized. This stance was shared by US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron as well.
10:25 PM: Insider: Biden permits use of US weapons in Russia - with limitations
The US is reportedly allowing the use of US weapons in Russia by Ukraine, though only in the Kharkiv area. This information was shared by a US government representative. This marks a shift in Biden's stance on the issue, who had so far denied Ukraine the use of US weapons for attacks within Russia. The restriction on Ukraine's own long-range missiles and other ammunition for offensives within Russia remains unchanged, according to US government sources.
10:06 PM: Ukrainian Liut Brigade shares footage of street fighting in Vovchansk
The Liut Brigade, a Ukrainian police unit, is defending the city of Vovchansk in the Kharkiv border region alongside other troops. The unit has now released a video that shows what they claim to be street fighting within the city. According to the brigade, the clip depicts soldiers of the Tsunami Storm Regiment repelling Russian soldiers from occupying a building.
Read also:
- Russia has increased the threat of using cyberwarfare in the Ukraine conflict, raising concerns among military experts and NATO allies.
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of engaging in an attack on Ukraine's cyber infrastructure, a move that could escalate the ongoing military operations.
- Russia's military has reportedly used cyberattacks against Ukraine's critical infrastructure, underscoring the threat of cyberwar in this conflict and the need for NATO to bolster its cyberdefenses.
- Nato leaders have acknowledged the risk of cyberwarfare in the Ukraine conflict and are working closely with Ukraine to foster a resilient cybersecurity posture, with Volodymyr Selenskyy at the forefront in efforts to protect the country's digital infrastructure.
