Ukraine Conflict Updates: 22:12 Selenskyj Claims Economic Decline for Russia as Zelensky Appoints New Commander
Russian economy is currently experiencing a downward spiral, according to Zelensky.
Stay up to date with the latest developments in the Ukraine conflict, as Zelensky appoints a new commander of the ground forces and President Selenskyj accuses Russia of lacking peace intentions and facing economic decline. Fierce clashes continue with Russian troops, threatening Sumy as air alerts are issued across Ukraine.
Ukraine Plans All-Female Drone Defense Unit
Ukraine's military is reportedly forming its first unit to defend against drones, staffed exclusively by women. The crew will be formed under the 427th Separate Regiment for Unmanned Systems "Rarog," according to the news portal "Ukrajinska Prawda."
Selenskyj Calls Russian Intentions in Sumy "Completely Mad"
The contested region of Sumy is the topic of the evening message from the Ukrainian president. "The Russians had various plans and intentions there - as usual, completely mad," says Selenskyj. "We're holding them back and eliminating these murderers to defend our region of Sumy." Russian soldiers have been advancing at the front line and moving into the Sumy region, which the Russian army had not occupied since the early phase of the war. Russia wants to establish a "buffer zone" in Sumy to prevent further advances by Ukrainian forces into the Russian border region of Kursk. According to Putin, an occupation of the regional capital of Sumy is not ruled out.
Military Warns of New Air Strikes: Drones Head Towards Kyiv
There is an air alert across the entire eastern half of Ukraine and the Kyiv region in the evening. The army warns that several Russian drone groups are in the air, including ones headed towards the Kyiv region.
Ukrainians Reportedly Strike Russian Base in Occupied Tokmak
Ukraine's military is reported to have attacked a Russian military base in the occupied city of Tokmak last night. Petro Andriuschenko, former advisor to the mayor of Mariupol and head of the Center for Occupation Studies, writes on Telegram: "Tokmak. The base of the invaders was hit last night. Our local sources confirm this." Several soldiers were reportedly taken to a hospital. The base is said to have housed drone troops. This cannot be independently verified. The city of Tokmak lies more than 20 kilometers behind the front line.
Putin Threatens to Capture City of Sumy
Russian President Putin threatens for the first time to potentially capture the Ukrainian regional capital of Sumy. "We do not have the goal of capturing Sumy, but in principle, I do not rule it out," Putin says at an economic forum in St. Petersburg in response to a journalist's question. Russian troops have been gradually capturing more settlements in the Sumy region in northeastern Ukraine for months. Putin also explains that the military forces there have established a buffer zone that is currently 10 to 12 kilometers deep into the country. The capture of the regional capital of Sumy is possible, he says, with the front line only about 18 kilometers from the city limits.
Russian "Ghost Ship" to be Scrapped
A Russian tanker that has been anchored in the Polish port of Gdynia for eight years is to be scrapped in Denmark. "We are removing Russian scrap from Poland," says State Secretary in the Ministry of Infrastructure Arkadiusz Marchewka, according to Polish radio RMF FM. The "Khatanga" will be towed to a shipyard in Denmark and cut up. "The previous government did nothing for years. The Russian ship just lay in the harbor. No fees were paid," Marchewka is quoted as saying. The "Khatanga" was reportedly transporting fuels. It entered the harbor in 2017 and was detained by authorities due to defects found during port checks. The ship should have been repaired, but the owner, the Russian Murmansk Shipping Company, went bankrupt in 2020. The ship remained and deteriorated further. According to reports, the unserviceable tanker has already broken free from its moorings several times, posing a safety risk to other ships.
Putin Reaffirms Claim to Ukraine
Russian President Putin reaffirms his claim to dominance over Ukraine while again denying the Ukrainian people's independence. Russians and Ukrainians are one people, Putin says, and "in that sense, all of Ukraine belongs to us." Russia acknowledges Ukraine's right to sovereignty, but qualifies it by saying Ukraine declared its independence as a "neutral state" in 1991. "Wherever a Russian soldier sets his foot, that belongs to us," Putin adds. Russia has militarily occupied part of Ukraine and has illegally annexed a further part, including the Ukrainian Crimea peninsula, beyond what it has occupied.
Kremlin Wants All of Ukraine: Putin "Wherever a Russian Soldier Stands, That Belongs to Us"
Italy questions NATO's existence ahead of the next NATO summit. "NATO has no more reason to exist," says Defense Minister Guido Crosetto. Times have changed, he says, and "the USA and the EU are no longer the center of the world. NATO must adapt to the changing times." To continue ensuring peace and mutual defense, it must work with the global south. Crosetto is also a member of the right-wing governing party Fratelli d'Italia.
German Defense Ministry Sees No Weakening of Russia in Ukraine War
The head of the Ukraine Task Force at the Ministry of Defense, Major General Christian Freuding, does not expect any immediate effects of the Israel-Iran conflict on the military situation in Ukraine. While Russia was initially "strongly supported by Iran with drones," he says in ZDF, Russia now produces these Shahed drones itself, has further developed them, and increased production. Therefore, Russia is "no longer dependent on Iranian support for drone supplies," says Freuding. A few months ago, it was also observed that Iran had supported Russia with a small number of ballistic missiles, but these have not yet been deployed. Politically, there is a joint security agreement, but no military assistance clause, according to Freuding.
Putin Wants to Further Expand Arms Industry
In light of his war against Ukraine, Russian President Putin wants to further expand the arms industry as a pillar of the domestic economy. In his speech at the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, he called for the development to consider the experiences of weapons in combat. Unlike widespread expectations, the war against Ukraine, which he ordered, was not mentioned in his nearly hour-long speech. Putin also stated that Russia must move away from the division between civilian and pure arms companies. "We must constantly analyze and quickly introduce technological and organizational innovations in the civilian sector into the defense and security sphere," he said. Together with friendly states, Russia will also develop arms projects, produce weapons together, and train the relevant personnel, Putin announced.
Study: Increased Spending Does Not Automatically Boost Europe's Military Capability
Europe's military efforts still suffer from major deficits, according to a study by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy and the Brussels think tank Bruegel. Increased defense spending will not automatically lead to the desired greater military capability by 2030, they explain. While production of artillery shells and howitzers has significantly increased and almost meets the demand for a credible and independent deterrent against Russia, production of tanks, missiles, and combat jets remains low. "Production of tanks and infantry vehicles would need to increase by a factor of up to six to keep up with Russia's pace of military buildup," the study says. Experts also call for a stronger focus on new technologies proven effective in the Ukraine war, such as drones and unmanned vehicles, as well as the development of Europe's own cloud computing and AI centers. Moreover, production of state-of-the-art weapon systems in Europe is still low, and technological dependence on the US is high, the researchers note.
Ukrainian Woman Accused of Helping 25,000 Ukrainians Flee - Verdict Announced
A pro-Ukrainian activist in Russia has been sentenced to 22 years in prison, according to a media report. The state news agency RIA reports that the verdict was handed down by a Moscow military court. The woman was accused of calling for donations for humanitarian aid to Ukraine and helping Ukrainians flee war zones. Nadesha Rossinskaya, also known as Nadin Geisler, was arrested in February 2024 and charged with high treason and terrorist activities based on a social media post. The woman, aged between 20 and 30, has denied any wrongdoing, according to court records published by the independent Russian media portal Mediasona. The defense has stated that Geisler was not the author of the post. According to a report by the newspaper "The Moscow Times", Geisler led a group called "Army of the Beautiful". The organization stated that it had helped around 25,000 people flee from Russian-controlled regions of Ukraine in 2022 and 2023.
Russians Reportedly Gain Ground in Kharkiv Region
Russian troops are continuing their advance in northeastern Ukraine, according to the Ministry of Defense in Moscow. The settlement of Myrne has been captured in the Kharkiv region, the ministry said. The situation on the ground cannot be independently verified. According to DeepState, the location remains under Ukrainian control.
FSB Agent Sets Cars on Fire and Plans Murder - Arrest Made
The Security Service of Ukraine's counterintelligence department and the National Police have arrested an FSB agent who was involved in arson and planning a murder in Kyiv. The 33-year-old had previously deserted his military service in Russia and joined the FSB, the Prosecutor's Office said. After his recruitment, the man came to Kyiv, where he set several vehicles of the defense forces on fire as a test task. Later, he received a weapon and ammunition and waited for the order to kill a "prominent person" within the Ukrainian army. However, the Russian did not know any high-ranking officials personally. Shortly after, the counterintelligence service intervened. The 33-year-old now faces a life sentence.
Putin to Deliver Long and Comprehensive Speech at St. Petersburg Forum
Dmitri Peskov, spokesman for the Kremlin, has announced that Vladimir Putin's speech at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum today will be "quite informative, long, and comprehensive". He said that guests from Indonesia, Bahrain, and China will also speak. The Kremlin expects 20,000 participants from 140 countries.
ntv will broadcast Putin's speech live from 13:00.
Russians Reportedly Aimed to Destroy Ukrainian Military Facility
Russian soldiers reportedly aimed to destroy the military part of the Ukrainian city of Chassiv Yar. "In recent days, Russian forces have succeeded in destroying the fortified area of Ukrainian forces in the central part of Chassiv Yar, driving Ukrainian militants out of a number of city buildings along Pushkin Street, and also advancing to the southern city border," says military expert Andrei Marochko to Tass. However, he notes that the Ukrainians are not giving up easily. The military is resisting. Kyiv will likely send "new groups of Ukrainian fighters from the mobilized population into the fray" as well.
Intelligence: Russian Soldier Reportedly Ate Comrade
The Ukrainian military intelligence service publishes an excerpt from a Russian radio message stating that a missing Russian soldier was eaten by a comrade. The commander of a unit of the separate reconnaissance battalion of the 68th motorized rifle division of the Russian armed forces reported that he saw his soldier with the code name "Brelok" eating the missing "Foma". Shortly afterwards, "Brelok" was found dead. "Well, he ate his partner, that's all, that's something to think about," said the commander in the recording. "Cannibalism is another proof of the deep moral and psychological decay of Russian troops, who lack any respect for human life, even their own," the intelligence service judges.
Foreign Minister Wadephul Calls for German Leadership Role in NATO
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul calls on the federal government and the parties of the ruling coalition to represent the new course in defense policy more offensively: "We must talk much more about our security. Now phase two of the turning point begins. We should clearly tell the citizens that without a major investment program in our defense, Germany and Europe will not be safe in the future." This includes more personnel in the Bundeswehr, but also a significant strengthening of civil defense. "This is a major task for us in the government," says Wadephul to "Der Spiegel". The foreign minister was the first member of the federal government to support the demand of US President Donald Trump to increase defense spending to five percent.
Estonia Builds Trenches and Bunkers at Border with Russia
The army in Estonia is starting, in cooperation with the National Center for Defense Investments, the construction of a defense line at the southwestern border. Currently, trenches are being dug with excavators, ERR reports. "In this case, the anti-tank trench stops the enemy - it slows down its actions, and if it finds a way through, it is a very good target for our weapons," says Lieutenant Colonel Ainar Afanasjev, commander of the engineering department of the defense forces.
Peskov: "Expect Everyone to be Tolerant towards Us"
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responds to Trump's sharp remark directed at Vladimir Putin. "President Trump has his own unique way of speaking and his own unique language," Peskov says in an interview with Sky News. "We are quite tolerant and expect everyone to be tolerant towards us." When Putin offered to mediate in the Middle East conflict, Trump said, "Do me a favor - clean up your own house first." According to Peskov, this was not taken as offensive.
Klingbeil: No Conscription, but Creating Conditions
Deputy Chancellor Lars Klingbeil rules out a return to conscription in Germany but wants to create conditions for mandatory service. The coalition agreement relies on voluntarism, "but we must already create the conditions for mandatory service," he told the New Berlin Editorial Society. "But there will be no return to the old conscription where all young men of a year were drafted," says the SPD leader.
Auto Industry Offers Help with European Rearmament
The German automotive industry offers help with the multi-billion-euro rearmament in Europe. "Our industry will help where we can - but this is not an alternative business model," says Hildegard Müller, president of the Association of the German Automotive Industry (VDA), to Funke newspapers. Apart from the core business of car manufacturing, "there will always be changes in value creation. During the pandemic, for example, we made ventilators. So there's high industrial competence that we can and will certainly use for other sectors," Müller explains further. Recently, for instance, Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume has emphasized that his company is ready for military tasks.
Ukrainian Woman Killed in Iranian Rocket Attack on Israel
A 31-year-old Ukrainian woman was killed in an Iranian rocket attack on a residential building in Bat Yam near the Israeli metropolis of Tel Aviv. The woman, who was in Israel for the treatment of her eight-year-old daughter suffering from leukemia, was killed along with her daughter and grandmother in the attack last Sunday, Israeli authorities announced in the evening.
The community policy of several nations may need to address the escalating tensions in war-and-conflicts, such as the Ukraine conflict, as politics play a significant role in this global news event. The employment policy of these nations might also be impacted, as military expenditures could increase due to the necessity of strengthening armed forces. Such a situation could potentially lead to job creation in the defense and security sectors, but it may also necessitate the reevaluation of general-news reporting and the prioritization of accurate and timely information dissemination.
