United States announced on Tuesday that it suspended the shipment of some weapons to Ukraine, expressing concern over the decrease in its own ammunition reserves, at a time when Russia intensifies its attacks against Ukraine.
This suspension of shipments to Kiev affects air defense missiles and projectiles, according to Politico and other US media. The timing could not be more critical, as Ukraine is currently facing the intensification of Russian aerial attacks.
Under the presidency of Democrat Joe Biden, the United States provided over 60,000 million dollars in military aid to Kiev.
It will be a tough blow for Ukraine amid one of Russia's biggest onslaughts in over three years of war where it aims to maximize its territorial gains before seriously considering a complete ceasefire. Ukraine aims to deter Russia with anti-personnel mines by withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention.
Ceasefire negotiations between Kiev and Moscow remain at a standstill.
Russia, which already controls about a fifth of Ukraine, continues to gradually advance, gaining ground in recent weeks in the southeastern regions of Ukraine of Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk.
"Historic Change": Denmark Starts Recruiting Women in Response to Russian Threat
Danish citizens turning 18 from this Tuesday will be called up for the Armed Forces Day in 2026, where a lottery will determine if they will have to serve for 11 months in mandatory military service if there are not enough volunteers, in what represents a "historic change" introducing full equality in the Army, as reported by Efe.
The reform of the law, adopted by a broad majority in the Danish Parliament, came into effect this Tuesday and is the result of a 2023 defense agreement that established that military service should be strengthened and made equal.
"When we open the door to both women and men under exactly the same conditions, we use all of Denmark's talent reserve. It gives us more combat power and sends a clear signal that the Armed Forces are a modern community where everyone can contribute to the defense of the Kingdom of Denmark," stated Defense Chief Michael Wiggers Hyldgaard in a statement.
With gender equality, a gradual reform of the military service will begin, as starting in August 2026, the new and longer military service will be implemented, lasting 11 months as a starting point, and no longer four months.
The first five months will consist of comprehensive basic training that will provide recruits with a solid military foundation.
The remaining six months will be dedicated to operational service, where recruits will participate in specific tasks in the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Special Operations Command.
Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen recently emphasized that in light of the current defense and security policy situation, the Armed Forces need to recruit more people, and therefore, "it is an important signal" that gender equality has been advanced to July 1, 2025.
Initially, full gender equality in military service was supposed to be introduced in early 2027, following the approval of the Liberal Alliance and the xenophobic Danish People's Party.
Danish authorities aim to recruit 7,500 people each year, a figure higher than that obtained in 2023 when 4,700 volunteered.
IAEA Investigates Drone Attack on Europe's Largest Nuclear Plant in Zaporizhzhia
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is investigating an "unacceptable" possible drone attack near the cooling pond of the Zaporizhzhia (ZNPP) Ukrainian nuclear plant, the largest in Europe and under Russian control since 2022.
In a statement issued on Tuesday night, the IAEA - the UN nuclear agency - noted that its experts deployed at the said nuclear plant were informed on Monday of the attack that allegedly occurred last Friday.
The plant operators claimed that six drones damaged several vehicles.
"While visiting one of the areas of the alleged Friday attack, the IAEA team observed burnt grass and other charred vegetation, caused, according to the plant, by a drone that crashed and caused a fire," the agency stated.
The IAEA team was also shown a truck allegedly hit in the attack, but the international experts could not verify the damages due to the distance from the vehicle.
The incident occurred outside the plant perimeter, about 600 meters from the nearest reactor of the six that the ZNPP has.
"If this report is confirmed, it would represent a completely unacceptable attack in the vicinity of a major nuclear plant," stated IAEA Director General, Argentine Rafael Grossi, in the note.
"Whoever is behind these attacks is playing with fire. It must cease immediately," he added.
The incident took place a few weeks after the IAEA team heard repeated bursts of gunfire apparently attempting to destroy drones allegedly fired against the training center of the plant, also located outside the plant perimeter, on the opposite side of Friday's attack.
Russia Accuses Three Neighbors of Betrayal in Annexed Zaporizhzhia Region
Three residents of the Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia, annexed by Moscow in September 2022, have been arrested and accused of treason for transferring money to secret services and the Ukrainian Army, reported the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), according to Efe.
"In the territory of the Zaporizhzhia region, actions of people transferring money to secret services and the Ukrainian Armed Forces were detected and stopped," stated the FSB in a statement published on its website.
According to the investigation, the three detainees "sent money to accounts used by secret services and the Ukrainian Armed Forces," leading to a criminal case for high treason against them.
"The detainees admitted their guilt and were placed in pretrial detention," added the FSB, emphasizing that the crime of high treason is punishable in Russia with up to life imprisonment.
The statement warns that "all persons who have agreed to help the enemy will be identified, prosecuted, and receive their deserved punishment."
Ukrainian Lawmaker Calls US Missile Shipments Suspension "Painful"
The Pentagon's decision to suspend some arms shipments to Ukraine, including anti-aircraft defense missiles, is "painful" for Kiev's efforts to defend against Russian aerial attacks, declared Ukrainian lawmaker Fedir Venislavskyi, a member of the ruling Servant of the People party and the Defense Committee of Parliament.
"This decision is certainly very unpleasant for us," Venislavskyi told the press in Kiev. "It is painful, and against the backdrop of the terrorist attacks that Russia commits against Ukraine... it is a very unpleasant situation."
Russian Marines Advance Confidently Instead of Retreating
On the battlefield, Russian forces appear increasingly confident.
Nazerenko noticed a change in the morale of Russian marines advancing in recent months. Instead of retreating when attacked by Ukrainian drones, they continue to advance.
Nazerenko couldn't help but ask a Russian prisoner: "You know you will die. Why continue?"
Because, the Russian soldier replied, "we will win."