Destruction across Kharkiv after wave of Russian attacks, Ukraine says
At least 11 people, including two children, have been injured in Ukraine after a wave of missile and drone strikes hit the city of Kharkiv and the nearby region, officials have said.
The State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES) reported widespread destruction and that shelling ignited a major fire at a municipal transport company. A building and a trolleybus were destroyed by fire.
The blaze extended to nearby vehicles and residential buildings, injuring three people, officials said.
The Chuhuiv district suffered extensive damage from a combination of missile and drone strikes. A private residence, farm structures, a warehouse and agricultural equipment were all hit, with eight people reportedly injured.
Also overnight, a series of Russian drone attacks on the Odesa region destroyed a branch of postal operator Nova Poshta, the SES said.
Nobody was injured in the attacks, which triggered a fire covering some 300 square metres and damaged a number of lorries within the facility. The fire has since been extinguished.
According to news reports, Nova Poshta is the country's largest private postal operator. One of the company's cargo facilities in the Odesa region was previously targeted by Russian attacks.
Ukraine says it repelled a total of 173 Russian attacks over multiple fronts in Russia's Kursk Oblast region overnight. The fiercest fighting was in Pokrovsk, where Ukrainian forces halted 66 assaults.
Russian strikes on Ukraine have intensified recently despite efforts towards peace talks between the two countries.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has so far refused to meet face-to-face with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and has rejected all ceasefire proposals.
After negotiations in Istanbul this month, each side released more than 1,000 prisoners — soldiers and civilians — in the biggest swap of the war and are set to meet again for peace talks next week.
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Russia is 'mocking' the US, Lithuanian defence minister says
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Bulgaria's President Rumen Radev recently submitted a request to parliament to hold a referendum on whether the country adopts the euro as its currency. In 2024, the European Central Bank said the country couldn't join the currency union yet because inflation in the country was too high. The seven non-eurozone members of the EU are Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Sweden. They continue to use their national currencies, although all but Denmark - which has won an opt-out clause - are obliged to join once they meet the euro convergence criteria. Bulgaria has set a target to join the euro area as of 2026. Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė has accused Russia of "mocking" the US government over the Kremlin's refusal to engage meaningfully in ceasefire talks. She warns that instead of being pressured into ending the war, the Kremlin is pushing forward with mobilizing 1.5 million students by the end of the year. 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Thousands protest in Bulgaria to maintain national currency
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Euronews
4 hours ago
- Euronews
Russia is 'mocking' the US, Lithuanian defense minister says
Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė has accused Russia of "mocking" the US government over the Kremlin's refusal to engage meaningfully in ceasefire talks. She warns that instead of being pressured into ending the war, the Kremlin is pushing forward with mobilizing 1.5 million students by the end of the year. 'In my opinion they already mocked the American government- they are showing disrespect to any effort to reach an agreement', she told Euronews. Šakalienė also said Russia has not been put under pressure by the US obliging them to make concessions or cease its military campaign against Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure. "On the other hand why should they stop" [their attacks]. They have really transformed their economy to a war time economy. They are moving very fast with their armed forces reform. – to have 1.5 million soldiers by end of the year". Minister Sakalienė was speaking to reporters during a NATO military exercise, this year's "Iron Wolf" [alluding to a creature from Lithuanian mythology], which included a simulated counter-offensive featuring German tanks and Lithuanian infantry fighting vehicles. The exercise also included an air Assault Operation, including para-troopers drop-offs, as part of the US-led exercise "Swift Response'. Six NATO allies were involved in the paratrooper exercise including the US, Germany, Italy, France, and the Netherlands. The point of the exercise is to evaluate NATO's readiness to conduct military operations in the event of a invasion by Russia into NATO territory, in particular the Baltic countries, former Soviet republics. Sakalienė believes there is no incentive for Russia to stop its campaign in Ukraine, as well as its "imperialistic" ambitions across Europe which the minister said is further strengthened by the Kremlin's collaboration with North Korea, Iran and China: "Russia's military industry is really gaining speed. They are still moving forward in Ukraine. Why should they stop?' The minister was responding to questions about the failed attempt at peace talks in Turkey when Putin refused to show up and sent a delegation headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky to meet with the Ukrainian delegation. Ukraine president Volodymr Zelenskyy went to Ankara to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He said he was willing to travel to Istanbul but only if Putin showed up. 'So currently what I see is basically a mocking game I don't think it's going to lead us anywhere', she said. Sakalienė called the efforts to stop the war 'worthwhile' but, ultimately, the only way to end the war in Ukraine was through military means. 'I think the efforts by the US to stop this war are worthwhile. We'll see how that ends but in my opinion in the end what is going to be the only efficient means is regenerating the Ukrainian army and building military muscle in Europe. That's the only deterrent.' NATO defence ministers will meet in Brussels next week, when the United Kingdom and Germany convene the Ukraine Defence Contact Group at NATO HQ.
