Page 128 - Latest Updates on Ukraine peace talks

110 mn forcibly displaced as Sudan, Ukraine wars add to refugee crisis: UN

Some 110 million people have had to flee their homes because of conflict, persecution, or human rights violations, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees says. The war in Sudan, which has displaced nearly 2 million people since April, is but the latest in a long list of crises that has led to the record-breaking figure. It's quite an indictment on the state of our world, Filippo Grandi, who leads the U.N. refugee agency, told reporters in Geneva ahead of the publication Wednesday of UNHCR's Global Trends Report for 2022. Last year alone, an additional 19 million people were forcibly displaced including more than 11 million who fled Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in what became the fastest and largest displacement of people since World War II. We are constantly confronted with emergencies, Grandi said. Last year the agency recorded 35 emergencies, three to four times more than in previous years. Very few make your headlines, Grandi added, arguing that the war in Sudan fell

Putin admits Russia's shortcomings as Ukraine presses counteroffensive

In the past, Moscow has frequently been accused of exaggerating its battlefield successes, and western officials were quick to portray the Ukrainian push as far more successful

India too big to 'take a pass' on Russia-Ukraine: Bipartisan US senators

"It was a little bit disappointing that when Russia invaded Ukraine, India took a pass," said Senator Cornyn

Group of European countries announce $116 mn donation to Ukraine amid war

Making the donation through the IFU allows donor nations to join forces on major acquisition projects from the defence industry, avoiding "our own military stocks being pressed unnecessarily"

Putin mixes threats of new offensive in Ukraine with offers of peace talks

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday alternated threats of a new Russian offensive to grab more Ukrainian land with statements about the Kremlin's readiness for peace talks. Speaking during a far-ranging meeting with Russian military correspondents and war bloggers, he made some of the most extensive comments about the conflict and his goals since sending the troops into Ukraine more than 15 months ago. Here is a quick look at some of Putin's key statements: UKRAINIAN COUNTEROFFENSIVE Putin asserted that Ukraine has suffered "catastrophic" losses in its counteroffensive. He said Ukrainian troops amassed reserves to launch the "large-scale" operation on June 4, but he claimed that the effort has failed to score gains and that Ukraine has lost 10 times more soldiers than Russia. His claims could not be verified. Putin declared that Ukraine lost 160 battle tanks and over 300 other armoured vehicles, while Russia only lost 54 tanks. He alleged that the Ukrainian armour losses

France accuses Russia of faking websites to sow confusion about Ukraine war

France's government accused Russia on Tuesday of operating a long-running online manipulation campaign, including impersonating the websites of leading French media and the French Foreign Ministry, aimed at spreading confusion and false information about the war in Ukraine. The French agency responsible for fighting foreign digital interference, VIGINUM, said it has monitored the alleged operation since soon after Russia invaded its neighbour and that France was one of several European countries targeted. It said it traced the campaign to Russian individuals, companies and state entities or entities affiliated to the Russian state. Last month, the agency detected a mirror website mimicking the French Foreign Ministry's and intervened with protective and preventive measures, VIGINUM said in a report published Tuesday. France condemns these actions, which are unworthy of a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. No attempt at manipulation will distract France from its

Ukraine making progress, advancing against Russian forces: NATO leader

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told President Joe Biden at an Oval Office meeting on Tuesday that Ukrainians are "making progress with their counteroffensive, which could bolster their position when there's an opportunity to reach a diplomatic end to the war with Russia. The support that we are providing together for Ukraine is now making a difference on the battlefield as we speak, Stoltenberg said. Because the offensive has launched, and the Ukrainians are making progress, making advances." He added, It's still early days, but what we do know is that the more land that Ukrainians are able to liberate, the stronger hand they will have at the negotiating table. Biden said NATO has grown more unified during the Ukraine war and we're going to be building on that momentum when the alliance holds its annual summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 11 and 12. The White House meeting, the fourth between the two leaders, occurred at a moment of particular peril and uncertainty for

Russian attack on Zelenskyy's hometown kills at least 10, dozens wounded

The mayor of the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih said 10 people have died following Russian missile strikes overnight that hit civilian sites including a residential building. Oleksandr Vilkul said 28 other people had been wounded and at least one person was believed to be under the rubble. In an early afternoon update Tuesday, Vilkul wrote on the Telegram app that a dozen injured people had been rushed to city hospitals.

At least 3 killed, dozens wounded in missile attack: Ukraine official

A regional governor says at least three people were killed and 25 wounded after missiles hit civilian buildings in an overnight attack in the central city of Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine. Serhiy Lysak, head of the regional administration, said the strike hit a five-story residential building early Tuesday and the area was engulfed in fire. He said in a Telegram post that rescue operations were ongoing.

Russia reports heavy fighting along border regions of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia

Russia-appointed officials and pro-Kremlin bloggers have reported intense fighting along the border of Ukraine's Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions -- an area where Kiev's forces have made gains

Ukraine claims recapture of 4th village in eastern Donetsk, says officials

Ukrainian military officials said Monday their troops have retaken another southeastern village from Russian forces, among the first small successes in stepped-up counteroffensive operations against Moscow's more than 15-month invasion of Ukraine. Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar wrote on Telegram that Ukraine's flag was again flying over the village of Storozhov, and she predicted the liberation of all Ukrainian land would the final outcome. A day earlier, Ukrainian officials said three other small villages clustered together south of the town of Velika Novosilke in the eastern Donetsk region had been liberated. The villages are located in the so-called Vremivka ledge, a section of the front line where the Russian-controlled area protrudes into territory held by Ukraine. The area has become one of several epicentres of intense fighting. The Russian Defence Ministry hasn't confirmed the Russian retreat from the villages, but some military bloggers have acknowledged the loss o

Kim Jong-un voices willingness to build stronger strategic ties with Russia

Kim said the Russian people's struggle to counter hostile forces' move to deprive Moscow of its sovereignty and security has entered a "new decisive phase"

Ukraine dam collapse is both quick disaster and lax ecological catastrophe

The destruction of the Kakhovka Dam was a fast-moving disaster that is swiftly evolving into a long-term environmental catastrophe affecting drinking water, food supplies and ecosystems reaching into the Black Sea. The short-term dangers can be seen from outer space tens of thousands of parcels of land flooded, and more to come. Experts say the long-term consequences will be generational. For every flooded home and farm, there are fields upon fields of newly planted grains, fruits and vegetables whose irrigation canals are drying up. Thousands of fish were left gasping on mud flats. Fledgling water birds lost their nests and their food sources. Countless trees and plants were drowned. If water is life, then the draining of the Kakhovka reservoir creates an uncertain future for the region of southern Ukraine that was an arid plain until the damming of the Dnieper River 70 years ago. The Kakhovka Dam was the last in a system of six Soviet-era dams on the river, which flows from Belar

Army regains 3 villages in separatist Donetsk region, says Ukrainian govt

The Ukrainian govt said that the army has regained three frontline villages in the separatist Donetsk region, marking one of the first victories in Kiev's counter-offensive against Russia

Ukraine says it recaptured village; Russia insists it is repelling attacks

Ukraine's military on Sunday reported recapturing a village in the southeast of the country amid Russian claims of repelling multiple attacks in the area, the latest indication that a highly anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive might be underway even as officials in Kyiv stop short of publicly acknowledging it. The 68th Separate Hunting Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces posted a video on Facebook showing soldiers installing a Ukrainian flag on a damaged building in what the post said was the village of Blahodatne in the partially occupied eastern Donetsk region. In a separate social media post, Ukraine's Ground Forces confirmed that the brigade had retaken Blahodatne. Myroslav Semeniuk, spokesman for the brigade, told The Associated Press that an assault team captured six Russian troops after entering several buildings where some 60 soldiers were holed up. The enemy keeps shelling us but this won't stop us, Semeniuk said. The next village we plan to reclaim is Urozhayne. Afte

Ukraine dam collapse: Fast-moving disaster and slow ecological catastrophe

The destruction of the Kakhovka Dam was a fast-moving disaster that is swiftly evolving into a long-term environmental catastrophe affecting drinking water, food supplies and ecosystems reaching into the Black Sea. The short-term dangers can be seen from outer space tens of thousands of parcels of land flooded, and more to come. Experts say the long-term consequences will be generational. For every flooded home and farm, there are fields upon fields of newly planted grains, fruits and vegetables whose irrigation canals are drying up. Thousands of fish were left gasping on mud flats. Fledgling water birds lost their nests and their food sources. Countless trees and plants were drowned. If water is life, then the draining of the Kakhovka reservoir creates an uncertain future for the region of southern Ukraine that was an arid plain until the damming of the Dnieper River 70 years ago. The Kakhovka Dam was the last in a system of six Soviet-era dams on the river, which flows from Bel

Counteroffensive, defensive actions taking place in Ukraine: Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that counteroffensive and defensive actions were underway against Russian forces, asserting that his top commanders were in a positive mindset as their troops engaged in intense fighting along the front line. The Ukrainian leader, at a Kyiv news conference alongside Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, responded to a question about Russian President Vladimir Putin's comment a day earlier that Ukraine's counteroffensive had started and Ukrainian forces were taking significant losses. Zelennsky said that the counteroffensive, defensive actions are taking place in Ukraine. I will not speak about which stage or phase they are in. I am in touch with our commanders of different directions every day, he added, citing the names of five of Ukraine's top military leaders. Everyone is positive. Pass this on to Putin. Trudeau, the first foreign leader to visit Ukraine since devastating floods caused by a breach in a Dnieper River dam, .

Ukraine launched 'counteroffensive' but 'failed' to accomplish goals: Putin

He praised the Russian military and weaponry in actions against the Ukrainian counteroffensive

Over 5,800 people evacuated after Kakhovka dam collapse

As water is draining from the Kakhovka reservoir, there is a threat to the supply of drinking water to 4,000 local residents

UN court allows record 32 nations to intervene in Ukraine's genocide case

The International Court of Justice has accepted requests from 32 countries to back Ukraine in a genocide case against Russia, the United Nations' highest court said Friday. It's the largest number of countries to join another nation's complaint at the world court based in The Hague, Netherlands. Ukraine's government filed the legally creative case days after Russia invaded its neighbor in February 2022. The Kremlin snubbed hearings held the next month, while protesters holding Ukrainian flags chanted antiwar slogans outside the court building's gates. Latvia was the first country to intervene in the complaint, which alleges Russia violated the 1948 Genocide Convention by falsely accusing Ukraine of committing genocide in its eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions, and using that as a pretext for the invasion. A record 33 countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia and every European Union member nation except Hungary requested to participate on Ukraine's side in the case