WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine not ready to compromise with Russia, says Zelenskiy aide

Ukraine is not ready to compromise with Russia and give up any territory to end the war, a senior Ukrainian official said on Tuesday when asked about U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump's declaration that he could quickly end the conflict.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, told reporters during a visit to Washington that Kyiv would listen to any advice on how to achieve a "just peace" in the war. Russia invaded Ukrainein February 2022.

"But we (are) not ready to go to the compromise for the very important things and values ... independence, freedom, democracy, territorial integrity, sovereignty," he said.

Yermak's visit came ahead of next week's NATO summit in the U.S. capital, where Ukraine is expected to be the main topic of discussion.

Trump, the Republican nominee challenging President Joe Biden, said during a debate between the pair last week that if he is re-elected in November he would quickly solve the war in Ukraine before taking office in January.

He has not offered details of how he would do that, but Reuters reported last week that two key advisers to Trump had presented him with a plan that would involve threatening to cut U.S. assistance if Kyiv did not enter negotiations with Moscow.

Trump said during the debate, however, that he does not accept Russian President Vladimir Putin's terms. Putin has said Russia would end the war if Kyiv agreed to hand over the four regions in the east and south of the country claimed by Moscow.

Asked how Ukraine assesses that Trump would handle the war, Yermak said: "Honest answer: I don't know. Let's see."

Ukraine would lobby a new U.S. administration to continue providing it support, he said, adding that Ukraine had received bipartisan support in Washington and polling showed most Americans still support Ukraine after two years of war.

"It will be ... a decision of the American people. We will respect this choice," Yermak said of the Nov. 5 presidential election.

The United States has provided Ukraine with more than $50 billion worth of military aid since 2022. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday the U.S. will soon announce more than $2.3 billion in new security assistance for Ukraine.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Ukrainian Su-27s get wiped out at airfield by Russian strike

A Russian missile strike has destroyed five Ukrainian military jets and damaged two more, the Defense Ministry in Moscow reported on Tuesday.

The military released a short video showing the attack and its aftermath filmed from the air. Iskander-M tactical missiles carrying cluster munitions appeared to be used in the strike, judging by multiple simultaneous explosions on the ground.

The target was an airfield southeast of the town of Mirgorod in Ukraine’s Poltava Region. The location in central Ukraine is relatively far from the front line, but is well within the estimated 400km range of Iskander ballistic missiles.

A different version of the same video was circulated on Russian social media on Monday evening, including more footage and markings highlighting the Ukrainian military hardware. Images of fighter jets painted on the ground presumably as decoys for spy satellites can be seen in the clip near actual Ukrainian military assets.

According to the Defense Ministry, the aircraft hit in the strike were Sukhoi Su-27s, which were either stationed at the Mirgorod airfield or were undergoing repairs there.

Reuters/RT

This is the way forward, a desideratum, in fact a prerequisite for the much-needed solution to the myriads of problems facing the country, if we must move forward.

A system that has plunged us into this mess cannot bring us back from the brink. It cannot be business as usual if we want to get out of the woods. So far, no political party has given a policy thrust that will bring us back from the precipice that is staring us in the face, and those who feel they are doing the right thing may in fact be offering derisory plans while thinking they are doing us favour. There must be a paradigm shift in the system which the politicians cannot provide on their own as their motives put their personal interests above those of the collective. There must be a system that is fair and equitable to all concerned and meets global standard of cost control in governance. Now a solution proffers itself:

The political elite are the bane of the worsening situation in the country. As good as they may be individually, it would seem that they always conspire against the rest of us when they come together to play politics and are put in charge of the affairs of the country. This is when they treat the rest of us as fools, they lose their sense of humanity whilethey engage in primitive acquisition of wealth, inanities, waste, profligacy,frivolous and ill-conceived projects, misapplication of resources, compromised institutions and appointments that are more or less sinecure and job for the boys etc. and pay total disregard to service to the nation, democratic governance and collective national interests. The reasons are not farfetched: the general feudalistic background of the political elite had been unduly buoyed by the autocratic and dictatorial tendencies of the erstwhile military whom they replace. So, at the point where proper resource management and sense of proportion should have come to play as in developed democracies, our politicians display total lack of integrity and sense of social justice, but instead display “what is in it for me” or such primordial and parochial tendencies. The political class and their pliant compatriots in the civil service conveniently omitted to restore the checks and balances in governance when the military left the stage. As a result, what we now have is a cosmetic change from military to civil rule- a mere change from khaki to agbada- with total lack of fiscal discipline that is expected in a working democracy.

It would appear that, rather than focus on service to the nation, the political class are focused on the treasury and power for their selfish ends. They venture into politics with the mindsets of men/women out to reaphighest possible dividends from their investments. Therefore, the bootiesafter winning elections, and not service to fatherland, in my opinion,remain the motivating factors in most cases. This is the genesis of our problems: how corruption is nurtured and gain muscle and strength to the point of fighting back; this is why cost of governance is going through the roof while quality of service is going downhill. It is evident that if moneyand power continue to be the motivating factor, things will continue to getworse. Something has to change as we cannot be doing things the same way and expect different results. The politicians, obviously, are at the end of their tethers: So instead of coming up with workable solutions, they engage in the blame game, passing the buck without taking the faintest glimpse at the mirror. But the truth is: the political elite, being bereft of integrity, brought about this mess through their acts of omission and or commission. There is no short-cut for the proverbial palm wine tapper- the means of ascent is the only means of descent. Only statesmen- politicians imbued with integrity and desire for social justice can devise and implement a system that will take us out of the present mess. But no one can give what he does not have, hence the need to help politicians to help themselves and follow the advice of William Shakespeare: “assume a virtue if you have it not” –the need to devise a cost of governance modelthat will serve as a thermostat to direct/regulate cost of governance in line with the available resources, and the level of development of the nation.

DERIVING A FORMULA

In deriving a formula in this regard, realistic view must be taken of the country’s resources and not based on the mistaken assumption that Nigeria is the giant of Africa. It must also be noted that governance is a common service which feature in every country, even if its cost is relative to its resources/size and level of development. The system whereby over 70% of our resources is beings squandered on cost of governance is unwieldy and that is why everything is going downhill. There must be a paradigm shift in the system that turns politics and governance into business ventures.

This paper proposes to give a government or political party an option out of three systems designed as a means of planning for development andachieving desired goal of cost effective/cost efficient governance:

1. By (my) hunch: Cost of governance should be equal to or less than 30% of the country’s resources for the period. This will leave 70% for other commitments - education, health, infrastructure, etc.

2. Learn from others: it will be a wise counsel for the giant to go to the ants, learn their ways and be wise. When Nigeria became independent, we were at par, or even better off economically, thansome countries then classified as third world/developing countries: examples are Singapore, Malaysia, and South Korea. These countries have left us behind and are now proudly referred to as Asian Tigers. Copy the consumption pattern that catapulted them out of the rung of the underdevelopment class.

3. Derive another (if different from 1 and 2 above) which must take cognizance of the fact that this country is the poverty capital of the world and all the indices of development put Nigeria at the last rung. Consider the paradox, the absurdity: the poverty capital of the world is paying the highest remuneration to her legislators or the office of the head of state or minister of the poorest nation being compared with that of the richest nation, one can go on and on, but the point being made here is that the consumption pattern must be based on objective realities.

Some tips on “working to the answer”

Having arrived at a cost of governance model, these are some useful tips in implementing the system: they are by no means exhaustive.

1. The Chief Executive Officer - President, Governor, L.G.A Chairman is the budget leader in his government with the legislative arm as part of the team.

2. The remuneration of the regular public servants is sacrosanct and must take the first allocation of the budget. Virile civil service and strong government institutions are the backbone of any government. However, an unwieldy public service structure, apart from being a cost burden, is lethargic, clumsy and inefficient. Therefore, the first thing to do is to trim the unwieldy civil service and para-statals with a view to achieving greater efficiency with a reduced workforce, and make the contractual part of the reduced workforce remuneration the first charge of each budget; while the surplus workforce are engaged in self-sustaining private/public projects established as part of necessary restructuring program. 

3. Loans should be tied to specific projects or investments which should be self-sustaining.

4. Pensions must be contributory and must be charged to the period of service. There must be no ex-gratia payment and no roll-over of liabilities.

5. Om-buds-man: There must be a strong public service consumer commission to be headed by an independent statesman.

CONCLUSION: The success of Nigeria is our collective desire, but we cannot achieve this if we continue to leave politics to the politicians. It ismy considered opinion that we can contribute our quota in tiny and mighty ways by considering and applying this thesis as a verifiable and veritable chink in the armour of the giant that Nigeria’s problems have become. In other words, when cost of governance is streamlined as suggested in this paper, everything will fall in place. Conversely, the longer the thesis is ignored the more of actions that are less than altruistic we should expect from our leaders.

** Olukoya, a Chartered Secretary and Corporate governance Consultant wrote via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

‘By reviewing with an open mind, we can reaffirm what we have already concluded while simultaneously tweaking, improving, revising, and occasionally rejecting old views. It’s not hard if we’re willing to ask questions like these.’

In the movie Paycheck, Ben Affleck finds himself under attack from Uma Thurman’s futuristic weather machine. Buffeted by gale-force winds, Affleck raises his hands and calls out, “Alright, I give up! I give up!”

Thurman turns off the weather, smiles mischievously, and coos, “Don’t give up.”

There is more than one way to give up. In the sense of surrender, it means to admit defeat, as in battle or debate. In the sense of relinquish, it means to hand over, as in payment, property, or power.

Yet another synonym for give up is to capitulate, often used to mean conditional surrender. It’s that implied sense of conditionality that makes the word worthy of contemplation, particularly about one common variant . . . which happens to be this week’s entry into the Ethical Lexicon:

Recapitulate (re·ca·pit·u·late/ ree-kuh-pich-uh-leyt) verb

To review, repeat, or summarize; to give a new form or expression to

To repeat the principal stages or phases of a process

The root word capitulate derives from the Latin capitulum, meaning head of a discourse or chapter. In the same way that a capital letter indicates the beginning of a new sentence, a new chapter marks a new phase in the story. And before closing out one chapter, it’s prudent to revisit and consolidate the central idea or point of the previous chapter.

But how does that explain the connection to giving up? With a small shift of focus, we can discover a compelling new insight.

I frequently cite my college English professor Max Byrd, who remarked: “I’ve never understood why people complain about being disillusioned. I would be grateful for the opportunity to be relieved of my illusions.” And the most effective way to dispel illusion is with a healthy dose of reality.

We typically understand the purpose of summarization as providing a better grasp of the material previously learned and currently being reviewed. That’s true. But it’s not the only benefit.

Review is a close cousin of reconsider. If our ideas are sound, a review allows us to understand them more thoroughly and internalize them more deeply. But if our notions are still half-baked or otherwise flawed, recapitulation can help us recognize their imperfections, ideally to correct them or, if necessary, to abandon them.

Herein we find the connection to giving up. We don’t want to remain invested in flawed ideas any more than we want to throw good money after bad in ill-advised business ventures. The willingness to revisit ideas, search for inconsistencies, and make the necessary adjustments is critical to sound judgment, wise policy, and ethical decision-making.

Most of us can still remember the early days of GPS when, upon deviating from the directions dictated by our devices, we would hear the word, “recalculating.” It wasn’t a rejection of the process that had brought us to our current location. It was a reconsideration of the way forward based on new information, the capitulation of slavish loyalty to the past to find a surer path into the future.

Business folklore is filled with examples of giants who vanished from the Earth because they were unwilling to capitulate. Eastman Kodak pioneered digital photography but couldn’t relinquish its devotion to celluloid film. Blockbuster contemplated the shift to streaming but decided it couldn’t give up late fees on tardy DVDs and videocassettes. And maybe there’s still someone out there who favors a PalmPilot over a smartphone touchscreen . . . but extinction is as inevitable as nightfall.

Recapitulation provides the process for decision-makers to better understand their own ideas, strategies, and policies. By reviewing with an open mind, we can reaffirm what we have already concluded while simultaneously tweaking, improving, revising, and occasionally rejecting old views. It’s not hard if we’re willing to ask questions like these:

Are the strategies, processes, and tools that got us here going to move us forward?

Has the playing field changed so that we need to change our game plan?

How can we build upon past success so that we don’t become victims of complacency?

What lessons can we take from taking a wrong turn that will steer us back on course?

Are we more invested in one specific course of action than we are in our long-term prosperity?

After all, we learn as much from failure as we do from success. Often more. As Uma Thurman says to Ben Affleck: “It’s all we are: the sum of our experiences. Besides, some of the best things in life are total mistakes.”

Fast Company

Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited has alleged that oil companies purchase refined Automotive Gas Oil, commonly known as diesel, from illegal refineries in various host communities in the Niger Delta region. This claim was made on Monday during the Nigeria Oil and Gas Energy Week Conference in Abuja.

Tantita Security Services, headquartered in Warri, Delta State, specializes in providing security solutions for the oil and gas sector, including services for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

Speaking at a session titled “Exploring Nigerian Content Solutions to Meet Energy Demand,” Warredi Enisuoh, the Executive Director of Operations and Technical at Tantita Security Services, stated that illegal refineries produce large volumes of diesel, which are bought by many downstream operators, including oil companies. He emphasized that the crackdown on these refineries by Tantita and other security agencies has led to an increase in diesel prices.

“Why is there no scarcity of diesel while there is scarcity of PMS (Premium Motor Spirit, commonly known as petrol)? The story is simple: most of the diesel you buy is produced by the communities. About 90 percent of the diesel in the fuel stations is produced by the communities. It will also interest you to know that even the oil companies patronize the local communities. Don’t let anybody deceive you; they (oil companies) also patronize the local communities,” Enisuoh declared.

Enisuoh explained that addressing energy demand with Nigerian content solutions requires focusing on local communities. He insisted that without the intervention of security agencies like Tantita, the production of illegal diesel would continue to rise.

“The reason why the price of diesel is high today is because of the work of private security companies like my company, Tantita Security Services. This is because we have been able to cut down on a lot of the businesses of the illegal refineries. This is why you see the cost of diesel going up,” he stated.

Nigeria's capital importation increased by 210.16% in the first quarter (Q1) of 2024, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The total capital imported reached $3.38 billion, up from $1.09 billion in Q4 2023. Capital importation refers to the inflow of funds from outside the country for investment purposes in a country.

Year-on-year, foreign investment into Nigeria grew by 198.06%, compared to $1.13 billion in Q1 2023. The NBS reported, "In Q1 2024, total capital importation into Nigeria stood at $3,376.01 million, higher than $1,132.65 million recorded in Q1 2023, indicating an increase of 198.06%. In comparison to the preceding quarter, capital importation rose by 210.16% from $1,088.48 million in Q4 2023."

Foreign portfolio investments (FPI) led the way with $2.08 billion, accounting for 61.48% of the total. Other investments followed with $1.18 billion (34.99%), while foreign direct investment (FDI) was the lowest at $119.18 million (3.53%).

The banking sector received the highest capital investment, followed by trading and production/manufacturing. The NBS noted, "The banking sector recorded the highest inflow with $2.07 billion, representing 61.24% of total capital imported in Q1 2024. The trading sector recorded $494.93 million (14.66%), while the production and manufacturing sector received $191.92 million (5.68%)."

Most of the capital importation came from the United Kingdom ($1.81 billion, 53.49%), followed by the Republic of South Africa ($582.34 million, 17.25%) and the Cayman Islands ($186.21 million, 5.52%).

Lagos, Abuja, and Ekiti were the only states to attract capital importation. Lagos State remained the top destination with $2.78 billion (82.42% of total imported capital), followed by Abuja with $593.58 million (17.58%), and Ekiti State with $12.75 million.

Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc received the highest capital importation by banks, recording $1.25 billion (37.24%). Citibank Nigeria Limited followed with $547.71 million (16.22%) and Rand Merchant Bank Plc with $528.73 million (15.66%).

The alarming rise in the use of dangerous drug concoctions like 'Kush', 'Khadafi', and 'Monkey Tail' across African countries is a stark indicator of a deeper societal crisis. As highlighted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), these harmful mixtures pose significant health risks and reflect a growing diversification of drug markets in Africa. However, to effectively combat this issue, governments must look beyond mere law enforcement and address the underlying factors driving youth towards substance abuse.

The prevalence of these drugs among young people in countries like Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Ivory Coast is symptomatic of a larger problem: widespread youth unemployment, widening inequality, and unmet expectations. In an environment of economic hardship and limited opportunities, many young Africans turn to these substances as an escape from their harsh realities.

To truly tackle this crisis, African governments need to implement a multi-faceted approach:

1. Economic Empowerment: Governments must prioritize job creation and skills development programmes specifically tailored for youth. Entrepreneurship initiatives, vocational training, and support for small businesses can provide alternatives to the drug trade and reduce the allure of substance abuse.

2. Education and Awareness: Comprehensive drug education programmes should be integrated into school curricula from an early age. These programmes should not only highlight the dangers of drug use but also equip young people with life skills and coping mechanisms to deal with stress and peer pressure.

3. Mental Health Support: Increased investment in mental health services is crucial. Many young people turn to drugs to self-medicate for underlying mental health issues. Accessible and affordable counseling and therapy services can provide healthier alternatives for dealing with psychological distress.

4. Community Engagement: Governments should partner with local communities, religious institutions, and civil society organizations to create support networks for at-risk youth. Community-based interventions can be more effective in reaching vulnerable individuals and providing localized solutions.

5. Rehabilitation and Reintegration: Instead of focusing solely on punitive measures, governments should invest in comprehensive rehabilitation programmes. These should include medical treatment, psychological support, and skills training to help drug users reintegrate into society and find meaningful employment.

6. Address Root Causes: Tackling corruption, improving governance, and ensuring equitable distribution of resources are essential to creating a society where young people feel they have a stake in their future. This includes addressing issues of social inequality and lack of access to basic services.

7. Regional Cooperation: Given the transnational nature of drug trafficking, African countries must strengthen regional cooperation to combat the flow of illicit substances across borders. This includes sharing intelligence and coordinating law enforcement efforts.

8. Research and Data Collection: Governments should invest in scientific research to better understand the composition and effects of these new drug concoctions. This knowledge can inform more effective prevention and treatment strategies.

While law enforcement remains an important component in combating drug abuse, it cannot be the sole approach. By addressing the root causes of drug abuse and providing young people with viable alternatives and support systems, African governments can hope to stem the tide of this growing crisis.

The future of Africa depends on its youth. It's time for governments to invest in comprehensive, compassionate, and forward-thinking policies that not only combat drug abuse but also create an environment where young people can thrive and contribute positively to their societies. Only through such holistic approaches can we hope to build a healthier, more prosperous Africa for generations to come.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Sadiq Shehu, a retired Army captain and security analyst, has said that some of the suicide bombers who killed people in Gwoza, Borno State, were given as low as N20.

Shehu stated this during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today.

He said that the Saturday attacks, which have claimed about 30 lives so far, were an indication that Boko haram cannot carry out conventional attacks.

He said, “Suicide bombing is relatively a very cheap thing to do. And to be honest with you, if you followed some of the interviews we had with some of the girls who were intercepted and did not detonate their bombs, they were given something as low as N20.

“For Boko Haram members, suicide bombing carries a lot of advantages. One, it is low cost. Second, the suicide bomber has the advantage of hiding the bomb. You know how people in the north east dress in hijab. It is very easy for a lady to conceal [explosives].

“And culturally even there is a tendency that the security personnel don’t search women too closely the way they can search a man. In our culture it is difficult to search women that way even though there is a solution as you can assign a woman to do that.”

Gwazo attacks indicates laxity in screening exercise –Commissioner

Meanwhile, the Borno State Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Sugun Mai Mele, said the attacks were an indication of laxity in screening exercises by security personnel.

He said, “They smuggled the blasts through the women who went to the farm. They usually go to their farms early in the morning, pass through the military gate and when returning they come through the military gate again. But they smuggled it through the women who were coming back from the farm.

“There is a level of laxity on the part of the security in the screening exercise. Before now when farmers were going out to the farm, they issued tags and they would be registered. In the evening when they came back, they showed their tags and the security personnel marked them. So anybody that did not come back during the closing hours then they should be are arrested or they would not be allowed in.

“But these women entered and disguised themselves as farmers. I learnt that one of them was even carrying a baby. When she went to the venue of the incident she started begging and people had even started giving her alms, she suddenly detonated the bomb.”

Daily Trust

Nigerian customs agents have seized more than 800 rifles and 100,000 rounds of ammunition hidden in a shipping container, a senior official said on Monday, highlighting the country's struggle against firearm trafficking linked to rising crime.

Customs Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi said the weapons found on June 21 had been concealed in a container alongside furniture and other goods that had been loaded in Turkey. The haul included various rifle models and ammunition.

"We have three suspects in our custody after securing a detention warrant from a competent court," Adeniyi told reporters, adding that investigations were ongoing.

The rifles and ammunition will be handed over to the office of Nigeria's security adviser for further investigation and prosecution, Adeniyi said.

In another customs bust on June 29, officials seized more than a million bottles of codeine cough syrup and millions of prescription painkiller tablets, he said. Opioid abuse is widespread in Nigeria and traffickers often smuggle codeine cough syrup.

Adeniyi said the containers loaded with the medicines were wrongly declared in an attempt to evade customs duties and import restrictions.

Reuters

Palestinian militants fire rockets into Israel, tanks advance in Gaza

The Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad fired a barrage of rockets into Israel on Monday as fighting raged in Gaza and Israeli tanks advanced deeper in parts of the enclave, residents and officials said.

Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas - both of whom are backed by Iran - said its fighters fired rockets towards several Israeli communities near the fence with Gaza in response to "the crimes of the Zionist enemy against our Palestinian people".

The volley of about 20 rockets caused no casualties, the Israeli military said. But the attack showed militants still possess rocket capabilities almost nine months into an offensive that Israel says is aimed at neutralising threats against it.

Residents of several neighbourhoods in eastern Khan Younis, which is in southern Gaza, said they had received audio messages from Israeli phone numbers ordering them to leave their homes.

"For your safety, you must evacuate immediately to the humanitarian zone," army spokesperson Avichay Adraee posted on social media platform X in a call to residents and displaced people living in those areas.

Some suggested this could mean Israeli forces will return to the area, which they left several weeks ago. The Israeli military said in a statement earlier on Monday the rockets were fired from the Khan Younis area.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was nearing its goal of taking out the military capabilities of Hamas, the Islamist group that governs Gaza and led the Oct. 7 assault on Israel that sparked the war. Less intense operations would continue, he said.

"We are advancing to the end of the phase of eliminating the terrorist army of Hamas, and there will be a continuation to strike its remnants," Netanyahu said.

Violence also flared on Monday in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where the Palestinian health ministry said a woman and a boy were killed in the city of Tulkarm during an operation by Israeli forces. A day earlier, an Israeli strike in the same area killed an Islamic Jihad member.

In some parts of Gaza, militants continue to stage attacks on Israeli forces in areas that the army had left months ago.

Israeli tanks deepened incursions into the Shejaia suburb of eastern Gaza City for a fifth day, and tanks advanced further in western and central Rafah, in southern Gaza near the border with Egypt, residents said.

The Israeli military said it had killed a number of militants in combat in Shejaia on Monday and found large amounts of weapons there.

Hamas said its fighters had lured an Israeli force into a booby-trapped house in the east of Rafah and blown it up, causing casualties.

The Israeli military announced the death of a soldier in southern Gaza without providing details. Israel's Army Radio said the soldier was killed in Rafah in a booby-trapped house - a possible reference to the incident reported by Islamic Jihad.

Also in Rafah, the Israeli military said that an airstrike killed a militant who fired an anti-tank missile at its troops.

Israel has signalled that its operation in Rafah, meant to stamp out Hamas, will soon be concluded. After the intense phase of the war is over, its forces will focus on smaller scale operations meant to stop Hamas reassembling, officials say.

The war began when Hamas-led fighters burst into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killed 1,200 people and took around 250 hostages, including civilians and soldiers, back into Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.

The offensive launched by Israel in retaliation has killed nearly 38,000 people, according to the Gaza health ministry, and has left the heavily built-up coastal enclave in ruins.

The Gaza health ministry does not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants, but officials say most of the dead are civilians. Israel says 317 of its soldiers have been killed in Gaza and that at least a third of the Palestinian dead are fighters.

CEASEFIRE EFFORTS STALLED

Arab mediators' efforts to secure a ceasefire, backed by the United States, have stalled. Hamas says any deal must end the war and bring a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Israel says it will accept only temporary pauses in the fighting until Hamas is eradicated.

Israeli authorities released 54 Palestinians it had detained during the war, Palestinian border officials said.

Among them was Mohammad Abu Selmeyah, the director of Al Shifa Hospital, arrested by the military when its forces first stormed the medical facility in November.

Israel said Hamas had been using the hospital for military purposes. The military has released the hospital's CCTV footage from Oct. 7 showing gunmen and hostages on the premises and has taken journalists into a tunnel found at the complex.

Hamas has denied using hospitals for military purposes. Abu Selmeyah rejected the allegations on Monday and said detainees had been abused during their detention, including being deprived of food and medicine, and that some had died.

"I was subjected to severe torture, my little finger was broken, and I was beaten in the head until blood came out, more than once," Abu Selmeyah told a press conference at a hospital in southern Gaza.

Israel in May said it was investigating the deaths of Palestinians captured during the war as well as a military-run detention camp where released detainees and rights groups have alleged abuse of inmates.

The military did not immediately comment on Abu Selmeyah's remarks.

Reuters

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Ukrainian security service claims it foiled ‘coup attempt’

The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) claims to have detained a group of suspects who were allegedly planning to instigate unrest and carry out a coup in Kiev.

An unspecified number of “provocateurs”plotted to organize riots in the Ukrainian capital after Constitution Day on June 28, the agency, which is Kiev’s successor to the Soviet-era KGB, claimed in a Telegram statement on Monday.

According to the SBU, the coup attempt was scheduled for Sunday under the guise of a so-called ‘veche,’ a popular assembly, in central Kiev.

The organizers allegedly planned to announce the removal from power of the current military and political leadership of Ukraine, and then to try to seize the country’s parliament building and block the operations of the Verkhovna Rada, it added.

Ukrainian and foreign news outlets, which the SBU didn’t name, were set to distribute information about the unrest in Kiev, the statement read.

Through these actions, the suspects “hoped to undermine the social and political situation within our state, which would play in Russia’s favor,” the SBU claimed.

The group was allegedly led by “the co-founder of an NGO, which has been known for its anti-Ukrainian actions since 2015.” The unnamed person had accomplices from Kiev, Dnepropetrovsk (known as Dnepr in Ukraine) and other parts of Ukraine, according to the agency.

Weapons, ammunition, computers and communication devices were seized during searches at the properties linked to the suspects, it said.

Those detained have been charged with performing actions and calls aimed at the violent overthrow of the constitutional order or the seizure of power, the SBU stated. The offense carries a penalty of up to ten years in prison with the confiscation of property, it added.

Vladimir Zelensky’s term as president of Ukraine officially ended on May 20 after he opted to scrap the election, citing martial law imposed due to the conflict with Moscow.

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Russian military says it captured two east Ukrainian villages, Ukraine contests account

Russia's Defence Ministry said on Monday that its forces had taken control of two villages in eastern Ukraine.

It was the second day in succession that Moscow has announced the capture of new localities. Ukrainian military statements have, at least in part, denied the Russian assertion.

The Russian ministry said in a statement that its forces were in control of the settlement of Stepova Novoselivka in Kharkiv region, and of Novopokrovske in Donetsk region.

The General Staff of the Ukraine's Armed Forces, in an evening report, said its troops had repelled 17 attacks in the Kupiansk sector near Kharkiv, including by Stepova Novoselivka. It said fighting was raging near Synkivka, further west.

Russia has announced a string of incremental gains since capturing the city of Avdiivka in Donetsk region in February.

Donetsk and Kharkiv regions remain focal points along the 1,000-km (600-mile) front line in Ukraine's east and south.

The Ukrainian military earlier said it had repelled Russian attacks near two towns in Donetsk region -- Novooleksandrivka and Spirne, a day after Russian forces claimed control of them. The evening report said fighting continued near both localities.

The evening report identified the Pokrovsk front as the theatre of the fiercest fighting. Forty-four Russian assaults had been repelled in the last 24 hours, with 14 clashes still going on.

The military said Russia maintained a military presence across the border from Ukraine's northern Chernihiv and Sumy regions, adding that Moscow's forces were increasing the density of minefields and conducting sabotage activities.

That area is under scrutiny for any sign that Russia plans to open a new front to pressure Ukraine's outnumbered defenders.

Russia launched an assault into the border areas of the northeastern region of Kharkiv in May, opening a new front in 28-month full-scale invasion.

The latest Ukrainian report said Kyiv's troops controlled the area and turned back 11 Russian assaults near three towns, including Vovchansk, 5 km (3 miles) from the border.

RT/Reuters