Russia says captured two more east Ukraine settlements
Russia announced the capture of two more settlements in eastern Ukraine. The locations are Piddubne in Donetsk and Sobolivka in Kharkiv. Piddubne housed around 500 people before the conflict. Sobolivka is near Kupiansk. The Russian military has increased its advances for three months straight. June saw the biggest territorial gains since last November.
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Int'l Business Times
13 minutes ago
- Int'l Business Times
Ukraine Says Four Killed In Massive Russian Drone, Missile Attack
Russia fired more than 620 drones and long-range missiles overnight killing four people, Ukraine said Saturday, calling for fresh sanctions on Moscow to halt its record barrages. Kyiv and Moscow have stepped up aerial strikes over recent months and US-led ceasefire talks aimed at pausing the over three-year war have stalled. "Twenty-six cruise missiles and 597 attack drones were launched, of which more than half were 'Shaheds'," , Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, referring to Iranian-made drones. The Ukrainian air force said it had downed 319 Shahed drones and 25 missiles, adding that one missile and about 20 drones hit "five locations". It did not elaborate. Zelensky said the strikes had killed at least two people and wounded 20 in Chernvsty in the west, far from the front lines of the east and south. Six people were wounded in Lviv, also in the west, while in the east, two people died in Dnipropetrovsk and three were wounded in Kharkiv, local authorities said. The Russian defence ministry said it had targeted companies in Ukraine's military-industrial ccomplex in Lviv, Kharkiv and Lutsk and a military aerodrome. On Friday, Ukrainian drone and shelling attacks killed three people in Russia. US special envoy Keith Kellogg is due on Monday to begin his latest visit to Ukraine as a Washington-led peace effort flounders. On Friday, the Kremlin restated its opposition to a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine, after French President Emmanuel Macron said Kyiv's allies had a plan "ready to go... in the hours after a ceasefire". US President Donald Trump called Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Thursday but said afterwards there had been no progress towards ending the war. The Kremlin said Putin would not give up on Russia's war goals but would nonetheless continue to take part in negotiations. Moscow says its aim in Ukraine is to get rid of the "root causes" of the conflict and has demanded that Kyiv give up its NATO ambitions. Zelensky said on Thursday Trump had given him firm dates for the resumption of US weapons shipments and planned to make a statement on Russia on Monday. Washington's announcement earlier this month that it would pause some armament deliveries to Ukraine was a blow to Kyiv, which is reliant on Western military support. On Saturday, Zelensky urged his Western allies to send "more than just signals" to stop the war launched by Russia in February 2022. "The pace of Russian air strikes requires swift decisions and it can be curbed right now through sanctions," he said. Zelensky specifically demanded penalties for those who "help Russia produce drones and profit from oil". Oil exports are important for the Russian economy especially in the face of existing Western sanctions. Sanctions imposed on Russia -- the world's largest fertiliser producer -- after the invasion spared its grain and fertiliser exports. But prices skyrocketed, fuelling fears of food insecurity. The United Nations signed a deal with Russia in July 2022 to facilitate exports of food and fertiliser to limit global price increases. But on Friday, it said the accord would not be renewed when it expires on July 22. Russia has repeatedly complained the agreement does little to protect it from secondary sanction effects.
Newsweek
16 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Russia Sends North Korea's Nukes Signal to US Allies
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Russia has backed North Korea's nuclear program and warned Washington not to team up with regional Asian allies against Moscow and Pyongyang, following military drills between the U.S., Japan and South Korea. During a visit to North Korea, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow "respects" Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions. He also said that Russia and North Korea have taken note of President Donald Trump's statements about Washington resuming contact with Pyongyang. Newsweek has contacted the Russian foreign ministry for comment. This image from January 20, 2022 shows a woman in Seoul, South Korea, walking past a news broadcast showing file footage of a North Korean missile test. This image from January 20, 2022 shows a woman in Seoul, South Korea, walking past a news broadcast showing file footage of a North Korean missile test. JUNG YEON-JE/Getty Images Why It Matters Lavrov's visit comes after after South Korea, Japan and the U.S. conducted a joint air drill with a U.S. B-52 strategic bomber and fighter jets over international waters. Lavrov's view are the latest signal of deepening ties between Russia and North Korea but also suggest that Pyongyang's atomic program is acting as a deterrent. His teasing of a resumption in contacts between Pyongyang and Washington is also significant. What To Know Lavrov started a three-day visit to North Korea by meeting his counterpart Choe Son Hui in the resort city of Wonsan on Saturday. The Russian foreign minister said Moscow respects and understands why Pyongyang is developing its nuclear program, which is the "work of its own scientists," according to state news agency Tass, suggesting Moscow was not collaborating with Pyongyang in this regard. Lavrov's comments about Pyongyang's program also referred to how North Korea had drawn "the necessary conclusions long before the Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran." Trump ordered strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June to destroy Tehran's ability to make a nuclear weapon. Lavrov also warned the U.S. and its regional allies South Korea and Japan against teaming up to target Russia and North Korea. "No one is considering using force against North Korea despite the military buildup around the country by the United States, South Korea, and Japan," Lavrov said, following the military drills on Friday that were condemned by Pyongyang. Lavrov added that Trump had "expressed support for resuming contacts with North Korea," according to Tass without offering any further details. What People Are Saying Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov: "We respect North Korea's aspirations and understand the reasons why it is pursuing a nuclear development." He added: "President Trump has expressed support for resuming contacts with North Korea, including at the highest level. We have heard this, and our Korean friends have also heard it." The head of Ukrainian military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov told Bloomberg of Pyongyang's supplies of munitions to Moscow: "North Korea has huge stockpiles and production goes on around the clock." What Happens Next Lavrov's visit comes weeks after Pyongyang agreed to send an additional 6,000 personnel to Russia's Kursk region where thousands were deployed last year. His remarks signal that military co-operation between Moscow and Pyongyang is likely to deepen. Head of Ukrainian military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov told Bloomberg that North Korea is now supplying 40 percent of Russia's ammunition for the war against Ukraine.
Hamilton Spectator
19 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Russia warns US, South Korea and Japan against forming security alliance targeting North Korea
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Russia's foreign minister on Saturday warned the U.S., South Korea and Japan against forming a security partnership targeting North Korea as he visited his country's ally for talks on further solidifying their booming military and other cooperation. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov flew to North Korea's eastern Wonsan city on Friday for a meeting with his North Korean counterpart Choe Son Hui. Relations between Russia and North Korea have been flourishing in recent years, with North Korea supplying troops and ammunitions to support Russia's war against Ukraine in return for military and economic assistance. That has raised concerns among South Korea, the U.S. and others that Russia might also transfer to North Korea sensitive technologies that can increase the danger of its nuclear and missile programs. After a meeting with Choe on Saturday, Lavrov accused the U.S., South Korea and Japan of what he called their military buildups around North Korea. 'We warn against exploiting these ties to build alliances directed against anyone, including North Korea and, of course, Russia,' he told reporters, according to Russia's state Tass news agency. The U.S., South Korea and Japan have been expanding or restoring their trilateral military exercises in response to North Korea's advancing nuclear program. On Friday, the three countries held a joint air drill involving U.S. nuclear-capable bombers near the Korean Peninsula, as their top military officers met in Seoul and urged North Korea to cease all unlawful activities that threaten regional security. North Korea views major U.S.-led military drills as invasion rehearsals. It has long argued that it's forced to develop nuclear weapons to defend itself from U.S. military threats. Lavrov said Russia understands North Korea's decision to seek nuclear weapons. 'The technologies used by North Korea are the result of the work of its own scientists. We respect North Korea's aspirations and understand the reasons why it is pursuing a nuclear development,' Lavrov said. During their meeting, Choe reiterated that North Korea 'unconditionally' supports Russia's fight against Ukraine. She described ties between North Korea and Russia as 'the invincible alliance.' Lavrov said he repeated Russia's gratitude for the contribution that North Korean troops made in efforts to repel a Ukrainian incursion into Russia's Kursk border region . Wonsan city, the meeting venue, is where North Korea recently opened a mammoth beach resort that it says can accommodate nearly 20,000 people. In his comments at the start of his meeting with Choe, Lavrov said that 'I am sure that Russian tourists will be increasingly eager to come here. We will do everything we can to facilitate this, creating conditions for this, including air travel,' according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. The Wonsan-Kalma tourist zone is at the center of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's push to boost tourism as a way to improve his country's troubled economy. But prospects for the biggest tourist complex in North Korea aren't clear, as the country appears unlikely to fully reopen its borders and embrace Western tourists anytime soon. ___ Associated Press writer Elise Morton in Athens, Greece contributed to this report. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
