WESTERN PERSPECTIVE Russia shells Ukraine's Kherson, injuring 8, damaging buildings Russian forces heavily shelled the centre of the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson on Friday, injuring eight people and destroying or damaging at least 15 buildings, a senior city official said. Pictures posted on social media showed at least three sites dotted with piles of rubble and the interior of one building strewn with shattered building materials and other debris. Roman Mrochko, head of the city's military administration, said on the Telegram messaging app that three of the injured were being treated in hospital. He said two buildings had been…

Israeli troops briefly raid northern Gaza to 'prepare' for an expected full-scale incursion Israeli troops and tanks briefly raided northern Gaza overnight, the military said Thursday, engaging with Hamas fighters and targeting anti-tank weapons in order to “prepare the battlefield” before an expected ground invasion. The third Israeli raid since the war began came after more than two weeks of devastating airstrikes that have left thousands dead, and more than 1 million displaced from their homes, in the small, densely-populated territory. The U.S. military, meanwhile, launched airstrikes early Friday on two locations in eastern Syria linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard…

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE Biden trying to rebrand Ukraine aid as job-creation stimulus – Politico The White House is attempting to spin continued support for Kiev as being beneficial to the US economy, Politico reported on Wednesday, citing sources in Washington. According to the magazine, US officials are concerned that they are “losing the messaging war on Ukraine.” Politico interviewed unnamed officials and lawmakers, who said that aides from the administration of President Joe Biden have been distributing talking points among Congress members still willing to funnel money to Kiev. According to Politico, one point states that the administration’s latest request for…

UN warns Gaza blockade could force it to sharply cut relief missions as Israeli bombings rise The U.N. warned Wednesday that it is on the verge of running out of fuel in the Gaza Strip, forcing it to sharply curtail relief efforts in the territory blockaded and devastated by Israeli airstrikes since Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel more than two weeks ago. The warning came as hospitals in Gaza struggled to treat masses of wounded with dwindling resources. Meanwhile, the U.N.’s top official faced backlash from Israel after saying the Hamas massacre that sparked the fighting did not…