Ukraine counteroffensive making slow progress, say western officials; Chechnya ruler Kadyrov says right-hand man alive after all
Continue reading...Category Archives: Europe
Russia-Ukraine war: Ukraine taking significant casualties and making slow progress towards Russian defence, say western officials – as it happened
Counteroffensive is still ‘going in the right direction’ says officials, in one of west’s first assessments of Ukrainian action launched on 4 June
Dmitry Medvedev, long-term ally of Vladimir Putin and currently deputy chair of the security council of Russia, has said on Telegram that Russia needs to put in a demilitarised zone as far west as Ukraine’s Lviv, which he referred to by its Russian name Lvov and German name Lemberg.
He went on to say that, as a result of the Nord Stream sabotage, for which he cited “western complicity”, that Russia should have “no restrictions left to refrain from destroying the cable communications of our enemies, laid along the ocean floor”.
Continue reading...At least 78 people drown as refugee boat sinks off Greece
Hundreds more feared missing from overcrowded fishing vessel that reportedly sailed from Libya for Italy
At least 78 people have died and hundreds more are feared missing in the deadliest refugee shipwreck off Greece this year.
The victims, nearly all of them men from Afghanistan and Pakistan, drowned when the large trawler they were travelling in capsized off the southern Peloponnese.
Continue reading...Germany coalition staves off implosion with 11th-hour heating law amendment
Environmental groups criticise revision of law that would have banned installation of gas and oil systems
The German government has staved off a power battle that threatened to cause the ruling coalition to implode after finally agreeing an 11th-hour amendment to a controversial new heating law.
Negotiations over the legislation have dominated the headlines for weeks, with the economy minister, Robert Habeck, of the Greens clashing with the pro-liberal Free Democratic party (FDP) over how much consumers should be burdened with the costs of replacing fossil fuel heating systems with cleaner, climate-neutral energy.
Continue reading...EU regulator orders Google to sell part of ad-tech business
Competition commission accuses firm of favouring its own services to detriment of rivals
The EU has ordered Google to sell part of its advertising business, as the bloc’s competition regulator steps up its enforcement of big tech’s monopolies.
The competition commission said it had taken issue “with Google favouring its own online display advertising technology services to the detriment of competing providers of advertising technology services, advertisers and online publishers”.
Continue reading...Ukraine’s failed Mala Tokmachka assault lays bare counteroffensive challenges
Russia has had 12 months to prepare defensive positions supported by superior air power
The footage that began circulating on Russian social media channels last week depicted what was portrayed as a significant military setback for Ukraine at the beginning of its counteroffensive.
In a flat, open area south of Zaporizhzhia – bisected by hedges and a wide muddy track – about 12 Ukrainian armoured vehicles had become pinned down, bunched too close together near a minefield.
Continue reading...Discrimination is a bigger AI risk than human extinction – EU commissioner
Commissioner says existential threat unlikely, but ‘guardrails’ needed for decisions affecting livelihoods
Discrimination is a bigger threat posed by artificial intelligence than possible extinction of the human race, according to the EU’s competition commissioner.
Margrethe Vestager said although the existential risk from advances in AI may be a concern, it was unlikely, whereas discrimination from the technology was a real problem.
Continue reading...US House unanimously calls on Russia to release journalist Evan Gershkovich
Gershkovich was arrested in March on espionage charges, which both he and his employer, the Wall Street Journal, deny
The US House of Representatives voted unanimously on Tuesday for a resolution calling for the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been imprisoned in Russia for three months.
The vote was 422-0 in favor of the nonbinding measure.
Continue reading...Russia-Ukraine war at a glance: what we know on day 476 of the invasion
Volodmyr Zelenskiy meets head of UN nuclear watchdog; US House of Representatives votes unanimously to call for return of detained US journalist
The head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog, Rafael Grossi, has met President Volodomyr Zelenskiy to discuss risks to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant ahead of a planned visit to the facility on Wednesday.
Zelenskiy has praised Ukrainian troops in his nighttime address and singled out units operating near Bakhmut, saying “there is forward movement in various areas”.
Putin has claimed Ukrainian losses during the conflict are near “catastrophic” and that the counterattack had not been successful in any area. The Russian president made the claim during televised meetings with war correspondents and military bloggers. “This is a massive counteroffensive, using strategic reserves that were prepared for this task,” Putin said. “They lost over 160, we lost 54 tanks, and some of them are subject to restoration and repair.”
The US House of Representatives has voted unanimously on a resolution calling for Russia to immediately release imprisoned US journalist Evan Gershkovich.
Moscow has also flagged it may withdraw from the Black Sea grain deal, after Putin says he has been cheated by the west who have failed to deliver on a promise to help bring Russian agricultural goods to world markets.
A Russian missile strike on an apartment in Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine has killed 11 and injured more than 30 people, according to an updated casualty list provided by Volodymr Zelenskiy on Tuesday.
The US government has announced a new military aid package for Ukraine worth $325m which includes artillery rounds, anti-aircraft systems and 15 new Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles. The UK Ministry of Defence has announced a $115m air defence package for Ukraine. Latvia has allocated another $460,000 in aid to Ukraine following the Kakhova Dam disaster.
Ukrainian forces have been confirmed to have liberated the village of Neskuchne on Tuesday after Reuters journalists were able to reach the area. Russia has yet acknowledge any gains.
Continue reading...Putin denies Zelenskiy’s claims of counteroffensive success for Ukraine
President admits Russia has lost 54 tanks in the opening assaults but insists Ukraine’s losses are greater
Vladimir Putin has denied Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s claims of early success in Ukraine’s long-anticipated counteroffensive, which has seen Kyiv’s troops regain some territory, while admitting that Russia had lost 54 tanks in the opening assaults.
In a televised meeting with military bloggers, Russia’s president conceded that his forces had taken losses but insisted that Ukraine had lost 25% to 30% of its foreign-supplied military vehicles including 160 tanks.
Continue reading...French engineer goes on trial accused of killing three women over job losses
Gabriel Fortin, 48, is alleged to have killed two HR directors and a jobs centre worker and wounded a fourth person in 2021 attacks
An unemployed French engineer has gone on trial accused of shooting dead three women he blamed for his failure to find a job.
Gabriel Fortin, 48, allegedly killed two human resources directors and a jobs centre employee, and attempted to kill another worker, after a string of dismissals.
Continue reading...How successful has Ukraine’s counteroffensive been so far?
Ukraine’s brigades record videos of flag-raisings in a series of villages but its fundamental challenge of a lack of combat aircraft remains
Two things stand out with Ukraine’s counteroffensive more than a week under way. Ukraine is pushing forward at several points, mostly along the southern front but also in the east. And in some places, its army is making incremental but real gains, liberating villages near the frontline.
In the last week Ukraine has attacked on the western edge of the Zaporizhzhia sector, where the frontlines meet the Dnipro River at a point; again south of Orikhiv 18 miles east and, most significantly, either side of a Russian salient at the border between Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk oblasts.
Continue reading...No need for martial law in Russia, says Putin; senior Russian general killed in Zaporizhzhia, says Moscow – as it happened
Russian president says Russia needs to ‘fight enemy agents’ inside its own territory; Maj Gen Sergei Goryachev killed by cruise missile. This live blog is closed
What we know on day 475 of the way
A fire broke out at an oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region overnight, Russia’s RBK news outlet reported, citing the local city administration.
RBK reported that the fire was now contained and its cause was not immediately clear.
This is Martin Belam taking over the live blog in London. You can contact me at martin.belam@theguardian.com.
Continue reading...Ukraine: Russia launches deadly missile attack on Kryvyi Rih, says mayor
People feared trapped in rubble from attack on five-storey residential building in central Ukrainian city
Six people have been killed and dozens more wounded in a Russian missile strike on the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, as air attacks were reported in Kyiv and other cities.
“A five-storey building got destroyed” Serhiy Lysak, the governor of Dnipropetrovsk region, said on Telegram. “There are still people under the rubble.”
Continue reading...Russia-Ukraine war at a glance: what we know on day 475 of the invasion
Ukraine says it has retaken seven villages in counteroffensive; 41 people still missing after collapse of Kakhovka dam
Continue reading...Belgian man charged with fatally shooting British girl, 11, in France
Suspect Dirk Raats has been officially put under investigation for murder of Solaine Thornton
A man has appeared in court in France charged with shooting dead an 11-year-old British girl who was playing in the garden of her family home.
The suspect, Dirk Raats, 70, originally from Antwerp in Belgium, has been officially put under investigation for the murder of Solaine Thornton and the attempted murder of her parents, Adrian and Rachel Thornton.
Continue reading...Romania recalls ambassador who allegedly compared monkey to African diplomats
UN’s Africa group ‘not prepared to participate’ with Dragos Viorel Tigau after alleged comment in Kenya
The Africa group within the United Nations said it would never work again with the Romanian ambassador to Kenya in certain forums after he allegedly compared them to a monkey while attending a meeting in Nairobi.
The group also demanded an unconditional and public apology to the people of Africa.
Continue reading...Too soon to say where counteroffensive going, US says, but Washington confident Kyiv will prevail – as it happened
US secretary of state Antony Blinken says Ukraine should expect ‘robust’ political and practical support from the Nato summit. This live blog is closed
Here are some of the latest images sent to us from Kherson over the news wires.
Ukraine has issued this video which shows footage from the liberation of Storozheve.
Continue reading...Silvio Berlusconi, scandal-ridden former Italian prime minister, dies aged 86
Health of flamboyant media tycoon who led three Italian governments had deteriorated in recent years
Allies and critics have paid tribute to the former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, the country’s longest-serving postwar leader and one of its most divisive, who has died aged 86.
The billionaire media tycoon and former AC Milan owner who entered politics at the head of his own Forza Italia in the 1990s as the traditional parties of the right collapsed led three governments between 1994 and 2011 and succeeded in making a comeback in 2017 despite a career tainted by sex scandals, allegations of corruption and a tax fraud conviction.
Continue reading...Skulls left scattered after Ukraine dam breach may be from second world war
Mudflats are littered with bones, some of which may be remains from battle 80 years ago near Nikopol
The emptying of the vast reservoir along the Dnipro River in Ukraine as a result of the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam last week has left mudflats littered with skeletons, according to footage posted online, in a reminder of the region’s violent past.
Videos taken on Ukrainian-held and Russian-occupied sides of the Dnipro where the reservoir used to be, show skulls scattered in the ooze, one wearing a second world war helmet. The footage could not be independently verified due to fighting in the area.
Continue reading...