Latest news with #Suspilne
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Russian delegation led by Putin's aide to attend new peace talks in Istanbul
Russia is once again sending the same delegation, led by Vladimir Medinsky, aide to Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, to the next round of peace talks with Ukraine scheduled to take place in Istanbul on 2 June – a delegation previously criticised by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for its low level. Source: Maria Zakharova, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, on air at the state-owned TV channel Rossiya 24, as reported by Suspilne, a Ukrainian public broadcaster Details: Zakharova stated that the composition of the Russian delegation will remain unchanged and will again be headed by Vladimir Medinsky. Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the composition of the Ukrainian delegation would depend on the Russian one. The upcoming round of negotiations may be held in Istanbul on 2 June. This date and location were proposed by Russia, but Ukraine has not officially agreed to it yet. Kyiv is calling on Moscow to send over the proposed "memorandum" on a ceasefire before the talks take place. Background: Zelenskyy said on 29 May that the Russian side had failed to deliver the so-called memorandum to the US, Ukraine or Türkiye, despite earlier promises. On 28 May, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov proposed that the second round of negotiations be held in Istanbul on 2 June. Earlier, Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umierov had handed over a document to Russia outlining Ukraine's position and was awaiting their "memorandum" in response. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Russia to 'strongly' feel Western sanctions impact by mid-2026, Zelensky says
Western sanctions will significantly affect the Russian economy in the early summer of 2026, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 27 during a press briefing, Suspilne reported. Ukraine's partners have imposed heavy sanctions on Russia since the beginning of the invasion in 2022. In spite of these measures, Moscow retains its ability to wage war, gradually advancing in several sectors of the front line and increasing its defense production. Zelensky said he hopes that in June 2026, there will be no more war in Ukraine, but Russia will still feel the pressure of sanctions. "Sometime in the summer of 2026, their economy will feel it strongly," Zelensky said. The president added that the biggest challenge at the moment is the developing Russian military-industrial complex. At the same time, he noted that Russia will not be able to increase its defense potential next year, citing Ukrainian estimates. "We see that it (the Russian military-industrial complex) will not be able to grow next year, its growth will decrease. And it will decrease constantly. That is, the economy will completely change, they will spend everything on war," Zelensky said. Read also: Sanctions on Russia are working, Ukraine just needs more Zelensky stressed the significance of the West, particularly the U.S., increasing sanctions pressure on Russia. "We are waiting for sanctions from the U.S. Europe has done it, and there is the 17th package. We have been discussing the details of the 18th package, so that it will be stronger," Zelensky said, adding that if the next package is supported, the consequences for Russia could be significant. Zelensky's statement comes as U.S. President Donald Trump is considering imposing sanctions on Russia this week, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on May 26. The sanctions would reportedly aim to push Russia to the negotiating table but may not include additional banking restrictions, according to the media outlet. Trump's stance on U.S. sanctions against Russia has been unclear. Trump has repeatedly threatened additional economic measures against Moscow but said he does not plan to take the step at the moment after his phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators has said they are ready to vote on a bill on sanctions against Russia if peace talks over the war in Ukraine do not progress soon. The bill, introduced to the Senate in early April, would impose new penalties on Russia and slap 500% tariffs on imports from countries that buy Russian oil, petroleum products, natural gas, or uranium. Read also: Ban on NATO's eastward expansion, easing sanctions — Reuters lists Putin's Ukraine peace demands We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia aims to produce 500 drones per day, Zelensky says
Russia seeks to produce up to 500 drones per day, President Volodymyr Zelensky told journalists on May 27 during a press briefing, Suspilne reported. Moscow has significantly increased the production of various drones over the past year, which it launches almost every night to attack Ukrainian cities and front-line positions. The Russian production surge is facilitated by imports of components from China and the recruitment of low-skilled labor, including local teenagers and workers from Africa. "They (Russian manufacturers) are preparing to produce 300-350 drones per day. This is their real situation. They were tasked with having 500 per day," Zelensky said. Zelensky expressed doubt that Russia could launch 1,000 drones in a single attack, but acknowledged it could become possible in the future if Russia amasses enough drones over time. According to Zelensky, Ukraine is already capable of launching up to 100 long-range drones daily, and with the support of partners, it can catch up with Russia by producing 300-350 drones every day. "We are very close to it. The issue is not production capacity. It is a financial issue," the president added. Zelensky also recalled a recent successful operation by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which used 400 small drones simultaneously and destroyed 40 pieces of Russian military hardware. "We will show them much more than this operation," Zelensky said. Ukraine has been rapidly developing its domestic arms industry since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Ukraine more than doubled its production of long-range drones in 2024 compared to the previous year, which is a 22-fold increase compared to 2022. In total, 324 new types of weapons were developed in Ukraine by the end of 2024, according to Ukraine's Strategic Industries Ministry. Ukraine has also turned to local production to address battlefield shortages and reduce dependency on foreign supplies, including new domestic artillery contracts. Read also: If Germany sends Taurus missiles to Ukraine, Russia has a major Crimean Bridge problem We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Zelensky ready for three-way meeting with Trump, Putin
Editor's note: This story is being updated. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 27 that he is ready for a three-way meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Suspilne reported. "We are ready to meet at the level of leaders. The American side knows this, and the Russian side knows this. We are ready for the 'Trump, Putin, and me' format, and we are ready for the Trump-Putin, Trump-Zelensky format, and then the three of us," Zelensky said. Read also: If Germany sends Taurus missiles to Ukraine, Russia has a major Crimean Bridge problem We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'We could not influence the list' — Ukraine reacts to reported inclusion of alleged defector in prisoner swap with Russia
Ukraine could not influence who Russia decided to release in the recent 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange, said Andrii Yusov, deputy head of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (POW), in comments for Suspilne published on May 26. The statement came in reaction to claims that Anatolii Taranenko, a Ukrainian service member accused of collaborating with Russia, was released by Moscow during the second phase of the prisoner exchange on May 24. Multiple media outlets recorded a man resembling Taranenko during the swap. Taranenko surrendered to Russian proxy forces in Donetsk Oblast in 2021 and was accused of seeking to defect to Russia's side and harm his fellow Ukrainian soldiers. He then appeared in the Russian media in what was described as staged propaganda stunts. The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims, and Ukrainian officials have not confirmed the accusations. Ukrainian investigators are working to identify Taranenko and verify the accusations, Yusov told Suspilne, adding that "law enforcement agencies will take an appropriate response" if the claims are confirmed. Taranenko's alleged inclusion in the exchange exacerbated criticism that Ukraine failed to secure the release of any Azov fighters and many civilians who had been held captive by Russia for years in what was the largest prisoner swap of the full-scale war. The Russian media reported that a man named "Anatolii Taranenko" was released in the exchange, while Ukraine has not published the official lists. "We could not influence the list. Russia handed over who it was ready to hand over, and Ukraine as well," Yusov explained, adding that the exchange was arranged in a short time frame. The swap was the only tangible result of the Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul on May 16, the first such negotiations in three years. The exchange, which mostly included military captives, was carried out in three phases between May 23 and 25. Kyiv and Moscow have previously held a number of prisoner exchanges during the full-scale war, which were more limited in scope and mediated by third-party countries. "Ukraine is fighting for every one of its citizens. We are working under extremely difficult conditions amid the full-scale invasion, and the Mariupol garrison remains one of the top priorities for repatriation," Yusov said last week. Read also: Ukraine brings home 303 POWs in final phase of biggest prisoner swap with Russia We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
