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The Star
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Exclusive-US believes Russia response to Ukraine drone attack not over yet, expects multi-pronged strike
FILE PHOTO: Fire and smoke rise in the city after a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich/File Photo WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin's threatened retaliation against Ukraine over its drone attack last weekend has not happened yet in earnest and is likely to be a significant, multi-pronged strike, U.S. officials told Reuters. The timing of the full Russian response was unclear, with one source saying it was expected within days. A second U.S. official said the retaliation was likely to include different kinds of air capabilities, including missiles and drones. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity. They did not detail Russia's expected targets nor elaborate on intelligence matters. The first official said Moscow's attack would be "asymmetrical," meaning that its approach and targeting would not mirror Ukraine's strike last weekend against Russian warplanes. Russia launched an intense missile and drone barrage at the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Friday and Russia's Defense Ministry said the strike on military and military-related targets was in response to what it called Ukrainian "terrorist acts" against Russia. But the U.S. officials believe the complete Russian response is yet to come. A Western diplomatic source said that while Russia's response may have started, it would likely intensify with strikes against symbolic Ukrainian targets like government buildings, in an effort to send a clear message to Kyiv. Another, senior, Western diplomat anticipated a further devastating assault by Moscow. "It will be huge, vicious and unrelenting," the diplomat said. "But the Ukrainians are brave people." The Russian and Ukrainian embassies in Washington and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Michael Kofman, a Russia expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said he expected Moscow might seek to punish Ukraine's domestic security agency, the SBU, for its role in last weekend's assault. To send a message, Russia could employ intermediate-range ballistic missiles for the attack, he said. "Most likely, they will attempt to retaliate against (SBU) headquarters, or other regional intelligence administration buildings," Kofman said, adding Russia could also target Ukrainian defense manufacturing centers. Still, Kofman suggested Russia's options for retaliation may be limited as it is already throwing a lot of its military might at Ukraine. "In general, Russia's ability to substantially escalate strikes from what they are already doing - and attempting to do over the past month - is quite constrained," he said. OPERATION 'SPIDER'S WEB' Kyiv says Sunday's audacious attack employed 117 unmanned aerial vehicles launched deep from within Russian territory in an operation code-named "Spider's Web." The United States assesses that up to 20 warplanes were hit - around half the number estimated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy - and around 10 were destroyed. The Russian government on Thursday denied that any planes were destroyed and said the damage would be repaired, but Russian military bloggers have spoken of loss or serious damage to about a dozen planes, including those capable of carrying nuclear weapons. The strikes, prepared over 18 months and conducted by drones smuggled close to the bases in trucks, dealt a powerful symbolic blow to Russia, which throughout the Ukraine war has frequently reminded the world of its nuclear might. Putin told President Donald Trump in a telephone conversation on Wednesday that Moscow would have to respond to attack, Trump said in a social media post. Trump later told reporters that "it's probably not going to be pretty." "I don't like it. I said: 'Don't do it. You shouldn't do it. You should stop it,'" Trump said of his conversation with Putin. "But, again, there's a lot of hatred." (Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Don Durfee, William Mallard and Alistair Bell)
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
US believes Russia response to Ukraine drone attack not over yet, expects multi-pronged strike
FILE PHOTO: Fire and smoke rise in the city after a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich/File Photo US believes Russia response to Ukraine drone attack not over yet, expects multi-pronged strike WASHINGTON - The United States believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin's threatened retaliation against Ukraine over its drone attack last weekend has not happened yet in earnest and is likely to be a significant, multi-pronged strike, U.S. officials told Reuters. The timing of the full Russian response was unclear, with one source saying it was expected within days. A second U.S. official said the retaliation was likely to include different kinds of air capabilities, including missiles and drones. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity. They did not detail Russia's expected targets nor elaborate on intelligence matters. The first official said Moscow's attack would be "asymmetrical," meaning that its approach and targeting would not mirror Ukraine's strike last weekend against Russian warplanes. Russia launched an intense missile and drone barrage at the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Friday and Russia's Defense Ministry said the strike on military and military-related targets was in response to what it called Ukrainian "terrorist acts" against Russia. But the U.S. officials believe the complete Russian response is yet to come. A Western diplomatic source said that while Russia's response may have started, it would likely intensify with strikes against symbolic Ukrainian targets like government buildings, in an effort to send a clear message to Kyiv. Another, senior, Western diplomat anticipated a further devastating assault by Moscow. "It will be huge, vicious and unrelenting," the diplomat said. "But the Ukrainians are brave people." The Russian and Ukrainian embassies in Washington and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Michael Kofman, a Russia expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said he expected Moscow might seek to punish Ukraine's domestic security agency, the SBU, for its role in last weekend's assault. To send a message, Russia could employ intermediate-range ballistic missiles for the attack, he said. "Most likely, they will attempt to retaliate against (SBU) headquarters, or other regional intelligence administration buildings," Kofman said, adding Russia could also target Ukrainian defense manufacturing centers. Still, Kofman suggested Russia's options for retaliation may be limited as it is already throwing a lot of its military might at Ukraine. "In general, Russia's ability to substantially escalate strikes from what they are already doing - and attempting to do over the past month - is quite constrained," he said. OPERATION 'SPIDER'S WEB' Kyiv says Sunday's audacious attack employed 117 unmanned aerial vehicles launched deep from within Russian territory in an operation code-named "Spider's Web." The United States assesses that up to 20 warplanes were hit - around half the number estimated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy - and around 10 were destroyed. The Russian government on Thursday denied that any planes were destroyed and said the damage would be repaired, but Russian military bloggers have spoken of loss or serious damage to about a dozen planes, including those capable of carrying nuclear weapons. The strikes, prepared over 18 months and conducted by drones smuggled close to the bases in trucks, dealt a powerful symbolic blow to Russia, which throughout the Ukraine war has frequently reminded the world of its nuclear might. Putin told President Donald Trump in a telephone conversation on Wednesday that Moscow would have to respond to attack, Trump said in a social media post. Trump later told reporters that "it's probably not going to be pretty." "I don't like it. I said: 'Don't do it. You shouldn't do it. You should stop it,'" Trump said of his conversation with Putin. "But, again, there's a lot of hatred." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Japan Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Today
Four killed, 80 wounded in intense Russian air attacks on Ukraine
Fire and smoke rise in the aftermath of a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY By Thomas Peter, Anna Voitenko and Anastasiia Malenko Russia launched an intense missile and drone barrage at the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in the early hours of Friday, killing four people, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as powerful explosions reverberated across the country. The attacks followed a warning from Russian President Vladimir Putin, conveyed via U.S. President Donald Trump, that the Kremlin would hit back after Ukrainian drones destroyed several strategic bomber aircraft in attacks deep inside Russia. Zelenskyy said three emergency responders were killed in the missile and drone salvo against the capital. Another person died in an attack on the northwestern city of Lutsk. "Those killed in Kyiv were rescue workers who arrived at the scene of an initial strike and, unfortunately, were killed in a repeat Russian strike," Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, writing on X, said Russia had "'responded' to its destroyed aircraft... by attacking civilians in Ukraine.... Multi-story buildings hit. Energy infrastructure damaged." Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces had carried out the strike on military and military-related targets in response to what it called Ukrainian "terrorist acts" against Russia. Zelenskyy said 80 people nationwide had been injured in the attacks, which also struck several other towns and cities. He said residents could still be trapped under rubble. In Lutsk, the national emergency service said 30 people were injured in addition to the one death. Prosecutors said the attack damaged private homes, educational institutions and a government building. Russian forces also struck industrial facilities and infrastructure in the western city of Ternopil, leaving parts of it without power, Mayor Serhii Nadal said. The regional administration said the attack had injured 10 people and asked residents to temporarily stay inside due to a high concentration of toxic substances in the air after a fire. The air force said Russia had used 407 drones, one of the largest numbers recorded in a single attack. Forty-five cruise and ballistic missiles were also fired, it said. ATTACKS HIT KYIV TRANSPORT SYSTEM Kyiv's metro transport system was disrupted by a Russian strike that hit and damaged tracks between stations, the military administration said. The state rail company said it was also diverting some trains due to rail damage outside the city. Reuters witnesses reported a series of booming explosions powerful enough to rattle windows far from the impact sites. Some Kyiv residents sought shelter in metro stations, or in underground car parks. In the capital's Solomianskyi district, a Russian drone slammed into the side of an apartment building, leaving a gaping hole and burn marks, a Reuters photographer at the scene said. Falling concrete blocks from the building crushed cars parked below. Two police investigators were examining what appeared to be the drone's engine. Earlier in the night, Reuters reporters heard the sound of Russian kamikaze drones buzzing in the sky, accompanied by the sounds of outgoing fire from Ukrainian anti-aircraft batteries. Zelenskyy called for concerted pressure on Russia. "If someone is not applying pressure and is giving the war more time to take lives – that is complicity and accountability. We must act decisively," he wrote on X. The Ukrainian military said it had launched a pre-emptive strike overnight on the Engels and Dyagilevo airfields in the Russian regions of Saratov and Ryazan, in addition to striking at least three fuel reservoirs. In one of the most audacious attacks of the three-year-old war between Ukraine and Russia, Ukrainian spies last weekend destroyed some of Russia's strategic bomber aircraft on the ground using quadrocopter drones hidden in wooden sheds. After a phone conversation with Putin on Wednesday, Trump said the Kremlin was planning an unspecified response to the Ukrainian attack on the Russian air bases. © Thomson Reuters 2025.
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Intense Russian air attack on Ukraine's capital kills four
Residents take shelter inside an underground parking during Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko Residents take shelter inside an underground parking during Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko Residents take shelter inside an underground parking during Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko Fire and smoke rise in the city after a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich KYIV - Russia mounted an intense missile and drone barrage of the Ukrainian capital overnight, killing four people, Ukrainian officials said, as powerful explosions reverberated across the city. The attack followed a warning from Russian President Vladimir Putin, conveyed via U.S. leader Donald Trump, that the Kremlin would hit back after Ukrainian drones destroyed several strategic bomber aircraft in attacks deep inside Russia. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said 20 people were injured, 16 of them in hospital, in addition to the four deaths. The city's metro transport system was disrupted by a Russian strike that hit and damaged a train between stations, Kyiv's military administration said. In the Solomenskiy district, a Russian drone slammed into the side of apartment building, leaving a gaping hole and burn marks, a Reuters photographer at the scene said. Falling concrete blocks from the building crushed cars parked below. Two police investigators were examining what appeared to be the drone's engine. Earlier in the night, Reuters reporters heard the sound of Russian kamikaze drones buzzing in the sky, accompanied by the sounds of outgoing fire from Ukrainian anti-aircraft fire. Reuters witnesses reported a series of booming explosions powerful enough to rattle windows far from the impact sites. Some Kyiv residents sought shelter in metro stations, or in underground car parks. Ukraine's air force said the city had been targeted with drones and Kalibr cruise missiles. In one of the most audacious attacks of the war between Ukraine and Russia, Ukrainian spies last weekend destroyed some of Russia's strategic bomber aircraft on the ground using quadrocopter drones hidden in wooden sheds. The Kremlin was planning an unspecified response to the Ukrainian attack on Russian air bases, Trump said after a telephone conversation with Putin on Wednesday. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Ukraine's 2025 grain harvest may fall 10%, minister says
A load of corn is poured into a truck, at a grain storage facility in the village of Bilohiria, Khmelnytskyi region, Ukraine April 19, 2023. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich/File Photo KYIV - Ukraine's 2025 grain harvest may decrease by 10% to around 51 million metric tons compared to 56.7 million tons in 2024, according to the most pessimistic estimates, Ukrainian agriculture minister Vitaliy Koval said on Tuesday. Ukraine is a global producer of grains and oilseeds, but the harvest is highly dependent on favourable weather conditions during both the autumn sowing and spring months. Military risks associated with the ongoing Russian invasion are also reducing output as farmers are afraid or unable to plant and harvest crops. Significant areas have also been seized or mined. "A difficult season awaits us. An abnormally warm winter, first there was no humidity, then prolonged rains delayed the sowing campaign in some regions for two weeks. Therefore, we expect a decrease in the harvest," Koval told Reuters. "The most negative forecast is minus 10%. According to expectations the harvest of grain is minus 10%, oilseeds minus 5%. It's definitely not a failure, but God willing we will harvest everything," he said. Giving the first detailed forecast, for 2025 Koval said Ukraine could harvest around 26 million tons of corn, 4.5 million tons of barley, 1.5 million tons of minor grains, 11.5 million tons of sunflower seeds, and 11 million tons of sugar beet. He said the wheat harvest may be between 20 and 22 million tons and the final figure would depend on weather and war-related factors. Koval said the 2025 overall oilseed crop could decrease to around 20.16 million tons from 21.18 in 2024, partially due to a decrease in the rapeseed crop by 600,000 tons. Ukraine is the world's largest sunflower oil exporter. The minister declined to provide Ukraine's 2025/26 grain export forecast, based on an as yet unclear final harvest figure, but analysts say exports will total 40.9 million tons, including 15 to 15.5 million tons of wheat. Analyst ASAP Agri said last week Ukraine's wheat exports were expected to fall in the 2025/26 July-June season due to possible changes in the EU's import policy, uncertain harvest prospects and a better crop outlook in EU importing countries. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
