Missiles

North Korea initiated the firing of an unspecified ballistic missile towards the East Sea (Sea of Japan) in the early hours of Monday, as reported by the South Korean military, intensifying concerns amid speculation about its nature.

According to officials in Seoul and Tokyo, North Korea launched another long-range ballistic missile on Monday with the potential to strike the United States, continuing a record-breaking number of weapons tests this year that the West has denounced.

It is understood that the nuclear weapon, which Russian President Vladimir Putin previously described as a "meteorite", can be launched outside the Earth's atmosphere and hit multiple targets anywhere in the world in less than 30 minutes, the British newspaper Express reports.

France, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia and Hungary have signed a letter of intent to jointly purchase the French "Mistral" air defense systems, Reuters reports, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Germany will buy Israel's Iron Dome air defense system, Politico reported. The budget committee of the Bundestag approved the payment of the first tranche of 560 million euros for the purchase of the Israeli Arrow-3 air defense system.

Russian forces began June with a fresh aerial bombardment of Kiev on Thursday, killing at least three people and wounding others, authorities said.

Following a reported 17 drone and missile attacks on the Ukrainian capital in May, Russian forces hit the capital in the early morning with ground-launched missiles.

North Korea has informed Japan that it will launch a satellite within two weeks, but Tokyo believes it could be a ballistic missile and is therefore taking precautions, AFP reported.

Russian forces launched overnight air attacks on Kiev, military officials in the Ukrainian capital said Friday, adding that all the missiles were intercepted and destroyed.

"Another air attack on Kiev, 13th in a row since the beginning of May! And, as always, at nighttime," the city's military administration said on its Telegram account.

The indigenously developed long-range air defense system is expected to start serving in the coming days to protect Türkiye's airspace, along with the Russian S-400s, as it has completed its final tests.

Kyiv claims to have won 20 square kilometers near Bahmut, but fierce fighting around the city continues.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to discuss the dormant plan with the leaders of African countries, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced.

Russian air defense destroyed five missiles