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NZ Herald
6 days ago
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Locals beg for Putin's help as Russian-occupied Ukraine runs out of water
By contrast, an idyllic video posted last week on Russian social media depicted children playing in a fountain in the occupied port city of Mariupol - a set piece designed to show off Russia's reconstruction of the city it invaded and destroyed. But residents complain that they have no tap water for washing or drinking. Videos published by pro-Kremlin influencers extol sunny beach resorts, but people in the background are seen carting heavy water bottles. To claim its annexation of four eastern Ukrainian regions, Russia amended its constitution and staged sham elections, which were condemned by the United Nations and many governments because some residents were forced to vote at gunpoint. Moscow is insisting the regions are now part of Russia, like Crimea, which it invaded and illegally annexed in 2014, even though Russia forces still do not fully control them. The failure to resolve water and electricity problems in the Donetsk region is an embarrassment amid Moscow's massive propaganda and construction effort designed to prevent the regions' restoration to Ukraine. Moscow effectively has also forced many Ukrainians in the occupied regions to adopt Russian passports, a condition for receiving administrative assistance, obtaining a driver's licence or accessing other benefits. But the hardships of life under an authoritarian regime more intent on war gains than citizen services were apparent in videos posted on local Telegram channel Mariupol Now, which often focuses on Russian building projects in the city. Children are not the only ones demanding action. One man posted a video of a metal flask with greyish tap water in a bucket. A woman showed reddish water in a pot. And a third resident posted footage of a small dribble from her tap. 'You can't see the bottom of the water jug. There are some suspended solids in the water,' said the man, addressing the Moscow-appointed head of the Donetsk region, Denis Pushilin, and other occupation officials. 'Why do you hate us so much? Where are you all? What are you trying to do, poison us all as soon as possible? What kind of water is that?' Pushilin met Putin in Moscow and told him that workers have to fix 'a hundred breaks a day' in water pipes in the region and that 60% of piped water was being lost in some areas. In Mariupol, Pushilin said, water was delivered for several hours every two days, but in other areas it was delivered for several hours only every three or four days. Putin earlier ordered 50 emergency teams and 88 water tankers to be sent from Moscow and the surrounding region. Pushilin said another 60 tankers would be sent from other Russian regions. The water crisis in Donetsk is among a slew of other war-related problems that have brought the impact of the war home to ordinary Russians, including long queues at airports in the peak holiday season and flight delays caused by Ukrainian drone activity near airports. In recent days, a major attack on Aeroflot's computer systems by Belarusian anti-Kremlin hackers caused dozens of flights to be cancelled on two consecutive days. Across the country, Russians have faced outages as authorities have shut down internet services to prevent drone attacks, disrupting daily life, including ride-hailing apps, delivery services and car sharing. Last month, a drone attack killed two people in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, forcing the closure of the airport there and disrupting air services in peak season. There have been public pleas from people living in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo / Getty Images Russia's 2022 invasion led to heavy fighting in the vicinity of the Siverskyi Donets-Donbas Canal, which delivered water to the Donetsk region, leading to the destruction of water mains, pipelines, dams and other water infrastructure. Pro-Kremlin authorities in Donetsk have typically blamed Ukraine for water problems, with Pushilin claiming without evidence last month that Kyiv was instituting a 'water blockade' against the region. After taking questions from 568 residents, he said, 'As always, water supply issues are at the top.' 'Unfortunately, due to the Ukrainian water blockade, we have to live in such realities for now,' he said, repeating a claim he has made since 2022 that the only solution was for Russian forces to advance farther and seize more territory, including the city of Sloviansk. According to Petro Andryushchenko, an adviser to the pre-occupation Mariupol mayor, Russian forces destroyed Siverskyi Donets-Donbas Canal infrastructure. Andryushchenko posted a drone video on Telegram last month showing the canal pipeline rusted and riddled with large holes caused by the war damage. In June, the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based policy group, blamed Russia's invasion for the water crisis, adding that it had been exacerbated by 'mismanagement and resource misallocation'. Amid rising public criticism during the summer heat, Pushilin visited a reservoir on July 28 and promised to speed up repairs. 'We are doing everything we can to replenish reserves: We are clearing riverbeds and deepening reservoir bottoms. We are also relocating floating pumping stations to increase water pressure in our residents' homes,' he said. Pushilin said, however, that 'even these measures are not enough.' Russian propaganda outlets are trying to manage public discontent over the water crisis as part of a broader operation using bots to foster opposition to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and to promote Russian authorities in occupied Ukraine, according to a July 16 report by the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab and OpenMinds. The report tracked 3634 automated accounts that posted pro-Russian comments on Telegram channels between January 2024 and April of this year targeting occupied Ukraine. More than 48,000 comments attacked Zelenskyy, while more than 9500 comments focused on the restoration of water supplies. After the canal's destruction during Russia's 2022 invasion, Moscow built a pipeline to funnel water from the river to the canal in 2023, but local groups complain that the water flow is often blocked. Water is supposed to be delivered in tankers once every three days in locations facing shortages across the region, according to local authorities. Last month, residents of the occupied Donetsk region addressed an open letter to Putin claiming the water crisis was a threat to the life and health of the population and begged him to take personal control of the problem. The hardest-hit village, Osypenko in Makiivka, has had no water for a month, according to Typical Makiivka, a local Telegram channel, which posted video of locals lining up at a water-pumping station to fill plastic flasks. The channel also published video of what appeared to be water leaking from the supply system and running down streets. In mid-July, an official installed by Moscow, Andrey Chertkov, the acting head of the Russian-appointed Donetsk government, met local residents to hear what he called 'emotional and frank' complaints about the lack of water. Chertkov has instituted price controls on bottled water in supermarkets. Andryushchenko wrote on Telegram that many districts of Mariupol lacked running water. And in the Torez region, water was promised once every six days but had not been turned on in 10 days, he reported. 'All the 'officials' of Donetsk with their wells, boilers and pumps,' he wrote, referring to the authorities installed by the Kremlin, 'are unlikely to understand those who cannot wash or do laundry for weeks'.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia claims gains in Ukraine as US attention focuses on Iran war
Russia on Monday evening claimed to have captured the entirety of Ukraine's Luhansk region, marking the first time since its illegal invasion began three years ago that it may fully occupy an entire region. Fox News Digital could not independently verify the claim made by Leonid Pasechnik, the Moscow-appointed leader of Luhansk, which Russian President Vladimir Putin illegally annexed in 2022 along with the regions of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Kyiv has not yet commented on Pasechnik's claims issued Monday evening when speaking with Russian state TV outlet Channel One, in which he said "literally two days ago" he had received a report that "100%" of the region was now fully occupied, first reported the Associated Press. Ukraine Moves Toward Withdrawing From Treaty Banning Anti-personnel Mines Russia is still assessed to occupy less than 20% of Ukraine, which includes Luhansk as well as some 70% of the other three regions it has claimed to have annexed, according to Reuters – though it is unclear if this figure also includes Russia's occupation of Crimea. Reports on Monday showed that Russia had amassed some 50,000 troops on Ukraine's northern border near the Sumy region, sparking concerns that Putin could be planning another major offensive. Read On The Fox News App Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces had been moved to the region a week ago in preparation of any Russian offensive. "The Russian plan for an offensive in Sumy is not being realized, and that is thanks to every Ukrainian unit operating in the area," he said in a social media post on Telegram. When asked about Russia's plans on Tuesday, President Donald Trump told reporters, "We will see what happens, I'm watching it very closely." Moscow over the last two months has drastically intensified its war efforts in Ukraine despite attempts by Trump to push a ceasefire and an end to the war. While Ukraine has agreed to Washington's ceasefire proposals, Putin has flatly rejected all attempts and broken deadlines set forth by Trump. In June, Russia launched more than 5,300 Shahed-type drones in a series of mass attacks that have become more frequent and more deadly, reported the Kyiv Independent, citing the Ukrainian Air Force. The 5,337 kamikaze drones fired at Ukraine last month alone reportedly shattered Moscow's previous record of 4,198 drones fired in March – a record that coincided with the renewed outbreak of war against Iran as first Israel, and then the U.S., targeted Tehran's nuclear infrastructure in June. While European nations have remained steadfast in their support of Ukraine, Washington's support since Trump re-took office in January has wavered from the Biden administration as the U.S. has turned its attention to Israel's war in Gaza, returning the hostages and addressing Iran's nuclear threat. Russia Launched Its Largest Aerial Attack Of The War, Ukraine Says U.S.-led attempts to broker a Ukraine-Russia ceasefire appear to have stalled, and little communication has been reported between Washington and Moscow following Trump's previous call with Putin in mid-June. Trump maintains that Putin is looking for a way to end the war, and told reporters during a NATO news conference last week, "I know one thing – he'd like to settle." "He'd like to get out of this thing. It's a mess for him," he added. But NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who has managed to establish a positive relationship with the U.S. president despite Trump's previous criticism of the alliance, has warned that he estimates Putin has ambitions beyond Ukraine and could attack other parts of Europe within three to five years. Trump gave Putin a two-week deadline in May to show he was serious about ending the war, or whether he is "tapping [the U.S.] along." But the deadline has long passed, and the president has not made clear what his next steps will be. The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's questions on what the president plans to do next when it comes to U.S. attempts to end Russia's war in Ukraine, or when Trump plans to next speak with article source: Russia claims gains in Ukraine as US attention focuses on Iran war
Daily Mirror
02-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Ukrainian drone attack kills at least 7 people hours after Kyiv and Washington's mineral agreement
More deaths were reported in Ukraine on land occupied by Russia where seven people were killed in a drone attack, hours after Kyiv signed the minerals deal with the US Seven people were killed in a drone attack by Ukraine, hours after Kyiv and the US signed an agreement giving Washington DC access to the nation's precious minerals. Missiles hit the partially occupied region of Kherson which also wounded more than 20 people, according to local reports. The deaths came as the ink had yet to dry on the minerals agreement finally signed which will give the US access to new investment projects to develop Ukraine's natural resources - including aluminium, graphite, oil and natural gas. The deal is considered a crucial step in gaining Trump's backing in ceasefire talks with Russia, and potentially end the brutal war. Moscow-appointed Governer Vladimir Saldo said: 'At the time of the attack, there were many people in the market.' The governor claimed after the first wave of strikes, Ukraine sent further drones to 'finish off' any survivors. Meanwhile, a Russian drone strike on the Black Sea port city of Odesa early Thursday killed two people and injured 15. Following the attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia had ignored US proposals for a full and unconditional ceasefire for more than 50 days. He said: 'There were also our proposals, at the very least, to refrain from striking civilian infrastructure and to establish lasting silence in the sky, at sea, and on land. Russia has responded to all this with new shelling and new assaults.' The US Treasury announced the deal with Ukraine on Wednesday evening, agreeing to establish an America-Ukraine reconstruction investment fund. For Ukraine, the deal is seen as a key move to gain access to future US military aid in its war against Russia. The US Treasury said "in recognition of the significant financial and material support" the US has provided to the "defence of Ukraine [...] this economic partnership positions our two countries to work collaboratively and invest together to [...] accelerate Ukraine's economic recovery". US treasury secretary Scott Bessent added: "This agreement signals clearly to Russia that the Trump administration is committed to a peace process centred on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine over the long term." Despite that, Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed any peace deal is still 'far apart'. He added on Fox News Channel's 'Hannity: 'They're still far apart. They're closer, but they're still far apart, 'It's going to take a real breakthrough here very soon to make this possible, or I think the president is going to have to make a decision about how much more time we're going to dedicate to this.'
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,163
Here is where things stand on Friday, May 2: Russia accused Ukraine of deliberately targeting civilians during a recent drone attack that killed at least seven people and wounded more than 20 on Thursday morning in partially occupied Kherson. The drone strike hit a market in the town of Oleshky in Russian-controlled Kherson at approximately 9:30am local time, when many people were outdoors due to the May 1 public holiday, the region's Moscow-appointed governor said. Ukraine's military said the attack targeted Russian troops, and only military personnel were killed, although the claims by either side have not been independently verified. A Russian strike on Ukraine's Odesa killed two people, and a Russian drone attack in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia set a building on fire on Thursday night, injuring 14 people, with no fatalities. Ukraine's SBU Security Service said it has thwarted the attempted murder of Sergiy Sternenko, a prominent activist and video blogger, and also detained a suspect. Sternenko has been heavily involved in anti-Russian activism since President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described his country's landmark mineral deal with the US as a 'truly equal agreement that creates an opportunity for quite significant investment in Ukraine'. The European Union is preparing new sanctions on Russia, according to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. This would be the 17th round of sanctions from the 27-member bloc. United States Senator Lindsey Graham has become one of the loudest Ukraine supporters in Washington, according to a Wall Street Journal exclusive report. Graham, a close Trump ally, is pushing for new sanctions on Russia and steep tariffs on countries that buy Russian energy and Vice President JD Vance told Fox News that the war in Ukraine is 'not going anywhere' and it's 'not going to end any time soon' during an interview. It's 'going to be up to the Russians and Ukrainians now that each side knows what the other's terms for peace are', Vance said. The Trump administration has put forward a Russian-speaking career diplomat, Julie Davis, as their choice for the top US envoy to Ukraine. Davis, whose career experience includes the former Soviet Union, will take up the post as charge d'affaires in Kyiv. She will need to be approved by the Senate to become the ambassador. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic says he will follow through with his promise to visit Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow next week, even if it angers his EU neighbours. Russia is holding celebrations to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The Mainichi
02-05-2025
- Politics
- The Mainichi
At least 9 dead in drone strikes after US and Ukraine sign minerals deal
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) -- A Ukrainian drone attack left at least seven people dead and a Russian strike on Odesa killed two people Thursday, officials said, just hours after Kyiv and Washington signed a long-anticipated agreement granting U.S. access to Ukraine's mineral resources. The attack in the partially occupied Kherson region of southern Ukraine, which struck a market in the town of Oleshky, killed seven and wounded more than 20 people, Moscow-appointed Gov. Vladimir Saldo said. "At the time of the attack, there were many people in the market," Saldo wrote on Telegram. After the first wave of strikes, he said, Ukraine sent further drones to "finish off" any survivors. Meanwhile, a Russian drone strike on the Black Sea port city of Odesa early Thursday killed two people and injured 15 others, Ukrainian emergency services said. Regional Gov. Oleh Kiper said the barrage struck apartment buildings, private homes, a supermarket and a school. Videos shared by Kiper on Telegram showed a high-rise building with a severely damaged facade, a shattered storefront and firefighters battling flames. A drone struck and ignited a fire at a petrol station in the center of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said. Following the attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia had ignored a U.S. proposal for a full and unconditional ceasefire for more than 50 days now. "There were also our proposals -- at the very least, to refrain from striking civilian infrastructure and to establish lasting silence in the sky, at sea, and on land," he said. "Russia has responded to all this with new shelling and new assaults." Agreement on mineral wealth The U.S. and Ukraine on Wednesday signed an agreement granting American access to Ukraine's vast mineral resources, finalizing a deal months in the making that could enable continued military aid to Kyiv amid concerns that President Donald Trump might scale back support in ongoing peace negotiations with Russia. Zelenskyy originally proposed such a deal last year as a way of helping secure Ukraine's future by tying it to U.S. interests. Ukrainian officials said previous versions of the accord would have reduced Kyiv to a junior partner and gave Washington unprecedented rights to the country's resources but that the version signed Wednesday was far more beneficial to Ukraine. Zelenskyy said Thursday that the signing of the minerals deal was the "first result" of the meeting he had with Trump at the Vatican during the pope's funeral and called the agreement "truly historic." During his nightly address, he said that, per the signed agreement, there were no debts to be paid from past U.S. aid to Kyiv. He said the agreement will be sent to the parliament to be ratified and that Ukraine was "interested in ensuring that there are no delays with the agreement." According to Zelenskyy, the agreement is "truly equal" and "creates an opportunity for investments in Ukraine." "This is working together with America and on fair terms, when both the Ukrainian state and the United States, which help us in defense, can earn in partnership," he added. Despite that, America's top diplomat highlighted the uncertainty of a larger peace deal that the U.S. is trying to broker between Ukraine and Russia. "They're still far apart. They're closer, but they're still far apart," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Fox News Channel's "Hannity" on Thursday night. "And it's going to take a real breakthrough here very soon to make this possible, or I think the president is going to have to make a decision about how much more time we're going to dedicate to this." Views in Ukraine Tymofiy Mylovanov, former economy minister and current president of the Kyiv School of Economics, said that despite what he described as "unimaginable pressure" during negotiations on the minerals deal, Ukraine succeeded in defending its interests. "This is a huge political and diplomatic win for Ukraine," Mylovanov wrote on Facebook. "The deal looks fair." Mylovanov said the deal does not restrict Kyiv to selling only to American buyers. Instead, he said, the deal recognizes contributions from both sides: Ukraine's in the form of revenues from new projects, and the U.S. potentially through military assistance. Kyiv residents voiced mixed reactions to the newly signed U.S.-Ukraine economic agreement, with many saying they had not yet had time to fully understand the deal's implications. Among those who spoke to The Associated Press about the deal was Diana Abramova, who attended a rally in Independence Square demanding information on missing Ukrainian soldiers. Her father, Valentyn Stroyvans, went missing in combat last year. "Any news is hard to take -- whether it's about negotiations or anything else," Abramova said. "But I still believe and hope that any action will bring us closer to one thing: Ukraine's victory. Only victory." University lecturer Natalia Vysotska, 74, said she wasn't familiar with the details of the agreement but remained cautiously optimistic. "I don't know what the terms are -- they may not be favorable for Ukraine at all. Still, if it was signed, our experts must have weighed the pros and cons. I hope it will be beneficial." Others shared a more skeptical view. Iryna Vasylevska, a 37-year-old Kyiv resident, expressed frustration and disillusionment with the broader implications of the deal. She told the AP she feels terrible that "our land is just a bargaining chip for the rest of the world and that we do not have our own full protection, but rely on someone." "My vision is that instead of strengthening ourselves, we continue to give it all away. I feel sorry for our land and for our people," she said. Russian reaction to the minerals deal Reaction to the signing was generally muted in Moscow on Wednesday, a holiday in Russia. But the deputy chair of Russia's National Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, said that Trump had forced Ukraine to effectively "pay" for American military aid with its mineral resources. "Now military supplies will have to be paid for with the national wealth of a disappearing country," he claimed in a post on Telegram. Vladimir Rogov, chairman of the Russian Civic Chamber's commission on sovereignty, told Russian state news agency RIA Novosti that Zelenskyy had effectively handed Ukraine over to "legally prescribed slavery."
