Page 100 - Ukraine

Ukraine urges tougher western squeeze on Russian oil prices as war wages

The office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Saturday for a lower price cap on Russian oil than the one agreed to by Ukraine's Western supporters, while Russian authorities called the $60-per-barrel cap harmful to free, stable markets. Andriy Yermak, the head of Zelenskyy's office, wrote on social media that the price ceiling set by the European Union, Australia, Britain, Canada, Japan, and the United States on Friday didn't go far enough. The cap is set to take effect Monday, along with an EU embargo on Russian oil shipped by sea. It would be necessary to lower it to $30 in order to destroy the enemy's economy faster, Yermak wrote on Telegram, staking out a position also favored by Poland a leading critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine. The Russian Embassy in Washington insisted that Russian oil "will continue to be in demand" and criticized the price limit as reshaping the basic principles of the functioning of free markets. A post on the ...

Vladimir Putin is open to talks and diplomacy on Ukraine, says Kremlin

The premier replying to US President Joe Biden' comment stating his willingness to speak with Putin but with conditions, said the the West must accept Moscow's demands

Ukrainian engineers scramble to keep mobile phones working during war

With Ukraine scrambling to keep communication lines open during the war, an army of engineers from the country's phone companies has mobilised to help the public and policymakers stay in touch during repeated Russian missile and drone strikes. The engineers, who typically go unseen and unsung in peacetime, often work around the clock to maintain or restore phone service, sometimes braving minefields to do so. After Russian strikes took out the electricity that cellphone towers usually run on, they revved up generators to keep the towers on. I know our guys my colleagues are very exhausted, but they're motivated by the fact that we are doing an important thing, Yuriy Dugnist, an engineer with Ukrainian telecommunications company Kyivstar, said after crunching through 15 centimeters of fresh snow to reach a fenced-in mobile phone tower on the western fringe of Kyiv, the capital. Dugrist and his co-workers offered a glimpse of their new daily routines, which involve using an app on

Finnish PM warns Russian win over Ukraine would empower aggressors

Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin warned an Australian audience on Friday that a Russian victory over Ukraine would empower other aggressors and urged democracies against forming critical dependencies on authoritarian states such as China. Marin was speaking in Sydney at the end of the first-ever visit by a Finnish prime minister to Australia and New Zealand. Australia's pursuit of a free trade deal with the European Union was on the agenda. She used a speech to urge democracies to ramp up sanctions against Russia. Make no mistake, if Russia wins its terrible gamble, it will not be the only one to feel empowered, Marin told the Lowy Institute international policy think tank. Others will also be tempted by the same dark agenda, she added. A free trade agreement being finalised between the European Union, which includes Finland, and Australia was an opportunity to develop resilient supply chains, she said. We have become far too dependent on cooperation with regimes that do not

Russian shelling cuts off power again in liberated Ukrainian city

Russian shelling cut off power in much of the recently liberated Ukrainian city of Kherson on Thursday, just days after it was restored amid Moscow's ongoing drive to destroy key civilian infrastructure as freezing weather sets in. In Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko warned the capital's millions of residents that they should stock up on water and preserved food to see them through a winter that could prove miserable if more energy infrastructure is damaged. He also urged people to consider leaving the city to stay with friends or family elsewhere, if possible. Trying months lie ahead. The enemy still possesses substantial resources, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said. He added, however, that "signs are accumulating that (Russia) needs a pause at all costs. Ukraine has faced a blistering onslaught of Russian artillery fire and drone attacks since early October. The shelling has been especially intense in Kherson since Russian forces withdrew and Ukraine's army reclaimed t

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

UN makes record aid appeal of $51.5 billion amid disasters, Ukraine war

The United Nations said on Thursday that it is asking member states for a record USD 51.5 billion in aid funding for next year, as disasters and the ongoing war in Ukraine drive up humanitarian needs worldwide. The global body's humanitarian office said the funds are needed to help 339 million people in 69 countries, an increase of 65 million people compared with the same time last year. The appeal is a 25 per cent increase on that made for 2022, it said. Humanitarian needs are shockingly high, as this year's extreme events are spilling into 2023, said the UN's emergency relief coordinator, Martin Griffiths. He cited droughts in the Horn of Africa, floods in Pakistan and the conflict in Ukraine, which have pushed the number of displaced people worldwide above 100 million. All of this on top of the devastation left by the pandemic among the world's poorest, said Griffiths. For people on the brink, this appeal is a lifeline. For the international community, it is a strategy to make

US, NATO directly involved in Ukraine conflict: Russian foreign minister

Russia's foreign minister on Thursday accused the West of becoming directly involved in the conflict in Ukraine by supplying it with weapons and training its soldiers. Sergey Lavrov also said that Russia's strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities and other key infrastructure that have left millions without power, heating and water were intended to weaken Ukraine's military potential and derail the shipments of Western weapons. You shouldn't say that the US and NATO aren't taking part in this war, you are directly participating in it, Lavrov said in a video call with reporters. And not just by providing weapons but also by training personnel. You are training their military on your territory, on the territories of Britain, Germany, Italy and other countries. He said that the barrage of Russian missile strikes was intended to knock out energy facilities that allow you to keep pumping deadly weapons into Ukraine in order to kill the Russians. The infrastructure that is targeted by thos

Ukrainian Olympian auctioning medals to help war effort against Russia

One of Ukraine's most decorated Olympians is auctioning his medals two golds and a bronze in hopes of raising a six-figure donation to contribute to the war effort in his native land. My Olympic medals won't matter if Ukraine can't stand for this fight for freedom and independence, two-time canoe champion Yuri Cheban told The Associated Press in an email exchange Wednesday. Cheban won Olympic gold in the 200 meters in 2012 and 2016 and a bronze in the 500 meters in 2008. SCP Auctions, which is conducting the sale, expects the gold medals to fetch in the neighborhood of $75,000 each, an impressive estimate buoyed by the relative scarcity of available recent medals, and also their meaning. Cheban will give the proceeds to the Olympic Circle charity fund, a collection started by athletes and targeted toward helping the city of Mykolaiv, which isn't far from the recently liberated city of Kherson and also close to Cheban's home, the Black Sea port city of Odessa. I think a lot of peo

Ukrainian Olympian auctioning medals to raise funds to help war effort

One of Ukraine's most decorated Olympians is auctioning his medals two golds and a bronze in hopes of raising a six-figure donation to contribute to the war effort in his native land. "My Olympic medals won't matter if Ukraine can't stand for this fight for freedom and independence," two-time canoe champion Yuri Cheban told The Associated Press in an email exchange Wednesday. Cheban won Olympic gold in the 200 meters in 2012 and 2016 and a bronze in the 500 meters in 2008. SCP Auctions, which is conducting the sale, expects the gold medals to fetch in the neighborhood of $75,000 each, an impressive estimate buoyed by the relative scarcity of available recent medals, and also their meaning. Cheban will give the proceeds to the Olympic Circle charity fund, a collection started by athletes and targeted toward helping the city of Mykolaiv, which isn't far from the recently liberated city of Kherson and also close to Cheban's home, the Black Sea port city of Odessa. I think a lot of .

Fifa 2022: Protester with rainbow flag banned from World Cup matches

The protester who ran onto the field during a World Cup match carrying a rainbow flag and wearing a blue Superman T-shirt with messages in support of Ukraine and Iranian women was banned Tuesday from attending any more matches during the tournament in Qatar. The World Cup organising committee said in a statement that the individual involved was released shortly after being removed from the pitch and that his embassy had been informed. As a consequence of his actions, and as is standard practice, his (entry permit) has been cancelled and he has been banned from attending future matches at this tournament," the statement said. The protester identified himself on social media as Mario Ferri, an Italian who has carried out similar stunts at soccer matches before. Ferri ran onto the field in the second half of Monday's match between Portugal and Uruguay carrying the rainbow flag. Security officials chased him down and Ferri dropped the flag on the field before he was escorted away. I'l

NATO's Sec Gen reaffirms to future Ukraine membership, drums up aid

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg reaffirmed the military alliance's commitment to Ukraine on Tuesday, saying that the war-torn nation will one day become a member of the world's largest security organization. Stoltenberg's remarks came as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his NATO counterparts gathered in Romania to drum up urgently needed support for Ukraine aimed at ensuring that Moscow fails to defeat Ukraine as it bombards energy infrastructure. NATO's door is open, Stoltenberg said. Russia does not have a veto on countries joining, he said in reference to the recent entry of North Macedonia and Montenegro into the security alliance. He said that Russian President Vladimir Putin will get Finland and Sweden as NATO members soon. The Nordic neighbours applied for membership in April, concerned that Russia might target them next. We stand by that, too, on membership for Ukraine," the former Norwegian prime minister said. "At the same time, the main focus now is on ..

Ukraine likely to get arms that can hit deep inside Russia: Report

US and allied military inventories are shrinking, and Ukraine faces an increasing need for more sophisticated weapons as the war drags on

Ukraine on edge for more attacks from Russians, humanitarian aid pledged

Ukraine prepared for more Russian strikes against energy and other key infrastructure on Monday in what appears to be a weekly pattern, and warned of possible evacuations from the capital. Estonia's foreign minister joined counterparts from six Baltic and Nordic nations in the largest delegation to visit Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale war to pledge electric generators, warm clothes and food. The goal is to help Ukrainians cope with their coldest months of need and keep their resolve high. "Russia is weaponising civilian energy security, and it is truly shameful, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said in Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned late on Sunday that Russian troops are preparing new strikes, and as long as they have missiles, they won't stop. He met on Monday with senior government officials to discuss what actions to take. The upcoming week can be as hard as the one that passed, he predicted. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy warns against new Russian strikes

After last week's large-scale Russian attack, President Volodymyr Zelenksy warned that Moscow is "preparing new strikes" and the coming days "may be difficult"

17 people and a dog between Ukraine's neighbour and blackout: Report

Backed by a staff of 17, acting Energocom general director Victor Binzari and his two sidekicks have been scrambling to find new sources of power since mid-October

Sunflower oil shipments to India from Russia, Ukraine return to normal

Argentina stays top exporter to India since war broke out

Forex reserves rise for second week in a row; up $2.5 bn to $547.25 bn

The latest data marks the first time since May that the RBI's reserves have risen for two consecutive weeks

Ukraine sets up 3,720 emergency shelters amid widespread power outage

Ukrainian authorities have set up 3,720 emergency shelters across the country after a latest barrage of Russian missile strikes caused widespread electricity outage, a top official said

50 Ukrainian servicemen freed in latest prisoner swap with Russia

Among those released were two officers, as well as 48 sergeants and soldiers, Yermak wrote on Telegram on Thursday