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At least one Russian bomber died while setting up an attack on a Ukrainian army recruitment centre in western Ukraine, officials said. The explosion took place at the Kamianets-Podilsky recruitment centre and wounded four other people, said Sergiy Tyurin, the regional administrator. Ukraine is witnessing a string of attacks against its mobilisation effort. This is the ninth such attack this year targeting a Ukrainian recruitment centre.
This comes as Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine continues to receive military aid from the US, but there’s no discussion currently about any prospective packages. “There’s no reduction in US support today. It is not stopped, it continues,” he told reporters in Kyiv after a meeting with British foreign secretary David Lammy. Mr Zelensky said it was “too early” for discussions regarding new batches of military assistance.
Earlier, a Russian oil depot was set ablaze overnight after Ukraine launched a drone attack on the site, according to Russian officials yesterday. Kyiv has launched a series of drone attacks on Russian energy facilities over recent days, including at a major oil refinery in Volgograd.
The European Union needs to raise its game to be better prepared for a military emergency, a watchdog agency monitoring the 27-nation bloc has cautioned.
A European Union programme to make it easier to shift troops and weapons across the continent quickly – by upgrading transport links – has been undermined by a lack of strategic thinking, the EU Court of Auditors said yesterday.
The issue of “military mobility” has risen up Europe’s political agenda since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with governments anxious to revamp transport networks so they can move soldiers and kit quickly in the event of a crisis.
The agency, which scrutinises EU spending, suggests the bloc needs to raise its game to be better prepared for a military emergency.
“Now more than ever, the EU seeks to future-proof itself efficiently against aggression. Consequently, military mobility has become a crucial priority of the EU’s defence capabilities,” said Court of Auditors president Tony Murphy.
“There is clearly a real need for speed. However, we found that there are some bottlenecks along the way.”
The watchdog said a €1.7bn euro (£1.3bn) EU action plan lacked focus, with not enough thought given during funding decisions to which projects would be most valuable.
