Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin’s forces advance in key eastern town as Kyiv’s troops plead for ammunition
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Russian forces have broken through Ukrainian positions defending the strategically important eastern city of Chasiv Yar.
After months of bombardments, the Kremlin’s army pushed back forces from party of the city, Ukraine’s military spokesman said on national television on Thursday.
Nazar Voloshyn said: “It became impractical to hold the canal neighbourhood after the enemy entered it, because it threatened the lives and health of our servicemen and the positions of our defenders were destroyed.
“The command decided to pull back to more protected and prepared positions, but even there the enemy does not stop its active combat actions,”
Holding the city was deemed crucial for Ukraine, with the site a highly sought-after due to its strategic location and elevated position.
The Russian advancement comes after the commander of a Ukrainian brigade operating near Chasiv Yar said his forces were in need of ammunition as President Volodymyr Zelensky bemoaned the time it was taking for equipment to reach the front line.
Ukraine is now receiving Western weaponry and ammunition after assistance from Washington was halted for months by disputes in the U.S. Congress, which announced its latest $2.3 billion military aid package this week, including artillery rounds, interceptor missiles and anti-tank weapons.
Key points
Ukrainian forces pull back in Chasiv Yar
Five killed in Ukraine after Russian missiles hit Dnipro
Vladimir Putin attends security summit set up to counter Western alliances
Ukraine not ready to compromise with Russia, says Zelensky's aide
More on the Russian advancement in part of Chasiv Yar
10:38 , Alex Ross
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces had taken control of the Novyi district, which lies to the west of Siverskyi Donets-Donbas canal that runs through the eastern part of the Chasiv Yar.
“It became impractical to hold the canal neighbourhood after the enemy entered it, because it threatened the lives and health of our servicemen and the positions of our defenders were destroyed,” military spokesman Nazar Voloshyn told Ukrainian television.
“The command decided to pull back to more protected and prepared positions, but even there the enemy does not stop its active combat actions,” he said.
Russia’s forces, which launched their full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, have been slowly advancing in the Donetsk region for several weeks and tried to open a new front near the northeastern city of Kharkiv.
‘We have to safeguard the security bottom line’ - Chinese President Xi Jinping
10:00 , Alex Ross
At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting in Kazakhstan’s capital of Astana, attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on members to show solidarity in the face “the real challenges of intervention and polarization”. “In the face of the real threat of the Cold War mentality, we have to safeguard the security bottom line,” he added.
And addressing the summit, Putin emphasised the group’s focus on ensuring security of its members and noted that the SCO will form a dedicated centre that will coordinate response to various security challenges.
He added that the group’s members will also endorse a special program to fight separatism and extremism.
Besides Putin and Xi, and summit host Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, attending Thursday’s meeting are Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, President Emomali Rakhmon of Tajikistan, President Sadyr Zhaparov of Kyrgyzstan and President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus.
Vladimir Putin attends security summit set up to counter Western alliances
09:14 , Alex Ross
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday attended the summit of a security grouping created by Moscow and Beijing to counter Western alliances.
Putin and Xi joined the leaders of other countries that are members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization at its annual meeting in Kazakhstan’s capital of Astana.
The grouping was established in 2001 by China, Russia and four ex-Soviet Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to promote regional security and economic cooperation.
It was later joined by India, Pakistan and Iran. Russia’s western neighbor and ally, Belarus, joined the SCO on Thursday.Observer states and dialogue partners include Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
Ukrainian forces pull back
08:44 , Alex Ross
Ukrainian forces have pulled back from a part of Chasiv Yar in the eastern Donetsk region, the military’s spokesman said on national television on Thursday.
“It became impractical to hold the canal neighbourhood after the enemy entered it, because it threatened the lives and health of our servicemen and the positions of our defenders were destroyed,” Nazar Voloshyn said.
“The command decided to pull back to more protected and prepared positions, but even there the enemy does not stop its active combat actions,” he added.
Turkey's Erdogan offers to help end Russia-Ukraine war
08:20 , Arpan Rai
Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan told Russia’s Vladimir Putin that Ankara could help end the Ukraine-Russia war, an offer Putin’s spokesperson rejected and said Erdogan could not play the role of an intermediary in the 28-month-old conflict.
Erdogan, speaking to Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Kazakhstan, said he believed a fair peace suiting both sides was possible, the Turkish presidency said.
But Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, ruled out any role as a go-between for the Turkish leader.
“No, it’s not possible,” said Peskov, when asked by a Russian television interviewer whether Erdogan could assume such a role, according to the Russian Tass news agency. The news agency’s account did not explain why the Kremlin was opposed to Erdogan’s participation.
The Turkish presidency said the two leaders also discussed the war in Gaza and ways to end the conflict in Syria.
A precious moment in time of war: Flowers for a wife and daughter coming home to Ukraine
08:00 , Arpan Rai
On his way to the Kyiv train station to greet his wife and daughter returning from Poland to Ukraine, Oleksander Tryfonov made a stop.
He bought two red roses from one of a half-dozen flower shops lining a dimly lit underpass — something beautiful for the two most precious people in his life.
“I haven’t seen them for two years,” Tryfonov, a burly 45-year-old driver said of his family. “Flowers are important for women.”
Flowers have always been linked with Ukraine’s culture, but since Russia’s 2022 invasion, their significance has only grown, with blooms becoming a symbol of both resistance and hope.
Despite hardships brought by war — or perhaps because of them — Ukrainians take every chance they can to fill Kyiv and other cities with flowers from the country’s vast rural heartland, anxious to reconnect with and rediscover their roots.
A precious moment in time of war: Flowers for a wife and daughter coming home to Ukraine
Ukraine reports heavy fighting as Russia claims to control Chasiv Yar city
07:13 , Arpan Rai
The frontline situation in Ukraine’s Chasiv Yar is “critically difficult”, Ukrainian press officer Ivan Petrechak said last evening amid Russian reports of mounting aerial attacks.
“We see no letup in the amount of shelling. The enemy is using artillery, multiple rocket systems,” Mr Petrechak, press officer for Ukraine’s 24th brigade defending the town, said. “The situation remains tense. But the 24th brigade is holding its positions.”
Russian forces, he said, were sticking to known tactics – moving infantry into forested areas and then dispersing to attack Ukrainian positions in small groups. Advancing soldiers were covered by shelling and attack drones.
The popular Ukrainian war blog DeepState reported earlier in the day that Russian forces had “completely erased” Novyi district. A Ukrainian military official said last week that Russian troops had been pushed out of an area by the canal.
Russian forces have been slowly pushing their way across parts of eastern Ukraine since the capture of the key city of Avdiivka in February.
Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had taken control of a district in the key Ukrainian town of Chasiv Yar, while Ukraine said the area was engulfed by intense fighting.
Chasiv Yar stands on high ground 20km (12 miles) to the west of Bakhmut, a town Russian forces seized a year ago. It had been levelled by months of fierce battles.
Both sides see Chasiv Yar as a strategic site which Russia could use as a potential staging point to move westward through Donetsk region toward the cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.
Russian armed group claim arson attack on Moscow warship in Baltic
07:00 , Alexander Butler
A Ukrainian military intelligence official said on Wednesday that a fire on a Russian warship in the Baltic Sea in April was caused by a joint operation conducted by his GUR agency and a pro-Kyiv Russian military group.
On 7 April, the Serpukhov missile ship stationed in Russia’s Kaliningrad region was set on fire, the GUR intelligence agency said at the time. It did not claim responsibility earlier.
GUR spokesperson Andriy Yusov told Reuters the operation was conducted in tandem with the Freedom of Russia Legion. Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has made no public comment on the incident.
Ukraine regularly carries out multiple air and naval strikes on Russian warships in the Black Sea. If the reported damage to the Serpukhov is confirmed, the arson would be Ukraine’s first known operation against Russia in the Baltic Sea.
Russian missiles and drones strike in daylight attack that kills 5
06:47 , Arpan Rai
A Russian missile and drone attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro yesterday killed five civilians and injured 47 others, including a 14-year-old girl, authorities said.
Blasts blew out some windows of a shopping mall, raining shards onto the street, photos published by local officials showed. Mayor Borys Filatov said the daytime attack also shattered windows in two schools and three kindergartens. Debris struck the intensive care unit of a children’s hospital, and a fire broke out in another hospital.
A video posted on social media by president Volodymyr Zelensky showed a missile with a fiery trail streaking over buildings in Ukraine’s fourth-largest city, and debris flying into the air from its impact.
Russian missiles and drones strike eastern Ukraine's Dnipro in a daylight attack that kills 5
Ukraine downs 21 out of 22 drones launched by Russia
06:34 , Arpan Rai
Ukraine shot down 21 out of 22 Shahed drones used in a Russian attack overnight, its air force reported this morning.
Ukrainian air defence shot down the drones over six regions in northern and central Ukraine, the air force said.
Zelensky asks Trump to tell his plan ‘today’ on ending war
06:28 , Arpan Rai
Volodymyr Zelensky has asked Donald Trump to disclose his plan on ending the war in Ukraine and said that the mounting risks for Kyiv include losing statehood.
“If Trump knows how to end this war he should tell us today. Because if there are risks to Ukraine’s independence, if there are risks that we lose statehood, we want to be prepared for this,” he told Bloomberg.
Mr Trump has repeatedly said he could settle the war between Russia and Ukraine in one day if he’s elected president again, even though Russia’s United Nations ambassador says he can’t.
At a CNN town hall in May 2023, the former US president said: “They’re dying, Russians and Ukrainians. I want them to stop dying. And I’ll have that done — I’ll have that done in 24 hours.” He said that would happen after he met with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian president Vladimir Putin. And he keeps repeating the claim on the campaign trail.
The Ukrainian war-time president reacted to the claims by Mr Trump and said he wanted to know the extent of US support when Americans vote on 5 November.
“They can’t plan my life and the life of our people, our children,” Mr Zelensky said. “My message is if they have the plan, it can be not public because of the elections but I think we have to know before to prepare.”
Mr Trump campaign’s communications director Steven Cheung said Tuesday that “a top priority in his second term will be to quickly negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine war.”NEW
Russia destroys Ukrainian MiG-29 jet at airfield - report
06:04 , Arpan Rai
A Russian missile hit and destroyed a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet on an airfield in the Dnipropetrovsk region, Russia’s defence ministry said this morning, reported TASS news agency.
Russian forces have been targeting Ukrainian air base, as they anticipate the arrival of F-16 warplanes to Ukraine this week.
At least two of Ukraine’s Sukhoi Su-27 fighters parked on tarmac at Mirgorod air base in northern Ukraine were destroyed by Russian Iskander ballistic missiles on Monday.
Russian drones have continued to hover over Ukrainian air bases. While officials have not revealed where the F-16s will be based, Moscow said after the strike on Starokostiantyniv last Thursday that it had targeted airfields it believed would house them.
Ukraine will be informed it can’t join Nato because of its corruption – report
05:24 , Arpan Rai
Ukraine’s biggest domestic rival – corruption – is set to impact its Nato membership as Kyiv will be informed of it as the reason it cannot join the European bloc, officials said.
A senior official in the US State Department said Nato will ask Kyiv to take “additional steps” before any progression on membership talks, reported The Telegraph.
Nato leaders are set to gather for the Washington summit from 9 July to 11 July. Nato’s official line is that Ukraine will join one day, but not while the country is at war. “Ukraine’s future is in NATO,” its leaders declared at last year’s Vilnius summit.
Kyiv will be informed of Nato’s latest position in writing in the Nato communique, the source said, stating that it is a priority for “many of us around the table”.
“We have to step back and applaud everything that Ukraine has done in the name of reforms over the last two-plus years,” they added.
“As they continue to make those reforms, we want to commend them, we want to talk about additional steps that need to be taken, particularly in the area of anti-corruption,” the source said.
Ukrainian drones hit electricity substation near Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, say officials
05:00 , Alexander Butler
Three Ukrainian drones struck an electricity substation near the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and nearby town of Enerhodar, the plant’s Russian-installed management said on Wednesday.
In a statement on Telegram, the plant’s management said that eight staff had been injured and the substation in south-eastern Ukraine damaged.
Russia’s state news agency TASS had reported earlier on Wednesday that the drones had hit the plant itself.
Five killed in Ukraine after Russian missiles hit Dnipro
04:13 , Arpan Rai
A Russian missile and drone attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro killed five civilians and injured 47 others, including a 14-year-old girl, authorities said.Blasts blew out some windows of a shopping mall, raining shards onto the street, photos published by local officials showed.
Mayor Borys Filatov said the daytime attack also shattered windows in two schools and three kindergartens. Debris struck the intensive care unit of a children’s hospital, and a fire broke out in another hospital.
Volodymyr Zelensky shared a video of the strike and showed a missile with a fiery trail streaking over buildings in Ukraine’s fourth-largest city, and debris flying into the air from its impact.
The attacks ravaged other parts of Ukraine as well. In the Kharkiv region in the northeast, Russian shelling struck a village council building, killing one person and injuring two others, regional head Oleh Suniehubov said.
Elsewhere in the region, a Russian glide bomb struck a residential building in the village of Ruska Lozova, injuring at least two people. Others could be trapped under rubble, Syniehubov said.
Erdogan tells Putin that Turkey can help reach fair end to Russia-Ukraine war
04:00 , Alexander Butler
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Wednesday that Ankara could help establish a basis to end the Ukraine-Russia war and that a fair peace suiting both sides was possible, the Turkish presidency said.
They two leaders also discussed the war in Gaza and ways to end the conflict in Syria, the Turkish presidency said in a statement after Erdogan and Putin met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Kazakhstan.
Pictured: Ukrainian convicts join the army and attend a training session in Kharkiv
03:00 , Alexander Butler
Survey finds popular support for NATO at a challenging time for the Western alliance
02:00 , Alexander Butler
A survey of people in 13 of the nations belonging to NATO found a median of about 6 in 10 held a favorable view of the Western military alliance, the Pew Research Center said Tuesday.
The poll was released ahead of a July 9-11 NATO summit in Washington, which is being held at a challenging time for the 75-year-old Western military alliance. The 32 NATO member countries are adjusting their long-term plans and strategies to counteract a more aggressive Russian President Vladimir Putin and respond to Ukraine’s need for sustained support against invading Russian forces.
Meanwhile, the presidential reelection bid of Donald Trump, who long has spoken scathingly of NATO allies and admiringly of Putin, has some NATO members worrying about the future commitment of the alliance’s most powerful military and economy.
Survey finds popular support for NATO at a challenging time for the Western alliance
World Athletics leader Sebastian Coe visits Ukraine and invites Zelenskyy to Olympic track meet
01:00 , Alexander Butler
World Athletics leader Sebastian Coe visits Ukraine and invites Zelenskyy to Olympic track meet
Troops look for weak spots as Russia sets the stage for another push in Ukraine
Wednesday 3 July 2024 23:30 , Alexander Butler
Troops look for weak spots as Russia sets the stage for another push in Ukraine
Litvinenko’s widow ‘disgusted’ by Farage and Reform UK candidate’s praise for Putin
Wednesday 3 July 2024 22:30 , Alexander Butler
Russian dissidents living in the UK have hit back at the “deeply offensive” words of admiration for Vladimir Putin spoken by Nigel Farage and another Reform UK candidate.
It comes as a British former defence attache who was previously stationed in Moscow described Mr Farage and his party, now third in the polls, as “deeply malign actors ... working against the security interests of our country”.
When asked about the accusations, a Reform UK spokesperson burst into laughter before suggesting that Julian Malins, a Reform party candidate who last weekend bragged about meeting Mr Putin and said that he “seemed very good”, was merely a highly intelligent and “eccentric sort of character”.
Litvinenko’s widow ‘disgusted’ by Farage and Reform UK candidate’s praise for Putin
Ukraine offers prisoners release at a high price
Wednesday 3 July 2024 21:30 , Alexander Butler
Ukraine offers prisoners release at a high price
Russia is ordering its troops to kill Ukrainian prisoners of war – why?
Wednesday 3 July 2024 20:30 , Alexander Butler
Russian commanders are ordering their forces to kill surrendering Ukrainian soldiers in a plan to “terrify” droves of Russian troops into not giving themselves up.
Many newly conscripted and poorly trained Russian soldiers realise their lives are being squandered in human-wave attacks, according to Ukrainian officials.
Petro Yatsenko, a spokesperson for Kyiv’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, says orders to kill Ukrainians who could be taken prisoner come from the “highest level” – the Kremlin. The instructions are designed to “terrify” their own soldiers, he adds.
Russia is ordering its soldiers to kill Ukrainian prisoners of war – why?
Russian forces launch recruitment drive in Africa to fight war in Ukraine
Wednesday 3 July 2024 19:30 , Alexander Butler
Russia is conducting a new recruitment drive for fighters in Africa for its war in Ukraine after suffering heavy casualties on the ground in lethal combat, according to Western intelligence officials.
The enrolment campaign has intensified following the rapid spread of Moscow’s influence on the continent, boosted by the overthrow of pro-Western governments in several countries by military regimes and the subsequent withdrawal of US and European forces.
Mercenaries formerly with the Wagner Group – which was disbanded after the failed coup attempt by its Russian leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, who was subsequently killed along with his senior hierarchy in an air crash – are training young men, some from tribal militias, for battle in Europe.
Putin’s forces launch recruitment drive in Africa to fight war in Ukraine
Nato pledges £34bn in military aid for Ukraine3
Wednesday 3 July 2024 18:30 , Alexander Butler
Nato has agreed to fund military aid for Ukraine with £34billion next year, two Western European diplomats told said a week before the alliance’s leaders are set to meet in Washington.
Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg had asked allies to make a multi-year commitment to keep military aid for Kyiv at the same level as that since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
While the member states did not back Mr Stoltenberg’s original request for such a multi-year pledge, the pact includes a provision to re-evaluate allied contributions at future Nato summits, according to a diplomat.
Ukraine to submit resolution on nuclear safety to UN General Assembly
Wednesday 3 July 2024 17:30 , Alexander Butler
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that Kyiv planned to submit a resolution on nuclear safety, in particular at the Russia-occupied Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, for consideration at the United Nations General Assembly.
The Zaporizhzhia plant, the largest in Europe, was captured by Russian forces shortly after they launched a full-scale invasion in 2022. It is shut down but needs external power to keep its nuclear material cool and prevent a meltdown.
“Ukraine will submit the draft resolution to the General Assembly for consideration shortly,” Zelensky said on X, following a meeting in Kyiv with the Assembly’s President Dennis Francis.
In the course of the 28-month war, Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of shelling the plant and putting down power lines. Ukraine has dismissed Russian accusations saying it was not attacking nuclear facilities.
New Dutch PM pledges continued support for Ukraine in call with Zelensky
Wednesday 3 July 2024 15:30 , Alexander Butler
The Netherlands’ new Prime Minister Dick Schoof assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during a phone call on Wednesday that his country would maintain its support for Ukraine.
The Netherlands has been one of the driving forces behind an international coalition to supply Ukraine with F-16s to strengthen its air defences against Russia.
The outgoing Dutch government said on Monday that the first of 24 promised jets would be supplied soon.
“I assured (Zelenskiy) that the Netherlands’ support for his country is rock solid; we will continue to support Ukraine politically, militarily, and financially against Russian aggression, whatever it takes and for as long as it takes,” Schoof said on social media platform X.
Olena Zelenska falls victim to deepfake video claiming she bought a Bugatti
Wednesday 3 July 2024 14:30 , Alexander Butler
Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska is the latest victim of deepfake after an online video falsely claimed that she had purchased a rare Bugatti sports car worth €4.5m (£3.8m).
The video, suspected to be from Russian propaganda sources, claimed Ms Zelenska was given a closed presentation to buy a Bugatti Tourbillon for the use of the Ukrainian delegation during her visit to Paris for D-Day commemorations in June last week.
“This is a fake and another attempt by Russians to discredit the family of the President of Ukraine,” said Ukrainian fact-checking unit Centre for Countering Disinformation (CCD), under the national security and defence council.
Olena Zelenska falls victim to deepfake video claiming she bought a Bugatti
Russian armed group claim arson attack on Moscow warship in Baltic
Wednesday 3 July 2024 14:17 , Alexander Butler
A Ukrainian military intelligence official said on Wednesday that a fire on a Russian warship in the Baltic Sea in April was caused by a joint operation conducted by his GUR agency and a pro-Kyiv Russian military group.
On 7 April, the Serpukhov missile ship stationed in Russia’s Kaliningrad region was set on fire, the GUR intelligence agency said at the time. It did not claim responsibility earlier.
GUR spokesperson Andriy Yusov told Reuters the operation was conducted in tandem with the Freedom of Russia Legion. Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has made no public comment on the incident.
Ukraine regularly carries out multiple air and naval strikes on Russian warships in the Black Sea. If the reported damage to the Serpukhov is confirmed, the arson would be Ukraine’s first known operation against Russia in the Baltic Sea.
Zelensky says Russia fired 800 glide bombs in a week as dozens injured in aerial attacks
Wednesday 3 July 2024 13:48 , Alexander Butler
Zelensky says Russia fired 800 glide bombs in a week as dozens injured in strikes
Russian air-dropped bombs cause rise in Ukraine civilian casualties, UN warns
Wednesday 3 July 2024 11:25 , Alexander Butler
Russia’s use of air-dropped bombs with a larger range is a major reason civilian casualties in Ukraine increased between March and May, the UN warned.
The munitions also caused widespread damage to civilian property and infrastructure, particularly near the frontline, according to the United Nations.
“Increased use of powerful air-dropped bombs with a larger range by Russian armed forces was a significant reason for the rise in civilian casualties and massive destruction of civilian infrastructure in frontline communities,” it said.
The UN found that the Russian offensive in the Kharkiv region alone killed 78 civilians killed and wounded 305 others from May 10-31. Between March and May, at least 436 civilians were killed and 1,760 injured in Ukraine.
Russia is ordering its troops to kill Ukrainian prisoners of war – why?
Wednesday 3 July 2024 09:50 , Alexander Butler
Russian commanders are ordering their forces to kill surrendering Ukrainian soldiers in a plan to “terrify” droves of Russian troops into not giving themselves up.
Many newly conscripted and poorly trained Russian soldiers realise their lives are being squandered in human-wave attacks, according to Ukrainian officials.
Petro Yatsenko, a spokesperson for Kyiv’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, says orders to kill Ukrainians who could be taken prisoner come from the “highest level” – the Kremlin. The instructions are designed to “terrify” their own soldiers, he adds.
Russia is ordering its soldiers to kill Ukrainian prisoners of war – why?
Russian attacks on Kharkiv region kill one, injure four
Wednesday 3 July 2024 09:08 , Alexander Butler
One person was killed and another four wounded in Russian attacks in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region on Wednesday, according to local authorities.
Kharkiv regional prosecutors said one person was killed and two wounded in an attack in the village of Borova that also damaged 10 homes, stores and an administrative building.
In the village of Ruska Lozova, two people were wounded and 10 homes damaged in a strike in the early hours that used two S-400 missiles, prosecutors said citing preliminary information.
Russia has repeatedly denied targeting civilians since launching a full-scale invasion of its neighbour in February 2022.
Regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said in June that attacks near the village of Borova had intensified as Russian forces sought to strike logistics and probe weaknesses in the Ukrainian defences.
Kremlin says there is no dialogue with Trump about conflict in Ukraine
Wednesday 3 July 2024 09:07 , Alexander Butler
There is no dialogue between Russia and Donald Trump about the conflict in Ukraine, the Interfax news agency reported on Wednesday, citing the Kremlin’s spokesman.
Trump said last week during a debate against President Joe Biden that if he won the November U.S. election, he would have the war settled before he took office in January.
Russia says French citizen pleads guilty to collecting military information
Wednesday 3 July 2024 08:31 , Alexander Butler
French researcher Laurent Vinatier, charged with failing to register as a foreign agent while collecting information on Russia’s military, pleaded guilty, Russia’s Investigative committee said on Wednesday.
Mr Vinatier, 47, could face up to five years in prison. He was placed in pre-trial custody until Aug. 5, despite a request to free him endorsed by the French embassy.
Viktor Orban urges Ukraine ‘to consider quick ceasefire’ during first trip to Kyiv
Wednesday 3 July 2024 08:13 , Alexander Butler
Orban urges Ukraine ‘to consider quick ceasefire’ during first trip to war-torn Kyiv
Russian forces launch recruitment drive in Africa to fight war in Ukraine
Wednesday 3 July 2024 07:35 , Arpan Rai
Russia is conducting a new recruitment drive for fighters in Africa for its war in Ukraine after suffering heavy casualties on the ground in lethal combat, according to Western intelligence officials.
The enrolment campaign has intensified following the rapid spread of Moscow’s influence on the continent, boosted by the overthrow of pro-Western governments in several countries by military regimes and the subsequent withdrawal of US and European forces.
Mercenaries formerly with the Wagner Group – which was disbanded after the failed coup attempt by its Russian leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, who was subsequently killed along with his senior hierarchy in an air crash – are training young men, some from tribal militias, for battle in Europe.
Kim Sengupta reports:
Putin’s forces launch recruitment drive in Africa to fight war in Ukraine
Russia claims 10 Ukraine-launched air drones, two sea drones downed
Wednesday 3 July 2024 06:49 , Arpan Rai
Russia’s defence systems destroyed 10 air drones that Ukraine launched at Russian territory, as well as two sea drones heading in the direction of the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, the Russian defence ministry said this morning.
At least five air drones were destroyed over the Belgorod region, four over the Bryansk region and one over the Moscow region, the ministry said.
Viktor Orban urges Ukraine ‘to consider quick ceasefire’ during first trip to Kyiv
Wednesday 3 July 2024 06:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban has urged Ukraine “to consider a quick ceasefire” during his first visit to the war-torn country since Vladimir Putin ordered the full-scale invasion.
After crunch talks with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, during which the two countries pledged to strengthen relations, Mr Orban urged Ukraine to halt fighting and enter negotiations with Russia, adding that the war was having a “very intense effect on the security of Europe”.
“We highly appreciate all the initiatives of President Zelensky for the sake of achieving peace,” he said. “I told Mr President that these initiatives take a long time. It is precisely because of the rules of international diplomacy that they are very complicated.
Orban urges Ukraine ‘to consider quick ceasefire’ during first trip to war-torn Kyiv
Major poll says Russia-Ukraine war will end in negotiated outcome
Wednesday 3 July 2024 06:27 , Arpan Rai
The Russian war in Ukraine is likely to end with a negotiated outcome with Russia, as opposed to a much popular outright Ukrainian military victory, in most European nations, a major poll of 15 countries has showed.
At least 19,566 people were surveyed in 15 countries by the European Council of Foreign Relations (ECFR) thinktank in the first half of May this year.
Of these, a total of 34 per cent of Ukrainians currently say they trust the war-time president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, “a great deal”. Another 31 per cent trust him “quite a lot”, confirming that those keeping faith with their leader outnumber those who are not by two to one.
At least 58 per cent of Ukrainians foresaw a victory for Kyiv as the most likely outcome of the war, while 30 per cent said it would end in a settlement. One per cent expect Russia to emerge victorious.
This is the first time the European think tank has also polled inside Ukraine itself, where it finds support for war and victory are strong, despite talk of weakening morale.
Ukraine not ready to compromise with Russia, says Zelensky's aide
Wednesday 3 July 2024 05:34 , Arpan Rai
A senior aide of Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine is not ready to compromise with Russia and give up any territory to end the war.
Andri Yermak, the presidential chief of staff, was answering a question on US presidential candidate Donald Trump’s declaration that he could quickly end the Russian war on Ukraine.
Kyiv would listen to any advice on how to achieve a “just peace” in the war, he said. “But we (are) not ready to go to the compromise for the very important things and values... independence, freedom, democracy, territorial integrity, sovereignty,” he said.
Mr Yermak’s visit came ahead of next week’s Nato summit in the US capital, where Ukraine is expected to be the main topic of discussion.
Asked how Ukraine assesses that Mr Trump would handle the war, Mr Yermak said: “Honest answer: I don’t know. Let’s see.”
Ukraine would lobby a new US administration to continue providing it support, he said, adding that Ukraine had received bipartisan support in Washington and polling showed most Americans still support Ukraine after two years of war.
Russia is ordering its troops to kill Ukrainian prisoners of war – why?
Wednesday 3 July 2024 05:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Russian commanders are ordering their forces to kill surrendering Ukrainian soldiers in a plan to “terrify” droves of Russian troops into not giving themselves up.
Russia is ordering its soldiers to kill Ukrainian prisoners of war – why?
Viktor Orban urges Ukraine ‘to consider quick ceasefire’ during first trip to Kyiv
Wednesday 3 July 2024 04:59 , Arpan Rai
Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban has urged Ukraine “to consider a quick ceasefire” during his first visit to the war-torn country since Vladimir Putin ordered the full-scale invasion.
After crunch talks with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, during which the two countries pledged to strengthen relations, Mr Orban urged Ukraine to halt fighting and enter negotiations with Russia, adding that the war was having a “very intense effect on the security of Europe”.
“We highly appreciate all the initiatives of president Zelensky for the sake of achieving peace,” he said. “I told [the] president that these initiatives take a long time. It is precisely because of the rules of international diplomacy that they are very complicated.
“I asked the president to think about whether it is possible to go a little differently: to stop the fire and then continue the negotiations. A ceasefire could speed up the pace of these negotiations.”
Tom Watling reports:
Orban urges Ukraine ‘to consider quick ceasefire’ during first trip to war-torn Kyiv
US set to announce over $2.3bn arms package for Ukraine, Pentagon says
Wednesday 3 July 2024 04:37 , Arpan Rai
The US will soon announce more than $2.3bn in new security assistance for Ukraine, defence secretary Lloyd Austin said yesterday during a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart at the Pentagon.
“I am proud that the United States will soon announce more than $2.3bn in new security assistance for Ukraine,” Mr Austin said just before entering a meeting with Ukrainian defence minister Rustem Umerov.
“This package, under presidential drawdown authority, will provide more air defence interceptors, anti-tank weapons and other critical munitions from the US inventories.”
Mr Austin also gave a nod to Ukraine’s aspirations to eventually join Nato, more than two years after Russia’s full-scale invasion. Referring to next week’s Nato summit in Washington, he said, “We will take steps to build a bridge to Nato membership for Ukraine.”
Ukrainian officials have been urging their allies for months to supply more air defense systems to counter frequent missile and drone attacks from Russian forces.
The US defence secretary said the latest weapons package for Ukraine would include arms such as anti-tank weapons and air defence interceptors, and would allow accelerated procurement of NASAMS and Patriot air defenxe interceptors.
Polish, German governments meet to mend ties after 6 years of reserve
Wednesday 3 July 2024 04:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Government leaders of Poland and Germany on Tuesday held wide bilateral consultations aimed at giving a new impulse to neighborly relations that sagged under Poland’s previous government, and to jointly declare responsibility for Europe’s security in turbulent times.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz traveled with 12 ministers and government members, including Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, for the meeting in Warsaw.
“We bring a very clear message: Germany and Poland are good neighbors, close partners and reliable friends. And we want to create a new dynamic for our cooperation,” Scholz told a joint news conference with Tusk.
Polish, German governments meet to mend ties after 6 years of reserve
Blinken, Zelensky’s aide discuss bringing Ukraine closer to Nato
Wednesday 3 July 2024 04:29 , Arpan Rai
US secretary of state Antony Blinken and the Ukrainian president’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, discussed Nato members’s intention to bring Ukraine closer to the alliance, State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said.
Their meeting in Washington came before a Nato summit in the US capital next week, at which Ukraine hopes to secure more assurances from the alliance on its membership bid.
Mr Blinken has said Ukraine will become a member of Nato and that the summit will “help build a bridge” to that outcome.
“They spoke about a number of issues, including the upcoming Washington Nato Summit and allies intention to bring Ukraine closer to Nato membership and helping to strengthen Ukraine’s ability to defend against Russian aggression,” Mr Patel told reporters at a regular press briefing.
The two leaders also discussed efforts led by the G7 group of nations to “enhance the resiliency” of Ukraine’s energy grid, which has come under Russian attack in recent months, Mr Patel said.
Beach access restricted in Russia’s Novorossiysk after sea drones attacks
Wednesday 3 July 2024 04:03 , Arpan Rai
Beach access in the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk will be restricted early today, the mayor of the city said, after reporting earlier that defence forces were engaged in repelling a sea drone attack.
“Until 9am (0600 GMT) on 3 July, the bay’s water will be surveyed,” mayor Andrei Kravchenko said on Telegram.
“We kindly request you to refrain from visiting beach areas, embankments and recreational areas along the water’s edge during operational activities,” he said. Earlier, Kravchenko said, without providing detail, the port was under a sea drone attack.
Russia has often accused Ukraine of attacking its port cities on the Black Sea coast and on the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula, but Russian officials often do not disclose the full extent of damage inflicted by Ukrainian attacks.
Kyiv has said attacks on Russia’s military, transport and energy infrastructure are in response to Moscow’s continuous attacks on Ukraine‘s territory since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Russian forces launch recruitment drive in Africa to fight war in Ukraine
Wednesday 3 July 2024 03:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Russia is conducting a new recruitment drive for fighters in Africa for its war in Ukraine after suffering heavy casualties on the ground in lethal combat, according to Western intelligence officials.
The enrolment campaign has intensified following the rapid spread of Moscow’s influence on the continent, boosted by the overthrow of pro-Western governments in several countries by military regimes and the subsequent withdrawal of US and European forces.
Mercenaries formerly with the Wagner Group – which was disbanded after the failed coup attempt by its Russian leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, who was subsequently killed along with his senior hierarchy in an air crash – are training young men, some from tribal militias, for battle in Europe.
Putin’s forces launch recruitment drive in Africa to fight war in Ukraine
Lithuania protests to Moscow after Russian civil aircraft entered its airspace
Wednesday 3 July 2024 02:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Lithuania’s foreign ministry on Tuesday said it had made a diplomatic protest to Russia after a Russian civilian aircraft entered its airspace without permission.
The Pobeda airline aircraft entered Lithuanian airspace over the Baltic sea for a minute on Sunday evening, on its way from Moscow Vnukovo airport to Kaliningrad airport, the ministry said.
Survey finds popular support for NATO at a challenging time for the Western alliance
Wednesday 3 July 2024 01:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
A survey of people in 13 of the nations belonging to NATO found a median of about 6 in 10 held a favorable view of the Western military alliance, the Pew Research Center said Tuesday.
The poll was released ahead of a July 9-11 NATO summit in Washington, which is being held at a challenging time for the 75-year-old Western military alliance. The 32 NATO member countries are adjusting their long-term plans and strategies to counteract a more aggressive Russian President Vladimir Putin and respond to Ukraine’s need for sustained support against invading Russian forces.
Meanwhile, the presidential reelection bid of Donald Trump, who long has spoken scathingly of NATO allies and admiringly of Putin, has some NATO members worrying about the future commitment of the alliance’s most powerful military and economy.
Survey finds popular support for NATO at a challenging time for the Western alliance
Blinken and top Zelensky aide discuss bringing Ukraine closer to NATO
Wednesday 3 July 2024 00:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the Ukrainian president’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, on Tuesday discussed NATO members’ intention to bring Ukraine closer to the alliance, State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said.
Their meeting in Washington came before a NATO summit in the U.S. capital next week, at which Ukraine hopes to secure more assurances from the alliance on its membership bid.
Blinken has said Ukraine will become a member of NATO and that the summit will “help build a bridge” to that outcome.
“They spoke about a number of issues, including the upcoming Washington NATO Summit and allies’ intention to bring Ukraine closer to NATO membership and helping to strengthen Ukraine‘s ability to defend against Russian aggression,” Patel told reporters at a regular press briefing.
On Tuesday, Blinken and Yermak also discussed efforts led by the G7 group of nations to “enhance the resiliency” of Ukraine‘s energy grid, which has come under Russian attack in recent months, Patel said.
US set to announce over $2.3 bln arms package for Ukraine, Pentagon says
Tuesday 2 July 2024 23:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The United States will soon announce more than $2.3 billion in new security assistance for Ukraine, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday during a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart at the Pentagon.
Austin also gave a nod to Ukraine‘s aspirations to eventually join NATO, more than two years after Russia‘s full-scale invasion. At next week’s NATO summit in Washington D.C., Austin said: “We will take steps to build a bridge to NATO membership for Ukraine.”
Ukrainian officials have been urging their allies for months to supply more air defense systems to counter frequent missile and drone attacks from Russian forces.
Austin said the latest weapons package for Ukraine would include arms such as anti-tank weapons and air defense interceptors, and would allow accelerated procurement of NASAMS and Patriot air defense interceptors.
“I am proud that the United States will soon announce more than $2.3 billion in new security assistance for Ukraine,” Austin said, speaking just before entering a meeting with Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov.
“This package, under presidential drawdown authority, will provide more air defense interceptors, anti-tank weapons and other critical munitions from the U.S. inventories.”
Ukraine offers prisoners release at a high price
Tuesday 2 July 2024 22:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
“You can put an end to this and start a new life,” said the recruiter, a member of a volunteer assault battalion. “The main thing is your will, because you are going to defend the motherland. You won’t succeed at 50%, you have to give 100% of yourself, even 150%.”
At a rural penal colony in southeast Ukraine, several convicts stand assembled under barbed wire to hear the army recruiter offer them a shot at parole. In return, they must join the grueling fight against Russia.
Ukraine is expanding the draft to cope with acute battlefield shortages more than two years into fighting against Russia’s full-scale invasion. And its recruiting efforts have turned, for the first time, to the country’s prison population.
