F-16 fighter jets are expected to be on the battlefield in Ukraine by this summer, a Dutch air force commander has said.
Gen Arnoud Stallmann, speaking in front of two disused F-16s in a military hangar in the Netherlands, said that after a series of delays, everything was “lining up” to see the US-made jets in Kyiv’s hands by this summer.
The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Norway have pledged around 80 F-16s to Ukraine between them. Kyiv has long called for the fighter jets, seeing them as vital to countering threats such as Russia’s recent use of deadly glide bombs, capable of levelling whole buildings.
It comes as Russian leader Vladimir Putin has arrived in Vietnam on the second-leg of his overseas tour, having visited North Korea yesterday.
Putin is scheduled to meet Vietnam’s most powerful politician, the communist party’s general secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the new president To Lam and other officials, in the capital of Hanoi later today.
The Russian president’s last visit to Vietnam was in 2017. The pair have had diplomatic relations since 1950.
Ukraine and EU extend permit-free regime for freight, PM says
Ukraine and the European Commission have extended a liberalisation of freight transport for another year, allowing Ukrainian cargo permit-free entry to the EU, Ukraine‘s prime minister has said.
Denys Shmyhal added on X that the agreement envisaged the possibility of an automatic extension until the end of 2025.
Tom Watling20 June 2024 12:30
The Putin-Kim bromance is a dangerous liaison
The Putin-Kim bromance is a dangerous liaison
Editorial: Rather than the forging of a new axis against Western influence, the Russian president’s rare visit to North Korea is a telling sign of his weakness – and how, to declare victory in Ukraine, he may be prepared to take risks
Tom Watling20 June 2024 12:15
Mapped: Where Russia’s overnight attacks hit Ukraine and where they were intercepted
A map produced by Ukrainian open source group ‘monitorwar’ has produced a detailed look at Russia’s overnight aerial assault.
Russian forces continue to target Ukraine’s power infrastructure. In their latest attack, they damaged facilities in four regions.
Tom Watling20 June 2024 12:00
US to redirect Patriot air defense orders to Ukraine, FT reports
President Joe Biden’s administration plans to halt all open orders for Patriot air defense systems and interceptor missiles and redirect supply to Ukraine until its defense needs are met, the Financial Times has reported.
The move could be announced as early as Thursday, the report said, citing three people with knowledge of the decision.
Ukraine has been lobbying for the U.S.-made Patriot missile defences which have proved vital for Kyiv’s chances of shooting down Russia’s ballistic and hypersonic missiles. It has recently drummed up its requests for the missiles following Russian attacks on its critical energy sector.
Earlier this month, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced his country would deliver another 100 Patriot air defence missiles to Ukraine in an initiative with Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway.
Tom Watling20 June 2024 11:38
Russian interference in UK general election will likely ramp up dramatically, warns senior US senator
Tom Watling20 June 2024 11:17
South Korea says will reconsider providing weapons to Ukraine, Yonhap says
South Korea has said it will review the possibility of supplying weapons to Ukraine, Yonhap news reported, citing an official after the leaders of North Korea and Russia signed a pact pledging mutual defence in the event of war.
In an official statement released on Thursday, Seoul also condemned the comprehensive strategic partnership agreement signed by the leaders of North Korea and Russia this week, saying it violates United Nations sanctions.
“The government clearly emphasizes that any cooperation that directly or indirectly helps North Korea increase its military power is a violation of UN Security Council resolutions and is subject to monitoring and sanctions by the international community,” the presidential office said in a statement, adding that such violation would worsen Seoul’s relations with Moscow.
North Korea and Russia revived an agreement made during the Cold War era when their leaders met in Pyongyang this week, and agreed to provide military assistance if they are ever attacked.
Tom Watling20 June 2024 11:04
Ukrainian soldiers explore captured Russian tank
Ukrainian soldiers have been pictured exploring a Russian main battle tank in the eastern Donetsk region after capturing the vehicle this month.
The Soviet-era T-62 had been retrofitted with anti-drone protection to cope with the constant threat of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on the frontline, a phenomena of this war.
Tom Watling20 June 2024 10:45
We have some more footage of alleged Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries
Earlier, we reported that Ukrainian sources claimed responsibility for explosions at fuel depots in several regions of Russia.
Below, we have some more footage of the fires, as well as some maps detailing the location of the alleged strikes.
Tom Watling20 June 2024 10:30
Fires at two Russian fuel depots after drone attacks by Ukraine’s SBU, source says
Ukrainian drone attacks conducted by the SBU security agency caused fires at fuel depots in the Russian regions of Tambov and Adygeyea early on Thursday, a Kyiv intelligence source told Reuters.
Russian officials said earlier that fires had broken out at two fuel depots after suspected drone attacks.
The Ukrainian source said the depots supplied the Russian military and that the strikes aimed to reduce their resources.
Tom Watling20 June 2024 10:15
