Russian officials claimed to have ended a counterterrorism operation in Belgorod Oblast and defeated the Russian Volunteer Corps and Freedom of Russia Legion after their cross-border raid, but the Institute for the Study of War says it is unclear how true the claims are.
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Ukrainian sources report forces are concentrating limited and understrength troops in the Sumy region, aiming to draw Ukrainian forces to the border. Meanwhile, Russia expresses condolences over the deaths of Iranian officials and makes military leadership changes.
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Ukraine’s military denied Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin’s claim that his fighters had fully captured Bakhmut, saying fighting was continuing and Ukrainian troops still held positions, though Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar called the situation critical.
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The Biden administration has told European allies it will not stop them from re-exporting F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, CNN reports, as the White House faces growing pressure from Congress and partners to help Kyiv obtain the planes amid intensifying Russian air attacks.
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The CIA has launched a new effort to capitalise on what US intelligence officials see as an unprecedented opportunity to persuade Russians disaffected by the war in Ukraine and life in Russia to share secrets, posting a recruitment video on Telegram and other platforms.
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German arms maker Rheinmetall has agreed to set up a joint venture with Ukraine’s state-owned defence group Ukroboronprom to build and repair tanks in Ukraine, with the deal expected to close at the end of June and operations to begin in mid-July, subject to approval.
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Vladimir Putin has submitted a bill to the State Duma to denounce the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, a Cold War-era pact that set limits on tanks, artillery and other heavy weapons, saying the treaty has become outdated largely due to NATO enlargement.
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