Page 2 - Soldiers

World Red Cross Day 2024: Date, history, theme, importance, and more

World Red Cross Day is observed every year on 8 May. This day is dedicated to individuals who are experiencing different natural calamities, armed conflicts, and other emergencies

Ukraine soldiers say rear defensive lines barely exist amid Russian advance

During pitched battles with far better-armed Russian forces, Ukrainian soldier Batyar's unit has few options. Devastating Russian aerial glide bombs that can drop up to 1.5 tons of explosives out of range of most of Ukraine's air defences are gnawing away at his men's positions in a new tactic. Yet, to retreat carries no promise of safety the rear defensive lines meant to give them cover barely exist, he said. Lack of ammunition is forcing the outnumbered Ukrainian soldiers to pull back, one village after another, including three surrendered on Sunday, as intense fighting roils the countryside surrounding Avdiivka nearly three months after the strategic city fell to Russia. It's necessary to increase the pace of building fortifications so that when we retreat, we will retreat to a prepared position," said Batyar, a unit commander who gave only his military call sign in line with brigade protocols. "These fortifications are not enough. Facing an outcry after Avdiivka's fall, Ukra

'Agniveer' scheme brought to benefit a biz house instead of soldiers: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday charged the Narendra Modi government with having brought the 'Agniveer' scheme in order to spend the defence budget for the benefit of a big business house, instead of emoluments paid to the soldiers. Gandhi made the allegation at Mohania in Kaimur district of Bihar, bordering Uttar Pradesh, a region from where youngsters are known to enrol in the armed forces on a large scale. The region was a witness to large-scale protests against the Agniveer scheme two years ago. An Agniveer will not get a salary and pension on par with a regular army soldier nor will he get access to the canteen," alleged Gandhi. The government had launched the 'Agnipath' scheme on June 15, 2022 to recruit aspirants in below the officer's rank' cadre of the three services for a period of four years as 'Agniveers'. The former Congress president claimed, "This is because the Modi government does not want to spend the defence budget on salary and other perks of soldiers. I

6 jawans injured as Assam Rifles soldier fires at colleagues in Manipur

At least six Assam Rifles personnel were injured after a soldier opened fire at them before killing himself in Manipur's Chandel district, police said on Wednesday. The incident took place in Sajik Tampak area late on Tuesday when the Assam Rifles jawan fired at his colleagues, they said. He later shot himself dead, a police officer said. ... This unfortunate incident should not be correlated with the ongoing ethnic conflict, given the fact that none of the injured are from Manipur. Investigation into the incident has been ordered to ascertain the facts," the Manipur Police said on X. The injured personnel, who are undergoing treatment, are reported to be in stable condition, the officer said.

Sam the brave

As the nation experiences a resurgence of nationalism, a biography of Manekshaw by his aides-de-camp is poised to resonate widely

Rajnath approves maternity, childcare leave for women soldiers, sailors

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved a proposal to grant maternity, child care and child adoption leave to women soldiers, sailors and air warriors on par with their officer counterparts. The defence ministry on Sunday said the decision is in line with Singh's vision of "inclusive participation" of all women in the armed forces, irrespective of their ranks. It said the measure is going to improve the work conditions for women in the military as it will help them balance their professional and family lives in a better manner. "Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved a proposal for extension of the rules for maternity, child care and child adoption leave for women soldiers, sailors and air warriors in the armed forces at par with their officer counterparts," it said. "With the issuing of the rules, the grant of such leave to all women in the military, whether one is an officer or any other rank, will be equally applicable," the ministry added. At present, the women office

Missing army personnel from Assam confirmed dead in Sikkim flash flood: CM

The Indian Army on Saturday said that search and rescue efforts are underway to locate and rescue the remaining 14 missing soldiers and other civilians in recent Sikkim flash floods.Indian Army also expressed condolences over the loss of eight jawans in recent flash floods triggered by a cloudburst in Sikkim.The Army in a statement said that Army Chief General Manoj Pande and all ranks of the Indian Army express heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of eight Indian Army soldiers in the unfortunate incident of flash floods arising out of a glacial lake burst in Sikkim."We stand firm with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. COAS and all ranks Indian Army also expressed grief at the loss of civilian lives in this tragic incident,' it said."Concerted search and rescue efforts are ongoing to locate and rescue the remaining 14 missing soldiers and other civilians," the release further added.It said that Indian Army efforts towards providing safety, relief & succour to the ..

Hamas says it is holding Israeli soldiers captured in surprise incursion

The Hamas militant group says it is holding dozens of Israeli soldiers captive in the Gaza Strip. Abu Obeida, spokesman for the group's military wing, said the soldiers, including some officers, were captured during a surprise infiltration into southern Israel on Saturday. He said the captives were being held in safe places and militant tunnels. If true, the claim could set the stage for complicated negotiations on a prisoner swap with Israel, which is holding thousands of Palestinians in its prisons. Israel in the past has agreed to lopsided exchanges in order to bring captive soldiers home. Hamas militants fired thousands of rockets and sent dozens of fighters into Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip in an unprecedented surprise early morning attack during a major Jewish holiday Saturday, killing dozens and stunning the country. Israel said it is now at war with Hamas and launched airstrikes in Gaza, vowing to inflict an unprecedented price. Hours after the incursion began, Israe

Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande offers deepest condolences to kin of 9 soldiers

The army truck that the soldiers were travelling in skidded off a road and plunged into a deep gorge in the Leh district of Ladakh on Saturday

36 soldiers killed in ambush by armed group, helicopter crash: Nigeria

At least 36 Nigerian soldiers were killed in the country's northcentral region during an ambush by armed gangs and in the crash of a helicopter sent to the scene, the nation's military said Thursday. Residents told the Associated Press that the helicopter was shot down by the armed gangs in Niger state's Wushishi district following clashes earlier in the week, echoing warnings from analysts about the growing might of the gunmen in the country's hard-hit northern region. Soldiers were conducting an offensive operation in Niger state on Monday when they were ambushed by the armed gangs, defence spokesman Maj. Gen. Edward Buba told reporters. The ambush and the firefight resulted in the death of three officers, 22 soldiers," he said, adding that seven soldiers were wounded. A Nigerian Air Force helicopter was then sent to evacuate the casualties but it crashed in another part of the state, resulting in the death of 14 additional military personnel including the pilots and crew members

Amid heavy rains in Himachal, IAF airlifts 18 stranded army soldiers

Incessant rains continue to wreak havoc in parts of Himachal Pradesh that have been witnessing heavy downpours for the past few weeks resulting in damage to buildings and properties

IAF airlifted 68,000 soldiers to eastern Ladakh following Galwan clashes

Over 68,000 Army soldiers, around 90 tanks and other weapon systems were airlifted by the Indian Air Force to eastern Ladakh from across the country for rapid deployment along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) after the deadly clashes in the Galwan Valley, top sources in defence and security establishment said. The IAF deployed its Su-30 MKI and Jaguar jets for round-the-clock surveillance and intelligence gathering on the enemy build-up, besides putting several squadrons of combat aircraft in "offensive posturing" following the clashes on June 15, 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades, they said. The troops and weapons were ferried by the transport fleet of the IAF within a "very short period of time" for quick deployment in various inhospitable areas along the LAC under a special operation, the sources said while highlighting how the force's strategic airlift capability has increased over the years. In view of the escalating tensions,

J-K: Apni Party's Bukhari pays tribute, says increase in terror activity

Paying tribute to the five soldiers killed during a recent anti-terror operation, Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari on Sunday termed as "alarming" the increased terror activity in the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri. Addressing a one-day workers' convention here, the former minister said, "The growing (number of) terror incidents in Rajouri and Poonch are a cause for concern. Such activities are a grave threat to peace and brotherhood." Five soldiers were killed in an explosion triggered by terrorists on Friday in the thickly forested Kandi area in Rajouri during an operation to flush out the ultras. Bukhari also alleged that the Jammu and Kashmir administration led by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha has failed to maintain peace and tranquillity in the region that had remained intact even during the peak of terrorism in the 1990s. "The people from Poonch, Rajouri, parts of the Chenab Valley and Kashmir migrated to Jammu and settled here. The people from all regio

Long days of gravediggers tell story of Ukraine's fallen soldiers

The graves are dug in the morning. Four plots, each two metres deep in the section of a cemetery in a central Ukrainian city devoted to the nation's fallen soldiers. The day begins for Oleh Itsenko, 29, and Andrii Kuznetsov, 23, shortly after dawn, when the two diggers report for the gruelling work. A day in their lives tells the story of Ukraine's mounting war dead. They won't be finished until sunset. With a tractor equipped with an earth auger they bore into the ground. Armed with shovels, they go about carving out perfect rectangles with precision, the final resting place for the country's soldiers killed in fierce battles on Ukraine's eastern front. There will be four funerals today in the main cemetery of Kryvyi Rih, an iron-mining city 400 kilometres (250 miles) from the capital, Kyiv. It's hard, says Itsenko, a former metal worker. But someone's got to do it. In Ukraine, even the business of death has become routine as funerals are held for soldiers across the country almo

Ukraine, Russia send home around 200 soldiers in a prisoner swap

More than 200 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers have returned home in a prisoner swap, the warring countries said Monday. Russia's Defense Ministry said 106 Russian soldiers were released from Ukrainian custody as part of an agreement with Ukraine. Andriy Yermak, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's chief of staff, said that Russia freed 100 Ukrainian prisoners. Neither announcement mentioned whether any intermediaries were involved in the agreement. Some of the Ukrainian soldiers have severe injuries and illnesses, Yermak said in a statement published on Telegram. He added that the latest of the sporadic prisoner swaps in the war that started in February 2022 was not an easy one. He did not elaborate. Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War alleged that almost half of the 80 men and 20 women soldiers who returned home have serious injuries, illnesses or have been tortured. It presented no evidence for its claims. According to Ukrainian news .

TN BJP to stage statewide protest today against army soldier's killing

Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party will stage a protest today against the killing of an Indian Army soldier allegedly by a DMK councillor Chinnasamy in the Krishnagiri district, party state president K Annamalai said on Wednesday.Annamalai said that the Tamil Nadu BJP Ex-Servicemen wing will protest at their respective district collectorate wearing their Badge against the "disrespect" of the Army.The deceased soldier was identified as Prabhu who served in Jammu and Kashmir. Based on Prabhakaran (Prabhu's brother's) complaint, Krishnagiri Police arrested the main accused Chinnasamy and nine others including Chinnasamy's son Rajapandi."As a mark of respect to the Army man Thiru Prabhu who was beaten to death by a DMK councillor, members of @BJP4TamilNadu Ex-Servicemen wing wearing their Badge & Cap will protest against the DMK govt for this cruel disrespect to our Indian Army," Annamalai tweeted."The protest tomorrow will be carried out by the members of @BJP4TamilNadu ...

'India first country to name islands after soldiers', says Amit Shah

Shah said that it is an important day for the three wings of the Indian military

Sikkim gorge accident: Bodies of 16 Army men sent home after wreath laying

The mortal remains of the 16 Army personnel who were killed in a road accident in Sikkim were sent to their respective homes after a solemn wreath-laying ceremony was held at Bagdogra airport in the northern part of West Bengal on Saturday. Post the wreath-laying ceremony, 15 of the bodies were flown by special Air Force aircraft to various airports in the country, from where they will be taken to the victims' towns or villages, the Army said. The body of Naib Subedar Chandan Kumar Mishra, who belonged to Khagaria in Bihar, was taken to his native place by road. "After the bodies reach the native places of deceased soldiers, local Army authorities will coordinate the handing over of mortal remains to the family members and conduct of funeral with full military honours," an Army official said. The 16 bravehearts lost their lives when the Army truck they were travelling in skidded down a steep slope at Zema in North Sikkim on Friday morning. Wreaths were laid on the mortal remains o

Russia to lose 100,000 servicemen by year-end: Ukraine President Zelenksy

As Moscow continues its invasion against Kiev, Zelensky believes Russia will lose at least 100,000 servicemen by the end of this year

Indian Navy to get a new ensign: What is changing and why is it important?

On September 2, PM Modi will unveil a new ensign of the Indian Navy that will not include the St George's Cross