Oorlog in Oekraïne #988:

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Ten More Ukrainians Freed from Russian Captivity
Ten Ukrainian citizens have been successfully returned from Russian captivity, as announced by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Those freed include Nariman Dzhelyal, the Deputy Head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, detained in Crimea in 2021. Olena Pekh and Valeriy Matiushenko, civilians held since 2017–2018, are also among the freed. Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church priests Bohdan Heleta and Ivan Levytsky, captured in Berdyansk, have been released. Additionally, five civilians captured in Belarus—Mykola Shvets, Nataliya Zakharenko, Pavlo Kupriienko, Lyudmyla Honcharenko, and Kateryna Bryukhanova—are now back in Ukraine.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented on the release, stating, “We are grateful to everyone who helped bring our people home. This success highlights our unwavering commitment to securing the freedom of every Ukrainian held in captivity.”

The Vatican played a crucial role in facilitating the exchange that led to the return of ten Ukrainian citizens from Russian captivity.

On June 25, 2024, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the return of 90 Ukrainian defenders from Russian captivity, including soldiers from various military branches. He thanked those involved in the exchange, including the UAE, and reaffirmed Ukraine’s commitment to liberating all captives.

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Dozens of MPs and Senators Added as Friends a Fake Z-Poet Who Published Translations of German Nazi Poems

Anti-war activists created an account on VKontakte of the fictional z-poet Gennady Rakitin, on whose behalf they published patriotic poems, which were actually translations of poems by Hitler’s Nazis. During the year of the existence of the profile, “Rakitin” received a certificate from the organizers of the All-Russian competition of patriotic poetry named after Tvardovsky, which is held by the Kaluga branch of the Union of Professional Writers, and dozens of deputies, senators and z-bloggers were added to his friends. Among the “poet’s” friends, for example, are Andrei Klishas and Dmitry Rogozin. In addition to z-publics, Rakitin’s work was published by Nikita Mikhalkov and the Moscow magazine.

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IMF approves US$2.2 billion tranche for Ukraine
The IMF Board of Directors has completed the fourth review of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for Ukraine, approving a decision to disburse about US$2.2 billion to Ukraine to be used for budget support.

Source: IMF’s statement

Quote: "Ukraine’s performance remains strong under the EFF despite challenging conditions. All quantitative performance criteria for end-March were met, and all structural benchmarks through end-June were implemented on time or with a short delay.

The Ukrainian economy continues to be resilient although the outlook remains subject to exceptionally high uncertainty. Sustained reform momentum and timely disbursement of external support are necessary to safeguard macroeconomic stability, restore fiscal and debt sustainability, and enhance institutional reforms to lay the path to European Union accession."

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Russian coal industry profit drops by 93% amid sanctions and loss of clients – The Moscow Times
The profit of the Russian coal industry, one of the largest raw materials industries in the economy, fell by 93%, or 15 times, over the year, The Moscow Times reported on June 27 with reference to Rosstat data.

Profitable companies accumulated 72 billion rubles ($840.4 million) of profit in January-April 2024, while unprofitable companies recorded 58 billion rubles ($677 million) of loss. In total, the Russian coal industry made 14 billion rubles ($163.4 million) in profit. This is almost 200 billion ($2.3 billion) less than in the same period a year earlier.

Less than half of the industry's companies ended the first four months of 2024 in the black, although a year ago there were two-thirds of them, and their total financial result was reduced threefold. At the same time, one in two companies, according to official statistics, became unprofitable (52.4%).

"Cut off from Western markets by sanctions, coal companies are rapidly losing clients in countries that the Kremlin calls 'friendly,'" the newspaper writes.

In the first quarter, Russian coal exports decreased by 13%, and in March the decline reached 17%. Every month, the industry lost about 3 million tons of exports, and prices for Russian coal fell to a three-year low: $95 per ton in the ports of the Far East (-6% since the beginning of the year), $72 per ton in Taman (-13% since the beginning of the year), and only $61 in the ports of the Baltic Sea (-14%).

India, which accounts for about a third of Russia's coal exports, reduced purchases by 22% to 6.76 million tons in March-May, NV reported earlier. Exports to Turkiye, South Korea, and Japan also fell.

China, the largest buyer of Russian raw materials, has imposed an import duty on coal that does not apply to other suppliers, such as Indonesia and Australia, which are members of the free trade zone with China.

India's largest steel company stopped buying Russian coal in May 2022.

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Op zaterdag 29 juni 2024 07:43 schreef PluggieOD het volgende:

[..]
Zonder steenkool kun je niet eens een (huidige) windmolen maken.

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Op zaterdag 29 juni 2024 08:16 schreef PluggieOD het volgende:

[..]
We verbruiken wereldwijd steeds meer steenkool.

https://www.iea.org/energy-system/fossil-fuels/coal
Global coal consumption reached an all-time high in 2022 and the world is heading towards a new record in 2023. Global coal demand reached a record high in 2022 amid the global energy crisis, rising by 4% year-on-year to 8.42 billion tonnes (Bt).

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U.S. Army awards contract for production of 870 Patriot missiles

^{PAC-3, PAC-3 MSE and THAAD missiles. 2015. Photo credits: flickr.com}

The U.S. Army has signed a contract to produce 870 missiles for the Patriot air defense system.

The website of the U.S. Department of the Army says that the contract with Lockheed Martin is worth $4.5 billion.

The contract provides for PAC-3 MSE missiles with related equipment.

“This multiyear contract award for the PAC-3 MSE missile follows through on the Army’s commitment to stabilize and expand our production capability for this critical weapon system, which is vital to supporting the US Army and Joint Force, along with Ukraine and other allies around the world” said Douglas Bush, the Army’s Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology.

The PAC-3 MSE missile is capable of countering “incoming threats,” including tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, hypersonic missiles and aircraft.

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Ukraine veteran sentenced to seven years in prison for beating his grandmother to death

^{Alexey Zharikov. Photo: VKontakte}

A court in the southern Russian city of Volgograd sentenced a veteran who fought in Ukraine to seven years in prison for the murder of his grandmother, the court’s website announced on Friday.

According to criminal investigators, Alexey Zharikov became angry with his grandmother when he returned from work to a home they shared and proceeded to beat her to death with a wooden chair.

When considering Zharikov’s sentencing, the court took into account his military service, the independent Russian media outlet Verstka reported. Verstka noted that it is “unknown when exactly Zharikov returned from war”. However, photos Zharikov posted to social media in September 2023 depict him in combat gear holding military-grade weapons.

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DIU and cyberactivists carry out a large-scale attack on Russian companies

^{A cyber training ground was opened at the Zhytomyr Military Institute. 2020. Photo credits: ArmyInform}

Activists of the BO_Team cyber community with specialists from the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine attacked Russian companies.

The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine reported that they had attacked Russian companies that supported the war.

Over the past week, they have, among other things, destroyed all data on eight servers of a developer and supplier of navigation equipment.

The company in question is Orient Systems, which cooperated with Russian manufacturers of military equipment, including drones.

Also, according to the DIU, more than 100 terabytes of OrbitSoft data were destroyed during the week.

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Drones of the SSU hit 8 Russian air defense systems

^{A Ukrainian strike drone strikes a Russian TOR-M2 air defense system. June 2024. Frame from SSU video}

Drones of the Security Service of Ukraine hit 8 different air defense systems of the Russian invaders.

The SSU said that the TOR-M2, Pantsir-S1 and BUK systems had been hit.

UAVs, capable of long-range strikes, were used to carry out the attack.

Presumably, the drones are equipped with a targeting system that allows the drone to hit the target more accurately.

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ArmyTV: Production of BTR-4 continues

^{BTR-4E armored personnel carrier of the 3rd Brigade of Operational Assignment in the Kharkiv region. April 2023. Ukraine. Photo credits: Andrii Marienko}

Production of Ukrainian BTR-4 armored personnel carriers continues despite Russia’s large-scale invasion.

This was reported in the story “A RUSSIAN SU-25 WAS SHOT DOWN, A STUFF TREAKS THE ARMOR, ATTACK ON THE OIL FILLING STATION: Stream from a Frontline City” by host Junior Lieutenant Serhii Lipko.

The video shows that the armored personnel carrier of the 56th Separate ‘Mariupol’ Infantry Brigade was manufactured in 2023.

Just recently, we wrote that the soldiers of the 56th Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine had been practicing combat operations and maneuvers using their BTR-4E armored personnel carriers.

“The most important thing is that the production of Ukrainian BTR-4 Bucephalus is still going on,” said Lipko in the story.

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At least 12 killed in Russian attacks on Ukraine. Rescue work continues at destroyed apartment bloc
Russian attacks across eastern Ukraine killed at least 11 people Saturday, while rescuers in the city of Dnipro dug through rubble after a Russian strike ripped through a nine-story residential building, leaving one dead, officials said.

The attacks came as Russia continues to stretch out Ukrainian forces in several areas along the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front. Moscow has stepped up airstrikes in a bid to drain Ukraine’s resources, often targeting energy facilities and other vital infrastructure.

The shelling of the front-line village of Niu-York in the Donetsk region also injured five people, said Gov. Vadym Filashkin. He said that Russian forces had shelled populated areas 13 times over the past 24 hours.

A further seven people were killed Saturday afternoon in Russian shelling on the town of Vilniansk, including two children, said Gov. Ivan Fedorov. Ten more were injured, while infrastructure was also damaged, he wrote on social media.

Meanwhile, in Dnipro, at least one person died and 12 were injured, including a 7-month-old girl, after a Russian strike destroyed the top four floors of the apartment bloc Friday evening, said regional head Serhii Lysak. Rescuers confirmed that several residents remained missing.

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Ukrainian defenders push back Russians from Terny and Yampolivka

^{Ukrainian soldiers knocked out the Russians from their positions near Terny. June 2024. Frame from the video of the Azov Brigade}

Soldiers of the Azov Brigade, the 95th Brigade and accompanying units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, drove the Russian invaders out of a number of positions in the Lyman sector.

The invaders were driven back from the settlements of Terny and Yampolivka in the Donetsk region. Ukrainian defenders managed to gain a foothold in the liberated positions.

The press service of the 12th Special Operations Brigade “Azov” reported about this in Telegram.

The military showed a video from the newly retaken positions near Terny, where Russians are storming the lost trenches in the hope of regaining them.

The Azov Brigade said that since the beginning of the year, the Russian troops had been continuously attacking the positions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces near Terny in the Liman sector. They noted that the situation in the area had been threatening because the invaders had spared neither personnel nor equipment to capture the Ukrainian village.

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Ukraine’s Success in the Black Sea Inspires NATO Naval Strategy Change, Says NATO Commander
NATO is studying Ukraine’s experience in destroying Russian ships in the Black Sea to adapt to the realities of modern naval warfare.

NATO member countries are actively researching Ukraine’s successful use of marine drones and other technologies to neutralize a significant portion of Russia’s Black Sea fleet. This experience is becoming a crucial element in the development of contemporary naval combat tactics. Deputy Commander of NATO’s Joint Force Command in Norfolk, Rear Admiral Timothy Henry, shared these insights with Ukrinform, emphasizing the alliance’s efforts to analyze current realities and project future technological advancements over the next three to ten years. He noted NATO’s careful observation of Ukraine’s combat experience in the Black Sea and its potential influence on future maritime tactics.

Following the Armed Forces of Ukraine successfully targeting several dozen Russian ships, Russian forces have begun employing submarines for patrols in the Black Sea. In parallel with Ukraine’s successful efforts to neutralize the Russian Black Sea Fleet and restore its maritime exports, NATO member countries have taken a keen interest in Ukraine’s strategic advancements.

Recognizing the effectiveness of Ukrainian tactics using naval drones and advanced missile systems, NATO is actively studying these developments to enhance its own maritime defense capabilities. Deputy Commander Rear Admiral Timothy Henry underscored NATO’s commitment to integrating Ukraine’s combat experience into future naval strategies, emphasizing the importance of adapting to evolving warfare dynamics.

As Ukraine continues to demonstrate resilience and innovation amidst the Russian invasion, NATO’s analysis aims to leverage these insights to fortify alliance defense strategies and prepare for future challenges in maritime security.

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Letters from an American
There is huge news today: in the case of Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, the Supreme Court overturned the Chevron defense doctrine that underpins the administrative state.

I am putting that down as a marker because I’ve had a very busy week of travel and writing (the paperback edition of Democracy Awakening is coming out in October and I am working on a new afterword) and I am just too tired to cover it and its history well tonight.

Instead, tonight I want to make a note of something that has been nagging at me for weeks now: Trump’s focus on 32-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested by Russian officers in March 2023 and is currently on trial for the trumped-up charge of espionage. The State Department considers him “wrongfully detained,” a rare designation indicating that the person is being held by a hostile government as a bargaining chip. That designation means the U.S. government will do all it can to secure his release.

At least three times now, Trump has interfered with those negotiations by vowing that Russian president Vladimir Putin will release Gershkovich for him and him alone. He said it in last night’s CNN debacle, where he also made a big deal out of the idea that Putin will do it as a favor, without an exchange of money.

He said something else last night in his slurry of words that jumped out. Somewhere in his discussion of Putin’s invasion of eastern Ukraine in February 2022, Trump said: “Putin saw that, he said, you know what, I think we’re going to go in and maybe take my—this was his dream. I talked to him about it, his dream.”

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Op zaterdag 29 juni 2024 22:23 schreef oheng het volgende:
506e regiment klaagt dat er van de 350 man, nog maar 4 over zijn, voor zover ze weten.

[ x ]

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EU Expands Sanctions on Belarus, Targeting Key Industries to Halt Evasion
On June 29, the European Union expanded sanctions against Belarus, aiming to mirror some of the restrictive measures imposed on Russia and thereby address issues of sanctions evasion. The EU Council’s decision includes continuing the ban on exporting dual-use goods and advanced technologies, along with additional restrictions on exports that could strengthen Belarusian industrial capabilities.

Further measures prohibit the import, purchase, or transfer of gold, diamonds, helium, coal, and mineral products, including crude oil, from Belarus. Additionally, new restrictions on exporting goods and technologies for use in oil refining and natural gas liquefaction were introduced.

The EU Council also prohibits the provision of certain services to Belarus, its government, state bodies, corporations, or agencies, including accounting, architectural, engineering, advertising, and market research services.

Moreover, the EU extended the ban on transporting goods via EU territory using trailers and semi-trailers registered in Belarus, including when transported by trucks registered outside Belarus.

The decision mandates EU exporters to include a “no-Belarus clause” in future contracts, prohibiting re-export to Belarus or use of crucial goods and technologies, military goods, firearms, and ammunition in Belarus.

To minimize sanctions evasion risks, the EU will prohibit transit through Belarusian territory of dual-use goods and technologies, goods and technologies that could enhance Belarusian military capabilities or develop its defense and security sector, and goods that could strengthen Belarusian industrial capacities.

Additionally, to counteract the re-export of military goods found in Ukraine or critical to the development of Russian military systems, EU operators selling such goods to third countries must implement due diligence mechanisms.

Earlier on June 24, the EU adopted its 14th package of economic and individual restrictive measures against Russia, marking the first sanctions targeting Russian gas since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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Russia’s Most Dangerous Jets Are Parked In The Open A Hundred Miles From Ukraine. But Kyiv Needs Washington’s Permission To Strike Them.
Voronezh Malshevo air base is off the target list for now.

^{Sukohi Su-34s at Voronezh Malshevo air base.RUSSIAN AIR FORCE PHOTO}

Voronezh Malshevo air base, in southern Russia 100 miles from the border with Ukraine, might be the most important—and most vulnerable—target in Russia.

But it’s seemingly off of Ukraine’s list of targets for now.

From the base, Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bombers belonging to the Russian air force’s 47th Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment fly daily sorties lobbing powerful glide bombs at Ukrainian troops and civilians from 25 miles away or farther.

The carnage is staggering. “It takes only minutes for a [Sukhoi] jet to reach the launch area near the border and then return to the base,” Ukrainian analysis group Frontelligence Insight explained. “The large number of jets stationed at the airfield enables the simultaneous deployment of bombs, allowing multiple targets in Ukrainian territory to be engaged at once.”

The regiment’s dozens of Sukhoi Su-34s—possibly representing around half of Russia’s active fleet of the supersonic, twin-engine fighter-bombers—routinely park out out in the open on the tarmac of the recently renovated base.

They’re within range of Ukraine’s best deep strike weapon—its American-made Army Tactical Missile System rockets. “Ukraine could potentially incapacitate the entire operational fleet stationed there if permitted to conduct such a strike,” Frontelligence Insight noted.

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$10M reward for Russian hacking mastermind who targeted Ukraine
The federal government is offering a $10 million reward for help locating Amin Timovich Stigal. The 22-year-old is accused of hacking official Ukrainian computers in support of Russia's invasion.

Federal authorities are offering $10 million for help locating a Russian hacker accused of supporting the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by attacking government computers while posing as a common cybercriminal but in fact working with Russian military intelligence.

Amin Timovich Stigal attacked essential, non-military Ukrainian government computer systems before the invasion; published citizen data in an effort to sow doubt in the government; and later went after countries that supported Ukraine, including the U.S., according to a federal indictment filed this week in Maryland, where he targeted a U.S. government agency.

The Chechnya-born hacker ran a malware scheme known as “WhisperGate,” which is meant to look like a common ransomware attack. Federal prosecutors say WhisperGate is actually a “cyberweapon” designed to delete the victims’ data and render target computers inoperable.

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The car Putin gifted to Kim Jong-un was built with South Korean parts
And parts from China, India — and even EU countries that have sanctioned Russia


Laughing and joking, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un cruised around Pyongyang last week in a Russian-made Aurus limousine to showcase their strengthened anti-Western alliance.

The luxury sedan was intended to epitomize Russia's domestic prowess and reduced dependence on imported technology and goods when unveiled in 2018.

But customs records show that the company that builds it uses millions of dollars in imported parts, many arriving in Russia from what Kim has described as his country's "primary foe," South Korea.

The imports point to Russia's ongoing reliance on Western technology as it seeks to navigate Western attempts to cut it off from global supply chains as punishment for its invasion of Ukraine.

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'Tension rises' at border with Belarus, Minsk accuses Kyiv of deploying troops
The Belarusian military claimed that Ukraine is allegedly deploying its forces to the shared state border for potential "sabotage, terrorist acts," state-run news outlet Belta reported on June 29.

The Kyiv Independent couldn't verify the claim, while Belarusian state-run news outlets have a long history of unsubstantiated claims.

"The situation on the Belarus-Ukraine border is characterized by growing tension," Colonel Vadim Lukashevich, a high-ranking Belarusian military official, told Belta.

"They are attempting to drag our country into the war," he added.

Russian forces launched the all-out invasion of Ukraine from Belarus in early 2022 but suffered a defeat near Kyiv and were forced to pull back.

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Latvia to complete construction of fence on the border with Belarus in July

^{Construction of a fence in Latvia on the border with Belarus. Photo from the media}

Latvia intends to complete the construction of the fence on the border with Belarus by the end of July.

Delfi reported on this.

This year, the work along the water bodies and infrastructure along the entire section of the interstate border continued intensively and is now in its final stage.

In the next month, less than six kilometers of fencing along the territorial waters remain to be built.

The necessary infrastructure is currently being built on the land areas where the barriers have already been constructed. As part of the first stage, 21.94 kilometers of patrol lanes for passenger vehicles and pedestrian bridges have been built. The construction of 1.75 kilometers of pontoon patrol lines has also been completed.

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Soldiers of the 1st Tank Brigade were engaged in the destruction of enemy fortifications in the Avdiivka sector

^{Shelling of enemy positions by tankers of the 1st Tank Brigade. Photo credits: 1st Tank Brigade}

Soldiers from the 1st Tank Brigade were involved in the destruction of Russian positions in the Avdiivka sector.

A video of the tank crews’ work was posted online.

The published footage captures the work of tank crews firing at enemy positions from a short range.

Soldiers used 125 mm HEAT rounds for effective destruction of manpower.

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Trump's jet sits next to Russian government plane for two days in 'isolated' area: report
Donald Trump's private jet sat overnight next to a diplomatic aircraft for the Russian government at Washington Dulles International Airport, according to a reporter's photos.

Raw Story reported on Friday that Trump's private Boeing 757, sometimes referred to as "Trump Force One," was sitting next to the Russian government plane. Social media users reacted with jokes, but it was also noted that it was unclear exactly how this happened, and that it could easily have been a coincidence.

The next day, there was an update from the individual who released the initial photos, freelance reporter Andrew Leyden.

"Saturday Update: Trump’s plane is still at IAD next to the Russian government plane, which appears to be readying to leave soon," Leyden reported. "A United Arab Emirates Air Force C-17 is also parked nearby today."

Three hours later, Leyden noted the "Russian plane has just left IAD."

One commenter asked Leyden, "Any non-trump U.S. planes parked near by? Thank you."

"No," the reporter replied. "This is a very isolated part of the airport between the runways not near the terminals or main airport parking area."

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Ukraine now mass-producing strike drones with range of over 1,000 kilometers
Ukraine has launched serial production of strike drones with a range of over 1,000 kilometers, the head of state-owned company Ukrainian Defense Industry, also known as Ukroboronprom, said on June 29.

In an interview with ArmyInform, Herman Smetanin said Russia's "huge resources and super-powerful industry" meant Kyiv had to take a more "flexible and inventive" approach to manufacturing weapons.

Ukraine employs long-range drones to strike deep into Russian territory, targeting military infrastructure such as airfields and logistics, as well as oil refineries and depots. The strikes against oil infrastructure are intended to disrupt fuel supplies to the Russian military and diminish Moscow's export revenues, crucial for funding the war.

Experimental Ukrainian drones have struck targets in Russia as far as the Tatarstan Republic, some 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) away from the Russia-Ukraine border.

Smetanin said that with the help of "private individuals," Ukrainian Defense Industry was now able to "scale production" of long-range drones.

Moscow's defense ministry on June 30 claimed to have destroyed 36 Ukrainian drones overnight that targeted several regions in the southwest of Russia.

In a post on Telegram, it said 15 drones were downed over the Kursk Oblast, nine over Lipetsk Oblast, four over Voronezh Oblast, four over Bryansk Oblast, two over Oryol Oblast and another two over Belgorod Oblast.

The defense ministry did not provide details of any damage or casualties caused.

Ukrainian authorities have not commented. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.

Russian authorities routinely falsely claim to have thwarted Ukrainian drone and missile attacks.

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“Swarm” Of Ukrainian Drones Assault Russian Metal Mill In In a single day Raid
Kyiv doesn’t formally affirm or deny such assaults, however says the amenities being hit are supporting Russia’s warfare in Ukraine and are thus professional navy targets.

Moscow:
A “swarm” of Ukrainian drones focused Russian steelmaker Novolipetsk Metal’s facility in a raid within the early hours of Sunday, nevertheless it sustained no severe harm, an organization spokesperson stated.

The assault achieved no outcomes apart from inflicting further welding work, the spokesperson stated. Igor Artamonov, the governor of the Lipetsk area in western Russia the place the metal mill is positioned, stated in a separate assertion that 9 drones had been downed over the metal mill.

Kyiv doesn’t formally affirm or deny such assaults, however says the amenities being hit are supporting Russia’s warfare in Ukraine and are thus professional navy targets.

NLMK denies cooperating with the defence ministry, saying that its Russian operations aren’t able to producing military-grade heavy steels and it doesn’t provide the navy.

Russia’s defence ministry stated earlier that air defence programs had destroyed 36 drones launched by Ukraine in a single day concentrating on a number of areas in Russia’s southwest, together with Lipetsk.

The ministry additionally stated that Russian forces had taken over the villages of Spirne and Novooleksandrivka, that are in Ukraine’s japanese Donetsk area, the Russian information company RIA reported, the newest in a string of such incremental territorial claims.

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Drones attacked the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant

^{Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant. Photo from the network}

Drones hit the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant in the Russian city of Lipetsk.

Russian media started to share information and details about the attack.

According to Russian media, the plant was attacked around 2 a.m. on June 28, 2024.

A total of seven drones were reported to have hit targets on the plant’s territory.

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OSCE Assembly Recognizes Russia’s Genocide of the Ukrainian People
The 70-point resolution calls on all 53 OSCE participating states to make efforts to de-occupy Crimea and all occupied territories of Ukraine by supporting the Peace Formula and the Crimean Platform.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly (PA) has adopted a resolution recognizing Russia’s actions as genocide of the Ukrainian people and the need to decolonize Russia, announced by a member of the Ukrainian delegation Pavlo Frolov in Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

“On the opening day of the summer session in Bucharest, the OSCE PA adopted a resolution condemning Russia’s 10-year armed aggression against Ukraine, which recognized the actions of the military and political leadership of the Russian Federation and its armed forces during the full-scale invasion as genocide of the Ukrainian people,” Frolov wrote.

According to him, the document also defines the decolonization of the Russian Federation as a prerequisite for establishing lasting peace.

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Deadly Russian Glide Bomb Hits Postal Sorting Hub in Kharkiv
A Russian jet fired a glide bomb at Kharkiv, killing at least one civilian at a mail hub as Ukraine’s second-largest city continues to suffer from frequent aerial strikes.

The bomb targeted a sorting terminal of Nova Poshta, Ukraine’s major private private parcel delivery service, according to a statement from the company posted on Facebook.

At least ten civilians were injured and nine more who may have been inside the terminal during the attack are unaccounted for, the Interior Ministry said on Telegram.

The attack highlighted danger to Kharkiv from glide bombs, which are equipped with flight control surfaces that can expand their range. The one that struck the city on Sunday was released from a Su-34 jet flying inside Belgorod region in Russia, Oleksandr Filchakov, head of the regional prosecutor’s office said on local TV.

Russia dropped more than 800 such bombs over Ukraine in the past week alone, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Sunday on social media, as he reiterated his call for allies to provide weapons capable of hitting Russian aviation targets.

“Ukraine needs the necessary means to destroy the carriers of these bombs, including Russian combat aircraft, wherever they are. This step is essential,” Zelenskiy said.

Early Sunday evening, the regional city administration in Kyiv reported damage to an apartment block in the capital struck by debris from a Russian missile.

Separately, Russia reported a new Ukrainian drone attack against its industrial facilities.

The Novolipetsk Steel PJSC plant in Lipetsk, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) northeast of Kharkiv, was attacked by a swarm of drones on Sunday, Russia’s largest steelmaker said in a statement. No significant damage was reported, the company added.

The facility also came under attack earlier this year. Ukrainian officials made no comment on the latest incident.

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Another One Of Russia’s Nuclear-Proof Transports Just Got Blown Up In Ukraine
There might be just a few Ladogas left, one of which is in a museum.

In the late 1970s, Soviet authorities asked the Kirovsky Design Bureau in Saint Petersburg to develop a nuclear reconnaissance and command vehicle.

And not just any nuclear reconnaissance and command vehicle, but the best protected, most comfortable nuke vehicle imaginable. A sealed, self-contained and thickly armored turretless tank with remote cameras and its own oxygen supply.

The result was the Ladoga. Kirovsky produced just a handful of the tracked vehicles—perhaps four or five. One spent some time in the fallout zone around the nuclear power plant in Chernobyl following the plant’s deadly 1986 meltdown. Aside from another that landed in a museum, the Ladogas then ... disappeared.

Until recently. In March, a Ukrainian drone spotted and struck a Ladoga rolling toward Ukrainian lines near the Kreminna Forest in eastern Ukraine. And earlier this week, the Ukrainians hit a second Ladoga, setting it ablaze.

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National Military Memorial Complex in Honor of Fallen Defenders Greenlit for Construction
The project documentation for the construction of the first phase of the National Military Memorial Cemetery, honoring fallen Ukrainian defenders, has cleared its final hurdle with a successful state examination. Next on the agenda: announcing a competitive bid for the construction phase.

Officials from the Ministry of Veterans Affairs confirmed that the project meets rigorous Ukrainian construction standards and environmental regulations. This ensures the structures will not only be robust and durable but also eco-friendly and inclusive.

According to Acting Minister of Veterans Affairs Oleksandr Porhun, the memorial will be situated in the Hatne territorial community near Kyiv, marking a significant effort to commemorate the fallen heroes. The ambitious first phase includes building burial sectors, columbarium walls, monuments, and a striking memorial, along with essential facilities such as administrative buildings, a mourning house, and utility buildings.

Beyond these solemn structures, the project will feature public transport stops, a pumping station, local sewage treatment facilities, and recreational areas. These additions aim not only to honor the memory of the defenders but also to integrate seamlessly into the community.

Porhun highlighted meticulous environmental assessments, ensuring no impact on local ecology or public health — a reassurance echoed by the State Enterprise Ukrderzhbudexpertyza.

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Far right leads first round of France’s parliamentary election in blow to Macron, projection shows
Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN) party has taken the lead in the first round of France’s parliamentary elections on Sunday, initial projections showed, taking it closer to the gates of power than ever before.

After unusually high turnout, the RN bloc leads with 34% of the vote, while left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) coalition is in second with 28.1% and President Emmanuel Macron’s Ensemble alliance slumped to a dismal third with 20.3%, according to initial estimates by Ipsos.

While the RN appears on track to win the most seats in the National Assembly, it may fall short of the 289 seats required for an absolute majority, suggesting France may be heading for a hung parliament and more political uncertainty.

Projections show that, after the second round of voting next Sunday, the RN would win between 230 and 280 seats in the 577-seat lower house – a staggering rise from its count of 88 in the outgoing parliament. The NFP was projected to secure between 125 and 165 seats, with Ensemble trailing with between 70 and 100 seats.

The election, which Macron called after his party was battered by the RN in European Parliament elections earlier this month, could leave him to see out the remaining three years of his presidential term in an awkward partnership with a prime minister from an opposition party.

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Russian state media claim Kanye West is visiting Moscow
Russian state media claimed Sunday that American rapper and producer Kanye West is visiting Moscow, but CNN has not been able to independently verify he is actually there.

West, who now goes by Ye, arrived in Moscow on a private visit, according to the brand team for Russian designer Gosha Rubchinskiy, state media TASS reported. Rubchinskiy is the head of design for the rapper’s fashion brand Yeezy.

West himself allegedly posted on the Russian social media website VK on Sunday saying, “Hi, Moscow,” according to state media RIA Novosti. However, his account on VK is not verified.

The visit – if true – would make West the first major American celebrity to visit Moscow since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

CNN has reached out to West’s manager for comment.

Several videos have emerged in Russian media purporting to show West and his security guards in Moscow, but he is not clearly identifiable in the footage.

Music producer Yana Rudkovskaya also posted a video that purportedly shows West’s back, as he walks into a room followed by security.

She said, “According to my information, tomorrow he and the team will go and see Luzhniki (stadium).”

The music producer added that she “hopes” he will one day perform there but nothing is confirmed.

Luzhniki Stadium told Russian state media that there is no information about a Kanye West concert set to take place in the capital.

“The information that Kanye West may hold his concert in Moscow is hype and fake, Eduard Ratnikov, general director of the TCI (Talent Concert International) agency, told TASS,” the outlet also reported.

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Students fabricate Putin quotes to score high on exams
Young Russians have discovered an absurd way to achieve high grades. They invent non-existent quotes from President Vladimir Putin, gaining favour with examiners. The comment of a high-ranking politician is astonishing.

Compulsory education in Russia lasts a minimum of 11 years. At the end of their educational journey, high school students take the Unified State Exam, the equivalent of a Canadian high school exit exam. Everyone takes it, regardless of whether they plan to continue their studies at a university.

Of course, as is often the case in school, not everyone has studied enough to achieve high scores on their final exams. What to do in such a situation? Simply use the method to gain the favour of examiners, which allegedly works and is so absurd that it could only have originated in Russia.

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Belarus threatens it will use nuclear weapons if "independence" threatened
Belarus' Chief of General Staff Pavel Muraveyka has threatened to use tactical nuclear weapons "in the event of a danger to the country's sovereignty and independence."

Source: Muraveyka on air of ONT TV, as reported by Belarusian state agency BelTA

Quote: "One of the final reasons and statements that serve as a deterrence is the return of non-strategic nuclear weapons to our country.

We learnt how to handle these weapons. We can use them confidently. We can do it. You may be certain that we will do this if our country's sovereignty and independence are endangered."

Details: Muraveyka stated that Belarus will become a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in a few days, and Poland allegedly wishes to prevent this "or, in any case, throw a fly in the ointment of that jar of honey that is built today."

He also accused Poland of inciting and starting a situation at the Belarusian-Polish border, through which illegal migrants enter Poland from Belarus.

Background:

• On 20 June, after Belarus' State Border Committee reported that it was seeing an increase in the number of Ukrainian troops on the border, Ukraine’s border guards emphasised that the country's defence forces were protecting sovereign territory from the aggressor and there was no provocation in doing so.
• On 29 June, the Armed Forces of Belarus reported that Western countries were trying to draw the country into the war, and Ukraine was allegedly mobilising troops, weaponry, and military equipment near the Belarusian border.
• To this, Ukraine's State Border Guard Service (SBGS) stressed once again that any actions by the Ukrainian defence forces on the border with Belarus are solely aimed at protecting Ukraine from aggressive actions and are not intended to encroach on the territories of other states.

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Vladimir Putin to send Russian children to North Korean summer camps
Vladimir Putin plans to send Russian children to a summer camp in North Korea where activities include polishing the statues of leaders.

Grigory Gurov, the head of Putin’s Movement of the First youth organisation, announced the plan despite opposition from worried Russian parents.

“We will now form our delegation,” he said. “Conditions there are good.”

The children will be the first Russian group for five years to visit the Songdowon camp, built on North Korea’s eastern shore by dictator Kim Jong-un’s grandfather in 1960.

Accounts from Russian adult leaders on previous trips described Songdowon camp as a cross between a boarding house with regular blackouts, dawn wake-ups and roll calls, and a Disney-themed water park.

Artem Samsonov, a former Communist party official, visited the camp in 2015 before being imprisoned in 2022 for molesting a child.

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