Vladimir Putin faced a rare protest in Moscow by Russian women who demanded his defence minister Andrei Belousov return their mobilised husbands from the frontline in Ukraine.
A group of 18 women gathered to appeal personally to Belousov, who was appointed to the role last month. They asked him to impose strict limits on how long soldiers could serve before they were rotated out of active duty, said Paulina, 20, whose husband is fighting in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Russian sources claimed that Ukraine fired American weapons at Belgorod for the first time after Washington lifted a ban on Kyiv using its weapons inside Russia.
The Ukrainians reportedly fired the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, at bordering Belgorod city, Russia’s defence ministry and military bloggers said.
The escalation comes as Norway’s top general warned that Nato’s window of preparing against Russia had dwindled from about ten years to two or three years.
“At one point someone said it’ll take ten years but I think we’re back to less than ten years because of the industrial base that is now running in Russia,” said General Eirik Kristoffersen, head of the Norwegian Armed Forces.
Russia calls French military instructors in Ukraine ‘legitimate target’
Russian foreign minister Sergi Lavrov said any French military instructors in Ukraine would be a “legitimate target” for Russian armed forces amid reports Paris was considering sending trainers to Kyiv.
During his Africa tour yesterday, Mr Lavrov claimed French instructors were already on Ukrainian territory.
“As for the French instructors, I think they are already on the Ukrainian territory,” Mr Lavrov said, referring to the military instructors that France could send to train Ukrainian troops. “Regardless of their status, military officials or mercenaries represent a legitimate target for our armed forces.”
Ukraine‘s top commander said last week he had signed paperwork allowing French military instructors to access Ukrainian training centres soon.
But French president Emmanuel Macron said last week he would not comment on “rumours or decisions that could be made.”
He said he would elaborate on France’s support during the 80th anniversary commemorations of D-Day later this week.
Mr Macron’s office said it would not comment on Mr Lavrov’s remarks.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that “instructors who train the Kyiv regime’s troops don’t have any sort of immunity, and it doesn’t matter whether they are French or not.”
Shweta Sharma5 June 2024 04:14
Biden to meet Zelensky during France visit
President Joe Biden will meet Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky in Normandy during his D-Day celebration visit to France, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said.
He confirmed that the US was not planning to send American military trainers to Ukraine.
“For our part, we’re not planning for a training mission in Ukraine,” Mr Sullivan said.
“They need more air defences and we are working on that and they need a continued flow of weaponry which we will supply to them.”
The US president’s remarks in Normandy, both on Thursday at the formal 80th anniversary ceremony and on Friday at the famed Pointe du Hoc cliffs, will centre around the dangers of isolationism and the need to stand up to dictators, Mr Sullivan said.
Shweta Sharma5 June 2024 03:54
They escaped Russia’s deadly assault on Kharkiv – now these Ukrainians face another catastrophe
Alexander Butler5 June 2024 03:00
The Russian glide bombs changing the face of the war in Ukraine
The Russian glide bombs changing the face of the war in Ukraine
Winged explosives weighing up to 1,500 kilograms – and nicknamed the ‘building destroyer’ – have had a devastating impact wherever they have been used, writes Tom Watling. Kyiv is battling them as best it can but needs Western allies to step up and provide more weapons, air defences and ammunition
Alexander Butler5 June 2024 01:00
The war against rabies in Ukraine and the race to stop it crossing borders
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
Alexander Butler4 June 2024 23:00
Putin’s forces killed his brother. He takes revenge using hundreds of suicide drones to blow Russian troops up
Alexander Butler4 June 2024 21:00
Zelensky accuses China of helping Russia sabotage Ukraine peace summit
Alexander Butler4 June 2024 19:00
Pictured: Ukrainian soldiers prepare to hit Russian forces in Dontesk
Alexander Butler4 June 2024 16:00
UK vows action over hundreds of Ukrainians with disabilities vanished into Russia
Alexander Butler4 June 2024 15:00
Zelensky accuses China of helping Russia sabotage Ukraine peace summit
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused China of helping Russia to disrupt an upcoming peace conference on the war in Ukraine.
Speaking at Asia’s premier security conference in Singapore, Mr Zelensky alleged Russia had been using Chinese diplomats in the wider Asian region to influence and dissuade countries from attending the peace summit, due to be held in Burgenstock Resort, central Switzerland, on 15 and 16 June.
“Russia, using Chinese influence in the region, using Chinese diplomats also, does everything to disrupt the peace summit,” said Mr Zelensky at a news conference at the Shangri-La defence forum.
“Regrettably this is unfortunate that such a big independent powerful country as China is an instrument in the hands of [Russian leader Vladimir] Putin.”
Alexander Butler4 June 2024 14:09
