Putin ally says there were no heroes after Wagner mutiny – live

The president of Belarus said there were “no war heroes” following Wagner’s attempted coup in Moscow after Vladimir Putin was hailed a hero by Russian state TV.

On 23 June, Yevgeny Prigozhin led his troops in a mutiny that hurtled toward Moscow at lightning pace, only to be called off at the 11th hour.

Putin made an emergency address to Russia promising retribution to all those taking part in the coup.

Alexander Lukashenko, ally to the president, appeared to shoot down statements of heroism made after the failed uprising.

The Belarusian leader told the BBC: “I think that no one came out of that situation a hero.

“Not Prigozhin, not Putin, not Lukashenko. There were no heroes. And the lesson from this? If we create armed groups like this, we need to keep an eye on them and pay serious attention to them.”

Ukrainian troops have advanced by more than a kilometre in the last day against Russian forces near the eastern city of Bakhmut, a military spokesperson said on Friday.

His comments were the latest by Kyiv signalling that the counteroffensive it launched in early June is gradually making progress although Russian accounts of fighting in the Bakhmut sector differ from Ukraine‘s.

“The defence forces continue to hold the initiative there, putting pressure on the enemy, conducting assault operations, advancing along the northern and southern flanks,” military spokesman Serhiy Cherevatyi told Ukrainian television.

“In particular, over the past day, they have advanced more than one kilometre (0.62 mile).”

A spokesperson for the Ukrainian armed forces general staff said Ukrainian forces had had “partial success” near the village of Klishchiivka, just southwest of Bakhmut.

Ukrainian military analysts have said that securing Klishchiivka would help Ukraine take back the shattered small city of Bakhmut, which was captured by Russian forces in May after 10 months of heavy fighting.

Russia‘s RIA news agency cited a Russian army source as saying earlier this week that Moscow’s forces had repelled a Ukrainian attack on Klishchiivka and were mopping up remaining Ukrainian troops in the area.

Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield situation.

Moscow, which began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine over 16 months ago, sees Bakhmut as a stepping stone to attacking other cities. Russia still holds Bakhmut but both sides say fighting in the area is intense, with Ukrainian forces hoping to encircle the city.

Kyiv says it has taken back a cluster of villages in the south since launching its counteroffensive but that fierce resistance and minefields have slowed its forces’ progress. Russia still holds large parts of east and southeast Ukraine.

The European Union took a major step early Friday in approving plans to boost its anemic production of ammunition and missiles within the 27-nation bloc, to both defend itself and quickly help Ukraine in trying to push back the invasion by Russia.

The EU presidency announced early Friday that the member states and the EU Parliament reached a deal “to urgently mobilise” half a billion euros from its budget for an Act in Support of Ammunition Production.

The deal follows up the decision by EU leaders in March to boost urgently needed ammunition deliveries to Ukraine, which were then sought to start a counteroffensive against Russian forces.

ASAP was part of the plan to send Ukraine 1 million rounds of artillery ammunition within the next 12 months.

The EU had already approved plan for a fast-track purchasing procedures when it approved funds Friday to ramp up production in EU facilities and factories.

“This is yet another proof of the EU’s unwavering commitment to supporting Ukraine, strengthening the EU’s defense, technological and industrial base, and ultimately ensuring the long-term security and defense of EU citizens,” said Defense Minister Margarita Robles of Spain, which currently holds the EU presidency.

“Facing a war on European soil, we can no longer afford to neglect our defense as we have done over the last three decades. We urgently need to adapt our budgetary priorities,” said EU Parliament member Michael Gahler.

The European Union took a major step early Friday in approving plans to boost its anemic production of ammunition and missiles within the 27-nation bloc, to both defend itself and quickly help Ukraine in trying to push back the invasion by Russia. The EU presidency announced early Friday that the member states and the EU Parliament reached a deal “to urgently mobilise” half a billion euros from its budget for an Act in Support of Ammunition Production. The deal follows up the decision by EU leaders in March to boost urgently needed ammunition deliveries to Ukraine, which were then sought to start a counteroffensive against Russian forces. ASAP was part of the plan to send Ukraine 1 million rounds of artillery ammunition within the next 12 months. The EU had already approved plan for a fast-track purchasing procedures when it approved funds Friday to ramp up production in EU facilities and factories. “This is yet another proof of the EU’s unwavering commitment to supporting Ukraine, strengthening the EU’s defense, technological and industrial base, and ultimately ensuring the long-term security and defense of EU citizens,” said Defense Minister Margarita Robles of Spain, which currently holds the EU presidency. “Facing a war on European soil, we can no longer afford to neglect our defense as we have done over the last three decades. We urgently need to adapt our budgetary priorities,” said EU Parliament member Michael Gahler.

The US has decided to send cluster munitions to Ukraine to help its military push back Russian forces entrenched along the front lines.

The Biden administration is expected to announce today that it will send thousands of them as part of a new military aid package worth $800m, according to people familiar with the decision who were not authorized to discuss it publicly before the official announcement and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The move will likely trigger outrage from some allies and humanitarian groups that have long opposed the use of cluster bombs.

Proponents argue that Russia has already been using the controversial weapon in Ukraine and that the munitions the US will provide have a reduced dud rate, meaning there will be far fewer unexploded rounds that can result in unintended civilian deaths.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky called on Nato leaders to take concrete steps towards Ukrainian membership at a summit next week.

Mr Zelensky said that Ukraine needed much more than the general statement that the door to Nato was “open”.

Ukraine is seeking a clear indication from Nato at an 11-12 July summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, that it can join the military alliance when the war ends.“

We are talking about a clear signal, some concrete things in the direction of an invitation. We need this motivation. We need honesty in our relations,” Mr Zelensky said.

“We need some kind of signal, a clear one,” he said in response to journalists’ questions. “That Ukraine will be in the alliance. Not that the door is open – this is not enough.”

New pictures have revealed the inside of Russian president Vladimir Putin’s luxury armoured train.

The images, released by Dossier Center, a website that tracks the activity of those linked to the Kremlin, depict a personal beauty salon, medical suite and even a gym complete with state-of-the-art equipment including a hyperextension machine and a step platform.

The hammam features a “fancy shower” including an “aroma foam” mode with a price tag of £3.75m, with the train also featuring anti-ageing machines, a lung ventilator, a defibrillator and a patient monitor designed to assess pulse, temperature and other parameters.

Russia yesterday announced the expelling of nine Finnish diplomats and shutting down of Finland’s consulate in St Petersburg in retaliation for Finland expelling nine Russian diplomats last month.

Russia’s foreign ministry said it summoned Finland’s ambassador to Russia, Antti Helantera, and relayed its “strong protest in connection with the confrontational anti-Russian policy pursued by the Finnish authorities”.

The statement also noted that “the parameters of Finland’s accession to Nato create a threat” to Russia’s security, and “encouraging the Kyiv regime to (go to) war and pumping it with Western weapons means clearly hostile actions against our country”.

President Volodymyr Zelensky will hold talks with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan today during his latest leg of a tour to push Ukraine’s bid to join Nato.

The talks in Istanbul come on the eve of the 500th day since Vladimir Putin’s invasion, with Mr Zelensky admitting the Ukrainian counteroffensive was progressing slowly.

“But nevertheless, we are advancing, not retreating, like Russians,” Mr Zelensky told reporters. “We now have the initiative.”