Russia, Ukraine fail to agree on truce in second round of talks
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Straits Times
34 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Russian attack kills three in Zaporizhzhia region, governor says
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A Russian attack killed three people in southeastern Zaporizhzhia region on Sunday, the regional governor said, as Moscow's forces press on with their slow advance westward along the 1,000-km (620-mile) front line with Ukraine. Governor Ivan Fedorov, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said the three people were killed in the daytime strike on the town of Stepnohirsk. Private homes were destroyed. Reuters could not independently confirm the report. In Kamianske, a town a few kilometers south of Stepnohirsk on the Dnipro River in Zaporizhzhia region, a military spokesman said on Saturday that Ukrainian troops were holding on to their positions despite Russian attempts to take control. Fedorov's account came amid reports in recent days of new Russian military action in Ukraine's east and southeast. Ukraine's top commander said Moscow's forces were changing their tactics, using smaller sabotage units in a bid to push forward with their drive through eastern Donetsk region. Russian forces have focused their drive on parts of Donetsk region, particularly the logistics center of Pokrovsk, under Russian attack for months. Russia's Defence Ministry said on Thursday its forces had scored a major gain by capturing the town of Chasiv Yar, to the northeast, after months of fighting, though Ukraine has not acknowledged this. Russia's Defence Ministry on Saturday said it had taken control of another village closer to Pokrovsk. Denis Pushilin, the Russia-installed head of parts of Donetsk region under Moscow's control, said in a video posted online on Sunday the capture of Chasiv Yar, located on high ground would enable them to make further gains. Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine's top commander, writing on Facebook on Saturday, said his forces faced the fiercest fighting around Pokrovsk and in two other sectors. "At the same time, the Russians are resorting to the tactic of 'total infiltration' with the increase of sabotage actions in our rear," he wrote. "It is in this way that they are trying to enter Pokrovsk." Ukrainian forces, he said, had set up "counter-sabotage reserves, whose task is to seek out and destroy enemy reconnaissance and sabotage groups." REUTERS
CNA
3 hours ago
- CNA
OPEC+ countries to boost oil production by 547,000 barrels per day
NEW YORK: A group of countries that are part of the OPEC+ alliance of oil-exporting countries has agreed to boost oil production, a move some believe could lower oil and gasoline prices, citing a steady global economic outlook and low oil inventories. The group met virtually on Sunday (Aug 3) and announced that eight of its member countries would increase oil production by 547,000 barrels per day in September. The countries boosting output, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman, had been participating in voluntary production cuts, initially made in November, which were scheduled to be phased out by September 2026. The announcement means the voluntary production cuts will end ahead of schedule. Kuwait's Oil Minister Tariq Al-Roumi praised the OPEC+ decision to raise oil production, saying it reflected coordination aimed at ensuring oil market stability. In a statement on Sunday, Al-Roumi said the decision was based on "a thorough analysis of market data, including production, inventories, and future expectations". The move follows an OPEC+ decision in July to boost production by 548,000 barrels per day in August. OPEC said the production adjustments may be paused or reversed as market conditions evolve. POTENTIAL LOSS OF RUSSIAN OIL A FACTOR When production increases, oil and gasoline prices may fall. But Brent crude oil, which is considered a global benchmark, has been trading near $70 per barrel, which could be due to a potential loss of Russian oil on the market and a large rise in crude inventories in China, according to research firm Clearview Energy Partners. 'President Trump has not obviously relented from his threat to sanction Russian energy if the Kremlin does not reach a peace deal with Ukraine as of August 7, potentially via 'secondary tariffs' on buyers,' Clearview Energy Partners said in an analyst note Sunday.
CNA
11 hours ago
- CNA
Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies uncover drone procurement graft scheme
KYIV: Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies said they had uncovered a major graft scheme involving inflated military procurement contracts, just two days after Ukraine's parliament voted to restore the agencies' independence. In a joint statement published Saturday (Aug 2) on social media, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) said the suspects had taken bribes in a scheme that used state funds to buy drones and other military equipment at inflated prices. 'The essence of the scheme was to conclude state contracts with supplier companies at deliberately inflated prices,' the statement said, adding that offenders had received kickbacks of up to 30 per cent of the contracts' value. The anti-corruption bodies did not identify the detainees, but said a Ukrainian lawmaker, local district and city officials, and National Guard servicemen were involved. Four people have been arrested so far, they said. The Interior Ministry said the National Guard personnel implicated in the case were removed from their positions. Drones have become a crucial asset in modern warfare for both Ukraine and Russia, enhancing military reconnaissance, precision strikes, and strategic flexibility on the battlefield. The majority of Russian military assets destroyed by Ukrainian forces, including manpower and heavy weaponry, have been targeted by drones. Drone production is also a key aspect of Kyiv's hopes to expand domestic military production and export markets. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the development in his nightly address on Saturday, calling the graft scheme 'absolutely immoral' and thanking the anti-corruption agencies for their work. 'Unfortunately, these corruption schemes involved the procurement of electronic warfare systems and FPV drones ... There must be full and fair accountability for this,' he said in his address, posted to X. In an earlier post, which also included photos of him meeting with the agency heads, Zelenskyy said it is 'important that anti-corruption institutions operate independently', adding that 'the law passed on Thursday guarantees them all the tools necessary for a real fight against corruption'. The exposure of the graft scheme by NABU and SAPO came just two days after Ukraine's parliament voted to restore their independence. Ukraine's Parliament on Thursday overwhelmingly approved the Bill presented by Zelenskyy, reversing his earlier contentious move that curbed their power and sparked a backlash, including street protests, a rarity in wartime. Last week's measure to place the watchdogs under the oversight of the prosecutor-general prompted rebukes from Ukrainians, the European Union and international rights groups. It raised fears that the government could meddle in investigations and potentially shield its supporters from scrutiny. Fighting entrenched corruption is crucial for Ukraine's aspirations to join the European Union and maintain access to billions of dollars of vital Western aid in the all-out war, now in its fourth year. It's also an effort that enjoys broad public support.
