Jury finds Sean Combs guilty of prostitution but clears him of most serious charges
Sean “Diddy” Combs has been found guilty on two out of five counts in his high-profile sex-trafficking trial, but acquitted of the most serious charge of racketeering.
Shortly after returning to deliberations Wednesday morning, jurors announced they had reached a verdict. The music mogul was found guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution. That count carries a punishment of up to 10 years in prison.
However, he was acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion.
It comes after the eight men and four women on the jury said Tuesday there were members “with unpersuadable opinions on both sides” concerning the racketeering count. Combs was arrested in September 2024 as federal authorities alleged he threatened, abused, and coerced victims “to fulfill his sexual desires” between 2004 and 2024.
Combs and his lawyers are now arguing for bail so he can be released ahead of his sentencing. Diddy and prosecutors are set to return to court later Wednesday to make their case whether he should be freed from custody.
“Mr. Combs has been given his life by this jury,” his lawyer told the court as the requested he be released.
Diddy’s family returns to court
Sean “Diddy” Combs’s family was spotted entering Manhattan criminal court minutes ago ahead of the upcoming bail hearing.
Bail hearing expected to begin soon
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ bail hearing is due to begin soon, having been pushed back from 1 p.m. ET.
Both sides will argue for and in favor of the music mogul’s release on bail ahead of his sentencing hearing.
Scenes outside court a ‘madhouse’
Swarms of people gathered in front of the courthouse in anticipation of the bail hearing, and to see if the mogul would be released today.
The Independent’s Ariana Baio, describes the scene as a “madhouse.”
Diddy’s lawyers say he should be released ‘today’
In a their own letter to Judge Arun Subramanian, Diddy’s lawyers argued that the mogul should be released immediately following his partial acquittal, arguing that it would be “unjust” to keep him behind bars.
“Mr. Combs should be released on bail today,” the letter stated.
“For months, the government repeatedly argued, and announced to the world, that Sean Combs was a monster who perpetrated a 20-year federal crime spree through a racketeering enterprise. It devoted enormous resources to this prosecution.
“Then, after almost a year in detention, Mr. Combs finally got his day in Court, and the government’s allegations were tested before a jury of his peers. That jury heard the government’s evidence, including testimony from his former girlfriends. By its verdict, the jury resoundingly rejected the government’s depiction of Mr. Combs.”
It continued: “Prostitution offenses are no longer even prosecuted as a matter of policy in the Manhattan D.A.’s Office, and the same is true of Los Angeles and many other local district attorney’s offices.
“It would be unjust to continue detaining Mr. Combs at the MDC even one day longer, especially since—given the sentencing guidelines for these prostitution offenses—he would otherwise be entitled to serve any additional time imposed at a lower-security facility.”
Sketch shows Diddy celebrating in court following verdict
Comment: The Diddy trial verdict — and the celebrations afterwards — were difficult to watch
We heard details that should horrify any normal human being — and it was all an open secret. Then, the jury found him not guilty on the most serious charges, writes Holly Baxter
The Diddy trial is over. The horrors linger on
Watch: Cassie Ventura’s lawyer reacts after Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs convicted only of prostitution charges
Diddy’s legal team ‘won major gamble’ with trial, says expert
Anna Cominsky, an Associate Professor of Law and the Director of the Criminal Defense Clinic at New York Law School, said: “This trial was a major gamble and Combs won that bet.
“Everything is stacked against the defendant going into a federal case, in particular one like this.
“His attorneys were smart and they owned the bad facts. They fought on the things that mattered and it paid off.”
Cominsky has provided expert analysis on a wide range of high-profile criminal cases, including then-candidate Donald Trump’s criminal trial, Luigi Mangione’s murder trial, and Harvey Weinstein’s retrial.
New courtroom sketch
Angela Rayner reveals why she’d never want to be prime minister
Angela Rayner has said she would never want to be prime minister because “it would age me by 10 years within six months”.
“Have you ever seen a prime minister after a year or two in government?” the deputy prime minister joked.
The morning after Sir Keir Starmer scraped through a major rebellion over his watered-down welfare reforms, Ms Rayner was asked whether she is waiting in the wings to take the embattled PM’s place.
“Not a chance,” she told ITV’s Lorraine.
She said: “It would age me by 10 years within six months, it does, anyone who has been prime minister it is a very challenging job.”
Amid mounting questions about the prime minister’s future following a disastrous first year in power, she defended Sir Keir, saying he is “doing the job for Britain”, adding “there’s been a lot going on” in the 12 months since the PM entered Downing Street.
She said: “He’s been all around the world trying to repair the relationships in Europe. We’ve got the trade deals that the previous government wasn’t able to do, tackling the things like the tariffs that the president in the US wanted to put onto the UK, which would have damaged our economy again.
“There’s a lot going on, and the prime minister’s been […] here, there and everywhere, doing the job for Britain.”
It comes after polling expert Professor Sir John Curtice referred to Sir Keir’s first year in office as “the worst start for any newly elected prime minister”.
He told Times Radio that the prime minister was “never especially popular” and that “the public still don’t know what he stands for.”
Asked if she would be interested in being prime minister at some point, Ms Rayner told the ITV programme: “No”.
She said that she is “passionate” about issues including workers’ rights and council housing.
“I’m very interested in delivering for the people of this country, because … to be elected as an MP from my background was incredible,” she said.
“Having that opportunity to serve my community that have raised me, looked after me, given me opportunities, and I don’t forget that. And to be deputy prime minister of this country … it’s got to count for something.”
Norway beat Euro 2025 hosts Switzerland in thriller after Finland win
Euro 2025 kicks off today in Switzerland, with the tournament braced for a scorching start as England continue their preparations for their opening game against France on Saturday.
The action gets underway later with the first two games from Group A. Unusually, the host nation was not involved in the curtain-raiser, with Finland defeating 10-player Iceland to record their first win at the Euros since 2009. Norway then took down hosts Switzerland in a thrilling second half in Basel, coming behind to win 2-1 at St Jakob-Park.
With Switzerland experiencing a heatwave and heat warnings declared in the country, Uefa have made the decision to relax their rules around fans bringing bottles of water to the stadium for the first couple of days, while players will be allowed cooling breaks if temperatures reach 32C.
The Lionesses arrived in Zurich on Monday and head into the European Championships as the holders, but face a challenging group that includes contenders France, Netherlands and debutants Wales. Follow all the latest news and build-up to Euro 2025 below
Switzerland’s bubble burst by Norway on opening night
FULL-TIME! Switzerland 1-2 Norway
Norway eke out victory over Switzerland to deal the host nation a big blow in their hopes of Euros joy!
Boos sound around stadium as the full-time whistle blows, but it’s a dream start for the competition’s dark horses, who right their wrongs from the first half to win.
CHANCE! Switzerland 1-2 Norway
90 mins: Last-ditch defending from Norway!
A cross makes it all the way through to Beney on the edge of the six-yard box, who has the entire goal to aim at. However, Hansen throws her body at it and manages to put in a goal-saving block.
It then falls to Pilgrim who too has her effort blocked by a desperate Norway body.
SEVEN minutes added on, and at the moment, Norway are holding on.
CHANCE! Switzerland 1-2 Norway
88 mins: That could’ve put it to bed!
Bizet is playing through and gets it out of her feet quickly to avoid the on-rushing keeper, lofting it beyond Peng.
However, she can only watch it bounce the wrong side of the post and hit the side-netting.
A big let-off for the host nation, who themselves are running out of steam.
CHANCE! Switzerland 1-2 Norway
82 mins: What a golden chance to equalise!
Reuteler is slipped in behind and tries to lift it over the keeper, but she puts too much on it and dinks it onto the roof of the net!
The flag goes up, perhaps acting to spare her blushes – but replays show she was onside. It would’ve counted.
Switzerland 1-2 Norway
Just seen the semi-automated offside replays of the decision that chalked off Switzerland’s penalty.
Off by a toe. A HUGE lifeline for the Norwegians.
Switzerland 1-2 Norway
75 mins: Now’s your time take a breath. I feel like this might be a pretty chaotic final 15 minutes.
Ada Hegerberg has just been subbed after her penalty shocker – she’s lucky that blunder hasn’t yet cost her team the lead…
PENALTY?! Switzerland 1-2 Norway
And now Switzerland have the chance to equalise! Or do they! Riesen goes to ground in the box after Harviken tugs at her shirt, but there’s a let-off for Norway as VAR spots offside!
NO PENALTY!
MISSED PENALTY! Switzerland 1-2 Norway
Switzerland have a golden chance to wrap up the game after a handball from Reuteler in the box.
Up steps Ada Hegerberg but, with St Jakob Park turning into a cauldron of ear-splitting whistles, Hegerberg drags wide!
Switzerland 1-2 Norway
65 mins: Sydney Schertenleib is on for Switzerland and almost makes an impact as she switches play. Reuteler cuts inside and shoots with her left foot and it takes a good stop from Fiskerstrand to tip it wide.
Has Badenoch shown the killer instinct to save her as Tory leader?
Ever since Kemi Badenoch became Tory leader, her many Conservative critics have claimed she has failed to make any impact. Any number of backbenchers have been only too willing, albeit usually under the cowardly cover of anonymity, to claim she is going nowhere.
Principal among their complaints is that she never seems to get the better of her weekly parliamentary jousts with Keir Starmer. Time and again, she asks the wrong question, chooses the wrong topic, and lacks the wit to seize on any missteps by the Prime Minister, they moan. Why can’t she give Starmer and co both barrels – just like showman Nigel Farage does on a regular basis?
It is not a criticism likely to be made of her again anytime soon. Not after her comprehensive filleting of Starmer over his defeat by Labour welfare rebels.
Initially, Starmer fended off Badenoch’s barbs at him. It looked as though she would be repulsed yet again. You could imagine her Tory detractors already licking their lips, muttering, “She can’t even score an open goal.” But Badenoch wasn’t finished. Starmer was merely the hors d’oeuvres. She took her knife to the person sitting behind Starmer, Rachel Reeves, asking him to guarantee she was safe in her job.
Starmer the lawyer should have seen it coming a mile off. It’s the oldest trick in the political book: he could have answered with a categorical yes. But he didn’t. In political terms, he left Reeves drifting in the wind. The chancellor’s emotional and distraught response signalled that Badenoch had scored a direct hit.
A rare moment in such parliamentary exchanges, which, for the most part, have nothing to do with democracy or debate and are all about posturing, platitudes and pantomime politics. Knockout blows are about as common as someone scoring in the Eton Wall Game – about one per decade. Badenoch didn’t just score, she smashed the ball through the back of the net.
The most important consequence of today’s events is how, indeed whether, Reeves can survive such a harrowing and humbling public ordeal. And whether Starmer can re-establish his and his administration’s personal and political authority. That is all in the balance. But there can be no doubt that eight months after becoming opposition leader, Badenoch has arrived on the big stage.
Her stock reply to complaints that she has not made her mark as a leader has been that it took heroine Margaret Thatcher years to do so. Thatcher became a formidable parliamentary performer, but it took her a long time. In her early years as opposition leader, she was frequently outwitted by Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Thatcher’s Tory critics said it showed she wasn’t up to it. Just like Badenoch’s Conservative critics. They won’t be making the same criticism again anytime soon.
In blasting open the fault line between Starmer and Reeves with a lethal precision, a skill most thought was not in her armoury, Badenoch has at long last given demoralised Conservatives reasons to be cheerful.
Inside Trump’s Gaza truce deal between Israel and Hamas
Senior officials briefed on truce talks for Gaza said they were “cautiously optimistic” that a new initiative announced by Donald Trump could pave the way to a long-term ceasefire deal, and the end of the devastating 21-month war.
Trump said on Tuesday that Israel had agreed to the “necessary conditions to finalise” a 60-day truce to allow negotiations “to end the war” and urged Hamas to accept the deal before conditions worsened.
The US president has been piling pressure on both sides to broker a ceasefire and hostage release agreement, promising that a deal could come together as soon as next week.
One of the main sticking points has been whether the agreement would lay the groundwork for ending the ruinous war permanently. Israel has said it won’t accept a deal until Hamas is defeated, while Hamas has said it would never agree to temporary truce terms.
Despite this, senior officials briefed on the talks between Netanyahu’s senior aide Ron Dermer and Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, described a mood of “cautious optimism”. That is because among points approved by the Israeli side was that a ceasefire deal would contain US and mediator guarantees that discussions to end the war completely would take place.
The Independent understands the current 60-day structure on the table would lead to the release of 10 living captives and 15 bodies of those killed in Gaza. In exchange, there would be a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from parts of Gaza, more aid would be allowed in, and talks would begin for a permanent ceasefire.
Progress has already begun. A Hamas delegation is expected to meet Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss the proposal.
One official, who requested anonymity as they are not authorised to speak to the media, told The Independent this round of talks felt “different”, particularly after Israel’s unprecedented bombing campaign in Iran crippled Iran’s military leadership and caused “extensive” damage to Iranian nuclear infrastructure. Iran is one of Hamas’s closest allies.
“There is great American pressure on Israel to reach a deal,” the official told The Independent. “There is more flexibility from the Israeli side – I can say there is cautious optimism.”
“There is a different kind of atmosphere altogether after Iran. Netanyahu is in a mindset to go for a deal,” the official added, saying that off the back of the Gaza deal Netanyahu expects more Middle Eastern states would join the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in signing the Abraham Accords, a diplomatic and trade deal normalising relations with Israel.
Another official briefed on negotiations in Qatar called the talks in Washington “very fruitful” and said the US guarantees on a longer-term solution to the conflict – even beyond a permanent ceasefire – may assuage Hamas’s fears.
Throughout the nearly 21-month-long war, ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas have repeatedly faltered over whether the war should end as part of any deal. Hamas has said it is willing to free the remaining 50 hostages, less than half of whom are believed to be alive, in exchange for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the war. Israel says it will only agree to end the war if Hamas surrenders, disarms and exiles itself, something the group refuses to do.
An Israeli official, again not authorised to speak to the media, said Israel agreed to a “framework that is the basis to start proximity talks”. Proximity talks mean negotiations where Hamas and Israeli officials are in the same location but not in the same room, with mediators bouncing between the parties to hammer out the details.
Mediators involved in the previous ceasefire agreement in January described how, in the final stages of talks in Doha, the Qatari prime minister himself shuttled in a lift between different floors of the same building, conveying the final frantic messages between rival factions.
As well as the hostage release, Israel would also agree to withdraw from certain areas of Gaza during that time and for a surge in humanitarian aid. The Independent understands this will not include the strategic Philadelphi Corridor, a ribbon of land around nine miles long that runs along the border between Gaza and Egypt.
“In this framework, there are US and mediator assurances to Hamas – guarantees for the next phases to discuss ending the war,” the Israeli official said. Netanyahu is expected to meet his cabinet to discuss the upcoming visit to the US on Saturday, before flying to Washington DC on Sunday. He is likely to meet Trump on Monday.
Hamas has yet to publicly respond to Trump’s ceasefire proposal. However, a senior Hamas official told The Independent that the group believed “so far the formula is not satisfactory”.
A key problem is the two-month time limit on the deal and what happens after it expires, the official explained, asking to remain anonymous.
“There are three pending issues: aid, the withdrawal of the Israeli army, and the continuation of negotiations after the 60 days,” he told The Independent. “The most important thing is to guarantee an end to the hostilities and the prevention of the continuation of fighting after the 60 days. This is what Israel rejects.”
In Gaza, civilians suffering famine-like conditions and daily, relentless bombardment tentatively welcomed the news. However, some said they did not trust the US president after many conflicting promises, and after he has continued to arm Israel and even join Israel in its bombing campaign in Iran.
“I see Trump as part of the conflict, not a mediator to stop the war or solve our problems. How can he be a guarantor of an agreement when they are participants in it? ” said Khaled Hajjaj, 36, displaced from the destroyed east of Gaza and now living in a makeshift camp along the coast. “We in Gaza are living the harsh, devastating reality. We don’t just watch events – we have lived them for two years. There have been a lot of negotiations that have taken place – dozens of times – without success. I see this time as just another attempt, and so I am pessimistic.”
Muhannad, 32, also displaced from the north, said that previous statements from Trump “have made us distrust him”.
“Two months ago, Trump promised that there would be good news for Gaza within days. The exact opposite has happened: more massacres, hunger, a blockade and the ongoing escalation,” he added.
Samira Abdel-Aziz, 48, also displaced from the north, said he hoped it was “not just idle statements”.
“I have hope for that after the announcement of the participation of the Egyptian and Qatari sides. I trust the Egyptian side regarding the Palestinian issue and the extent of its concern for Palestinian interests.”
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing nearly 1,200 people and taking roughly 250 hostages.
Israel’s unprecedented bombardment of the tiny strip has killed more than 56,000 people according to Gaza’s health ministry and a blockade on aid has pushed the entire 2.3 million population to the edge of famine.
More than 90 perc ent of the population has been displaced, often multiple times.
How to host a Macmillan Coffee Morning like you’ve never seen before
What comes to mind when you think of a fundraising coffee morning? Soggy digestives, weak tea and sitting in a school hall having forced fun? Think again.
Macmillan Cancer Support are celebrating 35 years of the iconic Coffee Morning fundraiser, and we’re here to help you give your next Coffee Morning a glow-up. Behind the fun, Coffee Mornings help raise vital funds for people facing one of the toughest challenges of their lives.
Almost one in two people in the UK will get cancer in their lifetime, and no two experiences are the same. Where you live, who you are, or whether you have another health condition can all affect the care you receive – and that’s not fair. Macmillan is working to change that, doing whatever it takes to make sure everyone gets the best possible care, whoever and wherever they are.
So while tasty treats and fundraising fun of course get to stay, we’re leveling up the atmosphere with fresh ideas to keep everyone entertained.
Want to be a Coffee Morning Host?
Best of all, these new ways of raising vital funds don’t have to be expensive. In fact, they might even save you a bit of time, wardrobe space and money. Here’s how to host a Macmillan Coffee Morning like you’ve never seen before…
Organise a ‘style swap shop’
Clear out your wardrobe, raise money and bring your community together all at the same time by organising a ‘style swap shop’ – with all your finest, unworn or unwanted clothes and accessories.
Pack up the majestic hats you bought for a wedding but only wore once, the satin gloves that make you feel like Audrey Hepburn but don’t go with anything you own, or maybe that lace vintage dress your aunty wore to Glastonbury in the 70s, which now lives in an unexplored drawer in your bedroom.
Fill up a bag with your best cast-offs and get your friends, family and neighbours to do the same. Everyone pays £5 entry to the ‘style swap shop’ and then you all get to browse through each other’s preloved treasures – grabbing what takes your fancy.
One person’s hand-me-down is another person’s new look – so elbows at the ready! Want to raise extra cash? Add a £1-£2 price tag on each item that’s been donated.
Strut your stuff at a cake walk
We know that staying healthy and being physically active can reduce the risk of cancer, so why not combine the classic Coffee Morning with a walk around the block? Creative costumes, silly hats and streamers at the ready as we leave behind the school hall and instead take our cakes and cookies for a little jaunt to stretch our legs.
Up the fun, and the stakes, by upgrading from a cake walk to a cake race – the bigger and messier the dessert, the better! And get the kids involved in the baking and racing too.
Or if you want to keep it indoors, turn your catwalk into a cake walk and give your best strut with your favourite pudding in hand. It’s giving egg and spoon race, jelly wobbling on a plate and doubling over with laughter as you sashay along clutching a platter filled with your finest roulade.
Dance away the morning at a sober rave
Why sit or stand when you can dance? Sober raves are all the rage – and ideal for a morning of fun with friends, family and neighbours. There’s no hangover, no late night and the kids can join in too – so, no need for a babysitter.
Grab your glow sticks for a Coffee Morning like no other, and you can still eat cake and have a brew or a cold drink. It’s a club night where nobody has to worry about the morning-after-the-night-before! You can host it in any hall, all you need is music and a disco ball.
You might feel silly at first, but soon you’ll be grinning with joy as dancing is proven to release endorphins (natural painkillers and mood boosters) as well as reducing stress and keeping you fit. Now, who does a good Big fish, little fish, cardboard box?
Run an Is it cake? competition
If you haven’t seen the Netflix hit Is it cake? – an American game show-style cooking competition, you’re missing a treat. Contestants compete to both identify and recreate their best version of everyday items – in cake form.
That could be fire hoses made from vanilla sponge and icing, kitchen utensils that cut open to reveal red velvet cake, replica designer handbags that are actually edible, and even other food items such as burgers, which are of course, cake.
Up the baking ante by running your own cake lookalike competition inspired by the show. The best thing about it is that even if your cake looks like a pair of stinky old sports shoes, it’ll still taste great!
Whether you’re swapping styles, raving sober or sculpting a sponge handbag, every slice of fun helps Macmillan Cancer Support do whatever it takes to help everyone living with cancer.
Signing up to host your own Macmillan Coffee Morning this year couldn’t be easier! Find out more today on the Macmillan website
Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Also operating in Northern Ireland.
Kate Middleton reveals ‘life-changing’ cancer journey
The Princess of Wales openly discussed her “life-changing” cancer journey and “rollercoaster” recovery on a visit to an Essex hospital.
Speaking at Colchester Hospital, Kate Middleton revealed the toll cancer takes on family and friends.
“It is a life-changing experience both for the individual patient, but also for the families as well – and actually it sometimes goes unrecognised, you don’t necessarily, particularly when it’s the first time, you don’t appreciate how much impact it is going to have,” the princess told a group of users, volunteers and staff at the Cancer Wellbeing Centre.
The princess was diagnosed with an unknown form of cancer in March last year, in the same year as the King was also diagnosed with cancer.
After the diagnosis, she faced a nine-month battle and underwent “preventative chemotherapy”.
On 14 January, she confirmed that she is officially in remission for cancer, on the same day that she made a surprise visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital, where she was treated.
On her recent visit to the Essex hospital, the princess praised the centre’s “holistic” approach to the support it offers patients, relatives and carers, which includes counselling and dietary advice.
“There is this whole phase when you finish your treatment that you, yourself, everybody expects you, right you’ve finished your time, go, you’re better, and that’s not the case at all,” she added.
“You have to find your new normal and that takes time.”
After visiting the centre, the princess planted several coral-pink Catherine’s Rose plants in the hospital’s Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) wellbeing garden, which offers a restorative space for staff, patients and visitors.
The RHS named the flower after her to raise awareness about the importance of spending time outdoors for people’s physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.
Discussing her rollercoaster healing journey, the princess added that a support network is invaluable.
“Someone described the sort of healing, recovery journey to me as being like a sort of zig-zag,” she said.
“It’s a rollercoaster, it’s not one smooth plain, which you expect it to be, but the reality is it’s not, you go through hard times and to have a place like this, to have the support network, whether its through creativity and singing or gardening, whatever it might be, is so valuable and it’s great that this community has it.
“It would be great if lots of communities had this kind of support.”
Proceeds from the sale of Catherine’s Rose, bred by Harkness Roses, will support a national training programme for clinical teams to help patients who need intensive support live well with and after cancer.
Harkness Roses and Kensington Palace are donating 500 roses to wellbeing and community gardens across the UK this summer.
North Korea to ‘send 30,000 more troops to support Russia’
North Korea is preparing to send up to 30,000 extra troops to boost Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, Kyiv has claimed.
The troops could arrive in the coming months and may be used to fight in parts of Russian-occupied Ukraine, according to an intelligence assessment seen by Kyiv.
They come on top of the roughly 12,000 sent to Russia in November, who are so far only believed to have fought on Russian territory as Moscow looked to expel Ukrainian troops from its Kursk region.
North Korean troops will be used “to strengthen the Russian contingent, including during the large-scale offensive operations”, the assessment says.
Moscow, it adds, is capable of providing the necessary equipment and weaponry for the extra troops.
The news comes after Washington decided to partially suspend some shipments of air defence missiles and other munitions to Ukraine over concerns about low stockpiles at home.
A senior Kyiv MP has described the decision as “painful”, while the Kremlin says it will bring the war to a quicker end.
Russia occupies more than 500 sq km in June – DeepState battlefield map
The month of June saw the most significant Russian advances this year, according to authoritative Ukrainian frontline map DeepState.
Russian forces occupied 556 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory in June, recorded largely on the Novopavlivka and Pokrovsk fronts.
“The trend from May, unfortunately, continued in June. As a reminder, during the most critical month for us – November – the Russians advanced by 730 sq km,” military analysts from DeepState said according to Ukrainska Pravda.
“The largest advances were recorded on the Novopavlivka and Pokrovsk fronts – 29 per cent and 27 per cent respectively. Sumy Oblast also ranks among the top with 18 per cent. This means three-quarters of all advances took place in just three areas.”
What has the US armed Ukraine with so far?
As the US halts the shipments of some weapons and munitions to Kyiv over concerns about stockpiles at home, let’s take a look at what the US has been arming Ukraine with over the course of the war.
The Kiel Institute, which runs a database tracking the level of military support to Ukraine since the war began, says Washington has provided more 64 billion euros (£55 billion) in military support.
Since November, the US-made ATACMS missiles have been used by Ukraine in crucial strikes on targets deep inside Russia, with a range of around 190 miles (300 kilometres).
The US has also provided hundreds of Howitzer artillery weapons, more than 20 tanks, alongside anti-aircraft surface-to-air missile systems and multiple rocket launch systems.
US aid has totaled 114.6 billion euros of financial, humanitarian and military donations to Ukraine since the war began. Of military aid, it has provided 64.5 per cent of the support Ukraine has received.
Putin blames West for his invasion of Ukraine in call with Macron
Vladimir Putin told Emmanuel Macron on a phone call yesterday that his decision to invade Ukraine was “a direct consequence of the West’s policy,” which he said had “ignored Russia’s security interests” over the course of years.
Any possible peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine should have a “comprehensive and long-term character” and be based on “new territorial realities,” the Kremlin quoted Putin as saying.
Putin has previously said Ukraine must accept Russia’s annexation of swathes of its territory as part of any peace deal. Macron has said Ukraine alone should decide on whether or not to accept territorial concessions.
During Tuesday’s two-hour call, Macron’s office said, “the president emphasised France’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”Macron and Putin aim to continue their discussions on Ukraine and Iran, the French president’s office said.
Macron and Putin held regular discussions around the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which was criticised by some European allies, with Macron also visiting Putin in Russia shortly before the invasion in February 2022. They last spoke on the phone in September of that year.
US has provided Ukraine $66bn in military assistance so far
The halt of some weapons shipments from the US is a blow to Ukraine at a time when Russia has ramped up its attacks, launching its biggest aerial raids of the war so far in recent weeks.
Talks to try and agree a ceasefire between the two sides, efforts championed by US president Donald Trump, have ground to a halt.
To date, the US has provided Ukraine more than $66bn worth of weapons and military assistance since Russia invaded its neighbour in February 2022.
Over the course of the war, the US has routinely pressed for allies to provide air defence systems to Ukraine. But many are reluctant to give up the high-tech systems, particularly countries in Eastern Europe that also feel threatened by Russia.
The US Defense Department did not provide details on what specific weapons were being held back.
“America’s military has never been more ready and more capable,” spokesperson Sean Parnell said, adding that the major tax cut and spending package moving through Congress “ensures that our weapons and defence systems are modernised to protect against 21st century threats for generations to come”.
Pause in Ukraine weapon shipments ‘puts America’s interests first’
The pause in shipments of weapons to Ukraine reflects a new set of priorities under president Donald Trump and came after Defense Department officials scrutinised current US stockpiles and raised concerns.
The Pentagon review determined that stocks were too low on some weapons previously pledged, so pending shipments of some items won’t be sent, according to a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide information that has not yet been made public.
“This decision was made to put America’s interests first following a review of our nation’s military support and assistance to other countries across the globe,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement.
“The strength of the United States Armed Forces remains unquestioned – just ask Iran.”That was a reference to Trump recently ordering US missile strikes against nuclear sites in Iran.
Mapped: Where is the industrial plant hit by Ukraine deep inside Russia?
Moscow using online outlet Red to sow discontent in Germany, says Berlin
Germany’s foreign ministry has hit out at Russia for allegedly using the online media outlet Red to sow discontent in German society.
It is part of a disinformation campaign which Moscow is waging in Europe alongside its war in Ukraine, Berlin said.
“Red presents itself as a revolutionary platform for independent journalists. However, it has close links with the Russian state media outlet RT,” a spokesperson for the foreign ministry told reporters in Berlin.
“Today we can confirm that Red is being used by Russia specifically to manipulate information,” the spokesperson added.
Red is run by Turkish media company AFA Medya, which together with its founder Huseyin Dogru is already the subject of EU sanctions targeting Russia and is accused of “undermining the democratic political process” in Germany.
After they were sanctioned, Red announced on May 16 that it was closing down.
Lithuania accuses Moscow of ordering defacement of statue
Lithuanian prosecutors have accused Moscow of ordering the defacement of a monument to an anti-Soviet resistance leader in January 2024.
Three residents of Estonia have been charged with travelling to fellow Baltic state Lithuania to carry out the act, prosecutor Rimas Bradunas told a press conference.
The statue in southern Lithuanian town Merkine of Adolfas Ramanauskas, kneeling with his rifle in hand, was covered in red paint. Ramanauskas led armed resistance to the Soviet occupation of Lithuania after World War Two before being executed in 1957.
“Our investigation determined that these people, acting in an organised group, were executing the orders of Russian special services, in particular GRU, to destabilise the country,” Bradunas said.
Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Two of the three charged are dual Estonian-Russian citizens, while one is a Russian citizen. They were arrested in Estonia and handed over to Lithuania after an investigation involving the intelligence services of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, the prosecutor said.
Russia ramps up offensives on two fronts in Ukraine as both sides seek an advantage before fall
An emboldened Russia has ramped up military offensives on two fronts in Ukraine, scattering Kyiv’s precious reserve troops and threatening to expand the fighting to a new Ukrainian region as each side seeks an advantage before the fighting season wanes in the autumn.
Moscow aims to maximize its territorial gains before seriously considering a full ceasefire, analysts and military commanders said. Ukraine wants to slow the Russian advance for as long as possible and extract heavy losses.
Read more on the state of play on the Ukrainian battlefield here:
Russia ramps up offensives on two fronts in Ukraine as both sides seek an advantage before fall
US imposes sanctions on major Russian cyber group
The US has imposed sanctions on a major Russian cyber group for “supporting cybercriminal activity”.
The Aeza Group, two related companies and four individuals who serve as executives in the group were all sanctioned by US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has also designated a shell compahy of Aeza Group registered in the United Kingdom.
Headquartered in St Petersburg, Russia, the group operates as a Bulletproof Hosting (BHP) provider. This is a service which helps cybercriminals evade detection from law enforcement.