Russia pounds Ukraine with hundreds of drones, killing at least one person
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia fired more than 300 drones overnight into today, along with more than 30 cruise missiles.
One person died when Russian forces attacked the Black Sea port city of Odesa with more than 20 drones and a missile, the city's mayor, Hennadii Trukhanov, said, while five people were rescued when a fire broke out in a residential high-rise building.
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According to Zelenskyy, six other people were wounded in the attack on Odesa, including a child, and critical infrastructure was damaged in Ukraine's north-eastern Sumy region.
The Ukrainian president also thanked international leaders 'who understand how important it is to promptly implement our agreements' aimed at boosting Ukraine's defence capabilities, including joint weapons production, drone manufacturing, and the supply of air defence systems.
Moscow has been intensifying its long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities. It often batters Ukraine with more drones in a single night than it did during some entire months in 2024, and analysts say the barrages are likely to escalate.
On July 8, Russia unleashed more than 700 drones — a record.
Russia's Defence Ministry said it shot down 71 Ukrainian drones overnight into today. Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 13 were shot down as they approached the Russian capital.

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The Irish Sun
44 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Putin's favourite newspaper preparing Russians for NUCLEAR WAR in chillingly short time frame: ‘Nowhere we can't hit'
RUSSIAN media is reportedly preparing its citizens for a potential nuclear war with the West in the near future. Several media outlets in Moscow - part of 12 Plans for dealing with a nuclear attack on London have been obtained by The Sun Credit: Getty 12 A Russian Yars intercontinental ballistic missile launches from the Plesetsk military launchpad in northwestern Russia Credit: EPA 12 US soldiers manually load an AIM-120 AMRAAM Missile onto an FA-18 Hornet on the flight deck of USS Harry S. Truman Credit: AP:Associated Press Komsomolskaya Pravda (KP) newspaper uses Russian 'experts' to explain how such a conflict could happen - ramping up the nuclear war rhetoric. Readers are told that Britain and Europe want to engage in a conflict with the Russian empire. This could happen by the end of the decade when "European forces reach full operational readiness", the newspaper reports. It comes after a senior US army general threatened to launch a read more on Russia The newspaper argues multiple Western politicians and military figures have threatened war. And it threatens to launch an attack on the West - claiming "there is no place in Europe [Russia] cannot hit". Andrei Klintsevich, head of the Centre for the Study of Military and Political Conflicts, told the newspaper: "They need a big war to dismember Russia into small independent states and get free access to our resources." Lintsevich accused the West of mobilising its military-industrial complex, mining borders, and building defences. Most read in The US Sun The aim is to provoke Russia, accuse Moscow of 'aggression', and launch direct confrontation, he told the paper. He demanded that Russia now stage a nuclear weapons test in the Arctic - the first since the end of the Cold War - to deter the West. Independent news outlet Agentsvo said the report in KP - said to be Putin's favourite newspaper - was 'intended to prepare Russian public opinion for a potential war with Nato'. Nato jets scrambled after Putin blitz... while Ukraine drones hit Moscow AGAIN 'Russia would have to respond — not only diplomatically. Missile strikes would be inevitable, as securing a land corridor through Odesa and Mykolaiv would require considerable time and force,' explained the newspaper. General Christopher Donahue, commander of the United States Army Europe and Africa, said Nato could capture Kaliningrad - Wedged between Poland and Lithuania, the region of Kaliningrad is heavily militarised by the Russians. It is cut off from the rest of Putin's empire, but could be used by the tyrant to launch an attack on Europe. Using the strategic exclave, the Russians could also take over the Suwalki Gap - a hard-to-defend strip of land less than 60 miles wide that links the rest of the Nato countries to the Baltic nations. 12 Vladimir Putin and his cronies have threatened to nuke the West several times Credit: AFP 12 General Christopher Donahue, commander of the United States Army Europe and Africa Credit: AFP 12 Donahue had argued that Nato could destroy the heavily militarised Kaliningrad 'in a timeframe that is unheard of and faster than we've ever been able to do' in the event of Russian threats against allied states. 'Donahue's words confirm that they are preparing to seize Kaliningrad,' said Klintsevich. 'The Swedish island of Gotland is already being turned into a powerful warship — with air defence systems, anti-ship missiles, and more being deployed there. Estonia and Finland are forming a joint group.' He warned Russians: 'Under a made-up pretext, they'll block Kaliningrad's air and sea routes. 'Our protests and ultimatums will be ignored, forcing our troops to fight their way through the Suwałki Gap [a 60-mile wide strip of land connecting NATO states Lithuania and Poland , flanked by Russia - Kaliningrad - and its ally Belarus]. 'In such a case, Europe would launch a ground operation in Kaliningrad using large numbers of rockets, artillery, and drones ,' said the newspaper. 'The Alliance believes that occupying Kaliningrad would cut Russia off from the Baltic once and for all,' said military expert Alexander Zimovsky. Another flashpoint starting a new war in Europe could be ex-Soviet state Moldova , says KP. Russia's foreign intelligence service SVR has warned that Nato 'is rapidly turning Moldova into a military staging ground. Another trigger point for World War Three could be the north, claimed Sergey Sudakov, of the Russian Academy of Military Sciences. The most likely threat is Finland, which recently joined NATO. They have 'solid military infrastructure, which the alliance could use for attacks on St Petersburg, Karelia, and Murmansk,' said Zimovsky. 12 Russia's Burevestnik cruise missile, known as Skyfall, in action during a test launch Credit: East2west News 12 A satellite image which shows five Russian nuclear warhead storage bunkers (right) as well as launch positions, according to researchers Credit: Reuters 12 Russian military expert Andrei Klintsevich Credit: Andrei Klintsevich/e2w 12 KP stressed: 'While a Kaliningrad conflict might be settled, an assault on St Petersburg would risk triggering World War Three.' The Kremlin has ramped up its nuclear rhetoric after the threats from the US commander - with Putin's henchmen accusing the US of "unleashing World War Three". Terrifying The chilling documents lay bare the grim reality of how Londoners would face The tirade from Moscow comes as the Kremlin pushes on with its war against Ukraine - Fears new Russia-Ukraine talks are already doomed to fail By , Foreign Editor RUSSIA and Ukraine held peace talks in Istanbul today following Donald Trump's stern warning to warmonger Vladimir Putin. Any hopes for a breakthrough continue to appear bleak as Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned the enemies remained "diametrically opposed". And fears still linger that Putin may - yet again - make impossible demands and play for time while continuing his 'meatgrinder' assaults and attacks on civilians. Trump has given the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a new round of negotiations will take place in Turkey involving envoys from both sides. Zelensky said he had authorised his security council chief Rustem Umerov to stage the third crucial meeting following failed attempts at peace in May and June. He said discussions would centre on 'preparations for a prisoner exchange and another meeting in Turkey with the Russian side". A senior Ukrainian source said talks could also begin working towards a possible historic meeting between Zelensky and Putin. But Kremlin spokesman Peskov downplayed the likelihood of reaching any concrete outcome anytime soon. Peskov said: "A lot of diplomatic work lies ahead." Last week, US president Trump vented his frustration with Putin, declaring he was He imposed a Instead of agreeing, a snarling Putin declined and ramped up his ground and aerial offensives across Ukraine. Meanwhile, Trump agreed to sell defence systems to Ukraine and It comes after ex-Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said that Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, raged that Nato and the West are effectively already at war with Russia as he pushed the Kremlin's view that his country is the victim. That's despite it being Medvedev accused the US and Europe of an attempt to 'destroy' Russia which is 'hated by the West', he claimed. Diplomats say his remarks give an indication of the thinking among some within the Moscow political elite. 12 An explosion of a drone lights up the sky over Kyiv during a Russian drone and missile strike Credit: Reuters 12 Last week, US President Trump vented his frustration with Putin, declaring he was 'disappointed' but 'not done' with the Russian tyrant Credit: AP


RTÉ News
3 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Sinn Féin call for review of Government refugee accommodation plans
Sinn Féin has called for a review of the Government's policy of paying people to allow Ukrainian refugees to use their spare rooms or properties, saying the scheme is unfair on other people, and is potentially disrupting the wider rental market. The party's Justice, Home Affairs and Migration spokesperson Matt Carthy called for the policy to be examined, before rejecting claims he and his party are using the issue to "dog whistle" to anti-immigrant groups. According to figures obtained by Sinn Féin, the number of properties receiving a payment under the Government accommodation recognition payment scheme rose by 17% between January and July of this year. This, a party statement said, is "deeply unfair" to other people who are renting as the supports are not means-tested, and are distorting the wider rental market. Asked about the claims by journalists today, Mr Carthy said the "evidence appears to be bearing out" the Sinn Féin concerns, but did not provide specific examples of how this is the case. He said the scheme is giving landlords "a tax free payment" of hundreds of euro a month to cover costs, as well as "top up payments", which he said are "unregulated". 'Wide open for landlords' While saying the initial objective of the policy, namely to help Ukrainians fleeing war, was "laudable", Mr Carthy said subsequent changes by Government have left the scheme "wide open for landlords" and others to use the scheme, saying that 21,000 properties owned by less than 17,000 people are the subject of payments. Mr Carthy said "now is the time to carry out a review", but said when asked if the call is a "dog whistle" to anti-immigrant groups: "This is about setting out very clearly that what is going on is fair." The Sinn Féin TD said his party "wouldn't want to see at the end of this a cliff edge where people housed under this scheme all of a sudden become homeless, no one's suggesting that". However, he added that "nothing" causes "social anxiety or division more than if people see one set of people being treated differently than another set in housing need".


RTÉ News
6 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Anti-graft agencies vote 'hampers' Ukraine's EU path, says Germany
Germany has said that a vote by Ukrainian lawmakers to remove the independence of two anti-corruption bodies in the war-torn country "hampers Ukraine's way towards the EU". "I expect Ukraine to continue with determination its efforts in combating corruption," Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said in a post on X. According to Germany's Bild daily, Mr Wadephul spoke on the phone with his Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Sybiha this morning urging him to continue the fight against corruption there. Mr Wadephul also said he had met the heads of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), the two agencies affected, during a recent visit to Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a bill yesterday, revoking the autonomy of the two anti-corruption agencies, a proposal that has sparked protests in Kyiv and alarm among the country's international backers. Critics say the legislation consolidates power in Mr Zelensky's hands and will allow government meddling in high-profile graft cases. The European Union called the decision a "serious step back", while hundreds gathered in central Kyiv to oppose the measure. Ukraine lodged a bid to join the EU in the aftermath of Russia's assault in February 2022, with accession talks kicking off in June 2024. The country has taken a tough stance on corruption in recent years, both as a prerequisite to joining the EU and to reassure allies who have sent wartime aid, but investigators say it remains a serious problem.