🇩🇪 Annual inflation in Germany accelerated from 6.1% in May to 6.4% in June, following a three-month slowdown, the German Statistical Office (Destatis) said on Tuesday.

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The draft of the NATO final statement that will be published following the summit in Vilnius contains requirements for Ukraine, but does not indicate the timeframe and specific details on the possible admission of Ukraine to NATO membership, German news outlet reported on Tuesday, citing the document.

The current version of the document states that the future of Ukraine in NATO — such a promise was made at the Bucharest summit back in 2008 — but the time plan for the admission is not indicated, the news magazine said.

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Will be Ukraine left on its own?

It was ultimately up to Ukraine to decide when to end the conflict with Russia, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

"Ultimately the Ukrainians have to decide when to bring this to a close because it's their country. It's their land, it's their future. These are their decisions, but we're committed ... to supporting them for as long as it takes," Blinken said.

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Armed Forces of Ukraine dealt another strike with Storm Shadow missiles at Berdyansk - Rogov to Sputnik

🗣️ On the Ukraine conflict, reminiscent of the Georgian one in 2008:

“The same exact process took place regarding Georgia. The US overthrew the government in 2003 with one of their color revolutions. They loaded it up with NATO weapons… And then in 2008, even the EU, in their own investigation, concluded that Georgian forces attacked Russia, precipitating that conflict. And what Russia saw on their border with Ukraine was a repeat. Only on a much, much larger scale,” Brian Berletic, ex-US Marine and geopolitical analyst, told Sputnik.

🎧 Listen to more of Berletic’s analysis in our podcast New Rules

👉 Watch the full episode of our show on Rumble or YouTube

🇨🇳🇺🇸 Beijing has warned citizens of the risk of police entrapment in the US after drug firms and staff were charged with importing the ingredients for the opioid fentanyl.

The US Department of Justice announced on June 23 that it had arrested eight executives and employees of four different Chinese pharmaceutical companies for allegedly importing "fentanyl precursor chemicals" into new York State.

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NATO leaders agree on a package of ‘3 elements’ to bring Ukraine ‘closer’ to alliance - Jens Stoltenberg

❗️ Since the beginning of the counteroffensive, 21 Ukrainian aircraft, 5 helicopters, 1,244 tanks and other armored combat vehicles have been destroyed, Russain Minister of Defence Sergei Shoigu said

⚡️Ukraine will be invited to NATO when all member states agree on it and if Kiev meets all the conditions, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday

❗️Latest statements by Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu on Ukrainian counteroffense:

▪️ Since the beginning of the counteroffensive, Ukraine's losses have amounted to more than 26,000 soldiers and 3,000 pieces of various weapons;

▪️ In the last two days alone, three Leopard tanks and six Bradley infantry fighting vehicles were destroyed in one of the directions;

▪️ Russia destroyed 43 M777 howitzers, 46 self-propelled guns from Poland, the US, and France since June 4;

▪️ Russian air defense shot down 176 HIMARS shells, 27 Storm Shadow missiles and 483 drones since June 4;

▪️ Since June 4, the Russian Army has destroyed 914 units of special vehicles, two air defense systems, 25 rocket launchers, 403 artillery pieces and mortars;

▪️ The intelligence agencies of the United States and other NATO countries carefully monitor and analyze the results of the combat work of the Russian troops;

▪️ In general, the Ukrainian military has failed to reach its goals in all direction.

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❗️ Statements by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on the supply of cluster munitions to Ukraine:

▪️ If the US supplies cluster munitions to Ukraine, the Russian Armed Forces will be forced to use similar means against the Ukrainian Army as a response;

▪️ The transfer of US cluster munitions to Kiev will affect the prolongation of the conflict;

▪️ Russia, realizing the threat that cluster munitions pose to the civilian population, has refrained and is refraining from using them;

▪️ Russian cluster munitions are much more effective than American ones, their range is wider and more diverse.

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⚡️ All NATO allies agree that it is impossible to accept Ukraine into the alliance before the end of hostilities - Jens Stoltenberg

"I think all allies agree that when a war is going on that's not the time for making Ukraine the full member of the alliance," he said.

🇷🇺 🌍 Looking Back at the First Russia-Africa Summit Highlights

Aimed at creating a fundamentally new, mutually beneficial partnership to meet the challenges of the 21st century, the summit was the largest and most unprecedented event in Russian-African relations.

As Russia and African countries prepare to review the progress and achievements of the First Russia-Africa Summit at the Second Summit, to be held in St. Petersburg this month, Sputnik Africa presents the most interesting facts about the Sochi gathering.

👉 Read the full review!

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📹 The mistake of an inexperienced driver of a Ukrainian armored vehicle cost the life of an armored group of Ukrainian servicemen

Due to an oversight by a Ukrainian driver, a Western-made armored vehicle got stuck while trying to attack Russian positions (0:18). The Ukrainian armored group advanced to the evacuation, however, due to panic and inconsistency in actions, they could not get to the stuck car in time (0:46). The artillerymen took advantage of this situation (1:21).

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The Ukrainian leadership knew that the country would not receive a specific invitation to NATO on Tuesday, Mikhail Podolyak, an adviser to the head of Volodymyr Zelensky's office, said

NATO is already participating in a confrontation with Russia, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, NATO said in its Vilnius summit communique that the alliance does not seek confrontation with Russia but cannot consider Moscow to be its partner.

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🇷🇺 The Russian armed forces will receive two new and two upgraded Tu-160 strategic missile carriers in 2023, the Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

The Tu-160 is a Russian heavy supersonic nuclear-capable strategic bomber and missile carrier created by Tupolev Design Bureau. It is one the largest and heaviest combat aircraft and fastest bomber in use.

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Ukraine will not be admitted into NATO now so as not to drag the United States into a conflict with Russia, said State Department spokesman Matthew Miller

"It would not be appropriate to admit Ukraine at this time to NATO while it's in a war, that would then mean the United States would be in a war with Russia, something President Biden has made clear from the outset, would not happen under his leadership," Miller said during a press briefing.

Today marks 80 years since one of the most tragic days of the Volyn Massacre arranged by Ukrainian nationalists

Sputnik has prepared a video about those terrible events

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The city of Tokmak, Zaporozhye region, was shelled by cluster munitions, local emergency services reported