Scholz reiterates Germany's support towards Moldova.

Scholz confirms Germany's continued backing for Moldova.

In the face of Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledges Germany's continued support for Moldova. Speaking at a press conference with Moldovan President Maia Sandu, Scholz said, "Germany remains a strong ally of Moldova." Referring to the persistent attempts by Russia and pro-Russian groups within the country to destabilize Moldova, Sandu thanked the German government for its support and pointed out that Germany is a critical partner in Moldova's journey towards stability, democracy, and prosperity.

In what has become the latest development in this conflict, a CNN camera team witnessed a horror incident involving drones in Vovchansk, a small town in the heavily contested region of Kharkiv. As of now, the town is experiencing constant Russian attacks. The situation became more dire when, nearly hitting a Ukrainian police unit, shells and drones were employed.

Reportedly, a drone attack caused a fire in an oil refinery located in Russia's Tuapse on the Black Sea. The refinery has since been put on hold, according to two insiders. The emergency shutdown resulted from the drone's impact on a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) production plant. While the crude oil distillation unit escaped damage, one source claims that the plant should return to operation relatively soon, as bypassing the LPG unit would allow the refinery to resume operations. The refinery's operator, Rosneft, has yet to make a statement on the matter.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is skeptical about a proposed ceasefire during the Summer Olympics in Paris. He emphasized during an interview with Ukrajinska Pravda that he fails to comprehend who would act as the mediator, prevent the enemy's military advancement, or ensure that they refrain from building up military capabilities during the ceasefire. This proposed event has yet to reveal any details. Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping criticized the West for demanding an Olympic truce, but not extending the same privilege to Russian athletes.

Putin's current visit to China demonstrates Russia's reliance on China as a key ally. While China is aiding Russia by providing weapons during its conflict with Ukraine, it is simultaneously calling for a political solution to the situation. It is unclear, though, how devoted Xi truly is to this idea.

At least two civilians were killed and 13 others injured when Russia launched an attack on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv using numerous precision bombs, as announced by Governor Oleh Sinehubov through Telegram.

At a press conference in Harbin, Putin criticized the upcoming peace summit planned in Switzerland, dismissing it as a way for the West to pressure Russia into ending the conflict. He also mentioned the concerns surrounding Russia's absence from the event, calling it a political strategy.

Ukrainian forces in the embattled city of Vovchansk released footage of intense street fighting, and NATO shares the belief that Russia is currently unable to make any major gains.

In addition, the EU has adopted sanctions against the pro-Russian media platform Voice of Europe and three Russian news outlets. From now on, these entities will be outlawed throughout the EU.

Putin scorned the Western sanctions as irrational and harmful to the global economy. According to him, the sanctions represent a deliberate distortion of fair competition and are damaging to the world's economies as a whole. He further insists that there is no connection between the sanctions and the war he ordered against Ukraine; rather, he suggests the West is simply seeking to gain a competitive advantage.

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Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Moldovan President Maia Sandu at a press conference in Berlin

Headers:

Germany Pledges Continued Support for Moldova
CNN Witnesses Horrific Drone Attack on Vovchansk
Russian Oil Refinery Shut Down Due to LPG Plant Damage
Zelenskyy Skeptical of Suggested Olympic Ceasefire
Russia Relying Heavily on China
Putin Slams Proposed Swiss Peace Summit
Ukrainian Troops Share Footage of Heavy Fighting in Vovchansk
EU Sanctions Pro-Russian Media Platform and Russian Media Outlets
Putin Criticizes Western Sanctions as "Absolutely Stupid Decisions"

13:41: Putin expresses desire for extra gas pipeline to China

There is an interest from both Russia and China in expanding their energy partnership. During his trip to China, Putin mentioned the possibility of building the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, which would carry Russian gas to China. He's confident that Gazprom and other companies involved in this project will reach an agreement on the route. In addition, they're also contemplating constructing an oil pipeline in the same corridor.

13:21: No immediate plans to seize Kharkiv, claims Putin

Kharkiv, the city that's been under continuous attack from Russian troops, will not be captured at present, according to Putin. This information was shared during a discussion with Russian state media representatives in China. A reporter inquired about Kharkiv after Zelensky's visit to the heavily shelled area where he reported a stabilization of the situation. Putin justified the buffer zone by claiming that the Russian region of Belgorod is being heavily bombed from Kharkiv. However, many experts think that Russia wants to annex the entire Kharkiv region.

12:58: Analyst believes China has clear communications with Putin out-of-sight

Officially, China is being cordial and courteous with Russian President Putin. But behind closed doors, their relationship might be very different, asserts political scientist Thomas Jäger. China's dependence on Russia is quite significant, making it hard for them to take a strong stance against Moscow.

12:28: Putin aims to provide more energy to China

During his visit to China, Putin offered to increase energy supplies to the neighboring country. According to him, "Russia is prepared and capable of continuously and reliably supplying China's economy, businesses, cities, and towns with eco-friendly, economical energy, electricity, and heat." He believes that the strategic alliance in the energy sector will grow stronger.

12:14: Satellite images reveal damage at Belbek airbase

Russia claims Ukraine has fired five ATACMS at the Belbek airbase, which has resulted in significant damage. Aerial photographs show the remnants of fire and wrecked fighter jets.

11:57: Munz sees weaknesses in Russia-China partnership

While there's a 30-page agreement between Russia and China, there are still fractures. Moscow media cited a few reasons for this, like China's potential involvement in Swiss peace talks or Beijing's unwillingness to become reliant on Russian raw materials.

11:34: Ukrainian army chief states Russian troops have broadened combat area

Russian troops' offensive on the Kharkiv region has increased their active combat zone by almost 70 kilometers. Russian troops launched this attack to force Ukraine to deploy more reserve brigades. The fighting is expected to get more severe as the forces in Kiev prepare for defense in the Sumy region.

11:15: Ukraine reports attacks on multiple Russian locations

Ukraine has allegedly struck various Russian sites, including an oil refinery in Tuapse, Krasnodar coastal city. Russia claimed they intercepted more than 100 Ukrainian drones throughout the night.

10:31: Baerbock urges Germany for longer-range weapons

Responding to the situation around Kharkiv, Baerbock advocates for Germany to supply Ukraine with weapons that have a longer range. During her talk at the meeting of the Council of Europe's foreign ministers, she mentioned that Russian troops are targeting the city from their own territory, making it challenging for field defenses. She also emphasized the need for Ukrainian forces that can perform medium and long-range attacks.

10:02: Putin and Xi part ways with a warm embrace

As Putin's two-day state visit in China concludes, he and Chinese President and Party Leader Xi Jinping exchanged greetings. They first shook hands, then warmly embraced each other, as seen in a video from state-run broadcaster CCTV. Today, Putin will continue his visit in the northern Chinese city of Harbin.

09:26: Ukraine discloses four explosions in Kharkiv as Russian drones downed

Ukraine maintained it had intercepted all 20 drones targeted at their country by Russia overnight. The military reported these incidents in areas of Kharkiv, Poltava, Vinnytsia, Odessa, and Mykolaiv. The mayor of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov, noted four explosions, causing a fire in one instance. Five buildings sustained damages, including an administrative building.

The atmosphere around Kharkiv is highly strained. While Ukraine has managed to control the military situation around the city, the "Russians have managed to reinforce their position," informs ntv journalist Jürgen Weichert. The Russians are only about 30 kilometers away from Kharkiv.

08:34: Casualties in Belgorod region due to Ukrainian drone attacks Authorities in Russia have reported that two people were killed: a mother and her four-year-old child. The fatalities occurred in the village of Oktyabrsky, in the border region of Belgorod, after their house was hit by a Ukrainian combat drone, as Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov announced.

08:06: Sevastopol in Crimea under attack The Russian Ministry of Defense says the city of Sevastopol in Crimea was targeted during the night. The local governor also reported that a substation was damaged. This has led to power outages in some areas. Sevastopol is the base for the Russian Black Sea Fleet, which was annexed by Russia in 2014 in clear violation of international law.

07:42: Suspected drone attack on the Black Sea Fleet port of Novorossiysk Unconfirmed reports of a drone attack on the Black Sea Fleet port of Novorossiysk are circulating. The Russian state news agency RIA mentions missile attacks in the area, but does not specifically mention the port.

07:18: Over 100 Ukrainian drones intercepted The Russian Ministry of Defense claims it shot down more than 100 Ukrainian drones during the night. 51 drones were intercepted in the annexed Crimean peninsula, 44 more in the Krasnodar region, six in the Belgorod region, and one more in the Kursk region. Russia has also destroyed six naval drones in the Black Sea. The increased attacks are in response to constant shelling from Russia, which regularly targets Ukrainian energy facilities.

06:58: Three Russian fighter jets destroyed at Belbek airfield Satellite images from Maxar show three Russian fighter jets completely destroyed and another one damaged in Ukraine's nighttime attacks on the airfield Belbek in Crimea. Ukrainian troops targeted the airbase for a second consecutive night.

06:33: Fire breaks out at Russian refinery Videos circulating on social media claim that a Russian oil refinery in Tuapse on the Black Sea was hit by a Ukrainian drone. Local authorities have confirmed the fire and that it has been successfully contained.

06:14: Putin highlights trade with northeastern China Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to stress the importance of trade with China's northeastern region after sealing a strategic partnership with Chinese President Xi Jinping later today. Putin ends his two-day visit to China in the Heilongjiang province, which has a long history of trade and cultural ties with Russia.

06:00: Russian military attaché in Britain declared persona non grata The Russian Foreign Ministry has discharged the British military attaché in Moscow, Adrian Coghill, as persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within a week. Russia's decision comes in response to the UK expelling the Russian military attaché, whom it considered an undeclared intelligence agent, on May 8.

05:30: NATO Nations Debate Sending Military Trainers to Ukraine Certain NATO countries are thinking about sending military instructors or contractors to Ukraine to train soldiers and fix equipment. Ukraine is requesting assistance from the U.S. and other NATO nations to train 150,000 troops, but the U.S. is cautious due to the potential risk of harm to trainers which could engage NATO's collective defense clause. Some officials recommend continuing to train large numbers of soldiers near the frontier in Germany and Poland. However, this creates logistical complications when transporting large numbers of soldiers. Multiple NATO countries, including the UK, Germany, and France, are considering sending defense contractors to Ukraine, while the White House is reassessing its ban on U.S. defense contractors in Ukraine.

04:42: Respect the law in the distribution of Russian assets Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki comments on the U.S. proposition to utilize the interest from confiscated Russian assets to support Ukraine. It is crucial, Suzuki says, that the talks are aligned with international law. Japan intends to participate in the discussions at the future G7 gathering from this fundamental perspective.

03:11 Kim Jong Un's sister refutes allegations of arms trade with Russia

Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, dismissed claims of arms trading between North Korea and Russia. Apparently, she claimed through the state news agency KCNA that the weapons developed in North Korea are for defensive purposes against South Korea rather than being sold as per the allegations. Kim described the presumed arms deal with Russia as a baseless theory stemming from biases and fabrications. The US and South Korea have accused North Korea of selling weapons to Russia to use against Ukraine. Moscow and Pyongyang, however, have denied these accusations.

02:04 Air raid alert in Kharkiv ends after drone strikes

The air raid alert in most parts of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, has been lifted. Regional governor Oleh Synyehubov stated that five drones had previously attacked Kharkiv. Kharkiv's mayor, Ihor Terekhov, announced that a district was hit and a fire ensued. Suspilne, a public broadcaster, confirmed an 16.5-hour-long air raid alert, the longest since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

00:51 US bypasses China's coalition with Moscow

US Secretary of State Ned Price has portrayed China's support for Russia as a hindrance in fostering Western ties. "China can't dance at two weddings at once," Price commented regarding Chinese President Xi Jinping's friendly meeting with Vladimir Putin. The US government believes that China cannot facilitate better relations with Europe and other countries while simultaneously fueling "the most significant security threat to Europe in a long time," referring to Russia's war on Ukraine.

23:34 Zelensky forewarns of gas infrastructure attacks affecting Europe

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has cautioned of potential risks to Europe due to Russian missile attacks on Ukraine's gas transportation system. In his evening video message, Zelensky spoke with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk about this matter. Zelensky stressed that attacks on gas infrastructure in western Ukraine endangered everyone in Europe, not just Ukrainians and neighboring nations. Joint efforts are necessary to tackle this issue, Zelensky added.

22:06 Lengthy power cuts predicted in Ukraine

Following significant damage to power plants and substations in Ukraine, the government anticipates that power cuts will continue for several months. Advisor to Prime Minister and Ukrenerho supervisory board member Yuri Boyko expected an improvement in August or September. To conserve electricity, regionally staggered power outages are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. The capital, Kiev, is also affected. Russia's missile attacks on the power grid are responsible for this damage, Boyko reported.