For today, links to reports from Agence France-Presse, Tass, and the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. Next, via Consortium News, commentary first published three days ago. Then, from Substack, commentary first published five days ago. Finally, commentary first published eight days ago in the Washington Post and linked to HERE and HERE. — MCM
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Ukraine says ‘on the defence’ near eastern Kupiansk. From AFP. Ukraine said today its forces were on the defensive against Russian assaults near the eastern city of Kupiansk, while noting gradual progress near the hotspot city of Bakhmut. “For . . . READ MORE . . .
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Russian Armed Forces foil Kiev’s drone attack on Sevastopol — Defense Ministry. From Tass. MOSCOW — The Russian military has foiled an attempt by the Ukrainian military to attack facilities near Sevastopol; no casualties or damage were reported, the Russian Defense Ministry said today. Earlier . . . READ MORE . . .
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Putin says Russia has ‘sufficient stockpile’ of cluster bombs as Ukraine gets its own supply from U.S., by Elise Morton | AP KYIV — Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview published tday that Russia has a “sufficient stockpile” of cluster munitions, and warned that Russia “reserves the right to take reciprocal action” if Ukraine uses the controversial weapons. He said Russia has not used cluster bombs in its war in Ukraine so far. The use of cluster bombs by both Russia and Ukraine has been widely documented, including . . . READ MORE . . .
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Remilitarized Germany playing long game in Ukraine, by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline / Consortium News German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has pledged a new arms package worth €700 million, including additional tanks, munitions and Patriot air defense systems, putting Berlin, as he said, at the very forefront of military support for Ukraine. Fundamentally, however, Germany’s motivation is traceable to the crushing defeat by the Red Army and has little to do with Ukraine as such. The Ukraine crisis . . . READ MORE . . .
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The dissolution of NATO may be the only way to prevent WWIII, by Dennis Kucinich | Substack Here are (at least) 10 reasons why NATO ought to be disbanded: 1. NATO was formed in 1949 to protect Europe against the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union ended in 1991. NATO fulfilled its founding purpose thirty-two years ago. 2. NATO has . . . READ MORE . . .
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Amid promising signs in Ukraine, uncertainties abound, by David Ignatius | The Washington Post President Biden on Monday [July 10] heads to a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, in what seems an enviable position: The alliance is stronger than ever before; its ally Ukraine is slowly advancing on the battlefield and receiving more weapons every week; and Russia is in disarray at home. Yet . . . READ MORE . . .