Latest Updates on Ukraine peace talks

Ukraine strikes more oil facilities deep inside Russia, says Zelenskyy

Ukraine hit more oil facilities deep inside Russia in nighttime attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday, as Kyiv kept up its campaign to undermine Moscow's wartime economy and embarrass the Kremlin. The repeated strikes have caused fuel shortages and rattled Russians while heartening Ukrainians, who are enduring regular Russian barrages that Kyiv's weakened air defences are struggling to counter. Ukrainian forces hit a refinery in Bashkortostan, more than 1,300 kilometres (800 miles) behind the front line in eastern Ukraine, as well as a refinery in the Yaroslavl region, almost 700 kilometres (400 miles) from the Ukrainian border, Zelenskyy said on social media. Also, Ukrainian forces hit two Russian military patrol boats in the Black Sea, according to Zelenskyy, as well as vessels belonging to Moscow's so-called shadow fleet, which Russia uses to evade Western restrictions on its oil exports. He did not provide details about the vessels or the extent of the .

Zelenskyy seeks Trump's help to expand Starlink use for strikes in Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pitched President Donald Trump and other American officials on helping Ukraine win permission from tech titan Elon Musk to use his Starlink satellite communications system to guide strikes inside Russia. The push for expanded use of Starlink comes as Zelenskyy looks for alternate ways to mitigate the need for US Patriot air defence systems to thwart the steady barrage of Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian territory. The interceptors are in shorter supply as the US and Israeli war against Iran continues to rage, and Trump on Friday appeared to back away from a recent commitment to give Ukraine a license to produce them. Zelenskyy made the request directly to Trump in an Oval Office meeting this week during his whirlwind trip to Washington, according to one person familiar with the matter. He also told lawmakers later on Capitol Hill that he wanted Starlink to help with targeting inside Russia, according to a person in the room. .

SC asks Centre to appoint nodal officer for Russia-Ukraine war victims' kin

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Centre to appoint a nodal officer in the Ministry of External Affairs to coordinate with the families of those who have died, gone missing, or suffered injuries while fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana also directed the MEA to facilitate DNA matching of family members with the mortal remains. It asked the MEA to assist affected families in filing compensation claims before the Russian Embassy here and to provide all relevant information and updates in vernacular languages. The bench also directed the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and state legal services to extend assistance to the families in securing the mortal remains of their relatives and pursuing compensation claims. The directions came while hearing a petition filed by family members of those who allegedly died or went missing after being recruited to fight in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine

Kudankulam nuclear project costs jump 55% after delays due to Ukraine war

Construction delays linked to the Ukraine war have pushed the estimated cost of four new Russian-designed reactors at Kudankulam to ₹1.38 trillion

India scrambles for sunflower oil alternatives on Black Sea disruptions

Delays in sunflower oil shipments from Russia and Ukraine push the world's largest buyer towards palm, soy and South American supplies amid weak domestic crops

India, China fuelling 'Putin's war machine': US Senator on sanctions bill

The US Senate moved a step closer to passing a bipartisan bill that would allow Trump to impose sanctions on countries, including India and China, that continue to buy Russian oil.

Govt issues advisory for sailors after five seafarers killed in Black Sea

The MEA has advised Indian nationals to assess security risks before accepting jobs on commercial vessels operating in or transiting the Black Sea region

Rubio to meet Russia's foreign minister to revive Ukraine peace efforts

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet Thursday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in the Philippines, where he's expected to renew the prospect of the US trying to broker an end to the war in Ukraine. The meeting between Rubio and Lavrov is slated to occur on the sidelines of a gathering by Southeast Asian foreign ministers, among the most high-profile side meetings the region's top diplomats were having at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations event in Manila. US efforts to broker an end to the Russia-Ukraine war have dropped off as indirect talks stalled and the Iran war took centre stage. Renewed strikes by Washington and Tehran have been intensifying after an interim ceasefire deal collapsed. Rubio told reporters in Manila on Wednesday that he plans to raise the conflict in Ukraine with Lavrov, saying that the US remained open to playing a role in ending the conflict "if that opportunity presents itself." He acknowledged that those efforts have "kind of

Ukraine's new military chief forged his reputation fighting Russia in 2014

The new commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian military forged his reputation as a daring and determined fighter in the early days of the country's battle against Russia, then spent a decade in combat assignments while steadily rising through the ranks. Maj Gen Mykhailo Drapatyi was named to the post Tuesday after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi following days of mass protests in Kyiv and other cities demanding his removal. In a Facebook post, he thanked Syrskyi for his work strengthening the military. "I grew up in it," he said, referring to the army. "I will work responsibly, with focus and with respect for the people defending our state today." Drapatyi, 43, represents a new generation of Ukrainian generals forged in the crucible of the country's fight against Russia. He has spent nearly his entire career in combat postings, including leading Ukraine's Joint Forces, which direct day-to-day combat operations across branches of the army. He is known as ...

Zelenskyy fires Ukraine's military chief after protests, names replacement

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday fired Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi as commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces and named his replacement, following days of mass protests in Kyiv, the country's capital, and other cities across the nation demanding his removal. It was the second major change Zelenskyy has made under street pressure, after protests last summer forced him to undo a law weakening Ukraine's anti-corruption watchdogs. Zelenskyy appointed Mykhailo Drapatyi as the new army chief, according to a statement on social media. "Our shared wish is one - victory over the enemy and conditions at the front and in pressure on Russia that would force Russia toward peace," Zelenskyy said. The Ukrainian leader said he made the decision after a series of meetings with military commanders. They began shortly after protests broke out demanding the reinstatement of former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, seen by demonstrators as a driver of military modernisation, and the removal of .

India summons Russian envoy over killing of 4 Indians off Ukrainian coast

India on Tuesday summoned the Russian charge d'affaires (CDA) and lodged a strong protest over the killing of four Indian seafarers aboard a Guinea Bissau-flagged merchant vessel off the coast of Ukraine. Sources said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) told the Russian diplomat that the attack on the merchant vessel, which killed Indians, was unacceptable. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Russia attacked the civilian vessel navigating Ukraine's maritime corridor on Sunday and its crew included citizens of Syria and India. It is the first instance of death of Indian seafarers in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The Guinea-Bissau-flagged ship was hit by Russian cruise missiles, the Ukrainian Air Force said. The vessel -- MV Golden Leo -- had 17 crew members, including five Indian nationals, according to the MEA. India condemned the attack and reiterated that targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members is "deplorable and should be ...

Russian missile attack on Kyiv kills 1, exposes holes in air defences

Russia attacked Kyiv overnight with ballistic missiles and other weapons, killing one and wounding 16 people, local authorities said, again highlighting Ukraine's shortage of US-made Patriot air defence systems. US President Donald Trump has said he is prepared to grant Ukraine licenses to produce Patriots, the most effective means of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles, potentially bolstering Kyiv's defences against similar Russian strikes. However, the details and timeline for implementing the decision remain unclear. The latest attack on Kyiv began at around 1:30 am and continued for several hours, with explosions echoing across the city. Russia launched 41 missiles and 125 drones across Ukraine overnight, according to the Ukrainian air force. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said most of the missiles had targeted the capital. The strikes on Kyiv sparked fires in five districts, damaging residential buildings, office and industrial sites, a dormitory and vehicles, according to

9 killed, 80 injured as Ukraine strikes warehouses, oil depot in Russia

Ukrainian drones struck two sprawling warehouses, one of them just east of Moscow, as part of attacks overnight and on Saturday afternoon that killed nine people and wounded more than 80, Russian officials said. Kyiv's forces have pressed their relentless aerial campaign against energy infrastructure and military targets inside Russia, aiming to undermine Moscow's war effort and make Russians feel the consequences of the Kremlin's all-out invasion of Ukraine that is well into its fifth year. Two sprawling warehouses of Russia's major online retailer, Wildberries, were hit by Ukrainian drones overnight, according to Russian officials - one in the town of Kotovsk in the Tambov region, some 360 kilometers (220 miles) from the border with Ukraine, and another in the city of Elektrostal, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) east of Moscow. A Ukrainian drone also hit an oil depot in the city of Noginsk, just north of Elektrostal, sparking a fire and prompting evacuations of a nearby maternity .

7 killed, over 50 injured in Ukrainian drone attack on Russian regions

Seven people were killed and 51 others were wounded in Russia overnight by Ukrainian drone attacks, Russian officials said Saturday. Kyiv's forces are continuing their relentless aerial campaign against energy infrastructure and military targets inside Russia, aiming to undermine Moscow's war effort and make Russians feel the consequences of the Kremlin's all-out invasion of Ukraine that is well into its fifth year. Two sprawling warehouses of Russia's major online retailer, Wildberries, were hit by Ukrainian drones overnight, according to Russian officials: one in the town of Kotovsk in the Tambov region, some 360 kilometres (roughly 220 miles) from the border with Ukraine, and another one in the city of Elektrostal, about 50 kilometres (some 30 miles) east of Moscow. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post on Saturday that Ukrainian long-range strikes hit two "significant logistical facilities in the Moscow and Tambov regions." "These facilities were used

US Senate bill seeks 100% tariffs on India, China for buying Russian oil

A bill seeking to impose 100 per cent tariffs on five countries, including India and China, for buying Russian oil, while exempting European nations purchasing gas from Moscow, was introduced in the US Senate with the support of over 60 lawmakers. The bill, introduced on Thursday, was conceived by Democrat Senator Richard Blumenthal and late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. It is designed to deprive Russian President Vladimir Putin of revenue used to finance the war against Ukraine by imposing mandatory sanctions on Russia's political leadership, financial institutions, energy sector, and sanctions evasion networks. Blumenthal had said on Tuesday that the proposed legislation was aimed at imposing 100 per cent tariffs on five major purchasers of Russian oil -- China, India, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan. The text of the bill introduced in the Senate on Thursday imposes tariffs on imports from countries that are the world's top five purchasers of Russian crude oil or natural ga

Best of BS Opinion: New urea policy skirts fertiliser subsidy reform

From fertiliser subsidies and Russian oil tariffs to regulatory independence, rural water reforms and the politics of interfaith marriage, here are today's top Opinion pieces.

How Putin turned Japan into a hub for Russian espionage operations

Operating out of a Tokyo high-rise, a military intelligence unit finds the high-tech equipment that Russia needs to wage war

Russian attacks kill 6, injure 29 as Ukrainian forces target oil tankers

Russian attacks on Ukraine killed six people, including a child, and wounded 29, officials said Saturday, adding that Ukrainian forces damaged more than two dozen Russian tankers and other vessels in the Sea of Azov. Ukraine's General Staff said 21 tankers used to transport oil and petroleum products were damaged overnight, in addition to four tugboats, two cargo ships and a dredging vessel. Russian officials said one person was killed in the Ukrainian drone strikes and that only four ships came under attack. In Ukraine's northeast Sumy region, four people were killed, including a child, and 17 people were wounded when two aerial glide bombs hit a crowded area where civilians were present, said Sumy regional head Oleh Hryhorov. Eleven people, including one child, were wounded in missile and drone attacks overnight on Kyiv, the State Emergency Service reported. In the southern region of Odesa, two people were killed after a Russian missile struck a building, said regional head Oleh .

At least 10 injured as Russia targets Kyiv with missiles and drones

At least 10 people, including a child, were injured after Russia launched an overnight missile and drone attack on Kyiv early Saturday, according to Ukraine's State Emergency Service. Explosions and fires were reported across the capital's Solomianskyi, Darnytskyi and Dniprovskyi districts, the emergency service said in a statement on Telegram. In Solomianskyi district, a strike ignited a fire in a three-storey office and warehouse building, while another warehouse caught fire in the Dniprovskyi district after it was hit. Russia launched 10 missiles of various types, including six ballistic missiles, along with 121 drones against Ukraine overnight, Ukraine's Air Force said. Ukrainian air defences said they shot down or electronically suppressed two missiles and 111 drones. The Air Force said direct hits were recorded at 11 locations from ballistic missiles, two guided air-to-surface missiles and seven attack drones. Falling debris from intercepted weapons was reported at three ...

Should the world adopt a law to recognise ecocide as a global crime?

From the Vietnam War to the crisis in West Asia, the environment is no longer just collateral damage. It is becoming a target in its own right