Washington “remains unconvinced” that Ukraine needs these “expensive fighter jets”

A US newspaper claimed that the Biden administration’s skepticism is “so deep” that Ukrainian pilots are “currently not even allowed to train on the F-16s that are owned by European states,” who are obliged to get the green light from the White House regarding any transfers of the US-made fighters.

“Without explicit American approvals, the training is likely to be limited to merely technical language and tactical lessons that pilots would be taught, without ever touching an F-16,” according to the insider. They argued that Kiev is asking “at least for between 24 and 36” F-16s.

A separate source told the newspaper that the Biden administration was still reluctant to deliver the fourth-generation fighter jets to Ukraine, in part because the plane’s multimillion-dollar price tag would “absorb too much of an already-dwindling pot of [US] war funding.”

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Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson threatened to "beat up" French president Macron and called him a sycophant of the Russian president, Johnson's former spokesman said.

According to him, the ex-prime minister was dissatisfied with Macron's criticism of London's migration policy. As a result, Johnson called Macron an eccentric and "Putin's sycophant" and promised to arrange a "bacchanalia with beating frogs."

Within a few weeks, relations between the politicians returned to normal as they drank whiskey together at the G7 summit.

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📹 Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu inspects the organization of combat training of military personnel who have entered military service under contract

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❗️Russian MoD briefing on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine:

▪️ The Russian Armed Forces delivered a strike with high-precision weapons at depots containing foreign equipment and ammunition, as well as the reserves of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, significant stocks were destroyed;

▪️ In the DPR, up to 200 Ukrainian military and mercenaries were eliminated per day;

▪️ Russian aviation destroyed a Ukrainian Su-24 aircraft in the DPR;

▪️ The Russian Armed Forces eliminated up to 150 Ukrainian soldiers in the south of the DPR and in the Zaporozhye region, as well as a FH70 howitzer and a M777 artillery system;

▪️ Russian troops eliminated more than 75 soldiers and one tank of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Krasny Liman;

▪️ Russian air defense systems shot down a Mi-8 helicopter of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, destroyed 4 HIMARS and Uragan projectiles;

▪️ Losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Kupyansk per day amounted to 60 people;

▪️ The Russian army eliminated two sabotage and reconnaissance groups of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the LPR;

▪️ The Russian Armed Forces hit 68 artillery units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and destroyed an AN / TPQ-37 radar.

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As many as one million UK citizens decided to cut back or stop spending on a broadband internet connection last year due to the increased cost of living

A survey published by the Citizens Advice service on Thursday demonstrated that some groups were more affected than others. People receiving Universal Credit (a UK social security payment) were six times more likely to have stopped using a broadband internet connection in the last 12 months due to rising costs compared to those not on Universal Credit.

Some 12% of respondents said they had cut back or stopped spending on broadband and experienced at least one negative consequence as a result, such as difficulties in managing their other bills, keeping in touch with friends and family, searching for work or working from home.

At the same time, 7% of respondents said they had not stopped using their Internet service, but were behind on their Internet bills.

Citizens Advice noted that it is a red flag that a service that is becoming more and more essential for everyday life is getting inaccessible for people.

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❗️ Russian MFA: If all problematic issues on the grain deal are not resolved within two months, the agreement will be terminated after July 17

▪️ The ministry noted that the fundamental assessments of the implementation of the agreements remain the same: there is no progress on the Russia-UN memorandum, most of the grain goes to "full" European markets, and supplies of Russian agricultural products are blocked.

▪️ There is no progress on the resumption of ammonia supplies and there is no progress on reconnecting Rosselkhozbank to SWIFT. Without the fulfillment of these requirements, there is no question of any expansion of the Black Sea Initiative, the ministry concluded.

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🧐 What's your view of G7's relevance in today's changing world?

In the run-up to the G7 summit in Hiroshima, a debate has been escalating on the role and efficiency of this group.

The G7 was originally created as a forum for discussing global economic governance and international security. That said, this club includes the US, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Japan. However, the current world order is marked by multipolarity, so the G7 is perceived to be more of an elite club than an objective platform for cooperation.

Sputnik wants to know your opinion on this issue, so feel free to take part in our survey! 👇

🗣️”Look at Germany, for example, the sanctions that they placed on Russia, the destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines that they are utterly silent about. They are destroying themselves. They are politically captured by the United States”: Brian Berletic, an ex-US Marine Corps independent geopolitical researcher and writer, on the US control over Germany

🎧Listen to more of Berletic’s analysis in our podcast The Critical Hour

📹 Russian fighters show Sputnik residential and office buildings in Artemovsk destroyed by the Ukrainian Army during their retreat to the western part of the city

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🥴 President Biden addressed the Japanese prime minister as president (such a position doesn’t exist in Japan, the emperor is head of state) during their meeting before the G7 summit in Hiroshima

Fumio Kishida, the incumbent Japanese PM, did not correct the US president, allowing him to continue talking without interruption

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Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has announced that she will introduce articles of impeachment for President Biden

Greene alleged that Joe Biden has violated his oath of office in not securing the country’s borders and protecting national security.

The firebrand congresswoman said at a press conference that this will be the “first set” of articles she introduces against the incumbent president, whom she said has purposefully failed to fulfill his responsibilities of the presidency.

“It is with the highest amount of solemnity that I announce my intention to introduce articles of impeachment today on the head of this America-last executive branch, that has been working since Jan. 20, 2021, to systematically destroy this country, the president of the United States, Joseph Robinette Biden,” she said.

Her announcement comes after she said Tuesday that she would introduce articles of impeachment against FBI Director Christopher Wray and Matthew Graves, the US attorney for the District of Columbia.

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🗣️”It is actually even more dangerous than that, because not being an official NATO member means there is no obligation under Article 5. So they can use Ukraine as an irrational, violent, militant battering ram against Russia. And there is no obligation for NATO to rush to the rescue. So this is what it has led to, this proxy war where the entire cost falls on Ukraine”: Brian Berletic, an ex-US Marine Corps independent geopolitical researcher and writer, on Ukraine's accession to NATO's cyber defense center

🎧Listen to more of Berletic’s analysis in our podcast The Critical Hour

👏💥 The Day of the Baltic Fleet of the Russian Navy is an annual holiday celebrated on May 18 in honor of the creation of the Baltic Fleet

The Baltic Fleet was established by Peter the Great during the Great Northern War. He based the fleet in Kronstadt. The modern Baltic Fleet is headquartered in the Kaliningrad region, with its main bases in Baltiysk and Kronstadt.

Today, the Baltic Fleet is of great significance in ensuring Russia’s security in the western strategic area.

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