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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Russia, Ukraine start prisoner swap after recriminations after peace talks
Russia and Ukraine started a major prisoner exchange on Monday after days of wrangling cast doubt over the only concrete result of peace talks last week in Turkey. The first groups of prisoners under the age of 25 years were transferred by both sides, and the returning Russian soldiers are currently in Belarus, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said on its Telegram channel, without specifying the number exchanged. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy confirmed prisoners were returned from Russian captivity and said the process would continue in several stages over the coming days. 'The process is quite complex, with many sensitive details, and negotiations continue virtually every day,' Zelenskiy said in a statement on X. He also didn't specify how many prisoners were involved, but said those returning included the wounded and seriously wounded. 'We count on the full implementation of the humanitarian agreements reached during the meeting in Istanbul,' he said. The planned swap of 1,200 people from each side is set to be the largest-to-date of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now well into its fourth year, but was held up as the two sides disagreed over details of the arrangement. Russia said at the weekend that it was ready to move ahead with the handover, including the refrigerated bodies of thousands of Ukrainian servicemen killed in action, but had been stymied. Ukraine said it was poised to swap badly injured and severely ill service members as well as younger soldiers, but the information Moscow provided didn't match what was agreed upon, delaying the process. Two recent rounds of talks haven't made any progress toward negotiating an end to the war, with Russia setting out maximalist demands and US President Donald Trump stepping back from calls for an immediate ceasefire. The two sides exchanged 1,000 prisoners each over three days in late May at a time of several deadly Russian airstrikes across Ukraine. Russia has stepped up major missile and drone strikes against Ukraine after a surprise Ukrainian June 1 drone attack against its air bases. Russia overnight launched 499 drones and missiles, including four Kinzhals and 14 cruise missiles, Ukraine's air defense forces said Monday on Telegram. The military shot down or jammed 479 of them, it said. Two Ukrainian drones struck the site of an electronics developer and manufacturer in Cheboksary, Russia, which temporarily halted operations to protect employees, Oleg Nikolayev, governor of the Chuvashia region that's located 1,300 km (800 miles) from the border with Ukraine, said in a Telegram post. The plant is involved in the missile production process, including for the Iskander system, said Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Ukrainian Center for Countering Propaganda, on Telegram. It also produces navigation systems for Russian Shahed drones and components used in glide bombs, according to the Ukrainian unmanned systems forces. The Russian ground war has also picked up speed again. Moscow's troops are advancing closer to the regional capital of Sumy in Ukraine's northeast and claimed to have crossed into the Dnipropetrovsk region for the first time — which Kyiv denied. At issue is the potential incursion by Moscow's land forces into one of Ukraine's most populous and industrialized areas. It would bring the war onto the soil of two provinces which so far haven't been officially earmarked for annexation by President Vladimir Putin. The Russian leader has demanded that Kyiv surrender all of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson provinces, which Russia illegally annexed in 2022 but doesn't fully control. That's in addition to Crimea, which Kremlin forces seized in 2014. After a phone call with Putin last week, Trump suggested that he might let Ukraine and Russia 'fight for a little while' before attempting to broker a peace deal. Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022, has also demanded Ukraine accept a neutral status and agree to limits on its army and foreign military aid.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Exclusive: Russia's ballistic missile production up at least 66% over past year, according to Ukrainian intel figures
Russia's production of ballistic missiles has increased by at least 66% over the past year, according to data from Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) shared with the Kyiv Independent. According to data obtained by HUR, Moscow is now producing 60 to 70 Iskander-M — the ballistic version of the missile — and 10 to 15 hypersonic Kinzhals per month. This compares to a reported 40 Iskander-Ms in May 2024, and a reported 4–5 Kinzhals in April 2024. At the lower range, this is an increase in production of 66.67%. At the higher range, 88.89%. Ballistic attacks on Ukraine have become more deadly in recent months as stockpiles of air defense missiles, particularly for U.S.-made Patriots, have dwindled. The figures shared with the Kyiv Independent show Russian stockpiles of "almost 600 Iskander-Ms" and "over 100" Kinzhals. At the end of 2022, Military Intelligence Chief Kyrylo Budanov claimed Russia was almost out of Iskander ballistic missiles. By December 2024, HUR spokesperson Andriy Yusov noted that Russia had increased production to somewhere between 40 and 50 Iskander missiles per month. Russia's expanded production is a cause for alarm in Ukraine. If HUR's figures are correct, Russia's production of ballistic missiles today outnumbers total production of PAC-3 MSE missiles for Patriot air defense systems, the preferred anti-ballistic defenses for much of Europe, which Lockheed Martin hopes to boost to 650 per year by 2027. Other Western systems like the SAMP/T and IRIS-T have not proved effective against ballistic missiles. Russia has moreover reportedly outfitted the newest Iskanders with radar decoys and less predictable flight paths, making them harder to shoot down even with Patriot systems. Ukraine's military intelligence has also estimated that Russia is holding a stockpile of 60 North Korean KN-23s. These missiles are similar to the Iskander-Ms, but carry a one-ton warhead, more powerful than their Russian equivalents. The figures shared with the Kyiv Independent further show that total production for cruise missiles has also continued to grow. Russia can produce 20 to 30 Iskander-Ks, 60 to 70 X-101s, 25 to 30 Kalibrs, up to 10 X-32s and 20-30 Onyx and Zircon anti-ship missiles. A massive Ukrainian attack on Russian airfields on June 1 may have restricted Russia's ability to launch several of these cruise missiles. Tu-95M3s often carry Kh-55/Kh-555 or the newer Kh-101 and Kh-102 air-launched cruise missiles. The Tu-22 carries the Kh-22 of these types of aircraft are among those reported to have been damaged in Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb. During wartime, Ukraine has also built out its production of its own cruise and ballistic missiles. But large-scale production of types of missiles depend on major industrial zones that often fall victim to Russian air strikes — particularly when limited air defenses are being rationed. Read also: Russia's Crimean Bridge rocked by explosions, Ukraine's SBU claims responsibilityWe've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine developing strategic-level air defense system, foreign minister says
Ukraine is designing its own strategic-level air defense system, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced on April 14 during a speech at the EU Foreign Ministers Council meeting. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian officials have repeatedly urged Western allies to increase air defense support, warning that current supplies are not enough to counter the intensity of Russian attacks. During the meeting, Sybiha called on allies to strengthen Ukrainian air defenses and provide additional systems, missiles, and spare parts. He also invited EU partners to invest in developing Ukraine's air defense system, saying it would speed up its implementation. Sybiha's speech comes a day after Russia launched two ballistic missiles at the city of Sumy, located in Ukraine's northeast 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the Russian border. The strike killed over 30 people and injured more than 115. "(Russian President Vladimir) Putin will move further into Europe and closer to your homes if he is not stopped in Ukraine. This is the reality," Sybiha said. "And we don't want your countries ever to see cluster ballistic missiles strike residential neighborhoods or playgrounds. That is why we must act now to achieve peace, strengthen Ukraine, and increase pressure on Moscow," the minister added. The second of the two missiles launched at Sumy on April 13 was loaded with fragments and exploded mid-air to 'inflict maximum damage on people on the street,' Head of the Sumy City Military Administration Serhiy Kryvosheyenko said following the attack. In January, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine was negotiating with the United States to obtain a license to manufacture air defense systems in the country. Zelensky did not specify what technology was being discussed. Highly advanced U.S. Patriot systems have played a crucial role in protecting Ukraine's sky. They are capable of downing even the most advanced ballistic missiles, such as Kinzhals. Read also: Ukraine ready to buy 10 Patriot systems for $15 billion, Zelensky says We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine ready to buy more air defense systems, Zelensky says
Kyiv is prepared to purchase additional air defense systems to better protect Ukrainian cities from Russian attacks, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during his evening address on April 11. The need for more air defenses was the focus of his address to the participants in the Ramstein-format summit held earlier in the day in Brussels, Zelensky said, calling it "the first priority." The president participated in the summit virtually, joining the meeting from Kryvyi Rih — Zelensky's hometown and the site of a deadly Russian missile attack last week that killed 20 people, including nine children. "The main thing for us is air defense, additional air defense systems, missiles for them," Zelensky said, delivering his address while sheltering underground in a local school where three of the victims studied. "To protect people's lives, to protect our cities. We are very much counting on the decisions of our partners – we need systems, they exist in the world, and we need a political decision so that air defense works, works here ... and many other of our cities and our communities." Zelensky also said he discussed the matter with U.S. President Donald Trump. "Ukraine is not just asking – we are ready to buy the appropriate additional systems," he said. Shortly after the April 8 missile attack on Kryvyi Rih, Zelensky urged the U.S. to provide more Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine. The highly advanced U.S. Patriot systems have played a crucial role in protecting Ukraine's sky. They are capable of downing even the most advanced ballistic missiles, such as Kinzhals. During a March 19 call with Zelensky, Trump agreed to assist Ukraine in finding additional Patriot systems available in Europe. While Kyiv and Moscow agreed to a U.S.-brokered partial ceasefire on March 11, Russian attacks against Ukrainian cities did not abate in the month that followed. Russia launched 70 missiles, 2,200 Shahed-type drones, and 6,000 guided aerial bombs over the past 30 days, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on April 11. Ukraine has already agreed to accept a complete ceasefire on all hostilities as soon as Russia abides by the same terms. Russia continues to refuse. Read also: Ukraine war latest: US envoy Witkoff proposes giving Russia 'ownership' of Ukrainian regions, Reuters reports We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump agrees to help Ukraine find available Patriot air defense systems in Europe, White House says
U.S. President Donald Trump has agreed to assist Ukraine in finding additional U.S.-made Patriot air defenses available in Europe, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, citing a readout of a call between the two leaders on March 19. Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky held an hour-long phone call, during which they discussed a ceasefire and bringing an end to Russia's war in Ukraine, as well as protecting Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Zelensky asked Trump for additional air defense systems to protect Ukrainian civilians, in particular, Patriot missile systems, and the U.S. president agreed to find what was available, particularly in Europe, according to the readout. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Kyiv has called on its partners to provide additional air defense assets to protect its cities and infrastructure, especially its energy system, from Russian missile and drone strikes. The highly advanced Patriot systems have played a crucial role in protecting the Ukrainian sky. They are capable of downing even the most advanced ballistic missiles, such as Kinzhals. Throughout the full-scale war, there were several reports of damage to Patriot systems during Russia's aerial attacks. Ukraine also uses mock systems to protect the missile systems. Following Zelensky's clash with Trump in the Oval Office on Feb. 28, Washington suspended all military and intelligence aid to Ukraine. After March talks between the Ukrainian and American delegations in Saudi Arabia, Washington's lifted the suspensions. Read also: 'Putin is stalling' — Trump 'ceasefire' call met with skepticism in Kyiv We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
