The Minister of Defense of Austria considered it "crossing a red line" for Ukraine to be allowed by a number of Western countries to attack targets on Russian territory.

"The USA, France, and Germany have allowed Ukraine to attack certain areas in Russia with Western weapons. What do you think about this?" Klaudia Tanner, the Minister of Defense of Austria was asked in an interview.

"This has crossed a red line. Therefore, I am very pleased with the clarification from NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg that NATO will not send troops to Ukraine," Tanner said.

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Here’s why Israel can’t win all-out war against Hezbollah

“Israel has threatened to start a military operation on the border with Lebanon because Hezbollah has been demonstrating growing sophistication and surprising capacities, driving Israel increasingly at unease and confusion about expectations on the northern front,” Lebanese international affairs observer Dr. Imad Salamey told Sputnik, commenting on Tel Aviv’s recent threats to expand the war in Gaza to the “northern front.”

Israel can attack many Hezbollah targets at once and cause significant damage, but can’t remove or dramatically reduce the militia’s capabilities, “which are widespread and mobile,” the observer said.

“If Israel aims to seriously undermine Hezbollah, it would involve many years of operations to destroy infrastructure and weapons, push fighters out of the south, and cut off supply routes from Syria. Israel will not be able to achieve this fully,” Salamey stressed.

On top of that, “the threat of spillover is quite high, potentially implicating much of the Quds Brigade in Syria and Iraq, resulting in Israel fighting on multiple and wide fronts,” the observer warned.

That’s not the outcome Tel Aviv would hope for, according to Salamey, with Israeli leaders typically looking “for a quick military achievement with ambitious goals,” which, if that fails, prompts the IDF to resort to “collective punishment targeting civilians, which is the most likely scenario in this case.”

“The potential conflict will result in major losses on both sides without a decisive victory,” Salamey said.

Hezbollah and Israel fought their last major war in July-August 2006, during which the IDF leveled much of Beirut’s infrastructure and caused up to $5 billion in damage.

Hezbollah emerged largely unscathed, however, with about 1,000 of its fighters facing off against between 10,000-30,000 Israeli troops in southern Lebanon, losing about 250 men while killing 121 Israeli servicemen and women and injuring over 1,200 others.

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Ukraine is directly controlled and fully maintained by the US and NATO countries today, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, said on social media.

He also urged German Chancellor Olaf Scholz not to give advice to Russia on the situation in Ukraine.

"Rotten liverwurst Scholz suddenly started talking and said outright nonsense.... He should... just kneel down and repent to the Ukrainians... for condemning them to extermination, while sacrificing the well-being of the Germans entrusted to his care," stated Medvedev.

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US begins withdrawal of its troops from Niger

The US has begun withdrawing its troops from Niger with the departure of the first aircraft, the two countries' defense ministries said in a joint statement.

"The US Department of Defense and the Nigerien Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Niger announce that the withdrawal of US forces and assets from Niger has progressed from initial preparations to redeployment. This significant transition began with the departure of a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III from Air Base 101 in Niamey on June 7, 2024," the statement read.

Moreover, some US forces have already redeployed from Niger to their home stations after concluding their missions, the statement read. At the same time, a small contingent of US military personnel arrived in the African country to assist with the withdrawal of troops from Air Bases 101 and 201, it added.

The US and Niger agreed to complete the withdrawal of US troops from the African country no later than September 15.

There is an estimated 1,100 US personnel in Niger. The military pullout was initiated in March after a Nigerien military spokesperson said the country's transitional government, which took power in July 2023, had terminated the military agreement with the US with immediate effect, citing the interests of the Nigerien people.

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US failed to threat Hamas leaders with sanctions via Qatar and Egypt, report says

Qatar and Egypt, at the "behest"of the US administration, have threatened the leaders of the Palestinian Hamas movement to impose restrictions against them if they do not agree to a cease-fire deal with Israel, the Wall Street Journal newspaper writes, citing sources.

“Qatar and Egypt have told Hamas leaders in recent days that they face possible arrest, freezing of their assets, sanctions and expulsion from their haven in Doha if they don't agree to a cease-fire with Israel,” the newspaper said.

It was noted that the effort has had the opposite result, with Hamas saying it will not go for a deal that does not meet their terms.

According to the newspaper, the threats were "made at the behest” of the US President Joe Biden's administration, which is looking for a way to persuade Hamas to make a deal that the White House boss needs amid a “political maelstrom”.

Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid al-Ansari said earlier that the mediators are still waiting for a Hamas' response to the proposal for a truce in the Gaza Strip, as well as the exchange of hostages and prisoners.

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Missiles strike two cargo ships in Gulf of Aden near Yemen

A missile struck an Antigua and Barbuda-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden, in what is suspected of being an attack by Houthi rebels in Yemen, authorities reported on Sunday.

The missile hit the ship's forward station, causing a fire that was later extinguished by the crew, according to private security firm Ambrey. A second missile fired at the ship missed, and individuals on small boats nearby opened fire on the vessel, although no injuries were reported.

UK Maritime Trade Operations reported late on Saturday that another ship 70 nautical miles southwest of the port of Aden was hit, resulting in a fire. The Houthis could have been behind this attack as well, media reported.

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◾️ Ukraine is directly controlled and fully maintained by the US and NATO countries today – deputy head of the Russian Security Council

◾️ US failed to threat Hamas leaders with sanctions via Qatar and Egypt

◾️ Why Israel can’t win all-out war against Hezbollah

◾️ US has begun withdrawal of its troops from Niger

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Ukraine has not attacked unrecognized Transnistria yet only because de jure, the region is a part of Moldova - ex-president of Moldova

"But if Transnistria were independent, the Ukrainians would have attacked long ago, from the beginning of the special military operation. So there is a threat, but I'm sure that the Ukrainians, in order to start this adventure, they need the consent of Chisinau [Moldova]. Otherwise it is aggression against the independent country of the Republic of Moldova, of which Transnistria is a part,” former Moldovan president and head of the Party of Socialists, Igor Dodon, said in an interview with Sputnik at the SPIEF.

Transnistria, 60% of whose inhabitants are Russians and Ukrainians, sought secession from Moldova during the last years of the Soviet Union. The 5+2 talks involve Moldova and Transnistria as parties to the conflict, Russia, Ukraine, the OSCE as mediators, and the EU and the US as observers.

#SPIEF2024

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Moldova-Russia discord due to "Soros puppets" but relations can be restored - ex-president of Moldova

The current discord between Russia and Moldova happened because of “Soros puppets” – offspring of the funds of financier George Soros, but relations can be restored, former Moldovan president and head of the Party of Socialists, Igor Dodon, said in an interview with Sputnik at SPIEF.

"....For the last three years, Moldova has completely ruled out any contacts with Russia. And this did not happen through the fault of the Russian or Moldovan people. Those who are to blame for this we usually call ‘Soros puppets,’ because they all worked in Soros foundations, [they are] all from NGOs. All the top leadership and most of the ministers worked in NGOs, they were raised for this,” Dodon said.

Moldova has lost billions of dollars because it ignores participation in the EAEU and CIS, and it should return to these platforms, he added.

#SPIEF2024

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Ukrainian forces are running out of men, meat assaults on the front line are becoming fewer, the governor of Russia's Zaporozhye region, Evgeny Balitsky, said in an interview with Sputnik at the SPIEF.

According to him, the enemy has switched to defense in almost all directions and is running out of steam.

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