NATO fighters were scrambled over Lithuania on Friday after a suspected kamikaze drone was feared to have entered its airspace. Residents in Vilnius were urged to take precautions as the country borders Russia and its ally Belarus. The alert was triggered by a 'radar signal characteristic of unmanned aerial vehicles'. Later, officials suggested the incursion may have been a weather balloon, but the incident comes as Russia launched a devastating attack on a Ukrainian market.
Russia Strikes Ukrainian Market with Cluster Bombs
A dozen cluster bombs were unleashed on the Dnipropetrovsk region, hitting the town of Vasylkivka. At least one person was killed and 13 wounded in the strike. A residential building was partially destroyed, and shops and other businesses were damaged.
NATO to Empower Commander to Shoot Down Drones
This incident comes as NATO prepares to give its Commander-in-Chief in Europe more authority to shoot down drones without consulting national governments. The issue will be raised at the NATO summit in Ankara on July 7-8.
Civilian Casualties at Highest Level Since April 2022
Vladimir Putin's forces are killing innocent Ukrainian civilians at a higher rate than at any time in the past four years of war. UN statistics show 274 civilians were killed and 1,763 injured in Ukraine in May. 'The documented harm to the civilian population was not limited to settlements near the front line,' said Danielle Bell, head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine. 'In cities throughout Ukraine, repeated attacks with missiles and aerial bombs resulted in the deaths and injuries of civilians far from the areas of active ground combat.' This is the highest number since April 2022.
Ukraine Strikes Back at Russian Targets
Ukraine hit multiple military targets overnight, including again striking bridge access to the Crimean Peninsula in a further blow to Putin. Kyiv is seeking to impose a blockade on the occupied territory. Drones hit the Crimean Titan plant in occupied Armiansk, the region's largest chemical plant, and a manufacturer of titanium oxide. A power plant was also struck. Separately, there were strikes on the port of Taman as Ukraine consolidated its growing advantage in the war. New footage showed panic as Ukraine earlier hit the Taneko oil refinery in Nizhnekamsk, Tatarstan, one of the largest in Russia, in an 800-mile drone strike.
Russian Airstrikes on Kherson
The Russians hit Kherson city with airstrikes, setting warehouses ablaze. Earlier, they killed one person and left 15 injured in attacks on the region. Residential buildings, infrastructure, and equipment were damaged.
