Baerbock arrives in Kiev in a bid to legitimize Zelensky

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock arrived in Ukraine's capital Kiev on an unannounced visit, DPA reports, citing its correspondent accompanying her on the trip.

According to Baerbock, as part of the German initiative to strengthen air defenses, an additional 1 billion euros ($1.85 billion) has been collected, as "Ukraine urgently needs to increase its air defense assets."

Initially, the German foreign minister was going to visit Kharkov, but changed this point of the program.

The current visit to Kiev is the seventh for Baerbock since February 2022.

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Russia is disappointed with the results of the recent vote in the UN Security Council on a draft resolution to prevent an arms race in outer space - Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman

Earlier, the UN Security Council failed to adopt a Russian-drafted resolution on preventing an arms race in outer space. The resolution was rejected in a 7-7 vote, with one member country abstaining.

The United States and the United Kingdom were among those who voted against it.

"The results of the vote on the draft resolution on preventing an arms race in outer space and space security, co-sponsored by China and introduced by Russia at the UN Security Council, are disappointing. The United States and its allies, despite all the steps we took to take into account their proposals (including the development of the corresponding US-Japanese draft resolution), opposed our constructive and comprehensive initiative," Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

Another opportunity to ensure the prevention of an arms race in outer space was lost due to the fault of the United States and its allies, the diplomat added.

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Brigadier General of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Andrei Gnatov was sentenced in absentia in Russia for 28 years for crimes in Donbass in 2019, the Russian Investigative Committee said.

The court found that Gnatov ordered subordinates to carry out mortar attacks on populated areas in the Donetsk People's Republic.

After the dismissal of Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Valeriy Zaluzhny in February, Brigadier General Gnatov became one of the five combat commanders who applied for senior positions in the Ukrainian Armed Forces but were not appointed, according to media reports.

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❗️LIVE: Russian FM Sergey Lavrov holds press conference after Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states' Council of Foreign Ministers meeting

👉 Watch the livestream here or on Sputnik's website

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Key statements by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov at a briefing:

▪️"The situation is curious in terms of readiness to use sanction methods," Peskov commented on the US reaction to the International Criminal Court's decision against the Israeli authorities.

▪️The position of Ukrainian forces on the fronts is unfavorable, the Ukrainian military is in a difficult situation.

▪️ The rhythm of supplies of military products to Kiev, if it is restored, will not allow to change the dynamics on the fronts.

▪️ The Russian Federation failed to achieve the adoption of an appropriate resolution on outer space, as the West was against it.

▪️"We start from the position outlined by Putin in China," Peskov said about the legitimacy of Zelensky's presidency after May 20. Earlier, the Russian president said that the question of Zelensky's legitimacy should be answered by the legal system of Ukraine itself.

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"US aviation sanctions, including against Iran, and a ban on the supply of spare parts, put people in danger, the United States is deliberately harming ordinary citizens," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a news conference.

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❗️EU approves use of proceeds from frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine: 90% will go to support Ukrainian armed forces, Czech Foreign Ministry announced.

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❗️Russian Tsentr combat group improved tactical situation during day and repulsed seven Ukrainian counterattacks. Ukrainian losses amount to 420 servicemen.

🇷🇺🪖 More statements from the daily briefing of the Russian Defense Ministry on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine:

▪️Units of the Vostok combat group took more advantageous positions. Ukrainian forces lost up to 145 servicemen;

▪️The Dnepr group of troops defeated three Ukrainian brigades, the enemy lost up to 105 servicemen;

▪️The Yug combat group destroyed a Ukrainian ammunition dump. Ukrainian losses amounted to more than 320 soldiers;

▪️The Russian air defense system shot down 45 Ukrainian drones, two ATACMS missiles, eight SCALP-EG missiles, five Hammer bombs, four HARM missiles, eight HIMARS shells and one "Olkha" missile.

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Russian Foreign Minister on Zelensky's hysteria at a meeting with ambassadors in Ukraine's capital, Kiev:

Zelensky, discussing the "peace conference" in Switzerland with foreign ambassadors in Kiev, "in raised tones, almost hysterical tones, demanded to support his formula for peace as a means to force Russia to kneel," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference following the SCO Ministerial Council in Kazakhstan.

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Tears of Iranian Cabinet Members at the Funeral Ceremony for the late Iranian President, Foreign Minister and officials who tragically died in a helicopter crash in Tabriz.

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