Page 7 - Ukraine Civil War

Russia attacks Ukrainian energy systems leading to power emergency

According to Klitschko, in Kyiv, even after hours of repairs, about two-thirds of the residents were left without heat and water and about 60% were left without electricity

Ukraine's Kherson without power after heavy Russian shelling, two dead

The city was shelled more than 16 times on Thursday

US air defense systems could be targets in Ukraine, threatens Russia

Russia's Foreign Ministry warned Thursday that if the U.S. delivers sophisticated air defense systems to Ukraine, those systems and any crews that accompany them would be a legitimate target for the Russian military, a blunt threat that was quickly rejected by Washington. The exchange of statements reflected soaring Russia-U.S. tensions amid the fighting in Ukraine, which is now in its 10th month. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the U.S. had effectively become a party to the war by providing Ukraine with weapons and training its troops. She added that if reports about U.S. intentions to provide Kyiv with Patriot surface-to-air missile system prove true, it would become another provocative move by the U.S. and broaden its involvement in the hostilities, "entailing possible consequences. Any weapons systems supplied to Ukraine, including the Patriot, along with the personnel servicing them, have been and will remain legitimate priority targets for the Russian

European Union approves new sanctions against Russia over war in Ukraine

The European Union said it approved a new package of sanctions Thursday aimed at ramping up pressure on Russia for its war in Ukraine. The package, whose details have not been revealed, was approved after days of deliberations during a meeting of the 27-nation bloc's ambassadors. The Czech Republic, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council, said the package will be confirmed by written procedure on Friday. Details will then be published in the bloc's legal records. The European Commission, the EU's executive branch, last week proposed travel bans and asset freezes on almost 200 more Russian officials and military officers as part of the new round of measures. The targets of the latest recommended sanctions included government ministers, lawmakers, regional governors and political parties. In addition to sanctions on various entities, banks and individuals, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and members of his family, the EU previously approved an embargo on co

Helping Ukraine is 'self-preservation' for West: Finance chief Marchenko

Ukraine's finance minister says crucial Western financial support is not charity but self-preservation in the fight to defend democracy as his country deals with growing costs to repair electrical and heating infrastructure wrecked by Russian attacks. Serhiy Marchenko also told The Associated Press in an interview Thursday from Kyiv that he believes European Union officials will sort out a dispute with Hungary that has blocked a key 18 billion-euro (USD 18.97 billion) aid package and would cover much of Ukraine's looming budget gap. Marchenko said financial support for Ukraine is tiny compared to what developed countries spent to combat emergencies like the global financial crisis of 2008 and the COVID-19 pandemic. And that the money bolsters freedom and security far beyond his country's struggle, he added. It's not charity to support Ukraine, Marchenko said. We are trying to protect freedom and democracy of all (the) civilized world." He said the damage from Russian missile attack

Putin says Ukraine fight is taking longer than expected, hails seizures

Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged Wednesday that his special military operation in Ukraine is taking longer than expected but hailed the seizure of his neighbor's territory as a major achievement and said his country's nuclear weapons are deterring escalation of the conflict. Of course, it could be a lengthy process, Putin said of the more than 9-month-old war that began with Russia's invasion Feb. 24 and has displaced millions from their homes, and killed and wounded tens of thousands. Despite its length, he showed no signs of letting up, vowing to consistently fight for our interests" and protect ourselves using all means available. Speaking in a televised meeting in Russia with members of his Human Rights Council, Putin described the land gains as a significant result for Russia, noting that the Sea of Azov has become Russia's internal sea. In one of his frequent historic references to a Russian leader he admires, he added that Peter the Great fought to get access" to

Russia continues hold on Indian oil supplies; West's price cap threat looms

India will be unable to use Western tankers and insurance if it refuses to adhere to price cap

Ukraine's 'surrender hotline' for Russian soldiers gets 100 enquiries a day

According to officials in Kiev, through the "I Want To Live" scheme, Russian troops can choose to surrender on the helpline

Biden, Macron ready to talk Ukraine, trade during French Prez' state visit

French President Emmanuel Macron is headed to Washington for the first state visit of Joe Biden's presidency a revival of diplomatic pageantry that had been put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Biden-Macron relationship had a choppy start. Macron briefly recalled France's ambassador to the United States last year after the White House announced a deal to sell nuclear submarines to Australia, undermining a contract for France to sell diesel-powered submarines. But the relationship has turned around with Macron emerging as one of Biden's most forward-facing European allies in the Western response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This week's visit it will include Oval Office talks, a glitzy dinner, a news conference and more comes at a critical moment for both leaders. The leaders have a long agenda for their Thursday meeting at the White House, including Iran's nuclear programme, China's increasing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific and growing concerns about security a

Ukraine works to restore water, power after Russian strikes Kherson

Ukrainian authorities endeavoured on Saturday to restore electricity and water services after recent pummelling by Russian military strikes that vastly damaged infrastructure, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying millions have seen their power restored since blackouts swept the war-battered country days earlier. Skirmishes continued in the east and residents from the southern city of Kherson headed north and west to flee after punishing, deadly bombardments by Russian forces in recent days. The strikes have been seen as attempts at Russian retribution against Ukraine's beleaguered but defiant people after Ukrainian troops over two week ago liberated the city that had been in Russian hands for many months. The key task of today, as well as other days of this week, is energy," Zelenskyy said in his nightly televised address late Friday. From Wednesday to today we have managed to halve the number of people whose electricity is cut off, to stabilize the system. He said, however,

NATO vows to aid Ukraine against Russia 'for as long as it takes'

NATO is determined to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia for as long as it takes and will help the war-wrecked country transform its armed forces into a modern army up to Western standards, the alliance's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg vowed on Friday. Speaking to reporters ahead of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Romania next week, Stoltenberg urged countries that want to, either individually or in groups, to keep providing air defense systems and other weapons to Ukraine. NATO as an organisation does not supply weapons. NATO will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. We will not back down, the former Norwegian prime minister said. Allies are providing unprecedented military support, and I expect foreign ministers will also agree to step up non-lethal support. Stoltenberg said that members of the 30-nation security organisation have been delivering fuel, generators, medical supplies, winter equipment and drone jamming devices, but that more will

Ukraine nuclear power plant shelled; it risks major disaster, says IAEA

More than a dozen blasts shook Europe's biggest N-power plant

Missiles hit Kyiv after Zelenskyy lays conditions for peace at G20

Power provider DTEK announced emergency blackouts in the capital and authorities announced similar steps elsewhere, too

Russia announces troops withdrawal from west bank of Dnipro river

Russia's military announced Wednesday that it's withdrawing from a key Ukrainian city and nearby areas, in what would be one of the most significant and humiliating setbacks for Moscow's forces in the 8-month-old war. Ukrainian authorities, however, cautioned against considering the retreat a done deal. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that the Russians were feigning a pullout from Kherson to lure the Ukrainian army into an entrenched battle in the strategic industrial port city. The withdrawal from Kherson in a region of the same name that Moscow illegally annexed earlier this year would pile on another setback after Russia's early failed attempt to capture the capital, Kyiv. Kherson, with a prewar population of 280,000, is the only regional capital Russian forces captured since the Feb. 24 invasion began. Kyiv's forces have zeroed in on the city and cut off supply lines in recent weeks as part of a larger counteroffensive in eastern and southern Ukraine that has pushed .

Global food concerns rise as Russia halts UN-brokered Ukraine grain deal

US President Joe Biden has warned that global hunger could increase because of Russia's suspension of a UN-brokered deal to allow safe passage for ships carrying Ukrainian grain. It's really outrageous, said Biden speaking in Wilmington, Delaware, on Saturday. There's no merit to what they're doing. The UN negotiated that deal and that should be the end of it. Biden spoke hours after Russia announced it would immediately halt participation in the agreement, alleging that Ukraine staged a drone attack Saturday against Russia's Black Sea Fleet ships off the coast of occupied Crimea. Ukraine has denied the attack, saying that Russia mishandled its own weapons. The grain initiative has allowed more than 9 million tons of grain in 397 ships to safely leave Ukrainian ports since it was signed in July, and the UN chief on Friday urged Russia and Ukraine to renew the deal when it expires in late November. The grain agreement has succeeded in bringing down global food prices, which have fal

EU to tighten gun trade laws as Ukraine war fuels fear of illegal arms

The European Union on Thursday moved to tighten laws governing the trade and transport of guns to help keep illicit firearms out of the hands of criminal gangs amid concerns that the war in Ukraine could increase the spread of illegal weapons. The EU's executive branch, the European Commission, estimates that around 35 million illicit weapons are in hands of civilians across the 27-nation bloc. Around 630,000 firearms are listed as stolen in the EU's security and border database. The commission's crackdown would involve clearer, common procedures for the import, export and transit of firearms and ammunitions. An electronic licensing system would be set up for import and export applications to replace the slower paper-based systems most countries have. Stricter standards would be imposed on the manufacture of alarm and signal weapons, which fire things like blanks or tear gas. Such arms were converted by extremists and used in the bloody 2015 Paris attacks and the killing of staff at

Nine months into war, Ukraine claims success in downing Russian drones

Ukrainian authorities on Monday tried to dampen public fears over Russia's use of Iranian-built drones on its neighbour by claiming increasing success in shooting down the small aircraft, while talk of a dirty bomb attack has added another worrying dimension to the conflict that's entering it's ninth month. Ukrainians are bracing for less electric power this winter following a sustained Russian barrage on infrastructure across their country in recent weeks. Meanwhile, citizens in the southern city of Mykolaiv lined up for water and essential supplies as Ukrainian forces continued their advance on the nearby Russian-occupied city of Kherson. Ukraine's forces have shot down more than two-thirds of the approximately 330 Shahed drones that Russia has fired through Saturday, the head of Ukraine's intelligence service, Kyrylo Budanov, said in a published interview on Monday. Budanov said that Russia's military had ordered about 1,700 units of various types of drones, and a second batch of

Ukraine: Russian strikes kill at least 12 people after bridge blast

A Russian missile barrage that crumbled apartment buildings and houses in Ukraine's city of Zaporizhzhia killed at least dozen people, Ukrainian officials said on Sunday as Moscow strained to enforce its takeover of illegally annexed territory. The blasts that collapsed at least one high-rise residential building and blew out the windows of others came from six missiles launched in Russian-occupied areas of the Zaporizhzhia region, the Ukrainian air force said. The region is one of four Russia claimed as its own this month, but the regional capital remains under Ukrainian control. In the immediate aftermath of the strikes, the city council said 17 were killed but later revised that down to 12. Regional police reported on Sunday afternoon that 13 had been killed and more than 60 wounded, at least 10 of whom were children. The multiple strikes came after an explosion Saturday caused the partial collapse of a bridge linking the Crimean Peninsula with Russia. The Kerch Bridge attack

Shortage of LNG tankers beginning to affect supplies to India: Industry

Tightening Russian gas supplies to Europe has led to scramble for tankers before winter sets in

Kyiv dismisses Russia's annexation of Ukrainian regions as 'worthless'

Kyiv has dismissed as worthless the laws that Russian President Vladimir Putin signed on Wednesday formalising the annexation of four Ukrainian regions into Russia. The worthless decisions of the terrorist country are not worth the paper they are signed on," the head of the Ukraine President's Office, Andriy Yermak, said on Telegram messaging application. A collective insane asylum can continue to live in a fictional world. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier said in his nightly address that he has signed a decree rendering void any of Putin's acts designed to annex Ukrainian territories since the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Any Russian decisions, any treaties with which they try to seize our land all this is worthless, Zelenskyy said at the end of his video address. Russian energy company Gazprom says it is resuming gas supplies to Italy after reaching an agreement for transit through Austria. The Russian government-controlled company had suspended delivery to Italy through