13:58: The secret service is believed to be behind the attack on a Russian super fighter jet.
The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) claims responsibility for a drone attack on a Russian combat jet 600 kilometers from the border in southern Russia. A source from the SBU says the attack was carried out with a domestic-made drone. The SBU, which is part of the Defense Ministry, is known for its daring operations on Russian soil and in Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine.
13:27 Kremlin aiming to rename occupied territories "Novorossiya" - The Russian government intends to unite the occupied territories in four southeastern oblasts and the Crimean Peninsula into a federal district called "Novorossiya." The head of the regional military administration of Luhansk, Artem Lysohor, made the announcement on Telegram. "The locals are not offered the option to choose a name as there's only one option available - Novorossiya," Lysohor writes. He highlights that such territorial units lack legal standing. After the holidays, schoolchildren will learn local history based on a Russian textbook.
12:57 Ukrainian Military: Permission to strike Russian territory 'changed the course of the conflict' - A Ukrainian brigade commander acknowledged that the permission granted to use Western weapons against Russia greatly impacted the conflict, ultimately benefiting the Ukrainian armed forces. Commander Yuriy Fedorenko discussed this in an interview with Radio NV. "We were granted the opportunity to perform important tasks like electronic reconnaissance, electronic warfare, air defence, and - most significantly - to neutralize the S-300 and S-400 systems that consistently targeted Kharkiv," he mentioned. In the view of the military, this recent approval from Western nations is just the start. Expanding the scope of strikes to deeper Russian territory is the next step.
12:35 Ukraine: 103 Russian attacks on settlements and infrastructure since yesterday - The Ukrainian military reports 103 Russian attacks on settlements in Ukraine and 93 on infrastructure since yesterday. According to the report, Russia struck ten oblasts. In the regions of Kharkiv, Kherson, and Izium, at least three people were killed, houses were destroyed, and a school was damaged.
12:09 Increase in female representation in the Ukrainian Army - Over 67,000 women currently serve in the Ukrainian Army, mainly as soldiers. Despite the recent mobilization not targeting women, the number of female members in the army has increased by 40 percent, as per the Defense Ministry. Unlike before, many of the women are now willing to engage in combat roles like shooting, operating artillery systems, or piloting drones. The government now recognizes the need to provide women with career opportunities.
11:31 Ukrainian government to register explosive and mined areas in state registry - The Ukrainian authorities plan to record explosive and mined areas in a government registry to monitor the demining status of areas in real time. This is particularly critical for farmers to determine if their land remains contaminated or has been cleared. In the war-torn regions, there are persistent dangers following the conflict. "We have North Korean ammunition from the 50s with a faulty rate of over 30 percent," says security expert Gustav Gressel. "The post-war situation in Ukraine will resemble a vast area filled with landmines."
10:55 Survey: 60% of Germans support the return of conscription - 60% of people surveyed by YouGov on behalf of "Welt am Sonntag" expressed their support for reinstating conscription in Germany. 28% fully support the idea, while 32% support it to a certain extent. At the same time, 32% reject the idea altogether - 18% not entirely and 14% completely. Conscription has not been in effect since 2011. In light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the debate regarding augmenting the Bundeswehr has escalated.
10:32 Ukraine: First successful strike on Russia's most advanced fighter jet - Ukrainian military intelligence reports a successful strike on a Su-57 fighter jet. The aircraft reportedly sustained damage during an attack on an airfield in the Astrakhan region, near the border. The Su-57 is Russia's most advanced fighter jet, capable of carrying cruise missiles. Few have been deployed for service.
10:11 ISW: Russian forces inadequate for summer offensive - The US Institute for the Study of War (ISW) notes that Russia is mobilizing 30,000 soldiers per month, some of whom are being deployed as reinforcements to the front. Despite this, the analysts contend that the reinforcements won't suffice for large-scale offensive operations across multiple fronts during the summer. These new reservists will not be capable of serving in the front lines or as support forces required for a massive offensive.
In May, around 174 civilians were killed and about 690 got injured in Ukraine. This is the highest monthly number of civilian casualties in a year, as reported by the UN mission in Ukraine. The surge in civilian casualties is attributed to the intense attacks by the Russian troops on the Kharkiv region. Actually, half of the victims come from this particular part of the country.
8:50 Russia planning to offer officer training in occupied Ukrainian territories?
Apparently, Russia intends to provide officer training in the currently occupied Ukrainian territories. The news comes from the Kyiv Post and is based on a report by the Ukrainian Special Forces. These trained officers will be up for good positions with a contract. It's thought that the courses will focus mainly on electronic warfare which includes working closely with radar and even jamming devices. The Russian army has been using extensive jammers to such a degree that Western precision weapons hardly ever reach their target.
8:19 Ukrainian General Staff reveals 1,270 casualties on the Russian side
The Ukrainian General Staff has observed 1,270 Russian casualties in the course of the past 24 hours. The casualty count after the total invasion, according to the Ukrainians, totals to more than 518,000. Additionally, 26 Russian tanks were destroyed along with their armored vehicles, 60 artillery systems, and two air defense systems. According to the General Staff, 37 drones were also taken down.
7:40 Ukrainians threatening to repel Russian advances in the north
Russia has been amassing troops near the northeastern border of Ukraine. Wovchansk, just a short distance from Kharkiv, has been under heavy bombardment for a while now. Experts predict a more significant attack in the region. However, it looks like the Ukrainians are successful in blocking the Russian advance there.
7:27 NATO planning to set up a permanent representative in Kyiv, aims to provide more reliable aid
The NATO is considering setting up a permanent representative in Kyiv. This "high-ranking civilian representative" would manage NATO's assistance for Ukraine without putting forth any membership demands. This move is expected as it seems unlikely that the NATO countries would agree on inviting Ukraine to discuss membership at the upcoming Washington summit. NATO is now looking for measures that are below such a commitment and could have a more influential impact on Ukraine.
6:55 Ukraine aims to increase direct cooperation with arms manufacturers
The Ukrainian government has apparently begun a new strategy when it comes to working with arms manufacturers. Ukraine wants to establish more direct relationships with the manufacturers. Deputy Defense Minister Dmytro Klimenkov signed a contract with a Bulgarian company over the weekend, according to the news site "Ukrinform." "This allows us to receive modern weapons directly from the manufacturer, thus speeding up and making more efficient the modernization of the Ukrainian Army," Klimenkov mentioned.
6:19 Austrian Minister: Germany has "crossed the red line"
Austrian Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner believes, as reported by "Die Presse," that Germany, France, and the United States have "crossed the red line" by permitting Kiev to use Western weapons on Russian territory. She's glad that NATO, per Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, won't be sending troops to Ukraine. Tanner declined to comment on the need for Ukraine to defend itself from artillery fire from the Russian border. "As a militarily neutral state, it isn't our duty to judge this."
5:38 Federal Government sees risks in Macron’s plan?
Due to security concerns, the German Government disagrees with French President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to send European soldiers to Ukraine to train their forces in the future. "The training in the EU offers security, but the risk of having training facilities attacked in Ukraine reduces efficiency," quotes the "Welt am Sonntag" an internal EU document that they have access to. The German government had security concerns at the meeting of European Defense Ministers on May 28.
4:37 Ukrainian Army: Russians making an attempt to break through
Totaling 76 conflicts in the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian General Staff recorded them. The most critical situation can be found at the Army Front in Pokrowsk. The Russians are attempting to penetrate from Otscheretyne to Evheniwka and Nowooleksandriwka, reports the Ukraine Army command in Kiev.
1:42 Coffin draped with graffiti honoring fallen soldier in Paris?
Three Moldovans are now in custody on suspicion of having graffitied a coffin in memory of a fallen soldier in Paris. They've accused each other of being involved in the incident, which is being labeled a "ritualistic act." The coffin, bearing the Russian flag, was found in the laundry room of a Paris apartment block. The apartment had been rented by the soldiers; the deceased, a Ukrainian national, being buried in Pobedy, a Moscow suburb.
Following the appearance of a soldier's coffin graffiti in Paris, three individuals from Moldova are being held in custody. The investigation continues, and the possibility of external influence is not discounted, a representative of the prosecutor's office says. On Friday, graffiti depicting a coffin and the phrase "French soldier in Ukraine" surfaced on numerous buildings in the French capital. Over the weekend, three Moldovans were apprehended, possessing paint cans and stencils. Only recently, coffins marked "French soldiers in Ukraine" were set up at the Eiffel Tower. Three suspects have been taken into custody, one of whom is German.
00:39 UN reveals 174 civilians lost their lives in Ukraine during May
A statement from the United Nations reveals that May witnessed the most civilian deaths in Ukraine since June 2023, with at least 174 civilians killed. Ukraine accuses Russia of intentionally bombing residential areas near the front lines to coerce evacuations. Russia refuted the accusations of deliberately targeting civilians.
23:24 Ambulance assault reported: Drone drops explosives
According to Ukrainian accounts, the driver of an ambulance was injured when Russian troops used a drone to drop explosives on the ambulance. The attack occurred in Biloserka community in the southern part of the country, as disclosed by the governor of the Oblast Kherson.
22:23 Ukrainian Prosecutor General: 90% of returned prisoners of war endured torture
Torturing prisoners of war or civilians is alleged to be rampant in the Russian military. Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin believes that up to 90% of returned Ukrainian prisoners of war were subjected to various forms of torture, physical, including sexual, and psychological violence, as per Euromaidan Press. "The initial screening - an informal conversation with the returning military prisoners - reveals that up to 90% of our people encountered various forms of torture, dehumanizing treatment, physical, including sexual, and psychological violence," Prosecutor General Kostin states.
21:42 Zelenskyy regards Russian Kharkiv offensive as a failure
From President Zelenskyy's perspective, the Russian offensive in the Kharkiv region has not succeeded. In his evening address, he stated that he had discussed the general frontline situation with Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. An important outcome, according to the president, is that the Russian troops did not carry out their operation in Kharkiv. "We are doing our best to keep them at bay and to ruin the units of Russian invaders that are entering our country and terrorizing the Kharkiv region," Zelenskyy commented. The situation in Donetsk region remains the most challenging.
Read also:
- After the attack on a Russian super fighter jet, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the military, stating that their recent permission to use Western weapons against Russia had significantly impacted the conflict.
- Regarding the Ukraine conflict, Nato is considering establishing a permanent representative in Kyiv to provide more reliable aid, as offering membership demands seems unlikely for the upcoming Washington summit.
- Concerns over the safety of EU soldiers training in Ukraine led the German Government to disagree with French President Emmanuel Macron's plan, believing that training facilities could be targeted, reducing efficiency.
- Russia is suspected of planning to offer officer training in the currently occupied Ukrainian territories, potentially impacting the military balance in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
