Ukraine-Russia war latest: Russia could be ready to attack NATO in three years, Norway warns (2024)

Key points
  • The big picture: Everything you need to know about the war right now
  • Russia could be ready to attack NATO in three years, Norway warns
  • Baby among seven civilians injured in overnight missile strike
  • Moscow warns US against 'mistakes that may have fatal consequences'
  • Enemy 'suffers 1,270 casualties in 24 hours', Ukraine claims
  • China hits back at Zelenskyy over summit disruption allegations
  • Live reporting by Guy Birchall

12:52:23

Polish farmers resume protest at Ukrainian border

Polish farmers have resumed their protest blockade at the Ukrainian border crossing due to agricultural imports from the country.

Farmers in Poland have staged sporadic demonstrations at the border since last autumn.

The demonstrators are blocking trucks from leaving Ukraine.

Cargo vehicles heading to Ukraine are allowed to enter by 12 trucks per 12 hours and by four trucks with humanitarian aid per hour, the Ukrainian Border Guard Service said.

Other vehicles are continuing as usual.

"Representatives of Polish farmers demand reduced imports of Ukrainian crops to Polish territory from Ukraine," the Border Guard Service said.

Disputes over crop imports have strained the relationship between Warsaw and Kyiv, with both countries being major agricultural producers.

Polish farmers have complained that Ukrainian products create uneven competition, particularly since the EU lifted tariffs in 2022.

Poland banned the import of several products from Ukraine, including grain, corn, and rapeseed, in 2023.

12:08:50

Kremlin denies disinformation campaign targeting Olympics

In our last post, we brought you news that Microsoft had made allegations in the New York Times that Russia was targetting the upcoming Olympics with a disinformation campaign.

Moscow has now branded those accusations "absolute slander", with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying there is no substance to them.

Russia is widely accused of having waged disinformation campaigns over the years, often targeting elections in the United States, Europe and Britain.

Moscow has always denied it uses disinformation to influence public opinion.

11:28:03

Russian-linked hacker group 'targeting Paris Olympics'

The Paris Olympics are being targeted by a Russian-linked disinformation campaign, according to the New York Times.

Since last summer, efforts have been under way by a hacker group named Storm-1679, the paper reports.

The campaign "began in earnest" when a documentary was released with a doctored International Olympic Committee (IOC) logo, along with an AI-powered impersonation of Tom Cruise's voice.

The hackers "are trying to cultivate an anticipation of violence", said Clint Watts, the head of Microsoft's Digital Threat Analysis Centre.

"They want people to be fearful of going to the Olympics."

Storm-1679 makes around three to eight disinformation videos a week, Mr Watts told the newspaper, many of which appear as if they come from media outlets such as the BBC or Al Jazeera.

Both Russia and Belarus have been banned from competing in the Olympics over the war in Ukraine, but some athletes from those countries will be allowed to compete as "neutral athletes", the IOC announced in March.

The Paris games will take place between 26 July and 11 August.

10:37:03

Russia brands Switzerland peace talks 'absurd'

The Kremlin has said the peace talks set to take place in Switzerland this month are "absurd" as Russia isn't invited.

Moscow claimed it was understandable that some countries were declining to takepart in the summit on Ukraine this monthbecause the gathering lacked clear goals.

Ukraine says more than 100 countries and organisations haveagreed to take part in the summit on 15-16 June.

The summit, which will take place at an Alpine resort near Lucerne, is intended to create a framework for lasting peace and a roadmap for Russia's eventual participation in the process.

Kyiv decided against inviting Russia because it does not trust Moscow.

China, which has grown closer to Russia after Western sanctions brought in since the invasion of Ukraine, has also said it won't be attending.

09:53:20

Poland accuses Belarus and Russia of 'weaponising migrants'

Poland has claimed Belarus and its ally Russia are behind a recent surge in migrants from the former Soviet state into the European Union.

The number of attempted illegal border crossings from Belarus into Poland has shot up in recent months from only a handful to almost 400 a day, Polish officials say.

Poland's border guards have also described increasingly aggressive behaviour by some migrants on the Belarusian side of the border, posting online videos of some throwing rocks, logs and even burning wood at Polish troops.

There have been cases of soldiers and guards ending up in hospital, and some have needed stitches after being stabbed or cut by knife-wielding assailants.

Last Tuesday, near the village of Dubicze Cerkiewne, officials said a migrant reached between the bars of the 16-foot-high barrier and stabbed a soldier in the ribs.

The government in Warsaw sees the new push at the border as an orchestrated attempt by Russia and Belarus to fuel anti-migrant sentiment, which could in turn boost far-right parties in the EU parliamentary vote.

"We are not dealing with [just] any asylum seekers here, we are dealing with a coordinated, very efficient - on many levels - operation to break the Polish border and attempts to destabilise the country," Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, said last week while visiting troops at the border.

09:01:28

Ukraine using Western weapons to hit targets in Russia won't lead to escalation, says German chancellor

Ukraine's use of Western-supplied weapons to strike targets in Russia will not "contribute to escalation", German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said.

Germany has long opposed lifting the ban on Ukraine's use of Western weapons to target Russia, but changed course last month.

A German government spokesperson told Deutsche Welle on 31 May that Ukraine could use German-supplied weapons to hit legitimate targets in Russia.

Berlin's defence minister Boris Pistorius later clarified that the decision applied to the area around Kharkiv, which has recently become the target of a heavy Russian offensive.

"We are certain that it will not contribute to an escalation because, as Joe Biden has also described, it is only a matter of being able to defend a large city like Kharkiv," Mr Scholz said.

In the past, Chancellor Scholz has cited a fear of escalation as among the principal reasons for limiting Germany's support for Ukraine.

"I think it is clear to everyone that this must be possible. Under international law, this has always been possible anyway," he added.

08:12:36

NATO has two to three years before Russia regains ability to launch conventional attacks, say Norway's top general

NATO only has two to three years to prepare before Russia regains its ability to launch a conventional attack on the alliance, Norway's top general has said.

General Eirik Kristoffersen's comments are the latest in a series of warnings from Western leaders and defence officials about the threat from Moscow and the alliance's current lack of preparedness.

"At one point someone said it'll take 10 years, but I think we're back to less than 10 years because of the industrial base that is now running in Russia," General Kristoffersen said.

"It will take some time, which gives us a window now for the next two to three years to rebuild our forces, to rebuild our stocks at the same time as we are supporting Ukraine."

Norway has been a member of NATO since its foundation in 1949.

The Scandinavian nation has increased its defence spending since the beginning of the war in Ukraine and aims to meet the 2% of GDP threshold in 2024, with a further increase of 2.7% of GDP targeted by 2030.

07:55:51

Ukraine urging allies to allow it to strike military targets inside Russia

Last week, the US partially lifted restrictions on Ukraine's use of some Western-supplied weapons.

It now means Ukraine can strike inside Russia with US-supplied weapons - but only if the targets are aimed at slowing Moscow's advance in the Kharkiv region.

Ukrainian foreign minister said the move was "not 100% clearance" and came with "some rules that need to be followed".

Speaking at a news conference with his Estonian counterpart, he said Ukraine was hoping to gain more freedom on the use of Western weapons inside Russia.

Ukraine "will continue to work with our allies" on "expanding the scope" of weapon use.

Some of Kyiv's allies have been reluctant to allow Ukraine to strike over the border as they fear this could drag them into a more direct conflict with Russia.

07:04:00

Kyiv Pride event not allowed to be held 'for security reasons'

Authorities in Kyiv have denied permission for this year's Kyiv Pride march to be held in the Ukrainian capital's metro system.

It was hoped up to 500 people would attend the event on 16 June.

"In order not to endanger the participants and passengers, and to avoid possible provocations, the city authorities cannot allow the Equality March to take place in the metro," Kyiv's City Hall said.

The metro system doubles as an air raid shelter during Russian attacks.

Authorities said the metro is a "dual-use facility and part of the city's critical infrastructure" and is "always a high-risk area due to limited space, train schedule and high passenger traffic".

Kyiv has not hosted a Pride event since the full-scale invasion began in 2022.

Last year's event was held in Liverpool instead.

06:43:55

Russia says it intercepted 20 Ukrainian drones in Kursk region

Russian officials have claimed they intercepted 20 Ukrainian drones in the southern Kursk region, which borders Ukraine.

Regional governor Alexei Smirnov said Ukrainian forces reportedly targeted four villages in the region using attack drones and helicopters.

No injuries were reported.

The governor of the neighbouring Belgorod region said air defence units had downed "several airborne targets", resulting in some damage to the roofs of several buildings.

Ukrainian authorities have not commented.

Russia's border regions have repeatedly come under attack since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Belgorod borders Ukraine's Kharkiv region, where Russia has launched a spring offensive.

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Russia could be ready to attack NATO in three years, Norway warns (2024)

FAQs

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Russia could be ready to attack NATO in three years, Norway warns? ›

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Russia could be ready to attack NATO in three years, Norway warns. NATO only has two to three years to prepare before Russia regains its ability to launch a conventional attack on the alliance, Norway's top general has said.

What do Norwegians think of Russia? ›

The main tendency throughout the country is the same: most Norwegians want a good neighborly relationship with Russia, but are very critical of the Russian regime and the current state of politics.

Is Norway allied with Russia? ›

The countries are neighboring each other along a 195.7 km (121.6 mi) long border. Norway is on Russia's Unfriendly Countries List.

Which countries support Ukraine? ›

Additional multi-year packages were committed by Denmark, UK, Switzerland, Sweden, Portugal, and Lithuania. Moreover, the Ukraine Support Tracker lists new, short-term commitment increases from Europe, in particular by Germany worth €619 million and by the United Kingdom worth €286 million.

What is the agreement between Russia and Ukraine about NATO? ›

Ukraine will not join NATO

NATO Allies decide on NATO membership. Russia does not have a veto. At the Vilnius Summit, Allies reaffirmed the commitment they made at the 2008 Summit in Bucharest that Ukraine will become a member of the Alliance when conditions are met and Allies agree.

Why are Norwegians so healthy? ›

The Nordic diet is often compared to the Mediterranean diet because it has similar aspects. This diet places an emphasis on seasonal vegetables, unprocessed food, seafood as well as whole grains. Local foods such as fish and reindeer meat are a big staple.

What percent of Norway speaks Russian? ›

Native speakers
CountrySpeakersPercentage
Israel1,155,96015%
Mauritius400.003%
New Zealand7,8960.2%
Norway16,8330.3%
30 more rows

Is China an ally of Norway? ›

Norway and China normalized its diplomatic and political bilateral relations, which had been frozen since 2010 when Liu Xiaobo received the Nobel Peace Prize.

Is Norway an ally of USA? ›

Strong historical ties link Norway and the United States. Between 1825 and 1940, more than one-third of Norway's population emigrated to America. Allies ever since, the two nations fought together in World War II and were co-founders of both the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Who are Norway's key allies? ›

Accordingly, the cornerstones of Norwegian policy are active membership in NATO and support for the United Nations and its specialized agencies. Norway also pursues a policy of economic, social, and cultural cooperation with other Nordic countries—Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland—through the Nordic Council.

Who are Russia's top 5 friends? ›

Similarly, a 2017 opinion poll by the Moscow-based non-governmental think tank Levada-Center states that Russians identified India as one of their top five "friends", with the others being Belarus, China, Kazakhstan and Syria.

Who is helping Russia in the war? ›

The U.S. officials add that China is helping Russia to improve its satellite and space-based capabilities and providing satellite imagery to help Russia conduct war in Ukraine. Chinese entities are also “likely providing” Russia with nitrocellulose, a substance used to make propellants for weapons.

Who supports Ukraine the most? ›

The majority of committed support by country has come from the United States, whose total aid commitment is valued at about $75 billion. The U.S. is followed by Germany and the United Kingdom for highest commitments overall. The European Union as a whole has committed approximately $93 billion in aid to Ukraine.

Who would win between NATO and Russia? ›

Russia's capability

It has 1.33 million active military personnel, according to Statista, but only about 4,182 military aircraft compared with Nato's combined 20,633, and 598 military ships compared to Nato's 2,151. "Russia's ground combat vehicle capacity is more competitive," said Statista.

Why can't Ukraine join NATO? ›

Until 2006 the Ukrainian Armed Forces worked with NATO in Iraq. Most officials believed it would be too risky to allow Ukraine to join NATO as it would upset Russia greatly. On 6 April 2004 the Verkhovna Rada adopted a law on the free access of NATO forces to the territory of Ukraine.

Did Putin ask to join NATO? ›

In 2000 Putin told George Robertson, the Secretary General of NATO at that time, that he wanted Russia to join NATO but would not like to go through the usual application process.

What is Norway's stance on Ukraine Russia? ›

Norwegian support includes military, civilian and humanitarian assistance to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia's war of aggression, to restore its territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, to secure its free and democratic future, to enable Ukraine to continue providing services to ...

Is Norway friends with Ukraine? ›

Norway gained its independence in 1905. Norway recognized the independence of Ukraine on 24 December 1991. Diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Norway were established on February 5, 1992.

How do Norwegians feel about immigrants? ›

Norwegians, especially conservatives will very often talk about integration and "norske verdier" when it comes to immigrants. Learning Norwegian and using it sends a signal that you are trying to integrate into the community. Norway has a very high percentage of English ability (90%+), and nobody will get annoyed.

Are there a lot of Russians in Norway? ›

In 2019 the number have risen to 21,504, and Russians make up 0.40% of the Norwegian population, and 2.28% of all foreign residents in Norway are Russians. In the only municipality that borders Russia, Sør-Varanger, there are 420 Russians.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Laurine Ryan

Last Updated:

Views: 6078

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (57 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Laurine Ryan

Birthday: 1994-12-23

Address: Suite 751 871 Lissette Throughway, West Kittie, NH 41603

Phone: +2366831109631

Job: Sales Producer

Hobby: Creative writing, Motor sports, Do it yourself, Skateboarding, Coffee roasting, Calligraphy, Stand-up comedy

Introduction: My name is Laurine Ryan, I am a adorable, fair, graceful, spotless, gorgeous, homely, cooperative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.