- Ukrainian strike hits Borisoglebsk airbase near Voronezh.
- NATO inspects Russian tankers in Baltic amid shadow fleet concerns.
- Trump criticizes Putin; NATO urges U.S. aid flexibility.
Ukraine Hits Russian Fighter Jet Base Near Voronezh
Ukrainian forces struck a key Russian military airfield in the Voronezh region on Saturday, destroying a warehouse containing guided bombs and damaging at least one aircraft, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The attack targeted the Borisoglebsk airfield, a major base for Russian fighter jets and bombers including the Su-34, Su-35S, and Su-30SM warplanes. Preliminary assessments indicate that a stockpile of guided aerial bombs used to strike Ukrainian cities was destroyed, and a combat training aircraft was damaged. Other aircraft may also have been hit, but officials said the full extent of the damage is still being assessed.
NATO Inspects Russian Tankers in Baltic Sea
Germany, Sweden, and Denmark have launched coordinated inspections of Russian tankers transiting the Baltic Sea, aiming to disrupt the Kremlin’s shadow fleet and enforce maritime sanctions, Foreign Policy reports.
The inspections require tankers to show valid insurance documents before passing through territorial waters. Ships lacking proper coverage risk being blacklisted by the U.S., U.K., and EU. The so-called “shadow fleet” often includes older vessels owned through opaque foreign entities and flagged under jurisdictions with lax regulations.
Rutte Urges U.S. Flexibility After Aid Pause
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on July 4 called on the United States to show “flexibility” in its military aid to Ukraine, after the Pentagon unexpectedly paused some weapon deliveries citing concerns over dwindling domestic stockpiles.
The decision comes amid an escalation in Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, exposing critical vulnerabilities in Ukraine’s air defense systems just as current U.S. funding nears expiration this summer.
“The U.S. has to make sure that the stockpiles are at the level we need for the U.S. to have, because they are crucial for our collective defense,” Rutte told reporters. “At the same time, of course, we hope for the flexibility. We have to make sure also that Ukraine can move forward.”
The Pentagon said this week’s pause in deliveries is part of a broader review to assess how to conserve supplies in light of future threats. The timing, however, has alarmed NATO allies as Russia intensifies its air campaign over Ukraine.
Trump Says Putin “Wants to Keep Killing People”
U.S. President Donald Trump cast doubt on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s desire to end the war in Ukraine, telling reporters:
Trump has repeatedly said he could end the war quickly if reelected, but his recent remarks reflect a more pessimistic view of Putin’s war strategy as attacks on Ukraine intensify.
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