Latest news with #Ukrainian-held
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
US won't support Russia's demand for Ukraine's withdrawal from 4 regions, Zelensky says
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 27 that he does not believe the U.S. would support a full Ukrainian withdrawal from four of its partially occupied regions, a demand repeatedly raised by Russia, Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported. "What's written in the ultimatums doesn't matter if we're talking about more than just a piece of paper; we're talking about what could lead to the first step: a ceasefire," Zelensky told journalists, according to the news agency. "I think that even at the highest level, the United States today will not support Ukraine withdrawing from the territories" controlled by Ukraine, he continued, adding that Kyiv does not want Washington to walk away from the peace efforts. Russia again rejected Kyiv and Western partners' calls for an unconditional ceasefire during recent peace talks in Istanbul, insisting instead that Ukraine must withdraw its forces from Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts. Moscow illegally declared the annexation of the four regions in September 2022, despite not controlling them fully. Russia continues to occupy roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory, including the Crimean peninsula illegally annexed in 2014. As the Trump administration has sought to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, it has reportedly offered wide-ranging concessions to Moscow, including a potential recognition of its control over Crimea and the lifting of sanctions. At the same time, U.S. officials have signaled opposition to Russia's demand for Ukraine's withdrawal from the Ukrainian-held territories. U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on May 7 that Russia is "asking for too much," underscoring Washington's growing frustration with Moscow's delays. U.S. President Donald Trump and his aides have warned that the U.S. would exit the negotiations if progress is not achieved soon. Read also: Zelensky ready for three-way meeting with Trump, Putin We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
See - Sada Elbalad
21-05-2025
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
Russia to Host Int'l Teleconference on "Liberation of Kursk Region"
Ahmed Emam An international teleconference titled 'Liberation of the Kursk Region' will be held on Zoom in the coming days, bringing together participants from 20 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Organized by Russian authorities, the event aims to present what it describes as consolidated evidence of crimes committed by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) during an eight-month occupation of parts of the Kursk region. According to a concept paper released ahead of the conference, the Russian Armed Forces successfully repelled the Ukrainian incursion into the Kursk region on April 26, 2025. Russian officials claim that elite Ukrainian units, equipped with Western-supplied weapons and supported by foreign military advisers, launched the operation as part of a broader strategy to boost Ukraine's negotiating position and demonstrate military strength. Russia, however, contends that the incursion primarily targeted civilians and led to serious human rights violations. The event will include testimonies from eyewitnesses, reports on alleged atrocities, and analysis by military and legal experts. Topics to be addressed include the use of NATO and EU weapons against civilian infrastructure, evidence of inhumane or prohibited munitions found during post-conflict demining operations, and challenges faced by displaced civilians returning home from Ukrainian-held areas. Among the scheduled speakers are: Rodion Miroshnik, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry for crimes committed by the Kiev regime Tatiana Moskalkova, High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation Olga Kiriy, documentary filmmaker focused on the conflict in the Kursk region Ivan Konovalov, military analyst and historian Eyewitnesses of alleged abuses by Ukrainian forces The session will be moderated by "Iulia Zhdanova", Head of the Russian Delegation to the Vienna Negotiations on Military Security and Arms Control. Organizers state that the conference will provide simultaneous interpretation between English and Russian. The audience will include members of the diplomatic corps from the UN, OSCE, BRICS, and CIS states, humanitarian organizations, media, and civil society representatives. In addition to reviewing alleged violations of international humanitarian law, the event is expected to highlight Russia's efforts to investigate and prosecute those it holds responsible. Russian authorities have criticized what they describe as a Western-led disinformation campaign aimed at obscuring the Ukrainian military's actions during the conflict in the Kursk region. While the Russian side frames the event as a platform for justice and truth, it is likely to draw international scrutiny and competing narratives given the ongoing tensions and divergent accounts of the conflict. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Arts & Culture Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's $4.7M LA Home Burglarized Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies
Time of India
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
600 North Korean soldiers killed fighting for Russia against Ukraine: Seoul
Around 600 North Korean soldiers deployed to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine have been killed and thousands more injured, a South Korean lawmaker said on Wednesday, days after Pyongyang officially acknowledged sending troops to assist Moscow in the war. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Citing a briefing from South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS), MP Lee Seong-kweun, a member of the parliamentary intelligence committee, said, "So far, North Korean troop casualties are estimated at around 4,700, including approximately 600 deaths." The announcement follows North Korea's confirmation on Monday that it had dispatched troops to aid Russian operations, with state-run KCNA claiming its soldiers helped Moscow recapture Ukrainian-held areas in the border region of Kursk. Russia also acknowledged North Korea's involvement this week, breaking months of silence. For nearly a year, Seoul and Washington have accused Pyongyang of steadily ramping up military assistance to Russia, including the transfer of weapons and troops. According to Lee, approximately 2,000 North Korean soldiers have been repatriated this year and are now under isolation in locations including the capital, Pyongyang. The remains of the dead were reportedly cremated in Kursk before being sent back. North Korea is believed to have deployed 18,000 troops to the Kursk region in two phases, Lee added. However, he noted that hostilities in the area have lessened since March. "There have been reports of misconduct within North Korean forces, including excessive drinking and theft," he said. Combat capability on the rise Despite initial setbacks, the NIS believes North Korean troops have grown more adept on the battlefield. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Their combat capability has significantly improved," Lee said, citing enhanced proficiency with modern weapon systems, including drones. The forces deployed are reportedly from North Korea's elite Storm Corps, who have been instructed to avoid capture at all costs — even if that means taking their own lives, according to prior statements from South Korean intelligence. Seoul has condemned the deployment and accused Pyongyang of dispatching container-loads of weapons — including missiles — to support Russia's war efforts. In return, the North is said to be receiving substantial technical and military assistance from Moscow. Asked whether additional deployments might be on the horizon, Lee said the possibility could not be "entirely ruled out." North Korea and Russia have increasingly strengthened military cooperation since the start of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, raising alarm in Seoul, Washington, and allied capitals.
Newsweek
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Kursk Map Timelapse Shows Ukraine's Diminishing Incursion Into Russia
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. Ukraine has said it is continuing to fight in Kursk despite Moscow's claims it has recaptured the Russian region, Russian officials said on April 26 that Moscow's troops had retaken all of the Kursk region where Ukraine had staged an incursion in August. But President Volodymyr Zelensky and other senior Ukrainian military officials said their forces were continuing defensive operations. Newsweek's map shows how the front line in the Kursk region has developed over the last eight months. The Russian and Ukrainian defense ministries have been contacted for comment. This image from March 18, 2025 shows Russian soldiers from the Chechen Akhmat battalion at a shelter in Russia's Kursk region. This image from March 18, 2025 shows Russian soldiers from the Chechen Akhmat battalion at a shelter in Russia's Kursk It Matters Ukraine's surprise incursion into Russia's Kursk region on August 6 saw Kyiv make swift gains which were hoped to be an effective bargaining chip in ending the war. While Russia's response was slow, it has now recaptured much of the territory with the help of North Korean soldiers. What to Know Russian Chief of the General Staff Army General Valery Gerasimov said Saturday that Russian forces had pushed had fully defeated Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region and seized Gornal, southwest of Sudzha, the last Ukrainian-held settlement in the region. The Ukrainian General Staff refuted Moscow's claims and said Ukrainian forces maintain unspecified positions in the region where they continued to repel Russian assaults. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other senior Ukrainian military officials said on Monday that fighting continues in the Kursk direction. Newsweek's map shows how Ukraine's gains which at the operation's height, included over 90 towns and covered nearly 540 square miles have shrunk to only include a few pockets of territory today. Independent Russian language website Meduza said that Russian troops had taken a monastery near the Psel river and advanced to the village of Gornal near the border, although it is not clear who controls the surrounding area. However, northeast of Gornal, on the other bank of the Psel, Ukraine's forces probably still remain, according to the outlet. Russian troops also do not control the border strip on the Seim (Seym) river opposite the village of Tyotkino although Ukrainian forces also do not have permanent control over this area, Meduza added. This map, based on analysis by the Institute for the Study of War and the American Enterprise Institute's Critical Threats Project, shows the largest extent of Ukraine's incursion into Russia's western Kursk region on September... This map, based on analysis by the Institute for the Study of War and the American Enterprise Institute's Critical Threats Project, shows the largest extent of Ukraine's incursion into Russia's western Kursk region on September 1, 2024, and Russia's current advances in Kursk and across the international border into Ukraine's northern Sumy region as of April 28, 2025. More Newsweek/ISW/Esri Pro-Russian Telegram channels cited by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have said that Moscow's forces continue to conduct clearing operations near Gornal and Oleshnya, southwest of Sudzha. Other military bloggers have said Russian forces still need to push Ukrainian forces across the last few meters to the border and that Kyiv's troops repelling Russian assaults in Kursk showed that Russian forces do not have full control of the region. Kyiv has said that the Kursk incursion has forced Russia to commit troops from elsewhere and so stalled their advances in Ukraine which wanted to protect its Sumy border region. However, some analysts said it accelerated Russia's in eastern Ukraine due to the diversion of Kyiv's forces to Kursk. On the diplomatic front, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on Monday that Ukraine is not on track to defeat Russia on the battlefield, as he defended the Donald Trump administration's efforts to negotiate a peace deal. What People Are Saying Russian Chief of the General Staff Army General Valery Gerasimov on April 26: "the last settlement in the Kursk region, the village of Gornal, has been liberated from Ukrainian forces." Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, on April 28: "Our military continues to operate in the Kursk and Belgorod regions— we maintain our presence in Russia." What Happens Next As hopes fade that Ukraine's hold on territory in Kursk can act as leverage in negotiations, Vance's recent comments will increase speculation over whether the U.S. will remain involved in the peace process. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the next week will determine whether the U.S. remains as a mediator.
Time of India
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Still fighting': Zelenskyy refutes Putin's Kursk claim, hours after Russia boasts of full control
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, refuting Russia's 'full liberation of Kursk' claims, said that Ukrainian forces are still fighting in the Kursk region. Zelenskyy noted that Ukrainian troops remain active in the Kursk and Belgorod regions, describing the situation as difficult. Russia announced on April 26 that it had captured Gornal, the last Ukrainian-held settlement in Kursk. Show more Show less
