Pistorius aims to prepare the Bundeswehr for war by 2029.
Defense Minister Pistorius seeks to bolster Bundeswehr readiness amid Russian threat, calling for German soldiers to be prepared for war by 2029. The mission involves securing finances, equipment, and personnel. He suggests the need for a "new form of conscription," where the no-obligation element doesn't exist. In 2011, conscription was suspended in Germany. Public interest in potential reintroduction is growing.
15:17 Poland: Commission initiated to investigate Russian infiltration in past two decades
Twelve security-focused experts will investigate potential Russian and Belarusian spy influence in Poland over the last 20 years. Headed by General Jaroslaw Strozyk, this non-politician committee marks Poland's resistance against Russia due to its support for Ukraine and its role as a logistical hub for Western military aid. The nation fears Russian sabotage activities as other EU countries share similar concerns.
14:50 Ukraine: Donetsk suffers attacks, resulting in fatalities and casualties
Ukrainian reports mention Russian assaults in the east of the Ukraine, leaving one dead and five injured in Donetsk. Governor Wadim Filaschkin reveals these details via Telegram. Attacks targeted civilians in Torezk, while another air attack in Selydowe injured one near the front line. President Zelenskyy states that Russian forces are prioritizing Donetsk region attacks. The Kremlin proclaimed Donetsk and three other regions annexed in fall 2022 but lacks complete control.
14:22 Pistorius rebuffs Ukrainian soldiers' deployment in Germany
German Defense Minister assures there'll be no German troops deployed in Ukraine during a Bundestag hearing on July 14. Rüdiger Lucassen, a member of AfD, questioned whether Germany informed EU and France about sending soldiers to Ukraine and whether it had considered this itself. Pistorius provides a categorical denial in response.
13:53 Ukrainian official foresees extensive power outages during winter due to attacks
Ukrainian power plants under Russian attack may cause severe winter-time energy shortages, reports a Ukrainian government representative to the Financial Times. The same individual notes Saturday's damage as "devastating." Since the start of the war, Ukraine's power generation capacity fell by more than 60% - from 55 gigawatts to 20 gigawatts.
13:14 Dying five-year-old in Russian-held village attributed to Ukrainian artillery
A five-year-old girl is reported dead after she was critically injured during Ukrainian artillery fire in a southern Ukrainian village under Russian control. Yevgeny Balitsky, head of the Russian-appointed local administration, announced this on Telegram. The authenticity of this claim requires independent confirmation. The village of Novoslobodskaya was shelled on Tuesday. According to maps, the Ukrainian village is approximately three kilometers behind the front line.
12:25 Swiss fighter jets' motorway landings test war readiness
Swiss Air Force pilots train for potential combat scenarios by landing F/A-18s on a motorway. A successful landing was recorded when planes landed at 260 km/h. The last such exercise occurred in 1991. With growing international tensions, the Air Force wants to be able to turn the tables on enemies even 100 kilometers beyond the border while holding enemy ground-air systems at bay. The activity was also to evaluate post-strike readiness.
12:00 Kiev recognizes conference importance for future collaboration with Harris
Ukraine positively receives Vice President Kamala Harris's commitment to working with Ukraine during a press conference. Preliminary discussions highlight promise for enhanced cooperation and humanitarian assistance.
Ukraine is happy with Vice President Harris' decision to attend the peace conference in Switzerland. The head of the Presidential Administration finds her attendance on June 15 and 16 to be a significant message. Initially, Ukraine had hoped for the presence of US President Biden. He and Ukrainian President Zelensky will meet on Thursday in France, where celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the Allied landing in Normandy are taking place. Another encounter is planned at the G7 summit in Italy the following week.
11:20 Scholz Orders Additional Eurofighters - "Defensive Industry Transformation" Needed
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz calls on the defense industry to increase production capacity in Germany and Europe by providing reliable orders. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the International Aerospace Exhibition (ILA) in Berlin, he announced, "the federal government has a great interest in a strong aerospace industry in Germany and Europe." As a result, the Chancellor adds, "we will order an additional 20 Eurofighters in this legislative period in addition to the 38 aircraft that are still in the pipeline." Scholz advocates for further opportunities, such as exporting the Eurofighter. He strongly supports the preservation and growth of production capacities in the defense industry. Read more here.
10:49 Munz to Peace Conference: "Worldwide Support is Decreasing, Russia is Successful"
As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy seeks participation in the peace conference in Switzerland, Russia is attempting to keep countries from attending. NTV reporter Rainer Munz states that at the beginning of the war, 141 UN member states condemned Russia's attack. However, fewer and fewer countries are now announcing their intentions to attend the summit.
10:05 Has the Kremlin Increased Security Measures for Putin?
The Moscow Times reports that the Kremlin has heightened security measures for President Vladimir Putin. Russian security services have raised already strict security measures to an unparalleled degree, according to two Russian officials who regularly attended Putin's public events. The paper also cites a source close to the Kremlin. Since 2023, Putin has reportedly worn a bulletproof vest at public appearances. Fears of Ukrainian drone attacks or sabotage, as well as the issuance of an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court against Putin, have significantly heightened concerns. One official mentions these same risk factors as reasons for increased security.
09:37 Nikopol Under Fire from Russian Artillery
The Russian army is bombarding Nikopol again, according to the Ukrainian administration. Yesterday evening and early this morning, the city on the Dnipro was attacked with heavy artillery and kamikaze drones, the governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region says. There were no injuries, but five houses and a power line were damaged. Four drones were shot down in the region, the governor adds.
08:54 Drone Surveils Russian Air Defense Warily
Russian air reconnaissance watches Russian operations deep behind the frontlines using their "storks." The reconnaissance unit detects less and less hostile activity. However, Ukrainian drones are venturing deeper into Russian territory and challenging the Russian air defense.
08:26 Putin to Answer Questions from Foreign Journalists
Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet with Western media representatives for the first time since the beginning of his two-year-long war against Ukraine at the international economic forum in St. Petersburg. This media event did not occur in 2022 and 2023. The economic forum runs from Wednesday to Saturday.
07:58 Ukraine: Battles Intense in the East
The Ukrainian military reports a difficult situation at the eastern front. There are reports of heavy attacks northwest of Donetsk. Yesterday, there were 37 attacks in the direction of the city of Pokrovsk, according to the military report. The most active area is Otscheretyne, where Russian forces are attempting to advance in various directions. The village is situated between Donetsk and Pokrovsk.
07:32 Ukraine Faces Another Night of Drone Attacks
The Russian army bombarded Ukraine with drones once more overnight. The Ukrainian armed forces report that they successfully downed 22 of the 27 drones. These downed drones were detected in the south, northeast, and central regions of Ukraine. During a single attack, an industrial facility was damaged and a person was injured in the central Ukrainian region of Poltava, according to regional governor Filip Pronin.
07:00 US citizens with Ukrainian nationality prohibited from leaving Ukraine: The United States advises male US citizens with dual Ukrainian citizenship to refrain from traveling to Ukraine owing to the likelihood of indefinite detention, despite having a US passport. In a US embassy statement, this supposed danger is highlighted. Since the Russian incursion into Ukraine, males between the ages of 18 and 60 have not been authorized to depart the country.
05:58 Ukraine enlisting drone operators in the military: The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense is commencing a program to recruit drone operators for military service. As per the online newspaper "Ukrajinska Prawda," anyone over 18 years old can apply for the position. First, they must complete an online course, master the handling of drones, and then commit to serving in the armed forces.
04:43 NATO Secretary General critiques China: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg criticizes China for its absence from the Ukraine peace negotiations in Switzerland. In an interview with the NDR Info podcast "Streitkräfte und Strategien," the Norwegian states, "It's regrettable that China opted not to participate." This apparent lack of participation is indicative of a larger theme: China's incapability to condemn Russia's violation of international law through its incursion into Ukraine. Stoltenberg adds that in addition to not condemning the invasion, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin recently agreed to an "unlimited partnership," selling each other cutting-edge technology and other supplies to sustain the war economy.
01:45 Biden to meet Zelenskyy twice: United States President Joe Biden will hold two crucial discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as shared by US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. Biden is in France to observe the 80th anniversary of the Allied landing; Zelenskyy is also expected in France. The upcoming G7 summit in Italy will also feature a Biden-Zelenskyy meeting.
00:19 Vovchansk: Russian forces establish filtration camps: According to reports, Russian invaders are setting up "filtration camps" in the disputed city of Vovchansk. As per the governor of the Kharkiv region, Oleh Syniehubov, this information was obtained from the Kyiv Independent. Filtration camps are used to identify and document Ukrainian citizens in the occupied territories, accounting for a history of torture, sexual violence, and deportation. Vovchansk is currently under Russian control, with a limited number of residents remaining and serving as human shields for the enemy.
00:03 Ex-head of Ukrainian arms procurement to face corruption charges: The former head of Ukraine's weapons procurement must attend a court hearing on alleged corruption charges. He has been accused of agreeing to excessively high prices for aircraft components, as disclosed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau in Kiev. This case does not concern the ongoing conflict between the Ukrainian military and Russia's assaults. The accused negotiated rates for aircraft parts with a private firm that were seven times the market value. His business partner has already been prosecuted.
11:34 Moscow raids Navalny memorial event: In Moscow, law enforcement is aggressively quashing gatherings commemorating the late Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on his birthday. As reported by the human rights organization OVD-Info, a special force stormed a venue where several dozen individuals gathered to watch a Navalny memorial concert live from Berlin. Approximately 30 individuals were detained, searched, and interrogated. A short video clip emerged on the media outlet "Sota," showcasing several masked officers advancing. Navalny would have turned 48 today. Read more here.
11:11 Over 600 children killed, over 1,400 injured since war onset: Ukrainians solemnly remembered the children slain during the war. The UN reports that over 600 children have been fatally injured since the war's start in February 2022, while more than 1,400 others have sustained injuries. The United Nations has only managed to confirm these cases out of the total. Ukrainian President's wife Olena Zelenska made a plea to allies during the memorial event in Kiev, requesting support and more weapons. "The lives of children are more crucial than the 'costs of air defense.'"
In a striking development, photos of Roman Horilyk, a Ukrainian soldier from the National Guard, have gone viral on social media platforms. A well-known journalist, Illia Ponomarenko, has shared these images, showcasing Horilyk's severely emaciated state after being released from Russian captivity. "Here's his condition upon his return to Ukraine after the latest prisoner exchange," Ponomarenko writes. Horilyk was taken captive at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and was held in Russian custody for over two years. These chilling images have sparked comparisons with prisoners from German concentration camps. The recurring tragedy serves as a reminder that valuable lessons must be learned.
This evening, satellite images of a Russian S-300/400 air defense system have caught everyone's attention. Moscow has refuted claims of an attack, yet numerous videos and images hint at successful hits on this vital system. Satellite imagery published by Radio Liberty shows burned launch ramps and a damaged command center. Many believe this assault was conducted with a HIMARS multiple rocket launcher provided by the United States. With Washington permitting Ukraine to target Russian territory to defend the Kharkiv region, this incident has generated heightened interest.
In a significant statement, Ukrainian President Zelensky shared his thoughts on his country's critical phase during his evening address. "Although it's only early June, the next few weeks will shape the entire summer and, for many aspects, the entire year," he says. Zelensky refers to the peace summit in Switzerland, international response for Ukraine, EU relations, military situations, and production in the country.
As the European elections approach, Germany has emerged as a primary target of Russian disinformation campaigns, along with France and Poland, according to reports from Brussels. Russian propaganda is particularly focused on immigration and security issues in Germany, EU Vice President Vera Jourova notes. The European Observatory for Online Media (EDMO) has unveiled an evaluation that reaffirms the consistent Russian targeting of these three countries, which collectively represent roughly 145 million eligible voters, constituting nearly 40% of the EU's total voters.
Read also:
- Amidst Germany's preparations for potential war by 2029, Defense Minister Pistorius emphasized the need for NATO to also strengthen its defenses against Russia, considering Ukraine's conflict as a crucial factor.
- President Zelenskyy expressed concern about potential Russian cyberwarfare threats to Ukraine, urging for increased investment in cybersecurity measures, following reports of Russian attacks on Ukrainian power plants.
- After the attack on Ukraine, several European countries, including Germany, have been enhancing their military readiness, with concerns over possible Russian infiltration and intensions towards their territories.
- Russian military operations in Ukraine have been met with international condemnation, leading to calls for increased military support and cooperation among NATO allies, with some even proposing the deployment of troops to help Ukraine defend its borders.
