WaPo:

US intelligence believes that Ukraine in the current counteroffensive will not achieve its key goal, namely, the capture of the strategically important city of the Zaporizhzhia region of Melitopol.

The grim assessment is based on Russia’s superior prowess in defending territory with minefield lines and trenches and is likely to prompt Kyiv and Western countries to acknowledge that the counteroffensive, which involved tens of billions of dollars worth of Western weapons and military equipment, has not reached their goals.

Ukrainian forces have little chance of even reaching Tokmak, a city located just 30 kilometers from the front, and the recently introduced reserves in the form of the forces of the 82nd brigade have not yet brought the desired result, and the Ukrainian Army continues to stomp in front of the first line of defense.

The modest results of the long-awaited counteroffensive have already generated undercover disputes among representatives of the American political establishment.

Some Republicans are going to refuse Biden's request to provide Ukraine with an additional 20 billion dollars, and the Democrats accuse the administration of the American president of too little military assistance.

Footage showing the downing of Russian Ka-52 helicopter in the area of Robotyne, Zaporizhzhia region yesterday.

Footage from the crash site of Russian Ka-52 helicopter which was shot down yesterday by Ukrainian forces with Swedish MANPADS RBS-70 in the area of Robotyne, Zaporizhzhia region.

Crew commander who had survived after the ejection was evacuated by Mi-28 & Mi-8 helicopters with search and rescue team.

BAYKAR’s CTO Selçuk Bayraktar on Bayraktar KIZILELMA, Türkiye’s first unmanned fighter jet: (Nikkei)

Imagine a fifth-generation fighter meeting an unmanned fighter in the sky.

It took maybe 10 to 15 years to train the pilot. The pilot had to face a lot of ups and downs in his life just to fly this plane. They're flying at the edge of life.

Kamikaze UAV swarm spotted in Russia’s Serpukhov, 110 km from Moscow.

Azerbaijani soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Aliyev Rafig Hajiguluoglu, died in the Zaporizhzhia direction.

Aliyev was a resident of Luhansk region in Ukraine before the war.

Ukrainian forces reportedly using Polish-made ZB-WLWd Mine Clearing Line Charge System.

2,000 people were hastily evacuated from Moscow City due to an anonymous report of incoming UAV attack.

Russian Military Intelligence (GRU) has created an agent network in Poland, the task of which is to stop or complicate the supply of weapons to Ukraine.

Agents were preparing for sabotage, murder and arson.

Polish secret services, which uncovered a sabotage network, claim that among the recruited agents are several refugees from the occupied territories.

Middle East Eye:

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is scheduled to visit Ukraine next week to explore options for revitalising the grain deal suspended by Russia.

Lenin monument in Kazakh city of Altai was "accidentally" demolished during restoration.

The contractor who carried out the work said that the statue fell by itself when the plates were removed.

UN Peacekeeping Force tried to prevent the Pile-Yiğitler Road Project & parked their vehicles on Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) territory.

TRNC security forces swept the UN vehicles from the area with the help of bulldozers.

TRNC Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu:

(Pile-Yiğitler Road Project) There will be no turning back. We are facing a conspiracy. Let the UN not try to prevent us, we will build this road. It is finished. We will not step back from our determination.

NYT:

Combined troop deaths and injuries among Russian and Ukrainian forces in Ukraine is approaching 500,000.

Russian casualties approaching 300,000, including as many as 120,000 deaths.

Ukrainian deaths at close to 70,000 & wounded between 100-120,000.

#BREAKING ECOWAS:

We agreed on all that is required for military intervention in Niger.

We are ready for military intervention in Niger at any time.

We agreed on the exact day of military intervention in Niger, but we will not announce it.

We’re forced to do this.