LIVE UPDATES - Russian Assault Teams Push Ahead in Artyomovsk Offensive

©Russian Defense Ministry

Russian assault teams continued offensive operations in the northwestern and western outskirts of Artyomovsk over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Wednesday.

‘In the Donetsk direction, the assault teams continued their offensive operations to capture urban areas in the northwestern and western outskirts of the city of Artyomovsk. Airborne Force units immobilized the enemy on the flanks," the spokesman said.

Russian operational/tactical and army aviation and artillery struck units of the Ukrainian army’s 67th mechanized, 80th air assault and 5th assault brigades near the settlements of Krasnoye and Stupochki in the Donetsk People’s Republic and the western outskirts of Artyomovsk, the general specified.

"Aircraft flew ten and helicopters two sorties in that area over the past 24 hours. Artillery of the southern battlegroup accomplished 98 firing objectives," Konashenkov reported.

Kremlin Vows Response Against UK's Long-Range Missiles Bound for Kiev

Russia is against the UK's decision to send Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine and will deliver an adequate response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, American media reported, citing Western officials, that the UK had sent Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine after received guarantees from Kiev that they would not be used against targets in Russia.

Another news outlet reported earlier this week, citing an International Fund for Ukraine procurement notice, that London appears poised to supply Ukraine with long-range missiles, the weapons Kiev has long sought and the Biden administration has declined to provide. UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on Tuesday declined to confirm that London is readying to send long-range missiles to Kiev.

US Defense Secretary Benn Wallace confirmed that London will transfer Storm Shadow LRMs to Kiev.

Special operation, May 9th. Main:

A war has been unleashed against Russia, but she will cope with this, Putin said, speaking at the Victory Parade;

▪️The battles decisive for the fate of Russia have always become sacred, the country is proud of those who participate in the special operation, now there is nothing more important, the president said;

▪️The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that as a result of a strike with precision-guided weapons, the advancement of Ukrainian reserves and the delivery of ammunition to the combat areas were prevented;

▪️Assault detachments continue to fight in the western part of Artemovsk, the Airborne Forces are assisting them, the military department said;

▪️Kyiv does not yet have a final counteroffensive plan, options for the development of events are being developed, said Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine;

The Pentagon has announced a new $1.2 billion military aid package for Ukraine.

Special operation, May 10th. Main:

▪️Russian artillery thwarted 3 attempts by Ukrainian troops to rotate units in the Kupyansk direction, RIA Novosti was told in the Russian Defense Ministry;

▪️ During the day in the Donetsk direction, Ukraine lost more than 240 military and mercenaries, in the Kupyansk and Krasnolymansk directions, Kyiv lost 110 people per day;

▪️The Kremlin recorded that the West did not respond properly to the words of the head of the Ukrainian military intelligence Budanov about the murder of Russians, Peskov said;

▪️An attempt on the head of the police department in the village of Kirillovka in the Zaporozhye region was prevented, the FSB reported;

▪️Drug addiction is considered the norm among the soldiers of the Ukrainian army, whom the West drives to the slaughter, said the Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation;

▪️A native of Ukraine, who was planning a terrorist attack at an anti-fascist festival, was detained in Samara, she was taken into custody, the FSB reported;

▪️Negotiations on a grain deal in Istanbul will be decisive, there is no need to talk about consensus yet, a source told RIA Novosti;

▪️Ankara hopes for a positive outcome of the negotiations on the "grain deal" in Istanbul, expects an extension of at least two months, the Foreign Minister said;

▪️the chiefs of the general staffs of the NATO countries at a meeting on Wednesday did not discuss Ukraine's requests for the supply of weapons, including military aircraft, the head of the committee said after the meeting;

▪️The Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Zaluzhny, refused to speak to the NATO military committee due to the "difficult operational situation," said the head of the committee, Bauer.

Video - Unknown Burning Objects Spotted Over Japan's Okinawa

©Twitter/Mary McIntyre FRAS

Burning objects of unknown origin were spotted in the sky over Japan's Okinawa island on Wednesday night, the US broadcaster reported.

According to the report, the objects were spotted around 8.30 p.m. local time (11:30 GMT). A posted video shows at least two burning objects slowly moving in the sky.

The Weathernews portal reported that the trajectory of the objects was different from a comet, and the fiery tail was longer than that of a meteor.

Mysterious balls of fire have been spotted in the sky over Japan’s Okinawa prefecture moving east. On this subject informed Kyodo News.

An employee of the Ishigaki branch of the National Astronomical Observatory told the Japan Times that the objects that streaked across the sky were most likely rocket debris. “The slow speed and the way the light moved – the strings of lights moving in parallel – looked exactly like rocket debris falling through the atmosphere,” the source explained.

He added that it could be a Chinese missile launched in November. Reportedly, parts of it may have returned to the atmosphere as fireballs were seen in the sky.

The observatory employee noted that the wreckage had probably fallen into the ocean and presented no danger.

Burning objects of unknown origin flew in the sky over Japan. On Wednesday evening, they were spotted in Okinawa Prefecture, according to local TV channel TBS. pic.twitter.com/A9CuJm1j7P

— Spriter (@Spriter99880) May 11, 2023

On the evening of April 19, a bright flash appeared in the sky over Kyiv, local residents heard an explosion. The military administration said a NASA satellite fell to Earth, but the US space agency denied it. Later, the International Meteor Organization reported that the flash over Kyiv was caused by a fireball.

Strange fireball-like objects were seen flying over Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture on Wednesday night, according to local news reports, with several eyewitnesses taking to social media to share clips of the spectacle.

A video captured by an NHK reporter around 8:30pm local time shows the objects blazing through the sky near Naha City in Japan’s southernmost region. The journalist said they were “surprised” by the sighting, noting “At first, I thought they were fireworks, but I didn't hear any sound and they moved in a straight line.”

【#火の玉のようなもの
沖縄県内各地で目撃相次ぐ】

１０日午後８時半ごろ、うるま市安慶名で視聴者が撮影した映像には、上空をゆっくりと移動する火の玉のようなものが確認できます。#沖縄NEWSWEB#火球https://t.co/hVv0D0Ct8M pic.twitter.com/3VbtJ6FouJ

— NHK沖縄さぁたぁちゃん (@okinawa_nhk) May 10, 2023

The Ishigakijima Astronomical Observatory, located in Ishigaki City on the Okinawa island chain, later confirmed that it spotted a “streak of light” in the sky north of the facility at 8:33pm on Wednesday.

A number of locals also filmed the fireballs and uploaded the footage online, with one video created by the Ryukyu Shimpo newspaper compiling a series of clips shared by residents. On social media, some observers speculated the lights were pieces of a meteor or shooting stars.

However, while the objects have yet to be identified definitively, the Ishigakijima observatory offered a plausible explanation, noting that debris from a Chinese rocket launched last November was expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere on the night of May 10. The observatory predicted the space junk would “pass directly over the main island of Okinawa,” or just north of it, NHK added.

“Fireballs and meteorites can be expected to hit the Earth vertically or obliquely, but debris from satellites and rockets are orbiting the Earth,” the observatory said. “So it's possible that [the debris] will look like this because it's going to slowly plunge in, near parallel to the Earth, and burn up over a long period of time.”

The Eta Aquarid meteor shower is also in progress – active this year between April 15 and May 27 – however the event’s peak already passed last week, when about five meteors were expected to be visible in the skies over Tokyo. It is unclear whether the shower would still be perceptible from Okinawa at its current stage.

SEA Games 2023 - Regu bulu tangkis putri Indonesia raih perak, takluk dari Thailand

Ester Nurumi Tri Wardoyo. (ANTARA/HO-PBSI)

Tim beregu putri Indonesia kembali harus puas dengan medali perak setelah kalah di final SEA Games XXXII/2023 Kamboja dari Thailand dengan skor 0-3 di Morodok Techo Badminton Hall, Phnom Penh, Kamis.

Wakil Merah Putih tak berdaya melawan para pemain Negeri Gajah Putih. Komang Ayu Cahya Dewi yang turun pada partai pertama harus mengakui kehebatan Lalinrat Chaiwan usai kalah dengan skor 19-21, 17-21.

"Hari hari ini saya merasa saya sudah bisa mengeluarkan semua yang saya bisa. Tipe permainan saya dan tipe permainan lawan itu masuk, saya tipenya menyerang, sementara dia mainnya bola-bola drive cepat. Jadi apa yang saya lakukan, dia malah suka," kata Komang.

Wakil Indonesia di partai kedua Amalia Cahaya Pratiwi/Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma juga gagal menyumbang poin setelah kalah dari Jongkolphan Kititharakul/Rawinda Prajongjai dua gim langsung 21-11, 21-15.

"Kecewa pasti tidak bisa menyumbang angka untuk Indonesia. Tapi tidak apa-apa, ini proses kami belajar untuk lebih baik lagi. Kami harus lupakan kekalahan hari ini, sekarang fokus ke perorangan. Start lagi dari awal," kata Amalia.

Febriana juga mengakui lawan lebih siap. Serangan yang dia dan Tiwi lakukan selalu bisa dikembalikan.

"Mereka sudah mengantisipasi bola-bola kami. Sementara kami sebenarnya sudah antisipasi bola mereka juga tapi banyak kurang akurat jadinya malah mati sendiri," ujar Febriana.

Pada partai ketiga Ester Nurumi Tri Wardoyo yang turun di sektor tunggal juga gagal memberikan harapan untuk Merah Putih setelah kalah dari Supanida Katethong dengan skor 11-21, 12-21.

Dengan hasil ini, beregu putri Indonesia belum mampu mengakhiri paceklik emas sejak kali terakhir meraihnya pada SEA Games XXIV/2007 di Thailand.

Selain itu, kekalahan di final dari Thailand juga merupakan kali ketiga secara beruntun. Pada SEA Games XXX/2019 di Filipina, skuad Merah Putih kalah dengan skor 1-3. Hasil serupa juga terjadi di SEA Games XXXI/2021 yang bergulir di Vietnam tahun lalu dengan skor 0-3.

Peluang medali emas hari ini ada di Tim beregu pria Indonesia yang akan melawan Malaysia. Laga akan berlangsung di Hall Badminton, Morodok Techno Nasional Stadium.

Medali juga berpeluang didulang oleh Indonesia dari cabor tinju kelas 48kg putra, di laga semifinal, atlet Indonesia, Dio Koebanu akan menghadapi atlet Laos, Khamphouvanh Khamsthone.

Di semifinal kelas 54kg, petinju Indonesia lainnya, Aldoms Suguro akan melawan atlet Vietnam, Van An Tran.

Sementara itu, dari cabor kriket, tim putra T20 Indonesia akan memperebutkan medali perunggu melawan Singapura di AZ Group Cricket Oval, Hun Sen Boulevard.

Tim E-Sport putri Mobile Legend Indonesia juga bakal mendulang medali karena akan berlaga di final menghadapi Filipina di NagaWorld.

Dari cabor golf, tim beregu putri Indonesia akan berlaga di perdelapan final melawan Singapura di Garden City Golf Club.

Sementara itu di cabor tenis, dua petenis tunggal putri Indonesia akan berlaga di semifinal.

Christopher Rungkat/Nathan Anthony Barki, bakal menghadapi atlet Filipina, Eric Jr Riate Olivarez/Michael Francis Maniego Eala.

Sedangkan David Agung Susanto/Ignatius Anthony Susanto juga akan melawan ganda Filipina, Francis Casey Belderol Alcantara/Ruben Antonio Gonzalez.

Selain bemain di ganda, Ignatius Anthony Susanto, juga bakal bermain di perempat final tunggal putra melawan wakil Vietnam, Hoang Nam ly.

Pada laga ganda putri, wakil Indonesia Aldila Sutjiadi/Jessy Priskila Rompie, bakal menghadapi Khim Roman Iglupas/Shaira Hope Dionson Rivera dari Filipina.

Dua ganda campuran Indonesia juga akan bermain di perempat final.

Beatrice Gumulya/David Agung Susanto bakal melawan Francis Casey Belderol Alcantara/Marian Jade Saldajeno Capadocia, dan Aldila Sutjiadi/Christopher Rungkat menghadapi wakil Laos, Malayack Delilah Pathummakuronen/Sataporn Simmalavong.

Tim Indonesia juga akan berlaga di fase grup cabor Voli putri, penyisihan basket perempuan dan juga hoki lapangan putra dan putri.

Indonesia sendiri saat ini masih berada di posisi keempat perolehan medali SEA Games dengan jumlah 123 medali, yang berasal dari 36 emas, 31 perak dan 56 perunggu.

Jadwal Pertandingan Indonesia

1. Bulutangkis
   
   Beregu Putri: Indonesia vs Thailand (10.00 WIB)
   
   Beregu Putra: Indonesia vs Malaysia (15.00 WIB)



2. Basket
   
   Putri: Indonesia vs Malaysia (11.00 WIB)



3. Tinju
   
   Putra 48kg: Dio Koebanu vs Kampouvanh Khamsathone (Laos) (16.00 WIB)

US debt standoff overshadows G7 finance leaders' meeting

The logo of the G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors' meeting is displayed at Niigata station, ahead of the meeting, in Niigata, Japan, May 10, 2023. REUTERS/Issei Kato

A standoff over raising the U.S. debt ceiling overshadowed a meeting of Group of Seven (G7) finance leaders starting on Thursday, heightening U.S. recession fears as central banks seek a soft landing for the global economy.

President Joe Biden piled pressure on Republican lawmakers on Wednesday to move quickly to raise the limit on the government's permitted borrowing from the current $31.4 trillion or risk throwing the world's biggest economy into recession.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen was expected to face questions from her G7 counterparts, meeting in the Japanese city of Niigata, on how Washington intends to prevent turbulence in financial markets, already jittery after the recent failure of three U.S. regional banks.

"A default would threaten the gains that we've worked so hard to make over the past few years in our pandemic recovery. And it would spark a global downturn that would set us back much further," Yellen said in Niigata on Thursday.

The U.S. debt crisis is a headache for Japan, which is this year's G7 chair and the world's biggest holder of U.S. debt.

Japan's top financial diplomat, Masato Kanda, said on Tuesday the G7 finance leaders might discuss the U.S. debt ceiling but likely would not explicitly mention it in a joint statement at the end of the meeting on Saturday.

"The G7 won't be able to come up with a solution for what is a purely domestic and political U.S. problem, though the group could reaffirm its resolve to cooperate in stablising markets in the worse-case scenario," said Takahide Kiuchi, an analyst at Nomura Research Institute.

"Washington is solely responsible to get this fixed. But when things go wrong, all the other countries bear the brunt."

GLOBAL OUTLOOK DAMPENS

Global economic risks, including stubbornly high inflation and the fallout from aggressive U.S. and European interest rate increases, will likely be among key topics of debate for the G7 finance ministers and central bankers.

Yellen said the global economy was in a "better place than many had predicted six months ago", with inflation moderating in many G7 countries including the United States.

As rapid rate hikes by the Federal Reserve weigh on the U.S. economy, however, recent data has shown signs of weakness in China, the world's second-largest economy.

China's consumer prices rose at the slowest pace in more than two years in April, while factory gate deflation deepened, data showed on Thursday, dashing policymakers' hopes that a rebound in the country's demand would underpin global growth.

Other key themes to be discussed at the G7 finance gathering include ways to strengthen the global financial system, steps to prevent Russia from circumventing sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, and diversifying supply chains away from countries like China through partnerships with low- and middle-income nations.

Past U.S. debt ceiling fights have typically ended with a hastily arranged agreement in the final hours of negotiations, avoiding an unprecedented default. In 2011, the scramble prompted the first downgrade of the top-notch U.S. credit rating. Veterans of that battle warn the current situation is riskier because political divides have widened.

Back then, the G7 finance leaders said in a statement that they were "committed to addressing the tensions stemming from the current challenges on our fiscal deficits, debt and growth."

Rekrutmen Bersama BUMN 2023 Dibuka Hari Ini, Klik Website Resmi BUMN

BUMN telah resmi membuka pendaftaran rekruitment mulai hari kamis, 11/05/2023. Pendaftaran dapat dilakukan di laman https://rekrutmenbersama.fhcibumn.id/.

Panitia seleksi, Forum Human Capital Indonesia (FHCI) telah resmi membuka pendaftaran Rekrutmen Bersama BUMN 2023 pada hari Kamis, 11/05/2023.

Ditegaskan, FHCI tidak menerima lamaran melalui media atau saluran pengiriman lainnya.

Direktur Eksekutif FHCI Lieke Roosdianti mengatakan, masyarakat dapat memantau laman dan media sosial FHCI terkait waktu dimulainya pendaftaran Rekrutmen Bersama BUMN 2023

Mulai hari ini, masyarakat sudah dapat melakukan registrasi Rekrutmen Bersama BUMN 2023 di laman https://rekrutmenbersama.fhcibumn.id/.

Aturan umum pengajuan lamaran :

1. Pelamar hanya dapat melamar melalui web https://rekrutmenbersama.fhcibumn.id/ dengan mengikuti petunjuk pendaftaran.



2. Pelamar wajib memiliki alamat e-mail pribadi dan nomor telepon seluler yang masih aktif untuk dapat mengikuti proses seleksi.



3. Tidak ada layanan untuk perubahan/koreksi seluruh data-data serta dokumen yang telah dikirim oleh pelamar.



4. Untuk memudahkan registrasi online, persiapkan terlebih dahulu beberapa dokumen ini:
   
   Setiap dokumen yang terdiri lebih dari 1 seperti ijazah untuk 2 pendidikan, wajib untuk disatukan dalam 1 file dokumen.

Cara pengajuan lamaran :

1. Pelamar hanya dapat melamar melalui web https://rekrutmenbersama.fhcibumn.id/.



2. Isi dan persiapkan seluruh dokumen pendaftaran yang dibutuhkan, yaitu:
   
   
   • Foto Profil
   • KTP
   • Ijazah/Surat Keterangan Lulus
   • Transkip nilai/Nilai Ujian Sekolah
   • SKCK (Jika Ada)
   • Dokumen lain (sertifikat pelatihan, Bahasa Inggris, dll) jika ada - Surat rekomendasi (jika ada)

Jadwal Rekrutmen Bersama BUMN 2023

1. Registrasi
   
   Registrasi rekrutmen BUMN mencakup pendaftaran dan seleksi administrasi yang dilakukan oleh PIC (person in charge) BUMN.
2. Tes Online Tahap 1
3. Tes Online Tahap 2
4. Tes oleh BUMN
5. Pengumuman

"Terbuka lebih dari 2.000+ lowongan pekerjaan dan diikuti oleh lebih dari 120+ Perusahaan BUMN Group untuk jenjang SMA/Sederajat, D3, S1/D4, dan S2," tulis FHCI BUMN dalam unggahan akun Instagram resmi @fhci.bumn.

Terdapat sejumlah tahapan yang harus dilalui pelamar pada Rekrutmen Bersama BUMN tahun ini. Seluruh proses rekrutmen ini tentunya gratis alias tidak dipungut biaya

Syarat pendaftaran Rekrutmen Bersama BUMN 2023:

1. Warga Negara Indonesia



2. Usia maksimal per 11 Mei 2023 mengikuti jenjang pendidikan sebagai berikut:
   
   • SMA/Sederajat : 25 tahun;
   • Diploma III : 27 tahun;
   • S1/Diploma IV : 30 tahun;
   • S2 : 35 tahun;



3. Nilai IPK minimal 3.00 (skala 4.00) untuk D-III/D-IV/S-1 dan minimal 3.25 (skala 4.00) untuk S2



4. Nilai Rata-rata Ujian Sekolah minimal 75 (skala 100) untuk lulusan SMA



5. Bersedia ditempatkan di seluruh wilayah Indonesia



6. Jenis kelamin menyesuaikan kebutuhan posisi masing-masing BUMN



7. Sehat jasmani, rohani dan bebas narkoba



8. Dokumen SKCK dari Kepolisian (Jika Ada)



9. Sertifikasi pelatihan yang sesuai dengan kompetensi dan rekomendasi pengalaman kerja apabila ada



10. Rekomendasi Komunitas (berprestasi di Bidang Olahraga/Seni/Digital Creator/Start Up) apabila ada.

Jadwal Rekruitmen Bersama BUMN 2023

1. Registrasi dan Seleksi Administrasi
   
   Di tahap registrasi ini meliputi proses pendaftaran dan seleksi administrasi oleh PIC BUMN dilakukan pada 11-20 Mei 2023. Pengumuman tahap ini dilakukan pada Juni 2023.



2. Tes TKD dan Akhlak (Tes Online Tahap I)
   
   Tahap kedua ada Tes Kemampuan Dasar (TKD) dan Akhlak Dengan pembobotan TKD (40 persen) dan akhlak (60 persen). Tes TKD dan Akhlak dilakukan pada 12 Juni - 21 Juni 2023 dan diumumkan hasilnya Juli 2023.



3. Tes Bahasa Inggris (Tes Online Tahap II)
   
   Tahap ketiga yaitu tes kemampuan berbahasa Inggris. Pelamar harus mencapai skor yang ditentukan yaitu >450 dan mendapat ranking sesuai ratio.
   
   Tes Bahasa Inggris berlangsung pada20 Juli - 22 Juli 2023 dan diumumkan hasilnya pada Agustus 2023.



4. Tes oleh BUMN
   
   Tahap keempat, para pelamar akan mengikuti tes yang diadakan oleh BUMN dan dilakukan pada 9 Agustus-24 Agustus 2023 dengan rincian sebagai berikut:
   
   
   • Tes Kompetensi Bidang
   • User interview
   • SosmedAnalytic & Digital
   • Mindset
   • Medical Check Up(MCU)



5. Pengumuman Final
   
   Tahap kelima yaitu pengumuman berdasarkan hasil kelulusan tes oleh BUMN, dan di-input melalui sistem yang akan dilakukan pada Agustus 2023.

Events in Ukraine led to destruction of European security order, says German president

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier told rbb radio that the current events in Ukraine have led to the long-term destruction of the European security order.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier: "What happened in Ukraine destroyed the security order of Europe The current events in Ukraine have led to the destruction of the European security order in the long term".

The current events in Ukraine have led to the destruction of the European security order in the long term.

According to APA, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said these thoughts in an interview with RBB radio station.

According to the German president, even the end of the conflict in Ukraine will not mean a return to the old security philosophy.

"A new situation will arise in which Europe, on the one hand, and Russia, on the other hand, will primarily defend themselves from each other," Steinmayer stressed.

"Unfortunately, this European security order no longer exists," Steinmeier said, adding that the only reason for this is what is now happening in Ukraine. "And not everyone wants to hear my prognosis for the near future," he pointed out. According to the German president, even an end to the conflict in Ukraine will not mean a return to the old security philosophy. "A new situation will emerge in which Europe, on the one hand, and Russia, on the other, will primarily defend themselves against each other," Steinmeier noted.

The president pointed out that the philosophy of common security would cease to be a common concept in the long run

EU’s Borrell rebukes NATO head

Ukraine joining NATO is far from a done deal, EU foreign policy commissioner Josep Borrell said in an interview on Wednesday. The Spanish politician was commenting on a statement made by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that all members of the US-led military bloc had agreed Kiev would join – just not when.

“This does not depend on the NATO secretary general, but on NATO member countries,” Borrell told the Spanish TV channel La Sexta.

Ukraine’s membership “is not on the table,” Borrell said, adding that Kiev had asked to join long ago, and was told that this was not under consideration. The EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy also said that “there have never been NATO missiles in Ukraine.”

In an interview published on Tuesday, Stoltenberg told the Washington Post that “all” members of the bloc agree Ukraine will become a member, but “the question is when, and I cannot give you a timetable on that.”

Stoltenberg added that the discussion will be moot “if Ukraine doesn’t prevail” in the conflict with Russia, so NATO must continue to support Kiev – while insisting it is not a party to the hostilities.

Borrell echoed that sentiment on Wednesday, telling La Sexta that Kiev would “surrender in a few days” if the West stopped supplying it with military aid. The war would end, he said, but not in the way the EU and the US wanted.

The Ukrainian government quickly objected to Borrell’s claim. The conflict would not end but spill over to “other territories,” tweeted President Vladimir Zelensky’s aide, Mikhail Podoliak, without elaborating on whether that was a warning or a threat.

After the US-backed coup in February 2014, the new government in Kiev abandoned Ukraine’s traditional neutrality and made joining NATO part of the country’s strategic policy. The US-led bloc has also refused Moscow’s calls to stop expanding, insisting that its “open door policy” is a fundamental principle on which it cannot compromise.