Russian air strikes pound Kyiv, 6-year-old boy among dead, Zelenskiy says
An explosion of a drone is seen during a a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine July 30, 2025. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
KYIV - Russia launched missile and drone attacks on Kyiv in the early hours of Thursday, killing at least six people including a six-year-old boy and his mother, and wounding at least 82 others, Ukrainian officials said.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia launched more than 300 drones and eight missiles and hit residential buildings in the capital.
"Today the world has once again seen Russia's response to our desire for peace with America and Europe. Therefore, peace without strength is impossible," Zelenskiy said on the Telegram app.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said nine children were wounded, the largest number hurt in a single night in the city since Russia started its full-scale invasion almost three and a half years ago.
Yurii Kravchuk, 62, stood wrapped in a blanket next to a damaged building, with a bandage around his head. He heard the missile alert but did not get to a shelter in time, he told Reuters.
"I started waking up my wife and then there was an explosion ... My daughter ended up in the hospital."
Emergency crews were putting out fires and cutting through concrete blocks in search for survivors across the city.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore SMRT's finances hit by 2024 EWL disruption; profit after tax for trains division dips 8%
Asia US-Malaysia tariff deal set for Aug 1 after Trump-Anwar phone call
Business Deepening Singapore-Latin America ties a matter of urgency amid global trade uncertainty: Alvin Tan
Singapore Underground pipe leak likely reason for water supply issues during Toa Payoh fire: Town council
Multimedia 60 years, 60 items: A National Day game challenge
Life Milo tees, kaya toast pimple patches, crockery: Here are the SG60 merch to collect
Singapore SingHealth nurses get $5.7m from Wee Foundation for education, skills development
Singapore 'Switching careers just as I became a dad was risky, but I had to do it for my family'
Explosions rocked Kyiv for hours and blazes lit up the night sky. Schools and hospitals were among the buildings that took hits across 27 locations in the city, officials said.
The air force reported five direct missile hits and 21 drone hits in 12 locations.
Russia, which denies targeting civilians, has stepped up air strikes on Ukrainian towns and cities far from the front line of the war in recent months.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the United States would start imposing tariffs and other measures on Russia "10 days from today" if Moscow showed no progress toward ending the conflict.
"This is Putin's response to Trump's deadlines," Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said. "The world must respond with a tribunal and maximum pressure."
Zelenskiy posted a video of burning ruins, saying people were still trapped under the rubble of one partially-ruined residential building.
Ukrainian air defence units downed 288 attack drones and three cruise missiles, the air force said. REUTERS
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Times
an hour ago
- Business Times
Trump's 50% tariff threatens India's manufacturing ambitions
[NEW DELHI] India's largest shoemaker Farida Group had already staked out the land, a 150-acre plot in southern Tamil Nadu, for a sprawling new export plant. Then came a blow from Washington: US President Donald Trump announced he was doubling tariffs on Indian exports to 50 per cent. For Farida, which supplies brands such as Cole Haan and Clarks and depends on the US for about 60 per cent of its business, the impact was immediate. New orders stopped. The 10 billion rupee (S$146 million) project froze. 'With 25 per cent tariffs, you can still work, you can give some discount, negotiate with the buyer and make some adjustments in your profits,' Rafeeque Ahmed, the company's chairman, said. 'At 50 per cent, you don't have anything.' Farida is hardly alone. Trump's move would give India the highest tariff rate in Asia, threatening a manufacturing sector that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spent a decade trying to build to take on the likes of China. The 'Make in India' campaign was supposed to lift manufacturing to 25 per cent of the economy. Last year, it stood at just 13 per cent – lower than the 16 per cent in 2015, according to World Bank data. The last few years did offer glimmers of the future Modi had envisioned. Apple scaled up iPhone assembly in India, making the country the second-largest smartphone producer after China. Pharmaceuticals and green tech have also gained ground. The US, whose policies and actions accelerated companies' adoption of a 'China Plus One' strategy to diversify supply chains, is now India's biggest export market and one of its top sources of foreign investment. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up That progress is suddenly vulnerable. While the tariff hike spares smartphones and pharmaceuticals for now, it puts the rest of India's US$87 billion in US-bound exports on the line. 'Forget China Plus One right now. Companies are thinking India Plus One,' Ahmed said. 'They are making plans to move out of India.' India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump says the tariff hike is punishment for India's purchase of discounted oil from Russia, which he argues helps fund President Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine. But India was the only major economy to be hit with such 'secondary tariffs', even though China is the largest overall buyer of Moscow's crude. If the 50 per cent rate holds, Bloomberg Economics estimates US-bound exports from India could fall by 60 per cent and put nearly 1 per cent of gross domestic product at risk. Without exemptions for pharmaceuticals and electronics, the decline could reach 80 per cent. Even the earlier 25 per cent rate – already higher than in Vietnam, Malaysia or Bangladesh – was enough to threaten a 30 per cent drop in exports. For comparison, Chinese goods face about a 30 per cent US tariff. 'In addition to the economic challenge, politically it's difficult for Prime Minister Modi that India now pays a higher blanket rate than China,' said Alexander Slater, head of the India practice at consulting firm Capstone. China is pressing on other fronts as well. Beijing wants to limit tech transfers and equipment exports to India and South-east Asia, aiming to deter companies from relocating production, Bloomberg previously reported. China's rare earth curbs also hit Indian automakers earlier this year. At the same time, Trump's tariffs have opened the door for closer India-China ties. Direct flights may resume as soon as next month, and Beijing has eased restrictions on urea exports to India. On the factory floor, anxiety over the US tariff is palpable. Ajay Sahai, chief executive officer of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations, said that exporters could see demand fall 20 per cent in the short term. The timing could not be worse: summer 2026 orders are being placed right now, but with tariffs sitting at 50 per cent, buyers are baulking. 'I have been getting 80 to 90 calls every day concerning these issues from exporters seeking solutions and ways out,' he said. 'It's difficult to do business in such a tariff environment.' Some factories are slashing prices to hold on to customers. The only way to retain buyers is by giving huge discounts, said Sudhir Sekhri, managing director at apparel maker Trend Setters Group. Spring and summer orders account for roughly 65 per cent of his firm's revenue. In Mumbai, Sharad Kumar Saraf, managing director of Technocraft Group, which produces scaffolding, textiles and other goods, is running the numbers to reduce costs for buyers. About a third of its sales are headed for the US. 'Additional tariffs is unwarranted and uncalled for and will impact our trade severely,' he said. There's still the possibility for a reprieve. US and Indian officials are continuing trade talks, with the hopes of landing the first tranche of a bilateral trade deal this fall that could dial back tariffs. Trump will also meet Putin in Alaska this week to discuss Ukraine, any breakthrough there could strengthen the case for dropping America's oil-related levies. But time is not on India's side. The longer the uncertainty drags on, the more companies will start looking elsewhere. India's share in many of these product categories is small and US brands can shift their supply chains quickly if they decide to, said P Senthilkumar, partner at Vector Consulting Group. The tariff threat feels personal for Farida Group, whose shoe plants employ about 23,000 people, with over half producing for the US. Every paused shipment or cancelled order brings painful choices, whether to halt or slow production, or let go of staff who have spent years honing their craft. 'You can't take business decisions in such uncertainty,' said Ahmed. 'What will happen to workers? Shall I send them back? They have been with me for years, they are skilled workers, I can't just send them back.' 'Workers would be one of the biggest sufferers,' he added. BLOOMBERG
CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
Important for 'likeminded' partners to work together in an uncertain world, says DPM Gan after India trip
SINGAPORE: As Singapore confronts a more challenging, uncertain and volatile landscape, it is important to work with "likeminded" partners like India to explore opportunities and deepen collaboration, said Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong on Wednesday (Aug 13). He was speaking to reporters from New Delhi after attending the third India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable, where leaders from both countries discussed ways to deepen cooperation between both countries. This includes collaboration in areas such as sustainability, digitalisation, skills development, healthcare and medicine, and advanced manufacturing, the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a joint statement. Elaborating on the specifics of these tie-ups, Mr Gan said there were discussions on setting up a semiconductor training centre as well as an "ecosystem" in India for Singapore companies to take advantage of. He noted that the semiconductor supply chain is very long and complex, often spanning a few countries. 'Therefore, it is important for us to continue to work with our partners regardless of the tariffs,' he said, referring to the US' looming 100 per cent levy on semiconductors, which will not apply to companies that have made a commitment to manufacture in the US. However, when asked if discussions with India had covered US tariffs on semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, Mr Gan said they had not. 'I think India is currently negotiating with the US, so we did not get into the details of a discussion on tariffs, specifically on pharmaceuticals,' he said. Nonetheless, extending and expanding Singapore's supply chain for semiconductors will make it more resilient, said Mr Gan, who is also the Minister for Trade and Industry. 'This will also give us more options and more alternatives in terms of where we source our components from and where we sell our products to. 'Both in terms of sourcing as well as market, we need to continue to expand and to diversify, and India is one area is that is very interesting for many of our companies,' he said. Several Singapore companies are interested in investing in India's rapidly growing semiconductor industry, and setting up an ecosystem there will ensure that people in India have the right skills to meet the needs of investors, said Mr Gan. The Singapore delegation to India also included Coordinating Minister for National Security K Shanmugam, Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo, Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng, and Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow. India's Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar, Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, and Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Railways, Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw participated in the roundtable. The Singapore ministers also called on Indian President Droupadi Murmu, where they hailed the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations. As part of the trip, six business leaders from Singapore and 10 from India also took part in another business forum to discuss ways to strengthen partnerships between the business communities in both countries. NURSES, INDUSTRIAL PARKS AND NUCLEAR Singapore and India also discussed other areas of cooperation, including a training centre on maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) for the aviation industry anchored by the private sector, a collaboration on nurse training, a sustainability industrial park and nuclear energy. Mr Gan noted that there may be challenges since each country has its own framework and national interest. For example, while Singapore is keen on an MRO business that can support Singapore Airlines, India would want it to support other airlines as well. Likewise, Singapore companies may want the training to focus on a particular area, but India may prefer for the training centre to serve its wider economy. On nurse training, Mr Gan noted that Singapore is already working with India to recruit nurses for Singapore's needs. As the training curriculum differs from country to country, nurses from India who come to Singapore may need refresher courses, he added. 'We are working with the training institutes in India to see how we can adjust and fine tune the curriculum and training approach so that they are more aligned with what Singapore needs. So I think this will enhance the flow of nurses to Singapore,' said Mr Gan. He also said Singapore indicated its interest in a sustainability related industrial park. Such a park would focus on sustainable waste treatment and using cleaner energy sources, and would want to attract companies producing sustainable products. It is likely to be in the state of Rajasthan, he added. The state is located in northwest India and shares a border with Pakistan. Regarding nuclear energy, Singapore wants to learn from India's experience in running small modular reactors (SMRs), given that Singapore is studying the potential deployment of nuclear energy, said Mr Gan. India has an indigenous nuclear energy programme, with most of its reactor development and construction done domestically. As of last year, the country has 24 reactors that supply 8,180 megawatts of nuclear energy, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. The Indian government has also laid plans to operationalize five SMRs by 2033. Mr Gan said India has agreed to help Singapore get in touch with its atomic agencies to learn more about safety standards and regulations. 'But it's still early days, we are still continuing to explore different technologies because some of the technologies are not mature yet,' said Mr Gan. 'We will continue to monitor the development of nuclear technology, particularly in the (area of) nuclear energy.'
AsiaOne
2 hours ago
- AsiaOne
Trump threatens 'severe consequences' if Putin blocks Ukraine peace, World News
WASHINGTON/BERLIN — US President Donald Trump threatened "severe consequences" if Russia's Vladimir Putin does not agree to peace in Ukraine but also said on Wednesday (Aug 13) that a meeting between them could swiftly be followed by a second that would include the leader of Ukraine. Trump did not specify what the consequences could be, but he has warned of economic sanctions if his meeting with Putin in Alaska on Friday proves fruitless. The comments by Trump and the outcome of a virtual conference with Trump, European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy held on Wednesday could provide encouragement for Kyiv after fears the Alaska summit could end up selling out Ukraine by carving up its territory. However, Russia is likely to resist Ukraine and Europe's demands strongly and previously has said its stance had not changed since it was first detailed by Putin in June 2024. When asked if Russia would face any consequences if Putin does not agree to stop the war after Friday's meeting, Trump responded: "Yes, they will." Asked if those consequences would be sanctions or tariffs, Trump told reporters: "I don't have to say. There will be very severe consequences." But the president also described the aim of the meeting between the two leaders in Alaska as "setting the table" for a quick follow-up that would include Zelenskiy. "If the first one goes okay, we'll have a quick second one," Trump said. "I would like to do it almost immediately, and we'll have a quick second meeting between President Putin and President Zelenskiy and myself, if they'd like to have me there." Trump did not provide a time frame for a second meeting. Red lines European leaders and Zelenskiy had earlier spoken with Trump in a last-ditch call hosted by Germany to lay out red lines ahead of the Alaska meeting. "We had a very good call. He was on the call. President Zelenskiy was on the call. I would rate it a 10, very friendly," Trump said. French President Emmanuel Macron said Trump agreed Ukraine must be involved in any discussions about ceding land, while Zelenskiy said Trump had supported the idea of security guarantees in a post-war settlement. "President Trump was very clear that the United States wanted to achieve a ceasefire at this meeting in Alaska," Macron said. "The second point on which things were very clear, as expressed by President Trump, is that territories belonging to Ukraine cannot be negotiated and will only be negotiated by the Ukrainian president." German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who hosted the virtual meeting, said the principle that borders could not be changed by force must continue to apply. "If there is no movement on the Russian side in Alaska, then the United States and we Europeans should ... increase the pressure," he said. "President Trump knows this position. He shares it very extensively and therefore I can say: We have had a really exceptionally constructive and good conversation with each other." Trump and Putin are due to discuss how to end the three-and-a-half-year-old conflict, the largest in Europe since World War Two. Trump has previously said both sides will have to swap land to end fighting that has cost tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions. Russia makes sharp advance into Ukraine On a day of intense diplomacy, Zelenskiy flew to Berlin for the virtual conferences with European leaders and then with Trump. He and the Europeans worry that a land swap could leave Russia with almost a fifth of Ukraine, rewarding it for nearly 11 years of efforts to seize Ukrainian land, the last three in all-out war, and embolden Putin to expand further west. Russian forces have made a sharp thrust into eastern Ukraine in recent days in what may be an attempt to increase the pressure on Kyiv to give up territory. "I told the US president and all our European colleagues that Putin is bluffing (about his stated wish to end the war)," Zelenskiy said. "He is trying to apply pressure before the meeting in Alaska along all parts of the Ukrainian front. Russia is trying to show that it can occupy all of Ukraine." A source familiar with the matter said the call with Trump discussed possible cities that could host a three-way meeting, depending on the outcome of the talks in Alaska. Wary of angering Trump, European leaders have repeatedly said they welcome his efforts, while stressing that there should be no deal without Ukraine's participation. Trump's agreement last week to the summit was an abrupt shift after weeks of voicing frustration with Putin for resisting the US peace initiative. Trump said his envoy, Steve Witkoff, had made "great progress" at talks in Moscow. A Gallup poll released last week found that 69 per cent of Ukrainians favour a negotiated end to the war as soon as possible. But polls also indicate Ukrainians do not want peace at any cost if that means significant concessions. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Alexei Fadeev earlier said Moscow's stance had not changed since last year. As conditions for a ceasefire and the start of talks, Putin had demanded Ukraine withdraw its forces from four regions that Russia has claimed as its own but does not fully control, and formally renounce plans to join Nato. Kyiv swiftly rejected the conditions as tantamount to surrender. [[nid:721315]]
