Four NATO countries have called for the establishment of a defensive line along the Russian border. European Union countries agree to impose sanctions on Belarus. All information in the news blog.

6.40 AM: According to a media report, the European Union will again impose tariffs on sugar and egg imports from Ukraine from Friday. The amount will be 89 euros per ton, the Financial Times reported, citing people familiar with the process. The European Union had decided to ease customs duties to support war-torn Ukrainian agriculture.

However, this led to protests from farmers in the European Union. They complained of cheap imports, loss of market share, declining revenues, and unfair competition. As a result, a decision was made on a kind of emergency brake mechanism for some agricultural products, which should come into force in the event of exceeding import limits. According to the Financial Times, this emergency brake is now being pulled in a similar manner to Ukrainian oats.

5 o’clok: According to a report by Ukrainian online news site Euromaidan, dozens of Russian soldiers are trapped in a factory in the city of Vovchansk in Kharkiv province. This was confirmed by Ole Sinihobo, head of the district administration. Previous reports spoke of up to 200 soldiers. The Ukrainian army has so far repelled attempts by Russian forces to liberate the region. Parts of the city are under Russian control, but the Ukrainian army has so far prevented its capture.

3:10 AM: Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia called on the European Union to create a defensive line along the borders with Russia and Belarus. “The development of the defense infrastructure system along the EU’s external borders with Russia and Belarus will take into account the urgent need to protect the European Union from military and hybrid threats,” the four leaders’ message, seen by Reuters, said.

Hybrid threats refer to a combination of military and non-military, covert and overt, means, including disinformation, cyberattacks, economic pressure, and pushing migrants across borders. In a letter to the EU leader, which will be discussed at the summit in Brussels starting on Thursday, the leaders of the four countries say the project will also require financial support from all members. EU diplomats estimated the cost of building such a defensive line along the EU’s 700-kilometre border with Russia and Belarus at about 2.5 billion euros.

2.30 AM: The Russian news agency TASS, citing the Russian Navy, reported on a training exercise conducted by the Russian guided missile cruiser Varyag in the Mediterranean Sea. The Navy Command said that the exercises focused on deterring a massive drone attack, and also included combat simulations with an enemy ship and a submarine.

0.25 AM: The largest internet service providers in Russian-occupied Crimea fell victim to a cyberattack from Ukraine on Wednesday. Several major providers in Crimea were hit by hackers from the HUR military intelligence service, Kyivpost reported. According to the report, HUR cyber specialists carried out attacks on several Russian ministries in early June. It is unclear how much damage the latest attack in Crimea caused.

0.20 AM: It appears that the European Union and Ukraine are on the verge of signing a security agreement. As set out in the draft document, seen by Reuters news agency, the EU commits, among other things, to supplying Ukraine with weapons and providing military training for years to come. The signing is expected to take place on Thursday at the European Union summit chaired by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Although he has not been officially announced as a guest. However, in diplomatic circles it was assumed that he would participate.

40 homeless villagers
Israeli bulldozers demolish homes in the West Bank

June 27, 2024, 1:01 AM

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In the southern West Bank, Israeli occupation forces stormed a Bedouin settlement and demolished several homes, according to residents. The reason appears to be stated in a military order.

Israeli occupation forces demolished several homes in a Bedouin settlement in the occupied West Bank, according to residents. Five families, about 40 of the village’s 200 residents, are now homeless, including a prominent Palestinian artist and about 30 children.

Palestinian villagers told the Associated Press news agency that Israeli bulldozers and military vehicles entered Umm al-Shir in the southern West Bank early Wednesday morning and destroyed at least seven homes. Then they left again. Later, the soldiers returned and arrested a resident. Footage taken by amateurs from the village shows the bulldozers crashing into the walls of houses while residents watched. Israeli soldiers remove Palestinians and Israeli activists from the demolition area.

The area is now a military exclusion zone?

The Israeli military agency responsible for civil affairs in the West Bank said that the demolished buildings were built illegally and without a license. Israel’s highest court ruled that the buildings could be removed. Palestinians in these areas have long said that it is almost impossible to obtain building permits from Israeli authorities.

Also affected by the demolition was the home of Eid Suleiman, an activist and artist whose work was exhibited alongside the famous Chinese exile artist Ai Weiwei. Suleiman said that the soldiers gave his family only 30 minutes to remove their belongings from the house.

A military order delivered to residents stated that part of the village had been declared a prohibited military zone. The order named the area “Carmel Farms,” reflecting the name of a nearby fenced-off Israeli settlement.

“On one side of the fence there are people with rights,” said Guy Buttavia, an Israeli activist who joined the villagers. On the other hand, he said, „They have no rights. They cannot live on their own land.”