Page 66 - Ukraine

Moscow ally Serbia cracks down on anti-war Russians living in Balkan

When Elena Koposova signed an open letter against Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, she didn't expect a backlash in her newly adopted home state of Serbia. After all, Serbia is formally seeking to join the European Union while adopting all the democratic values that go along with the membership, she thought. Now, she sees she was wrong. Two years after signing the letter, the 54-year-old Russian woman is appealing an expulsion order after she was declared a threat to the national security of Serbia and her residency permit was revoked. The beleaguered literature translator said the only reason she could think of is the anti-war petition that she had signed. I am not an activist, but I did sign an anti-war letter when the Russian aggression in Ukraine just started, she said in an interview. Even not being an activist, I couldn't just be quiet about it. So, I just put my name on the open letter where it was said that the war is a crime, and we must all unite to stop it. Koposo

Biden summons congressional leaders to WH to talk about Ukraine funding

President Joe Biden will convene the top four congressional leaders at the White House on Tuesday to press lawmakers on passing an emergency aid package for Ukraine and Israel, as well as averting a looming government shutdown next month, according to a White House official. The top four leaders include House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. During the meeting, the president will discuss the "urgency" of passing the aid package, which has bipartisan support, as well as legislation to keep the federal government operating through the end of September, said the White House official, who was granted anonymity to discuss a meeting not yet publicly confirmed. The Republican-led House is under pressure to pass the USD 95 billion national security package that bolsters aid for Ukraine, Israel as well as the Indo-Pacific. That legislation cleared the ...

Free world united with Ukraine, says Sunak on Russian conflict anniversary

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak marked the second anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on Saturday with a pledge to renew the UK's determination to support the Ukrainians and declared the free world united in its response to President Vladimir Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine. The British Indian leader reflected upon his recent visit to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv when he announced a major package of defence aid to Ukraine, taking the UK's total support to GBP 12 billion. It comes as the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) pledged GBP 8.5 million in humanitarian funding allocations to the Red Cross Movement and the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund. When Putin launched his illegal invasion two years ago, the free world was united in its response. We stood together behind Ukraine. And on this grim anniversary, we must renew our determination, said Sunak in a statement from 10 Downing Street. I was in Kyiv just a few weeks ago and I met wounded Ukrainian soldiers. Eac

US imposes sanctions on Russian shipping giant in bid to squeeze oil sales

Among other measures imposed on Russia following the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the US and its allies slapped an oil-price sales cap on the country's exports

Ukraine claims it downed another Russian plane in a major blow to Moscow

Ukrainian forces downed a Russian early warning and control aircraft Friday, the air force chief said, a major win for the country as its army fights to repel persistent Russian attacks along the front line as the war enters its third year. General Mykola Oleshchuk thanked Ukraine's military intelligence for helping down the Russian A-50 aircraft on Russia's military holiday Friday. Congratulations to the occupiers on the Defender of the Fatherland day, Oleshchuk said on a sardonic note. Ukrainian media carried footage purportedly showing a massive fire that erupted when the big warplane crashed in the Krasnodar region on the eastern coast of the Sea of Azov. The Russian military didn't comment on the Ukrainian claim, but emergency officials in the Krasnodar region reported that a plane crashed in the area without identifying it. Several Russian military bloggers confirmed the plane's loss and some alleged that it was downed in a friendly fire incident. If confirmed, the plane's ..

US targets Russia with hundreds of curbs over Ukraine war, Navalny death

The United States and its allies have imposed sanctions on thousands of Russian targets in the past two years

Govt dials for 'release' of Indian support staff working for Russian Army

The comments by External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal came following a report that some Indians are working as support staff to the Russian army in the conflict zone

'We are aware': Govt on Indian youths wrongly drafted into Russian army

MEA said that the Indian Embassy has regularly taken up the issue with the Russian authorities and is seeking the earliest possible discharge of those trapped

Putin aims to bring back lost colonies of USSR with Ukraine war: Estonia FM

The comments were made at a session of the Raisina Dialogue, titled 'Back to the Future: A New Era of Conflict in Europe?'

Ukraine war: US to impose sanctions on over 500 targets in Russia action

The new penalties come as the US and its allies look to maintain pressure on Russia, despite doubts over whether the US Congress will approve additional security assistance for Kyiv

UK announces new sanctions marking anniversary of Russia's Ukraine invasion

The European Union on Wednesday approved its own package of sweeping sanctions, banning nearly 200 entities

Humanitarian appeal for Ukraine is only 10% funded for 2024, says UN envoy

The UN's humanitarian appeal to meet needs in Ukraine is only 10% funded for 2024, the country's resident coordinator said Wednesday, putting in jeopardy crucial assistance needed to reach those in need across frontline areas. Denise Brown, the UN's top representative in Ukraine, said an estimated 8.5 million Ukrainians living in dire conditions near combat zones risk going without basic humanitarian deliveries, including food and water. The UN's annual appeal for Ukraine is $3.1 billion. If we don't receive that money, I don't know where that money is going to come from, Brown told The Associated Press in an interview. Without the funds, we won't be able to sustain the high number of colleagues that we have here who are absolutely dedicated to humanitarian support." As the future of military aid to Ukraine hangs in the balance, Brown is lobbying the international community and private sector to remember that humanitarian needs are also high. Ukraine's economy is still suffering th

Biden wants people to know money sought for Ukraine would be spent in US

At a bustling construction site outside of Dallas, there are hopes that Congress can finally pass nearly USD 95 billion in foreign aid including funding for Ukraine because factory jobs in the United States depend on that money. Aerospace and defense company General Dynamics' new factory in the Dallas suburb of Mesquite is expected to initially employ 150 people to produce munitions. Set to open in June, construction is nearing completion, with newly planted trees and shrubs already in place at the complex overlooking one of the area's busiest interstates. We want to increase our wages and increase our skill levels and job opportunities, said Kim Buttram, Mesquite's director of economic development, who added that the factory is expected to have over 300 jobs when it's at full production. As President Joe Biden pushes House Republicans to pass needed aid, he wants voters to understand that nearly two-thirds or nearly USD 40 billion of the money for Ukraine would actually go to US

We are open if approached: EAM on India mediating to end Ukraine conflict

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has indicated that India was open to consider playing the role of a mediator to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict if approached, but noted that New Delhi does not believe it should initiate anything on its own. In an interview to German economic daily Handelsblatt, he also said that following the Ukraine conflict, India's energy suppliers in the Middle-East gave priority to supply petroleum products to Europe that paid higher prices and New Delhi did not have any option but to procure Russian crude oil. Jaishankar asserted that just as India does not expect Europe to have a view of China that is identical to New Delhi's, Europe should understand that India cannot have a view of Russia that is identical to the European one. He said India has had a "stable" and "very friendly" relationship with Russia, and that Moscow never hurt New Delhi's interests. "We, on the other hand, had a politically and militarily much more difficult relationship with ..

Foreign aid delays making life 'very difficult' on front line: Zelenskyy

Delays in weapons deliveries from Western allies to Ukraine are opening a door for Russian battlefield advances, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says, making the fight very difficult along parts of the front line where the Kremlin's forces captured a strategic city last weekend ahead of the war's two-year anniversary. Zelenskyy and other officials have often expressed frustration at the slowness of promised aid deliveries, especially since signs of war fatigue have emerged. European countries are struggling to find enough stocks to send to Kyiv, and US help worth USD 60 billion is stalled over political differences. That appears to be playing into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Even so, more help is heading Ukraine's way, as Sweden announced Tuesday its biggest aid package so far and Canada said it was expediting the delivery of more than 800 drones. Zelenskyy, in his daily video address late Monday, said Russia has built up troops at some points along the ..

Country needs long-range missiles to end Russia's invasion: Ukraine's PM

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Tuesday that his country needs long-range missiles and other ammunition to end Russia's invasion, and said he expects a US aid package that's stalled in Congress to come through, speaking at a news conference the day after he attended a conference in Tokyo on reconstructing Ukraine. Ukraine has modern equipment, training soldiers and fighting at NATO standards and that European countries and the United States are supporting us, absolutely," Shmyhal said. But, he said, the country needs more long-range missiles for air defense against Russia on the frontline, Shmyhal said. Unfortunately, now they prevail in the air and unfortunately this leads to some consequences from the frontline, but I should say that we have no refuses from our partners to supply military equipment to Ukraine," he said. In many western countries, military support for Ukraine is facing pushback over growing costs as the war approaches the two-year mark. The United

Putin waits for Western support for Kyiv to wither as war enters 3rd year

When the invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, some analysts predicted it might take as few as three days for Russian forces to capture the capital of Kyiv. With the war now entering its third year, Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to be trying to turn that initial failure to his advantage by biding his time and waiting for Western support for Ukraine to wither while Moscow maintains its steady military pressure along the front line. Putin's longer timeline still has its downside, with the conflict taking a heavy toll on Russia by draining its economic and military resources and fueling social tensions even as the death of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny serves as a chilling reminder of the Kremlin's ruthless crackdown on dissent. Putin has repeatedly signaled a desire to negotiate an end to the fighting but warned that Russia will hold onto its gains. Earlier this month, he used an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson to urge the Unite

Stalled US aid for Ukraine shows GOP's shift away from confronting Russia

At about 2 a.m. last Tuesday, Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin stood on the Senate floor and explained why he opposed sending more aid to help Ukraine fend off the invasion launched in 2022 by Russian President Vladimir Putin. I don't like this reality," Johnson said. Vladimir Putin is an evil war criminal. But he quickly added: Vladimir Putin will not lose this war. That argument that the Russian president cannot be stopped so there's no point in using American taxpayer dollars against him marks a new stage in the Republican Party's growing acceptance of Russian expansionism in the age of Donald Trump. The GOP has been softening its stance on Russia ever since Trump won the 2016 election following Russian hacking of his Democratic opponents. There are several reasons for the shift. Among them, Putin is holding himself out as an international champion of conservative Christian values and the GOP is growing increasingly sceptical of overseas entanglements. Then there's ...

Japan hosts Ukraine reconstruction conference to showcase its support

Japan will host a reconstruction conference for Ukraine on Monday just ahead of the second anniversary of Russia's invasion as Tokyo seeks to showcase its commitment to supporting the war-torn country. In his keynote speech at the conference later Monday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to stress Japan's commitment to supporting Ukraine, the importance of investment across industries for the future of that country's development, and ensuring that the support caters to Ukraine's needs. Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal heads his country's delegation of more than 100 government and corporate officials, while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will send a video message from his homeland. About 300 people and 80 companies are to attend from the two countries, Japanese officials said. The Japan-Ukraine Conference for Promotion of Economic Growth and Reconstruction is co-organised by the Japanese and Ukrainian governments, Japan's powerful business organisation Keidanren, and Jap

UK extends visa scheme for war-hit Ukrainians; allows extra 18 months stay

The UK government on Sunday extended its visa scheme for war-hit Ukrainians who sought refuge in the country in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, allowing an additional 18-month stay on their current terms. The Home Office said that from early 2025, all those in the UK under one of the Ukraine visa schemes will be able to apply to stay here for an additional 18 months and continue to have the same rights to access work, benefits, healthcare, and education throughout their stay. This will mean those who came on the first visas under one of the Ukraine visa schemes could now stay in the UK until September 2026. This new visa extension scheme provides certainty and reassurance for Ukrainians in the UK on their future as this war continues, and we will continue to provide a safe haven for those fleeing the conflict, said Tom Pursglove, UK Minister for Legal Migration and the Border. Almost two years on from the start of this brutal war, over 200,000 Ukrainians and their family .