Russia Ukraine war live: Russian drone debris found in Romania as Nato rules out ‘intentional attack’

The Pentagon has discovered $2bn price of further errors in its calculations for ammunition, missiles and different gear despatched to Ukraine, rising the improperly valued materials to a complete of $8.2bn, a US authorities report has revealed.

Final yr’s calculations by the Pentagon revealed a $6.2 billion error after the employees used “alternative worth” as a substitute of “depreciated worth” to tabulate the billions in supplies despatched to Ukraine. The error created a path for billions extra to be given to Ukraine.

The US Division of Defence has confronted challenges in precisely valuing defence articles despatched to Ukraine as a consequence of unclear accounting definitions, a brand new Authorities Accountability Workplace report confirmed.

The Pentagon instructed the GAO that since then, $2bn extra in overstatements have been discovered. Because of this, a further $2bn price of arms may be despatched to Ukraine to cowl the quantity of assist accredited by the Biden administration.

In a single instance cited within the GAO report, 10 autos have been valued at $7,050,000 when the supporting documentation confirmed they need to have been valued at zero, their web guide worth.

The GAO has really helpful that Congress make clear the definition of worth within the context of defence articles below Presidential Drawdown Authority.

Usyk, 37, who defeated Britain’s Tyson Fury in Might to develop into the primary undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in practically 25 years, was talking at an occasion in London to mark the departure of the ‘Automobiles for Ukraine’ convoy.

The autos have been donated to Ukraine via London’s ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) scrappage scheme for humanitarian and medical assist and so they set off for the war-torn nation on Thursday from the capital.

Usyk, accompanied by Ukraine ambassador Valerii Zaluzhnyi, stated through an interpreter: “I’m actually grateful to all of the British that they’re with us, now for the third yr, and I’m actually grateful to folks. Glory to Ukraine.”

Romania stated it discovered Russian drone fragments on its territory yesterday after Moscow troops fired 38 long-range drones into Ukraine in a single day, although Nato stated it noticed no signal of an intentional assault on the alliance’s territory .

Ukraine’s Air Drive destroyed 25 Russian drones, its chief stated on Telegram. Three drones “have been misplaced after crossing the state border with Romania”, he added.

Romania’s defence ministry stated it had discovered fragments of a Russian Geran 1/2 drone close to the village of Plauru throughout the Danube River from Ukraine‘s southern port city of Izmail that got here below assault for the second night time in a row.

Nonetheless, a Nato spokesperson stated there was no indication of an intentional assault on the alliance’s territory. “Whereas Nato has no data indicating any intentional assault by Russia towards Allied territory, these acts are irresponsible and doubtlessly harmful”, a spokesperson stated in an announcement.

Two Finnish F-18 fighter jets, a part of Nato air policing missions in Romania, have been scrambled to observe the assault, the ministry added.

Searches for different fragments have been persevering with and all areas the place drones may need fallen “have been exterior residential areas and no infrastructure components have been broken”, it stated.

Romania shares a 650km (400mile) border with Ukraine and has had Russian drone fragments stray into its territory repeatedly over the previous yr.

Gubad Ibadoghlu was driving house together with his spouse in northern Baku, Azerbaijan, when a number of automobiles rammed into them.

The senior fellow on the London Faculty of Economics (LSE) was on the town to go to his ailing mom, who may not stroll.

Two dozen plainclothes officers rushed out of the autos and beat the couple, who had been chased overseas six years earlier by an administration that Professor Gubad’s supporters say was angered by his anti-corruption efforts.

Ukraine’s overseas minister Dmytro Kuleba visited Hong Kong and known as on its chief John Lee to stop Russia from utilizing Hong Kong as a solution to circumvent Western sanctions imposed on Moscow for its full-scale conflict in Ukraine.

Hong Kong and China are recognized by the US authorities as key routes for Russia to supply supplies for its navy, together with semiconductors and drone elements.

“Dmytro Kuleba known as on the Hong Kong administration to take measures to deprive Russia and Russian corporations of the chance to make use of Hong Kong to avoid restrictive measures imposed for Russian aggression towards Ukraine,” the Ukrainian ministry stated in an announcement.

The Hong Kong authorities stated in an e mail response to Reuters that it “implements and strictly enforces United Nations Safety Council’s sanctions”.

In accordance with beforehand undisclosed US Commerce Division information reported by Reuters, Hong Kong stays a world sanctions evasion hotspot, though semiconductors and different restricted items shipped via China and Hong Kong fell by a fifth this yr.

China, the world’s second-largest financial system, positions itself as impartial on the Ukraine conflict, however declared a “no limits” partnership with Russia days earlier than the 2022 invasion. It has additionally supplied diplomatic backing and helped maintain Russia’s wartime financial system afloat.

US and Canadian fighter jets intercepted Russian and Chinese language nuclear-capable bombers after they have been detected close to Alaska.

The Russian Tu-95MS “Bear” strategic bombers and Chinese language Xi’an H-6 bombers have been noticed within the Alaska Air Protection Identification Zone – however didn’t enter US or Canadian airspace, US authorities stated.

It comes after Chinese language and Belarusian troops joined forces for a joint navy drill close to its border with Nato member Poland earlier this month.

Russia gained’t be capable to keep the dimensions of its assaults Gen Oleksandr Pivnenko, the commander of Ukraine’s Nationwide Guard, stated in an interview with Ukrinform.

He stated: “The enemy’s offensive capabilities usually are not limitless, contemplating the losses they undergo.”

“In one other month and a half, they won’t be able to conduct lively assaults in lots of instructions directly and can change to protection.”

Ukrainian heavyweight world champion boxer Oleksandr Usyk declared he’s “actually grateful to the British” as a convoy of UK autos donated to his house nation started its journey throughout Europe.

Addressing a crowd of round 100 folks from the steps of Ukraine’s embassy in London, the 37-year-old quoted Sir Winston Churchill as 15 autos set off on the near-2,000 mile journey.

With a raised fist, he declared “blood, toil, tears and sweat”, including: “Glory to Ukraine!”

Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian overseas minister, has warned Hong Kong about Russia utilizing the town to bypass sanctions levied by the West over its invasion of Ukraine.

The unprecedented financial penalties have been imposed on Moscow after the Kremlin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“Kuleba additionally known as on the Hong Kong Administration to take measures to stop Russia and Russian corporations from utilizing Hong Kong to avoid the restrictive measures imposed for Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine,” his ministry stated.