Page 17 - Ukraine

Ukraine nuclear agency thickens alleged dirty bomb amid Russia's claims

Ukraine's nuclear energy operator on Tuesday offered what it suggested were clues about what might be behind Russia's claims that Kyiv's forces are preparing a provocation involving a radioactive device a so-called dirty bomb. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu made that claim to his British, French, Turkish and US counterparts over the weekend. Britain, France, and the United States rejected it out of hand as transparently false. Ukraine also dismissed Moscow's claim as an attempt to distract attention from the Kremlin's own alleged plans to detonate a dirty bomb, which uses explosives to scatter radioactive waste in an effort to sow terror. Energoatom, the Ukrainian nuclear operator, said Russian forces have carried out secret construction work over the last week at the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. Russian officers occupying the area won't let the Ukrainian staff running Europe's largest nuclear plant or monitors from the UN's atomic energy watchdog

Progressive Democrats urge Biden to seek diplomatic solution on Ukraine

The 30 Democrats, led by Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, said in a letter to Biden that it was in the interest of the US and Ukraine to avert an extended conflict

Pope, French President Macron meet at Vatican; Ukraine concerns loom large

Pope Francis on Monday met at the Vatican with French President Emmanuel Macron, with the war in Ukraine looming large in both leaders' concerns. The nearly hour-long private audience was Francis' third with Macron since becoming pontiff. Neither side immediately released details of their talks. On the eve of their meeting, Macron spoke at a conference in Rome about the need for Ukraine to decide the time and terms of peace with Russia, which invaded its neighbour eight months ago. Francis will go to the Colosseum on Tuesday to deliver a speech to the same forum, a conference centered on the need for peace and organised by a Catholic charity close to the Vatican. Accompanying Macron to the Vatican was his wife, Brigitte.

Russian authorities advise civilians to leave Ukraine's Kherson region

Russian-installed authorities in Ukraine told all residents of the city of Kherson to leave immediately Saturday ahead of an expected advance by Ukrainian troops waging a counteroffensive to recapture one of the first urban areas Russia took after invading the country. In a post on the Telegram messaging service, the pro-Kremlin regional administration strongly urged civilians to use boat crossings over a major river to move deeper into Russian-held territory, citing a tense situation on the front and the threat of shelling and alleged plans for terror attacks by Kyiv. Kherson has been in Russian hands since the early days of the nearly 8-month-long war in Ukraine. The city is the capital of a region of the same name, one of four that Russian President Vladimir Putin illegally annexed last month and put under Russian martial law on Thursday. On Friday, Ukrainian forces bombarded Russian positions across the province, targeting pro-Kremlin forces' resupply routes across the Dnieper

Weapons shortages could mean hard calls for Ukraine's allies amid war

Weapons shortages across Europe could force hard choices for Ukraine's allies as they balance their support for Ukraine against the risk that Russia could target them next. For months, the United States and other NATO members have sent billions of dollars worth of weapons and equipment into Ukraine to help it fight back against Russia. But for many of the smaller NATO countries, and even some of the larger ones, the war has strained already-depleted weapons stockpiles. Some allies sent all their reserve Soviet-era weaponry and are now waiting for US replacements. It can be difficult for some European countries to rapidly resupply because they no longer have a strong defence sector to quickly build replacements, with many relying on a dominant American defence industry that has elbowed out some foreign competitors. Now they face a dilemma: Do they keep sending their stocks of weapons to Ukraine and potentially increase their own vulnerability to Russian attack or do they hold back ..

Many witness power outages in Ukraine as Russia intensifies its strikes

Hundreds of thousands of people in central and western Ukraine woke up on Saturday to power outages and periodic bursts of gunfire, as Ukrainian air defence tried to shoot down drones and incoming missiles. Russia has intensified its strikes on power stations, water supply systems and other key infrastructure across the country, the latest phase of the war as it nears the eight-month mark. Ukraine's air force said in a statement Saturday that Russia had launched a massive missile attack" targeting critical infrastructure, hours after air raid sirens blared across the country. It said that it had downed 18 out of 33 cruise missiles launched from air and sea. Several rockets targeting the capital were shot down on Saturday morning, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on the Telegram messaging service. Similar reports were made by the governors of six western and central provinces, as well as the southern Odesa region on the Black Sea. The presidential office said in its morning stateme

What would retreat from Kherson mean for Russia as Ukraine zeroes in

Ukrainian forces pressing an offensive in the south have zeroed in on Kherson, a provincial capital that has been under Russian control since the early days of the invasion. The possible fall of the city would deal another humiliation to Moscow after a string of battlefield defeats and other setbacks, further cornering Russian President Vladimir Putin and setting the stage for a potential escalation of the nearly 8-month-old war. A look at the military and political importance of Kherson: WHY IS THE CITY SUCH A PRIZE? Kherson, which had a prewar population of 280,000, is the only regional capital to be captured by Russian forces. The city and surrounding areas fell into Moscow's hands in the opening days of the conflict as Russian troops quickly pushed their attack north from Crimea the region illegally annexed by the Kremlin in 2014. Its loss was a major blow to Ukraine because of its location on the Dnieper River, near the mouth of the Black Sea, and its role as a major industr

In rare talks, US, Russian Defence Ministers discuss Ukraine war

In rare talks, US and Russian Defence Ministers spoke on the phone during which they discussed the Ukrainian war, according to official statements issued by Washington and Moscow

Ukraine bombards Russian positions at river crossing; Kherson a fortress

Ukrainian forces bombarded Russian positions in the occupied and illegally annexed southern Kherson region, targeting resupply routes across a major river while inching closer to a full assault on one of the first urban areas Russia captured after invading the country. Russian-installed officials were reported desperately trying to turn the city of Kherson, a prime objective for both sides because of its key industries and major river and sea port, into a fortress while attempting to evacuate tens of thousands of residents. The Kremlin poured as many as 2,000 draftees into the Kherson region one of four Moscow illegally annexed and put under Russian martial law to replenish losses and strengthen front-line units, according to the Ukrainian army's general staff. The Dnieper River figures prominently in the regional battle because it serves critical functions crossings for supplies, troops and civilians; drinking water for southern Ukraine and the annexed Crimean Peninsula; and pow

EU to provide Ukraine with 18 bn euros amid refugee exodus concerns

European Union leaders on Friday gave the green light to a plan to provide Ukraine with 18 billion euros (dollars) in financial support over the next year, after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia is trying to spark a refugee exodus by destroying his country's energy infrastructure. The plan, endorsed at a summit of EU leaders in Brussels, would see the 27-nation bloc match US financial support for war-ravaged Ukraine in monthly installments. Ukraine is telling us that they need approximately 3-4 billion euros per month to have enough resources for the basics, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. She said that figure would be met in equal part by the EU and the US, plus additional money from international financial institutions. It is very important to Ukraine to have a predictable and stable flow of income, von der Leyen told reporters. She said the EU is looking to provide about 1.5 billion euros each month, describing it as a funding amount that

A less predictable outlook: How will Indian economy do in Samvat 2079?

While the frothier end of the market of unicorns has already seen a low tide when it comes to fresh funding, the more sober end of the market might provide a positive surprise, writes T N Ninan

Ukraine piles pressure on Russian-held Kherson, targets resupply routes

Ukrainian forces piled pressure on Russian positions in occupied Kherson, targeting resupply routes across a major river while inching closer Friday to making a full-scale assault on one of the first urban areas Russia captured after invading the country. As many as 2,000 Russian draftees have poured into the Kherson region - one of four provinces illegally annexed by Moscow - to replenish losses and strengthen units on the front line," according to the Ukrainian army's general staff. The deputy head of the Kremlin-installed regional administration in Kherson, Kirill Stremousov, said Ukrainian shelling of a Dnieper River crossing killed at four civilians late Thursday. Vadim Ilmiyev, the top health official, said 13 others were wounded in the attack. Natalia Humeniuk, a spokesperson for Ukraine's southern operational command, confirmed the Antonivskyi Bridge was struck but only after the start of a 10 p.m. local curfew to avoid civilian casualties. We do not attack civilians and ..

Ukraine's vital infrastructure threatened by Russia in war's new phase

When a missile struck a power station less than a mile from his apartment on the outskirts of Kyiv, Oleksander Maystrenko didn't panic, run to a bomb shelter or consider evacuating, even though he lives close to what suddenly has become the Russian military's main target in the war: anything related to Ukraine's vital infrastructure. His neighbours also haven't budged, despite the fact that Tuesday's attack marked by a loud explosion killed three people, severely damaged two facilities inside the plant's compound and temporarily knocked out power to about 50,000 households, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko. We aren't afraid because we aren't just prepared logistically; we are morally prepared, Maystrenko said outside his apartment building, where he and two neighbours sat on a bench and smoked only hours after the attack. This is what the latest phase of Russia's nearly eight-month-old war in Ukraine looks like. Moscow has openly declared its intention to increasingly ..

Iran ready to help end Ukraine-Russia crisis, says President Raisi

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi rejected certain "unsubstantiated claims" about Tehran's stance toward the conflict in Ukraine, saying Iran is ready to play a role in ending the crisis

Indian Embassy in Ukraine advises citizens to leave war-torn nation

The Indian Embassy in Ukraine advised all Indian citizens, including students, to leave the war-torn nation at the earliest by available means, due to "deteriorating security situation" there

Spotty policies, Ukraine war darken India's climate change targets

The conflict will hamper further India's slow progress in meeting key goals

Russia says seized Ukrainian lands are under its nuclear protection

Nearly eight months into his invasion of Ukraine, some analysts believe the likelihood of Putin resorting to nuclear weapons has increased since his army suffered a series of major defeats

As winter approaches Ukrainians dig in for brutal season amid war

Nine-year-old Artem Panchenko helps his grandmother stoke a smoky fire in a makeshift outdoor kitchen beside their nearly abandoned apartment block. The light is falling fast and they need to eat before the setting sun plunges their home into cold and darkness. Winter is coming. They can feel it in their bones as temperatures drop below freezing. And like tens of thousands of other Ukrainians, they are facing a season that promises to be brutal. Artem and his grandmother have been living without gas, water or electricity for around three weeks, ever since Russian missile strikes cut off the utilities in their town in Ukraine's eastern Kharkiv region. For them and the few other residents that remain in the complex in Kivsharivka, bundling up at night and cooking outdoors is the only way to survive. It's cold and there are bombings, Artem said Sunday as he helped his grandmother with the cooking. It's really cold. I'm sleeping in my clothes in our apartment. More Russian strikes on .

Russian warplane crashes into residential area near Sea of Azov, killing 13

A Russian warplane crashed into a residential area in a Russian city on the Sea of Azov after suffering engine failure, leaving at least four people dead, three of whom died when they jumped from upper floors of a nine-storey apartment building to escape a massive blaze. A Su-34 bomber came down in the port city of Yeysk after one of its engines caught fire during takeoff for a training mission on Monday, the Russian Defence Ministry said. It said both crew members bailed out safely, but the plane crashed into a residential area, causing a fire as tons of fuel exploded on impact. Authorities said at least four residents were killed, six were missing and 25 others were injured, including eight people who were in grave condition. Vice governor of the region, Anna Menkova, said three of the four victims died when they jumped from the upper floors of the building in a desperate attempt to escape the flames, according to the RIA-Novosti news agency. The authorities reserved emergency ro

Musk withdraws Pentagon funding request for Starlink Internet in Ukraine

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Monday said that the company will continue to fund the Starlink Internet service in war-torn Ukraine and that he has withdrawn the request for funding to the Pentagon