It is day 422 of the war in Ukraine. Follow the latest news about the war and all its aftermath in this live blog.
Germany: Limited attacks by Kiev against Russia are acceptable
05:00 | German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius believes limited attacks by Ukraine on Russian territory are an acceptable tactic to repel Russia’s invasion. In such a war it is “completely normal for the attacked side to advance into enemy territory, for example to cut off supply routes,” he told German broadcaster ZDF.
“As long as no cities, civilians or civilian areas are attacked, it will necessarily have to be accepted.” At the same time, Pistorius made it clear that the West should keep in mind “how this war is being fought” when making decisions about arms supplies to Kiev. “If Ukraine requires certain types of bombs that are banned worldwide, then you have to say no.”
A Russian fighter jet accidentally hits a Russian city
04:00 | A Russian fighter jet accidentally fired on the Russian city of Belgorod. A crater with a diameter of 20 meters was drilled in one of the main streets of the city. Two women were injured and four cars and four buildings were damaged, the regional governor said.
This was reported by the Russian news agency Tass. Local authorities reported a massive explosion in the city near Ukraine.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, a Sukhoi SU-34 flew over the city and accidentally fired a weapon. The ministry did not say what kind of weapon it was. The SU-34 is a supersonic fighter-bomber.
Ukrainian soldiers secretly undergo intensive training in Limburg
03:00 | In Vredepeel, Limburg, the Netherlands has secretly prepared a squad of Ukrainian soldiers to manage the Patriot anti-aircraft defences, reports De Telegraaf. The Dutch coaches had to train the Ukrainians with lightning speed, 15-hour days were no exception. The defense now made a special deal, because the coaches had to work so much overtime without proper compensation that they started grumbling.
The fact that Ukrainian soldiers are also being trained on Dutch soil has so far been kept quiet for security reasons. “If you get too much publicity about this, people will go to the barracks to watch,” armed forces chief Onno Eichelsheim previously told De Telegraaf.
The ten-week training course at the Patriot in Vredepeel has concluded. It is an extremely intensive crash course six or seven days a week, twelve to fifteen hours a day.
In an extraordinary measure, the Ministry of Defense suspended the law on working hours because the working hours of the trainers exceeded the legal limits. This led to dissatisfaction among Dutch personnel and complaints to military unions. Arrangements have now been made for trainers to receive an extra allowance for “special efforts”, which is comparable to the allowance during exercises.
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
