Latest news with #RussianTerritory
Russia Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Here's what they don't tell you about ‘massive Russian strikes on Ukraine'
In the current media frenzy surrounding the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, a glaring double standard continues to distort public perception: the nature and impact of drone warfare. Western outlets, politicians, and NGOs are quick to pounce on Russia for retaliatory actions, yet remain eerily silent about Ukraine's increasingly reckless and escalatory drone campaign. This selective outrage has not only undermined serious dialogue on peace – it has shielded Ukraine from accountability as it wages what can only be described as a campaign of terror against Russian civilians. Over the past few weeks, Ukraine's use of drones has surged in both frequency and range. On a near-daily basis, dozens – sometimes hundreds – of drones are launched toward Russian territory, many targeting civilian infrastructure or flying indiscriminately toward dense urban centers like Moscow. While Russia's air defense systems have performed admirably in intercepting the majority of these threats, the falling debris poses an unavoidable risk to civilians, including children and the elderly. Russian regions far from the frontlines have been forced into a state of constant vigilance, air raid alerts disrupting the normalcy of everyday life. What's most alarming is the strategic logic – or lack thereof – behind these strikes. Unlike military-grade precision operations, Ukraine's drone attacks appear designed less to achieve tactical objectives and more to instill fear. The targets are often electrical substations, communication towers, or simply proximity to residential areas. This cannot be framed as mere collateral damage; it is a campaign whose effects are felt most deeply by civilians. Despite this escalating threat to Russian civilians, international reaction has been resoundingly one-sided. There is no UN condemnation of Ukraine's drone strikes. There are no emergency meetings in Brussels, no CNN specials about Russian children running to bomb shelters. Instead, the focus is singular: Russia's every response is dissected, denounced, and demonized. The same countries that cheer on Ukraine's technological advancements in warfare turn a blind eye to the human cost – so long as the humans in question are Russian. This selective outrage creates a moral vacuum in which Ukraine is emboldened to continue its drone war with impunity. Zelensky, backed by his Western sponsors, is not held accountable for the reckless escalation he fuels. Worse still, this impunity undermines any real incentive for dialogue. Why negotiate when your side is never blamed? What is most striking in this dynamic is Russia's restraint. Despite the volume and severity of the attacks on its territory, Moscow's drone strikes remain focused on disrupting military logistics and strategic assets within Ukraine – often near the frontlines. Russia has refrained from matching Ukraine's willingness to launch indiscriminate aerial barrages deep into population centers. If anything, it has used this period to demonstrate its commitment to a diplomatic resolution, responding from a defensive posture while signaling that its hand remains extended toward the peace table. At some point, however, enough is enough. A nation cannot allow its citizens to be terrorized indefinitely while posturing for peace. The Kremlin has an obligation to protect its people. And that means pushing back against these drone incursions with the seriousness they deserve. Critics will claim Russia's posture is inconsistent with its actions, but the facts tell a different story. Moscow remains open to dialogue. It is not demanding one-sided ultimatums, nor is it setting artificial deadlines as Western capitals often do. Contrast this with the theatrics of Zelensky and his handlers in Washington and Brussels, who have turned negotiations into performative exercises rather than serious efforts to end the conflict. It is not Russia who walked away from Istanbul in 2022. It is not Russia who ignored the Minsk process when it was politically inconvenient. Russia enters any future negotiations not as a supplicant, but as a state that has demonstrated both military strength and diplomatic maturity. It does so knowing full well that any peace must be just, balanced, and grounded in the lessons of the past – chief among them, that appeasement and naïveté only invite betrayal. There is indeed a stark difference between Ukraine's and Russia's drone strikes. One is a campaign of terror, reckless and civilian-targeted, encouraged by Western silence. The other is a reluctant defense, carried out with discipline and restraint. If peace is to be achieved, it must begin with honesty about who is escalating, who is suffering, and who continues to act like a responsible power even while under attack. Until the world is ready to admit that, Russian civilians will rely on their nation to do what must be done – and rightly so.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump Admits He May Have Exaggerated About One Of His Major Campaign Promises
President Donald Trump said 'Crimea will stay with Russia' as part of the deal he is pushing, seeming prepared to grant Russian President Vladimir Putin a major win to realize his goal of ending the Ukraine war. In an interview with Time published on Friday, Trump appeared optimistic that the conflict would end on his watch, claiming he is uniquely positioned to deliver peace, even though he has failed to meet his campaign promise of ending the war on Day One of his second term. 'Well, I said that figuratively,' Trump said. 'Obviously, people know that when I said that, it was said in jest, but it was also said that it will be ended.' Trump, once again, seemed to side with Moscow, blaming Ukraine for the war prompted by Russia's full-scale invasion Feb. 24, 2022. 'I think what caused the war to start was when they started talking about joining NATO,' Trump said. 'If that weren't brought up, there would have been a much better chance that it wouldn't have started.' Trump, according to Time, is now pushing for a deal that would grant Moscow 20% of Ukraine's land, including Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, while former President Barack Obama was in office. 'Crimea will stay with Russia,' he said. 'And [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy understands that, and everybody understands that it's been with them for a long time. It's been with them long before Trump came along.' Recognizing the peninsula as part of Russia would break with over 10 years of U.S. foreign policy. Zelenskyy also has made clear he would not agree to cede Crimea to Putin. 'There is nothing to talk about. It is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,' Zelenskyy said Tuesday. Trump blasted Zelenskyy's comments, calling them 'inflammatory' in a post on his Truth Social platform this week. 'Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory,' he said, accusing the wartime leader of hindering peace efforts. Trump's interview with Time comes a day after he claimed Russia was making a 'pretty big concession' by stopping short of 'taking the whole country' of Ukraine. Russia has been unsuccessfully attempting to take the entire country since February 2022. This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Buzz Feed
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Buzz Feed
Trump Admits He May Have Exaggerated About One Of His Major Campaign Promises
Trump, according to Time, is now pushing for a deal that would grant Moscow 20% of Ukraine's land, including Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, while former President Barack Obama was in office. 'Crimea will stay with Russia,' he said. 'And [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy understands that, and everybody understands that it's been with them for a long time. It's been with them long before Trump came along.' Recognizing the peninsula as part of Russia would break with over 10 years of U.S. foreign policy. Zelenskyy also has made clear he would not agree to cede Crimea to Putin. 'There is nothing to talk about. It is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,' Zelenskyy said Tuesday. Trump blasted Zelenskyy's comments, calling them 'inflammatory' in a post on his Truth Social platform this week. 'Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory,' he said, accusing the wartime leader of hindering peace efforts. Trump's interview with Time comes a day after he claimed Russia was making a 'pretty big concession' by stopping short of 'taking the whole country' of Ukraine.
The Hill
24-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Crimea is a focus of discussions to end Russia's war in Ukraine. Here's why it's so coveted
Russia's illegal seizure of Crimea from Ukraine 11 years ago was quick and bloodless. But Kyiv — and most of the world — never recognized Moscow's annexation of the strategic peninsula, which is now a major focus of U.S.-led efforts to end Russia's war in Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump lashed out at Ukraine's president Wednesday, accusing Volodymyr Zelenskyy of prolonging the 'killing field' after he insisted he would not give up any Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, to Russia as part of a potential peace plan. 'There is nothing to talk about. It is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,' he said. Trump called Zelenskyy's pushback 'very harmful' to talks. 'Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory but, if he wants Crimea, why didn't they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?' he wrote on social media. During Trump's first term, the U.S. said it would never recognize Crimea as Russian. How did Russia seize Crimea? In 2013-14, a massive popular uprising gripped Ukraine for weeks, eventually forcing pro-Moscow President Victor Yanukovich from office. With Ukraine engulfed in turmoil, Russian President Vladimir Putin pounced, sending troops to overrun Crimea, a diamond-shaped peninsula in the Black Sea that Russia has long coveted. The armed troops appeared in Crimea in uniforms without insignia, and Putin soon called a vote on joining Russia that Ukraine and the West dismissed as illegal. Russia's relations with the West plummeted to new lows. The United States, the European Union and other countries imposed sanctions on Moscow and its officials. Moscow's illegal annexation of Crimea on March 18, 2014, was only recognized internationally by countries such as North Korea and Sudan. In Russia, it touched off a wave of patriotism, and 'Krym nash!' — 'Crimea is ours!' — became a rallying cry. The move sent Putin's popularity soaring. His approval rating, which had declined to 65% in January 2014, shot to 86% in June, according to the Levada Center, an independent Russian pollster. Putin has called Crimea 'a sacred place,' and has prosecuted those who publicly argue it is part of Ukraine — particularly Crimean Tatars, who strongly opposed the annexation. What happened after the annexation? Weeks after the annexation, fighting broke out in eastern Ukraine between pro-Kremlin militias and Kyiv's forces. Moscow threw its weight behind the insurgents, even though the Kremlin denied supporting them with troops and weapons. There was abundant evidence to the contrary, including a Dutch court's finding that a Russia-supplied air defense system shot down a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet over eastern Ukraine in July 2014, killing all 298 people aboard. Russian hard-liners later criticized Putin for failing to capture all of Ukraine that year, arguing it was easily possible at a time when the government in Kyiv was in disarray and its military in shambles. The fighting in eastern Ukraine continued, on and off, until February 2022, when Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Why is Crimea important? Crimea's unique location makes it a strategically important asset, and Russia has spent centuries fighting for it. The peninsula was home to Turkic-speaking Tatars when the Russian empire first annexed it in the 18th century. It briefly regained independence two centuries later before being swallowed by the Soviet Union. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev transferred Crimea from Russia to Ukraine in 1954, when both were part of the USSR, to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the unification of Moscow and Kyiv. In 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed, the peninsula became part of newly independent Ukraine. Russia kept a foot in the door, however: Its Black Sea Fleet had a base in the city of Sevastopol, and Crimea — as part of Ukraine — continued to host it. By the time Russia annexed it in 2014, it had been a part of Ukraine for 60 years and had become part of the country's identity. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has vowed to retake it and said that Russia 'won't be able to steal' the peninsula. For either side, possession of Crimea is key to control over activities in the Black Sea — a critical corridor for the world's grain, among other goods. What role does Crimea play in Russia's war in Ukraine? Ahead of its full-scale invasion, Moscow deployed troops and weapons to Crimea, allowing Russian forces to quickly seize large parts of southern Ukraine in the first weeks of the war. A top Russian military official later said that securing a land corridor from Russia to Crimea by holding the occupied parts of Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions was among the key goals of what the Kremlin insisted on calling its 'special military operation' in Ukraine. Before the invasion, Zelenskyy focused on diplomatic efforts to get Crimea back, but after Russian troops poured across the border, Kyiv started publicly contemplating retaking the peninsula by force. The peninsula soon became a battleground, with Ukraine launching drone attacks and bombing it to try to dislodge Moscow's hold on the territory. The attacks targeted the Russian Black Sea Fleet there, as well as ammunition depots, air fields and Putin's prized asset — the Kerch Bridge linking Crimea to Russia, which was struck in October 2022 and again in July 2023. How does Crimea factor into peace efforts? U.S. Vice President JD Vance said this week that Washington 'issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it's time for them to either say 'yes' or for the United States to walk away from this process.' He told reporters during a visit to India that it was 'a very fair proposal' that would 'freeze the territorial lines at some level close to where they are today,' though both sides would have to give up some territory they currently hold. He did not provide details. While Trump said that 'nobody' is asking Ukraine to recognize Crimea as Russian territory, it's not clear whether the U.S. proposal would see Washington recognize it as such — in what would be a reversal of years of its own foreign policy. In 2017, Trump's then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson declared at a meeting also attended by Russia's top diplomat: 'We will never accept Russia's occupation and attempted annexation of Crimea.' The following year, his successor, Mike Pompeo, reiterated that the U.S. rejected the attempted annexation. Zelenskyy on Wednesday pointed out Pompeo's statement in a post on X, adding: 'We are absolutely sure that our partners in particular the USA will act in line with its strong decisions.' Putin, however, listed Ukraine's recognition of Crimea as part of Russia among Moscow's demands for peace in June 2024. Those also include Ukraine ceding four regions Russia illegally annexed in 2022, dropping its bid to join NATO, keeping the country's nonnuclear status, restricting its military force and protecting the interests of the Russian-speaking population. Kyiv has rejected ceding territory as a nonstarter. Russia currently holds roughly 20% of Ukrainian land, including Crimea, so any deal that freezes the lines more or less where they are would benefit Moscow. ___
Winnipeg Free Press
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Crimea is a focus of discussions to end Russia's war in Ukraine. Here's why it's so coveted
Russia's illegal seizure of Crimea from Ukraine 11 years ago was quick and bloodless. But Kyiv — and most of the world — never recognized Moscow's annexation of the strategic peninsula, which is now a major focus of U.S.-led efforts to end Russia's war in Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump lashed out at Ukraine's president Wednesday, accusing Volodymyr Zelenskyy of prolonging the 'killing field' after he insisted he would not give up any Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, to Russia as part of a potential peace plan. 'There is nothing to talk about. It is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,' he said. Trump called Zelenskyy's pushback 'very harmful' to talks. 'Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory but, if he wants Crimea, why didn't they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?' he wrote on social media. During Trump's first term, the U.S. said it would never recognize Crimea as Russian. How did Russia seize Crimea? In 2013-14, a massive popular uprising gripped Ukraine for weeks, eventually forcing pro-Moscow President Victor Yanukovich from office. With Ukraine engulfed in turmoil, Russian President Vladimir Putin pounced, sending troops to overrun Crimea, a diamond-shaped peninsula in the Black Sea that Russia has long coveted. The armed troops appeared in Crimea in uniforms without insignia, and Putin soon called a vote on joining Russia that Ukraine and the West dismissed as illegal. Russia's relations with the West plummeted to new lows. The United States, the European Union and other countries imposed sanctions on Moscow and its officials. Moscow's illegal annexation of Crimea on March 18, 2014, was only recognized internationally by countries such as North Korea and Sudan. In Russia, it touched off a wave of patriotism, and 'Krym nash!' — 'Crimea is ours!' — became a rallying cry. The move sent Putin's popularity soaring. His approval rating, which had declined to 65% in January 2014, shot to 86% in June, according to the Levada Center, an independent Russian pollster. Putin has called Crimea 'a sacred place,' and has prosecuted those who publicly argue it is part of Ukraine — particularly Crimean Tatars, who strongly opposed the annexation. What happened after the annexation? Weeks after the annexation, fighting broke out in eastern Ukraine between pro-Kremlin militias and Kyiv's forces. Moscow threw its weight behind the insurgents, even though the Kremlin denied supporting them with troops and weapons. There was abundant evidence to the contrary, including a Dutch court's finding that a Russia-supplied air defense system shot down a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet over eastern Ukraine in July 2014, killing all 298 people aboard. Russian hard-liners later criticized Putin for failing to capture all of Ukraine that year, arguing it was easily possible at a time when the government in Kyiv was in disarray and its military in shambles. The fighting in eastern Ukraine continued, on and off, until February 2022, when Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Why is Crimea important? Crimea's unique location makes it a strategically important asset, and Russia has spent centuries fighting for it. The peninsula was home to Turkic-speaking Tatars when the Russian empire first annexed it in the 18th century. It briefly regained independence two centuries later before being swallowed by the Soviet Union. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev transferred Crimea from Russia to Ukraine in 1954, when both were part of the USSR, to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the unification of Moscow and Kyiv. In 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed, the peninsula became part of newly independent Ukraine. Russia kept a foot in the door, however: Its Black Sea Fleet had a base in the city of Sevastopol, and Crimea — as part of Ukraine — continued to host it. By the time Russia annexed it in 2014, it had been a part of Ukraine for 60 years and had become part of the country's identity. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has vowed to retake it and said that Russia 'won't be able to steal' the peninsula. For either side, possession of Crimea is key to control over activities in the Black Sea — a critical corridor for the world's grain, among other goods. What role does Crimea play in Russia's war in Ukraine? Ahead of its full-scale invasion, Moscow deployed troops and weapons to Crimea, allowing Russian forces to quickly seize large parts of southern Ukraine in the first weeks of the war. A top Russian military official later said that securing a land corridor from Russia to Crimea by holding the occupied parts of Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions was among the key goals of what the Kremlin insisted on calling its 'special military operation' in Ukraine. Before the invasion, Zelenskyy focused on diplomatic efforts to get Crimea back, but after Russian troops poured across the border, Kyiv started publicly contemplating retaking the peninsula by force. The peninsula soon became a battleground, with Ukraine launching drone attacks and bombing it to try to dislodge Moscow's hold on the territory. The attacks targeted the Russian Black Sea Fleet there, as well as ammunition depots, air fields and Putin's prized asset — the Kerch Bridge linking Crimea to Russia, which was struck in October 2022 and again in July 2023. How does Crimea factor into peace efforts? U.S. Vice President JD Vance said this week that Washington 'issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it's time for them to either say 'yes' or for the United States to walk away from this process.' He told reporters during a visit to India that it was 'a very fair proposal' that would 'freeze the territorial lines at some level close to where they are today,' though both sides would have to give up some territory they currently hold. He did not provide details. While Trump said that 'nobody' is asking Ukraine to recognize Crimea as Russian territory, it's not clear whether the U.S. proposal would see Washington recognize it as such — in what would be a reversal of years of its own foreign policy. In 2017, Trump's then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson declared at a meeting also attended by Russia's top diplomat: 'We will never accept Russia's occupation and attempted annexation of Crimea.' The following year, his successor, Mike Pompeo, reiterated that the U.S. rejected the attempted annexation. Zelenskyy on Wednesday pointed out Pompeo's statement in a post on X, adding: 'We are absolutely sure that our partners in particular the USA will act in line with its strong decisions.' During Elections Get campaign news, insight, analysis and commentary delivered to your inbox during Canada's 2025 election. Putin, however, listed Ukraine's recognition of Crimea as part of Russia among Moscow's demands for peace in June 2024. Those also include Ukraine ceding four regions Russia illegally annexed in 2022, dropping its bid to join NATO, keeping the country's nonnuclear status, restricting its military force and protecting the interests of the Russian-speaking population. Kyiv has rejected ceding territory as a nonstarter. Russia currently holds roughly 20% of Ukrainian land, including Crimea, so any deal that freezes the lines more or less where they are would benefit Moscow. ___ Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at
