Poland scrambles aircraft as Russia launches strikes on Ukraine
June 9 (Reuters) - Polish and allied aircraft were activated early on Monday to ensure the safety of Polish airspace after Russia launched air strikes targeting western Ukraine, near the border with Poland, the Operational Command of the Polish armed forces said.
"The steps taken are aimed at ensuring security in the regions bordering the areas at risk," the Command said on X.
All of Ukraine was under air raid alerts as of 0200 GMT on Monday after the Ukrainian Air Force warned of Russian missile and drone attacks.
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Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
The path to cheap power will be very expensive
LONDON, June 9 - Europe's ambition to develop cheap, clean energy has recently received a harsh reality check, as power failures and a string of cancelled renewables projects made it clear that the road to inexpensive power will carry a very high price tag. European investments in renewable energy have risen sharply over the past decade as governments have begun implementing policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – an effort that sped up after Russia's invasion of Ukraine created an energy price shock. The share of renewables in the EU's power sector rose to 47% in 2024 from 34% in 2019, with a record 168 gigawatts (GW) of solar and 44 GW of wind power capacities installed between 2022 and 2024 alone, according to EU data. In Britain, renewable generation exceeded 50% for the first time in 2024, data showed. But investment in grid infrastructure, including pylons, cables, transformers and battery storage technology, has barely kept up with the rapid change in the power generation mix. Between 40% and 55% of low-voltage lines will exceed the age of 40 by 2030, while their length increased only by 0.8% between 2021 and 2022, according to a European Commission report. The Commission last week issued guidance for developing electricity networks in which it estimated the bloc will require 730 billion euro of investments in power distribution and another 477 billion euro in transmission grid developments by 2040. The underinvestment in grid infrastructure has created strain in many systems, a risk that was laid bare on April 28, with the catastrophic blackout in the Iberian Peninsula. Regulators are still investigating exactly what triggered the collapse of the power systems in Spain and Portugal. But what is known for sure is that the outage was preceded by the disconnection of two solar farms in southern Spain. The Spanish system is heavily reliant on renewables, but the issue was not the energy source itself. Rather, the problem was that the grid system had not been updated to account for the fact that solar-powered plants, unlike those using fossil fuels, do not generate inertia – the kinetic energy created by the rotation of spinning generators – which can help stabilize a grid in the event of power disturbances. To overcome this challenge, operators would need to invest in technologies such as synchronous condensers or batteries that kick in within milliseconds in the event of an outage to offer backup. The Iberian debacle puts a spotlight on the fact that more investment is needed in the mundane, but vital, elements of grid infrastructure. Another reality check for Europe has been the realization that offshore wind – once heralded as a potential renewables game changer – simply has lousy economics today. Danish offshore wind giant Orsted on May 7 cancelled a major project off the eastern coast of Britain, Hornsey 4, dealing a blow to the country's ambitions to develop 50 GW of clean power capacity by 2050. The recent rise in material costs forced the cancellation, according to Orsted, which had already sunk 5.5 billion Danish crowns ($840.5 million) into the project. And then on May 16, the Dutch government postponed tenders for two offshore wind farms with a total capacity of 2 GW due to a lack of interest from potential bidders. Several companies said they saw no viable business case for the projects, which offered developers no government subsidies. These two cases suggest that capital-intensive projects like offshore wind simply won't make economic sense without more ambitious government policy initiatives. The challenge is not unique to Europe. While worldwide investment in clean technology has risen, the headline figures mask a less rosy picture. The International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a report published on June 5 that global investment in power grids reached a record $390 billion in 2024 and is set to surpass $400 billion in 2025, 20% higher than a decade ago. But spending on power grid upgrades has not kept up. In 2016, about 60 cents were invested in grids for every dollar spent on new generation capacity. That ratio has dropped to less than 40 cents as the costs of renewables has declined, according to the IEA. This imbalance is unsustainable as ageing Western power systems – especially those in Europe – will increasingly experience problems unless trillions are spent in grid upgrades. The investment shortfall partly reflects a fundamental time horizon mismatch. Governments face public pressure every time energy bills – or taxes – rise, so they will struggle to convey to voters the long-term benefits of spending billions in tax dollars to support building modern, low-carbon power systems. But energy companies and utilities seeking to invest in renewables and grids will need long-term policy certainty, and given the challenging economics for many renewables projects, they will often also require generous subsidies. To be sure, the long-term costs of inaction to mitigate climate change will be far higher, and the EU is already spending over 100 billion euros annually on fossil fuels subsidies. But long-term thinking is not an easy sell for politicians in a time of growing populism, nationalism and polarization. Ultimately, if European governments want their populations to have cheap, green energy, they will need to accept the reality that getting there will be more expensive and more government-driven than previously advertised. Enjoying this column? Check out Reuters Open Interest (ROI), opens new tab, your essential new source for global financial commentary. ROI delivers thought-provoking, data-driven analysis. Markets are moving faster than ever. ROI, opens new tab can help you keep up. Follow ROI on LinkedIn, opens new tab and X., opens new tab
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Poland scrambles aircraft after Moscow launches air strikes on western Ukraine
Coleen Rooney says Unicef support for Ukrainian families is a 'lifeline' Coleen Rooney has said Unicef support for Ukrainian families has been a "lifeline" that is "changing lives". The media personality recently travelled to Poland with Unicef to see how Soccer Aid donations have directly supported Ukrainian families who were forced to flee their homes. The 39-year-old said she could not "imagine" what Ukrainian refugee families must be going through, emphasising how important it is to stand with them. She said: "I can relate to being a mum and the first thing (you would do) in that situation is to get out of danger, to make sure that the kids are OK and we can find somewhere. "I couldn't imagine what was going through their heads... the emotions." Namita Singh9 June 2025 06:40 'The enemy does not abandon its intentions to enter the Dnipropetrovsk region' According to the Russian defence ministry, units of the 90th Tank Division of the Central Grouping of Russian forces have reached the western frontier of Ukraine's Donetsk region and are attacking the adjacent Dnipropetrovsk region. "The enemy does not abandon its intentions to enter the Dnipropetrovsk region," Ukraine's Southern Defence Forces said on Telegram. "Our soldiers are courageously and professionally holding their section of the front, disrupting the occupier's plans. This work does not stop for a minute." Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, said the Dnipropetrovsk offensive showed that if Ukraine did not want to accept the reality of Russia's territorial gains in peace talks then Moscow's forces would advance further. The pro-Ukrainian Deep State map showed Russian forces very close to the Dnipropetrovsk region, which had a population of more than 3 million before the war, and advancing on the city of Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk region from several directions. A Ukrainian military spokesman, Dmytro Zaporozhets, said that Russian forces were trying to "build a bridgehead for an attack" on Kostyantynivka, an important logistical hub for the Ukrainian army. Arpan Rai9 June 2025 06:30 Editorial: Donald Trump was wrong – Ukraine still holds some cards Donald Trump has been shown to be wrong, wrong and wrong again about Vladimir Putin. He was wrong again when he was asked if Ukraine's ' Spiderweb ' drone strikes against Russian bombers had changed his view of the cards the Ukrainians have: 'They gave Putin a reason to go and bomb the hell out of them,' he said. This is the same logic to which President Trump has cleaved from the start: that the Ukrainian people provoked the full-scale invasion of their country by wanting to be an independent nation facing to the west. It seemed that Mr Trump had been briefly disabused of the notion that Mr Putin wanted peace when the Russian president ignored several long telephone conversations with him and continued to bombard Ukraine, causing significant civilian casualties. ' He has gone absolutely crazy,' Mr Trump said last month. ' Needlessly killing a lot of people.' Donald Trump was wrong – Ukraine still holds some cards Editorial: All the nations of the world that believe in freedom, democracy and national self-determination must continue to stand by the Ukrainian people Arpan Rai9 June 2025 06:00 Ukraine's drone attack halts work at electronic plant in Chuvashia, Russia says Production was temporarily suspended at an electronics company in Russia's Volga river region of Chuvashia, some 1,300km from the border with Ukraine, after two drones fell on the plant's territory, the head of the region said on Monday. The strike – among the deepest into Russia by a Ukrainian drone in more than three years of the war – caused no casualties, Chuvashia governor Oleg Nikolayev said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app. But "the responsible decision was made to temporarily suspend production to ensure the safety of employees" of the Vniir enterprise where the drones fell, Nikolayev said. It was not immediately clear whether the drones caused any damage. Mr Nikolayev said that another drone fell onto some fields in the area of the capital of the region, Cheboksary. 9 June 2025 05:51 Trump redirects anti-drone missiles meant for Ukraine, says Zelensky Donald Trump's administration has redirected at least 20,000 anti-drone missiles originally designated for Ukraine to American forces in the Middle East, Volodymyr Zelensky has said. Ukraine was hoping to receive the missiles from the US to help counter relentless Russian drone attacks, which include swarms of Iranian-designed Shahed-type drones, Mr Zelensky said. "We have big problems with Shaheds… we will find all the tools to destroy them," Mr Zelensky said. "We counted on this project — 20,000 missiles. Anti-Shahed missiles. It was not expensive, but it's a special technology,' he told ABC News. The plan has been agreed upon with previous president Joe Biden's administration and its defence secretary Lloyd Austin. 9 June 2025 04:51 At least dozen civilian killed by Russian attacks over weekend At least 12 civilians were killed and 65 injured by Russian attacks across Ukraine in the last 24 hours, according to local reports. Russia launched nearly 50 drones overnight targeting civilians and infrastructure across Ukraine, according to Ukraine's air force. Six civilians were killed and 44 injured in Kharkiv Oblast alone, Ukraine's national police said. Arpan Rai9 June 2025 04:50 Watch: Zelensky says Russia is 'ignoring all peace proposals' Arpan Rai9 June 2025 04:38 Why Russia and Ukraine are facing a delay in the swap of prisoners of war Russia has accused Ukraine of delaying the swap of prisoners of war and return of the bodies of 12,000 dead soldiers, though Ukraine denied those claims. Russia said it was moving bodies towards the border and television showed refrigerated trucks containing the bodies of Ukrainian soldiers on the road in the Bryansk region. Ukraine accused Russia of playing propaganda games and said that the exchange of prisoners of war and the bodies of fallen soldiers was scheduled for next week. Russia said Ukraine was playing politics with the dead. The Russian defence ministry has released images of what it says are lorries carrying the refrigerated bodies of Ukrainian soldiers. The lorries are at an ex-change area Novaya Guta, Belarus on the boarder of Ukraine. However, it is scheduled for next week, Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine's military intelligence chief (HUR), said. " The start of repatriation measures following the negotiations in Istanbul is scheduled for next week, as authorised persons were informed on Tuesday (3 June)," Mr Budanov posted on Telegram. Arpan Rai9 June 2025 04:22 Ukraine rejects Russian claims to have entered Dnipropetrovsk region for first time Ukraine has rejected Russian claims to have entered the central-eastern region of Dnipropetrovsk for the first time. With Vladimir Putin intensifying his push to seize further Ukrainian territory while paying lip service to peace talks brokered by the US, Russia's defence ministry claimed yesterday that its forces had reached the western frontier of Ukraine's Donetsk region and were now attacking the adjacent Dnipropetrovsk region. But Ukraine strongly refuted these claims, with the country's Southern Defence Forces saying: 'The enemy has not abandoned its plans to enter Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Our soldiers are bravely and professionally holding their section of the front, thwarting the occupier's plans.' This was echoed by Major Andrii Kovalev, a spokesperson for the general staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces, who told Ukrainska Pravda: 'The information is not true. Fighting is ongoing in Donetsk Oblast. The enemy did not enter Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.' And a spokesperson for Ukraine's Khortytsia group of forces told CNN that 'the Russians are constantly spreading false information that they have entered the Dnipropetrovsk region from the Pokrovsk and Novopavlivka directions, but [in neither place] is this information true'. Arpan Rai9 June 2025 04:03 Poland scrambles aircraft as Russia launches strikes on Ukraine Polish and allied aircraft were activated early today to ensure the safety of Polish airspace after Russia launched air strikes targeting western Ukraine, near the border with Poland, the Operational Command of the Polish armed forces said. "The steps taken are aimed at ensuring security in the regions bordering the areas at risk," the Command said on X this morning. All of Ukraine was under air raid alerts as of 2am GMT today after the Ukrainian Air Force warned of Russian missile and drone attacks. Arpan Rai9 June 2025 03:59
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Putin approves big revamp of Russia's navy, Kremlin aide says
MOSCOW, June 9 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a new naval strategy which aims to fully restore Russia's position as one of the world's leading maritime powers, Kremlin aide Nikolai Patrushev said in an interview published on Monday. Russia has the world's third most powerful navy after China and the United States, according to most public rankings, though the navy has suffered a series of high-profile losses in the Ukraine war. Patrushev, a former KGB officer who served with Putin in the northern Russian city of St Petersburg during Soviet times, said the new naval strategy - entitled "The Strategy for the Development of the Russian Navy up to 2050" - had been approved by Putin in late May. "Russia's position as one of the world's greatest maritime powers is gradually recovering," Patrushev told the Argumenti i Fakti newspaper in an interview. "It is impossible to carry out such work without a long—term vision of the scenarios for the development of the situation in the oceans, the evolution of challenges and threats, and, of course, without defining the goals and objectives facing the Russian Navy," Patrushev said. Patrushev gave no further details about the strategy, though Russia has ramped up spending on defence and security to Cold War levels as a percentage of gross domestic product. A U.S. Department of Defence report, opens new tab said in 2021 that China had the largest navy in the world and that Beijing's overall battleforce is expected to grow to 460 ships by 2030. Open source data suggests Russia has 79 submarines, including 14 nuclear powered ballistic missile submarines, as well as 222 warships. It's main fleet is the Northern Fleet headquartered in Severomorsk on the Barents Sea.
