Kiev: Reconquered three villages
Ukrainian forces say they have liberated three frontline villages in western Donetsk nearly a week after the counter-offensive began. Video footage shows soldiers raising the Ukrainian flag over the village of Blahodatne, south of the town of Velyka Novosilka, one of the main axes of the counter-offensive so far. Troops from another brigade filmed themselves with their unit’s banner at Neskuchne. Later Sunday, Kiev said a third village, Makarivka, had been captured.
Germany stages largest NATO air exercise ever
The largest air exercises in NATO’s history will begin in Germany on Monday. According to the German Air Force, 25 countries with around 10,000 military personnel and 250 aircraft are participating in Air Defender 23.
The exercises are modeled on a so-called Article 5 scenario. According to this article of NATO, an attack on one member state is an attack on the whole of NATO. The exercises train the readiness and coordination of the various air forces. The exercises will take place in German airspace for about ten days. The Netherlands Volkel Air Base is also deployed during Air Defender 23. Germany has been organizing Air Defenders since 2018.
The IAEA wants to check the level of Zaporizhia cooling water after the dam collapse
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) wants to monitor the water levels in the tank that supplies cooling water to the shut down reactors of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine. This was reported by the director of the IAEA Rafael Grossi. The recent destruction of the Kakhovka dam has caused a sharp drop in the water level in that reservoir.
According to the IAEA, there are wide variations in the data reported on tank water levels. That’s why the agency wants to clarify the place. If the water level drops too low, the cooling water can no longer be pumped into the shut down reactors and nuclear waste. The plant can therefore still rely on cooling ponds, which contain enough water for several months.
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