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Russia Ukraine war live: Kyiv fires US weapon Himars inside Russia for the first time
Russian sources claim Ukraine has fired US-made weapons inside Russia’s Belgorod for the first time as Washington lifted the ban on using its ammunition on Moscow.
Ukrainian forces reportedly used the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (Himars), which is a light multiple rocket launcher, to hit bordering Belgorod city, claimed Russian defence ministry and Russian military bloggers.
Last week, the US allowed Ukraine a limited right to use US-made weapons at military targets inside Russia as Russian forces intensified their offensive on Ukrainian cities and villages.
This comes as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused China of helping Russia to disrupt an upcoming Swiss-organised peace conference on the war in Ukraine.
Speaking at Asia’s premier security conference, Mr Zelensky said that China is pressuring other countries and their leaders not to attend the upcoming talks. He did not say which ones.
“Regrettably this is unfortunate that such a big independent powerful country as China is an instrument in the hands of (Russian leader Vladimir) Putin,” he said at a news conference at the Shangri-La Dialogue defence forum.
Italy likely to send second air defence system to Ukraine, source says
Italy will likely send a second SAMP/T air defence system to Ukraine, a source close to the matter told Reuters on Monday, responding to Kyiv’s demands for greater help to fend off Russian missile attacks.
The system, also known as MAMBA, is a Franco-Italian battery that can track dozens of targets and intercept 10 at once. It is the only European-made system that can intercept ballistic missiles.
Rome and Paris jointly delivered a first system in 2023, but in recent months Ukraine has repeatedly called on partners to provide more help with air defence as it faces an increasing barrage of attacks on cities and energy infrastructure.
The source, who declined to be named, confirmed newspaper reports that Italy was preparing to send a SAMP/T system which is deployed in Kuwait, but is soon due to return to Italy.
However, he did not give a timeframe for any delivery.
Corriere della Sera newspaper reported on Monday that the government could green light the new supplies after a summit of leaders of the Group of Seven major democracies, which Italy will host on June 13-15.
Athena Stavrou4 June 2024 00:01
1,270 Russian casualties in 24 hours, Ukraine claims
Ukrainian officials have claimed Russia has suffered 1,270 casualties in the past 24 hours.
If correct, this would be one of the highest daily casualty figures since the war began in 2022.
Athena Stavrou3 June 2024 22:30
Energy shutdowns hit Ukraine after Russian attacks target infrastructure
Ukraine imposed emergency power shutdowns in most of the country on Sunday, a day after Russia unleashed large-scale attacks on energy infrastructure and claimed it made gains in the eastern Donetsk province.
The shutdowns were in place in all but three regions of Ukraine following Saturday’s drone and missile attack on energy targets that injured at least 19 people.
Ukraine’s state-owned power grid operator Ukrenergo said the shutdowns affected both industrial and household consumers.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain3 June 2024 21:00
Germany aims to order two more frigates to bolster defences
The German government wants to buy two further frigates provided parliament approves the deal, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Monday, as part of a policy shift to bolster its defences after Russia‘s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking in the Baltic port of Wolgast at a keel-laying ceremony for the first of four F126 frigates already ordered, he said he had reached a deal with the finance ministry to present parliament with a draft budget for two additional ships.
The F126 frigates comprise a core element of Germany’s so-called “Zeitenwende” (sea change) in defence policy initiated by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Germany needs six, not just four of them, Pistorius said.
“It (the frigate) was developed to play its part in our collective defence, it is crucial for a credible deterrence, in particular for the protection of our northern flank,” Pistorious told reporters at the ceremony.
The first frigate of the new type is expected to be delivered to the German navy in 2028. It will be capable of striking targets above and under water.
The first four ships will cost some 6.2 billion euros ($6.72 billion) and be built in the ports of Wolgast, Kiel and Hamburg with Dutch shipbuilder Damen as a general contractor.
The contract includes an option for two further ships.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain3 June 2024 20:00
The war against rabies in Ukraine and the race to stop it crossing borders
A disease which has been largely eradicated from Europe, rabies is suddenly raising its head in Ukraine where millions of abandoned pets are now running wild.
Ahead of a film exposing the public health crisis, Joe Shute talks to Khrystyna Drahomaretska who caught the disease during her work inoculating feral cats and dogs roaming the streets in the wartorn country:
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The war against rabies in Ukraine and the race against time to stop it spreading
A disease which has been largely eradicated from Europe, rabies is suddenly raising its head in Ukraine where millions of abandoned pets are now running wild. Ahead of a film exposing the public health crisis, Joe Shute talks to Khrystyna Drahomaretska who caught the disease during her work inoculating feral cats and dogs roaming the streets in the wartorn country
Maryam Zakir-Hussain3 June 2024 19:00
Poland has arrested 18 people on allegations of planning hostile acts on behalf of Russia, Belarus
Poland has arrested 18 people on allegations of pursuing hostile activities or planning sabotage on behalf of Russia and Belarus, including plans to assassinate Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the interior minister said Monday.
Ten of those arrested since December were directly involved in planning various forms of sabotage across Poland, Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak told a news conference.
Polish authorities have linked some recent arsons or attempted arsons to Russian-sponsored agents. Polish, Belarusian and Ukrainian nationals are among those arrested in recent months, according to the Internal Security Agency’s communiques.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain3 June 2024 18:00
Nearly 1,000 people honor a young Ukrainian journalist and volunteer combat medic killed in action
Nearly 1,000 people attended a ceremony Sunday honoring the memory of Ukrainian journalist Iryna Tsybukh, who was killed in action while serving as a volunteer combat medic a few days before her 26th birthday.
Tsybukh was killed while on rotation in the Kharkiv area, where Russia started its offensive nearly a month ago.
She had left a note describing how she wished the ceremony to be held, asking people to sing Ukrainian songs and attend in vyshyvankas — traditional embroidered shirts — instead of black clothes.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain3 June 2024 17:00
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Zelensky: Parts of Russia’s weaponry still come from other countries
Countries worldwide still supply parts of Russia’s weaponry, circumventing sanctions, said Volodymyr Zelensky. The President of Ukraine was speaking at a summit in Singapore on Sunday 2 June. “Certain elements that make part of Russia’s weaponry come from China, but I must mention that there are elements from other countries of the world,” he said. “However, there is a solution to this situation. If we see that this product arrives on the market of the Russian Federation circumventing sanctions, we pass this information to our partners so that they stop such transit.” This comes as Russia launched a major assault on the Ukrainian power grid, injuring 19 people.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain3 June 2024 16:30
Sri Lanka says 455 citizens duped into fighting for Russia in Ukraine as 16 go missing in action
Sri Lanka and Russia are starting talks to resolve the issue of Sri Lankans fighting alongside Russians in the war against Ukraine, after at least 16 people were reported missing in action.
On Thursday, Junior Foreign Minister Tharaka Balasuriya said that the Sri Lankans, mostly retired soldiers, had been duped into traveling to Russia with promises of good salaries and privileges including Russian citizenship.
“The situation in Russia is very unfortunate,” Balasuriya told reporters, adding that he is working with the defense ministry to ascertain the number of people fighting in Russia.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain3 June 2024 16:00
Italy likely to send second air defence system to Ukraine, source says
Italy will likely send a second SAMP/T air defence system to Ukraine, a source close to the matter told Reuters on Monday, responding to Kyiv’s demands for greater help to fend off Russian missile attacks.
The system, also known as MAMBA, is a Franco-Italian battery that can track dozens of targets and intercept 10 at once. It is the only European-made system that can intercept ballistic missiles.
Rome and Paris jointly delivered a first system in 2023, but in recent months Ukraine has repeatedly called on partners to provide more help with air defence as it faces an increasing barrage of attacks on cities and energy infrastructure.
The source, who declined to be named, confirmed newspaper reports that Italy was preparing to send a SAMP/T system which is deployed in Kuwait, but is soon due to return to Italy.
However, he did not give a timeframe for any delivery.
Corriere della Sera newspaper reported on Monday that the government could green light the new supplies after a summit of leaders of the Group of Seven major democracies, which Italy will host on June 13-15.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain3 June 2024 15:42