Latest news with #Magura
Newsweek
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Ukraine Strikes Russia's 'Boyko Towers' in Black Sea: Video
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Ukrainian drones have struck and reportedly damaged Russian-controlled gas production platforms and a radar system in the Black Sea, military footage released by the Ukrainian Navy and statements from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) showed. Ukrainian officials said the operation used both aerial and maritime drones to target platforms near Crimea, which have been occupied by Russia since 2015. Videos of the strikes have circulated widely, but independent verification of the precise damage remains unavailable. Russian authorities have not publicly responded to the reported attack. This image from April 11, 2024, shows the Ukrainian naval drone Magura which Kyiv said had destroyed a Russian Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet on May 2, 2025. This image from April 11, 2024, shows the Ukrainian naval drone Magura which Kyiv said had destroyed a Russian Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet on May 2, It Matters The strikes on the Black Sea platforms mark an intensification of Ukraine's use of unmanned systems in the maritime domain, and target infrastructure Russia uses for surveillance and logistics. The action follows a pattern of increasing drone warfare around Crimea and the Black Sea since 2022, events that have shifted regional power balances and threatened Russian military capabilities, forcing its Black Sea fleet to retreat deeper inside Russian waters. The ongoing contest over this area has direct implications for shipping, energy security, and NATO's eastern flank, with the U.S. and its allies closely monitoring the area as supply disruptions and regional instability could weigh on international markets. What To Know The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced on May 19, 2025, that a special operation using both aerial and naval drones destroyed a Russian "Neva" radar system and supply warehouse on gas production platforms in the Black Sea near the Crimean coast. The mission was conducted by the SBU's 13th Main Directorate for Military Counter-Intelligence, which described the operation as using two types of drones "in tandem". The SBU said the platforms were being used by Russian forces for monitoring airborne and sea activity, as well as for storing supplies and housing personnel. The security service identified the destroyed radar as crucial to Russia's regional surveillance capabilities. The Ukrainian Navy published video showing what appeared to be Ukrainian sea drones, also known as "Sea Baby," approaching the platforms, with large explosions following and at least one platform catching fire. Another segment of the footage appeared to show an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) taking off from a sea drone before apparently exploding on the platform. Ukrainian military sources claim these drones can carry nearly one ton of explosives over distances up to 621 miles. Ukraine has prioritized unmanned naval systems in its campaign against Russian forces in the Black Sea. The SBU has previously used naval and aerial drones in attacks on the Kerch Bridge and Russian warships. By late 2024, Ukrainian officials claimed to have destroyed or disabled roughly one-third of Russia's Black Sea Fleet with such tactics, employing Sea Baby and Magura drones. What People Are Saying Ukrainian Navy statement, Official Facebook page, May 2025: "The hunt for the enemy in the Black Sea continues. Navy naval drones carried out targeted strikes on Russian targets. Enemy surveillance systems located on captured gas platforms off the coast of temporarily occupied Crimea were destroyed. The occupiers will not remain on our territory—we will get them everywhere." What Happens Next As of May 2025, Ukrainian officials have indicated that operations using naval and aerial drones in the Black Sea will continue, with a stated goal of eliminating Russian military infrastructure from occupied offshore platforms and denying Russia surveillance capability. Analysts suggest further strikes could follow, and observers await any official military and diplomatic responses from Moscow.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Battalion commander of the 47th brigade submits resignation report, slams military leadership over 'stupid tasks'
Oleksandr Shyrshyn, battalion commander of the 47 Separate Mechanized Brigade, has submitted his resignation, sharply criticizing Ukraine's military leadership for what he described as senseless orders and unnecessary casualties. "I have never received more stupid tasks than in the current direction," Shyrshyn wrote in a blunt Facebook post announcing his decision on May 16. "Someday I will tell you the details, but the stupid loss of people, trembling in front of a stupid generals, leads to nothing but failures." Ukraine's General Staff, who was tagged in Shyrshyn's post, had not commented on the matter at the time of the publication. The Kyiv Independent reported in 2023 that the brigade, which was formed from scratch in 2022 and is often known by the name 'Magura," was prepared with the summer 2023 counteroffensive in mind; its soldiers were trained in NATO countries and equipped with superior new Western equipment. In 2024, the brigade was engaged in combat operations within Russia's Kursk Oblast. Ukraine launched its cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024, marking the first major foreign ground offensive into Russian territory since World War II. The operation sought to delay a planned Russian push into Ukraine's Sumy Oblast and redirect Russian forces away from eastern Donetsk Oblast. Moscow began a major counteroffensive in early March, retaking large portions of territory including the town of Sudzha. Ukrainian forces have since withdrawn from much of the area but still maintain limited control in some zones as of late April despite Russia's claims that its forces have fully recaptured the territory of the region. Meanwhile, Shyrshyn on May 16 accused the military command of focusing on punishments rather than results. "All they are capable of is reprimands, investigations, imposition of penalties. Everyone is going to hell," he wrote. "Political games and assessment of the real state of affairs do not correspond to either reality or possibilities. They played games." Shyrshyn said he has filed a formal report requesting dismissal from his post and expressed hope that it would be accepted soon. Read also: Trump to talk to Putin on May 19 in push to end 'bloodbath' We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine war latest: Zelensky sends delegation to Turkey, as peace talks with Russia are expected on May 16
Key developments on May 15: Zelensky sends Ukrainian delegation to Istanbul, as peace talks with Russia are expected on May 16 Trump expects no progress in Russia-Ukraine peace talks until he meets Putin Pro-Ukraine partisans sabotage railway track near Russia's Smolensk Ukraine shows its latest 'ship-killer' Magura drone series to the public for the first time US proposes reviving NATO-Russia Council, Bloomberg reports President Volodymyr Zelensky announced during a press conference on May 15 that he will not personally participate in the upcoming negotiations with Russia in Istanbul, instead sending a Ukrainian delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. Speaking in Ankara, Zelensky clarified that Ukraine's delegation would not include the head of the General Staff, and the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), as it was previously suggested. Among other members of Ukraine's delegation are First Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsya, Deputy SBU Chief Oleksandr Poklad, Military Intelligence Deputy Head Vadym Skibitskyi, as well as other national security and intelligence officials. The delegation will engage with representatives from Turkey, the United States, and Russia. Agreeing on a ceasefire, according to Zelensky, remains a key priority. "Out of respect for President Trump, the high level of the Turkish delegation, and President Erdogan, and since we want to try to achieve at least the first steps toward de-escalation, an end to the war – namely a ceasefire – I have decided to send our delegation to Istanbul," Zelensky said. After Moscow proposed to hold peace talks in Turkey this week, Zelensky agreed and invited Russian President Vladimir Putin for a face-to-face meeting. The Russian leader declined to attend and appointed his aide, Vladimir Medinsky, to lead the talks. "We see that they, unfortunately, are very unserious about real negotiations. So far, we do not see any real decision-makers among those present," Zelensky said at the press conference. Zelensky said that, under the current circumstances, he sees no reason for his or certain other top officials' presence in Istanbul, given that Putin declined to attend. Read also: 'It's a mess' — after all the hype, Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Istanbul descend into name-calling shambles U.S. President Donald Trump said on May 15 that peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine will not move forward until he meets Russian President Vladimir Putin, Reuters reported. "Nothing's going to happen until Putin and I get together," the U.S. president told journalists aboard Air Force One before landing in Dubai as part of his Middle Eastern tour. Trump has previously suggested he might join the talks on May 16 if progress is made, but downplayed Putin's absence on the first day of the negotiations, saying, "Why would he go if I'm not going?" Later on May 15, U.S. State Secretary Marco Rubio said peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey are unlikely to yield meaningful progress, calling the low-level Russian delegation "not indicative of one that's going to lead to a major breakthrough." "I hope I'm wrong. I hope I'm 100% wrong. I hope tomorrow the news says they've agreed to a ceasefire, they've agreed to enter serious negotiations," Rubio told reporters during a briefing in Ankara. "But I'm just giving you my assessment." Rubio said that meaningful progress would likely only come through a meeting between Trump and Putin. "The next thing that has to happen for there to be a breakthrough is going to involve President Trump's direct involvement," Rubio said. "And I believe the president shares my assessment." Rubio also said he would meet with Ukraine's senior delegation and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, while other lower-level members of the U.S. team will attend the talks involving Russian representatives. He added that Trump is "impatient to end this war," saying, 'Our goal here is to achieve peace — whether that begins with a 30-day ceasefire, a one-day ceasefire, or a final deal that's all negotiated in a single day. To us, the process is less important than the outcome.' Join our community Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight. Support Us Members of Ukraine's Atesh partisan group have set fire to a relay cabinet at a Russian railway track used by the Russian military, the group said on May 15. The operation was allegedly carried out in Russia's Smolensk Oblast, a western region bordering Belarus, to disrupt arms and equipment shipments to Russian forces stationed at Ukraine's northeastern border. The Ukrainian leadership has warned that Moscow is amassing forces near Ukraine's Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts in the northeast for a potential new offensive. "Thanks for the courageous steps by our partisans, Russia faced serious disruption in timely deliveries of front-line supplies," Atesh said on Telegram. A video shared by the partisans shows an unknown person behind the camera setting fire to the relay cabinet at night. According to the partisans, the targeted equipment was located close to the city of Smolensk, some 270 kilometers (170 miles) north of the Russia-Ukraine border. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims. Read also: Putin appoints Russian Ground Forces Commander Saliukov to Security Council role Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) on May 14 for the first time presented its latest versatile Magura naval drones to the public. The Magura drones, as well as the Sea Baby drones of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), have been pivotal in turning the tide of the war in the Black Sea, destroying or damaging multiple Russian ships and other assets. HUR's Group 13 has deployed Magura drones to successfully hit 17 naval and aerial Russian targets. Fifteen of them, including two Mi-8 helicopters, two Su-30 fighter jets, and theSergey Kotov, Ivanovets, and Ceasar Kunikov warships of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, have been destroyed, the agency said. Several variants of the Magura drones exist, including the "ship-killer" V5, the V7 capable of carrying machine guns or anti-air missiles, and the multi-platform V6P. As of 2024, Ukraine was reportedly able to destroy or disable one-third of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in a drone and missile campaign, despite Moscow's significant advantage in sheer naval power. Black Sea hostilities have since then quieted down as Russia moved most of its naval assets from occupied Crimea further east and Ukraine managed to resume its maritime shipping. Read also: Norway to complete F-16 deliveries to Ukraine by end of 2025, minister says The United States is proposing to revive the NATO-Russia Council as part of a broader American plan to end the war in Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on May 15, citing unnamed sources. In April, Axios reported that U.S. President Donald Trump's peace plan also included Washington's de jure recognition of Russia's control over occupied Crimea, along with de facto recognition of its occupation of other Ukrainian territories, offering sanctions relief, and freezing the war along current front lines. The proposal to revive the NATO-Russia Council, a forum for military and political dialogue frozen since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, is a new part added to the American proposal, according to Bloomberg. The NATO-Russia Council (NRC) was created in 2002 to promote cooperation and dialogue between NATO and Russia. Originally designed as a forum where NATO members and Russia could work as equal partners on shared security issues, the NRC has not convened since January 2022. While formal cooperation was suspended after Russia's 2014 illegal annexation of Crimea, the council remained a key channel for communication, primarily on Ukraine, until ties were effectively severed following the 2022 invasion. Ukraine War Latest is put together by the Kyiv Independent news desk team, who keep you informed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you value our work and want to ensure we have the resources to continue, join the Kyiv Independent community. We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine shows its latest 'ship-killer' Magura drone series to the public for the first time
Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) on May 14 for the first time presented its latest versatile Magura naval drones to the public. The Magura drones, as well as the Sea Baby drones of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), have been pivotal in turning the tide of the war in the Black Sea, destroying or damaging multiple Russian ships and other assets. HUR's Group 13 has deployed Magura drones to successfully hit 17 naval and aerial Russian targets. Fifteen of them, including two Mi-8 helicopters, two Su-30 fighter jets, and the Sergey Kotov, Ivanovets, and Ceasar Kunikov warships of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, have been destroyed, the agency said. Several variants of the Magura drones exist, including the "ship-killer" V5, the V7 capable of carrying machine guns or anti-air missiles, and the multi-platform V6P. As of 2024, Ukraine was reportedly able to destroy or disable one-third of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in a drone and missile campaign, despite Moscow's significant advantage in sheer naval power. Black Sea hostilities have since then quieted down as Russia moved most of its naval assets from occupied Crimea further east and Ukraine managed to resume its maritime shipping. Read also: As Ukraine, Russia agree to ceasefire at sea, Moscow's battered Black Sea Fleet is set to get a reprieve We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lithuania plans to build naval drones with Ukraine in joint effort
Lithuania is considering launching domestic production of naval drones in cooperation with Ukraine, Lithuanian Deputy Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene told Ukrainian outlet Militarnyi on May 6. Under a '1+1' model, Lithuania would fund the production of two drones, keeping one for its own defense and sending the other to Ukraine. The country is particularly interested in Ukraine's Magura-class sea drones, which have been used with success against Russia's Black Sea Fleet. "Magura, in my view, is an excellent military product," Sakaliene said. The proposed initiative would involve shared weapons production on Lithuanian soil, with Vilnius covering the costs. "That is, we pay for the production of two pieces of equipment, one of which is transferred to Ukraine, and the other remains in Lithuania, but we cover the cost for both," she explained. Earlier this year, Lithuania allocated 20 million euros ($21 million) in purchasing weapons for Kyiv from Ukrainian producers. Sakaliene emphasized that Lithuania sees great potential in closer cooperation on technologies like missile and naval drones. "We believe that cooperation in certain areas related to missile drones, sea drones, and other technologies is truly very promising," she said. The Magura drones are small, unmanned surface vessels developed by Ukraine, and have become a key asset in the country's naval warfare. Though small in size, they've proven effective against larger warships, helping keep Russia's Black Sea Fleet pinned in port. On May 2, Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) used Magura-7 sea drones equipped with air-to-air missiles to shoot down two Russian Su-30 fighter jets near the port city of Novorossiysk, HUR chief Kyrylo Budanov told The War Zone on May 3. The operation was the first time in history that fighter jets have been downed by unmanned naval drones. Read also: Ukrainian drones reportedly hit Russian fiber optic plant in Saransk We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
