Page 68 - Ukraine

Security is fragile at Ukraine's Russian-occupied nuclear power plant: IAEA

Security at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant remains fragile amid worrying recent staff cuts enacted by Russian authorities occupying the facility, which is one of the 10 biggest atomic power plants in the world, the United Nations nuclear watchdog chief said Tuesday. International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi, who is in Kyiv, told The Associated Press that his upcoming visit to the plant as the war approaches its two-year milestone will aim to assess the impact of recent personnel reductions after Russia denied access to employees of Ukraine's Energoatom. This huge facility used to have around 12,000 staff. Now, this has been reduced to between 2,000 and 3,000, which is quite a steep reduction in the number of people working there, Grossi said. To man, to operate these very sophisticated big installations you need a certain number of people performing different specific functions. So far the situation is stable, but it is a very, very delicate equilibrium, he

Russia's energy elite, Indian govt officials try to keep oil flowing

Oil imports from Russia, negligible before Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, climbed steadily through 2022 and the first half of last year as India saw an opportunity to procure discounted barrels

House Republicans announce bill that provides more military aid to Israel

House Republicans will move forward with a USD 17.6 billion package next week that provides military aid to Israel and replenish US weapons, but leaves out more help for Ukraine, underscoring the challenges facing supporters of a comprehensive national security package that would also include billions of dollars for immigration enforcement. The move gives Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans the chance to show support for Israel even though there is little chance the Senate will go along. Meanwhile, text of a broader Senate compromise is expected to be released this weekend and a key test vote on that package will be held during the week. Johnson said that Senate leadership is aware that by failing to include the House in their negotiations, they have eliminated the ability for swift consideration of any legislation. As I have said consistently for the past three months, the House will have to work its will on these issues and our priorities will need to be addressed, Johnson

Top UN court decides to proceed with Ukraine case over Russia's invasion

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) announced on Friday (local time) its decision to proceed with the case initiated by Ukraine concerning Russia's justification for its invasion in Feb 2022

Exxon Mobil beats estimates, ends 2023 with a $36 billion profit

Profits from oil majors have been down in 2023 by about a third from record levels in 2022, pressured as oil and gas prices retreated after spiking when Russia invaded Ukraine

ICJ set to decide if it can hear Ukraine's genocide case against Russia

The International Court of Justice is ruling Friday on whether it has jurisdiction to hear a case filed by Ukraine in the days after Russia's invasion accusing Moscow of breaching the genocide convention. In the highly-charged case, Kyiv claims that Russia breached the landmark 1948 convention by using trumped-up claims of genocide in the eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk as a pretext for attacking Ukraine nearly two years ago. Ukraine also accuses Moscow of planning acts of genocide. Moscow rejects the allegations and argued last year that the court should throw out the case before even considering the merits of Kyiv's claims. At hearings in September, the leader of Moscow's legal team, Gennady Kuzmin, called Ukraine's case hopelessly flawed and at odds with the longstanding jurisprudence of this court. In order for the court to have jurisdiction, Ukraine has to establish that it has a dispute with Russia over the genocide convention. A member of Moscow's legal team, Sienho

European Union agrees on new 50 billion-euro aid package for Ukraine

European Council President Charles Michel says the 27 EU countries have sealed a deal on aid to Ukraine just over an hour into a summit of the bloc's leaders and despite threats from Hungary to veto the move. We have a deal, Michel said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. He wrote that all 27 leaders agreed on an additional 50-billion-euro (USD 54 billion) support package for Ukraine within the EU budget. The announcement came despite staunch objections from Hungary in December and in the days leading up to Thursday's summit in Brussels. Michel said that the move locks in steadfast, long-term, predictable funding for Ukraine, and demonstrates that the EU is taking leadership and responsibility in support for Ukraine; we know what is at stake.

Swapped 195 prisoners of war with Ukraine on Wednesday, says Russia

Russia's Defence Ministry says Russia and Ukraine have exchanged 195 prisoners of war each. The Russian Defence Ministry said the swap was conducted on Wednesday. The announcement came a week after Russia alleged that Ukrainian forces shot down a military transport plane carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war who were to be swapped for Russian POWs. The Defence Ministry said that missiles fired from across the border brought down the transport plane in Russia's Belgorod region on Jan. 24. Local authorities in Belgorod, which borders Ukraine, said the crash killed all 74 people onboard, including six crew members and three Russian servicemen. Ukrainian officials confirmed last week that a prisoner swap was due to happen that day but said it had been called off.

UN to rule Friday on jurisdiction in Ukraine case over genocide claim

The United Nations' top court will rule on Friday whether it has jurisdiction in a case brought by Ukraine accusing Russia of violating international law by using a false accusation of genocide as the pretext for its 2022 invasion. Kyiv launched the case at the International Court of Justice days after the start of the full-scale war in 2022, arguing that Russia breached the 1948 Genocide Convention by wrongly claiming Ukraine was committing genocide against Russian-speaking people in the country. Russia has flouted an order by The Hague-based court to halt hostilities. Moscow snubbed hearings over provisional measures in 2022 but filed an objection to the court's jurisdiction. During hearings in 2023, lawyers for Russia asked the court to toss out the complaint, calling the legal case an abuse of process. Ukraine is not claiming Russia is committing genocide but rather arguing that the false accusation of genocide is enough to violate the 1948 treaty. Kyiv told judges the neighbor

Ukraine claims to uncover $40 million corruption in weapon procurement

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) said it has discovered a mass corruption scheme in the purchase of weapons amounting to nearly USD 40 million by the country's military, CNN reported

No evidence for Russia's claim that POWs died in plane crash: Ukraine

Officials in Ukraine said Russia has provided no credible evidence to back its claims that their own forces shot down a military transport plane carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war who were to be swapped for Russian POWs. The Ukrainian agency that deals with prisoner exchanges said late Friday that Russian officials had with great delay provided it with a list of the 65 Ukrainians who Moscow said had died in the Wednesday plane crash in Russia's Belgorod region. Ukraine's Coordination Staff for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said relatives of the named POWs were unable to identify their loved ones in crash site photos provided by Russian authorities. The agency's update cited Ukraine's military intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, as saying that Kyiv had no verifiable information about who was on the plane. The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday that missiles fired from across the border brought down the transport plane that it said was taking the POWs back to Ukraine. Local

Russian plane crashes near Ukraine with 65 Kyiv prisoners of war on board

A Russian military transport plane carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war, six crew and three people accompanying them crashed on Wednesday morning in Russia's Belgorod region near Ukraine, Russia's Defense Ministry said. It wasn't immediately clear what caused the crash, which occurred around 11 a.m. It was also not known if anyone survived. The authorities were investigating the cause of the crash, and a special military commission was on the way to the crash site, the Defense Ministry said. Earlier Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a major Russian missile attack that apparently was devised to overwhelm Ukraine's air defenses had killed 18 people and injured 130. Ukraine is marking the 700th day since the full-scale invasion by Kremlin's forces started. The barrage employing more than 40 ballistic, cruise, anti-aircraft and guided missiles early Tuesday hit 130 residential buildings in three Ukrainian cities, all ordinary houses, Zelenskyy said on X, formerl

Nato signs key artillery ammunition contract to replenish allied supplies

NATO signed on Tuesday a USD 1.2-billion contract to make tens of thousands of artillery rounds to replenish the dwindling stocks of its member countries as they supply ammunition to Ukraine to help it defeat Russia's invasion. The contract will allow for the purchase of 220,000 rounds of 155-millimetre ammunition, the most widely sought after artillery shell, according to NATO's support and procurement agency. It will allow allies to backfill their arsenals and to provide Ukraine with more ammunition. This is important to defend our own territory, to build up our own stocks, but also to continue to support Ukraine, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters. We cannot allow President (Vladimir) Putin to win in Ukraine," he added. "That would be a tragedy for the Ukrainians and dangerous for all of us. Ukraine was firing around 4,000 to 7,000 artillery shells each day last summer, while Russia was launching more than 20,000 shells daily in its neighbour's territory, ...

US Pentagon has no more money for Ukraine as it hosts meeting of allies

For the first time since Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin established the international group to support Ukraine in April 2022, the United States will host the monthly gathering of about 50 countries out of money, unable to send the ammunition and missiles that Ukraine needs to fend off Russia's invasion. While waiting for Congress to pass a budget and potentially approve more money for Ukraine's fight, the US will be looking to allies to keep bridging the gap. Tuesday's meeting will focus on longer-term needs, deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters. Even though we aren't able to provide our security assistance right now, our partners are continuing to do that, Singh said. On Tuesday in Brussels, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced a new USD 1.2 billion joint contract to buy more than 2,22,000 rounds of 155 mm ammunition. The rounds are some of the most heavily used munitions in this conflict, and the contract will be used to backfill allies that h

Russin missiles strike Ukrainian cities again, killing at least 7

Russian missiles struck three Ukrainian cities on Tuesday, including its two biggest, killing at least seven people and wrecking apartment buildings after Moscow shunned any deal backed by Kyiv and its Western allies to end the nearly 2-year-old war. The barrage included more than 40 ballistic, cruise, anti-aircraft and guided missiles, officials reported, in what the United Nations said appeared to be the heaviest bombardment since early January, when hundreds of Ukrainian civilians were killed. Ukraine's air force, whose defenses include Western-supplied systems, said it intercepted 21 of the missiles. The attacks keep Ukrainians on edge while the 1,500-kilometer (930-mile) front line has barely budged. Both sides' inability to deliver major gains on the battlefield has pushed the fighting toward trench and artillery warfare. Analysts say Russia stockpiled missiles at the end of last year to press a winter campaign of aerial bombardment. The recent Russian bombardment was an ..

Pentagon holds meeting to raise funds for supply of weapons to Ukraine

For the first time since Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin established the international group to support Ukraine in April 2022, the United States will host the monthly gathering of about 50 countries out of money, unable to send the ammunition and missiles that Ukraine needs to fend off Russia. While waiting for Congress to pass a budget and potentially approve more money for Ukraine's fight, the US will be looking to allies to keep bridging the gap. Tuesday's meeting will focus on longer-term needs, deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters on Monday. Even though we aren't able to provide our security assistance right now, our partners are continuing to do that, Singh said. The meeting will be virtual because Austin is still recuperating at home from complications of treatment for prostate cancer. The Pentagon announced its last security assistance for Ukraine on December 27, a USD 250 million package that included 155 mm rounds, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles an

Senators race to finish work on deal as aid to Ukraine hangs in balance

A deal in the Senate on border policies was being finalized Monday as senators returned to Washington for what could be a pivotal week for a painstakingly negotiated compromise that could open the door for Republican support to replenish US wartime aid for Ukraine. A core group of negotiators have been laboring for nearly two months over changes to US border and immigration policy and hoped to unveil the legislation later this week. But the bipartisan group is treading on one of the most explosive issues in American politics, and the legislation faces heavy skepticism from the wings of both political parties, including Donald Trump, the Republican presidential front-runner, and House Speaker Mike Johnson, an arch-conservative who has shown little willingness to compromise on border policy. With the House on recess, the Senate has an opportunity this week to gain momentum for the initiative. Republican senators want a robust showing of GOP support for the bill to put pressure on ...

Russia clashes with US, Ukraine supporters, rules out any peace plan

Russia's foreign minister clashed with the United States and Ukraine's supporters at a UN meeting Monday where Moscow ruled out any peace plan backed by Kyiv and the West, and China warned that further global chaos could impact the slowing global economy. Sergey Lavrov, Russia's top diplomat, claimed that Ukrainian forces have been a complete failure on the battlefield and are incapable of defeating or weakening Russia. He told the UN Security Council that Moscow is always ready to negotiate peace, but he claimed peace plans presented by Ukraine and its Western masters are only used as cover to continue war and continue getting money from Western taxpayers. All of these formulas are a road to nowhere, and the sooner Washington, London, Paris and Brussels realise this the better for Ukraine and the West, he said, warning that their crusade against Russia has already created new, clear, reputational and existential risks. U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood dismissed Lavrov's claims a

A century after death of Lenin, he's an afterthought in modern Russia

Many streets and localities that bore his name have been rechristened

Ukraine starts to rebuild towns, cities even as war with Russia continues

Badly damaged in fighting with Russian forces almost two years ago, Trostianets is one of six settlements being rebuilt with state funds in a pilot programme