Russian Military Says it Destroys Western Arms Consignment in Ukraine

 A man walks in front of a damaged school in the city of Zhytomyr, northern Ukraine, on March 23, 2022. (AFP)
A man walks in front of a damaged school in the city of Zhytomyr, northern Ukraine, on March 23, 2022. (AFP)
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Russian Military Says it Destroys Western Arms Consignment in Ukraine

 A man walks in front of a damaged school in the city of Zhytomyr, northern Ukraine, on March 23, 2022. (AFP)
A man walks in front of a damaged school in the city of Zhytomyr, northern Ukraine, on March 23, 2022. (AFP)

The Russian military said on Saturday it had destroyed a major consignment of Western arms in Ukraine's Zhytomyr region, west of Kyiv, using sea-launched Kalibr cruise missiles.

The defense ministry said in a statement the strike took out "a large batch of weapons and military equipment delivered from the USA and European countries" and intended for Ukrainian troops in the eastern Donbas region where the fighting is concentrated.

Reuters could not independently verify the report, which also said Russian missiles had struck fuel storage facilities near Odesa on the Black Sea coast and shot down two Ukrainian Su-25 aircraft and 14 drones.

In its latest update on the war, which Russia calls a "special military operation", the defense ministry also said Russia had struck numerous Ukrainian command posts.

The West has stepped up weapons supplies to Ukraine since Russia's Feb. 24 invasion and Russia's military is trying to intercept and destroy them.

Moscow says Western arms deliveries for Kyiv, and the imposition of drastic sanctions against the Russian economy, amount to a "proxy war" by the United States and its allies.



Chief of Staff: Israel Ready ‘to Return Immediately and Forcefully’ to Fighting on All Fronts

Israel's military chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir speaks during the funeral of Lieutenant Hadar Goldin who was killed during the six-week 2014 war in Gaza, in a military cemetery in Kfar Saba on November 11, 2025. (Photo by Abir SULTAN / POOL / AFP)
Israel's military chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir speaks during the funeral of Lieutenant Hadar Goldin who was killed during the six-week 2014 war in Gaza, in a military cemetery in Kfar Saba on November 11, 2025. (Photo by Abir SULTAN / POOL / AFP)
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Chief of Staff: Israel Ready ‘to Return Immediately and Forcefully’ to Fighting on All Fronts

Israel's military chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir speaks during the funeral of Lieutenant Hadar Goldin who was killed during the six-week 2014 war in Gaza, in a military cemetery in Kfar Saba on November 11, 2025. (Photo by Abir SULTAN / POOL / AFP)
Israel's military chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir speaks during the funeral of Lieutenant Hadar Goldin who was killed during the six-week 2014 war in Gaza, in a military cemetery in Kfar Saba on November 11, 2025. (Photo by Abir SULTAN / POOL / AFP)

Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Wednesday that the military remained on high alert and was ready to return to fighting on all fronts, amid the fragile truces in Iran and Lebanon.

“Since the inferno of October 7, we have been working to reestablish our military strength through continuous fighting,” Zamir said while addressing soldiers honored at an Independence Day ceremony at the President’s Residence.

The Times of Israel quoted Zamir as saying that in Gaza, the Israeli military “prevailed in the fight against Hamas.”

“At this very moment, we are conducting intense fighting in Lebanon to strengthen the defense of the northern communities,” he stated.

“So too in the fighting against Iran in Rising Lion and Roaring Lion,” he said, referring to the June 2025 war with Iran and the latest 40-day conflict with Iran.

The Israeli military is on high alert and “prepared to return immediately and forcefully to combat in all sectors,” Zamir added.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called on Lebanon to work with Israel to disarm the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah ahead of negotiations in Washington on Thursday.

The meeting follows a similar gathering last week in Washington, and is the first time in decades the two countries are speaking directly.


NATO ‘Will Always Defend’ Türkiye, Says Rutte

A handout photo made available by the Turkish Defense Ministry Press Office shows Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler (R) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Mark Rutte (L) shaking hands during a meeting in Ankara, Türkiye, 21 April 2026. (EPA/Turkish Defense Ministry/Handout)
A handout photo made available by the Turkish Defense Ministry Press Office shows Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler (R) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Mark Rutte (L) shaking hands during a meeting in Ankara, Türkiye, 21 April 2026. (EPA/Turkish Defense Ministry/Handout)
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NATO ‘Will Always Defend’ Türkiye, Says Rutte

A handout photo made available by the Turkish Defense Ministry Press Office shows Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler (R) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Mark Rutte (L) shaking hands during a meeting in Ankara, Türkiye, 21 April 2026. (EPA/Turkish Defense Ministry/Handout)
A handout photo made available by the Turkish Defense Ministry Press Office shows Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler (R) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Mark Rutte (L) shaking hands during a meeting in Ankara, Türkiye, 21 April 2026. (EPA/Turkish Defense Ministry/Handout)

NATO chief Mark Rutte said on Wednesday the alliance would do "what's necessary to defend" its members including Türkiye after intercepting four missiles fired from Iran and head into Turkish air space over the past weeks.

A member of the US-led defense alliance, Türkiye, which borders Iran, has been largely spared the sort of retaliation from Tehran suffered by countries in the Middle East before the ceasefire.

NATO forces had shot down ballistic missiles fired from Iran for four times, prompting the alliance to deploy a new Patriot missile battery at Incirlik air base in southern Türkiye.

"Iran is spreading terror and chaos, and you feel this prominently here in Türkiye," Rutte told journalists on a visit to Türkiye’s largest defense electronics company Aselsan.

"In recent weeks, NATO has successfully intercepted ballistic missiles heading to Türkiye from Iran on four separate occasions," he said.

"NATO is prepared for such threats and will always do what is necessary to defend Türkiye and all others. And we cannot do it alone," he added.

Rutte's visit comes ahead of a July summit by NATO leaders to be held in Ankara.

Praising the progress made by Türkiye in the defense field, Rutte said: "We can learn a lot from what Türkiye is doing here".

"This is needed because we live in a more dangerous world... and that means we need strong defenses to protect our security".

Rutte said: "Türkiye has gone through a defense industrial revolution. I could really say it's a revolution in recent years."

The NATO chief is due to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.


China Warns Middle East at ‘Critical Juncture’ After Trump Extends Ceasefire

 13 April 2026, China, Beijing: Guo Jiakun, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, speaks to journalists. (dpa)
13 April 2026, China, Beijing: Guo Jiakun, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, speaks to journalists. (dpa)
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China Warns Middle East at ‘Critical Juncture’ After Trump Extends Ceasefire

 13 April 2026, China, Beijing: Guo Jiakun, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, speaks to journalists. (dpa)
13 April 2026, China, Beijing: Guo Jiakun, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, speaks to journalists. (dpa)

China warned on Wednesday that the situation in the Middle East was at a "critical juncture" after US President Donald Trump extended a ceasefire to allow Iran more time to negotiate.

Trump indefinitely pushed back the end of the two-week truce on Tuesday with Tehran yet to respond but he said a US blockade of Iran's ports would continue.

"The current regional situation stands at a critical juncture transitioning between war and peace; the paramount priority remains to make every effort to prevent a resumption of hostilities," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a news briefing.

Guo did not comment directly on the ceasefire when asked about it, adding only that Beijing would continue to play a "constructive" role.