❗️Latest statements by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov:

▪️ Russia has never used energy for political purposes, but the West is exerting tremendous pressure, we will not leave the asset freeze unanswered;

▪️ The Kremlin called the confiscation of money from the Russians theft: this is a direct encroachment on private property;

▪️ The Russians have every reason to litigate in connection with the confiscation of money by the United States, but there are no prospects there;

▪️ The withdrawal by the United States of money from the Russians and its transfer to Kiev cannot be left unanswered;

▪️ US confiscation of money from Russian citizens and its transfer to Kiev undermines investor confidence and will boomerang on the states.

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❗️ The Russian Investigative Committee will put the chairman and three judges of the ICC who issued the arrest warrant for Putin on the wanted list

📹 Joint combat work of D-20 howitzer gun crews and the Strela-10 air defense system (video by Russian MoD)

Crews of 152-mm D-20 towed howitzer guns destroyed troops and nationalist fortifications camouflaged in dense forest. Shooting was carried out at enemy fire targets from closed firing positions with high-explosive fragmentation shells at a distance of up to 15 km.

The crews of the Strela-10 anti-aircraft missile system covered the positions of artillery installations from the action of reconnaissance and strike UAVs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

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❗️ UK secretary of state for defence confirms that London will transfer long-range Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine

This is what the streets of 🇵🇰 Pakistan look like now

🚨 An armored police personnel carrier drives through the streets where riots took place these last few days.

📌 We remind you that after the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, the country was immediately engulfed by riots that have been going on for three days.

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📹 Russia's Giatsint-S self-propelled artillery system crews hit enemy positions, supporting Russian motorised riflemen

The servicemen launch strikes from various positions. They fire five to six rounds at a target in one minute and then change their firing positions. Unmanned aerial vehicles provide fire adjustment.

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The Russian MoD’s latest statements on the Ukraine crisis:

▪️ The attacks, launched by Russia’s Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, have resulted in the neutralisation of Ukrainian units in the LPR and DPR. The enemy losses were up to 65 Ukrainian servicemen, 2 armoured fighting vehicles and 2 D-20 and D-30 howitzers.

▪️ The assault detachments continue to conduct their offensive against the enemy in the western part of Artyomovsk. The Airborne Troops were supporting the units and restraining Ukrainian military personnel on the flanks.

▪️ Russia's air force has made 8 sorties in this area during the day.

▪️ Operational-tactical and army aviation, missile troops and Artillery of the Russian Armed Forces have hit Ukrainians and hardware in the DPR. The enemy losses were up to 230 Ukrainian servicemen and mercenaries, six motor vehicles, 1 D-30 howitzer and one U.S.-manufactured AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar.

▪️ The attacks, launched by aviation and artillery of the Russian Armed Forces have resulted in the neutralisation of the enemy in the DPR and Zaporozhye region. Ukraine lost over 110 Ukrainian servicemen and 7 motor vehicles.

▪️ The enemy losses were up to 20 Ukrainian servicemen, 3 motor vehicles, 1 US-manufactured M777 artillery system, 1 Msta-B howitzer and 1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system in Kherson region.

▪️ Russia’s Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery have neutralised 96 artillery units of the enemy at their firing positions, manpower and military hardware at 123 areas.

▪️ Air defence facilities have shot down a Su-25 Ukrainian Air Force airplane in Kherson region. 12 HIMARS multiple-launch rocket system projectiles have been intercepted.

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⚡️ Supreme Court of Pakistan declares arrest of Imran Khan unlawful: reports

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❗️Supreme Court of Pakistan reportedly orders immediate release of ex-PM Khan

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Beijing: There is “little chance of a meeting” between the defense ministers of China and the US due to a spat over sanctions

Beijing has warned that there is “little chance of a meeting” between the defense ministers of China and the US at an upcoming security forum in Singapore due to a spat over sanctions, a UK newspaper has reported, citing unnamed sources.

The sources claimed that arranging Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin’s talks with his Chinese counterpart Li Shangfu at the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore scheduled for June “is fraught with difficulty.”

According to the insiders, Li, who became defense minister in March, was placed under US sanctions over Chinese imports of Russian arms in 2018, when he was serving as a general.

The sources added that even though Washington assured Beijing that the sanctions do not prevent Austin from meeting Li in a third country, “it would be almost impossible” for China to agree to the two defense chiefs’ meeting while the restrictive measures remain in place.

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🤨 The Republicans and the Democrats remain at odds over the US debt ceiling standoff amid growing speculation about the country’s possible default

If the US does default on its debt, it will be “very costly in terms of government jobs," Marc Ostwald, chief economist at ADM Investor Services International, told Sputnik.

Earlier, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has warned that political brinkmanship over increasing the US debt ceiling may prompt far-reaching economic repercussions, even without the "catastrophe" of a default.

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EU trains more than 17,000 Ukrainian soldiers - Borrell

The European union has trained over 17,000 Ukrainian soldiers already and plans to reach 30,000 by the end of the year, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Thursday.

Borrell added that the total assistance to Ukraine from EU countries and organizations has amounted so far to €16 billion ($17.5 billion) and pledged to give more.

He concluded that the EU needs to boost its defense capabilities with €70 billion ($76.5 billion) to be invested in the military-industrial complex over the next three years.

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VIDEO: ⚡️Wearing his sunglasses, fully dressed up: Ex-PM Imran Khan seen at Supreme Court of Pakistan following order on his release

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🇩🇪 Approximately ten people including emergency rescuers and policemen have been injured in an explosion in a high-rise apartment in the city of Ratingen in the west of Germany, according to local media.

▪️ Preliminary data indicates that the explosion was carried out deliberately just when the rescuers and the police tried to open the door to the apartment.

▪️ They were called to the building as there was allegedly a person who needed help inside.

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🏃‍♀️🇪🇸 Female running race organizers are being accused of sexism for giving the winner a food processor as a prize

"We apologize if any woman may have felt offended but it is a product that we believe does not have a sexist character and that it is ideal for any athlete who wants to improve their nutritional habits," the organizers of a women’s race in Spain said.

The apology came after Spain’s Secretary of State for Equality and Anti-Gender Violence Angela Rodriguez Pam criticized the prize. "They gave the winner a Thermomix and to the rest 0% [fat] products. If you win, you’re a housewife and if not, at least you’ll lose weight,” she stated.

Apparently, after the apology, the situation with "equality and anti-gender violence" has been normalized in Spain.

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