Liveblog: ++ Switzerland against arms transfer to Ukraine ++

Countries that have armaments from Switzerland are not allowed to deliver them to Ukraine – according to the Swiss parliament. NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg defends a planned air exercise over Germany. The developments in the live blog.

During the investigation into explosions on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, there was a search in Brandenburg in May. In Frankfurt (Oder), the apartment of a person who was not a suspect was searched on May 25, a spokeswoman for the federal prosecutor’s office in Karlsruhe said. The authority did not provide any further information. NDR, WDR and “Süddeutsche Zeitung” had previously reported on it. According to her research, the person is said to be the former partner of a possible assassin.

At the end of September 2022, a total of four leaks in the two pipelines were discovered after explosions near the Danish Baltic Sea island of Bornholm. On October 10, the Federal Public Prosecutor in Germany initiated preliminary proceedings against unknown persons. It is about the suspicion of intentionally causing an explosive explosion and anti-constitutional sabotage.

According to British intelligence experts, the Russian military leadership is in a dilemma because of the repeated attacks by “pro-Ukrainian partisans” on Russian territory. Moscow must decide whether to strengthen the defense of its own border region or the positions in the occupied areas of Ukraine, according to the daily intelligence report from the Ministry of Defense in London.

A new attack by “partisans” in the Belgorod region near the border with Ukraine was contained more quickly than before, but Russia says it has used the full range of military firepower on its own territory. This also included attack helicopters and heavy rocket launchers.

After the European solidarity summit in Moldova, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sees Russia’s defeat in the ongoing war coming closer. The meeting with the heads of state and government on Thursday was best used to mobilize aid for Ukraine and force the defeat of the “terrorists”, Zelenskyy said in his evening video message, which was sent in Moldova after the summit of the new European Political Community (EPG) had been recorded.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has justified the importance of the large-scale exercise “Air Defender” over parts of Germany. His reasoning: You live in a more dangerous world, he told the news portal “ZDFheute.de”.

NATO’s task is to prevent the Russian war of aggression from escalating beyond Ukraine. From June 12th to 23rd, 25 nations with 250 aircraft and 10,000 soldiers are to take part in the exercise under German leadership. It is the largest air force deployment exercise in NATO’s history.

The Swiss parliament has voted against a law that would have allowed third countries to transfer arms produced in Switzerland to Ukraine. The National Council in Bern voted 98 to 75 against the draft law known as “Lex Ukraine”. In view of the Russian invasion, a discussion has flared up about Switzerland’s traditional strict neutrality.

Despite intense pressure from Kiev and its supporters, Switzerland refuses to allow countries that own Swiss-made weapons to export them to Ukraine. Applications from Germany, Spain and Denmark were rejected with reference to the Swiss War Material Act, which prohibits arms deliveries to war zones.

According to the regional government, several Ukrainian drones have been shot down near the Russian city of Kursk near the border with Ukraine. An air defense system shot down the missiles near the city, regional governor Roman Starowoit said on Twitter at night. He called on residents to keep calm: “The city is under the reliable protection of our army,” wrote the governor.

The Russian border region has been repeatedly shelled by the Ukrainian army since the start of the Ukraine conflict. On Thursday, the Russian army said it had repulsed an attempted “invasion” by Ukrainian units in the Belgorod region south of Kursk. According to the Defense Ministry in Moscow, motorized infantry companies escorted by tanks had tried to “penetrate” the Belgorod region from Ukraine. The attack was stopped using fighter jets and artillery.

Authorities in Kiev report two separate waves of attacks on the capital. “There are explosions in the city. The air defenses are working,” said Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Minutes later he added: “More explosions in the city”. Earlier, according to official websites, air raid alarms were raised across Ukraine due to Russian missile attacks.