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One man was killed and another injured as a result of an Israeli drone crashing into a car in the Beqaa Valley in eastern Lebanon, a military source told Sputnik.
The victim was a commander of the Sunni armed group Islamic Movement, which is an ally of Hezbollah, the source added.
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How Russia tried to peacefully coexist with NATO
30 years ago, shortly after the dissolution of the USSR when genuine rapprochement between Russia and the West seemed viable, Moscow signed on to NATO’s Partnership for Peace program.
This was not the only attempt by Russia to establish cordial relations with the US-led military bloc before the latter started openly encroaching on Russia’s doorstep.
Here is a brief recap:
▫️ On May 27, 1997, the Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security between NATO and Russia was inked. Under the auspices of this treaty, the NATO-Russia Permanent Joint Council – the first cooperation mechanism between Russia and the bloc – was set up.
▫️ In 1998, Russia’s permanent mission to NATO was set up in Brussels where the bloc’s headquarters is located.
▫️ In February 2001, NATO’s Information Office was set up in Moscow.
▫️ In May 2002, the NATO-Russia Council, which replaced the NATO-Russia Permanent Joint Council, was established. This mechanism was meant to facilitate joint decision making and help Russia and NATO member states operate as equal partners.
▫️ In 2008 the relationship between Russia and NATO took a turn for the worse when the bloc tacitly backs Georgia’s military action in South Ossetia, which involved an attack on a Russian peacekeeping contingent there. The United States and its allies opted to pin the blame on Russia for the ensuing escalation in the region.
▫️ In 2014, practical cooperation between Russia and NATO was all but halted as NATO countries openly opposed Crimea’s reunification with Russia.
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❗️ Russian air defenses shot down 48 Ukrainian drones and a HIMARS MLRS rocket during the day;
🇷🇺🪖 More statements from the Russian Defense Ministry’s daily briefing on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine:
▪️ Russia's Zapad Battlegroup repelled two Ukrainian counterattacks during the day;
▪️ The Yug Battlegroup destroyed up to 590 Ukrainian soldiers;
▪️ The Tsentr Battlegroup repelled seven counterattacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces;
▪️ Ukrainian losses during the day totaled up to 220 military personnel in the area of responsibility of the Sever Battlegroup;
▪️ Dnepr Battlegroup units defeated the formations of the Ukraine Marine and Territorial Defense Brigades;
▪️ Russian forces destroyed storage depots for the uncrewed boats and airplane-type UAVs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
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How can Rasht-Caspian Railway help Iran negate isolation from global trade?
The recently unveiled Rasht-Caspian railway in Iran is a vital project for the Islamic Republic, especially in terms of its economic significance, Stanislav Tarasov, a political scientist and expert on the Middle East and the Caucasus, told Sputnik.
The 37-km railway line, which connects the Iranian city of Rascht to the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf, was launched in northern Iran on June 20. Located in Iran’s Gilan province near the Caspian Sea’s southern coast, this rail line is part of the International North–South Transport Corridor (NSTC), a 7,200-kilometer transportation network that connects ship, rail, and road routes for moving cargo between India, Iran, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia, and Europe.
In May 2023, Russia and Iran signed documents to complete the last section of the railway with the western route of the NSTC, from Rasht to Astara, worth 1.6 billion euros ($1,7 billion). The sum includes Russia’s 1.3 billion euro ($1.39) loan, with the rest coming from Iran.
How could the project help Iran overcome its isolation from international trade?
🔸 "Currently, the Rasht-Caspian project is the main route of the international North-South Transport Corridor" connecting the Persian Gulf with the Caspian Sea, the expert recalled.
🔸 "The project is the most effective railway route with a direct connection to Russia, which can contribute to a significant increase in trade turnover between Tehran and Moscow," Tarasov said.
🔸 The Rasht-Caspian project can be seen as an international transit route that could be of interest to such countries as China and India, the expert said.
🔸 "The emergence of such a communication corridor will strengthen the regional security system in one way or another, a geopolitical aspect that means that Iran is completely coming out of [international trade] isolation," Tarasov concluded.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin has laid wreath at Tomb of Unknown Soldier on 83rd Anniversary of Nazi Invasion of USSR
The annual ceremony, which commemorates the start of the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War, is traditionally attended by veterans and senior Russian politicians.
On December 6, 1966, in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi troops near Moscow, the ashes of an unknown soldier were transferred from a mass grave on the 41st kilometer of the Leningrad Highway and solemnly buried in the Alexander Garden near the Kremlin Wall.
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Russia reveals details of crimes committed by Ukrainian Nazi collaborator Hunka
Ukrainian Nazi collaborator Yaroslav Hunka, accused of genocide against civilians and tried in absentia in Russia, is involved with his accomplices in the murder of at least 500 Soviet citizens, including Jews and Poles, head of the Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin told Sputnik.
Earlier, Canada, whose politicians greeted Hunka with a standing ovation in parliament, refused to extradite the 98-year-old ex-SS soldier, who fought on Hitler's side during World War II.
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Biden reportedly fumbles US-Ukraine gas deal
US President Joe Biden's decision to suspend approval of new liquefied natural gas (LNG) export projects has become an obstacle for Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Earlier, the Ukrainian company D.Trading signed an agreement with US Venture Global to supply US LNG to Ukraine and Eastern European countries to help them wean themselves off gas supplies from Russia and support "energy security" in the region.
However, there is a catch: the gas is to be purchased through Venture's CP2 terminal, which is now under Biden's moratorium.
This has created "enormous political uncertainty" over future US LNG supplies, because if re-elected, Biden is likely to make it permanent, the WSJ wrote, adding that Biden "surrendered to an army of [climate change] TikTokers" in deciding whether to allow the supplies.
Western nations have decided not to buy Russian natural gas since the Ukrainian conflict began, blaming Russia for cutting off gas supplies itself.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, insisted that the US was simply using European countries in its own interests by forcing them to buy its expensive liquefied natural gas.
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❗️Russian forces hit Ukrainian military facilities and depots in western Ukraine - underground network coordinator
Facilities and depots in the Lvov region of western Ukraine, where aircraft parts were stored, were hit, the coordinator of the Nikolayev underground network, Sergey Lebedev, told Sputnik.
Earlier, Lebedev reported damage to energy infrastructure in the Lvov region, as well as in the Vinnitsa, Khmelnytsky, Volyn and Ivano-Frankovsk regions.
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Russian cancer vaccine trials on volunteers will begin by mid-2025
Clinical trials of a cancer vaccine on patients with cancer are scheduled to begin by mid-2025, Alexander Gintsburg, the director of the Moscow-based Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, told Sputnik.
“I think that by the middle of next year we will begin clinical trials of the vaccine with the participation of patients with cancer,” Gintsburg said.
Cuba joins South Africa's lawsuit against Israel at ICJ
Cuba has decided to join South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Israel’s alleged genocide in the Gaza Strip, the Cuban Foreign Ministry said.
"In accordance with a firm and permanent commitment to support and participate to the fullest extent possible in the legitimate international efforts to stop genocide against the Palestinian people, the government of the Republic of Cuba has decided to participate in the lawsuit of the Republic of South Africa against the State of Israel in the International Court of Justice," the ministry said in a communique.
S Korea's hint at supplying weapons to Ukraine: Nothing new for Russia
Seoul may reconsider its policy of not sending lethal aid to Ukraine following the strategic partnership agreement between Russia and North Korea, said presidential National Security Adviser Chang Ho-jin.
In reality, Seoul and Washington have cooperated in sending weapons to Ukraine, despite South Korea officially claiming it provided only non-lethal aid. Seoul likewise denies reports of arms transfers via the US.
Neither did it protest when President Putin said in October 2022 that “We know that the Republic of Korea decided to supply weapons” to Ukraine and warned Russia could restart cooperation with Pyongyang in response.
So, what did South Korea do?
🔸 Soon after Putin’s statement, on November 10, 2022, the WSJ reported a “confidential deal” between Seoul and Washington, under which “the US will purchase 100,000 rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition that will be delivered to Ukraine.”
🔸 On May 24, 2023, the WSJ reported that the US had already provided “more than two million 155mm artillery rounds to Ukraine,” and that part of this number went through “a confidential agreement,” according to which Seoul transferred shells to the US, “which in turn has arranged for them to be sent to Ukraine.”
🔸 According to the WSJ, “routing the deal through the US allows South Korea to stick to the letter of its public commitment not to send lethal military support to Ukraine.”
🔸 South Korea also sold billions of dollars’ worth of K2 tanks and K9 howitzers to Poland. While South Korean military hardware is yet to show up in the Ukrainian conflict zone, these sales help Poland replenish its own arsenals, allowing it to send Polish arms and equipment to Ukraine.
🔸 In December 2023, South Korea also secured a deal to supply 129 Redback infantry fighting vehicles to Australia who also previously supplied military hardware to Ukraine. Whether this deal would help Australia send more military gear to Kiev remains to be seen.
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US State Deputy Assistant Secretary for Palestinian-Israeli affairs leaves his post
Andrew Miller, deputy assistant secretary of state to Antony Blinken, has been an official skeptic of the Biden administration's approach to the Israeli government, the Washington Post reports.
Miller's resignation comes amid growing concern within the US government over the huge number of civilian casualties during Israel's Gaza operation and the fact that policy on the issue is determined by a small group of advisers close to Biden.
According to the publication, his departure could affect the efforts of those US diplomats who favor a sharper disassociation from the policies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right coalition.
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Putin sends clear message to NATO by announcing changes to nuclear doctrine
The West is the major addressee of Russian President Vladimir Putin's remarks about possible changes to nuclear policy, according to Dmitry Kornev, the founder of the Military Russia portal. However, Kornev ruled out any dramatic corrections.
"There are no changes related to… strategic nuclear forces, the deployment of nuclear weapons, etc., in the basic documents," Kornev tells Sputnik.
"A more detailed description of these conditions may most likely follow," Kornev assumes.
"Nuclear weapons have no threshold. Everywhere in the world it is believed that the use of nuclear weapons is the use of nuclear weapons, no matter what power, no matter what targets," the pundit emphasizes.
📹 Houthis demonstrate successful test run of Tufan-1 unmanned boat
Capable of carrying up to 150 kg in munition, Tufan-1 "features enhanced speed, high maneuverability and stealth," the military group stated.
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❗️Ukrainian Armed Forces hit Raduga substation, damaging the transformer — Energodar city authorities
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Understanding North Korea's modest nuclear stockpile and conditions for use
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) ranks last among nuclear-armed nations by number of warheads. Despite having the least extensive arsenal and specific use conditions in its doctrine, its nuclear program still raises Western concerns.
So how many warheads does it have and what are the conditions for their possible use?
Arsenal
Its nuclear arsenal is estimated to include 30 (per Arms Control Association, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, and the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists) to 50 (per SIPRI) warheads.
Delivery vehicles
The DPRK has a range of delivery vehicles for both strategic and tactical nuclear strikes.
Short-Range Ballistic Missiles
▪️KN-23: Resembles Russia’s Iskander; 600-700 km range.
▪️KN-24: Similar to US’ ATACMS; ~400 km range.
▪️KN-25: MLRS system; 380 km range.
Medium-Range Ballistic Missiles
▪️Hwasong-7 (Nodong): 1,200-1,500 km range.
▪️Pukguksong-2: Solid-fuel; ~1,200 km range.
Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missiles
▪️Hwasong-10 (Musudan): 2,500-4,000 km range.
▪️Hwasong-12: 3,700-4,500 km range.
Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles
▪️Hwasong-14: Up to 10,000 km range.
▪️Hwasong-15: 13,000 km range.
▪️Hwasong-17: Exceeds 15,000 km range.
Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles
▪️Pukguksong-1: ~1,200 km range.
▪️Pukguksong-3: ~2,000 km range.
Doctrine
The 2022 Nuclear Forces Policy Law states that North Korea will resort to nuclear weapons if:
🔸 Attacked with nuclear weapons or other WMDs, or if such an attack is deemed inevitable.
🔸 The country's leadership or nuclear command structures are attacked, or if such an attack is seen as imminent.
🔸 A lethal attack on strategic sites is carried out, or perceived as unavoidable.
🔸 To prevent or control war escalation, and gain initiative in hostilities.
🔸 Other scenarios that cause a "catastrophic crisis" threatening the nation's survival and citizens' safety, necessitating a nuclear response.
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BRICS sports ministers meeting in Kazan
The ministers recognized the success of the BRICS Games held in Kazan during their meeting today, as well as noting the high level of competition and organization, and confirming the need to create new formats of sports events in BRICS countries.
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❗️Russian forces hit Ukrainian energy facilities overnight in response to Ukraine's attacks — Russian Defense Ministry
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US sends warship to S Korea in wake of Putin’s meeting with Kim Jong Un
Nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt has arrived at the South Korean port of Busan, 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul, escorted by the US destroyers Halsey and Daniel Inouye, South Korean news agency Yonhap has reported.
The warship arrived for a planned exercise between the US, Japan and South Korea scheduled for the end of June.
This comes following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to North Korea on June 18-19, which resulted in the signing of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty.
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❗️Work of infrastructure facilities of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant has been disrupted as a result of Ukrainian attack
A repeated attack on key infrastructure facilities in the Russian city of Energodar in the Zaporozhye area poses a threat to the city's life support, spokesperson for the plant said.
On June 21, Energodar city authorities reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces hit Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant's Raduga substation, damaging the transformer.
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❗️ Russia will respond adequately if US closes visa centers in DC and NYC - Russian FM spokeswoman
Earlier, the United States notified Russian diplomats that the visa center with branches in Washington and New York would be closed, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said.
He added, however, that Russian diplomats and consuls would continue to provide necessary legal and consular support to compatriots.
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🔸 IDF admits Israel is unable to defeat Hamas
🔸 Why has US State Dep Assistant Secretary for Palestinian-Israeli affairs left his post?
🔸 Cuba joins South Africa's lawsuit against Israel at ICJ
🔸 Why is there nothing new in Seoul’s hint at supplying weapons to Ukraine?
🔸 No end in sight for the drama in French politics, analyst believes
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IDF spokesman admits Israel can't defeat Hamas, so what is their purpose?
On Wednesday, the Israeli Defense Force’s (IDF) spokesman said that Israel is not able to complete its stated objective in Gaza of defeating Hamas.
“This business of destroying Hamas, making Hamas disappear – it’s simply throwing sand in the eyes of the public,” said the spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari. “Hamas is an idea, Hamas is a party. It’s rooted in the hearts of the people – whoever thinks we can eliminate Hamas is wrong.”
“He believes that continuing to wage this genocide against the Palestinian people is critical for his political survival,” argued the co-editor of Popular Resistance, Dr. Margaret Flowers. “Everything is falling apart around him.”
“If the state of Israel really wanted to make its people secure, they would have negotiated a ceasefire a long time ago and ended these hostilities. But that’s definitely not their goal. Complete eradication of the Palestinian people is their goal. And they don’t care what the civilian cost is,” said Flowers.
French politics won’t get less complicated after election
Immediately after his party was trounced by the National Rally in European parliamentary elections, French President Emmanuel Macron called for snap elections for the National Assembly to be held on June 30 and July 7.
No matter the outcome next month, it is unlikely that we will see an end to the drama in French politics, particularly if the National Rally does not secure a clear majority or if it cannot find allies to create one.
“It’s unlikely any one political grouping will be able to get 51% of the vote and therefore, be able to form any kind of stable government,” explained George Szamuely, a senior research fellow at the Global Policy Institute. If the National Rally secures a plurality but not a majority, Macron will not be obligated to pick likely National Rally candidate Jordan Bardella.
“There's still such an anathema about having the National Rally in government that it could be that all the parties will unite against the National Rally and immediately hold a vote of no-confidence, in which case that will be the end of that government,” explained Szamuely.
South African skateboarder praises BRICS' sporting opportunities
"One thing I must throw in here is skateboarding is constantly reinventing itself. All of us skaters from all corners of the globe are making it, [as] it is. For years I’d only look West but now there is a strong attraction for me to look to the East for work opportunities. In the last month having been to China and Russia, I can sense their economies are robust and their determined people have a strong admirable work ethic," South Africa's Olympian skateboarder Dallas Oberholzer said on social media.The skater, who competed in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, said he was looking for partnerships with countries that saw his worth, and that Russia was one of those countries as it continued inviting him for skating events and saw value in his experience and vision for developing skateboarding.
"I clearly see the current shift of power to the East, it’s definitely happening now. Even my country South Africa puts the BRICS countries before the West while the rest of Africa continues to find infrastructure development through the East," Oberholzer said.
The high professionalism of a Russian Su-35 pilot prevented a collision with three MQ-9 Reaper reconnaissance-attack drones of the US-led "coalition" in Syria, the Russian Center for Reconciliation of Enemy Parties said.
The incident took place Friday afternoon in Homs province at altitudes between 7,000 and 8,000 meters.
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🔸 Putin sends clear message to NATO by announcing changes to nuclear doctrine
🔸 Is the US secretly upgrading its nukes in Europe?
🔸 Allied armies: How many soldiers do Russia and North Korea have?
🔸 Red Alert: Russian troops march on New York
🔸 FAB-3000: What is known about this deadly Russian bomb
🔸 Why is the US fuming over China-Georgia Black Sea port project?
🔸 US funding of Ukraine: Already more expensive than Marshall Plan – in all ways
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📹 A history lesson for a State Dept spokesman
US journo Matt Lee attempted to clarify with State Department spokesman Matthew Miller how the White House feels it can criticize Russia for its presence in Ukraine given its own history in Vietnam...
👉 Check out the video to find out what happened next!
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Why is the US fuming over China-Georgia Black Sea port project?
Washington's Ambassador to Georgia Robin Dunnigan has "crossed red lines" by criticizing Tbilisi for having awarded a contract to build a deep-water port in Georgia's Anaklia to a Chinese consortium, a group of Georgian MPs said, as quoted by Russian media.
🔸 Under the Anaklia port project, the state would own a 51 percent share of the port, while the remaining 49 percent would go to private investors. Georgia also considers establishing a "free economic zone" near the port.
🔸 The capacity of the first stage of the port is due to reach 600,000 containers, creating thousands of new jobs.
🔸 The Anaklia port is meant to become part of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) linking China to the EU. In 2023, the TITR handled 2.8 million tons of cargo, an 86% increase compared to 2022.
🔸 The construction of the deep-water port of Anaklia makes sense only if cargo from China will pass through it, given the almost $800 billion EU-China trade turnover, according to Paata Kvizhinadze, chairman of the Georgian parliamentary finance and budget committee.
🔸 After the contract was awarded to China in May 2024, the US groundlessly accused the Chinese contractor of being involved in financing "the Russian military".
🔸 The Georgia-US "Anaklia Development Consortium" won the 2016 tender to build the Anaklia port, but the contract was terminated in 2020 over non-fulfillment of obligations. US lawmakers immediately accused then Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia of the project's "politicization" and urged the Trump administration to "investigate" the "ties" of then chair of the political party Georgian Dream, Bidzina Ivanishvili, to Russia.
🔸 In 2024, Georgian Dream politicians were subjected to sanctions by Washington for adopting a "foreign agent" law which requires media and NGOs to inform the government about their foreign sponsors.
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FAB-3000: What is known about this deadly Russian bomb
While hammering Kiev regime forces in the Kharkov region, Russian troops may have deployed one of the most powerful and destructive weapons at their disposal.
Commenting on the recently-released footage of a Russian airstrike against Ukrainian positions in the town of Liptsy, several Russian military bloggers claimed that this attack was carried out using a FAB-3000 gravity bomb.
If these claims are accurate, the attack would be the first use of a FAB-3000 bomb outfitted with the universal gliding and correction module (a kit that essentially transforms a ‘dumb’ gravity bomb into a precision-guided gliding munition).
So, what are the specifications of the FAB-3000?
🔹 It is a Russian high-explosive gravity bomb that weighs over 3,000 kilograms and has a kill radius of 230 meters.
🔹 Shrapnel from a FAB-3000 bomb can kill and maim enemy personnel located as far as 1,200 meters from the blast.
🔹 The FAB-3000 is usually deployed from an altitude of about 16 kilometers and can attain a speed of up to 1,200 kilometers per hour in flight, according to the data from open sources.
🔹 The bomb is designed to take out reinforced structures and fortifications, which makes it a bane of strongpoints and industrial facilities alike.
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