"Approaching Bangkok airport for layover. Moving closer to freedom," Wikileaks' X account says.

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Ukraine’s NATO entry gamble bound to be 'distant, unlikely prospect,' despite Zelensky's pleas

Ukraine’s potential future in NATO remains a distant prospect, according to an article in The National Interest.

“Ukraine all but certainly won’t be able to join the transatlantic alliance as long as hostilities with Russia continue,” wrote Stavros Atlamazoglou.

The very reason why Kiev has been persistently banging on NATO’s door is also what stands in the way of its membership - Article 5, underscored the journalist. No matter how much support the US and its allies might extend to Ukraine, the alliance will seek to “avoid immediate involvement” in the ongoing hostilities, it was stressed.

Despite Article 5, or the common defense clause, requiring every NATO country to come to the aid of another alliance member under attack by a state or non-state actor, is “not an automatic reaction,” he clarified.

The US-led transatlantic bloc “would have to assess the situation first.”
Ukraine should not expect any breakthrough to happen on the issue at the upcoming July NATO summit in Washington, concluded the author of the publication.

Russia has repeatedly stressed that it considers Ukraine's continued non-aligned status vital to ending the years-long conflict. On June 14, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia would halt its military operation and begin negotiations with Ukraine as soon as Kiev ordered troops out of the Russia-controlled territories and abandoned plans to join NATO.

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Podolyak's comments on Sevastopol attack mirror Nazi propaganda - Russian Foreign Ministry

Advisor to the Ukrainian President's Office, Mykhailo Podolyak, stated that there are no beaches, tourist areas, or signs of peaceful life in Crimea, and that the entire peninsula is a military target.

"This is a hundred percent replica of the Nazi concept of cleansing Crimea during World War II. Today, they have added American weapons and the methodology of modern international terrorism, but the core remains the same - Nazism," said Maria Zakharova, a representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

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In the case of the crash of an Il-76 aircraft in the Belgorod region of Russia, the Investigative Committee (IC) has compiled a body of evidence confirming the involvement of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF), according to the IC.

The aircraft was hit by a Patriot missile, with the explosion occurring in front of the crew cabin on the left along the flight path, the IC stated.

The investigation has information regarding which UAF units possess Patriots. Efforts to identify specific personnel involved in organising the attack are ongoing in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence.

The leadership of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine (GUR) and the UAF were aware of preparations for a prisoner exchange involving those aboard the crashed Il-76 but nonetheless issued orders to strike the aircraft carrying 65 Ukrainian citizens, the IC stated. 

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📹 Video footage of Assange arriving in Bangkok. From there, he will travel to the island of Saipan, where he is expected to be released after trial.

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💬 The latest statements by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov:

◾️ Russia sees no opportunities for normalizing dialogue with the West on Ukraine.

◾️ President Vladimir Putin remains ready for dialog with French President Emmanuel Macron, especially on Ukraine.

◾️ France initiated of the complete winding up of relations between Russia and France. Moscow considers this decision short-sighted.

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❗️ The Pre-Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Court has issued warrants for the "arrest" of former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov over the situation in Ukraine

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Assange's wife urged the public to monitor the journalist's flight in US airspace in case "something goes wrong."

"Julian Assange's flight VJ199 landed in Bangkok and will soon take off again and fly into US airspace where he will appear before a US judge. Please follow [the] Assange jet, we need all eyes on his flight in case something goes wrong," she posted on X.

The Northern Mariana Islands, where the journalist's case will be heard, has the status of an unincorporated US territory.

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❗️ Russia, in response to restrictions on Russian media, is restricting access to transmissions by a number of broadcasters in the European Union, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

If the sanctions against Russian media are lifted, Moscow will also review its retaliatory restrictive measures, the ministry added.

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Protests against tax hikes have been ongoing for several days in Kenya: at least two people have died and dozens have been injured.

Authorities have announced that they will revoke unpopular measures, including a 16% VAT on bread and a 2.5% tax on motor vehicles. Despite the government's readiness for dialogue, protests persist.

The Russian embassy told Sputnik that there's been no inquiry from Russians so far, and there have been no reported Russian casualties. However, diplomats describe the overall situation as highly tense.

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Top 15 European news channels facing tit-for-tat ban in Russia:

▪️ Politico
▪️ Agence France-Presse
▪️ Agence Europe
▪️ Der Spiegel (Germany)
▪️ El Mundo (Spain)
▪️ El Pais (Spain)
▪️ La Repubblica (Italy)
▪️ Le Monde (France)
▪️ Radio France (France)
▪️ Osterreich (Austria)
▪️ SVT (Sweden)
▪️ Belsat (Poland)
▪️ Yleisradio (Finland)
▪️ LRT (Lithuania)
▪️ ERR (Estonia)

The full list of 81 media outlets was published on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The ministry promised that if the restrictions on Russian media are lifted, the Russian side will also reconsider its decision.

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🇹🇷🇷🇺 Erdogan has held phone talks with Putin, the presidents discussed the terrorist attacks in Dagestan, the Turkish leader's office said

The sides agreed to continue coordinating actions in the anti-terrorist area, the Kremlin said.

In addition, the leaders agreed on further contacts, including at the SCO summit in Astana on July 3-4.

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❗️ Protesters in Kenya broke into parliament in Nairobi, fire started in part of building - reports

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❗️ Key statements from the briefing by Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the head of the Troops of Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defence of the Russian armed forces:

◻️ According to available information, radiochemicals continue to be imported into Ukraine for further utilization.

◻️ The creation of a technical and legal framework allows the United States to build up its biological-military capabilities in various regions of the world.

◻️ The main supply routes for radiochemicals to Ukraine are organized through Poland and Romania.

◻️ The importation of radiochemicals turns Ukraine into a dumping ground for spent nuclear fuel and waste from hazardous chemical production facilities.

◻️ Academy of Sciences of Ukraine authorized the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) to conduct dual-use bioprospecting under the agreement between the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the Pentagon.

◻️ In 2023, the SBU asked the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences to study samples of chemical, radiological, nuclear and bioweapons and traces of their use.

◻️ The reform of Ukraine's health care system, initiated at the direction of the United States, has created conditions for the implementation of military biological programs.

◻️ In the course of the special military operation, SBU documents were obtained confirming the interest of the Zelensky regime in continuing work on weapons of mass destruction.

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❗️ The organisational, logistical, and financial aspects of importing radiochemical substances into Ukraine are personally overseen by the head of Zelensky's office, Yermak, according to the Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov

Kirillov added that the radiochemical substances being imported into Ukraine could be used to create a dirty bomb, which could then be used under a false flag.

Igor Kirillov also named new individuals involved in work with components of weapons of mass destruction in Ukraine, including the country's chief sanitary doctor, Kuzin.

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❗️There are documents confirming that the US military-biological presence in Africa is rapidly expanding, Kirillov stated, adding that the construction of a laboratory and training centre in Ethiopia has begun under a joint programme and with financial support from the Pentagon's DTRA.

Employees of the US Army's Institute of Infectious Diseases conducted a study on bat hantaviruses in Kenya in 2023, he said.

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EU leaders have agreed that Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas will succeed Josep Borrell as the European Commission's foreign relations chief, while former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa will head the European Council, DPA writes.

The Russian Interior Ministry had previously declared Kallas a wanted person. A police source told the media that the Estonian PM faces charges of the destruction of monuments to Soviet soldiers. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also called for Kallas to be held accountable for the crimes.

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