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Ukraine war live updates: U.S. slams Russia’s ‘sham elections’ in occupied areas; Kyiv hits out at Elon Musk

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Ukraine war live updates: U.S. slams Russia’s ‘sham elections’ in occupied areas; Kyiv hits out at Elon Musk

Blinken denounces Russia’s ‘sham elections’ in occupied areas of Ukraine

A man receives his ballot papers at a mobile polling station during early voting for local elections organised by the Russian-installed authorities in Donetsk, Russian-controlled Ukraine, on September 6, 2023, amid the ongoing conflict between the two countries.

Stringer | Afp | Getty Images

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken sharply criticized what he described as Russia’s “sham elections” in occupied areas of Ukraine, saying the Kremlin’s efforts to tighten its grip on partly controlled territories it illegally annexed a year ago “is nothing more than a propaganda exercise.”

Russian-installed authorities are holding local elections in the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. Voting opened Friday and is scheduled to finish Sunday.

The Russian embassy in the U.S. on Friday accused Washington of meddling in its internal affairs by calling the local elections in occupied areas of Ukraine “a sham,” Reuters reported, citing the RIA news agency.

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The Council of Europe, the continent’s foremost human rights body, also condemned the elections earlier this week, saying they represent “a flagrant violation of international law which Russia continues to disregard.”

— Sam Meredith

Ukraine hits out at Elon Musk for disrupting sneak attack on Russian fleet with Starlink cutoff

Elon Musk, chief executive officer of SpaceX and Tesla, and owner of X. formerly known as Twitter.

Gonzalo Fuentes | Reuters

A Ukrainian official slammed Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk for ordering engineers to shut off Starlink’s satellite network over Crimea last year in order to thwart a Ukrainian attack on Russian warships.

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“By not allowing Ukrainian drones to destroy part of the Russian military fleet via Starlink interference, Elon Musk allowed this fleet to fire Kalibr missiles at Ukrainian cities,” Mykhailo Podolyak, a top aide to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, wrote Thursday on social media. It comes after CNN reported some details from a new biography of Musk by author Walter Isaacson.

In the early days of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, as Western governments worked to supply Kyiv with artillery and air defense systems, the first of Musk’s Starlink terminals arrived in the country. Musk eventually soured on the arrangement.

According to the book, Musk said: “Starlink was not meant to be involved in wars. It was so people can watch Netflix and chill and get online for school and do good peaceful things, not drone strikes.”

He told Isaacson that he was worried the Ukrainian attack on Russian vessels would provoke the Kremlin into launching a nuclear war. The book, titled “Elon Musk,” will be released Tuesday.

Here’s the full story.

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— Amanda Macias, Katrina Bishop

Ukrainian counteroffensive making ‘tangible progress’, Blinken tells NBC News

Ukrainian military forces are making “very tangible progress” in the counteroffensive against Russian forces, American Secretary of State Antony Blinken told NBC News Thursday.

“I think we are seeing real forward movement,” Blinken said, “but again, this is going to go on. This is tough, this is hard.”

Blinken made the comments on the second day of his surprise visit to Ukraine, after announcing a $1 billion aid package for the country Wednesday.

— Hannah Ward-Glenton

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British American Tobacco to end Russia business within the next month

British American Tobacco said in a press release it plans to have sold its Russian and Belarusian businesses “within the next month.”

BAT had announced in March 2022 that the ownership of its businesses in Russia were “no longer sustainable in the current environment,” and said it would be transferring its business.

The tobacco giant will “no longer have a presence in Russia or Belarus” or make any financial gains from ongoing sales in those markets.

BAT said it was confident it would deliver according to its full-year guidance.

The news comes after droves of companies announced they would leave Russia following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but many still have a presence in the country.

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— Hannah Ward-Glenton

Read CNBC’s previous live coverage here:

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Exclusive: America's next top general in Europe will also lead NATO forces, officials say

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Exclusive: America's next top general in Europe will also lead NATO forces, officials say
President Donald Trump will maintain the traditional role of a U.S. general at the helm of NATO, at least for now, three U.S. officials, a Western official and a NATO source said, even as Washington pushes European allies to take more responsibility for their security.
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China accuses Hegseth of espousing 'Cold War mentality' for labeling country as a threat: 'Vilified'

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China accuses Hegseth of espousing 'Cold War mentality' for labeling country as a threat: 'Vilified'

China criticized U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sunday for his “vilified” remarks “filled with provocations” in which he said the Asian country poses a legitimate threat in the Indo-Pacific.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Hegseth touted a “Cold War mentality” when he delivered his speech on Saturday at the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore.

“Hegseth deliberately ignored the call for peace and development by countries in the region, and instead touted the Cold War mentality for bloc confrontation, vilified China with defamatory allegations, and falsely called China a ‘threat,’” a spokesperson for the ministry said in a statement.

“The remarks were filled with provocations and intended to sow discord,” the statement continued. “China deplores and firmly opposes them and has protested strongly to the U.S. No country in the world deserves to be called a hegemonic power other than the US itself, which is also the primary factor undermining the peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific.”

HEGSETH SAYS US WILL BOLSTER DEFENSES OVERSEAS TO SUPPORT INDO-PACIFIC ALLIES AGAINST CHINA

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The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Hegseth touted a “Cold War mentality” when he delivered his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore. (AP)

On Saturday, Hegseth said the U.S. will bolster its defenses overseas to counter what the Pentagon views as rapidly developing threats by China, particularly toward Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own.

The Chinese army “is rehearsing for the real deal,” Hegseth said. “We are not going to sugarcoat it — the threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent.”

The Pentagon chief said China is no longer building up its military forces to take Taiwan, but it is “actively training for it, every day.”

Addressing the dispute over Taiwan, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in its statement that the matter is China’s internal affair and that the U.S. should “never play with fire.”

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“No country is in a position to interfere,” the statement said. “The US should never imagine it could use the Taiwan question as leverage against China. The US must never play with fire on this question. China urges the US to fully abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, and stop supporting and emboldening the ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces.”

HEGSETH DENIES CLAIM THAT GOLDEN DOME IS ‘OFFENSIVE’: ‘PROTECTING THE HOMELAND’

Pete Hegseth

Hegseth said the U.S. will bolster its defenses overseas to counter what the Pentagon views as rapidly developing threats by China. (AP)

The statement also accused the U.S. of deploying offensive weaponry in the South China Sea and “stoking flames and creating tensions” in the Asia-Pacific, which it said was “turning the region into a powder keg and making countries in the region deeply concerned.”

In the South China Sea, the statement said there “has never been any problem with regard to freedom of navigation and overflight there.”

“China has always been committed to working with countries concerned to properly handle differences through dialogue and consultation, while safeguarding China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in accordance with laws and regulations,” the spokesperson said. “It is the U.S. that is the primary factor hurting the peace and stability in the South China Sea.”

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The statement concluded: “China urges the U.S. to fully respect the efforts of countries in the region to maintain peace and stability, stop deliberately destroying the peaceful and stable environment cherished by the region, and stop inciting conflict and confrontation and escalating tensions in the region.”

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang also called Hegseth’s comments a provocation that distorted China’s policy positions.

Hegseth

Hegseth said the Chinese army “is rehearsing for the real deal” and the threat it poses could be imminent. (AP)

While Hegseth vowed to boost U.S. defenses overseas to counter any possible threat from China, the defense secretary insisted that allies in the Indo-Pacific also contribute more to their own defense.

“We ask, and indeed we insist, that our allies and partners do their part on defense,” he said on Saturday. “Sometimes that means having uncomfortable and tough conversations.”

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The U.S. and China reached a deal last month to cut tariffs on each down to 115% for 90 days to allow time for negotiators from both sides to come to a more substantive agreement — U.S. tariffs on China were reduced from 145% to 30% and China’s taxes on the U.S. were slashed from 125% to 10%.

But Trump said in a social media post on Friday that he would no longer be “nice” with China when it comes to trade and accused Beijing of breaking an unspecified agreement with the U.S.

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South Korea’s presidential election aims to restore democratic credentials

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South Korea’s presidential election aims to restore democratic credentials

Seoul, South Korea – After six hours of emergency martial law, hundreds of days of protests, violence at a Seoul court and the eventual impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol, South Korea is now hours away from choosing a new leader in the hope of restoring stability to an unsettled nation.

From 6am to 8pm on Tuesday (21:00 to 11:00 GMT), South Koreans will vote for one of five presidential candidates in a race led largely by the opposition Democratic Party’s Lee Jae-myung. He is followed in the polls by the governing People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo.

The election – involving 44.39 million eligible voters – is expected to see either of these two top contenders replace Yoon. The expelled former president last week attended his fifth court hearing where he faces charges of leading an insurrection and abusing power due to his failed imposition of martial law on December 3.

If convicted, Yoon could face a maximum penalty of life in prison or even the death sentence.

Participation in the election is predicted to be at an all-time high amid the political turmoil resulting from the brief imposition of military rule, which still resonates in every corner of society and has sharply divided the country along political lines. There are those who still support Yoon and those who vehemently oppose his martial law decision.

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The Democratic Party’s Lee is currently the clear frontrunner, with Gallup Korea’s latest poll on May 28 placing his support at 49 percent, compared with People Power Party Kim’s 36 percent, as the favourite to win.

Early voting, which ended on Friday, had the second-highest voter turnout in the country’s history, at 34.74 percent, while overseas voting from 118 countries reached a record high of 79.5 percent.

Lee Jae-myung’s second chance

In the last presidential election in 2022, Yoon narrowly edged out Lee in the closest presidential contest in South Korea’s history.

After his crushing defeat in 2022 to a voting margin of just 0.73 percentage points, Lee now has another chance at the top office, and to redeem his political reputation.

About a month ago, South Korea’s Supreme Court determined that Lee had spread falsehoods during his 2022 presidential bid in violation of election law.

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In addition to surviving a series of bribery charges during his tenure as mayor of Seongnam and governor of Gyeonggi Province, which he claimed were politically motivated, Lee also survived a stabbing attack to his neck during a news conference in Busan last year.

Fortunately for Lee, the courts have agreed to postpone further hearings of his ongoing trials until after the election.

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate for South Korea’s Democratic Party, waves to his supporters while leaving an election campaign rally in Hanam, South Korea, on Monday [Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters]

On the campaign trail this time around, Lee addressed his supporters from behind bulletproof glass, with snipers positioned on rooftops, scanning the crowds for potential threats, as counterterrorism units patrolled on foot.

Lee has also been joined on his campaign by conservative lawmakers, his former opponents, who have publicly supported his run for office numerous times during the past month, seeing him as a path back to political stability.

People Power Party candidate Kim was served an especially hard blow when his parliamentary colleague, Kim Sang-wook, defected from the party in early May to join Lee’s Democratic Party.

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According to polling data from South Korea’s leading media outlet Hankyoreh, only 55 percent of conservative voters who supported Yoon in the 2022 election said they would back the People Power Party’s Kim this time around.

While such shifts represent the crisis that the mainstream conservative party is facing after the political fallout from Yoon’s botched martial law plan and removal from office, it also testifies to Lee’s appeal to both moderate and conservative voters.

Future president faces ‘heavy burden’

“The events of the martial law, insurrection attempt and impeachment process have dealt a heavy blow to our democracy,” said Lim Woon-taek, a sociology professor at Keimyung University and a former member of the Presidential Commission on Policy Planning.

“So, the new president will receive a heavy burden when assuming the president’s seat,” Lim told Al Jazeera.

Youth unemployment, social inequality and climate change have also become pressing issues that Yoon’s administration failed to tackle.

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According to recent research, South Korea’s non-regular workers, including contract employees and part-timers, accounted for 38 percent of all wage and salary workers last year.

Lee has promised to champion business-friendly policies, and concentrate on investment in research and development and artificial intelligence, while refraining from focusing on divisive social issues such as the gender wars.

His stance has shifted considerably from his time moving up the political ranks when he promoted left-wing ideas, such as a universal basic income.

Events on the night of the declaration of martial law on December 3, also helped cement Lee’s image as a political freedom fighter. A former human rights lawyer, Lee was livestreamed scaling the walls of the National Assembly as the military surrounded the compound, where he rallied fellow legislators to vote and strike down Yoon’s decision to mobilise the military.

Among Lee’s most central campaign pledges has been his promise to bring to justice those involved in Yoon’s martial law scheme and tighten controls on a future president’s ability to do the same. Lee also wants to see a constitutional amendment that would allow presidents to serve two four-year terms, a change from the current single-term five years.

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While Lee’s closest challenger, Kim, has agreed on such policies and made sure to distance himself from Yoon, the former labour-activist-turned-hardline-conservative has also said the former president’s impeachment went too far.

Kim Moon-soo, the presidential candidate for South Korea's conservative People Power Party, speaks during his election campaign rally in Seoul, South Korea, June 1, 2025. REUTERS/Go Nakamura
Kim Moon-soo, the presidential candidate for South Korea’s conservative People Power Party, speaks during his election campaign rally in Seoul, South Korea, on Sunday [Go Nakamura/Reuters]

Trump, tariffs and South Korea’s new direction

The election also unfolds as United States President Donald Trump has proposed a series of tariffs on key South Korean exports such as steel, semiconductors and automobiles.

In the face of those threats, Lee has promised to stimulate demand and growth, while Kim has promised to ease business regulations. Kim also emphasised his plan to hold an immediate summit meeting with Trump to discuss the tariffs.

Lee, on the other hand, has promised a more pragmatic foreign policy agenda which would maintain relations with the US administration but also prioritise “national interests”, such as bridging closer relations with neighbouring China and Russia.

On North Korea, Lee is determined to ease tensions that have risen to unprecedented heights in recent years, while Kim has pledged to build up the country’s military capability to counter Pyongyang, and wants stronger security support from the US.

Lee has also promised to relocate the National Assembly and the presidential office from Seoul to Sejong City, which would be designated as the country’s new administrative capital, continuing a process of city-planning rebalancing that has met a series of setbacks in recent years.

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Another major issue that Keimyung University’s Lim hopes the future leader will focus more on is the climate situation.

“Our country is considered a climate villain, and we will face future restrictions in our exports if we don’t address the immediate effects of not keeping limits on the amount of our hazardous outputs,” Lim said.

“The future of our country will really rest on this one question: whether the next president will draw out such issues like the previous administration or face the public sphere and head straight into the main issues that are deteriorating our society.”

The results of Tuesday’s vote are expected to emerge either late on Tuesday or in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

In the 2022 election, Yoon was proclaimed the winner at 4:40am the morning after election day.

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With Lee the clear frontrunner in this election, the outcome could be evident as early as Tuesday night.

But enhanced surveillance at polling stations this year due to concerns raised about counting errors may be a factor in slowing down any early announcement of the country’s next president.

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