Page 53 - Ukraine

India will have more contacts with Ukraine & Russia: EAM Jaishankar

India will have more contacts with Ukraine and Russia going forward as such engagements by countries talking to both sides are important to resolve their conflict, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday, days after it emerged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may visit Kyiv next month. Jaishankar said India's position has been that a solution to the conflict will not emerge from the battlefield, and cautioned that it could be "fatalistic" to allow the situation to take its course and wait for events in some other parts of the world to provide some help to end the crisis. "We do believe that we should be more active there," he said during an interactive session at Japan National Press Club. Jaishankar is on a three-day visit to Japan. "I can reasonably expect that there will be more contacts between us and Ukraine and between us and Russia as well," he said, replying to a question on reports of Modi's likely visit to Kyiv next month. Declining to give a specific answ

Family of Indian man killed in Russia Ukraine war waits for his remains

Ravi Moun, 21, travelled to Russia in January after being contacted by an agent who promised him a job in the transport sector, his relatives told Reuters

5 killed, dozens wounded as Russia strikes Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region

Five civilians died and 15 more were wounded following Russian strikes on Saturday and overnight in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, its governor said, as Moscow claimed further gains in its monthslong grinding offensive in the country's war-battered industrial heartland. Shortly after Donetsk Gov. Vadym Filashkin reported on the casualties Sunday, other local Ukrainian officials said Russian shelling wounded more civilians in the east and south. At least eight people suffered wounds after Moscow's forces on Sunday struck the eastern Ukrainian city of Nikopol, local Gov. Serhii Lysak reported that same day. Lysak said a toddler and a 10-year-old girl were among the victims, six of whom had to be hospitalised. Russian shelling on Sunday also wounded eight further civilians, including a 10-year-old and two teenagers, in a village in Ukraine's southern Kherson province, local official Roman Mrochko reported. Russia started its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, sending

India, Ukraine explore possibility of PM Modi's visit to Kyiv next month

India and Ukraine are looking at the possibility of a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kyiv next month amid renewed global efforts to bring peace to the eastern European nation, multiple diplomatic sources said on Saturday. Modi might visit Kyiv around the Ukrainian National Day on August 24 and is expected to travel to Poland after concluding the trip to Ukraine, the sources said. The prime minister held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last month on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Italy's Apulia. If Modi travels to Poland, it would be the first by an Indian prime minister to that country in more than four decades. India and Ukraine are looking at Modi's visit to Kyiv in the later half of August, the sources said, adding that there is no finality on the trip yet as massive preparations would be required in terms of logistics and related issues. The prime minister's two-nation visit might begin around August 23-24, the sources said. There is no officia

In a 1st, US, Canada intercept China-Russia joint patrol jets near Alaska

A statement from Norad maintained that the bombers remained in international airspace in Alaska's Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) and were 'not seen as a threat'

Agreement with Russia is 'deal with devil,' adviser to Ukrainian prez says

Signing an agreement with Russia to stop the war with Ukraine would amount to signing a deal with the devil, a top adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as pressure mounts on the country to seek an end to more than two years of fighting. A deal would only buy time for Russian President Vladimir Putin to strengthen his army and usher in another, potentially more violent chapter in the war, Mykhailo Podolyak told The Associated Press in an interview Thursday. If you want to sign a deal with the devil, who will then drag you to hell, well, go for it. This is what Russia is, Podolyak said when asked about the prospects for a peace deal for Kyiv, whose forces are locked in a bloody war of attrition with Moscow's troops in eastern Ukraine. If you sign anything today with Russia, that will not lose the war and will not be legally responsible for mass crimes, this will mean that you have signed yourself a ticket to continue the war on a different scale, with other ...

Threat of attacks, fear for families: How Ukrainians trained for Olympics

The fear of death has been a constant in an average Ukrainian's life ever since the war with Russia broke out in 2022 and that includes the majority of the country's 143-strong athlete contingent here for the Olympics beginning on Friday. Even in normal circumstances, the pressure to perform on the biggest sporting stage can take a toll on the best in the business. In the case of Ukrainian athletes, it's hard to imagine how they were able to train for the mega-event with missile attacks and air sirens becoming a part of their lives for the past 29 months. Electricity almost became non-existent with power grids destroyed by the conflict. In the eyes of Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the athletes who are in Paris are already "heroes" and that is what he told them in a virtual address on Wednesday. Teenaged diving sensation Oleksiy Sereda and slalom canoeist Viktoriia Us were part of the call with president Zelenskyy. Speaking to PTI outside the Athletes' Village, both Sered

Ukraine minister seeks 'common ground' with China in talks on ending war

Ukraine's foreign minister said Wednesday that he is seeking common ground in talks with his Chinese counterpart on ending his country's war with Russia. The Russian invasion of Ukraine, now in its third year, has strained relations between the two countries. Video released by Ukraine's Foreign Ministry showed Dmytro Kuleba arriving at the meeting venue in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou and exchanging remarks with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi. It is the first visit by a Ukrainian foreign minister since the war started in 2022. Wang said that China attaches great importance to its relations with Ukraine. Noting the growth in trade between the two countries, he said that their relations have continued to develop normally despite complex and ever-changing international and regional situations. China has close ties with Russia and has pushed for an end to the war that would take into account the interests of both sides. That position has put it at odds not only with Ukraine

Biden's withdrawal from presidential race spells uncertainty for Ukraine

US President Joe Biden's decision to end his campaign for reelection brings a new element of uncertainty for Ukraine, which is struggling to fend off Russian advances even as it worries about the future of American support. The prospect of victory for former President Donald Trump, the Republican contender, has long concerned Kyiv, which fears he would choke off support and force Ukraine to sue for peace on terms that favor Russia. But while the Democrats hope Biden's decision to drop out and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris will inject energy into their campaign, it's unclear whether it makes Trump's defeat more likely. Officials in Moscow, widely thought to favor Trump, were noncommittal. Kyiv resident Yulia Loginova said she found it impossible to predict how Biden's departure would affect Ukraine. I don't know, honestly, she said. Surprises every day. But he did the right thing. Phillips O'Brien, professor of strategic studies at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland,

Russia trades drone, missile attacks with Ukraine; claims gains in east

Russia and Ukraine exchanged drone, missile and shelling attacks on Sunday. At least two people were killed in Ukrainian strikes on the partly Russian-occupied Donetsk region, Russian state media said, while Ukrainian officials said Russian strikes wounded at least five people. Along the front line in the east, Russia said it had taken control of two villages, one in the Kharkiv region and one in the Luhansk region. Ukrainian shelling of Russia-held areas of the Donetsk region killed two people in the village of Horlivka, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti said. Three people were wounded by Russian drone strikes in southern Ukraine's partly occupied Kherson region, local officials said Sunday morning. In the country's northeast, officials in the Kharkiv region said two people were wounded when a village was hit by Russian shells. Overnight into Sunday, Ukraine's air defences intercepted 35 of the 39 drones launched by Russia, according to air force commander Mykola Oleschuk. In

EAM Jaishankar, Ukrainian counterpart discuss developing bilateral ties

In June this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Italy

US calls India 'key partner', urges support for lasting peace in Ukraine

India has always advocated peace and diplomacy for resolving the conflict between Ukraine and Russia

Ukraine will find war solutions no matter who wins US election: Defence min

Ukraine will find a way to battle Russia's invading forces even if former President Donald Trump wins a second term and imperils vital US support for its defence, Ukraine's defence minister said Wednesday. In carefully framed comments to an audience of US policymakers and journalists, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov reflected the diplomatic and military difficulty facing Ukraine as Trump and running mate JD Vance gain momentum in the US presidential race. Vance, an Ohio senator, has battled in Congress to block US military and financial aid to Ukraine as it fights Russian forces and cross-border attacks, while Trump has said he will bring the war to an immediate end if he wins in November. Trump, a Republican, has not said how he would do that. Analysts say that could include withdrawal of US aid to Ukraine unless it agrees to a cease-fire on Russian terms, including surrendering Ukrainian territory to Russia. We believe in US leadership, and we believe America wants its partners an

Ukraine faces twin challenges of fighting Russia, shifting US politics

After almost 30 months of war with Russia, Ukraine's difficulties on the battlefield are mounting even as its vital support from the United States is increasingly at the mercy of changing political winds. A six-month delay in military assistance from the US, the biggest single contributor to Ukraine, opened the door for the Kremlin's forces to push on the front line. Ukrainian troops are now fighting to check the slow but gradual gains by Russia's bigger and better-equipped army. The next two or three months are going to be probably the hardest this year for Ukraine, military analyst Michael Kofman of the Carnegie Endowment said in a recent podcast. Lurking in the background is another nagging worry for Ukraine: how long will Western political and military support critical for its fight last? On Monday, former President Donald Trump chose Sen. JD Vance of Ohio as his running mate for the Republican ticket in November's U.S. election, and Vance wants the United States to attend to

Amid Ukraine war, Russia upgraded to 'high-income' nation; here's why

Thriving in a war economy: Amid heavy sanctions, Russia's economy defied expectations, achieving a high-income status for the first time since 2014, according to the World Bank

Shelling kills 4 in Ukraine; drone attack ignites fire at Russian oil depot

Russian shelling of Ukraine killed four people on Saturday, officials said, as the two countries exchanged drone attacks, one of which set ablaze a Russian oil depot. Two people died in Ukraine's partly occupied Kherson region and two were wounded in the attack close to the regional capital, said Gov. Oleksandr Prokudin. Two other people died Saturday afternoon and 16 were wounded in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region, according to Gov. Oleh Syniehubov. An oil depot in the Tsimlyansky district, deep inside Russia's southwestern Rostov region, was set ablaze in the early hours of Saturday following a Ukrainian drone attack the latest long-range strike by Kyiv's forces on a border region. Ukraine has in recent months stepped up aerial assaults on Russian soil, targeting refineries and oil terminals in an effort to slow down the Kremlin's war machine. Moscow's army is pressing hard along the front line in eastern Ukraine, where a shortage of troops and ammunition in the third year

Ukraine's Zelenskyy takes his case for military aid to US state governors

Away from Washington, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sought to broaden support for US military aid by telling state governors Friday the world's leaders should see for themselves the carnage wrought since Russia invaded his country more than two years ago. Zelenskyy's plea at the National Governors Association summer meeting in Salt Lake City came days after NATO leaders met in the US capital and pledged more help for Ukraine. The only thing we ask for is sufficient support air defence systems for our cities, weapons for our men and women on the frontline, support in protecting normal life and rebuilding, Zelenskyy told the governors. This is all we need to withstand and drive Russia from our land and to send a strong signal to all other potential aggressors which are watching. NATO members this week agreed to a new programme to provide reliable military aid to Ukraine and prepare for its eventual membership in the alliance. They declared Ukraine was on an irreversible .

US official asks India to play a constructive role for peace in Ukraine

India, as a critical security provider globally, must play a constructive role in ensuring peace in Ukraine and providing it with the impetus to be able to negotiate with Russia, a senior US official has said. Liam Wasley, Director of the Office of European Security and Political Affairs at the US State Department said this, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's high-profile visit to Moscow and his meeting with President Vladimir Putin, including on the Ukraine conflict. Wasley said Indians should understand how much of a threat President Putin and his country are to America's European allies and the NATO alliance. It has also been a very jarring direct threat to the security of a billion members of democracies, Wasley told PTI in an interview. I think that the Indian people can recognise how that is impacting the understanding and the approach of our NATO allies. It's really important for India to be playing a constructive role in ensuring a just peace for Ukraine and providin

Nato summit was about Ukraine, Prez Joe Biden: All you need to know

NATO leaders met this week to celebrate the alliance's 75th anniversary under the cloud of deep political uncertainty in its most powerful member the United States. But even as questions swirled about President Joe Biden's future and the implications of a possible return to the White House by NATO sceptic Donald Trump, the 32 allies put a brave face on their strength and unity going forward, particularly in relation to Ukraine. Over three days in Washington, Ukraine, Russia, the threat posed by an increasingly aggressive China and NATO's future dominated the formal summit discussions, although all eyes were on Biden. He hoped to use the summit as a symbol of his strength as leader of the free world as he struggles to salvage his reelection campaign. Biden is facing growing calls to withdraw after a poor debate performance against Trump last month. Here are key takeaways from the summit: Biden gets some slack Biden stunned the audience at a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council on

India abstains from UNGA resolution urging Russia to cease its aggression

India has abstained in the UN General Assembly on a resolution that demanded that Russia immediately cease its aggression against Ukraine and urgently withdraw its military and other unauthorised personnel from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The 193-member UN General Assembly adopted the resolution on Thursday with 99 votes in favour, nine against and 60 abstentions, including India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Egypt, Nepal, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Sri Lanka. Those voting against the resolution included Belarus, Cuba, North Korea, Russia and Syria. The resolution titled Safety and security of nuclear facilities of Ukraine, including the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant' demanded that Russia immediately cease its aggression against Ukraine and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders. It also demanded that Russia urgently withdraw its military and other unauthorised personnel