🇷🇺🇺🇦⚡- BREAKING: Large-scale build-up of Ukrainian forces in northern Sumy, Ukraine.

Russian sources believe Ukraine could launch an offensive into Russia's Bryansk region. They observe a massive increase in Ukrainian movement and radio communications in northern Sumy region, near Bryansk's border.

🇺🇸🇪🇺⚡- "The US is considering reducing its military presence in Europe due to priorities in the Asia-Pacific region and on the border with Mexico," - NBC.

🇺🇸🇷🇺🇨🇳⚡- Although China 'welcomed' the US-Russia talks, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs demands Ukraine and Europe also have a place at the negotiating table.

🇺🇸🇺🇦⚡- Ukrainians protest outside the US embassy in Kiev, Ukraine.

🇷🇺🇺🇦⚡- Russian forces have breached Ukraine's first line of Zaporozhian defenses - Velikaya Novoselka direction.

🇷🇺🇺🇦⚡- Russian forces have stormed Pyatikhatki and have captured half of the town, Zaporozhia direction.

Pyatikhatki and Lobkovo were captured by Ukraine during its 2023 counteroffensive.

🇨🇩🇷🇼⚡- M23 have advanced along the N5 highway and have captured Sange, South Kivu direction, eastern DR Congo.

The reports are confirmed by sources on both sides, including Steve Wembi, DR Congo military journalist, and Actualite, DR Congo state-owned outlet.

🇺🇸🇷🇺🇮🇷⚡- One of Iran's largest and most right-wing outlet, Jomhouri-e Eslami, believes the US-Russia talks could lead to 'Russia sacrificing Iran's interests to get US concessions in Ukraine war'.

The outlet's publishers are directly appointed by Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader.

🇺🇸🇷🇺🇮🇷⚡- "We warn the Iranian authorities that Moscow may sacrifice Iranian interests in exchange for concessions from Washington over the Ukraine conflict.

Iran will be drawn into this equation alongside Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Palestine… and Russia will turn a blind eye to any actions the United States may take against Iran.

Russia has failed to support Iranian forces in Syria in the past when Israeli jets targeted their positions and has collaborated with the US and Israel against Iran’s ally, Bashar al-Assad. Russia has in the past prevented the transfer of arms to Hezbollah through Syria." - Jomhouri-e Eslami.

🇷🇺🇺🇦⚡- "I believe that this year we will reach a ceasefire. How long and effective it will be is another question," - Kyrylo Budanov, Head of Ukraine's Military Intelligence (GUR).

🇷🇺🇺🇦⚡- "Believe me, neither the Russians nor we will be able to come up with anything radically new and large-scale. Everything has already been worked out [on the front-line]" - Kyrylo Budanov, Head of Ukraine's Military Intelligence (GUR).

🇷🇺🇺🇦⚡- "There will be attempts to destabilize Ukraine. But it’s okay, any action has a counteraction," - Kyrylo Budanov, Head of Ukraine's Military Intelligence (GUR).

🇺🇸🇺🇦🇫🇷⚡- "French President Macron to visit Washington next week to discuss Ukraine," - Le Figaro.

🇧🇾🇵🇱⚡- "Belarus views the militarization of its western borders as preparation for an attack on the Union State," - Valery Revenko, Chief of Belarus' International Military Co-operation Department.

🇬🇪🇺🇦⚡- " We were told that some train was coming, running, and if we did not get on it, our time would never come. Today, I think, we all see very well how disadvantageous it could be for Georgia to be on the train that the current Ukrainian government is on," - Maka Bochorishvili, Foreign Minister of Georgia.

🇮🇷🇦🇿⚡- A number of Azerbaijani government sites and news agencies have been subjected to cyber attacks. The logo of Huseyniyyun appears on the sites, an IRGC-backed Azerbaijani Shiite group.

🇨🇳🇵🇭⚡- A Chinese helicopter came within 3 meters of distance to a Philippine aircraft over the disputed Scarborough Shoal, South China Sea.

🇺🇸🇨🇳🇵🇭⚡- The US government condemns the 'unsafe and irresponsible actions' by China over the Scarborough Shoal, saying Chinese behavior is a 'threat to navigation' in the area.

🇵🇸🇮🇱⚡- Hamas releases four Israeli hostages that were killed in captivity. Their coffins were allegedly locked with keys that do not open them, therefore Israel had to deploy engineer teams to unlock them.

Israeli media reports that Israel is upset that the Palestinians 'humiliated' the four by playing music in the crowd and with people cheering.

Note, 5 days ago Israel dressed over 100 Palestinian prisoners of all ages in all white with the Star of David and the phrase 'We will not forget and we will not forgive', which was not seen as humiliating.

🇵🇸🇮🇱⚡- "The coffins of the dead hostages are being examined by the engineering corps for fear that they may be booby-trapped," - Channel 12.

🇺🇬🇨🇩🇷🇼⚡- Uganda's military enters front-line city of Lubero, North Kivu direction, eastern DR Congo.

Fighting in the North Kivu direction has been fierce, with M23 recently capturing Kitsambiro, just 11km south of Lubero. Uganda and the DRC both claim that the Ugandan military is working jointly with the FARDC in the Ituri region to combat extremist groups. However, that wouldn't explain their presence so close to the front-line in the North Kivu region.

The M23 are likely to reach Lubero before the end of the week and will come into contact with Uganda's military, and only then will Uganda's military operation and its purposes become clear.