Latest news with #NorthernUkraine
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine says it presses Russian troops back on part of Sumy front
KYIV (Reuters) -The Ukrainian military said on Saturday that it had pushed Russian forces back by about 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) on part of the Sumy front in northern Ukraine. There was no immediate comment from Russia, which controls a little over 200 square kilometres in the region, according to Ukraine's battlefield mapping project DeepState. "Ukrainian soldiers continue active combat actions to destroy the enemy and liberate our settlements," the Ukrainian general staff wrote on Facebook. It added that fighting was raging near the villages of Oleksiivka and Yunakivka, which lie 5 km and 7 km from the Russian border respectively. The ebb and flow of the battlefield lines have taken on greater political significance in recent days as Ukraine finds itself at another critical diplomatic juncture with U.S. President Donald Trump stepping up his efforts to broker an end to the war. The U.S. leader said he and Russian leader Vladimir Putin had "determined" there should be no ceasefire and he would now focus on a quick deal to end the war that has raged since 2022. Russian troops earlier this week advanced up to 10 km near Dobropillia in Ukraine's east, raising fears of a wider breakthrough that would further threaten key cities. The Ukrainian military later said it had managed to halt the assault and push Russians back. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy described the Russian thrust as a failed attempt by Moscow to display battlefield strength ahead of Friday's summit between Putin and Trump in Alaska. He predicted more such efforts in a statement on Saturday. "...we anticipate that in the coming days the Russian army may try to increase pressure and strikes against Ukrainian positions to create more favourable political circumstances for talks," he said.
Reuters
2 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Ukraine says it presses Russian troops back on part of Sumy front
KYIV, Aug 16 (Reuters) - The Ukrainian military said on Saturday that it had pushed Russian forces back by about 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) on part of the Sumy front in northern Ukraine. There was no immediate comment from Russia, which controls a little over 200 square kilometres in the region, according to Ukraine's battlefield mapping project DeepState. "Ukrainian soldiers continue active combat actions to destroy the enemy and liberate our settlements," the Ukrainian general staff wrote on Facebook. It added that fighting was raging near the villages of Oleksiivka and Yunakivka, which lie 5 km and 7 km from the Russian border respectively. The ebb and flow of the battlefield lines have taken on greater political significance in recent days as Ukraine finds itself at another critical diplomatic juncture with U.S. President Donald Trump stepping up his efforts to broker an end to the war. The U.S. leader said he and Russian leader Vladimir Putin had "determined" there should be no ceasefire and he would now focus on a quick deal to end the war that has raged since 2022. Russian troops earlier this week advanced up to 10 km near Dobropillia in Ukraine's east, raising fears of a wider breakthrough that would further threaten key cities. The Ukrainian military later said it had managed to halt the assault and push Russians back. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy described the Russian thrust as a failed attempt by Moscow to display battlefield strength ahead of Friday's summit between Putin and Trump in Alaska. He predicted more such efforts in a statement on Saturday. "...we anticipate that in the coming days the Russian army may try to increase pressure and strikes against Ukrainian positions to create more favourable political circumstances for talks," he said.
The Sun
01-08-2025
- The Sun
Incredible moment wounded Ukrainian soldier is delivered e-bike by drone so he can escape while surrounded by Russians
THIS is the jaw-dropping moment a wounded Ukrainian soldier is delivered an e-bike via drone to escape Russian forces. The brave troop had been stranded for several days behind enemy lines, with numerous attempts made to save him. 8 Unbelievable footage appears to show a drone slowly winching the electric bike down for the soldier, who was said to have been swarmed by Russian forces. Rubizh brigade, who shared the footage, said three of its troops had been tragically killed by enemy fire during the operation around Siversk, northern Ukraine. This meant only the one lone soldier remained - forcing him to hold the position alone. The troop, with the call sign "Tanker" said of a terrifying attack: "Our drones covered us from above as best as they could. "Then they threw two gas cylinders straight into our hole and a lighter. We caught fire." Having sustained a leg injury in the Russian inferno, the soldier was left unable to escape without help - leaving him stranded for four to five days. He said: "Every day, I was surrounded, from all sides. I fought back as best I could." Chief of staff in the brigade Mykola Gritsenko said a rescue team was unable to reach the injured troop without their own safety being put at risk. Gritsenko explained: "It was impossible to drive up with equipment because the enemy was everywhere. "He couldn't get out on his own either, because he had to walk 1.5km to the nearest position. Watch as paranoid Putin is escorted by anti-drone rocket launcher on walkabout after fearful despot cancelled 'Navy Day' "In his condition, with his injuries and lower limbs, he simply wouldn't have made it." But the brigade soon found an alternative solution - airlifting an e-bike using a drone. UAVs have become a key tool in Ukraine's arsenal - allowing soldiers to navigate behind enemy lines without endangering them. The remote-operated aircraft is often stacked with explosives, making it a rarity seeing them in an evacuation scenario. The Battalion Freedom Force brigade explained how two initial attempts to deliver the bike were unsuccessful. The first drone was shot down, while the second's motors burnt out. On the third try, however, the bike reached the soldier and he managed to ride 400m - but he then hit a remote mine and was thrown into the air. The brave troop then limped a further 200m before thankfully being met by his comrades and taken to safety. 8 8 8 A second e-bike was then delivered, which he rode for 15 minutes until he was able to reach a safe zone and evacuated. Gritsenko said: "To carry out this operation, they had to calculate the right time of day, the right weather conditions that would allow him to do it. "The weight of this electric bike itself reaches almost 40kg." On Thursday, Vladimir Putin's evil forces unleashed a terrifying night of strikes which killed 11 people, including a six-year-old and his mother, and left Kyiv decimated. Vlad reportedly sent eight Iskander-K cruise missiles and 309 Shahed drones, according to Ukraine's armed forces. Five buildings were directly hit, they added. President Volodymyr Zelensky posted a video of burning ruins, saying people were still trapped under the rubble of one residential building. He said: "Kyiv. Missile strike. Directly into a residential building. People under the rubble. All services are on site. Russian terrorists." Kyiv mayor Vitaly Klitschko paid tribute to those who were killed as he described the attack on the capital as the heaviest night of horror for children since the start of the war. Telegram channel Pravda Gerashchenko added: "While rescuers are clearing debris and searching for survivors, people are at the scene of the tragedy waiting for news about their loved ones. "These scenes break the heart. Show them to those who think the maniac Putin can be appeased." The latest strike shows Putin has no intention of avoiding Trump's ire and cutting a peace deal with Ukraine. 8 8
