Latest news with #DefenceMinistry
The Hindu
an hour ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Ukraine expands evacuations in Sumy region amid Russian offensive fears
Ukraine ordered the evacuation of 11 more villages in its Sumy region bordering Russia on Saturday amid fears Moscow was gearing up for a fresh ground assault. Russia claims to have captured several villages in the northeastern region in recent weeks, and has massed more than 50,000 soldiers on the other side of the border, according to Kyiv. The evacuations came just two days before a possible meeting between the two sides in Istanbul, as Washington called on both countries to end the three-year war. Russia has confirmed it will send a delegation to the Turkish city, but Kyiv has yet to accept the proposal, warning the talks would not yield results unless the Kremlin provided its peace terms in advance. On Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Moscow of doing "everything" it could to sabotage the potential meeting by withholding its peace terms. Authorities in Ukraine's Sumy region said on Saturday they were evacuating 11 villages within a roughly 30-km range from the Russian border. "The decision was made in view of the constant threat to civilian life as a result of shelling of border communities," the regional administration said on social media. A spokesman for Ukraine's border guard service, Andriy Demchenko, said on Thursday that Russia was poised to "attempt an attack" on Sumy. In total, 213 settlements in the region have been ordered to evacuate. Russia's Defence Ministry said on Saturday that its forces had taken another Sumy region village, Vodolagy. Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, launched in February 2022, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the destruction of towns and villages across parts of the east and south of the country. The Kremlin's army now controls around a fifth of the country and claims to have annexed five Ukrainian regions as its own, including Crimea, which it seized in 2014. 'Strong delegations' U.S. President Donald Trump has spearheaded diplomatic efforts to bring an end to the fighting, but Kyiv and Moscow have both accused each other of not wanting peace. The Kremlin has proposed further negotiations in Istanbul on Monday, after a May 16 round of talks that yielded little beyond a large prisoner-of-war exchange. Kyiv has not yet said whether it will attend the Monday meeting, and said Friday it did not expect any results from the talks unless Moscow provided its peace terms in advance. Russia says it will provide its peace memorandum in person on Monday. But Ukraine suspects it will contain unrealistic demands that Kyiv has already rejected, including that Ukraine cede territory still under its control and abandon its NATO ambitions. In a statement to the United Nations on Friday, Russia's UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia suggested the memorandum might call for Western countries to halt arm supplies to Kyiv and for Ukraine to abandon its military mobilisation. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has fostered warm relations with both Zelensky and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, has become a key mediator amid efforts to end the conflict. In a call with Zelensky late Friday, the Turkish leader urged both sides to send "strong delegations" to ensure momentum towards peace, according to Turkish state news agency Anadolu. Turkey has offered to host a summit between Putin, Zelensky and Trump, but the Kremlin has turned down the offer. Putin has consistently rebuffed calls for a 30-day, unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine.
United News of India
4 hours ago
- Business
- United News of India
Indian Army conducts trials of next-gen defence technologies under simulated operational conditions
New Delhi, May 31 (UNI) The Indian Army is currently undertaking extensive capacity development demonstrations at key locations across the country, including the Pokhran Field Firing Ranges, Babina Field Firing Ranges, and Joshimath, with dedicated Air Defence equipment demonstrations also scheduled at Agra and Gopalpur. These field trials are being conducted under near-combat conditions, integrating electronic warfare simulations to assess the performance of cutting-edge defence systems rigorously, a Defence Ministry statement said. On May 27, Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi, visited Babina Field Firing Ranges and reviewed the ongoing demonstrations and interacted with all stakeholders. The demonstrations feature a wide array of advanced technologies developed under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, aimed at accelerating indigenous capability development. The trials mark a significant step in the Indian Army's roadmap for a 'Decade of Transformation' and are designed to ensure rapid absorption of emerging technologies to meet evolving battlefield requirements. A large number of defence industry partners are taking part in the demonstration, reflecting the increasing synergy between the Indian Army and domestic manufacturers. Key platforms undergoing evaluation include Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS); UAV Launched Precision Guided Munition (ULPGM); Runway Independent (RWI); Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems (RPAS); Counter-UAS Solutions; Loitering Munitions; Specialised Vertical Launch (SVL) Drones; Precision Multi Munition Delivery Systems; Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction System (IDDIS); Low Level Light Weight Radars; VSHORADS (Next Generation) IR Systems and Electronic Warfare (EW) platforms. Through these evaluations, the Indian Army aims to strengthen its technological edge, enhance operational readiness, and reaffirm its commitment to indigenous innovation and self-reliance in defence capability development. UNI RBE GNK
The Star
15 hours ago
- Politics
- The Star
Melaka outlines five priorities for Sungai Udang under new initiative
MELAKA: The Melaka state government is prioritising five key focus areas in the Sungai Udang state constituency under the "Wakil Rakyat Untuk Rakyat" (WRUR) initiative. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh said these include public infrastructure, healthcare, education, community welfare and development, as well as the Digital Village initiative. Among the infrastructure projects was the RM44.8mil upgrade of the water reticulation system at Kem Terendak, scheduled to begin in May 2026 and be completed within two years. "Additionally, four road resurfacing projects valued at RM1.24mil are being implemented by local authorities, with one completed and the remaining three currently in progress," he said after officiating the closing of the WRUR programme here on Saturday (May 31). Senior state executive councillor and Sungai Udang constituency coordinator Datuk Rais Yasin was also present. In the healthcare sector, a RM325mil Armed Forces Hospital project under the Defence Ministry was expected to be completed by January 2029. Upgrades to the Sungai Udang Health and Dental Clinics, with a combined cost of RM450,000, are set to begin later this year and be completed by March 2026. For education, the computer lab at MRSM Terendak would be upgraded for RM400,000 by October. The government was also acquiring land for a new building at Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Udang, estimated to cost RM2mil, and plans to prioritise the construction of a new religious school (SRA JAIM Sungai Udang) in 2025. Ab Rauf said immediate repairs would also be carried out at SRA JAIM Bertam Ulu and SJK(C) Bertam Ulu. On community welfare, the Social Welfare Department was disbursing RM1.21mil monthly to assist 554 eligible recipients in the Sungai Udang area. Under the Digital Village initiative, two villages - Kampung Sungai Udang and Kampung Bukit Mentangau - involving 357 homes have completed the digital address sticker installation. Eight more villages are expected to follow, with full completion by the end of June. – Bernama
New Straits Times
17 hours ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Asean-US meeting strengthens regional defence cooperation, says Khaled Nordin
SINGAPORE: The multilateral meeting between Asean defence ministers, Timor-Leste, and United States Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth on Friday is expected to further strengthen regional defence cooperation, said Malaysia's Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue here on Friday. "The meeting served as a platform for Asean countries to exchange views on regional security challenges, especially in the Indo-Pacific, and to explore opportunities to strengthen defence cooperation with the United States," Khaled shared in a Facebook post. He also shared Malaysia's perspective as the current Asean Chair, highlighting two major regional issues — the Myanmar crisis and the South China Sea situation — during his meeting with Hegseth. "Solutions to these two critical issues must be led and driven by Asean through an Asean-led and Asean-driven framework," he said. Khaled also stressed the importance of all parties upholding Asean's core values and principles to ensure the continued security, sovereignty, and stability of the region. Meanwhile, during the meeting, Hegseth highlighted common security challenges and reaffirmed the US' strong commitment to the region, according to a statement by Singapore's Defence Ministry. He said that the US believed in practical cooperation and strong partnerships underpinned by shared values. The US would continue its engagement with the Southeast Asia region and enhance defence cooperation with Asean countries, including through the Asean Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus). Hegseth also raised cybersecurity as a key emerging domain for Asean-US cooperation, such as through the ADMM Cybersecurity and Information Centre of Excellence (ACICE).
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Kremlin staged drone attack on Putin's helicopter
A claim by the Russian Defence Ministry that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin was "in the epicentre of a drone attack" has turned out to be a staged performance by the Kremlin. Source: The Moscow Times, an independent Amsterdam-based news outlet Details: Russian state media claimed earlier this week that when Putin visited Kursk Oblast for the first time since the hostilities began in the area, his helicopter came "under fire from Ukrainian drones". In reality, this was not a combat incident but a meticulously staged event. Four sources within the government and the Kremlin told The Moscow Times that security officials promoted this shocking and "risky" episode in the media to convince Russians that their leader is not hiding behind others, but is also supposedly taking risks and making sacrifices. Amid regular drone strikes, chaos at airports and mobile communication outages, this televised stunt was intended to portray Putin as someone who "shares the dangers" with the country and thus sends a message to the public – "war is war". The Moscow Times reported that Putin had indeed visited Kursk Oblast, to which, according to the official narrative, he had travelled by helicopter. In fact, the oblast is frequently targeted by Ukrainian attacks. However, the sources said Putin's security had been ensured at the highest possible level. "No one would ever allow such criminal negligence. Not even in a nightmare," said one official close to Putin's administration and familiar with his security system. The Moscow Times reported that the "sensational claim" that Putin's helicopter had found itself "in the epicentre of a large-scale enemy drone attack" was disseminated by the Russian Defence Ministry via the state-run VGTRK television channel. Kremlin-aligned reporters did not accompany Putin on this trip, nor did a professional filming crew. The footage was captured by other individuals, including a security officer, two informed sources told The Moscow Times. Background: Earlier, Ukraine's Centre for Strategic Communications and Information Security denied claims that Putin's helicopter came under attack from the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Russia's Kursk Oblast. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
