Latest news with #NationalGuardofUkraine
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Ukrainian widow gives birth to son conceived through IVF after husband's death at front
A Ukrainian woman has given birth to a baby boy conceived using reproductive technology after her husband was killed in action defending Ukraine. Source: Rivne Oblast Perinatal Centre on Facebook Details: The baby boy was born at the Blahodar Perinatal Centre on 20 May 2025. His mother, Natalia Hordiichuk, is the widow of Yurii, a serviceman who died on 21 May 2024 defending Ukraine. The couple had struggled with fertility issues during their marriage, so Yurii had provided biomaterial for storage. "My husband and I had been trying for this pregnancy for over a year," says Natalia. "We went through tests and visited the Blahodar centre. He provided the biological material – they told him to come back three days later for the results. That was in March. Then he went to the front line." "On 21 May, they called me and said he was gone. I didn't believe he had died until I saw for myself," she adds. Yurii Hordiychuk has become a father posthumously Yurii Hordiichuk served as a rifleman in the National Guard of Ukraine and was killed in action near the village of Sokil in Donetsk Oblast. After her husband's death, Natalia decided to use his frozen samples for in vitro fertilisation (IVF). When the doctor asked Natalia if she was truly ready to take this step, she recalled her husband's words: "You are strong, you will cope." A few months later, Natalia learned she was pregnant. "I cried so much. I went straight to Yurii's grave and told him," she recalls. The day before the first anniversary of her husband's death, Natalia gave birth to a boy. She named her son Yurii in honour of his father. The young mother says that after she lost her husband, she didn't want to go on living, but her son's birth has given her life new meaning: "Some part of him lives on. I have someone to live for." The fertility clinic said this is their first case involving biomaterial from a deceased soldier. Quote from the centre: "This story is about love stronger than death. About motherhood, inspired by memory. About life born against all odds. We are proud to have been part of this unique story." Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Euronews
5 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Russia and Ukraine each release hundreds in large-scale prisoner swap
Ukraine and Russia exchanged hundreds of prisoners on Saturday in the second phase of a massive swap between the countries. Both sides released 307 servicemen, a day after 390 combatants and civilians were freed in the first phase on Friday. "Among those who returned today are soldiers from our army, the State Border Service, and the National Guard of Ukraine,' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on his official Telegram channel. The majority of Ukrainian soldiers released were taken captive in the Donetsk region, some as long ago as 2022, the Ukrainian leader said in an additional video address. He added that others were captured in territories of the Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, and Luhansk regions. A total of 697 Ukrainians have returned home over the past two days, with a third prisoner swap expected to take place on Sunday, which would make it the largest swap in thiree years of conflict. Kyiv and Moscow agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners from each side during the talks in Istanbul last week. It marks a rare moment of cooperation between the two nations, who have failed multipe times to reach on a ceasefire deal. However, the swap did not halt the fighting. On Saturday, a large-scale Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv injured at least 15 people and damaged residential buildings and a shopping mall. "Russia fills each day with horror and murder; it's simply dragging out the war," Zelenskyy said in the video address on Saturday. ""Ukraine is ready for any form of diplomacy that delivers real results. We are ready for all steps that can guarantee true security. It is Russia that is not ready for anything. Next week must be a time for action aimed at increasing pressure on Russia – in other words, aimed at securing peace." Hungarian opposition leader Péter Magyar walked with a small group of supporters across the border to Romania and was met by supporters in the Romanian city of Oradea on Saturday morning. The president of the Tisza Party left Budapest 10 days ago, and departed on his journey in an effort to win support from Hungarian communities in Romania and appeal to voters who traditionally vote conservative, as Prime Minister Viktor Orbán provides financial support to ethnic Hungarians in Romania. "We are not going (to Romania) to escalate tensions or to cause any harm to our Hungarian brothers and sisters living there. We are going there to express our solidarity," Magyar had said before his departure. He had announced the march, called the "one million steps for peace and national unity" initiative, in the wake of Orbán's communion with far-right, anti-Hungarian presidential candidate George Simion ahead of the Romanian presidential elections. "It has become clear that the corrupt, tired and discredited Prime Minister sees Hungarians abroad as a political product. He tried and is trying to lure you to him not out of faith, not out of commitment, not out of love for his countrymen, but merely to win votes," Magyar said in a speech to hundreds of people in Oradea. "And now, in order to retain power, he is trembling, using increasingly crude means, crossing all boundaries, doing whatever he can, regardless of the damage he is doing to the nation," he added. The opposition leader recognised Hungarians "long for a country that loves each of its citizens, a country that does not stigmatise, that does not push into exclusion." He warned that division, incitement and hatred lead to destruction. "Orbán's destruction, hate-mongering and trench-digging are a thing of the past. The final countdown has begun," Magyar concluded. The politician told Euronews that he had experienced positive feedback from supporters, but he was also met by counter-protesters who chanted Orbán's name, and shouted "Traitor!" and "Go home". Magyar ended his speech by addressing the Romanian people. He applauded them for the outcome of their election, and encouraged them to stay on the European path. The politician emphasised the importance of mutual respect between Romanians and the Hungarian community.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Zelensky condemns Russia's large-scale attack on Ukraine amid prisoner swap
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky early Saturday condemned Russia's overnight strikes on several areas in Ukraine, including Kyiv, as the two sides began the first stages of a prisoner swap this week. Zelensky wrote on social media that the overnight attack targeted the Odesa, Vinnytsia, Sumy, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Kyiv and Dnipro regions, which suffered heavy damages. He added that the Kremlin's drones and missiles 'targeted' civilians. 'There are fatalities. My condolences to the families and loved ones,' he wrote on social platform X. 'With each such attack, the world becomes more certain that the cause of prolonging the war lies in Moscow.' 'Ukraine has proposed a ceasefire many times — both a full one and one in the skies. It all has been ignored,' the Ukrainian leader added. Zelensky stressed that only sanctions, imposed by the U.S. and Western Europe, will force Russia into agreeing to a ceasefire. The Kremlin fired ballistic missiles and targeted Kyiv with drones overnight, injuring 15 people and damaging several apartment buildings, according to Ukrainian officials. The attacks came after Ukraine's drone attacks on Russia earlier this week, including deep inside the Kremlin's territory. The overnight attacks unfolded as the two sides, engaged in the war for over three years, had successfully swapped prisoners. Early Saturday, each side brought home 307 soldiers as part of the deal, ironed out in Turkey, to ultimately exchange 1,000 prisoners. Zelensky said that, so far, 697 prisoners have been brought back to Ukraine, with more expected to be swapped on Sunday. 'Among those who returned today are warriors from our Armed Forces, the State Border Guard Service, the National Guard of Ukraine,' Zelensky wrote in a separate post on Saturday. 'I thank everyone involved in the exchange process, those who have been working around the clock.' The attacks also come as President Trump has largely stepped back from his demands for an immediate 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Instead, Trump has pressed the two sides to come to the negotiation table to discuss what broader peace talks could look like. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Muscat Daily
6 days ago
- Politics
- Muscat Daily
Ukraine, Russia swap hundreds more POWs
Kyiv/Moscow – Russia and Ukraine on Saturday said another 307 prisoners of war (POWs) had been swapped in the second day of the largest exchange since the start of the war. 'Among those who returned today are soldiers from our army, the State Border Service, and the National Guard of Ukraine,' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on his official Telegram channel. Meanwhile, Russia's defence ministry added that it expected the exchange of prisoners to continue, without offering more details. On Friday, Zelenskyy and Russia's Defence Ministry said they had each handed over 390 POWs. The Russian Defence Ministry added each side released 270 soldiers and 120 civilians. The prisoner swap is the first stage of the '1000-for-1000' exchange agreement reached during the Russian-Ukrainian talks in Istanbul, Zelenskyy wrote on X. After more than three years of fighting, both countries are holding thousands of prisoners of war. Russia is believed to hold the larger share, with an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 Ukrainian captives. The swap comes amid renewed diplomatic initiatives to end the war. Russian and Ukrainian officials held face-to-face negotiations in Istanbul last week for the first time since 2022, the year Moscow launched its invasion. Russian attack injures several Meanwhile, Kyiv came under a large-scale Russian drone and missile attack early on Saturday morning. Blasts and machine gun fire were heard across the Ukrainian capital, forcing many residents to take shelter in subway stations. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said two residents had required hospital treatment, and air defence units had been deployed to fend off the attack. Air defences activated: Kyiv mayor 'Explosions in the capital,' Klitschko wrote on Telegram. 'Air defences have been activated. The city and the region are under a combined enemy attack.' Klitschko said fragments from one drone hit the top floor of an apartment block in the Solomyanskyi district of the Ukrainian capital. One apartment block was ablaze in the area as was one non-residential building. At least eight people were wounded in the 'massive' attack, Klitschko said. The head of the capital's civil and military administration, Tymur Tkachenko, reported two blazes in the Sviatochynskyi district, missile debris falling in the Obolonskyi district, and drone debris falling on a residential building in the Solomianskyi area, which lies in the city's west. On Friday, Russian missiles killed two people and wounded several others in the Ukrainian port city of Odesa, according to authorities. DW
North Wales Chronicle
6 days ago
- Politics
- North Wales Chronicle
Russia and Ukraine ‘swap hundreds more prisoners' hours after Kyiv strike
The move is part of a major swap that marks a rare moment of cooperation in otherwise failed efforts to reach a ceasefire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russia's defence ministry said each side brought home 307 soldiers, a day after each released a total of 390 combatants and civilians. 'Among those who returned today are soldiers from our army, the State Border Service and the National Guard of Ukraine,' Mr Zelensky said on his official Telegram channel. 'We expect more to come tomorrow,' he added. Russia's defence ministry also said it expected the exchange to be continued, though it did not give details. The announcement was made hours after Kyiv suffered a large-scale Russian drone and missile attack that left at least 15 people injured, according to local officials. Explosions and machine-gun fire were heard throughout Kyiv from Friday night into Saturday morning as many people sought shelter in subway stations. Another 307 Ukrainian defenders are home. Today is the second day of the 1,000-for-1,000 exchange that we managed to negotiate in Türkiye. In just these two days, 697 people have been brought home. We expect the process to continue tomorrow. Among those who returned today are… — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 24, 2025 In talks held in Istanbul earlier this month that marked 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. Russia attacked Ukraine with 14 ballistic missiles and 250 Shahed drones overnight, officials said, adding that Ukrainian forces shot down six missiles and neutralised 245 drones – with 128 drones shot down and 117 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. The debris of intercepted missiles and drones fell in at least six city districts of the Ukrainian capital. According to the acting head of Kyiv's military administration, Tymur Tkachenko, six people required medical care after the attack and two fires were sparked in the Solomianskyi district of Kyiv. The Obolon district, where a residential building was heavily damaged in the attack, was the hardest hit. There were at least five people injured in the area, the administration said. Kyiv's mayor, Vitali 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 district of Kyiv. Emergency services were headed to the site, Mr Klitschko said. The prisoner exchange has not heralded a halt in the fighting. Battles continued along the roughly 620-mile front line, where tens of thousands of soldiers have been killed, and neither country has relented in its deep strikes. 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 remain 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 defence ministry said it had shot down 788 Ukrainian drones away from the battlefield between May 20 and May 23. Ukraine's air force said Russia fired 175 Shahed and decoy drones, as well as a ballistic missile since late Thursday.
