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Russia halts flights at Moscow Airport after massive Ukraine drone strike
Russia temporarily suspended flights at all major Moscow airports on Tuesday after reports of a Ukrainian drone attack. The move came hours after both countries launched large-scale drone assaults. read more
Russia's civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, on Tuesday temporarily halted flights at all four major airports in Moscow for safety reasons, following reports of a Ukrainian drone attack.
Russian defence systems shot down 76 Ukrainian drones in just two hours late Monday, according to local reports. The incident comes after Russia carried out its largest drone strike on Ukraine.
On Monday night, Russia launched its biggest drone attack since the war began, according to Ukraine's air force. Moscow also fired cruise and ballistic missiles in a widespread assault across several parts of Ukraine.
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Ukraine's air force said Russian forces launched 479 self-destructing drones, but Ukrainian defences managed to shoot down or jam 460 of them using electronic countermeasures.
Oleksandr Koval, head of the military administration in Ukraine's western Rivne region, called the night extremely difficult due to a strong enemy airstrike and confirmed one person was injured.
Meanwhile, Russian forces claimed they are moving toward Ukraine's southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region — a heavily bombed area that has so far avoided ground battles.
Prisoner swap takes place amid attacks
Despite the ongoing conflict, Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners of war under the age of 25 on Monday. Hundreds of soldiers returned home in emotional reunions. The exchange is part of a broader deal announced in Istanbul on June 2, which includes swapping at least 1,200 POWs from each side and returning the bodies of the fallen.
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Indian Express
15 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Russia launches 500 drones at Ukraine in biggest overnight bombardment of the war
Russia launched its biggest drone attack against Ukraine overnight, a Ukrainian official said Monday, part of an escalating bombing campaign that has further dashed hopes for a breakthrough in efforts to end the 3-year-old war. On the third straight night of significant aerial bombardments, US President Donald Trump lashed out at Russian leader Vladimir Putin, saying he had gone 'crazy' by stepping up attacks on Ukraine. The expansion of Russia's air campaign appeared to be another setback US-led peace efforts, as Putin looks determined to capture more Ukrainian territory and inflict more damage. It comes after Kyiv accepted an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in March that was proposed by the US but that Moscow effectively rejected. This month alone, Russia has broken its record for aerial bombardments of Ukraine three times. Russia is also still pushing along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, where it has made slow and costly progress, and is assembling its forces for a summer offensive, analysts say. 'Only a sense of complete impunity can allow Russia to carry out such attacks and continually escalate their scale,' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram on Monday. 'There is no significant military logic to this, but there is considerable political meaning.' The Russian bombardment on Sunday night included 355 drones, Yuriy Ihnat, head of the Ukrainian air force's communications department, told The Associated Press, calling it the biggest of the war. The previous night, Russia fired 298 drones and 69 missiles in what Ukrainian officials said was the largest combined aerial assault of the conflict. From Friday to Sunday, Russia launched around 900 drones at Ukraine, officials said. Russia's Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said Monday that its forces shot down 103 Ukrainian drones overnight that were flying over southern and western Russia, including near Moscow. Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency said 32 flights scheduled to land at three Moscow airports on Sunday and Monday had to divert amid Ukrainian drone attacks. The numbers from Ukraine and Russia could not be independently verified. Soon after Russia's Feb. 24, 2022, invasion, the conflict became a testing ground for increasingly sophisticated drone warfare. Drones are generally cheaper to produce than missiles. Russia has received Iranian-made Shahed drones since 2022 and is now believed to be manufacturing its own version. Ukraine, as well as receiving smaller battlefield drones from its allies to help it compensate for a troop shortage, has developed its own long-range drones for strikes deep inside Russia. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday that there are 'no longer any range restrictions for weapons that have been delivered to Ukraine — neither by the British, nor by the French or by us, and not by the Americans either.' 'That means Ukraine can also defend itself by, for example, attacking military positions in Russia. Until a while ago, it couldn't … it can now,' he said. It was not clear if Merz was referring to the easing of restrictions on longer-range weapons late last year. Before becoming chancellor, Merz called for Germany to supply Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Kyiv, something his predecessor, Olaf Scholz, refused to do. Commenting on Merz's statement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that a decision to lift range restrictions was 'quite dangerous' and 'contrary to our efforts to reach a political settlement.' On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron said the latest Russian bombardments 'show the extent to which President Putin has lied to the Europeans and to the Americans.' He told reporters while on a visit to Vietnam that Ukraine's allies should, with U.S. support, set Putin a deadline 'so that finally everyone can understand that he is lying and that beyond this deadline, massive retaliation is carried out, in particular in terms of sanctions.' The European Union's top diplomat, foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, also said the bloc intended to impose more sanctions on Moscow, calling Russia's latest attacks as 'totally appalling.' Trump has threatened massive sanctions, too, but so far hasn't taken action. But he made it clear Sunday night that he is losing patience with Putin. 'I've always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!' Trump wrote in a social media post. Trump said Putin is 'needlessly killing a lot of people,' pointing out that 'missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever.' The U.S. president also expressed frustration with Zelenskyy, saying that he is 'doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does.' Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said Putin makes decisions that are necessary to ensure Russia's security and that the attacks were Moscow's response to a series of deep strikes by Ukraine. He said negotiations are at 'a decisive moment that is linked to emotional overloading for everyone and emotional reactions.' Russia and Ukraine swapped hundreds more prisoners Sunday in the third and last part of a major exchange. All told, each side released more than 1,000 prisoners — soldiers and civilians — in the biggest swap of the war.
Time of India
24 minutes ago
- Time of India
Russia skirts Western sanctions to ramp up its military footprint in Africa
Even as it pounds Ukraine, Russia is expanding its military footprint in Africa , delivering sophisticated weaponry to sub-Saharan conflict zones where a Kremlin-controlled armed force is on the rise. Skirting sanctions imposed by Western nations, Moscow is using cargo ships to send tanks, armored vehicles, artillery and other high-value equipment to West Africa, The Associated Press has found. Relying on satellite imagery and radio signals, AP tracked a convoy of Russian-flagged cargo ships as they made a nearly one-month journey from the Baltic Sea. The ships carried howitzers, radio jamming equipment and other military hardware, according to military officials in Europe who closely monitored them. The deliveries could strengthen Russia's fledgling Africa Corps as Moscow competes with the United States, Europe and China for greater influence across the continent. The two-year-old Africa Corps, which has links to a covert branch of Russia's army, is ascendant at a time when U.S. and European troops have been withdrawing from the region, forced out by sub-Saharan nations turning to Russia for security. Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have been battling fighters linked with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group for more than a decade. At first, mercenary groups with an arms-length relationship to the Kremlin entered the fray in Africa. But increasingly, Russia is deploying its military might, and intelligence services, more directly. Live Events "We intend to expand our cooperation with African countries in all spheres, with an emphasis on economic cooperation and investments," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "This cooperation includes sensitive areas linked to defense and security." From the ports, Russian weapons are trucked to Mali Russia's 8,800-ton Baltic Leader and 5,800-ton Patria are among hundreds of ships that Western nations have sanctioned to choke off resources for Russia's war in Ukraine. The ships docked and unloaded in Conakry, Guinea, in late May, AP satellite images showed. Other ships made deliveries to the same port in January. They delivered tanks, armored vehicles and other hardware that was then trucked overland to neighboring Mali, according to European military officials and a Malian blogger's video of the long convoy. The military officials spoke to AP about Russian operations on condition of anonymity. The AP verified the blogger's video, geolocating it to the RN5 highway leading into Bamako, the Malian capital. After the latest delivery in Conakry, trucks carrying Russian-made armored vehicles, howitzers and other equipment were again spotted on the overland route to Mali. Malian broadcaster ORTM confirmed that the West African nation's army took delivery of new military equipment. AP analysis of its video and images filmed by the Malian blogger in the same spot as the January delivery identified a broad array of Russian-made hardware, including 152 mm artillery guns and other smaller canons. AP also identified a wheeled, BTR-80 armored troop carrier with radio-jamming equipment, as well as Spartak armored vehicles and other armored carriers, some mounted with guns. The shipment also included at least two semi-inflatable small boats, one with a Russian flag painted on its hull, as well as tanker trucks, some marked "inflammable" in Russian on their sides. The military officials who spoke to AP said they believe Russia has earmarked the most potent equipment - notably the artillery and jamming equipment - for its Africa Corps, not Malian armed forces. Africa Corps appears to have been given air power, too, with satellites spotting at least one Su-24 fighter-bomber at a Bamako air base in recent months. Moscow's notorious secret unit For years, French forces supported counterinsurgency operations in Mali and neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger. But France pulled out its troops after coups in Mali in 2020 and 2021, in Burkina Faso in 2022 and Niger in 2023. Russian mercenaries stepped into the vacuum. Wagner Group , the most notable, deployed to Sudan in 2017 and expanded to other African countries, often in exchange for mining concessions. It earned a reputation for brutality, accused by Western countries and U.N. experts of human rights abuses, including in Central African Republic, Libya and Mali. Of 33 African countries in which Russian military contractors were active, the majority were Wagner-controlled, according to U.S. government-sponsored research by RAND. But after Wagner forces mutinied in Russia in 2023 and their leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was killed two months later in a suspicious plane crash, Moscow tightened its grip. Russian military operations in Africa were restructured, with the Kremlin taking greater control through Africa Corps. It is overseen by the commander of Unit 29155, one of the most notorious branches of Russia's shadowy GRU military intelligence service, according to the European Union. Unit 29155 has been accused of covertly attacking Western interests for years, including through sabotage and assassination attempts. The EU in December targeted Unit 29155 Maj. Gen. Andrey Averyanov with sanctions, alleging that he is in charge of Africa Corps operations. "In many African countries, Russian forces provide security to military juntas that have overthrown legitimate democratic governments, gravely worsening the stability, security and democracy of the countries," the EU sanctions ruling said. These operations are financed by exploiting the continent's natural resources, the ruling added. The Russian Ministry of Defense didn't immediately respond to questions about Averyanov's role in Africa Corps. Africa Corps recruitment Researchers and military officials say the flow of weapons from Russia appears to be speeding Africa Corps' ascendancy over Wagner, helping it win over mercenaries that have remained loyal to the group. Africa Corps is also is recruiting in Russia, offering payments of up to 2.1 million rubles ($26,500), and even plots of land, for signing a contract with the Ministry of Defense, plus more on deployment. Within days of the latest equipment delivery, Wagner announced its withdrawal from Mali, declaring "mission accomplished" in a Telegram post. Africa Corps said in a separate post that it would remain. The changeover from Wagner to Africa Corps in Mali could be a forerunner for other similar transitions elsewhere on the continent, said Julia Stanyard, a researcher of Russian mercenary activity in Africa. "Bringing in this sort of brand-new sophisticated weaponry, and new armored vehicles and that sort of thing, is quite a bit of a shift," said Stanyard, of the Switzerland-based Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. Armed groups in Mali have inflicted heavy losses on Malian troops and Russian mercenaries. The al-Qaida linked group JNIM killed dozens of soldiers in an attack this month on a military base. Insurgents also killed dozens of Wagner mercenaries in northern Mali last July. Some of the latest hardware could have been shipped over specifically in response to such attacks, military officials said. They said the jamming equipment, for example, could help defend against booby traps detonated using phone signals. Russian escort's red flags The latest convoy attracted attention because a Russian Navy warship, the Boykiy, escorted the ships after they set off in April from Russia's Kaliningrad region on the Baltic. Last October, in what's considered a hostile act, the Boykiy's radar systems locked onto a French Navy maritime surveillance plane on patrol against suspected Russian efforts to sabotage underwater cables, according to military officials. The convoy included a third sanctioned Russian cargo ship, the Siyanie Severa. It continued onward as Baltic Leader and Patria unloaded in Conakry, docking in Bata, Equatorial Guinea. Satellite imagery from May 29 shows trucks lined up on the dock as the ship unloaded. The AP could not verify whether the cargo included weapons or the ultimate destination for the shipment, though Wagner has maintained a strong presence in the nearby Central African Republic.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Morning news wrap: Wife allegedly murdered husband with lover's help in Meghalaya; woman burned by family in honor killing over live-in partner & more
Meghalaya honeymoon case,left, and Saraswati Maliyan killed in honor killing In key developments, a Meghalaya honeymoon turned tragic as Sonam Raghuvanshi was accused of plotting her husband's murder with her lover and others. In Muzaffarnagar, a woman was killed by her father and brother over a live-in relationship. Suspended IPS officer Vikash Kumar challenged his suspension over the Bengaluru stampede. Russia's drone strikes on Kyiv and Odesa killed one and injured four. In the US, Trump's plan to deploy Marines to LA drew criticism from California's governor. Father, brother arrested for killing woman over live-in relationship; strangled and set on fire in hometown Days after a charred body was found in a Muzaffarnagar forest, police arrested Rajveer Singh and Sumit Singh , father and brother of 23-year-old Saraswati Maliyan, who confessed to killing her over her relationship with Amit, a man from their village. Saraswati, who worked for an e-commerce firm in Gurgaon, had left a forced marriage and was in a live-in relationship with Amit, which her family opposed. Police say she was strangled and her body set on fire during a visit home. Read full story IPS officer Vikash moves tribunal over suspension in Bengaluru stampede case, accused of crowd control failure Suspended IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash on Monday approached the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), challenging the government's decision to suspend him for alleged dereliction of duty during the June 4 stampede at M Chinnaswamy Stadium. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Undo He is one of five officers suspended in connection with the incident. The suspension, issued under Rule 3(1)(a) of the All India Services (Discipline & Appeal) Rules, 1969, accuses Vikash and the others of failing to implement adequate crowd-control and safety measures despite having prior knowledge of the public celebrations. Read full story One killed, four injured as Russia strikes Kyiv and Odesa in fresh drone attack Russia launched a drone attack on Ukraine early Tuesday, targeting Kyiv and striking a maternity facility in the southern port city of Odesa, regional authorities reported. A 59-year-old man was killed and four others injured, according to Odesa Governor Oleg Kiper. The overnight assault followed Monday's massive drone barrage, the largest so far, as Moscow intensifies its strikes, claiming they are in retaliation for recent Ukrainian incursions into Russian territory. Read full story Trump to deploy 700 marines to back National Guard in riot-hit LA, governer calls it 'sovereignty breach' The Trump administration is planning to deploy around 700 Marines to support National Guard troops already on the ground as protests intensified in California late Monday. California governor Gavin Newsom condemned the move, calling the federal mobilisation a 'serious breach of state sovereignty.' The protests began after Immigration and Customs Enforcement carried out dozens of arrests, claiming to target gang and cartel members in LA. Read full story
