Ukraine updates: Russian Kharkiv push displaces thousands

Authorities have been organizing buses to transport people out of border settlements like Vovchansk

Ukraine's governor of the Kharkiv region said on Thursday that 10,980 people in total had fled their homes in the roughly two weeks since Russia launched an attack on a line that had long been static at ground level.

Across the border in Belgorod, a missile alert warning sounded overnight and Russia's Defense Ministry reported several intercepted projectiles and drones. The local governor however said no casualties had been reported.

And Germany's Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is in Lithuania for a meeting of northern European defense ministers. This comes amid the latest domestic dispute over spending in Berlin, this time pertaining to a new permanent force of Bundeswehr soldiers stationed in Lithuania.

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Nearly 11,000 relocated in Kharkiv amid Russian push

The governor of Ukraine's Kharkiv region has said that almost 11,000 people had been forced to leave their homes since Russian forces launched a ground attack on May 10.

"A total of 10,980 people were evacuated," Governor Oleh Syniehubov said on Telegram.

Thousands have fled their homes or been encouraged to leave as Russian forces advanced towards border villages including Lyptsi and the city of Vovchansk, just 5 kilometers (roughly 3 miles) from the border.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that the assualt, which has brought Russia its biggest territorial gains in more than a year, could be the first of several waves.

The warmer summer months are the easiest time to try to make ground in a region that frequently faces cold winters.

Norway adds more restrictions for Russian tourists

Norway on Thursday announced further restrictions for Russian tourists seeking to visit the country.

The NATO member, which shares an Arctic border with Russia, first tightened restrictions on Russian tourist visas soon after the invasion of Ukraine, in April of 2022.

"The decision to tighten the entry rules is in line with the Norwegian approach of standing by allies and partners in reaction to Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine," Justice Minister Emilie Mehl said in a statement.

Russian citizens visiting for tourism purposes or other non-essential travel will in many cases by rejected upon entry across the external border. Exceptions may be granted in cases such as visits to close family residing in Norway, the ministry said.

Germany's Pistorius in Lithuania amid troop bonus coalition dispute at home

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is in Lithuania for a meeting of northern European defense ministers later on Thursday morning.

This comes as Germany deploys troops permanently to the Baltic state and Russian neighbor as NATO looks to reinforce its eastern flank.

The German task force in Lithuania was making headlines domestically ahead of Pistorius' visit, in the shape of the latest of several coalition government disputes over spending in Berlin.

News magazine Der Spiegel ran a story on Wednesday saying that Finance Minister Christian Lindner had "vetoed" plans for additional bonus payments for troops taking part in the mission. Lindner disputed this choice of wording online but also acknowledged his team was querying the plans.

"No, I am not vetoing the bonuses for the Lithuania brigade. But my experts do have questions," Lindner said. "The Finance Ministry is not an agency where taxpayers' money can simply be demanded."

Lindner, who leads the party most averse to spending in the coalition, the neoliberal Free Democrats, has been publicly resisting several coalition spending proposals. He argues that it's necessary to find savings amid reduced tax revenues and sluggish economic growth.

Pistorius, meanwhile, told Der Spiegel that he was "a little surprised" by the Finance Ministry's intervention, saying that the details of the plan had been discussed in advance with Lindner. He said he would stick to his plan and consult with the finance minister.

Germany has been scrambling and also struggling to increase defense spending, recruit more soldiers, and improve its military readiness in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Belgorod reports overnight aerial attack but no casualties

Russia's Defense Ministry said air defenses in the border city of Belgorod destroyed a number of rockets and drones launched by Ukraine overnight.

A missile attack warning had sounded in the city overnight.

Around daybreak, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram that no casualties had been reported. He also said that the security alert was no longer in effect.

The city of Belgorod has come under fairly frequent fire in recent months, with this being one of the reasons President Vladimir Putin has given to try to justify Russia's renewed push into the neighboring Kharkiv region this month.

msh/rt (dpa, Reuters, AFP, AP)