Latest news with #Ukraine-controlled
Vancouver Sun
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
Putin wants the rest of Ukraine's Donetsk region as part of a ceasefire, Zelenskyy says
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine to withdraw from the remaining 30% of the Donetsk region that it controls as part of a ceasefire deal, a proposal the leader categorically rejected. Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine would not withdraw from territories it controls, saying that would be unconstitutional and would serve only as a springboard for a future Russian invasion. He said diplomatic discussions led by the U.S. focusing on ending the war have not touched on security guarantees for Ukraine to prevent future Russian aggression and that meeting formats currently being discussed do not include Europe's participation, both key demands of Kyiv. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Meanwhile, Russian forces on the ground have been closing in on a key territorial grab around the city of Pokrovsk. Zelenskyy said the necessity of territorial concessions was conveyed to him by U.S. officials ahead of a summit Friday between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, and in further meetings at the level of national security officials. It remained unclear whether Ukraine would take part in the Friday summit. European Union leaders also have been sidelined from the meeting, and they appealed to Trump on Tuesday to protect their interests. Zelenskyy says Ukraine will not withdraw from the Donbas Zelenskyy said Putin wants the remaining 9,000 square kilometres (3,500 square miles) of Donetsk under Kyiv's control, where the war's toughest battles are grinding on, as part of a ceasefire plan, in a press briefing on Tuesday in Kyiv. Doing so would hand Russia almost the entirety of the Donbas, a region comprising Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland that Putin has long coveted. Zelenskyy learned of Russia's position after holding a call with Trump and special envoy Steve Witkoff, after the latter's bilateral meeting with Putin. Witkoff told Zelenskyy that Russia was ready to end the war and that there should be territorial concessions from both sides. Some European partners were also part of the call. 'And that, probably, Putin wants us to leave Donbas. That is, it didn't sound like America wants us to leave,' he said, recounting the call. Zelenskyy reiterated that withdrawing from Ukraine-controlled territory was out of the question, especially as the question of security guarantees for Ukraine, were not being discussed. 'We will not leave Donbas. We cannot do this. Everyone forgets the first part – our territories are illegally occupied,' Zelenskyy told reporters at a briefing on Tuesday. 'Donbas for the Russians is a springboard for a future new offensive.' Zelenskyy said this is what occurred in 2014 when Russia illegally annexed the Crimean Peninsula. Trump has said he wants to see whether Putin is serious about ending the war, now in its fourth year. The U.S. president has disappointed allies in Europe by saying Ukraine will have to give up some Russian-held territory. He also said Russia must accept land swaps, although it was unclear what Putin might be expected to surrender. The Europeans and Ukraine are wary that Putin, who has waged the biggest land war in Europe since 1945 and used Russia's energy might to try to intimidate the EU, might secure favorable concessions and set the outlines of a peace deal without them. Referring to the format for ceasefire talks, Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that the U.S. proposed a bilateral meeting, between the U.S. and Russia, and then a trilateral meeting that would include Ukraine. Zelenskyy said the presence of Europe was important for Kyiv because these were the only partners offering security guarantees, including funding the Ukrainian army. European countries' overarching fear is that Putin will set his sights on one of them next if he wins in Ukraine. Their leaders said Tuesday they 'welcome the efforts of President Trump towards ending Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.' But, they underlined, 'the path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine' and 'international borders must not be changed by force.' The Europeans on Wednesday will make a fresh attempt to rally Trump to Ukraine's cause at virtual meetings convened by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Trump did not confirm whether he would take part but did say 'I'm going to get everybody's ideas' before meeting with Putin. Russia holds shaky control over four of the country's regions, two in the country's east and two in the south. Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the chief of Zelenskyy's office, said anything short of Russia's strategic defeat would mean that any ceasefire deal would be on Moscow's terms, erode international law and send a dangerous signal to the world. A 'profoundly alarming moment for Europe' Trump's seemingly public rehabilitation of Putin — a pariah in most of Europe — has unnerved Ukraine's backers. The summit in Alaska is a 'profoundly alarming moment for Europe,' said Nigel Gould-Davies, senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. According to Gould-Davies, Putin might persuade Trump to try to end the war by 'accepting Russian sovereignty' over parts of Ukraine, even beyond areas that it currently occupies. Trump also could ease or lift sanctions which are causing 'chronic pain' to the Russian economy. That would provoke a 'really serious split in the transatlantic alliance,' he said. The war isn't about Russia's territorial expansion but about Putin's goal of subordinating Ukraine, which would create the opportunity to threaten other parts of Europe, Gould-Davies said. It was unclear whether the Europeans also were unsettled by Trump mistakenly saying twice he would be traveling to Russia on Friday to meet Putin. The summit is taking place in the U.S. state of Alaska, which was colonized by Russia in the 18th century until Czar Alexander II sold it to the U.S. in 1867. Tuesday's European joint statement was meant to be a demonstration of unity. But Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is Putin's closest ally in Europe and has tried to block EU support for Ukraine, was the only one of the bloc's 27 leaders who refused to endorse it. Russia closes in on Pokrovsk Russia appeared closer to taking an important city in the Donetsk region, Pokrovsk. Military analysts using open-source information to monitor the battles said the next 24-48 hours could be critical. Losing Pokrovsk would hand Russia an important victory ahead of the summit. It also would complicate Ukrainian supply lines to the Donetsk region, where the Kremlin has focused the bulk of military efforts. 'A lot will depend on availability, quantity and quality of Ukrainian reserves,' Pasi Paroinen, an analyst with the Finland-based Black Bird Group, wrote on social media late Monday. Ukraine's military said its forces are fending off Russian infantry units trying to infiltrate their defensive positions in the Donetsk region. The region's Ukrainian military command on social media Monday acknowledged that the situation remains 'difficult, unpleasant and dynamic.' Elsewhere in Ukraine, a Russian missile attack on a military training facility left one soldier dead and 11 others wounded, the Ukrainian Ground Forces posted on social media. ___ Associated Press writer Hanna Arhirova in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Emma Burrows in London contributed to this report. Cook reported from Brussels. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Newsweek
26-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Video Shows Direct Strike On Sanctioned Russian Military Factory
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Video footage released on social media purports to show the moment when a Ukrainian drone hit a critical Russian military site, sanctioned by the EU and the U.S. A clip showed the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flying across the sky before striking the facility in the Stavropol region of southern Russia. Newsweek has contacted the Russian and Ukrainian defense ministries for comment. Illustrative image from August 11, 2023 shows an operator in the Kyiv region with the airstrike drone called Punisher made by the Ukrainian company UA Dynamics. Illustrative image from August 11, 2023 shows an operator in the Kyiv region with the airstrike drone called Punisher made by the Ukrainian company UA It Matters Faced by constant Russian bombardment, Ukraine has continued to use drones to strike at Russian military targets, although Kyiv often does not claim responsibility for these strikes. Ukraine's latest hit on one of Russia's largest manufacturers of radio electronics which is sanctioned by the EU will deliver a blow to Moscow's military capabilities. What To Know Ukrainian drones struck the Signal radio plant in the Stavropol region overnight Friday according to a source in Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) quoted by the Kyiv Independent. The plant is just over 300 miles from Ukraine-controlled territory and makes electronic warfare equipment for front-line aircraft as well as active jamming systems, remote weapon-control modules, and other radio-electronic equipment. The Kyiv Independent said the attack hit premises which hosts expensive imported equipment, including computer numerical control machines. A second strike hit another building that hosts an electronic devices workshop. The facility is sanctioned by the European Union, the U.S. and Japan. Video posted on social media by Russian independent media outlet Astra purportedly showed one of the strikes, with a drone flying across the sky before striking a building, causing an explosion. Other social media channels posted the footage with one saying that the drone was a Shahed-type device. ❗️Another video of the attack by a new 🇺🇦Ukrainian kamikaze drone of the Shahed type on the 🇷🇺Russian Signal plant in Stavropol — 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@front_ukrainian) July 26, 2025 Stavropol regional governor Vladimir Vladimirov confirmed the attack but said there no casualties were reported and there was a small fire. Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces downed 54 Ukrainian drones across eight Russian regions but did not report any being intercepted over Stavropol region. Pro-Ukrainian open source intelligence X account Tatarigami said that one building appears to have avoided critical structural damage, though localized fires were reported. The facility served military and civilian sectors, including supplying cathodic protection equipment for the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Iran, the post added. Meanwhile, Russia launched ballistic missiles against Ukraine overnight Friday with the heaviest attacks targeting Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions, according to Ukrainian authorities. What People Are Saying X channel War Translated posted: "Drones hit the Signal defense plant in Stavropol, a major facility in Russia's military-industrial complex. The plant makes radio-electronic equipment for combat aircraft, air defense, and electronic warfare systems. Pro-Ukrainian open source intelligence X account Tatarigami on X: "The Signal facility includes 7 production workshops, a testing center, and 2 design bureaus." Ukrainian intelligence source told the Kyiv Independent: "The SBU continues to systematically disable enemy (Russia's) facilities working for the war against such attack stops production processes and reduces the enemy's military potential." What Happens Next Ukraine is likely to continue its strikes against Russian military sites as it steps up its drone production. Meanwhile, Russia continues to use drones to strike at Ukrainian infrastructure.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Two young adults brought back from Ukraine's occupied territory, including 18-year-old who spent most of her childhood under occupation
Ukraine has managed to bring back an 18-year-old woman who spent most of her childhood under occupation and a 21-year-old man whose village was captured by the Russians in 2022. Source: Bring Kids Back UA initiative Details: Karyna (name changed), 18, spent almost her entire childhood under Russian occupation. She always knew that she wanted to live in Ukraine, so she waited until she came of age to finally leave. Now Karyna is starting a new life in Ukraine: she wants to go to university and find a job. The village where 21-year-old Kyrylo (name changed) lived was occupied at the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, when he had just turned 18. The village was left without communications, checkpoints began to appear, and people began to disappear. Kyrylo's mother left for Crimea, and the young man was left alone. It was dangerous for him to leave because of the numerous Russian checkpoints. The young man received help in finding a safe route, gathering documents and preparing for departure. Kyrylo is now in Ukraine-controlled territory with his family. Background: On 28 May, 11 children were brought back from Russian-occupied territory to Ukrainian-controlled territory. Among them were two orphans and relatives of military personnel. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia's ballistic missiles make April deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since last fall, UN reports
Russia killed 209 and injured 1,146 civilians during April, making it the deadliest month and the one with the highest number of injured since September 2024, the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) reported on May 8. At least 19 children were killed and 78 injured in April, the highest verified monthly number of child casualties since June 2022. "One of the main reasons for the sharp rise in civilian casualties was the intensified use of ballistic missiles in major cities across the country," Danielle Bell, Head of HRMMU said, in a statement accompanying the report. The news comes as the Trump administration continues to try and bring Kyiv and Moscow to the negotiating table. Yet, the progress has been limited, and Donald Trump's team has pressured Kyiv to make concessions to Russia, without applying visible pressure on Moscow to halt its aggression. The high number of civilian casualties in April reflects a broader trend of increased harm to civilians in 2025 compared to 2024. Between January and April 2025, 664 civilians were killed and 3,425 injured, a 59% increase compared to the same period in 2024, the report read. In April, 97% of civilian casualties were recorded in Ukraine-controlled territory. Almost half of all cases were caused by Russian missile attacks or shelling. Kryvyi Rih, Sumy, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, and Kharkiv suffered the most damage over the past month. Attacks using short-range drones near the contact line accounted for 23% of civilian casualties during the month. Meanwhile, in early May, the trend of targeting large Ukrainian cities with loitering munitions also continued, according to the report. "The progressive rise in the number of civilian casualties every month this year is closely tied to the use of long-range missiles and drones on urban areas," Bell said "This has been compounded by continued drone attacks in frontline areas, driving a steady and alarming rise in civilian casualties, including children," she added. Read also: 'Clearly, Ukraine is holding cards' — economist on why US pressure won't force Kyiv to concede We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
NBC News
28-04-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
North Korea confirms it sent troops to Russia, calling them 'heroes'
North Korea confirmed for the first time Monday that its troops were fighting alongside Russia in its war against Ukraine, saying they helped Moscow take back control of its Ukraine-controlled Kursk region. U.S., South Korean and Ukrainian officials have said North Korea sent as many as 12,000 troops to Russia last fall to fight in Kursk, which Ukrainian forces seized in a surprise incursion last August. North Korea had not confirmed or denied those reports until now. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered the troops' deployment under a mutual defense pact that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed in June 2024, North Korea's Central Military Commission said in a statement that was carried by state-run news agency KCNA. The treaty includes a pledge of mutual defense if either country is attacked. The statement said the operation to regain control of Kursk had been 'victoriously concluded' and that it was 'an honor to have an alliance with such a powerful state as the Russian Federation.' 'They who fought for justice are all heroes and representatives of the honor of the motherland,' Kim was quoted as saying. The North Korean report came two days after Russia said it had recaptured Kursk with the help of North Korean soldiers, which was also its first confirmation of their presence in the conflict. Ukraine denied that Kursk had been retaken, saying its defensive operations are continuing in some areas. If Russia is confirmed to have retaken Kursk, it would be a blow to Ukraine amid U.S.-led efforts to negotiate an end to the war, which is now in its fourth year. On Saturday, President Donald Trump questioned whether Putin — who last week launched one of the worst attacks on Ukraine's major cities since the war began — was willing to end the war. In exchange for providing Russia with reinforcements, North Korea gains valuable experience for its military, which has not been deployed overseas since the Vietnam War. While North Korean soldiers are fiercely loyal to Kim, experts say their limited exposure to modern warfare leaves them vulnerable on the battlefield, especially against drones. About 4,000 of the North Korean soldiers have been killed or injured, according to South Korean officials. They said last month that North Korea had sent an additional 3,000 troops to aid Russia's war effort since the start of this year. The North Korean statement did not say how many of its troops were sent to Russia in total or how many casualties there have been. Kim said a monument to their 'battle feats' would be erected in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, and that flowers would be placed 'before the tombstones of the fallen soldiers.' He also said measures should be taken to 'preferentially treat and take care of the families of the brave soldiers who participated in the war.' The South Korean Ministry of National Defense denounced the North Korean troop deployment and said that by officially announcing it the North had "effectively admitted to its criminal behavior." 'Our military strongly urges North Korea to immediately cease its deceitful and inhumane actions that threaten international peace and force the sacrifice of its residents through illegal military dispatches,' the ministry said Monday. The deployment of troops to Russia is just part of Kim's efforts to expand the capabilities of his nuclear-armed military. On Friday, he unveiled a new naval destroyer at a ceremony at a military shipbuilding dock in the port of Nampo, KCNA reported Saturday, saying the 5,000-ton warship would enter service early next year. The warship was built 'within 400-odd days perfectly with our own strength and technology' and is equipped with the 'most powerful weapons,' the report quoted a secretary in Kim's party as saying.
