The Russian invasion.

Russian invasionRussian reactions
Russian balloons guard the border with Finland

Russia has set up large balloons near the border with Finland, reports Svenska Yle.

It is happening after previous reports in the Russian media that "airships" are to guard the border - but there is no direct question of any such, according to Janne Hietala, CEO of the company Kelluu that manufactures airships. He believes that the surveillance capabilities of the balloons are limited.

- It resembles an airship, but it has no engine. Instead of moving, it is attached to a point on the ground with, for example, a rope or a cable.

According to experts, it could be a response to Nato's plans for a joint drone defense system on the alliance's eastern border - or a toothless move aimed at showing home audiences that it is strengthening the border.

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The Russian invasion. The outside world's response  

French military instructors are sent to Ukraine  

 

Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi has signed a document allowing French military instructors to train soldiers in Ukraine, Reuters reports.  

 

"I welcome France's initiative to send instructors who can train Ukrainian soldiers," writes Syrskyj on Telegram.  

 

France is clearly open to sending troops to Ukraine. However, the instructors who will soon arrive in Ukraine are not to actively participate in combat.  

 

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The Russian InvasionThe Battles  

Russia: Captured two more villages in eastern Ukraine 

 

Russia has captured two villages in eastern Ukraine: one in the Donetsk region and one in the Kharkiv region. This is stated by the Russian Defense Ministry, reports Reuters. 

 

The captures of the villages of Ivanivka and Netailove are the latest in a series of Russian successes in the ground offensive that began earlier in May.  

 

Russia's advance in the Kharkiv region is the biggest in 18 months, according to AFP calculations.