Latest news with #Russian-installed
India Today
a day ago
- Politics
- India Today
Ukrainian drones hit Russian-held areas in fresh strike on power sites
Fresh Ukrainian drone strikes have hit energy facilities in Russian-controlled areas of southern Ukraine, disrupting power for tens of thousands, Russia-installed officials said early on Saldo, the Russian-installed governor of Kherson region, said early Thursday that the attacks left 97 settlements without electricity, affecting around 68,000 the neighboring Zaporizhzhia region, Yevgeny Balitsky, the Russia-appointed head, said energy facilities were also under attack. While he did not specify the number of people affected, Balitsky mentioned that 10 drones were shot Earlier this week, similar drone strikes temporarily cut power to roughly 700,000 residents in the regions. Officials said emergency services managed to restore power immediately after those has not officially commented on the latest attacks, but it has increasingly used drones in its campaign to disrupt Russian logistics and control over occupied Watch
India Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Blackout in Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia after Ukrainian shelling, says Kremlin
Russian-installed officials in Ukraine's occupied Zaporizhzhia region claimed on Tuesday that strikes by Ukrainian forces have plunged the entire area under Moscow's control into darkness, damaging key high-voltage equipment. Ukraine, meanwhile, signaled it had no intention of halting its pressure, with top officials calling for fresh sanctions against Moscow amid ongoing peace efforts.'As a result of shelling by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, high-voltage equipment was damaged in the northwestern part of the Zaporizhzhia region,' said Yevgeny Balitsky, the Russia-appointed head of the regional administration. 'There is no electricity throughout the region.'advertisementRussia's TASS news agency reported that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, located within the same region and under Russian control, remained unaffected. The claim comes as Ukraine continues to step up attacks targeting logistics and infrastructure in Russian-held territory, aiming to weaken Moscow's grip ahead of potential new a senior aide to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv said Russia is deliberately stalling peace efforts and warned that harsher economic penalties are necessary to rein in the Kremlin's ambitions.'The Russians are doing everything to not cease firing and continue the war,' wrote Andriy Yermak, head of the president's office, on Telegram. 'New sanctions now are significant.'His comments followed the conclusion of the latest round of peace talks in Istanbul, where Ukrainian and Russian negotiators reportedly agreed to exchange lists of prisoners ahead of a potential large-scale at a separate online briefing, President Zelenskyy said the two sides had agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners each, with an option to exchange another 200 soon. Both sides also agreed in principle to repatriate the remains of fallen soldiers — an undertaking Zelenskyy described as requiring "careful preparation."He also raised a humanitarian issue that remains unresolved: the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russia.'We gave the Russian side a list of nearly 400 children that we want returned home,' Zelenskyy said. 'They agreed to work on returning only 10 of them.'(With inputs from Reuters)
Sky News AU
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Penny Wong says government ‘appalled' at Australian man Oscar Jenkins' ‘sham trial' and 13-year sentence for helping defend Ukraine
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has condemned a 13-year prison sentence handed to Australian man Oscar Jenkins by Russian authorities for helping to defend Ukraine. Mr Jenkins, aged 33, was taken prisoner by Russian forces in Ukraine's Luhansk region late last year and has since been held by Russia, despite calls from the Australian government demanding his release. He has subsequently been put on a trial as a 'mercenary' and was found guilty on Friday night, local time. The Foreign Minister has said the Australian government is "appalled" at the "sham trial" and lengthy sentence imposed on Mr Jenkins. 'As a full serving member of the regular Armed Forces of Ukraine, Mr Jenkins is a prisoner of war,' Ms Wong said in a statement on Saturday. 'The Australian Government has made clear to Russia that Mr Jenkins must be given the protections afforded to him as a prisoner of war. Russia is obligated to treat him in accordance with international humanitarian law, including humane treatment.' The Australian government holds 'serious concerns' for Mr Jenkins and is working with Ukraine and other partners in advocating for his welfare and release, Ms Wong said. 'The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade continues to provide consular support to Mr Jenkins' family,' she said. Reports emerged in January that Mr Jenkins, who was born in Melbourne and previously worked as a teacher, had been executed. It was determined by Australian officials that the 33-year-old remained alive. Foreign-born combatants are deliberately charged as mercenaries by Russian-installed prosecutors as it means they can be convicted under the country's criminal code, rather than allowing them rights as prisoners of war under the Geneva Convention. Russian prosecutors said in a statement the 33-year-old had taken part in "combat operations against Russian military personnel between March and December 2024" and he would serve his sentence "in a strict regime penal colony". It was also claimed the captured Australian was paid a "monthly reward" of between $11,400 and $15,000. A video of Mr Jenkins' hearing appeared to show him standing within a glass cage in a courtroom looking fatigued and distraught. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has vowed to use "whatever avenues we have at our disposal" in order to return the Australian national home. "We'll continue to make representations to the reprehensible regime of Vladimir Putin on behalf of Mr Jenkins," Mr Albanese said in a statement. "We will stand up and use whatever avenues we have at our disposal to continue to make those representations."
Sky News AU
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Captured Australian Oscar Jenkins given 13-year prison sentence by Russia for helping defend Ukraine
Russian authorities have handed captured Australian Oscar Jenkins a 13-year sentence for helping to defend Ukraine. Mr Jenkins, 33, was taken prisoner by Russian troops near Makiivka, in Ukraine's Luhansk region, late last year. In January, reports emerged the Melbourne-born teacher had been executed, but Australian officials determined he remained alive and was being held in Russia. Despite calls from the Australian government demanding his release, Mr Jenkins was subsequently put on trial as a "mercenary" and was handed a guilty verdict on Friday night, local time. Russian-installed prosecutors deliberately charge foreign-born combatants as mercenaries as it allows for them to be convicted under the country's criminal code, rather than treated as prisoners of war with rights under the Geneva Convention. In a statement, prosecutors said Mr Jenkins had taken part in "combat operations against Russian military personnel between March and December 2024" and would carry out his sentence "in a strict regime penal colony". They had also claimed the 33-year-old was paid a "monthly reward" of between $11,400 and $15,000. A video of the hearing appeared to show Mr Jenkins standing within a glass cage in the courtroom, his hands behind his back, and looking fatigued and distraught. It is not immediately clear how the sentence will impact diplomatic efforts from the Albanese government to secure the 33-year-old's freedom. In a statement following the announcement of charges against Mr Jenkins, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese vowed to use "whatever avenues we have at our disposal" in order to return the captured Australian home. "We'll continue to make representations to the reprehensible regime of Vladimir Putin on behalf of Mr Jenkins," he said. "We will stand up and use whatever avenues we have at our disposal to continue to make those representations." There have been suggestions Australia could engage in a prisoner swap to deliver Mr Jenkins to freedom, including from a pro-Kremlin influencer currently hiding in the Russian consulate. Despite this, the government has declined to comment on the likelihood of any swap, leaving the fate of Mr Jenkins uncertain. has contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for comment. This is a developing story. More to come.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia jails Australian man for fighting alongside Ukraine
An Australian man who was captured by Russian forces while fighting alongside Ukraine has been sentenced to 13 years in a maximum security prison, Russian-installed prosecutors have said. Oscar Jenkins, 33, was convicted in a Russian-controlled court in occupied eastern Ukraine on Friday of fighting in an armed conflict as a mercenary. Mr Jenkins, a teacher from Melbourne, was captured last December in the Luhansk region. Prosecutors said he arrived in Ukraine in February 2024, alleging he was paid between 600,000 and 800,000 rubles (£5,504 and £7,339) a month to take part in military operations against Russian troops. A video surfaced in December last year showing Mr Jenkins with his hands tied, being hit in the face and questioned by Russian forces. They ask him if he is being paid to fight in Ukraine. In January, Australia summoned the Russian ambassador over false reports that Mr Jenkins had been killed following his capture. Since then, the Australian government has repeatedly called for his release. "We'll continue to make representations to the reprehensible regime of [Russian President] Vladimir Putin on behalf of Mr Jenkins," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told 9News in April. In March, a British man James Scott Rhys Anderson was jailed for 19 years by a Russian military court after being charged with terrorism and mercenary activity, becoming the first British national convicted by Russia during the war. The 22-year-old was captured last November in Russia's Kursk region - where Ukrainian forces began a surprise incursion last August before retreating in recent months. Just before launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised all of Luhansk and Donetsk as independent of Ukraine. Russian proxy forces began an insurgency there in 2014. Briton captured while fighting for Ukraine jailed in Russia
