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Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital was destroyed by a Russian missile on Monday, shaking #Kyiv, the capital, with images of bloodied and injured children, and sending hundreds racing to the scene to help clear twisted metal and smashed concrete in a desperate search for survivors. @ourwarstoday

The hospital strike was part of a barrage of bombings by Moscow across the country, including one of its deadliest assaults on Kyiv since the first months of the war. At least 38 people were killed across the country, including 27 in Kyiv. More than 100 people were injured. Residential buildings, public health facilities, and other civilian institutions across the country were damaged, destroyed, and were suffered casualties from the #Russian attack.

The #Ukrainian Air Force said it shot down 30 out of the 38 missiles launched by #Russia during the attack, which began in the midmorning.

“The attack was massive, combined with the use of aerial, ballistic and cruise missiles,” said Serhii Popko, the head of the Kyiv military administration. “The missiles flew at the capital in waves and from different directions.”

At the hospital, one doctor and another adult were killed and at least 10 more people were injured, including seven children, local officials said. At least three children were pulled from the rubble, #Ukraine’s emergency services agency said.

Olha Melnyk, the mother of a child being treated in the oncology unit of the hospital — who was not there at the time — said she was in a state of shock.

“There were so many families like us, who had their own personal war with oncology already,” she said. “And you know, these children can’t go to the basement, because all the tubes and treatments. If they do this, there will be no healing at all, you can’t interrupt the healing session.”

The United Nation’s Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday to address the strikes. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine called for the meeting, saying President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia should be held accountable.

“To everything that they try to discuss with him about peace, Russia responds with strikes on houses and hospitals,” he said. “That is why we can only force Russia to make peace.”

Video of the attack taken by a Kyiv resident and verified by The New York Times showed a missile moving downward at high speed before striking the children’s hospital. Fabian Hoffman, a doctoral research fellow at the University of Oslo who specializes in missile technology, identified the weapon as a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile.

The type of the weapon and its trajectory suggested that Russia intentionally targeted the hospital, according to Mr. Hoffman. He said that the trajectory of the missile “appears controlled,” and that it was likely programmed before launch.

Mr. Hoffman also noted that the missile was not struck by a Ukrainian anti-air defense interceptor, and was “fully intact, with no visible damage to the fuselage.”

The Ukrainian Security Services recovered fragments of what it said was the missile that struck the hospital, also identifying it as a Kh-101 cruise missile.

The Ukrainian prosecutor’s office said seven of the casualties on Monday were caused by missile debris that fell onto another medical facility, a women’s hospital, in Kyiv.
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At the destroyed children's hospital in Kyiv, Volodymyr Zhovnir, the director, said more than 600 children were being treated there when it was hit. Doctors and others inside the hospital shared images of bloodstained hallways, collapsed ceilings and destroyed operating rooms. @ourwarstoday

Dr. Tymofii Dvorovyi, a surgeon, said he had managed to get his patients into the bomb shelter just before the strike. “I don’t know about other departments,” he said to NYT. “There were surgeons who were performing operations when the missile hit.”

After the explosion, he said, he saw scores of “badly injured” people staggering through the halls.

A two-story medical building next to the main hospital sustained the most extensive damage. Shortly after an explosion tore through it, a woman carrying a small child covered in dust and blood emerged near the entrance. More dazed and bloody staff, many carrying children, followed.

The explosion also blasted out the windows of the main hospital and sent shrapnel tearing into the building. “Now, we are evacuating the patients to another hospital,” Dr. Dvorovyi said.

Viktor Lyashko, the Ukrainian health minister, said intensive care units, operating rooms and the oncology department had all sustained damage.

“Maybe Russians knew that families like us are an easy target,” said Ms. Melnyk, the mother whose child was being treated at the hospital. “I just can’t believe it’s happening.”

Two barrages of missiles, the second being the one that struck the hospital, started before dawn and lasted until later in the morning. In addition to city structures damaged or razed, three transformer substations were also destroyed in the Russian barrage, according to DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy utility. All told, damage was reported in at least seven districts of the capital.

More Photography: https://news.1rj.ru/str/dobronosov
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Ukrainian airmen gun down drones in a light utility aircraft while training how to take out Russian ISR drones on the aerial front. The gunner of the aircraft uses a notable IPI Malyuk (AK bullpup). This technique is similar to the previous use of Yak-52 trainer aircraft to intercept Russian drones with a gunner operating out the back of the cockpit. @AtlasNewsTelegram

The airmen can be seen utilizing their ability to turn and maneuver at low speeds to chase and circle targets.
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🇺🇸 #NEW Leading House Democrat Calls for #Biden to End Presidential Campaign:

Representative Adam Smith (D-WA), the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, has called for #UnitedStates President Joe Biden to step aside. Smith told CNN in an interview that he “thinks [Biden] should step aside. I think it’s become clear that he is not the best person to carry the Democratic message.” Smith is the first high-ranking Democrat to call for President Biden to step aside publicly. @AtlasNewsTelegram

In private, however, many Democrats echo Smith’s call for Biden to step aside. On Sunday, while Biden had a campaign rally, leading House Democrats held an internal call and reportedly were heavily pushing the head of House Democrats, Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), to call on Biden to step aside. The leading Democrats include strong Biden ally Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Adam Smith, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif) and Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY). Nadler is the top Democrat on the powerful Judiciary Committee while Rep. Morelle is the top Democrat on the Administration Committee, and Takano is a ranking member on the Veteran Affairs Committee.

President Biden continues to suffer blowback from his disastrous debate showing with former President Trump last month. Many Senate and House Democrats fear that their personal seats will be in jeopardy, especially in races that are expected to be closely contested, because of Biden potentially dragging down the ticket. They also fear that he could be allowing a potential second Trump term because voters view him as mentally incapable of doing the job. President Biden has remained resistant to any entreaties, bluntly telling Congressional Democrats that all discussion about his future should “end.”

The entreaties, however, have somewhat worked in Biden’s favor. Congressional Black Caucus Chair Steven Horsford (D-NV) has publicly stated his support. Democratic Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer stated that she will not run for President if Biden exited the race. However, the New York Times reports that a consensus among the rest of the Democratic political leadership is that Biden must go, even if that is unlikely.

Among donors, the feeling is also palpable. Donors reportedly do not want to expend money on a candidate they feel could lose. Instead, they would rather put more money into swing states and seat Congresspeople as a more effective way of using their money. Among both Hollywood donors and New York business donors, the feeling that Biden should leave the ticket and push Vice President Kamala Harris as the President has been both openly and privately discussed. Many donors signed an open letter discussing a change in the ticket after the debate. Currently, however, Biden’s place on the ticket is entirely up to him. Via theatlasnews.co
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🇲🇲#Karenni Ethnic Armies Begin Counteroffensive to Capture #Kayah State Capital in #Burma / #Myanmar: https://theatlasnews.co/latest/2024/07/09/karenni-ethnic-armies-begin-counteroffensive-to-capture-kayah-state-capital/

Fighting intensified between Junta forces and the Karenni Army (#KA) and the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (#KNDF) in the capital city of #Loikaw, located in Kayah State, Myanmar. The counteroffensive comes after the KA and KNDF retreated from some areas of Loikaw when the Junta sent reinforcements to prevent the groups from capturing the city by late June. @AtlasNewsTelegram

Progress across the country has accelerated in recent months for EAOs (ethnic armed organizations) and rebel groups who are fighting the military junta who coup d'étated the country in 2021. Recently, anti-junta forces were estimated to hold just over 50% of the landmass of the region, and victory after victory against the army has continued to see territory and equipment end up in their hands.

Full article on theatlasnews.co
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🇺🇦 ⚠️ 🇵🇱 All Ukrainians in Europe have been called to join the "#Ukrainian Legion." by #Ukraine's Defense Minister. The unit will be formed in #Poland and armed by Western countries, according to Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. The creation of the new military unit was announced by Ukrainian President #Zelenskiy previously during a meeting with Polish PM Donald Tusk. @AtlasNewsTelegram

The New Voice, a Ukrainian independent outlet, quoted Umerov as saying, "'The security cooperation agreement between Ukraine and #Poland, signed yesterday by Volodymyr Zelenskyy and [Polish PM] Donald Tusk, is a significant step in strengthening the defense capabilities of both neighboring nations,'

He emphasized that one of the key provisions of the agreement is the establishment of the Ukrainian Legion—a volunteer unit that will be trained on Polish soil to protect Ukraine. 

'We urge all Ukrainians in Europe to join the Ukrainian Legion. Your contribution is invaluable in our fight for freedom and independence,' Umerov added. 'Every step you take brings us closer to victory.'"

In April, Ukraine closed loopholes for men dodging the draft as well as lowered the age of connoscription from 27 to 25. Manpower concerns have grown along with casualties from the war. Ukraine's limited population to draw from for connoscription compared to the population of Russia, and their ability to match Russia's fighter recruitment, remains an issue. Videos of drafted Ukrainian men being found by military police and forcibly connoscripted have been common since mobilization efforts began. Via theatlasnews.co
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🇷🇺 🇧🇫 Mercenaries in the #Sahel: #Russia’s BEARS in #BurkinaFaso - https://theatlasnews.co/latest/2024/07/10/mercenaries-in-the-sahel-russias-bears-in-burkina-faso/

On December 3rd, 2023, four months after the death of Yevgeny #Prigozhin, “Putin’s Chef” and head of notorious Private Military Company (PMC) Wagner Group, a message appeared in a Telegram channel with the name “81 SPECIAL FORCES BRIGADE “BEARS”, stating, “the BEAR Expeditionary Force continues to recruit for long-distance destinations, we require warriors with a foreign passport, vaccinations, and preferable knowledge of the English language. We are also recruiting translators to work in the green zone, girls are also possible. All candidates are required to undergo testing and coordination in Crimea.” @AtlasNewsTelegram

This message, from one of the many ‘BEAR’-linked Telegram channels, likely marked the beginning of the Russian Ministry of Defense’s program to replace #Wagner members with other, more controllable personnel in #Africa, while maintaining the same level of plausible deniability afforded to it by Prigozhin’s Wagner Group.

Between late May and mid-June 2024, the first images of the ‘BEARS’ headquarters in Burkina Faso’s capital, #Ouagadougou, meters away from the President’s Ministry of State building, appeared in another channel named “BEARS 81st Brigade.”

OBSPN BEAR, with OBSPN referring to Russian special task forces or Spetsnaz, is but one ‘private’ military company operating in Ukraine and abroad under the command of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (GRU). The unit’s entry into Burkina Faso is particularly noteworthy, as the image of the ‘BEARS’ headquarters, posted on June 12th, followed what is believed to have been a coup attempt against the country’s military junta, headed by Captain Ibrahim Traore. Russia, through Wagner and PMCs like it, has contributed to the establishment and consolidation of regimes in Africa that rely on violence and human rights violations to take or maintain power and suppress dissidents and discontent.

BEAR personnel are tasked with bolstering the Traore regime as well as conducting counterinsurgency operations against the likes of JNIM, Ansarul Islam, and to a lesser extent the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS). At the same time, BEAR personnel often receive payment from the regime in resources, such as gold, in which Burkina Faso is rich. Gold payments enable the BEARs patron, Gennady Timchenko—a Russian oligarch with close ties to Putin—to circumvent Western sanctions brought on through the Russian invasion of Ukraine and further fuel Russia’s ‘Africa Corps’ war machine.

Read more about BEAR and other PMC activity in the full article on theatlasnews.co
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🇺🇸 #Biden to Hold First Press Conference in 7 Months: https://theatlasnews.co/latest/2024/07/11/biden-to-hold-first-press-conference-in-7-months/

#UnitedStates President Joe Biden will hold a press conference Thursday evening in a critical effort to change public opinion ahead of the election. The President has been facing backlash since his shaky performance at the first presidential debate on June 27, which Biden himself referred to as a “bad night” in an interview with ABC News. During this interview, Biden tried to give an explanation to ABC’s George Stephanopoulos for his debate performance, saying, “It was a bad episode. No indication of any serious condition. I was exhausted. I didn’t listen to my instincts in terms of preparing and — and a bad night.” @AtlasNewsTelegram

Biden went on to clarify that it was not for a lack of help from his team. Biden told ABC, “Yeah, look. The whole way I prepared, nobody’s fault, mine. Nobody’s fault but mine. I– I prepared what I usually would do sitting down as I did come back with foreign leaders or National Security Council for explicit detail. And I realized– partway through that, you know, all– I get quoted the New York Times had me down, ten points before the debate, nine now, or whatever the hell it is. The fact of the matter is, what I looked at is that he also lied 28 times. I couldn’t– I mean, the way the debate ran, not– my fault, nobody else’s fault, no one else’s fault.”

In the aftermath of the debate, Biden faced calls to step away from the presidential race. The most significant of these came on Monday when Representative Adam Smith (D-WA), the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, became the sixth House Democrat to publicly call for Biden to step down. That list has since grown to ten. Despite the controversy, Biden has said he will not give up on his presidential aspirations. He told voters at a Wisconsin rally last Friday, “Well, let me say this as quick as I can: I’m staying in the race,” in a speech that concluded with the playing of Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down.”

This will be Biden’s first press conference in 2024. The last time he took questions directly from the media was in November 2023 after a breakthrough meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping. Then, Biden announced that the United States and China would finally resume cooperation on counternarcotics operations in response to the heavy flow of fentanyl and other counterfeit pharmaceuticals from China into the Western Hemisphere.

Read more on theatlasnews.co
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🇺🇸 🇺🇦 🇷🇺 #Biden introduces #Zelenskiy as "President #Putin" at #NATO summit. @ourwarstoday
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🇷🇺🇩🇪🇺🇸 Assassination Plot Against #German Defense CEO Reportedly Foiled: https://theatlasnews.co/latest/2024/07/11/assassination-plot-against-german-defense-ceo-fails/

An assassination plot against the CEO of German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall by the #Russian Federation was foiled by American intelligence, five #UnitedStates officials claimed on Friday. The planned killing of Armin Papperger, the CEO of Rheinmetall, was a part of a larger plot by the Russia to assassinate key figures within arms manufacturing companies across Europe. @AtlasNewsTelegram

While others were in the sights of the Russian Federation, officials told reporters that the plot against Papperger was the closest to being conducted. Furthermore, Rheinmetall poses a large strategic target for Russia, as the company is the largest German manufacturer of 155mm artillery shells, which have proved to be vital to Ukraine amid the ongoing war with Russia. The company’s role in the conflict continues to be vital, as Rheinmetall will open an armored vehicle plant in #Ukraine in the coming weeks which has further soured relations between #Germany and #Russia.

The company is not just vital to Ukraine, however. Rheinmetall has also entered numerous contracts with the Bundeswehr, Germany’s military, to aid in the country’s rearmament amid deteriorating relations with Russia. These contracts include orders for logistical trucks and Germany’s deteriorated stock of 155mm artillery shells which have fallen significantly amid shipments of supplies to Ukraine.

Following the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that the nation would bolster its military strength amid fears of further Russian aggression. In this speech, known as the “Zeitenwende Speech,” or “turning point,” Scholz announced that Germany would work towards increasing its military spending from 1.5% to NATO’s target of 2% of the nation’s GDP. Not only does Zeitenwende seek to increase military spending, but the policy also aims to secure Germany’s independence from Russian gas, instead moving towards renewable energy.

The failed assassination comes amid increasing acts of espionage by the Russian Federation, especially in the field of cyber warfare. In May, the German government, alongside the Czech Republic, the US Department of State, and NATO accused the Russian government of initiating cyberattacks against Germany’s defense and aerospace firms alongside the ruling Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) party.

NATO further claimed that entities in Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Sweden, along with government bodies and “critical infrastructure operators,” have also been targeted in attacks organized by Russia. The Russian Embassy in Germany called the accusations “another unfriendly step aimed at inciting anti-Russian sentiments in Germany.”

Read more on theatlasnews.co
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🇺🇸 U.S. President #Biden calls Kamala Harris "VP #Trump" during rare solo conference while taking questions about if his vice president could beat Donald Trump in an election. @AtlasNewsTelegram
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🇨🇳🇷🇺🇺🇦 Xi Emphasizes Modernization of #PLA Medical Training, Incorporating Lessons from #Ukraine War: https://theatlasnews.co/latest/2024/07/10/xis-emphasizes-modernization-of-pla-medical-training-incorporating-lessons-from-ukraine-war/

In April, #Chinese leader #Xi Jinping inspected the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Army Medical University (AMU), located in the city of Chongqing, underscoring #China’s intensified focus on enhancing battlefield medical capabilities as the nation incorporates lessons learned from observing #Russia's war in Ukraine into its military medical system. Xi gave a short speech to a group of PLA officers and NCOs during his inspection tour. The speech emphasized the “importance of orienting towards the battlefield, the army, and the future, improving the level of education and training, security capabilities, and striving to build a world-class military medical university.” The university’s faculty, staff, and students also briefed Xi on different achievements and areas the university conducted research on. The university students and staff demonstrated and exhibited various pieces of combat medical equipment for Xi during his visit. @AtlasNewsTelegram

The staff briefed Xi about AMU’s current situation and the various medical treatment disciplines used on the battlefield. They also set up displays of first aid equipment used to treat “war injuries” and demonstrated various first aid procedures. Xi examined the demonstrations and displays while he discussed them with the AMU staff and students.

During the inspection, Xi “gave a series of important instructions on vigorously promoting medical research and innovation” to the students and staff. Xi’s instructions included points on how to enhance tactical medicine on the battlefield and increase the PLA soldiers’ combat effectiveness. Xi also urged the staff and students to strengthen “the construction of healthcare and security.” He then asked the staff and students to provide “strong service to the combat effectiveness of the troops and to increase the physical and mental health of the officers and soldiers.” Xi said these two points would ensure that the PLA’s actual action is to win modern conflicts.

Read more in the full article on theatlasnews.co
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