
Germany launches additional measures against Russia's 'shadow fleet'
Western sanctions aimed at cutting Russia's oil revenues following its invasion of Ukraine have led to the rise of a vast "shadow fleet" of tankers that helps Moscow to keep its crude exports flowing.
From Tuesday German authorities have begun questioning passing tankers about their insurance coverage against oil pollution damage, the foreign ministry said, adding that the insurance coverage of "shadow fleet" vessels is often unknown, as they avoid reputable insurers and European ports.
"Our goal is very clear: We are increasing the pressure on the Russian shadow fleet and protecting the Baltic Sea," German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in the statement.
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Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Germany, UK to sign mutual assistance defence pact, reports Politico
BERLIN, July 2 (Reuters) - Germany and Britain will on July 17 sign a defence treaty that includes a mutual assistance clause in the event of a threat to either country, the Politico news outlet reported on Wednesday. The report came almost a year after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and then-German Chancellor Olaf Scholz issued a joint declaration promising closer cooperation on issues from trade to security. That broad agreement is now being finalised, according to Politico, and a key area is defence. It will include a section stating that any strategic threat to one country would represent a threat to the other and the accord is expected to be signed on July 17, it reported, citing two London-based officials. Although both countries are committed to NATO, the defence agreement highlights a shift among European states, including Germany under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, to work more closely together and rely less on the U.S. under President Donald Trump. A spokesperson for the German defence ministry said on Wednesday that he had no new developments to impart when asked about the Politico report at a government press conference in Berlin. Germany and Britain launched negotiations in August 2024 on a bilateral treaty covering a broad range of areas, from defence and security cooperation, to labour and economic growth. "We are in the final stages of finalising the treaty," a spokesperson for the foreign ministry said at the same press conference, adding that the German cabinet would sign off on it before the end of July. Britain's government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
Reality of war with Russia and who had '90% success' in Iran: Catch up on Michael Clarke Q&A
The 'real threat' to Estonia, the reality of a UK-Russia conflict and who won in Iran: A summary of what Michael Clarke covered Michael Clarke has answered lots more of your questions today. Here's a quick summary of some of the important topics he covered: Clarke said Russia's claim to have taken all of the Luhansk region of Ukraine was "probably true"; Asked by a half Estonian living in London about the threat Russia poses to Tallinn, Clarke explained the threat is real - but explained it was not necessarily from invasion, but of Russia trying to engineer a destabilising crisis which would challenge NATO's Article 5 principle of an attack on one equalling an attack on all members; Clarke also explained Russia is set for a "very bumpy" 2025 economically when asked why Vladimir Putin had announced he would cut military spending. "Nobody can get money to develop their businesses - all the available credit is being directed into war production," Clarke said, which is why "the pendulum will probably start to swing against them, at least economically, if this war goes on"; He sees no signs Russia will take the Sumy region or city from Ukraine; Whether or not NATO could fight off a Russian attack as it stands today would depend on the scenario, Clarke said - but NATO with America would "wipe the floor" with Russia. Without the US, European NATO would struggle, he added. But in three to five years time, European NATO members will be in better shape; Asked about the Sky News Wargame podcast, which ran through a fictional scenario in which Russia attacked the UK, Clarke said it's hard to imagine a real-life scenario in which the Kremlin attacked Britain alone. But the podcast rightly highlighted that the US would not commit to defend the UK under the Trump administration, Clarke added. Smaller agreements - like the recent UK defence pact with Germany - could become more common, Clarke added. Watch our previous Sky News Q&A with the makers of The Wargame below: Clarke adds that the scenario of an attack on the Faslane base in Scotland - where the UK's nuclear submarines are based - is likely in the event of a full-scale war, as depicted in The Wargame. The UK would "almost certainly" lose the base - but in a military confrontation, all the submarines would likely be at sea, Clarke added; Still on the theme of a hypothetical UK-Russia war, Clarke stressed Britain "would never" win a traditional war against the Kremlin without allies; Asked about the UK's plans to buy F-35A jets which can carry American nuclear weapons, Clarke said the US would have to give permission for the bombs to be used. But Clarke added the F-35As are "worth having in any case" and are "stealthy aircraft". He has spoken to other experts, though, who think buying the jets is a "foolish decision" - done for the "glamour" of being part of the US nuclear club; Moving on to Iran, Clarke explained Russia could help Iran enrich Uranium to get a nuclear weapon - but he doesn't think they will, as it would squander the chance for the Kremlin to keep mending relations with the US under Trump; What happened with the trucks at Fordow, the Iranian nuclear site buried in a mountain which the US later bombed? Clarke said we don't know if the lorries were moving uranium out, as has been speculated. But feasibly, Iran could have moved its nuclear material. Clarke was also asked if the Israel-Iran conflict had made China attacking Taiwan more or less likely - he said the Chinese will feel "a bit more deterred - but only a bit" after Trump's US bombed Iran; The US attack on Iran changed the behaviour of the Iranian regime, Clarke said, when asked why the Americans hadn't "finished the job" in Iran. He said they didn't carry on because they were never sure if attacking in the first place was a good idea or not; Who came out of the Israel-Iran conflict as the winner? "Undoubtedly, so far, this has been a 90% success for Israel and the US," Clarke said. He added Israel will now feel it has more military options than before - while the Iranians have proved to be an "empty vessel... for all their boasting". But Clarke added Iran's "not going to disappear".


The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
North Korea ‘offers 30,000 MORE troops' for Putin's meatgrinder war after tyrant Kim Jong-un wept over soldiers' coffins
NORTH Korea is reportedly planning to send 30,000 more troops to fight alongside the Russians against Ukraine. It comes just a day after tyrant Kim Jong-un wept over the coffins of his soldiers whom he sent to die in Vladimir Putin's meatgrinder war. 12 12 12 12 North Korea has so far sent an estimated total of 14,000 troops, including 3,000 reinforcements to replace its losses, according to Ukrainian officials. And a new Ukrainian intelligence assessment says Pyongyang is preparing to dispatch 30,000 more soldiers in the coming months to join the fight with the Russians, CNN reports. According to the intel report, there is a high chance that troops from North Korea will soon enter Russian-occupied Ukraine 'to strengthen the Russian contingent, including during the large-scale offensive operations.' The document adds Russian Ministry of Defence is "capable of providing needed equipment, weapons and ammunition' with the aim of 'further integration to Russian combat units.' Ukrainian intelligence also reported that Russian military aircraft are being modified to carry thousands of military personnel. Last week, South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) told a closed-door parliamentary committee meeting that a dispatch of those 6,000 additional military personnel will likely come as early as July or August, North Korea has begun recruiting soldiers to be sent to Russia, according to Lee Seong Kweun, one of the lawmakers who attended the meeting. He told reporters the NIS noted that North Korea's dispatch of combat troops last year came about one month after Shoigu visited North Korea and signed an agreement with Pyongyang officials. In return for North Korea's supply of troops and weapons, Russia is believed to have given North Korea military and economic assistance. South Korea, the US and their allies are concerned that Russia could even transfer sensitive technologies that can enhance North Korea's nuclear program. Watch moment North Korean quadbike troops WIPED OUT as Putin sends waves into meatgrinder to retake Kursk from Ukraine In April, Kim Jong-un confirmed for the first time that North Korean troops were sent to fight alongside the Russians against Ukraine. Pyongyang's state TV and Kim's propaganda machine KCNA reported that North Korean soldiers made an "important contribution" to help the Russians flush out Kyiv's troops from Kursk. It said Kim deployed "sub-units of our armed forces" to Russia as part of a treaty with Moscow. The troops "participated in the operations for liberating the Kursk areas," the report added. North Korea "regards it as an honor to have an alliance with such a powerful state as the Russian Federation," KCNA said. Just two days ago, Kim draped flags over at least six coffins, and could be seen resting his hands on them in reflection. Watching the scenes back, the dictator's eyes shone with emotion. Other members of the audience - which reportedly included North Korean and Russian soldiers - were also visibly moved. Kim hosted a ceremony which remembered the soldiers taken out by Zelensky's brave army - and things got emotional for the tyrant. Thousands of North Koreans stood to attention in the vast auditorium, with Kim in the front row. Images of Kim draping the North Korean flag over soldiers' coffins were broadcast on a giant screen at the front while a huge orchestra played emotional music. Women in long dresses sang passionately and there was even a harp player stationed on the stage. 12 12 12 In January, Ukraine claimed to have captured two North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region. They were among the first 11,000 of Kim's troops drafted into Putin's illegal war after the pariah pair sealed a pact to unite against the West. The military card of one of the captured men shows that the Russians gave the North Koreans fake identities with the pretence that they were from a remote region of Siberia. One of the captives was given a false Russian identity of Antonin Ayasovich Arankyn, born 03.10.1998 in the republic of Tuva. His document shows him to be single, with secondary higher education and the profession of a tailor. The ID was issued by the Military Commissariat of the Pyi-Khemsky district, of Tuva, a mountainous Russian republic bordering Mongolia. The other had no documents. The SBU believes the pair are North Koreans after saying that the captive soldiers do not speak Ukrainian, English or Russian. The soldier with the Russian identity said this was issued to him when he was brought to fight in the war. Images have shown a line of dead North Korean troops laid out in the snow moments after they joined the fight on the front lines. Numerous reports have shown a disturbing pattern beginning to emerge of North Korean troops being sent out on suicide missions on behalf of Russia. Footage emerged recently of Kim Jong-un's fighters being sent to jog through snowy no-man's-land and fatally soak up Ukrainian ammo. 12 12 12 12