Latest news with #Kyiv
Forbes
an hour ago
- Politics
- Forbes
Thursday, July 17. Russia's War On Ukraine: News And Information From Ukraine
Newly appointed Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko attends a session of Ukrainian parliament ... More in Kyiv on July 17, 2025, amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine. (Photo by ANDRII NESTERENKO/AFP via Getty Images) Dispatches from Ukraine. Day 1,240 Ukrainian Major Government Reshuffle Ukraine's parliament appointed Yuliia Svyrydenko as the new prime minister on July 17, marking the country's first change at such a high level since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February, 2022. The new, trimmer government led by Svyrydenko consists of just 16 members, one of the smallest cabinets in the country's history. This downsizing resulted from merging some ministries, such as folding the Ministry of Strategic Industries into the Defense Ministry. The cabinet retains most ministers from the previous government. Svyrydenko pledged to prioritize reliable army supply, expansion of domestic weapons production and boosting the defense forces' technological strength. 'We must act swiftly and decisively,' she wrote in a post on X. Her efforts, however, will be constrained by a growing budget deficit and shrinking financial support from allies, most importantly the U.S. One of the most consequential changes is the appointment of former Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal as the new defense minister. While his new post appears to be a demotion, Shmyhal will take charge of a critical ministry that commands nearly half the nation's budget during a critical phase of the war, shaped by drones and U.S. President Donald Trump's shifting positions. In an address to parliament, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he expects the new government to increase the share of domestically produced weapons to 50% from the current 40% within six months. In addition, he has appointed Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna as a special envoy to the U.S. She is expected to replace the current Ukrainian ambassador to Washington, Oksana Makarova. U.S. and Ukraine Explore 'Mega Deal' to Boost Bilateral Military Capabilities Trump and Zelenskyy are reportedly negotiating a 'mega deal' that could boost lagging U.S. drone capabilities by making use of Ukrainian drones. According to Zelenskyy, the agreement would involve U.S. purchases of Ukrainian drones tested in the war with Russia. Kyiv, in turn, would procure a range of American weapons. 'The people of America need this technology, and you need to have it in your arsenal,' Zelenskyy told The New York Post. The Ukraine conflict has starkly illuminated the role of drones in modern warfare: both sides exchange hundreds of aerial strikes daily. Some of the most notable drone operations, such as Ukraine's destruction of dozens of Russian strategic bombers in 'Operation Spider's Web,' might rewrite the future of warfare. U.S. military experts acknowledge that America trails adversaries such as Russia and China in drone technology and operational proficiency. Trent Emeneker, project manager at the Defense Department's Defense Innovation Unit, lamented, 'If we had to go to war tomorrow, do we have what we need? No.' This capability gap was highlighted in a recent Defense Department exercise in Alaska, where soldiers struggled to counter prototype drones. In response to these challenges, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered a reduction of bureaucratic hurdles impeding drone production to 'match capabilities to the threats of today.' Russian Attacks on Ukraine Russia saturated Ukrainian airspace with 400 drones and ballistic missiles overnight into July 16. Ukraine's Air Force reported intercepting 198 Shahed drones, with another 145 decoy drones suppressed via electronic warfare systems; some 57 drones and missiles, however, reached targets across 12 regions. The strike reportedly concentrated on Kryvyi Rih, where the city mayor called the attack the most intense since the onset of the war, and Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv. While no deaths were reported, the nationwide barrage wounded at least 15 people. Russian forces also launched daytime strikes on July 14-16, killing at least 15 civilians across Ukraine. In the oft-struck eastern province of Donetsk, Russian shelling killed seven civilians and wounded 48 others. In the northeastern Kharkiv province, three residents were killed and 19 others wounded. In the southern Kherson region, Russian drone strikes killed two civilians and wounded another 29; in the central Dnipropetrovsk province, two people were killed and 14 more wounded, while in the northern Sumy region, one person was reported dead following a Russian strike. Ukraine's Internal Scandals Escalate Amid Accusations of Authoritarianism Zelenskyy faces growing accusations of authoritarian rule amid a series of major political scandals. As recently as July 11, officers from Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation forcibly searched the home of anti-corruption campaigner Vitaliy Shabunin in Kharkiv, reportedly seizing personal phones and laptops without court warrants. The Ukrainian government previously rejected the appointment of anti-corruption detective Oleksandr Tsyvinsky, who had been independently selected by a vetting commission, to head the Economic Security Bureau (ESB), an agency responsible for investigating internal economic crimes. Among the reasons cited for his rejection was alleged ties to Russia, despite no prior objections to him from the national Security Service. According to Ukrainian law, the government has only 10 days in which to appoint an ESB director from a list of candidates approved by the competition commission. The government has no authority to request reconsideration of the vote or reject a nominee selected by the commission, which declined to hold a new vote. The Ukrainian opposition and Zelenskyy's critics argue that his government favors loyalists in senior political positions while sidelining independent voices. Further, independent Ukrainian media outlets and civil society groups have issued public statements over recent politically-charged scandals, warning that the government's use of martial law to suppress political opponents risks reversing the democratic progress made in Ukraine since 2014. U.S. and European allies have unexpectedly remained silent in the face of Ukraine's recent internal governmental concerns. Some officials, however, privately worry that with the war still raging in its fourth year, Ukraine's political leadership feels emboldened to push the limits of democracy as the West's oversight apparently has shifted away. If left unchecked, those actions risk damaging Ukraine's nascent democratic institutions. Critics emphasize that the nation's future depends not only on military resilience but on maintaining transparency and the rule of law. By Danylo Nosov, Alan Sacks
NHK
an hour ago
- Business
- NHK
Ukrainian parliament approves Yulia Svyrydenko as new prime minister
Ukraine's former economy minister and the key negotiator in the mineral deal with the US, Yulia Svyrydenko, has become the new prime minister. She had also served as first deputy prime minister. Lawmakers in parliament approved the 39-year-old's appointment, as well as those of new Cabinet ministers, on Thursday. This marks Ukraine's first government reshuffle since the start of Russia's invasion in 2022. Addressing lawmakers in Kyiv, Svyrydenko said: "Our task is to give Ukrainians all possible tools to protect the independence and the life of Ukraine. We will accomplish this task." Svyrydenko played a key role in talks with the US in April to jointly develop Ukraine's mineral resources. Her nomination is seen as a move to strengthen ties with Washington. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he expects the new Cabinet to boost domestic arms manufacturing. He wants the share of such weapons to increase from 40 percent to 50 percent over the next six months. He also spoke of future agreements with the US that he says would strengthen Ukraine, but he didn't provide further details. Zelenskyy later posted on social media that he signed a decree appointing former Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna as ambassador to the United States.
NHK
2 hours ago
- Politics
- NHK
Japanese experts conduct landmine dectection training in Ukraine
Japanese experts have conducted training in Ukraine on clearing landmines using detection equipment provided by Japan, amid Russia's continued invasion. Officials from the Japan International Cooperation Agency and other experts held the training in Kyiv this week for participants including staff from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. Trainees used a Japanese mine detector known as ALIS. The device is equipped with a ground-penetrating radar. About 50 ALIS detectors have been reportedly provided to Ukraine. The trainees learned how to identify landmines underground while carefully looking at the monitor. An official from the State Emergency Service said, "We still find the remains of explosive objects from World War Two and sometimes from World War One in Ukrainian territory. So you understand that this can take quite a long period of time." The Ukrainian government estimates that about 30 percent of the country is littered with landmines and unexploded shells following Russia's invasion. It also says 335 people have died in incidents related to explosive objects. Sato Motoyuki, professor emeritus of Tohoku University who developed the ALIS detector, has been involved in landmine clearance in Cambodia. He recognizes challenges in removing landmines in Ukraine. He said unlike Cambodia, whose conflict has ended, Ukraine must deal with more and more landmines being placed one after another. Sato also said that Ukraine will also have to address a large number of landmines that have been newly placed close to the ground.
ABC News
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Ukrainian dancers share cultural ties with Australians in Adelaide
Three of Ukraine's most celebrated dancers have travelled from war-torn Kyiv to Australia to conduct a week-long traditional dance masterclass. Participants from all over the country have made their way to Adelaide to take part in the first intensive workshop of its kind in Australia, which will culminate in a fundraiser concert on Saturday. The trio are part of professional and prestigious dance company, Pavlo Virsky Ukrainian National Folk Dance Ensemble, and travelled 49 hours to get out of Kyiv by train, and then onwards to Australia via Dubai. Husband and wife duo, Maksym and Viktoriia Karpenko are Honoured Artists of Ukraine — a meritorious title awarded by the President of Ukraine to recognise professional mastery for citizens who have worked in their field for no less than 10 years. "We're here to uphold that culture and push it forward," Viktoriia Karpenko said. The pair are joined by Tetiana Okseniuk — a ballet artist and professional dancer with the Virsky Ensemble. She said Ukrainian dance combines ballet and traditional folk styles and is the "cherry on top of Ukrainian culture". "That's why it's important to share this culture in this perfect shape here, so people can be more professional and look really sophisticated," Ms Okseniuk said. Juliana Moravski is the artistic director of Ukrainian community dance ensemble, Verchovyna in Melbourne and has travelled to South Australia to attend. "To have the opportunity for Virsky to come out and teach us the proper way, the way it was intended, is actually a huge honour," she said. The participants are dancing intensively from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. "I'm learning about muscles I didn't know I had," Ms Moravski said. "I've been dancing for 40 years, but I'm putting my body through it just because I want to learn from the best." She said she was looking forward to bringing her newly perfected intricate skills back to her dance studio in Melbourne. "To know that the quality of Ukrainian dance and culture is going to be lifted in Australia and passing that legacy on to the future generations, it's going to be really exciting to see," she said. But amid the excitement and joy of the week, the realities of life in Ukraine are not forgotten. "It's very unsafe. Very dangerous. Every day there's sirens, many bombings that you can hear. A lot of people hide out at night, and a lot of people are fleeing," Ms Karpenko said. "We hold our armed forces very dearly. The fact they keep us safe and that we're alive because of them." She said while the trio have been in Adelaide, they've finally been able to sleep "peacefully". Maksym Karpenko said they often awake to loud explosions back home in Kyiv — and that everyone had been personally affected by the war. "There was a man who finished his career in our dance ensemble — he went to the front line — within three days he was dead," he said. Despite the palpable grief, the Ukrainians say it is their responsibility to not shy away from what is happening in their country. "If we go over the border, we have to talk about this," he said. "Our nation will never die. It will always be alive." Tetiana Okseniuk said it was a harsh reality to live not knowing when they would next "have to say goodbye" to someone they know. "Life is so short, so you just have to be happy." Ms Okseniuk said Ukrainians were focusing on the "positives" and that they are still here. "You adjust. You always adjust and this is okay," she said. "You need to fight to be alive, that's all. "And of course this is about Ukraine and dance mostly. We did not come [here] to beg … we came here just to show how beautiful Ukrainian culture is and that it's worth attention." For the Australian Ukrainian dancers — it is a shared pain. "You cry with them and for them, without even really knowing even an inch of what they're going through," Ms Moravski said. Michelle Gorgula is the facilitator of the workshop and artistic director for Adelaide's VOLYA Ukrainian Cossack Dancers. "It's never far from the surface for our instructors [and] for members of our community … but as you can see, people are strong and they … try to be positive and try to keep moving forward and in some way make a difference or to help the situation that we're in," she said. Ms Gorgula said the dancers were practising all day and rehearsing more at night in preparation for the concert. "We're learning traditional choreography which is the work of the legendary Pavlo Virsky. He's the legend of Ukrainian dance … and has really shaped Ukrainian dance folk culture," she said. "It's wonderful to see this up close … to really experience it and be immersed in that." She said it had been a particularly important event in keeping cultural ties alive during challenging times. "It's really been a very uniting process. We make friendships, we contribute to each other's growth and experiences and memories that people will have for a long time," she said. The dancers will perform at the Association of Ukrainians in SA's community centre on Saturday afternoon. Ms Gorgula said entry would be by donation, with an auction to help raise funds for Ukraine's defenders. "The auction is some special items from Ukraine which have been signed by some of the people on the front line — some of our soldiers and defenders," she said. The dancing instructors said what the concert itself would entail was a "surprise" but that it would be a very "special" event.
Times
4 hours ago
- Business
- Times
Zelensky appoints dealmaker PM after purge of tainted ministers
The woman who clinched Ukraine's controversial minerals deal with President Trump became its prime minister on Thursday. Yulia Svyrydenko, 39, is the second female premier in the country's history, as well as its second youngest. She replaces Denys Shmyhal, 49, in a sweeping reshuffle designed by President Zelensky to shore up support from international partners while retaining old-guard loyalists. As minister for the economy, Svyrydenko won praise for negotiating the deal with the US and leading a delegation at last week's Ukraine Recovery Conference that won pledges of billions of dollars in support from the country's allies. She is expected to build on good relations with Scott Bessent, the US Treasury secretary, to steady Kyiv's rollercoaster alliance with the White House. 'She's young, dynamic, and has experience having difficult talks with the US and other governments,' said Oleskiy Haran, a professor in politics at the Kyiv-Mohyla academy, Ukraine's leading university. 'She has experience with this agreement on critical minerals, which wasn't easy.'
