Latest news with #KatarinaMathernova
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Russia and Ukraine swap hundreds more prisoners hours after a massive attack on Kyiv
AP Russia and Ukraine exchanged hundreds more prisoners Saturday as part of a major swap that amounted to a rare moment of cooperation in otherwise failed efforts to reach a ceasefire. The exchange came hours after Kyiv came under a large-scale Russian drone and missile attack that left at least 15 people injured, and authorities in Ukraine said the capital again came under a combined aerial drone and missile attack early Sunday, injuring 11. The attack is still going on. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russia's defense ministry said each side brought home 307 more soldiers on Saturday, a day after each released a total of 390 combatants and civilians. Further releases expected over the weekend are set to make the swap the largest in more than three years of war. "We expect more to come tomorrow," Zelenskyy said on his official Telegram channel. Russia's defense ministry also said it expected the exchange to be continued, though it did not give details. Hours earlier, explosions and anti-aircraft fire were heard throughout Kyiv as many sought shelter in subway stations as Russian drones and missiles targeted the Ukrainian capital overnight. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 나이들어 노안+백내장 절대 방치 하지 마세요! 부산백내장노안 전문안과 더 알아보기 Undo In talks held in Istanbul earlier this month - the first time the two sides met face to face for peace talks since Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion - Kyiv and Moscow agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners of war and civilian detainees each. 'A difficult night' Officials said Russia attacked Ukraine with 14 ballistic missiles and 250 Shahed drones overnight while Ukrainian forces shot down six missiles and neutralized 245 drones - 128 drones were shot down and 117 were thwarted using electronic warfare. The Kyiv City Military Administration said it was one of the biggest combined missile and drone attacks on the capital. "A difficult night for all of us," the administration said in a statement. Posting on X, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called it "clear evidence that increased sanctions pressure on Moscow is necessary to accelerate the peace process." Posting on X, U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy spoke of "another night of terror for Ukrainian civilians." "These are not the actions of a country seeking peace," Lammy said of the Russian strike. Katarina Mathernova, the European Union's ambassador to Kyiv, described the attack as "horrific." "If anyone still doubts Russia wants war to continue - read the news," Katarina Mathernova wrote on the social network. Air raid alert in Kyiv The debris of intercepted missiles and drones fell in at least six Kyiv city districts. According to the acting head of the city's military administration, Tymur Tkachenko, six people required medical care after the attack and two fires were sparked in Kyiv's Solomianskyi district. The Obolon district, where a residential building was heavily damaged in the attack, was the hardest hit with at least five wounded in the area, the administration said. Yurii Bondarchuk, a local resident, said the air raid siren "started as usual, then the drones started to fly around as they constantly do." Moments later, he heard a boom and saw shattered glass fly through the air. "The balcony is totally wiped out, as well as the windows and the doors," he said as he stood in the dark, smoking a cigarette to calm his nerves while firefighters worked to extinguish the flames. The air raid alert in Kyiv lasted more than seven hours, warning of incoming missiles and drones. Kyiv's mayor, Vitalii Klitschko, warned residents ahead of the attack that more than 20 Russian strike drones were heading toward the city. As the attack continued, he said drone debris fell on a shopping mall and a residential building in Obolon. Emergency services were headed to the site, Klitschko said. Separately, 13 civilians were killed on Friday and overnight into Saturday in Russian attacks in Ukraine's south, east and north, regional authorities said. Three people died after a Russian ballistic missile targeted port infrastructure in Odesa on the Black Sea, local Gov. Oleh Kiper reported. Russia later said the strike Friday targeted a cargo ship carrying military equipment. Russia's defense ministry on Saturday claimed its forces overnight struck various military targets across Ukraine, including missile and drone-producing plants, a reconnaissance center and a launching site for anti-aircraft missiles. A complex deal The prisoner swap on Friday was the first phase of a complicated deal involving the exchange of 1,000 prisoners from each side. It took place at the border with Belarus, in northern Ukraine, according to a Ukrainian official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly. The released Russians were taken to Belarus for medical treatment, the Russian Defense Ministry said. POWs arrived at the medical facility in the Chernihiv region for a second day on Saturday. But for many their arrival was bittersweet. Those who were not reunited with their loved ones took solace in the released POWs providing some information about when their relatives were last seen. Anna Marchenko, the daughter of a missing Ukrainian serviceman, was elated when a released POW said they had seen her father. "This is such a big news. It's like a fresh breath of air," she said. "I didn't see him, but at least it's some news. At least it's news that gives us the opportunity to continue to breathe and live in peace." However, the exchange - the latest of dozens of swaps since the war began and the biggest involving Ukrainian civilians so far - did not herald a halt in the fighting. Battles continued along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, where tens of thousands of soldiers have been killed, and neither country has relented in its deep strikes. After the May 16 Istanbul meeting, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called the prisoner swap a "confidence-building measure" and said the parties had agreed in principle to meet again. But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that there has been no agreement yet on the venue for the next round of talks as diplomatic maneuvering continued. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow would give Ukraine a draft document outlining its conditions for a "sustainable, long-term, comprehensive" peace agreement, once the ongoing prisoner exchange had finished. Far apart on key conditions European leaders have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet in peace efforts while he tries to press his larger army's battlefield initiative and capture more Ukrainian land. The Istanbul meeting revealed that both sides remained far apart on key conditions for ending the fighting. One such condition for Ukraine, backed by its Western allies, is a temporary ceasefire as a first step toward a peaceful settlement. Russia's Defense Ministry said that overnight and early on Saturday its forces shot down over 100 Ukrainian drones over six provinces in western and southern Russia. The drone strikes injured three people in the Tula region south of Moscow, local Gov. Dmitriy Milyaev said, and sparked a fire at an industrial site there. Andriy Kovalenko, of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, said Saturday the drones hit a plant in Tula that makes chemicals used in explosives and rocket fuel.
Vancouver Sun
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
Russia and Ukraine swap hundreds more prisoners hours after a massive attack on Kyiv
KYIV, Ukraine — Russia and Ukraine exchanged hundreds more prisoners on Saturday as part of a major swap that amounted to a rare moment of cooperation in otherwise failed efforts to reach a ceasefire. The exchange came hours after Kyiv came under a large-scale Russian drone and missile attack that left at least 15 people injured. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russia's defense ministry said each side brought home 307 more soldiers on Saturday, a day after each released a total of 390 combatants and civilians. Further releases expected over the weekend are set to make the swap the largest in more than three years of war. 'We expect more to come tomorrow,' Zelenskyy said on his official Telegram channel. Russia's defense ministry also said it expected the exchange to be continued, though it did not give details. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Hours earlier, explosions and anti-aircraft fire were heard throughout Kyiv as many sought shelter in subway stations as Russian drones and missiles targeted the Ukrainian capital overnight. In talks held in Istanbul earlier this month — the first time the two sides met face to face for peace talks since Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion — Kyiv and Moscow agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners of war and civilian detainees each. 'A difficult night' Officials said Russia attacked Ukraine with 14 ballistic missiles and 250 Shahed drones overnight while Ukrainian forces shot down six missiles and neutralized 245 drones — 128 drones were shot down and 117 were thwarted using electronic warfare. The Kyiv City Military Administration said it was one of the biggest combined missile and drone attacks on the capital. 'A difficult night for all of us,' the administration said in a statement. Posting on X, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called it 'clear evidence that increased sanctions pressure on Moscow is necessary to accelerate the peace process.' Katarina Mathernova, the European Union's ambassador to Kyiv, described it as 'horrific.' 'If anyone still doubts Russia wants war to continue — read the news,' Katarina Mathernova wrote on the social network. Air raid alert in Kyiv The debris of intercepted missiles and drones fell in at least six Kyiv city districts. According to the acting head of the city's military administration, Tymur Tkachenko, six people required medical care after the attack and two fires were sparked in Kyiv's Solomianskyi district. The Obolon district, where a residential building was heavily damaged in the attack, was the hardest hit with at least five wounded in the area, the administration said. Yurii Bondarchuk, a local resident, said the air raid siren 'started as usual, then the drones started to fly around as they constantly do.' Moments later, he heard a boom and saw shattered glass fly through the air. 'The balcony is totally wiped out, as well as the windows and the doors,' he said as he stood in the dark, smoking a cigarette to calm his nerves while firefighters worked to extinguish the flames. The air raid alert in Kyiv lasted more than seven hours, warning of incoming missiles and drones. Kyiv's mayor, Vitalii Klitschko, warned residents ahead of the attack that more than 20 Russian strike drones were heading toward the city. As the attack continued, he said drone debris fell on a shopping mall and a residential building in Obolon. Emergency services were headed to the site, Klitschko said. Separately, 13 civilians were killed on Friday and overnight into Saturday in Russian attacks in Ukraine's south, east and north, regional authorities said. Three people died after a Russian ballistic missile targeted port infrastructure in Odesa on the Black Sea, local Gov. Oleh Kiper reported. Russia later said the strike Friday targeted a cargo ship carrying military equipment. Russia's defense ministry on Saturday claimed its forces overnight struck various military targets across Ukraine, including missile and drone-producing plants, a reconnaissance center and a launching site for anti-aircraft missiles. A complex deal The prisoner swap on Friday was the first phase of a complicated deal involving the exchange of 1,000 prisoners from each side. It took place at the border with Belarus, in northern Ukraine, according to a Ukrainian official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly. The released Russians were taken to Belarus for medical treatment, the Russian Defense Ministry said. However, the exchange — the latest of dozens of swaps since the war began and the biggest involving Ukrainian civilians so far _ did not herald a halt in the fighting. Battles continued along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, where tens of thousands of soldiers have been killed, and neither country has relented in its deep strikes. After the May 16 Istanbul meeting, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called the prisoner swap a 'confidence-building measure' and said the parties had agreed in principle to meet again. But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that there has been no agreement yet on the venue for the next round of talks as diplomatic maneuvering continued. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow would give Ukraine a draft document outlining its conditions for a 'sustainable, long-term, comprehensive' peace agreement, once the ongoing prisoner exchange had finished. Far apart on key conditions European leaders have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet in peace efforts while he tries to press his larger army's battlefield initiative and capture more Ukrainian land. The Istanbul meeting revealed that both sides remained far apart on key conditions for ending the fighting. One such condition for Ukraine, backed by its Western allies, is a temporary ceasefire as a first step toward a peaceful settlement. Russia's Defense Ministry said that overnight and early on Saturday its forces shot down over 100 Ukrainian drones over six provinces in western and southern Russia. The drone strikes injured three people in the Tula region south of Moscow, local Gov. Dmitriy Milyaev said, and sparked a fire at an industrial site there. Andriy Kovalenko, of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, said Saturday that the drones hit a plant in Tula that makes chemicals used in explosives and rocket fuel. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
EU ambassador to Ukraine: If anyone still doubts Russia's intentions, read the news
Katarina Mathernova, European Union Ambassador to Ukraine, has commented on the Russian nighttime combined attack on Ukraine, the main target of which was Kyiv. Source: European Pravda; Katarina Mathernova on X (Twitter) Details: Mathernova advised those who "still doubt Russia wants war to continue" to read the news on 24 May. The EU ambassador also noted that the strike on Kyiv had targeted the districts where her colleagues live. "Another horrific missile & drone attack on Ukraine. Main target - Kyiv. Many residential buildings on fire, suffered a lot of damage. 15 people injured," Katarina Mathernova tweeted Background: The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia had launched 14 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles and 250 attack drones against Ukraine on the night of 23-24 May. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsakhkna reacted to the large-scale Russian attack on Kyiv and said that Russia's continuous aggression has a simple explanation: "It hasn't faced enough pressure to stop." Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Irish Independent
22-04-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Lizzie Johnson: Ukraine ramps up weapons output over fears of US cuts
Success – a sign that the Ukrainian-made, self-propelled howitzer was properly built. A few more tests would confirm it, then the artillery piece would return to the factory for final tweaks and fresh paint. Soon, it would ship out to the front, a key feature of Ukraine's scramble to bulk up its weapons systems ahead of any potential aid cuts from Washington. Production of the Bohdana – Ukrainian for 'God-given' – has surged in the course of the war against Russia, soaring from just six per month in 2023 to more than 20 in 2025 as part of a partnership with Ukraine's European allies that may well represent the future of the country's arms industry. On April 8, Europe announced a fresh disbursement of €1bn – from the windfall profits of frozen Russian assets – for building more howitzers. It is the largest sum earmarked specifically for Ukrainian artillery production thus far – part of more than €20bn to be disbursed by Europe for the country's defence sector over the next year in place of just sending weapons. 'First, it's cheaper,' said Katarina Mathernova, the EU ambassador to Ukraine. 'Second, it's faster. Third, you cut away transport and logistics expenses and time. Fourth, it helps the economy grow.' As Biden-era stocks dwindle, doubts have festered about whether Europe can fully compensate for a possible halt to American aid, particularly for key capabilities such as air defences. A European official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to share internal deliberations, said more countries were eyeing the model of pouring money into Ukraine's defence industry instead of dispatching weapons, offering a faster route as Europe's own supplies run dry after years of funnelling weapons to Kyiv. The strategy also allows Nato countries to use Ukraine as a testing ground for developing weapons, such as drones, in which they don't have as much experience, the official said. The 155mm Bohdana, with its impressive 40km range, is the first Ukrainian-made Nato-calibre howitzer and could help guarantee the country's security. 'It's a win-win,' the European official added. 'It's cheaper for us. They need to produce. And the Ukrainians are teaching us a lot.' While the battles of drones have increasingly characterised the front lines of the war, artillery remains a key part of the conflict. ADVERTISEMENT During the early years of the war when Russia massively outgunned Ukraine, the United States other countries rushed howitzers to the front line to stave off the Russian advance. Ukraine's soldiers are now adept at operating the artillery, which it can produce itself without relying on other countries. Compared with drones, the howitzers can more effectively suppress trench operations, stop assaults and kill opponents. The Washington Post was allowed a rare visit to see the testing of the Bohdanas, both towed and self-propelled – an operation so sensitive that The Post agreed not to disclose the exact location of the training facility in western Ukraine. Miles down a dirt road, the brisk mountain air cracked with the pop-pop-pop of distant gunfire as a half-dozen soldiers in balaclavas slotted the next round of ammunition into the Bohdana. Nearby, artillery shells and beige tubes of propellant charge were mounded atop a tarp, some stamped with 'US Army Picatinny Arsenal' – the name of the New Jersey facility that manufactures much of America's weaponry and ammunition. The soldiers stepped back and yelled 'Cannon!' Noise-cancelling headphones clamped over their ears, they opened their mouths in anticipation of the blast. In a flash of orange, the Bohdana fired again, pummelling the mountainside, now scraped bare of trees and scarred by past hits. The barrel smoked. The testing of the first Bohdana complete, a second was manoeuvred into position. Arsen Zhumadilov – the director of the defence ministry's defence procurement agency – watched, noting that Ukraine had made 'huge strides' in manufacturing Nato-calibre weaponry since Russia invaded in 2022, thanks to joint efforts between the government and private arms manufacturers. While it hasn't been enough for Ukraine to win the war, the increase in production has helped the country become more self-sufficient. More than 85pc of the parts needed for the Bohdana are made in Ukraine – a figure that's expected to increase to 95pc by the end of the year. At the training facility, a final blast from the Bohdana shook the ice off the roof of a nearby building. A cloud of dust and earth again billowed off the mountain. 'If you want to live in peace, you have to be ready for war,' said Vitalii Zagudaiev, chief executive of KZTS, which builds Bohdanas. The tests finished for the second self-propelled howitzer, a soldier – who specialised in the artillery's computer programming – walked up the hillside, a plastic grocery bag slung over one arm. As was tradition, she reached inside, handing out two jelly sweets to each onlooker – a bit of sweetness for each success.
Washington Post
19-04-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
Ukraine ramps up artillery production amid fears of falling U.S. support
Hundreds of miles from the front lines, deep in the forested wilderness of Ukraine, the massive green howitzer swung around its long barrel and fired, the boom echoing through snowy mountains and sleepy villages as a distant ridgeline erupted in a thunderhead of black smoke. Success — a sign that the Ukrainian-made, self-propelled howitzer was properly built. A few more tests would confirm it, then the artillery piece would return to the factory for final tweaks and fresh paint. Soon, it would ship out to the front, a key feature of Ukraine's scramble to bulk up its weapons systems ahead of any potential aid cuts from Washington. Production of the Bohdana — Ukrainian for 'God-given'— has surged in the course of the war against Russia, soaring from just six per month in 2023 to more than 20 in 2025 as part of a partnership with Ukraine's European allies that may well represent the future of the country's arms industry. On April 8, Europe announced a fresh disbursement of 1 billion euros — from the windfall profits of frozen Russian assets — for building more howitzers. It is the largest sum earmarked specifically for Ukrainian artillery production thus far — part of more than 20 billion euros to be disbursed by Europe for the country's defense sector over the next year in place of just sending weapons. 'First, it's cheaper,' said Katarina Mathernova, the E.U. ambassador to Ukraine. 'Second, it's faster. Third, you cut away transport and logistics expenses and time. Fourth, it helps the economy grow.' As Biden-era stocks dwindle, doubts have festered about whether Europe can fully compensate for a possible halt to American aid, particularly for key capabilities such as air defenses. A European official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to share internal deliberations, said more countries were eyeing the model of pouring money into Ukraine's defense industry instead of dispatching weapons, offering a faster route as Europe's own supplies run dry after years of funneling weapons to Kyiv. The strategy also allows NATO countries to use Ukraine as a testing ground for developing weapons, such as drones, in which they don't have as much experience, the official said. The 155mm Bohdana, with its impressive 25-mile range, is the first Ukrainian-made NATO-caliber howitzer and could help guarantee the country's security. 'It's a win-win,' the European official added. 'It's cheaper for us. They need to produce. And the Ukrainians are teaching us a lot.' While the battles of drones have increasingly characterized the front lines of the war, artillery remains a key part of the conflict. During the early years of the war when Russia massively outgunned Ukraine, the United States other countries rushed howitzers to the front line to stave off the Russian advance. Ukraine's soldiers are now adept at operating the artillery, which it can produce itself without relying on other countries. Compared with drones, the howitzers can more effectively suppress trench operations, stop assaults and kill opponents. The Washington Post was allowed a rare visit to see the testing of the Bohdanas, both towed and self-propelled — an operation so sensitive that The Post agreed not to disclose the exact location of the training facility in western Ukraine. Miles down a dirt road, the brisk mountain air cracked with the pop-pop-pop of distant gunfire as a half-dozen soldiers in balaclavas slotted the next round of ammunition into the Bohdana. Nearby, artillery shells and beige tubes of propellant charge were mounded atop a tarp, some stamped with 'US ARMY PICATINNY ARSENAL' — the name of the New Jersey facility, just west of New York City, that manufactures much of America's weaponry and ammunition. The soldiers stepped back and yelled 'CANNON!' Noise-canceling headphones clamped over their ears, they opened their mouths in anticipation of the blast. In a flash of orange, the Bohdana fired again, pummeling the mountainside, now scraped bare of trees and scarred by past hits. The barrel smoked, the scent of gunpowder lingering. The testing of the first Bohdana complete, a second was maneuvered into position. Arsen Zhumadilov — the director of the Defense Ministry's defense procurement agency — watched, noting that Ukraine had made 'huge strides' in manufacturing NATO-caliber weaponry since Russia invaded in 2022, thanks to joint efforts between the government and private arms manufacturers. While it hasn't been enough for Ukraine to win the war, the increase in artillery production has helped the country become more self-sufficient. More than 85 percent of the parts needed for the Bohdana are manufactured in Ukraine — a figure that's expected to increase to 95 percent by the end of the year, he said. 'Now self-propelled howitzers are being produced in Ukraine in quantities that are unparalleled in Europe,' Zhumadilov said. This is important, he said, because 'there is a direct and close link between our ability to fight and Europe's security. If Ukraine falls, Europe will not be able to stand against the Russians as well as us.' The European Union's executive branch, the European Commission, has been trying to unlock hundreds of billions of euros to build up the continent's defenses in the coming years, through loans and loosening budget rules. Part of the plan is a 150 billion euro loan program to fast-track the bloc's joint weapons procurement and development, which is largely geared toward systems made in the E.U., Norway or Ukraine. 'We are strengthening Ukraine in many different ways. One way is to support them in building up their own capabilities,' German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said at a news conference at NATO headquarters April 11. 'The support we provide to Ukraine is not a one-way road, it is a win-win situation. The insights we gain will benefit both us and Ukraine. We will learn from it too.' European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said the new fiscal space could also allow E.U. countries to invest in or team up with arms makers in Ukraine to better integrate its defense production with the European industry. Some countries, meanwhile, have sought more first-hand experience, sending unarmed soldiers to training camps in western Ukraine to learn about combat — a sign of the deepening unease on the continent over the future. In a television interview this week, the Danish army commander said he planned to send more soldiers here this summer to learn from Ukraine. 'Ukraine is ahead of everyone else and using Western systems more efficiently than Western countries are able to use them,' said Nico Lange, a former German defense official who is now a fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis. 'A strategic integration of the Ukrainian defense sector with the European defense sector would also help security in Europe in general.' At the training facility, a final blast from the Bohdana shook the ice off the roof of a nearby building. A cloud of dust and earth again billowed off the mountain. 'If you want to live in peace, you have to be ready for war,' said Vitalii Zagudaiev, chief executive of KZTS, the Kramatorsk Heavy Duty Machine Tool Building Plant, which builds Bohdanas. The tests finished for the second howitzer, a soldier — who specialized in the artillery's computer programming — walked up the hillside, a plastic grocery bag slung over one arm. As was tradition, she reached inside, handing out two jelly candies to each onlooker — a bit of sweetness for each success. Ellen Francis and Serhii Korolchuk contributed to this report.
