Sweden's Saab signs deal to deliver 16 fighter jets to Ukraine

Swedish defence equipment manufacturer Saab has signed a contract to deliver 16 Gripen E fighter aircraft to Ukraine in a deal valued at approximately 24.6 billion Swedish crowns ($2.54 billion). Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Telegram that the agreement with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson covers the purchase of the 16 aircraft and includes technical support. However, Saab’s delivery timeline differs from Zelenskyy’s: while the president said deliveries would begin in 2027, the company schedules them for 2029-2030.

Ukrainian commander on possible Russian attack

Ukraine’s top military commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said in an interview broadcast on Tuesday that his forces are preparing for a possible new Russian attack from the north. He stated that an attack from neighbouring Belarus is unlikely, but the most realistic scenario is an offensive from Russia’s Bryansk region. Syrskyi confirmed that Ukraine is preparing for this option based on multiple data sources.

Russian glide bombs hit Zaporizhzhia

Russian glide bombs killed two people and injured at least 15 others in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia on Tuesday, according to regional governor Ivan Fedorov. He reported on Telegram that Russian forces used seven bombs over 90 minutes against the city, which is frequently targeted.

Denmark announces new aid package

Denmark announced on Tuesday a new military donation package to Ukraine worth about 4.4 billion crowns ($671.8 million). Around 1.3 billion crowns are allocated to the “Danish model,” which finances Ukrainian state procurement through its own defence industry. Additional funds have been set aside for long-range artillery ammunition. This is Denmark’s 30th military support package to Ukraine.

Parcel bomb in Monaco

Police on Tuesday were searching for a suspect behind a parcel bomb that seriously wounded a sanctioned multimillionaire of Ukrainian origin and two others in Monaco. Authorities in Monaco and neighbouring France are hunting a man in a black fisher’s hat seen in surveillance footage after leaving a package in a residential building near the border. The explosion occurred around 9pm (1900 GMT) on Monday, leaving a man and a woman seriously wounded and a 13-year-old with lighter injuries. Monaco public prosecutor Stephane Thibault said on Tuesday the man had stabilised, but the woman remains in a life-threatening condition. The blast is being investigated as attempted murder, not terrorism. Multiple sources indicate the presumed target is Ukrainian-born businessman Vadym Yermolaiev, a permanent resident of Monaco with Cypriot nationality. Yermolaiev is a sanctioned multimillionaire with a reportedly long list of enemies in Ukraine. Kyiv alleges he maintained an alcohol business in Russian-annexed Crimea, paying taxes to Moscow even after the 2022 invasion.

Kenya joins anti-mercenary treaties

Kenya’s cabinet on Tuesday approved the country’s accession to two international anti-mercenary treaties, aiming to curb recruitment of citizens into foreign conflicts and combat human trafficking. Kenya is among several African countries whose citizens have reportedly been forcibly conscripted into the Russian army to fight in Ukraine after being lured with promises of jobs abroad. The foreign affairs ministry officially estimates that 291 Kenyans have been victims of Russia’s “irregular military recruitment,” including 19 dead and 32 missing.