Latest news with #FarEast
Russia Today
2 hours ago
- General
- Russia Today
Kiev has run out of arguments at the frontline
A rapid spike in Ukrainian attacks deep within Russia is a sign that Kiev is running out of options on the frontline and is trying to remain relevant to its backers, information analyst and publicist Sergey Poletaev has told RT. Poletaev, co-founder and editor of the Vatfor project, referred to a recent series of drone strikes targeting airfields in five Russian regions, including in Siberia and Russia's Far East. Ukrainian media has touted the strikes, dubbed 'operation spiderweb,' as 'historic,' and claimed it dealt serious damage to Russia's 'strategic aviation.' The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the attacks but stated that three out of five strikes were successfully repelled, causing no damage or casualties. The remaining two resulted in aircraft catching fire, which was quickly extinguished, according to the ministry, which also did not confirm the loss of any aircraft. Additionally, two bridges in Russian regions bordering Ukraine were blown up over the weekend. The damage caused by one blast derailed a passenger train, killed seven people and injured 71 others. The Russian Investigative Committee reported on Tuesday that both cases were 'terrorist attacks' planned by Ukraine to maximize civilian casualties. The attacks were launched shortly before the second round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul on Monday. Kiev 'has brought its last arguments into play,' Poletaev said, commenting on what he called 'unprecedented sabotage activities of Ukraine.' 'They have run out of arguments at the frontline and are attempting to change the situation this way,' the analyst stated. According to Poletaev, the Russian-Ukrainian 'negotiation track will proceed sluggishly amid ongoing hostilities'. The demands presented by both sides at the talks are only as realistic as their ability to enforce them through military means, he opined. 'Each side, it seems, at the moment, is confident that it can enforce its demands in one way or another. Or, speaking of the Ukrainian side, perhaps they are pretending — which, in general, is emblematic of them,' he said. According to Poletaev, Ukraine and its EU backers are desperately trying to prevent the US from disengaging, as President Donald Trump 'appears determined to reduce American involvement in the conflict'. 'Both Ukraine and the EU are virtually pulling [Trump] by his sleeve to not let him withdraw from the war,' he stated, adding only major changes on the frontline could affect the dynamics of the conflict, with the roles of the US and the EU remaining unclear in its outcome.
ABC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Ukraine destroys dozens of Russian aircraft in audacious strike
Isabella Higgins: Dubbed Operation Spider Web, a strike deep into the heart of Russia that could shift the strategic balance of the war in Ukraine. Ukrainian drones struck a number of airbases, destroying dozens of aircraft worth billions of dollars. And it comes on the eve of peace talks. Let's get more on this from Europe Bureau Chief, Mazoe Ford. Mazoe, what do we know about this Ukrainian operation? Mazoe Ford: Good morning, Isabella. This operation was codenamed Spider's Web. It took a year and a half to plan and it was one of Kyiv's most audacious attacks on Russia so far. It was personally overseen by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President, and it was all done without the knowledge of the United States. These Ukrainian drones attacked four airfields from the west of Russia to Moscow and even reaching the Far East, thousands of kilometres from Ukraine. And Ukraine claims to have damaged or destroyed 40 Russian warplanes. This is interesting because the drones were smuggled into Russia. They were loaded onto trucks and driven to locations near the airbases before being launched remotely. And drones have, of course, struck inside Russia and attacked aircraft before, but never on this scale. Russia says it's repelled most of the attacks and has detained some of the people involved. But Isabella, the Kremlin will be fuming about this because it's highly embarrassing. They always claim to be the stronger country militarily and yet Ukraine has managed to sneak in and do this. Isabella Higgins: And Mazoe, this comes ahead of more peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul later today. What chance do they have? Mazoe Ford: Well, after a weekend of fighting on both sides, the Russians continued to attack Ukraine with its drones and 472 went across on Saturday night local time, the largest number in a single night. So with that and with these Ukrainian strikes into Russia, you've got to imagine that going into these talks, the sides are going to be very prickly with one another. The Russians have touched down in Istanbul and they've not yet said what their terms are for this second round of talks in the past month. Ukraine is on the way. It says it's repeated its call for a complete and unconditional ceasefire, the release of prisoners and a return of the abducted children. But both sides are going to be back in this room on Monday afternoon local time, but they still enter it very, very far apart. Isabella Higgins: Europe Bureau Chief Mazoe Ford reporting there.
Russia Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Ukrainian strike on Russian airfields: what we know so far
Military airfields located in five Russian regions, including those in Siberia and the Far East, have been targeted in coordinated drone attacks orchestrated by Kiev, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Sunday. The Ukrainian media have claimed it was a major operation targeting Russian strategic aviation. According to Moscow, most strikes were repelled, with some resulting in material damage but no casualties. The airfields in question are located in Murmansk Region in the country's north, in Ivanovo and Ryazan regions in central Russia as well as in Irkutsk Region in Siberia and Amur Region in the far east, the country's defense ministry stated. According to the Ukrainian media, the airfields housed Russian strategic bombers Tu-95 and Tu-22M as well as an A-50 early warning and control plane among other aircraft. The Russian Defense Ministry has not confirmed this information. Nor has it revealed the aircraft types stationed at the airfields targeted in the attack. It was the first time in over three years since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict that Kiev's forces targeted Russian facilities located in Siberia and the Far East. All the attacks employed first-person view (PFV) kamikaze drones, the Russian Defense Ministry said, adding that at least some of them were launched from areas located in close proximity to the airfields. It also blamed the 'Kiev regime' for the strikes it branded 'terrorist attacks.' According to both the Ukrainian and the Russian media, the drones were taking off from trucks parked not far from the airfields and loaded with containers. A Russian Shot Telegram channel published a video purporting to show several unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) flying out of one such contained in the Irkutsk Region. Plumes of thick smoke can be seen at a distance behind the truck in the clip. Sounds of gunfire can also be heard on the video, with a witness claiming that some police officers attempted to shoot a drone down, using small arms. Another video posted by Shot showed a crowd of people trying to hit the drones flying out of a truck with stones. The video was also recorded in the Irkutsk Region, according to the strikes were part of a major Ukrainian operation targeting the Russian 'strategic aviation' and codenamed 'Spiderweb,' several Ukrainian media, including Channel 24 and RBK Ukraine, reported, citing sources within the nation's domestic security service (SBU). The SBU itself confirmed it was behind the operation as it published a photo of its head, Vasily Malyuk, looking at the maps of what appears to be five Russian airfields. The security service also claimed that about a third of Russian cruise missile carriers were hit in the attacks. According to the Ukrainian media, the nation's security service had prepared the operation for more than a year and a half as it gradually transported the drones and moveable containers to Russia. The operation was also allegedly personally overseen by Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky, who reportedly claimed a total of 117 UAVs were used in the strikes, according to the reports. In Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions, the attacks were repelled and resulted in no damage or casualties, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. In Murmansk and Irkutsk regions, the strikes led to some aircraft catching fire, it added. The blaze was promptly extinguished, according to the Russian military. No casualties have been reported in any of the incidents. The Defense Ministry also did not report losing a single aircraft as a result of the attacks. The Ukrainian media have claimed that around 40 aircraft were damaged in the operation, including several strategic bombers. The Russian authorities have not commented on the Ukrainian media culprits behind the attacks have been detained, the Russian defense ministry said, without revealing the number of those arrested or their identities. According to Shot, the Russian investigative authorities identified the trucks involved in the attacks and are now 'working' with their drivers. Several Telegram channels, including Shot and Baza, also reported that the Russian OSINT investigators traced the drones back to a warehouse located in the Russian Chelyabinsk Region in the southern Urals. The Russian security service officers have reportedly raided the warehouse in question and are now investigating its owner. Some trucks involved in the attacks also allegedly were registered in the Chelyabinsk Region, according to the Telegram channels. One truck loaded with drones has reportedly failed to reach its destination, the Russian Telegram channels reported. The vehicle caught fire while on a road in the Amur Region and eventually exploded, the channels reported as they published a video purporting to show the moment of the explosion. The incident took place a day before the attack, according to Baza. A container caught fire that triggered the explosion was 'similar' to the ones seen on videos with drones, the channel said. A man who was driving the truck died in the incident, Baza said. He stopped the vehicle as he realized it was on fire and went to check for the source of the blaze at the very moment when it exploded, the channel reported, identifying him as Vasily P., 62. The attacks came just a day before the scheduled talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul. The two nations were scheduled to hold the second round of the recently resumed direct negotiations that were stalled for some three years after Kiev unilaterally walked away from the negotiating table in spring 2022. The two sides agreed to hold a major prisoner swap involving 1,000 POWs from each side during the first round of talks last month. On Monday, they are expected to exchange peace proposals as part of an agreement reached in May. Ukraine has significantly escalated drone strikes into Russia in recent weeks, despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has earlier described the attacks as attempts to derail the peace process. The strikes occurred less than a day after two bridges in Russian regions were destroyed in what authorities described as sabotage. In Bryansk Region, an overpass fell onto a rail line, killing seven and injuring at least 69, according to the governor. Hours later, early Sunday, a railway bridge in Kursk Region gave way under a moving freight train, injuring the driver and two assistants. The Russian Investigative Committee said that both bridges were 'blown up' while stopping short of naming any suspects behind the attacks. Russian Senator Andrey Klishas blamed Kiev for both incidents.
Wall Street Journal
2 days ago
- General
- Wall Street Journal
Ukraine Says Its Drones Destroyed Warplanes Deep Inside Russia
KYIV—Ukrainian officials said its drones damaged more than 40 warplanes in attacks on four military airports in Russia's far east, a daring clandestine strike against Moscow's airborne capabilities. The attack, dubbed 'Spider's Web,' took a year and a half to prepare, officials at Ukraine's intelligence agency said on Sunday. Ukraine's drones targeted Russia's Belaya, Ivanovo, Dyagilevo and Olenya air bases, all of which house Russian military planes.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Alejandro Garnacho told ‘don't come back' as Man Utd outcast takes parting shot in one-word Instagram post
ALEJANDRO GARNACHO was told 'don't come back' after the Manchester United outcast took a parting shot in a one-word Instagram. Garnacho's Old Trafford days appear to be numbered after Ruben Amorim warned him to find a new club this summer. 2 The winger is now being linked with Serie A champions Napoli. And Chelsea could be interested again after making an enquiry in January. But Garnacho showed he is not going to go quietly. The Argentine, who was a late sub in the Europa League final defeat to Spurs, saw a bit more action in United's disastrous post-season tour of the Far East. They lost their first match to a Malaysian All-Stars XI before narrowly beating Hong Kong. Afterwards, United's players jetted off on their separate ways for their summer holidays. And Garnacho made no secret of his joy to finally be heading into a new era. Posting emojis of a tropical island, praying hands and a crying face, he said on Instagram Stories: 'Finally.' However, this saw Garnacho receive a flurry of messages from angry United fans. One said: 'Don't come back.' 2 Another declared: 'Bro thinks he is CR7.' One noted: 'He's going to regret this when he is older.' Another added: 'Worst attitude ever.'
