Ukraine-Russia war latest: Russia could be ready to attack NATO in three years, Norway warns (2024)

Key points
  • The big picture: Everything you need to know about the war right now
  • Russia could be ready to attack NATO in three years, Norway warns
  • Baby among seven civilians injured in overnight missile strike
  • Moscow warns US against 'mistakes that may have fatal consequences'
  • Enemy 'suffers 1,270 casualties in 24 hours', Ukraine claims
  • China hits back at Zelenskyy over summit disruption allegations
  • Live reporting by Guy Birchall

11:28:03

Russian-linked hacker group 'targeting Paris Olympics'

The Paris Olympics are being targeted by a Russian-linked disinformation campaign, according to the New York Times.

Since last summer, efforts have been under way by a hacker group named Storm-1679, the paper reports.

The campaign "began in earnest" when a documentary was released with a doctored International Olympic Committee (IOC) logo, along with an AI-powered impersonation of Tom Cruise's voice.

The hackers "are trying to cultivate an anticipation of violence", said Clint Watts, the head of Microsoft's Digital Threat Analysis Centre.

"They want people to be fearful of going to the Olympics."

Storm-1679 makes around three to eight disinformation videos a week, Mr Watts told the newspaper, many of which appear as if they come from media outlets such as the BBC or Al Jazeera.

Both Russia and Belarus have been banned from competing in the Olympics over the war in Ukraine, but some athletes from those countries will be allowed to compete as "neutral athletes", the IOC announced in March.

The Paris games will take place between 26 July and 11 August.

10:37:03

Russia brands Switzerland peace talks 'absurd'

The Kremlin has said the peace talks set to take place in Switzerland this month are "absurd" as Russia isn't invited.

Moscow claimed it was understandable that some countries were declining to takepart in the summit on Ukraine this monthbecause the gathering lacked clear goals.

Ukraine says more than 100 countries and organisations haveagreed to take part in the summit on 15-16 June.

The summit, which will take place at an Alpine resort near Lucerne, is intended to create a framework for lasting peace and a roadmap for Russia's eventual participation in the process.

Kyiv decided against inviting Russia because it does not trust Moscow.

China, which has grown closer to Russia after Western sanctions brought in since the invasion of Ukraine, has also said it won't be attending.

09:53:20

Poland accuses Belarus and Russia of 'weaponising migrants'

Poland has claimed Belarus and its ally Russia are behind a recent surge in migrants from the former Soviet state into the European Union.

The number of attempted illegal border crossings from Belarus into Poland has shot up in recent months from only a handful to almost 400 a day, Polish officials say.

Poland's border guards have also described increasingly aggressive behaviour by some migrants on the Belarusian side of the border, posting online videos of some throwing rocks, logs and even burning wood at Polish troops.

There have been cases of soldiers and guards ending up in hospital, and some have needed stitches after being stabbed or cut by knife-wielding assailants.

Last Tuesday, near the village of Dubicze Cerkiewne, officials said a migrant reached between the bars of the 16-foot-high barrier and stabbed a soldier in the ribs.

The government in Warsaw sees the new push at the border as an orchestrated attempt by Russia and Belarus to fuel anti-migrant sentiment, which could in turn boost far-right parties in the EU parliamentary vote.

"We are not dealing with [just] any asylum seekers here, we are dealing with a coordinated, very efficient - on many levels - operation to break the Polish border and attempts to destabilise the country," Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, said last week while visiting troops at the border.

09:01:28

Ukraine using Western weapons to hit targets in Russia won't lead to escalation, says German chancellor

Ukraine's use of Western-supplied weapons to strike targets in Russia will not "contribute to escalation", German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said.

Germany has long opposed lifting the ban on Ukraine's use of Western weapons to target Russia, but changed course last month.

A German government spokesperson told Deutsche Welle on 31 May that Ukraine could use German-supplied weapons to hit legitimate targets in Russia.

Berlin's defence minister Boris Pistorius later clarified that the decision applied to the area around Kharkiv, which has recently become the target of a heavy Russian offensive.

"We are certain that it will not contribute to an escalation because, as Joe Biden has also described, it is only a matter of being able to defend a large city like Kharkiv," Mr Scholz said.

In the past, Chancellor Scholz has cited a fear of escalation as among the principal reasons for limiting Germany's support for Ukraine.

"I think it is clear to everyone that this must be possible. Under international law, this has always been possible anyway," he added.

08:12:36

NATO has two to three years before Russia regains ability to launch conventional attacks, say Norway's top general

NATO only has two to three years to prepare before Russia regains its ability to launch a conventional attack on the alliance, Norway's top general has said.

General Eirik Kristoffersen's comments are the latest in a series of warnings from Western leaders and defence officials about the threat from Moscow and the alliance's current lack of preparedness.

"At one point someone said it'll take 10 years, but I think we're back to less than 10 years because of the industrial base that is now running in Russia," General Kristoffersen said.

"It will take some time, which gives us a window now for the next two to three years to rebuild our forces, to rebuild our stocks at the same time as we are supporting Ukraine."

Norway has been a member of NATO since its foundation in 1949.

The Scandinavian nation has increased its defence spending since the beginning of the war in Ukraine and aims to meet the 2% of GDP threshold in 2024, with a further increase of 2.7% of GDP targeted by 2030.

07:55:51

Ukraine urging allies to allow it to strike military targets inside Russia

Last week, the US partially lifted restrictions on Ukraine's use of some Western-supplied weapons.

It now means Ukraine can strike inside Russia with US-supplied weapons - but only if the targets are aimed at slowing Moscow's advance in the Kharkiv region.

Ukrainian foreign minister said the move was "not 100% clearance" and came with "some rules that need to be followed".

Speaking at a news conference with his Estonian counterpart, he said Ukraine was hoping to gain more freedom on the use of Western weapons inside Russia.

Ukraine "will continue to work with our allies" on "expanding the scope" of weapon use.

Some of Kyiv's allies have been reluctant to allow Ukraine to strike over the border as they fear this could drag them into a more direct conflict with Russia.

07:04:00

Kyiv Pride event not allowed to be held 'for security reasons'

Authorities in Kyiv have denied permission for this year's Kyiv Pride march to be held in the Ukrainian capital's metro system.

It was hoped up to 500 people would attend the event on 16 June.

"In order not to endanger the participants and passengers, and to avoid possible provocations, the city authorities cannot allow the Equality March to take place in the metro," Kyiv's City Hall said.

The metro system doubles as an air raid shelter during Russian attacks.

Authorities said the metro is a "dual-use facility and part of the city's critical infrastructure" and is "always a high-risk area due to limited space, train schedule and high passenger traffic".

Kyiv has not hosted a Pride event since the full-scale invasion began in 2022.

Last year's event was held in Liverpool instead.

06:43:55

Russia says it intercepted 20 Ukrainian drones in Kursk region

Russian officials have claimed they intercepted 20 Ukrainian drones in the southern Kursk region, which borders Ukraine.

Regional governor Alexei Smirnov said Ukrainian forces reportedly targeted four villages in the region using attack drones and helicopters.

No injuries were reported.

The governor of the neighbouring Belgorod region said air defence units had downed "several airborne targets", resulting in some damage to the roofs of several buildings.

Ukrainian authorities have not commented.

Russia's border regions have repeatedly come under attack since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Belgorod borders Ukraine's Kharkiv region, where Russia has launched a spring offensive.

06:30:14

Baby among seven civilians injured in overnight missile strike on Dnipro

Seven people have been injured in a Russian missile attack on the city of Dnipro.

A one-month-old baby and a 17-year-old boy were among the wounded, governor Serhii Lysak said.

He added that air defence systems had successfully intercepted and downed two drones over the city.

However the debris from the missiles caused damage to civilian infrastructure, with more than a dozen vehicles affected and windows shattered in several houses.

Emergency crews are at the scene.

The city of Nikopol was also attacked with kamikaze drones, Mr Lysak said.

No casualties were reported there.

Air raid alerts were activated in a number of regions overnight, including Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk.

06:23:11

Good morning

Welcome back to our live coverage of the war in Ukraine.

Before we begin, here is a recap of the key events over the last 24 hours.

  • Italy said it will send a second SAMP/T air defence system to Ukraine - the only European-made system that can intercept ballistic missiles;
  • French police arrested three people after five empty coffins wrapped in French flags with the words "French soldiers from Ukraine" were found near the Eiffel Tower;
  • А group of Russian women staged a small but rare protest outside the Russian defence ministry, asking for the return of their relatives from the frontline;
  • Russia added several British "establishment figures", journalists and experts to the list of people barred from entering the country;
  • Ukraine's grid operator imposed daily energy restrictions across the country after infrastructure was damaged in a series of Russian drone and missile attacks.

Here is how the situation looks on the ground...

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Russia could be ready to attack NATO in three years, Norway warns (2024)

FAQs

What countries has Russia invaded in the last 20 years? ›

In Moldova: Transnistria (1), since 1992. In Georgia: Abkhazia (2) and South Ossetia (3), since 2008. In Ukraine: Crimea (4) and parts of Luhansk Oblast (5) and Donetsk Oblast (6), since 2014; and parts of Zaporizhzhia Oblast (7) and Kherson Oblast (8), since 2022.

What is the relationship between Russia and Norway? ›

Russia has an embassy in Oslo and consulates in Barentsburg and Kirkenes, and Norway has an embassy in Moscow, and consulates in Murmansk and Saint Petersburg. The countries are neighboring each other along a 195.7 km (121.6 mi) long border. Norway is on Russia's Unfriendly Countries List.

Does the US have a defense treaty with Ukraine? ›

On June 13th, 2024, President Biden and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy signed a historic U.S.-Ukraine Bilateral Security Agreement reflecting the close partnership between our two democracies. Today, the United States is sending a powerful signal of our strong support for Ukraine now and into the future.

Why is Ukraine important to the world? ›

Introduction. Ukraine has long played an important, yet sometimes overlooked, role in the global security order. Today, the country is on the front lines of a renewed great-power rivalry that many analysts say will dominate international relations in the decades ahead.

How long can Russia sustain war? ›

The authors concluded Russia could sustain its current rate of attrition for up to three years and maybe longer. The report also detailed how, despite international sanctions, Russia's economy had proved resilient and it had ramped up defense spending for 2024.

How many wars has America lost? ›

US never really outright lost a war militarily. Vietnam and Afghanistan are more of “won the battles, lost the war”. The closest war that fits this description was the War of 1812.

Who are Norway main allies? ›

Accordingly, the cornerstones of Norwegian policy are active membership in NATO and support for the United Nations and its specialized agencies. Norway also pursues a policy of economic, social, and cultural cooperation with other Nordic countries—Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland—through the Nordic Council.

Are Norway and China allies? ›

Preferential Trade Agreement

Norway is one of China 's important trading partners in Northern Europe as well as one of China 's main suppliers of fertilizer, aquatic products and oil in Europe .

Are there a lot of Russians in Norway? ›

Demographics. As of 1 January 2012 there were 16,833 Russians in Norway, of whom 14,953 were first generation immigrants while 1,880 were Norwegian-born descendants. In 2019 the number have risen to 21,504, and Russians make up 0.40% of the Norwegian population, and 2.28% of all foreign residents in Norway are Russians ...

How many troops does Ukraine have left? ›

Armed Forces of Ukraine
Ukrainian Armed Forces
Active personnel1,250,000+ (2024)
Reserve personnel2,500,000 (2024)
Expenditure
Budget$64,8 billion ₴ 2,4 trillion (2024) foreign military aid
22 more rows

How many tanks does Russia have left? ›

The IISS Military Balance 2024 report says Russia has around 1,750 tanks of various types—including more than 200 of the T-90 variety—remaining, with up to 4,000 tanks in storage.

Does the U.S. have a treaty with Israel? ›

Several treaties and agreements, including the 1985 U.S.-Israel Free Trade Agreement (FTA), solidify bilateral economic relations. Since the FTA's signing in 1985, the United States has become Israel's largest trading partner.

Why did Russia not want Ukraine to join NATO? ›

While public support for NATO membership has risen in Ukraine since 2014, the prospect continues to face opposition from Russia, which sees Ukraine's potential NATO accession as a security threat.

Why is Europe not supporting Ukraine? ›

The problem is that there is a tension between rebuilding European militaries and supporting Ukraine. Thus, European countries are much more reluctant to give Ukraine newer, more expensive equipment, which is vital for national defense and meeting NATO targets.

Why is Putin invading Ukraine? ›

Putin espoused irredentist views challenging Ukraine's right to exist, and falsely claimed that Ukraine was governed by neo-Nazis persecuting the Russian minority. He said his goal was to "demilitarise and denazify" Ukraine.

What country did Russia invade recently? ›

Two years ago today, on Feb. 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. Since then, Russia has failed to capture Kyiv, take control of the Ukrainian government, or stifle the spirit of the Ukrainian people.

Which country did Russia invade in 2008? ›

Fifteen years ago, Russia invaded the sovereign nation of Georgia and occupied 20 percent of its territory. The United States remains steadfast in our support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.

How many countries did Russia break into? ›

The events of the dissolution resulted in its 15 constituent republics gaining full independence which also marked the major conclusion of the Revolutions of 1989 and the end of the Cold War.

How many countries did the Soviet Union invade? ›

Part of Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Eastern Germany, Bulgaria, Afghanistan, part of China, part of Denmark. Worst part is, most of these countries had to live under decades of oppressive occupation.

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