WWII shells, trash cans - what else can be found in the Seine where French politicians swim to flaunt?

A fishing video at the Seine River, where Macron repeatedly promised a dip, has gone viral on social media. 

The central river of Paris appeared to be full of random junk like broken bicycles, World War II shells, spoons, trash cans, and more. 

Macron's press service said that he would "not necessarily" swim before the Olympic Games. Little wonder.

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❗️The Russian forces liberated the settlements of Rozovka in the Lugansk People's Republic and Peschanoe Nizhneye in the Kharkov region, the Russian Defense Ministry announced.

The advance of Russian forces in this sector of the front "pushes" Ukrainian troops to the Oskol reservoir for a potential siege.

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❗️Russian air defense forces shot down a helicopter, two Hammer bombs, two HIMARS missiles, a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter and 40 drones.

🇷🇺🪖 More statements from the Russian Defense Ministry’s weekly briefing on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine:

▪️Units of the Russian Vostok Battlegroup improved their tactical position and struck the personnel and equipment of 5 Ukrainian brigades. Ukrainian losses amounted to more than 115 militants;

▪️Russian forces destroyed a HIMARS launcher and a Ukrainian ammunition depot containing up to 400 tons;

▪️The Russian Tsentr Battlegroup struck five enemy brigades and repelled seven counterattacks. Ukraninan losses amounted to up to 330 militants;

▪️Russia's Dnepr Battlegroup struck the personnel and equipment of three Ukrainian brigades, with the enemy losing over 80 militants;

▪️The Russian Sever Battlegroup struck the personnel and equipment of four Territorial Defense, Ukrainian troops, and National Guard brigades in the Kharkov region. Ukrainian losses amounted to up to 145 militants;

▪️In the Russian Zapad Battlegroup's combat zone, Ukrainian troops lost over 520 militants;

▪️Ukrainian losses in Russia's Yug Battlegroup's combat zone amounted to up to 510 militants.

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"Sputnik takes on imperialist countries" — President of Nicaragua Daniel Ortega praises the agency's work

"The journalists of the Russian Federation have unquestionably developed in a way that challenges the imperialist countries, in the field of communication. Because the battle is global, and communication, I would say, is the first line of attack," Ortega said.

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😍 The cosmically beautiful Crimean Lake Sasyk-Sivash has turned pink

It is the largest lake in Crimea with an area of 75 km², the northern part of which has fresh water and the southern part salty.

Its unusual color is produced by microscopic Dunaliella salina algae and Halobacterium bacteria, which produce pigments.

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📹Russian M-46 weapons of the Sever Battlegroup destroyed strongholds, mortars, and manpower of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Thanks to artillery support, the assault groups of motorized rifle units of the Sever Battlegroup have completed their combat mission – the Ukrainian strongholds are now under the control of Russian servicemen.

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Yemen's Ansar Allah movement's response to Israeli airstrikes on Hudaydah has no "red lines", a Houthi spokesman said.

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German journalist Hubert Seipel has been expelled from the journalists' union for allegedly receiving fees from the Russian Federation, the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung has reported.

“The association of journalists Netzwerk Recherche has expelled from its ranks the journalist and biographer of (Vladimir) Putin, Hubert Seipel,” the publication wrote, citing a statement from the association.

As stated, in November 2023 it became known that the journalist allegedly received a fee from the Russian Federation to the amount of €600,000.

Prior to this, Seipel’s books about Russian politics were withdrawn from sales in Germany, and the author himself was purportedly threatened with legal action.

The author himself, when asked by a team of investigators, confirmed that he received “support” from the Russian businessman Alexei Mordashov, but denies that he in any way influenced the content of the books. According to Seipel, the contract states that the author has "no obligation to the sponsor regarding the project (whether with respect to the content or composition of the book or otherwise) or its completion."

Earlier, the Russian Embassy in Berlin stated that a number of German politicians and the media are infected with "spy mania", which is why anti-Russian sentiments are intensifying in Germany. In April, in connection with the detention of two suspected spies in Bavaria, the Russian ambassador was summoned to the German Foreign Ministry. This event was regarded as “inciting spy mania” in the country as no evidence of Russian involvement was provided.

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What is known about new Vityaz anti-drone vehicle being built for Russia's special forces

A new light military utility vehicle that may help keep reconnaissance units and special operations teams safe from enemy drones is currently being developed in Russia.

Coined Vityaz [lit. Knight, not to be mistaken with the air defense system of the same name], the vehicle's main advantages are high road performance and the fact that it is easy to maintain, Konstantin Badgasarov, CEO of Argo, the company that developed Vityaz, said.

“Launching the Vityaz project, we were mostly driven by the desire to make a light, easy to maintain vehicle that would also feature a powerful diesel engine and an effective modular electronic warfare system like Volnorez [anti-drone jamming station],” Badgasarov said, adding that the vehicle is being made “for the servicemen of our reconnaissance units and special forces” operating in the Ukrainian conflict zone.

According to Badgasarov, Vityaz can be employed to provide additional protection for recon units when they deploy towards the front line.

🔹 The new vehicle is based on the design of the UAZ 469 off-road military utility vehicle and has a 100 horsepower engine with a torque output of 250 Nm.

🔹 The vehicle’s chief anti-drone defense comes in the form of the Volnorez, a compact modular electronic countermeasure system that weighs only 13 kilograms. Volnorez is specifically designed to be easy to use and easy to reprogram in case the enemy changes its drones’ frequencies.

🔹 Vityaz can also be equipped with an anti-aircraft machine gun mount with a co-axial KPV heavy machine gun.

The first prototype is nearly finished and is expected to be sent for field testing soon.

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❗️The US and UK carried out four airstrikes in the Hodeidah province in western Yemen, reports Al Masirah TV channel, controlled by the Yemeni Ansar Allah movement (Houthis).

“US and UK carried out four airstrikes in the Ras Isa area in Al-Salif district,” the TV channel said in a statement.

Earlier, it was reported that the US and UK carried out five airstrikes on Houthi positions in Hodeidah, which started a large fire in fuel tanks in the port of Hodeidah.

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🇷🇺🇸🇾 Russian President Vladimir Putin sent congratulations to his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Russian Federation and Syria, and noted that Russia will invariably support Damascus in its quest to uphold sovereignty and ensure national security.

Earlier today, Assad said in a message to Putin that Russia's policy confirms its position as a force for peace that respects other nations' sovereignty.

"Russian policies and stances are based on respect principles of states sovereignty," Assad was quoted as saying by Syrian state-run news agency SANA, adding that the Syrian president wished the Russian government and the people continued progress and prosperity.

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Spy shortage? German Federal Intel Service hit by lack of staff

The German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) is experiencing a staff shortage that significantly hampers the body’s work, the Bild newspaper has cited unnamed sources as saying.

"Currently, a total of 6,500 men and women work for the BND, with more than 700 positions remaining unfilled," the sources said, adding that some employees do not want to give up the opportunity to work remotely one day a week, while others often take sick leave.

In addition, the BND’s work is complicated by the so-called rotation principle, which in particular stipulates that specialists dealing with North Korea’s missile program are forced to retrain and handle finance-related issues, while experts on Russia have to switch to the issue of South American drug cartels, according to Bild.

The newspaper referred to problems related to finding new motivated personnel for the BND, despite the launch of an advertising campaign in March, which was reviewed by about 10 million internet users. As a result, the BND selected 10,000 candidates, but no one was recruited at the end of the day, per Bild.

It typically takes the BND 13 months to complete the application process for one candidate, a process that is worth more than €100,000 ($108.875). About 40% of applicants for the highest level required for spies do not pass the security check, Bild pointed out.

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Volodymyr Zelensky has started speaking about the possibility of negotiations with Russian representatives on ending the conflict in Ukraine, despite the previously imposed ban on negotiations with Moscow.

“We will be ready to speak together with partners with representatives of Russia,” Zelensky has said.

Russia has repeatedly indicated that it is ready for negotiations, but Ukraine introduced a ban on them at the legislative level. Russian President Vladimir Putin previously made new proposals to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. Moscow also noted that Zelensky’s legitimacy cannot be restored by any means.

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🇧🇩 In Bangladesh, there has been no Internet access for the third day amid protests, according to an international monitoring service.

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⚡️Biden said he is withdrawing from the presidential race

He added that, despite withdrawing from the election race, he will remain president until the end of his term.

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