&w=3840&q=100)
Russia's FSB links Ukraine to car bomb which killed top military official
Moskalik was assassinated in the hamlet of Balashikha, east of Moscow, only hours before US President Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin read more
According to Russian media, a car exploded in the Moscow suburbs, killing Major General Yaroslav Moskalik. Image/X
Russia's FSB security service claimed on Saturday that it had captured a suspect in the vehicle bombing that killed a senior Russian military commander on Friday.
The Kremlin accused Ukraine for the death of 59-year-old Yaroslav Moskalik, deputy chief of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.
There was no official statement from Kyiv on Moskalik's death.
The FSB identified the suspect as Ignat Kuzin, claiming he was 'an agent of the Ukrainian special services'.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Moskalik was assassinated in the hamlet of Balashikha, east of Moscow, only hours before US President Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russian war bloggers described Moskalik as a rising star. He had participated in several high-level Russian delegations that had met Western officials to try to negotiate a settlement to the conflict in Ukraine.
He also dealt with Syria, presenting a report on military-technical cooperation in Africa and the Middle East at a security forum in Moscow in 2021.
Rybar, a Russian war blogger with over 1.2 million subscribers on Telegram, said he was viewed as 'one of the most intelligent and demanding officers' in his directorate.
The blogger said Moskalik was being considered to serve as head of the National Defence Management Centre, the supreme command and control centre of the Russian Armed Forces, due to his 'systematic approach and thoughtfulness.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
26 minutes ago
- Time of India
Trump tariff hike threatens to impact $5 billion engineering goods exports: EEPC India
New Delhi: The proposed 50% tariff on all foreign steel and aluminium by US President Donald Trump could hurt India's engineering exports, as these metals and their derivatives account for nearly a quarter of the country's total engineering goods shipments to the US. The annual export of steel, aluminium and their derivatives to the US currently stand at around $5 billion. The 25% tariffs imposed by the US on steel imports (as per the proclamation order dated on 18th March 2025) have created a challenging environment for Indian steel exporters. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Elegant New Scooters For Seniors In 2024: The Prices May Surprise You Mobility Scooter | Search Ads Learn More Undo Although India's direct steel exports to the US are relatively low, the tariffs have led to increased global competition and price pressures. The tariffs have also resulted in a shift in trade flows. 'In case the US goes ahead with its plan and impose a 50% tariff on steel, aluminium and their derivatives, exports of these key items will become costlier leading to a likely dip in shipments," said Pankaj Chadha, Chairman, EEPC India, in a statement. Live Events Chadha highlighted that the UK through its trade deal with the US recently got exemptions from 25% tariff on steel and aluminium and suggested that India should also ask for the same kind of waiver during the ongoing bilateral trade agreement (BTA) negotiations with the US. "This is perhaps not the opportune time to introduce such unilateral tariff especially when BTA negotiations are going on. It can make the work of the negotiators tricky. The proposed tariff increase by the Trump administration is likely to impact the engineering exports which are about $5 billion under this head," the EEPC India Chairman said.
The Hindu
27 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Spider Web: Ukraine strikes multiple air bases in Russia
A Ukrainian drone attack has destroyed more than 40 Russian planes deep in Russia's territory, a Ukrainian security official said on Sunday, while Russia pounded Ukraine with missiles and drones a day before the two sides meet for a new round of direct talks in Istanbul. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose operational details, said the attack took over one-and-a-half-years to execute and was personally supervised by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The operation saw drones transported in containers carried by trucks deep into Russian territory, he said. The drones reportedly hit 41 bombers stationed at several airfields on Sunday afternoon, including the Belaya air base in Russia's Irkutsk region, more than 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) from Ukraine. Spider Web: Ukraine strikes multiple air bases in Russia It is the first time that a Ukrainian drone has been seen in the region, local Gov. Igor Kobzev said. He also said in a statement that the drone had been launched from a truck. Russian officials in the Ryazan and Murmansk regions also reported drone activity on Sunday afternoon, but did not give further details. The attack came the same day as Zelenskyy said Ukraine will send a delegation to Istanbul for a new round of direct peace talks with Russia on Monday. In a statement on Telegram, Zelenskyy said that Defense Minister Rustem Umerov will lead the Ukrainian delegation. 'We are doing everything to protect our independence, our state and our people,' Zelenskyy said. Ukrainian officials had previously called on the Kremlin to provide a promised memorandum setting out its position on ending the war before the meeting takes place. Moscow had said it would share its memorandum during the talks. Russia on Sunday launched the biggest number of drones — 472 — on Ukraine since the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine's air force said. Russian forces also launched seven missiles alongside the barrage of drones, said Yuriy Ignat, head of communications for the air force. Earlier Sunday, Ukraine's army said at least 12 Ukrainian service members were killed and more than 60 were injured in a Russian missile strike on an army training unit. The strike occurred at 12:50 p.m., the statement said, emphasizing that no formations or mass gatherings of personnel were being held at the time. Ukrainian army commander Mykhailo Drapatyi later Sunday submitted his resignation following the attack. He was a respected commander whose leadership saw Ukraine regain land on the eastern front for the first time since Kyiv's 2022 counteroffensive. The training unit was located to the rear of the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) active front line, where Russian reconnaissance and strike drones are able to strike. Ukraine's forces lack troops and take extra precautions to avoid mass gatherings as the skies across the front line are saturated with Russian drones looking for targets. Russia's Ministry of Defense said Sunday that it had taken control of the village of Oleksiivka in Ukraine's northern Sumy region. Ukrainian authorities in Sumy ordered mandatory evacuations in 11 more settlements Saturday as Russian forces make steady gains in the area. Speaking Saturday, Ukraine's top army chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said that Russian forces were focusing their main offensive efforts on Pokrovsk, Toretsk and Lyman in the Donetsk region, as well as the Sumy border area. ___ Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
29 minutes ago
- Business Standard
UK to build more submarines, boost warhead spend in message to Moscow
By Tom Rees and Ellen Milligan UK intends to send a 'message to Moscow' with plans to expand its fleet of attack submarines and invest in its nuclear deterrent as part of a new defence strategy to head off the threat posed by Russia. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government will on Monday reveal plans to spend £15 billion ($20 billion) on its warhead programme and build up to 12 new submarines as part of the AUKUS programme it operates alongside the US and Australia, to bolster Britain's 'warfighting readiness,' the Ministry of Defence said on Sunday. Defense Secretary John Healey told the BBC that Monday's strategic defence review — which will spell out the threats facing Britain and outline recommendations to tackle them — will send a 'message to Moscow' by strengthening the UK's military and defense industry's capabilities. 'We know that threats are increasing and we must act decisively to face down Russian aggression,' Healey said in a statement. 'With new state-of-the-art submarines patrolling international waters and our own nuclear warhead programme on British shores, we are making Britain secure at home and strong abroad.' The UK will also build six new munitions factories to create an 'always on' industrial production, buy up to 7,000 long-range missiles and invest in its cybersecurity and stockpiles of support equipment. Healey told Sky News that new factories will be built 'very soon.' 'This is Britain standing behind, making our armed forces stronger but making our industrial base stronger, and this is part of our readiness to fight, if required,' he told the BBC separately on Sunday. However, he said a target to spend 3 per cent of gross domestic product on defence after the next election remains an 'ambition' and that he doesn't expect to make progress toward raising the number of soldiers in the British army until the next parliament. Opposition parties, including the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, said the government needs to reach the spending target sooner than 2034. Monday's review comes after a period of underinvestment in the country's defence industry that has seen the size of the UK army shrink to its smallest since the Napoleonic era. An end to the so-called 'peace dividend' will put more pressure on the country's stretched public finances, with Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves set to unveil departments' budget settlements at the multi-year spending review on June 11. Higher military spending comes at a time of multiple demands on the public purse, from healthcare to prisons. 'All of Labour's Strategic Defence Review promises will be taken with a pinch of salt unless they can show there will actually be enough money to pay for them,' the Conservative Party's Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge said in a statement. The Sunday Times reported that the Labour government wants to buy American-made fighter jets capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons. The review will also recommend new defensive shields to protect the country from enemy missiles as well as reestablishing a civilian home guard, according to the report. The shift in Britain's war footing comes as US President Donald Trump presses Nato members to increase their military spending. Just weeks after Trump took office in January, Starmer announced a commitment to boost defense spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027 from 2.3 per cent currently. Moscow launched one of its longest drone and missile attacks against Kyiv this weekend, while Ukrainian drones hit several strategic airfields in Russia, escalating tensions ahead of crucial talks in Istanbul on Monday aimed at securing a ceasefire in the years-long conflict.
