The defensive operation claimed the life of Ukrainian F-16 pilot Maksym Ustymenko, who perished after successfully destroying seven attacking drones while attempting to intercept additional aircraft. His aircraft sustained damage and entered a descent, according to air force commanders. "Maksym did everything he could to steer the aircraft away from a populated area. He didn't have time to eject."

Last night, during a massive enemy air attack, First Class Pilot Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustymenko, born in 1993, was killed in action flying an F-16.

Maksym did everything he could to steer the aircraft away from a populated area. He didn't have time to eject…

Our deepest… pic.twitter.com/dekUks3rYW

— Ukrainian Air Force (@KpsZSU) June 29, 2025

Ukrainian defensive forces managed to intercept 436 drones and 38 missiles, supported by American F-16 fighters whose crews eliminated "dozens" of assault drones. Air force leadership stressed that "Ukrainian pilots face extraordinary dangers in their missions."

The Russian offensive prompted neighboring Poland to deploy fighter aircraft and activate air defense networks. Polish armed forces' operational headquarters declared that "complete mobilization of available assets occurred, with combat aircraft launching and air defense plus radar installations achieving maximum operational status." The elevated alert lasted two hours before officials announced a "threat level reduction."

Vladimir Putin authorized the operation through Russia's defense ministry, which characterized it as "a comprehensive attack using precision extended-range weaponry from aerial, maritime and terrestrial platforms, including Kinzhal hypersonic aeroballistic missiles and unmanned systems, targeting military-industrial facilities and petroleum refineries throughout Ukraine."

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that a residential structure in Smila city, located near the central Cherkasy, suffered damage, resulting in injuries to one child. Zelenskyy declared his intention to investigate Ustymenko's death while stating, "Ukrainian aircrews defend our skies with valor. Gratitude to all who protect Ukraine."

"Moscow will continue these operations as long as it maintains the capability for massive strikes," Zelenskyy declared. "Putin made his decision long ago to persist in warfare despite international peace appeals. We must conclude this conflict, we must pressure the aggressor, we require protection. Ukraine must enhance its aerial defenses. We need American systems and stand ready to purchase them. We depend on the leadership, political determination, and backing of the United States, Europe, and our allied nations."

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Russia's military has recruited hundreds of Yemeni men to fight in Ukraine through a covert trafficking operation, according to reporting by the Financial Times.

An investigation by the news outlet reveals that Yemeni recruits were enticed with promises of high-paying jobs and Russian citizenship. Upon arrival through a Houthi-affiliated company, they were coerced into joining the Russian army and deployed to Ukrainian front lines.

The presence of these largely unwilling Yemeni fighters in Ukraine demonstrates how the conflict is drawing in foreign combatants as casualties mount and Moscow seeks to avoid full mobilization. The forces now include mercenaries from Nepal and India, alongside approximately 12,000 North Korean regular army troops deployed for combat against Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk province.

US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking confirmed to the Financial Times that Russia is actively engaging with the Houthis and discussing weapons transfers. "We know that there are Russian personnel in Sana'a helping to deepen this dialogue," he said. "The kinds of weapons that are being discussed are very alarming, and would enable the Houthis to better target ships in the Red Sea and possibly beyond."

One recruit, identified as Nabil, told the Financial Times he was among roughly 200 Yemenis forcibly conscripted in September. Another, Abdullah, reported arriving in Moscow at 6:15 p.m. on Sept. 18, where his group was coerced at gunpoint to sign Russian-language enlistment contracts.

Documents obtained by the Financial Times show the recruitment operation involves a company founded by Major General Abdulwali Abdo Hassan al-Jabri, a prominent Houthi politician. The company, registered in Salalah, Oman, is officially listed as a tour operator and medical equipment supplier.

According to US diplomats speaking to the Financial Times, Moscow provides various forms of assistance to the Houthis, including targeting data for missile launches, and has been discussing arms sales, though experts note no evidence of completed weapons transfers exists.

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Nearly three years into Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the shadow of war continues to hover over Europe. The Swedish government took unprecedented action Tuesday by distributing a pocket-sized survival manual titled "In Case of Crisis or War" to every household, providing detailed instructions for surviving a potential Russian nuclear strike that could impact not only Ukraine but neighboring nations.

While not specifically created for the current conflict – the Swedish government developed these guidelines six years ago primarily to address climate crisis-related natural disasters – the manual remained unchanged until now. Following a comprehensive revision focusing on nuclear threat response, the newly updated guide has been distributed to every resident via mail.

The information booklet 'In case of crisis or war' will be sent to all households in Sweden today. It will help households be prepared and build resilience. Downloadable in English and other languages here https://t.co/l6xHC3gOuy pic.twitter.com/6MPcLBHsaN

— Ambassador of Sweden to The Netherlands (@ambsenl) November 18, 2024

From Stockholm's perspective, war survival centers on household preparedness. The manual's core focus lies in food storage recommendations during crisis situations. Expert recommendations include energy bars, canned beans, long-lasting vegetables such as potatoes, cabbage, and carrots, as well as eggs, pasta, and pre-made Bolognese sauce.

Beyond food supplies, the Swedish government's guidelines extend to medical preparations, specifically highlighting iodine tablets for radiation exposure from nuclear incidents. The manual stipulates a minimum three-day water supply requirement. Additional recommendations cover pet care provisions and preparations for harsh Scandinavian winters, including thermal blankets and cold-weather clothing.

The Swedish survival guide became an overnight sensation across Europe. Social media reactions ranged from mockery ("I prefer to die in a nuclear attack than to eat pre-made Bolognese sauce," numerous Italian users commented) to earnest interest in implementing the life-saving protocols.

The manual's impact reverberated through Scandinavian governmental corridors. Norway, Denmark, and Finland announced plans to release similar guidelines in the upcoming weeks, with some following Sweden's printed format while others opt for digital distribution to optimize costs.

Finland's response notably escalated beyond mere preparation guidelines, issuing an unprecedented declaration for northern Europe: "We are ready to defend ourselves." The stance echoes historical precedent – 85 years ago during the Winter War (1939-1940), despite losing 15% of its territory to Russia, Finland's military successfully resisted its powerful adversary to maintain sovereignty. The nation now pledges to repeat this resistance if regional conflict erupts.

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According to a new report in Haaretz by Nir Hasson, as the death toll in Gaza reaches 40,000, it's time to face facts: "the numbers show" that the Gaza war is "one of the bloodiest in the 21st Century."

For many who hear this claim, its veracity will seem obvious. For nearly a year, the world has been consumed by this war. There must be a reason. Surely the absolute numbers justify the riots, the self-immolations, and the accusations of that most vile crime against humanity - genocide.

But reading the report, one sees how quickly it disproves its own claims. Let's look at the numbers, cited by Hasson himself:

In Syria, 405,000 dead.

In Iraq, 210,000 dead.

In Yugoslavia, 100,000 dead.

In Ukraine, 172,000 dead.

All of those numbers appear to be much higher than 40,000, so how is Haaretz claiming that this is one of the deadliest conflicts of the century? Well, they don't go by absolute numbers. Instead, they go by pace and by percentage of population.

40,000 is 2% of Gaza's population, and this number of fatalities has occurred in less than a year.

The Syrian war also claimed the lives of 2% of the population, but took 13 years.

The Iraq war claimed the lives of 1% of the population, but took 20 years.

The Ukraine war has only claimed the lives of .45% of the population, in 2.5 years.

This is not usually how we evaluate the size of a war. But it is how we evaluate the size of this war. In December, the Washington Post called the war "one of this century's most destructive," again citing pace rather than absolute numbers. It is as if these reporters are starting with the assumption that the Gaza war is the worst in recent history, and then working backwards to find out how.

But beyond this dishonest analysis, it's unclear what exactly they are implying. Is a war that lasts decades better than one that lasts a year? Is it less "bloody" or "destructive"?

After all, everyone knows that the war in Gaza won't last for two decades like America's wars. Israel is already winding down in Gaza, and while Netanyahu and Gallant may bicker over the exact nature of the end, we all know that it's going to end, and that the lion's share of the IDF's mission in Gaza is done. As for percentage, where did we get 2%?

40,000 is 2% of Gaza's population, but there are also millions of Palestinians in the West Bank and as far as I know, every Palestinian from Gaza and the West Bank considers themselves to be a single people.

So yes, 2% of the residents of the region held by Hamas have died in this war. In fact, nearly half of them were Hamas themselves. But it's not true that 2% of the Palestinian population has died. Far from it.

If this is how people want to analyze this war, so be it, but let's be fair and let both sides use the same metrics. For instance, on October 7th, around 70,000 people lived in the region of Israel known as the Gaza Envelope. By nightfall, 1.7% of them had been slain by merciless invaders.

None of this is to say that 40,000 is a small number. Indeed, reporters ought to be curious about why this number is as high as it is, considering Israel's well-documented efforts to minimize civilian casualties.

There are a number of reasons. For one, generally, when there is a war, people are allowed to flee to safer areas. Palestinians are not. The Egyptians have sealed their border with little to no international scrutiny or condemnation. As for "safe zones" within Gaza, Hamas has a habit of taking them over and turning them into battlefields.

When Mohammad Deif was killed by an Israeli strike, many were outraged that the strike was in a so-called "safe zone." They should have been outraged that Hamas' second-in-command was in a "safe zone" to begin with when he knew that his presence rendered the area a legitimate military target.

There are other ways in which Hamas guarantees civilian deaths. For instance, not wearing uniforms so as to confuse between the civilian population and combatants; or using hospitals as bases; or UN buildings, or hiding Israeli hostages in dense urban areas. People would rather blame Israel. For instance, in January, the Washington Post called the displacement of Gazans "the largest displacement in the region since 1948."

But it's not. Not even close. 1.9 million people live in Gaza. 13 million were displaced by the Syrian civil war. 4 million in Yemen. 9 million in Iraq. So why claim that this is the largest displacement? And why say "since 1948"? Simple: to make it seem like the existence of Israel is the problem. None of this is to minimize the devastating tragedies caused by this war, or the horrifying situation in the Gaza strip.

Yesterday, I saw a gut wrenching video of a Palestinian man whose wife and newborn twins had died in an Israeli airstrike. There is no quantifying such grief and I pray, for his sake and for others like him, that this war ends speedily with a deal that brings the hostages home.

But the world is insisting that Israel is bloodthirsty - that it is doing something other than what any country would do after suffering the kind of invasion that Israel suffered on October 7th.

This isn't true, and despite what Haaretz says, it's not "what the numbers show."

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A fire broke out at a cooling tower of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Russian-occupied Ukraine, with dense black smoke and multiple explosions observed.

Ukraine accused Russia of negligence, arson, or using the plant for military purposes, while Russia blamed Ukrainian shelling or drone attacks for the fire.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed the fire but stated there was no threat to nuclear safety or detected radiation spike, although it expressed concerns over the escalating conflict near the plant.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russian forces of lighting the fire at the plant, calling it an act of "nuclear blackmail."

The fire incident fueled concerns over the potential for a nuclear disaster, given the plant's strategic importance and the ongoing conflict in the region.

Sources: El Comercio, The Australian, Istoé, Okezone, The Daily Beast, The Guardian, Reuters, Independent, CNN, Times of India, ABC, Diário do Centro do Mundo, CNN Brasil, Repubblica, Manila Standard, Express, Outlook India, LatestLY, Head Topics, Breaking the News.

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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For Lily and her family, the war in Ukraine turned their lives upside down in an instant. What started as hiding in the basement of their Kharkiv home quickly escalated into a harrowing journey to flee the country as Russian forces laid siege.

"We decided to leave because hiding in the basement is not going to do anything," Lily recounts. "We can't go back to our neighborhood because it's closest to Russia and it's shelled daily," she said right after her escape, several months into the war, by phone.

And so their arduous escape began. Joining a small caravan of just four cars, Lily, her parents, sister, niece, and beloved pets – two cats and a large Rottweiler – made the difficult decision to leave everything behind. "The dog had documents, the rest, the two cats, you know, they had their shots, but they didn't have any kind of a passport, especially not a European passport."

The convoy faced immense challenges from the very start. Traffic jams caused by endless, disorganized blockades impeded every mile of progress. Fuel supplies dwindled as gas stations ran dry. At one point, they stood still for 18-20 hours at the Polish border as people callously cut the line.

"People are assholes," Lily says bluntly. "There's a war and they're still cutting in line."

Her frustration reached a boiling point as she resorted to threatening to break car headlights with a crowbar to regain order. Only the arrival of police allowed them to finally cross into Poland after over 16 hours of waiting.

But the journey was a neverending series of obstacles. With lodging packed full, Lily's sister utilized her network to find kind volunteers offering floors and spare rooms wherever they could. One night they slept in an elementary school under strict secrecy - no lights, only a trickle of hot water. Another night was spent in a loaned empty apartment.

All the while, Lily worked tirelessly to coordinate getting her elderly friend's mother with dementia rescued from her Kharkiv high-rise. She also tried to send medical supplies to the woman's father trapped in Russian-occupied areas.

Finally in Poland, they were taken in by a family's home near Warsaw. But the pets caused issues as the home's dog was hostile. Tempers flared constantly as the physical and mental toll of their circumstances weighed on everyone.

"It's exhausting," Lily laments. "Taking one shower in three days, you know it's just it's hard."

In the two years since their escape, Lily's family has scrambled to build a new life in Poland. Finding affordable rent that allows pets has proven extremely difficult. Her elderly parents struggle immensely with learning the tremendously difficult Polish language and have minimal prospects for work.

Although Ukrainian troops have managed to liberate Kharkiv, the war is anything but over, and in fact, Russia appears to have the momentum.  While Lily herself has now found employment, the future remains highly uncertain. "I don't know that Kharkiv will ever be safe enough. Not until Russia falls apart," she says, wondering if they will ever return home.

Through Lily's powerful account, the true devastating costs of the conflict become viscerally clear. An entire family's lives have been upended, their community and belongings abandoned. While she expresses gratitude for their comparatively stable circumstances, the profound trauma remains.

"It's just been morally very hard, you know?" she says soberly. "You read the news...and it's scary. And heartbreaking."

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Russia's Foreign Ministry will summon Israeli ambassador Simona Halperin over "unacceptable comments" she made in an interview, the TASS news agency cited the ministry as saying on Monday.

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Halperin, according to the ministry, misrepresented Russia's foreign policy stance in the interview with Russia's Kommersant daily, published on Sunday.

The ministry described her comments as "an extremely unsuccessful start" to her diplomatic posting, which began last December.

In the interview, Halperin criticized Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov for playing down the importance of the Holocaust and said Russia was being too friendly with the terror group Hamas.

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The United States has approved Israel's sale of the Arrow 3 missile defense system to Germany, the Israeli Defense Ministry announced on Thursday.

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The $3.5 billion military contract is Jerusalem's largest ever. Berlin wants the system, which is capable of intercepting exo-atmospheric ballistic threats, to defend against the threat of Russian missiles.

Video: Arrow 3 system test / Credit: Defense Ministry

"The US government's approval of the delivery… is an expression of confidence in the outstanding capabilities of Israel's defense industries. This is a significant decision, which will contribute to Israel's force buildup and economy," said Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in a statement Thursday. It is "particularly meaningful to every Jewish person that Germany is acquiring Israeli defense capabilities."

The Arrow 3 was jointly developed by the Israeli Missile Defense Organization and the US Missile Defense Agency, and is manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries.

In June, German lawmakers approved advanced payments of up to €560 million ($606 million) for the system, which will be transferred to Israel after a letter of commitment is signed in the coming weeks.

The full contract of $3.5 billion (previously reported to be $4.3 billion) will be signed by the end of this year, subject to approvals from the Israeli and German parliaments.

The German Air Force is slated to take delivery of the Arrow 3 by the fourth quarter of 2025.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made an initial request for the system in a meeting with then-Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in March 2022, with Israel working behind the scenes since then to persuade Washington to allow the sale.

Because the system was jointly developed, Israel requires American approval to sell it to a third party.

The Arrow 3 is operational in Israel, as part of the country's multi-tier air-defense program. Israel Aerospace Industries is now developing the Arrow 4, which will operate both within and above the atmosphere.

Israel defense exports in 2022 accounted for a record $12.6 billion.

 Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

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Ukraine is considering canceling its visa-free travel agreement with Israel and plans to request the country is excluded from the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meetings due to its alleged "unfriendly actions toward Ukraine and pro-Russian position on the international arena," the Kyiv Post reported on Thursday.

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The Ukraine Defense Contact Group, also known as the Ramstein group, is an alliance of 54 countries aiding Ukraine with military equipment in its fight against the Russian invasion.

A source in Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council claimed that "Israeli authorities never provided any real help" and "instead, the information received during the meetings is used by Israel in its own interests."

Video: Ukraine hitting a Russian ship in the Black Sea/Credit: Social media

According to the source, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry is preparing a submission about the visa-free regime to the cabinet, which will be considered "in the coming weeks."

The Kyiv Post also mentioned Ukraine's Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Kornichuk, who has recently urged Israel to provide Ukraine with weapon systems that could counter ballistic missiles, also criticizing Israel for supposedly ending health insurance benefits for Ukrainian refugees and claimed that it deported around 10% of Ukrainian refugees.

Israel has been criticized for failing to send military aid to Ukraine. Officials explain the move might jeopardize the IDF's freedom of action in Syria, where Russia is active. Israel has, however, sent humanitarian aid to Ukraine and was even the first country to open a field hospital on Ukrainian territory shortly after the outbreak of the war last year, which treated over 6,000 patients during its six-week operation.

Kornichuk also warned that the throngs of Jewish pilgrims to the gravesite of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov in Uman could be endangered.

The source from the National Security and Defense Council too commented on the upcoming pilgrimage, saying Israel was trying to obtain security guarantees for the 20,000 expected to arrive in the small town for the Rosh Hashanah festivities, saying it was impossible to provide them given the "constant missile attacks."

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Almost two months ago, the Wagner Force marched on Moscow in a dramatic and bloody effort to oust Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Now, although the mercenary group no longer threatens the stability inside Russia, the federation has been using it to create a new flashpoint with the West: The Belarusian borders with Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia.

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Wagner's march on Moscow came to a halt some 130 miles from the capital, with its commander Yevgeny Prigozhin and fighters given three choices: integrating into the Russian military; going to Africa (where Wagner Force has been operating in multiple theaters); or leaving to Belarus. The Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko, whose regime is dependent on Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been claiming that he was the one who invited them to his country.

According to various estimates, there are somewhere between 3,800 to 4,000 Russian mercenaries currently in Belarus, and according to Lukashenko and his state media, their goal is to "train and bolster the Belarusian military using the immense combat experience they have accumulated." But it is far from certain if this tells the whole story. Pavel Matsukevich, a senior researcher at a think tank and former Belarusian diplomat, has questions as to who is funding their activity and the training they have been providing the Belarusian armed forces. "Mercenaries don't work for free," he wrote in a review he published over the weekend. "In fact, they tend to get generous compensation for their work."

Video: Polish prime minister warns about Wagner Group's activity / Credit: Reuters

Valery Kavaleuski, the deputy head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus (which has been operating from Lithuania after Lukashenko refused to concede defeat following the 2020 election), says that the hosting of the Wagner Force has been imposed on Lukashenko. "Wagner poses a threat to Ukraine, to NATO's borders and to the Belarusian society, and even on Lukashenko himself," he told Israel Hayom. "Their loyalty has always been to Russia and to its interests. In fact, after the events of June, they could be inclined to help undo the damage they inflicted on Putin's image in their mutiny. The danger they pose is high all-around."

The danger is becoming very real. In fact, one cannot rule out the possibility that in the wake of the rebellion, a new plan has been concocted in the Moscow-Minsk axis, one that would involve creating a new theater of conflict: The Belarusian borders with Latvia, Lithuania – and especially with Poland. In fact, several days ago, the Polish Foreign Ministry claimed that the Wagnerites tried to cross into Poland. Just over a week ago, the government in Warsaw sounded the alarm, saying that some 100 of the group's fighters were sent to the Suwałki Gap – an overland corridor connecting Belarus with the Russian enclave Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea – in order to help traffic labor migrants into Poland. The corridor, which is also used as the land border between Poland and Lithuania, is NATO's Achilles heel: There was a time in the past when its seizing by Russia would have resulted in the Baltic member states being cut off from the rest of the alliance. On August 1, 2023, two Belarusian helicopters flew some 1.8 miles into Polish airspace as part of what was ostensibly a "security flight" for Lukashenko's visit to the border area. That incident came on the heels of another development: In June, Russia transferred tactical nuclear weapons into Belarus.

"The Wagner group is extremely dangerous and they are being moved to [NATO's] eastern flank to destabilize it," Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said in a statement. "We need to be aware that the number of provocations will rise," he warned. In the wake of Wagner's arrival in Belarus, Poland has deployed another 1,000 troops on its eastern border and placed helicopters on alert nearby. Currently, there are no signs that the group is planning to invade Poland or capture the strategic corridor, as it has insufficient manpower or weaponry for such an undertaking. However, according to Kavaleuski, it wouldn't have to do that. "They can destabilize things in the EU and in NATO with small provocations on the border, thus impacting political processes," he says.

The conventional wisdom is that the immediate goal the provocations seek to achieve is bifurcated: Challenging NATO and having it divert attention to yet another theater – which could force it to scale back some of the support it has been lending Ukraine. Another simultaneous goal can be psychological: Creating "Ukraine war fatigue" in Europe and in the West in particular. Down the road, if and when Ukraine and the West hold ceasefire talks vis-a-vis Russia, the tension on the Belarus-Polish border could be used as a bargaining chip and improve Moscow's standing as the sides try to find a "comprehensive solution" to the crises that are of its own making.

Meanwhile, the Belarusian government-in-exile has been stressing at every international forum that there is an ever-increasing threat from Belarus and voicing concern over the hardships endured by their compatriots who have been taken hostage by the Kremlin's plans and the survival games of Lukashenko's dictatorial regime. "What's been unfolding in Belarus impacts everyone's security, but we have to make the voice of the citizens of Belarus heard," Kavaleuski says. "The new Iron Curtain that has been drawn must be on the eastern border of Belarus rather than cut us out from Europe, where we belong. We don't want to be – and will not be – part of the relations imposed on us by Moscow."

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