NTV reporter Sharma mentions that there exist valid military targets within the Russian interior.
The US authorizes Ukraine to utilize American weapons against targets situated on Russian land under certain predicaments. This shift in policy is stirring controversy among NATO nations. NTV journalist Kavita Sharma conveys from Kharkiv, Ukraine.
12:01 Pistorius: No renewed debate over Taurus rockets for UkraineGerman Defense Minister Boris Pistorius justifies the German administration's decision to license German weapons against Russian military targets as a "tactical adaptation to altering circumstances." In an encounter with his Moldovan counterpart Anatolie Nosatii in the capital Chisinau, the SPD politician stated, "This decision is valid. It's what we've been doing ever since the start of the war Putin is waging against Ukraine." Pistorius vowed that there will be no discussion reopened concerning the provision of long-range German missiles of the Taurus sort to Ukraine. He referred to the border still being in place, even following the remarks of their partners and themselves.
11:46 -Strack-Zimmermann still wishes for TaurusThe outgoing chairwoman of the German Parliamentary Defense Committee, FDP politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, still remains hopeful for a revival of the debate on whether Germany ought to provide Ukraine with Taurus missiles. Though her optimism on the matter is restricted, the FDP's prospective candidate for the European election in Berlin agreeably alluded to the Russian assaults on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, maintaining that unpredictability is vital during these times.
11:32 Munz: Nuclear threat - "Kremlin is in a quandary"Since the commencement of the war, Putin has made threats against Europe and NATO. In the discussion over the use of Western weapons, the Kremlin chief also cautions. Nonetheless, various nations continue to aid Ukraine despite all these warnings. Rainer Munz, NTV correspondent, asserts that Putin only has one imminent choice left, which isn't really a choice at all.
11:19 Zelenskyy: Russian troops jeer Ukrainians and "hunt" themUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy affirmed in an interview with the British newspaper "Guardian" that the delay in US President Joe Biden's decision to use Western weapons against targets in Russia induced Russian troops to deride Ukrainians and "hunt" them. According to Zelenskyy, the White House's hesitations have caused fatalities. "I consider it straightforwardly irrational that we possess weapons and the perpetrators who slaughter us are on the Russian side," he stated. "I trust that sometimes they simply chuckle at this circumstance. It's like they're pursuing people. They understand we can observe them, but we cannot reach them."
11:08 Orban: NATO is escalating closer to war every week
Several weeks following the inception of the NATO, the military alliance is progressively moving toward war, according to the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The strategies of the military alliance to become more involved in the war in Ukraine invoke reminiscences of a fireman attempting to extinguish a fire with a flamethrower, declares Orban. It's incomprehensible logic. A NATO intervention in Ukraine would generate the risk of a global war rather than fortifying the alliance's member states, states Orban. The Hungarian prime minister maintains affable friendships with the Russian government and has been at odds with Western governments over their support for Ukraine since the Russian invasion in February 2022. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg declared yesterday at a gathering of the alliance's foreign ministers in Prague that it was now the right moment for members to mull over certain constraints on the utilization of arms they have provided to Ukraine.
10:51 Berlin grants Ukraine clearance to deploy German weapons against targets in Russia
The German government grants Ukraine permission to use weapons transferred by Germany against Russian military targets. This was divulged by spokesman Steffen Hebestreit in Berlin.
10:46 Insider: Zelenskyy to be present at security conference in Singapore this weekend
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is believed to be in attendance at a security conference in Singapore this weekend. Six exclusive resources conversant with the situation relayed to Reuters that Ukraine's plight will be one of the key themes at the so-called Shangri-La Dialogue, the most notable annual gathering on security matters in Asia. United States Defense Minister Lloyd Austin and his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun are also taking part. Zelenskyy advocates for participation in a Switzerland-hosted international conference dedicated to identifying strategies for concluding the war. Zelenskyy reportedly rebukes Russia for trying to obstruct other countries from joining.
China desires a truce conference featuring both Russia and Ukraine's participation. The Chinese Foreign Ministry's spokesperson, Mao Ning, asserts that these requests are just and unbiased; they're not intended to target anyone. According to Reuters, China will not participate in the Ukraine peace conference in mid-June in Switzerland, scheduled at Ukraine's request. Russia won't be present and hasn't been invited. China highly values that Switzerland is organizing Ukraine's first peace conference and has been collaborating with the Swiss side and all involved parties since the beginning of this year. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov suggested China could organize a peace summit.
10:04 Ukranian troops have retreated in Kharkiv's region, states Russian Defense Minister Belousov. In May, the Russian military took control of more than 28 settlements in Ukraine, as per Interfax, citing the minister. This year, they've secured a total land area of 880 square kilometers.
09:52 Energy facilities in Kiev received damage from a Russian rocket attack. DTEK disclosed a power plant was destroyed, and the Holosiyivskyi district's power grid was harmed. Some residences remain without power. Russian forces launched their assault with drones and Iskander short-range ballistic missiles, says the Ukrainian Air Force.
09:28 The Ukrainian General Staff reported an oil depot in the Russian Black Sea port of Kavkaz was targeted. The organization claims Ukrainian forces defeated several Neptune missiles of Ukrainian origin. The amount of harm caused is still unknown. Additionally, two ferries close to the Kerch Bridge had been targeted as well. Kavkaz is situated on the Tuzla Island near Kerch City on the Ukrainian Crimean Peninsula, which was taken over by Russia.
08:54 NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg views no escalation risk arising from the US's choice to allow Ukraine to attack Russian targets. "Russia itself is intensifying by assaulting another nation," he told the NATO Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Prague. Moreover, Stoltenberg urged Germany and other countries to allow such offensive operations with weapons provided from these countries. "Ukraine has the right to self-defense and that includes the right to assault legitimate military targets in Russia," Stoltenberg emphasized. It's even more crucial given the ongoing combat in a region next to the Russian border.
08:41 Ukrainian Air Force shot down four Shahed drones and a Iskander cruise missile during the night, says Oleschtchuk, their commander. The Ukrainian air defense units and mobile artillery units downed four Shahed drones in the regions of Kiev, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk, as well as one Iskander cruise missile in the Kiev area.
08:09 Following a Russian rocket attack on Charkiv, the numbers of civilians killed have risen to four, with 25 more injured. Gov. Oleh Syniehubov disclosed the information through Telegram. "Unfortunately, another body was found in the destroyed building. There are now four deceased," he stated, reported by Ukrinform.
07:31 Kiev reports that 1390 Russian soldiers have passed away or are no longer fit for duty one day. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry claims these soldiers were eliminated. Since the invasion in February 2022, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry claims 507,650 Russian soldiers have been "eliminated." The Ukrainian Defense Ministry's day-to-day accounts of Russian losses report an extra 18 tanks (7728). Since the Russian invasion's inception, Ukraine has tallied close to 15,000 armored vehicles and near 10,500 drones that are no longer in possession of Russia or have been destroyed. These figures are unconfirmed. Russia keeps its own loss data in Ukraine concealed.
07:14 Russia saw more wounded soldiers from a Ukrainian air attack on Krasnodar.
Two individuals sustained injuries as a result of an air assault on oil facilities in the southern area of Russia known as Krasnodar. This information was provided by local officials. The governor of the region, Veniamin Kondratyev, made an announcement via Telegram, stating that the infrastructure of an oil depot in Temryuk was harmed. It is said that falling debris from downed drones triggered a fire, which was later successfully extinguished. The Russian Defense Ministry revealed that five rockets and 29 drones were destroyed by air defenses, which were fired by Ukraine at Krasnodar in the wee hours of the morning. Additionally, the Ministry reported that drones were shot down in the areas of Voronezh, Belgorod, and Tambov.
06:48 Explosions reported overnight in the Crimea
Overnight, the Russian-occupied Crimea experienced multiple explosions, as noted by the Telegram channel Crimean Wind. As quoted by the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform, the report states, "There are again explosions in Port Kavkaz, residents of Kerch have heard eight to ten explosions." There is a report of a fire in an oil depot at the port. Previously, there had already been reports of a significant fire in the port. The Ukrainian General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine claims that two ferries from Kerch were struck by ATACMS missiles.
06:17 US Military: Russia Utilizes North Korean Rockets in Ukraine
The US military has conducted an analysis of debris and concluded that Russia is using North Korean rockets in its war against Ukraine. The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) issued a statement, asserting, "The analysis confirms that Russia is using ballistic missiles from North Korea in its war against Ukraine. North Korean missile debris has been found throughout Ukraine."
04:34 USA Perceives China's Support for Russia as a Menace to Europe
The US government regards China's support for Russia as a danger to European safety. The US, along with its G7 partners and other E.U. and NATO countries, sees China's backing for Russia as not only detrimental to Ukraine's security, but also to European security, according to the deputy spokesperson of the US State Department, Vedant Patel, during a press conference. Washington accused China's leadership the day before for supporting Russia's war in Ukraine and issued threats for more Western sanctions. "If China does not limit its support for the Russian arms industry, the US is prepared to take more measures," Patel said.
02:50 Rocket Hits Residential Building: Three Civilians Died in Kharkiv
In the night, Russia fired rockets from Belgorod towards Kharkiv. Local authorities reported five hits within the city, including a five-story residential building. Close to 20 residential buildings are said to have been damaged, as reported by Ukrainska Pravda. The deaths of three people and injuries to 16 others occurred in the rocket attack. Among the wounded are two children.
01:46 SPD Politician Advocates for Use of Western Weapons Against Military Targets in Russia by Ukraine
The SPD foreign policy politician Nils Schmid wants to permit Ukraine to use Western weapons against military targets in Russia. "It makes sense to remove the restriction on targets within Russian territory," said the foreign policy spokesperson of the SPD parliamentary group to the newspapers of the Funke Media Group. "The NATO allies need to decide this jointly."
00:06 Scholz Opposes Deployment of German Soldiers in Ukraine and Engagement in No-Fly Zone
Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejects the deployment of German soldiers in Ukraine and participation in a no-fly zone. "We don't want to get our soldiers involved," he remarked during a meet-and-greet with the Thuringian Allgemeine in Erfurt. This notion also applies to "the dangerous" suggestion of a no-fly zone, he added, which would entail shooting down planes of another country with one's own aircraft. "Then you're at war." Scholz emphasized that efforts should be taken to prevent a war between NATO and Russia. "The German chancellor is quite certain on this point." This position was also espoused by US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron.
22:25 Insider: Biden Allows Use of US Weapons in Russia - With Restrictions
It has been revealed by an insider that the US allows Ukraine to utilize US weapons against Russia - but only within the area of Kharkiv. According to a US government representative, this represents a change in position from US President Joe Biden, who previously refused to grant Ukraine permission to deploy US weapons for attacks within Russia. The restriction that Ukraine should not use the provided weapons for offensives within Russia remains in place.
22:06 Ukrainian Storm Brigade Shows Street Battles in Vovchansk
The Liut Brigade, a police unit of the Ukrainian armed forces, is currently safeguarding the city of Vovchansk in the region of Kharkiv, along with other troops. The brigade has now shared a video that depicts battles inside the city. According to the brigade, the video demonstrates soldiers from the Storm Regiment Tsunami preventing Russian soldiers from seizing a building.
Read also:
- The US has authorized Ukraine to use American weapons against Russian targets within certain parameters, a decision that is stirring controversy within NATO nations.
- Russian Defense Minister Belousov has announced that Ukrainian troops have retreated in Kharkiv's region, following a month of intense military operations and numerous attacks on Ukraine by Russian forces.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned of a nuclear threat, as tensions escalate due to NATO aiding Ukraine in its conflict against Russian military forces.
- In response to the conflict in Ukraine and the potential use of Western weapons against Russian targets, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius defended Germany's decision to provide weapons for use against Russian military targets, emphasizing that it's a "tactical adaptation" to changing circumstances.
