For today, links to reports from Reuters, the Associated Press, Tass, Agence France-Presse, the Kyiv Post, and the Kyiv Independent; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE entry for this date and an ASSANGE entry are HERE and HERE.) — MCM
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As war with Russia enters third year, U.S. aid to Ukraine hangs in the balance, by Humeyra Pamuk and Patricia Zengerle | Reuters WASHINGTON — Top Biden administration officials spent last weekend in Europe trying to soothe jitters over the prospect of U.S. military aid to Ukraine ending. Just two days later, the Republican Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, who . . . READ MORE . . .
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Desperate for soldiers, Ukraine weighs unpopular plan to expand the draft, by Samya Kullab and Susie Blann | AP LYMAN, Ukraine — When the Russian army mounted a full-scale invasion two years ago, Ukrainian men zealously rushed to recruitment centers across the country to enlist, ready to die in defense of their nation. Today, with Russia in control of roughly . . . READ MORE . . .
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Russia’s forces turn their focus on Ukraine’s northeast in what may be an ambitious new push, by Hanna Arhirova | AP KYIV — Russian forces are probing Ukrainian defenses for weak points in the country’s northeast, an official said today, an area where analysts believe the Kremlin seeks to build on its recent success in taking a key city by mounting an . . . READ MORE . . .
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France says Russian forces threatened to shoot down surveillance aircraft patrolling Black Sea, by John Leicester | AP PARIS — Russian forces threatened to shoot down French pilots patrolling in international airspace over the Black Sea. France’s defense minister said today. The minister, Sébastien Lecornu . . . READ MORE . . .
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Ukrainian military loses 410 troops near Donetsk in 24 hours — Russian Defense Ministry. From Tass. MOSCOW — The total losses of Ukraine’s military near Donetsk over the past day exceeded 410 men, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. Here are details of . . . READ MORE . . .
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Russia says captured Pobeda village in east Ukraine. From AFP. Russia said today its forces had taken control of Pobeda, a small village about five kilometres (three miles) west of Donetsk city in east Ukraine. The capture, if . . . READ MORE . . .
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Second Ukrainian strike on congregating Russian troops in 48 hours reportedly kills 60, by Steve Brown | Kyiv Post Natalya Humenyuk, spokesperson for the Southern operational command of Ukraine’s Armed Forcesannounced said today that a training ground had been attacked by the AFU in a strike that killed as many as 60 Russian servicemen of the . . . READ MORE . . .
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Denmark confirms Ukraine set to receive first F-16 jets this summer, by Dinara Khalilova and news desk | The Kyiv Independent Ukraine can expect to receive the first batch of U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets from Denmark already this summer, the Danish Defense Ministry announced today. Denmark has pledged to send Ukraine 19 F-16s, with the first . . . READ MORE . . .