🔥WHAT’S BEHIND RUSSIA’S NEW STRIKES IN SUMY?🔥

👉Sputnik’s AI anchor Nikki unpacks the latest precision strikes on Ukrainian targets and explains how they tie into Russia’s plan for a buffer zone along the border.

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🚨Ukrainian drone strike on Chinese journalists a "terrorist attack"

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova condemned the targeted attack by Ukrainian forces on a Chinese media group in the Kursk region as an act of terrorism.

The Ukrainian forces targeted a group from China’s Phoenix TV. One journalist, Lu Yuguan, was injured, suffering a serious head injury, but is now receiving medical treatment and recovering.

Zakharova warned that the attack shows Ukraine’s intent to eliminate any media opposition.

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‘Psychological terror’: Armenia’s first ombudsperson slams Karapetyan arrest, shameful attack on Church

🔸 The arrest of businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan is a “morally bankrupt” assault on the Armenian Apostolic Church, says Larisa Alaverdyan.

🔸 The arrest violates both Armenia’s Constitution and articles five and six of the European Convention on Human Rights, and was done demonstratively, Armenia’s first human rights ombuds stressed.

Targeting Church to crush identity

🔸 The first attack on the Church came in June 2018 — almost immediately after Nikol Pashinyan came to power, Alaverdyan notes.

💬 “Why? Judging by their policies, this government’s goal is clear: to weaken Armenian identity by attacking its spiritual pillar — the Church, turning the country into little more than a satellite — a territory with UN credentials, but no soul of its own,” she says.

👉 Karapetyan’s support for the Church was seen as defiance — drawing political retribution.

'Psychological terror, plain and simple'

🟠 The Armenian government’s blatant disregard for the rule of law, its descent into unchecked authoritarianism, fuels these outrageous, performative acts, the pundit argues.

💬 “They're not just abuses of power — they’re deliberate tools of intimidation aimed at frightening the public,” Alaverdyan says.

📍 Those in power act with complete impunity, confident they’re shielded by external forces, she added.

❓ EU values? Just for show

With Armenia moving toward European Union integration, Alaverdyan slammed the silence of Brussels officials, saying current government actions blatantly contradict the very values Europe claims to uphold.

🔸 Scott Ritter: NATO summit turned into a farce by Trump’s big ego

🔸 Putin: Let's put Israel-Iran conflict behind us

🔸 Iranian Supreme Leader hails victory over Israel in first post-conflict message

🔸 EU POWER PLAY: Von der Leyen to laugh off Parliament's empty lawsuit threat

🔸 Priorities shift? Zelensky GHOSTED as NATO turns the page on Ukraine

🔸 Globalist blueprint: Pashinyan seeks to SILENCE church as Armenia becomes NATO proxy – analyst

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Killed while feeding kittens: Zakharova shares stories of Ukrainian war crimes

At a press conference on the atrocities committed by Ukrainian neo-Nazis in Dzerzhinsk (Toretsk), Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova shared harrowing testimonies from civilians, presented by Civic Chamber member Maxim Grigoriev.

🟧 Drone strikes on families and executions of the elderly and children

🟧 A woman gunned down on her doorstep and another killed while feeding kittens

🟧 Homes torched with women and children still inside

🟧 Testimonies describe shelling staged for foreign media to blame Russia

🟧 “If journalists appear, shelling begins,” one local said

Zakharova stressed that “these crimes were committed deliberately, coldly, with devilish calculation.”

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🇮🇷🇮🇱LATEST UPDATES ON ISRAEL–IRAN CONFLICT

Here are key developments by evening of June 26:

◼️ Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei claims victory over both Israel and the United States

◼️ Iran’s oversight body approves a bill to suspend cooperation with the IAEA

◼️ The IAEA appeals to Iran to allow inspectors to return and assess nuclear sites

◼️ Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova says the US and Israel are responsible for damaging the IAEA’s work and challenging the nuclear non-proliferation regime

◼️ European countries believe Iran’s stockpiles of enriched uranium were not destroyed by the US strike, a British newspaper reports

◼️ The US strike on Iran, dubbed ‘Midnight Hammer’, was the result of 15 years of preparation, US Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Kane reveals

◼️ Trump lashes out — demanding that CNN and NYT reporters be fired over leaks about limited damage from US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites

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🇮🇷 Tehran: A city with wounds but a beating heart

For 12 days, Tehran burned, with hearts beating in fear. Some stayed in their homes and others fled, leaving behind memories. Social media echoed: “If we don’t return, this is our story.”

After the ceasefire life returned—shops reopened, children’s laughter filled the streets and traffic, once a nightmare, became a sign of recovery.

🗣"I still flinch at loud noises"

Mohsen, who fled north, says “the ceasefire was a breath of air, but fear still lingers. Every loud sound tightens my heart.”

🗣"Who could have thought we’d miss traffic?" he asks.

Blogger KM reflects that “at first the empty city felt peaceful, but soon I realized it was loneliness. Now I welcome the noise of cars and people.”

🗣"Being a journalist is not just a job," he adds.

Reporter Hengameh stayed. “These 12 days taught me that journalism means standing with the people, telling their truth,” he said.

Tehran breathes again — with scars, but full of life and hope for the future.

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🇮🇷💥 Israeli MoD admits they planned to kill Iranian leader

"If he had been in our sights, we would have taken him out. There was no operational opportunity," said Israel Katz in an interview with Channel 13.

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🔊 US-India trade deal is close — NEC Chief Kevin Hassett

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🇮🇷 Damage to Iran's nuclear facilities is 'HIGH AND SERIOUS' — Araghchi

Although Iran hasn't closed the door to cooperation with the IAEA, the Iranian foreign minister added that this cooperation will take a different form.

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🔊 Von der Leyen reminds Trump: EU is ready for trade deal

Meanwhile, the US president is opting for bigger markets: China and India come first.

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❗️ Europe NOT READY for drone warfare

The EU would need 3 million drones annually to protect its border with Russia and Belarus, according to EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius.

He admits, however, that Russia already has far more than that.

"Russia can have around five million drones, so we need to have capacities bigger than those in order to prevail," he told Sky News.

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👨‍🏫Medinsky offers NATO chief history lesson on Malorossiya

💬 "If needed, Mark and I can discuss Malorossiya’s history. I’m sure he’ll learn much – just as he might teach me about Dutch merchants colonizing Indonesia," the Russian presidential aide said.

📕He also proposed sending Mark Rutte a sixth-grade Russian history textbook. However, according to him, Rutte is unlikely to appreciate the gift.

➡️Medinsky previously stated that Crimea’s 1954 transfer to Ukraine was a Soviet political maneuver by Nikita Khrushchev to secure the support of Ukrainian leaders in the party to retain power.

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