Page 79 - Ukraine

Ukraine's security service claims responsibility for Crimea bridge blast

Ukraine's security service claimed responsibility for the first time on Wednesday for an explosion that badly damaged the Kerch Bridge linking the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula with Russia last October. The explosion, which Russian authorities said was caused by a truck bomb, left three people dead. Speaking on Ukrainian national television on Wednesday, Ukrainian Security Service head Vasyl Malyuk said his agency was behind the attack. There were many different operations, special operations. We'll be able to speak about some of them publicly and out loud after the victory, we will not talk at all about others, Malyuk said. It is one of our actions, namely the destruction of the Crimean bridge on October 8 last year. A further attack on the bridge last week, killing a couple and seriously wounding their daughter, left a span of the roadway hanging perilously. The damage initially appeared to be less severe than what was caused by the assault in October, but it highlighted th

US to send $400 million in additional military aid, munitions to Ukraine

The security package includes crucial capabilities to aid Ukraine's counteroffensive operations in its ongoing conflict with Russia and to strengthen its air defences

EU ministers meet to discuss Ukraine grain exports after Russia nixes deal

European Union agriculture ministers met Tuesday to discuss ways of moving grain vital to global food security out of Ukraine after Russia halted a deal that allowed the exports. At the same time, they want to protect prices for farmers in countries bordering the war-ravaged nation. The ministers met in Brussels for the first time since Russia pulled the plug last week on the wartime deal that allowed grain to flow from Ukraine to countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, where hunger is a growing threat and high food prices have pushed more people into poverty. The deal provided guarantees that ships would not be attacked when entering and leaving Ukrainian ports, while a separate agreement facilitated the movement of Russian food and fertilizer. Poland's agriculture minister Robert Telus was set to tell the EU meeting that his country, along with Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, are extending their ban on Ukrainian grain imports, but will still allow food to move ...

Anger grows in Odesa after Russian bombardment hits beloved historic sites

Tetiana Khlapova's hand trembled as she recorded the wreckage of Odesa's devastated Transfiguration Cathedral on her cellphone and cursed Russia, her native land. Khlapova was raised in Ukraine and had always dreamed of living in the seaside city. But not as the war refugee that she has become. In only a week, Russia has fired dozens of missiles and drones at the Odesa region. None struck quite as deeply as the one that destroyed the cathedral, which stands at the heart of the city's romantic, notorious past and its deep roots in both Ukrainian and Russian culture. I am a refugee from Kharkiv. I endured that hell and came to sunny Odesa, the pearl, the heart of our Ukraine, said Khlapova, who has lived in the country for 40 of her 50 years. Her neck still has a shrapnel scar from the third day of the war, when her apartment was hit. On Day 4, she fled to Odesa. Now, she's making a quick trip back to her place in Kharkiv to grab winter clothes so she can wait out the war in Ireland

India works to bridge language divide at G20 summit over Ukraine war

Its diplomats have the difficult task to arrive at a joint communique for G20 leaders' summit in Delhi in Sept

US to send up to $400 million in military aid to Ukraine, say officials

The Biden administration is sending up to USD 400 million in additional military aid to Ukraine, including a variety of munitions for advanced air defence systems and a number of small, surveillance Hornet drones, US officials said Monday, as attacks in the war escalated to include strikes in Moscow and Crimea. The package includes an array of ammunition ranging from missiles for the High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) to Stingers and Javelins. The weapons are being provided through presidential drawdown authority, which allows the Pentagon to quickly take items from its own stocks and deliver them to Ukraine, often within days. Officials said the US is also sending howitzer artillery rounds and 32 Stryker armoured vehicles, along with demolition equipment, mortars, Hydra-70 rockets and 28 million rounds of small arms ammunition. The Hornets are tiny nano-drones that are used largely for intelligence ...

Eyeing country's accession to Nato next year: Ukraine Defence Minister

Talking about the next year's NATO Summit in Washington, Reznikov said, "Who knows, maybe it will be a very important day for Ukraine," adding "It is just my forecast.''

Ukraine wants ships to keep exporting grain despite Russian attacks

Russia has repeatedly fired missiles and drones at Ukrainian ports key to sending grain to the world. Moscow has declared large swaths of the Black Sea dangerous for shipping. Even the US said ships are at risk of being targeted. There is still interest from ship owners in carrying Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea if they can mitigate the risk, according to a major shipping group. And that's a big if. Despite the warnings and port attacks, which have levelled grain infrastructure, shipping has always been very, very resilient in the face of these sorts of risks, said John Stawpert, senior manager of environment and trade for the International Chamber of Shipping, which represents 80 per cent of the world's commercial fleet. This week's strikes came after Russia pulled out of a wartime accord that the UN and Turkey brokered last year to provide safeguards for shipping companies in a bid to end a global food crisis. Ukraine which, along with Russia, is a major supplier of whea

Prez Erdogan discusses extension of Black Sea grain deal with Zelenskyy

Russia and Ukraine, both have warned each other against the travelling of ships in the Black Sea, saying that it will be considered as "potential military cargo"

Russia aims missiles at Ukraine's farm storage after days of hitting ports

Russian cruise missiles, flying low and hugging the terrain to dodge Ukrainian air defences, destroyed farm storage buildings in the Odesa region early Friday, Ukrainian officials said, as the Kremlin's forces expanded their targets following three days of bombardment of the region's Black Sea port infrastructure. Two missiles struck the storage facility, starting a fire, and while workers fought to put it out another missile hit, destroying farm and firefighting equipment, the southern Odesa region's Gov. Oleh Kiper said. The attack injured two people and destroyed 100 metric tons of peas and 20 metric tons of barley, according to Kiper. The attack was small-scale in comparison with barrages in recent days that put Odesa in Russia's crosshairs after Moscow tore up a wartime deal that allowed Ukraine to send grain through the key Black Sea port. Russia targeted Ukrainian critical grain export infrastructure after vowing to retaliate for an attack that damaged a crucial bridge betwe

Poland to move soldiers to east of country over Wagner risks: Report

On Thursday, the Belarusian defence ministry said Wagner mercenaries had started to train Belarusian special forces at a military range just a few miles from the border with NATO-member Poland

Pakistan is not providing weapons to Ukraine: Foreign Minister Bilawal

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday said that Pakistan was not supplying weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, as he called for a peaceful resolution of hostilities between Russia and the eastern European country. Bilawal made the remarks at a joint press appearance with Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba after the two held detailed talks on matters of mutual and bilateral interests. He said the two sides discussed the situation in Ukraine and Pakistan shared with the foreign minister "our deep concern at the prevailing situation and offered our condolences on the loss of precious lives and immense human suffering". Responding to a query, Bilawal said that "Pakistan is not providing any weapons to Ukraine". Bilawal also said that Pakistan believed that prolonged conflict brings immense hardship and suffering to the civilian populations and hoped that peace would prevail so that the people of Ukraine and Russia can enjoy peace dividends. "In our meeting, I emphasised

Pakistan is not providing weapons, ammunition to Ukraine: Bilawal Bhutto

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday said that Pakistan was not supplying weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, as he called for a peaceful resolution of hostilities between Russia and the eastern European country. Bilawal made the remarks at a joint press appearance with Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba after the two held detailed talks on matters of mutual and bilateral interests. He said the two sides discussed the situation in Ukraine and Pakistan shared with the foreign minister "our deep concern at the prevailing situation and offered our condolences on the loss of precious lives and immense human suffering". Responding to a query, Bilawal said that "Pakistan is not providing any weapons to Ukraine". Bilawal also said that Pakistan believed that prolonged conflict brings immense hardship and suffering to the civilian populations and hoped that peace would prevail so that the people of Ukraine and Russia can enjoy peace dividends. "In our meeting, I emphasised

Wagner mercenaries, Belarus hold military exercises near Poland's border

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was shown in a video on Wednesday welcoming his fighters to Belarus, telling them they would take no further part in the Ukraine war for now

At least 21 injured in third night of Russian air attacks against Ukraine

A third night of Russian air attacks targeted Ukraine's southern cities, including the port city of Odesa, and wounded at least 21 people, Ukrainian officials said Thursday. At least 19 people were injured in Mykolaiv, a southern city close to the Black Sea, the region's Governor Vitalii Kim said in a statement on Telegram. Russian strikes destroyed several floors of a three-story building and caused a fire that affected an area of 450 square meters (4,800 square feet) and burned for hours. Kim said two people were hospitalised, including a child. In the port city of Odesa, at least two were injured following a Russian air attack that damaged buildings in the city center and caused a fire affecting an area of 300 square meters (3200 square feet), said Odesa Governor Oleh Kiper. The attacks come one day after an intense Russian bombardment using drones and missiles damaged critical port infrastructure in Odesa, including grain and oil terminals. The attack destroyed at least 60,000

Explained: The Crimea bridge attack and its significance

Russian authorities reported that a section of 19km long Kerch Bridge linking Russia and Crimea was destroyed by an explosion, resulting in two fatalities and a child injured.

Russia strikes Ukraine's port facilities in Odesa after halting grain deal

Russia unleashed intense drone and missile attacks overnight Wednesday, damaging critical port infrastructure in southern Ukraine, including grain and oil terminals, and wounding at least 12 people, officials said. The bombardment crippled significant parts of export facilities in Odesa and nearby Chornomorsk and destroyed 60,000 tons of grain, according to Ukraine's Agriculture Ministry. It came days after President Vladimir Putin pulled Russia out of its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative, a wartime deal that enabled Ukraine's exports to reach many countries facing the threat of hunger. It also followed a vow by Putin to retaliate against Kyiv for an attack Monday on the crucial Kerch Bridge linking Russia with the Crimean Peninsula, which the Kremlin illegally annexed in 2014. Putin said Wednesday that Russia could return to the deal if the West offers Russian banks involved in servicing payments for the country's agricultural exports an immediate access to the SWIF

US approves $1.3 billion package of long-term military aid for Ukraine

The Pentagon announced a new USD 1.3 billion package of long-term military aid to Ukraine on Wednesday, including four air defense systems and an undisclosed number of drones. The new assistance comes on the heels of a meeting Tuesday by defense and military leaders from around the globe to discuss ongoing efforts to give Ukraine the weapons it needs in its battle to retake territory seized by Russian forces. Included in the aid, which is being provided under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, will be funding for four National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, or NASAMS, and munitions for them, as well as Phoenix Ghost and Switchblade drones. Unlike the presidential drawdown authority that the Pentagon has used repeatedly over the past 17 months to pull weapons from its own stocks and quickly ship them to Ukraine, the USAI-funded equipment could take a year or two to get to the battlefront. As a result, this new package will do little to help Ukraine in its current ..

Russia launches intense attacks across Ukraine, targets southern port city

Russia launched an intense series of night-time air attacks sending drones and missiles toward places across Ukraine, and targeting the southern port city of Odesa for a second night in a row, Ukrainian officials said Wednesday. Meanwhile, Russian emergency officials in Crimea said that over 2,200 people were evacuated from four villages because of a fire at a military facility. The fire also caused the closure of an important highway, according to Sergey Aksyonov, the Russia-appointed head of the region, which was annexed in 2014. He did not specific a cause for the fire at the facility in Kirovsky district, which came two days after an attack on a bridge linking Russia to the peninsula that the Kremlin has blamed on Ukraine. A difficult night of air attacks for all of Ukraine, said Serhii Popko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration in a statement on Telegram. Ukrainian authorities reported more drones and missiles sent against more parts of Ukraine than in recent ...

India at UN urges immediate return to dialogue, diplomacy in Ukraine war

The permanent representative further added, We have consistently advocated that no solution can ever be arrived at the cost of human lives