Latest news with #Yermak
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ukraine war latest: Ukraine attacks elite Russian unit base nearly 7,000km away in Vladivostok, source claims
Key developments on May 28: Ukraine attacks elite Russian unit base nearly 7,000km away in Vladivostok, source claims Ukraine ready for 2nd round of Istanbul talks but seeks Russian draft memo in advance, Yermak says Senate to 'start moving' Russia sanctions bill next week, Graham says Russia may 'consider' ceasefire if Ukraine stops mobilization, arms deliveries, ambassador says Putin in favor of meeting Zelensky, Trump if progress is made in peace talks, Kremlin says Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) was behind explosions near Desantnaya Bay in Russia's Vladivostok on May 30, which reportedly damaged military personnel and equipment, a source in HUR told the Kyiv Independent. If confirmed, the Vladivostok operation would be Ukraine's furthest incursion into Russian territory - approximately 6,800 kilometres from the Ukrainian border. According to the source, two blasts occurred early in the morning at a site where Russia's 47th Separate Air Assault Battalion of the 155th Separate Guards Marine Brigade was stationed. The 155th Marine Brigade has been actively involved in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, including battles in Mariupol and Vuhledar in Donetsk Oblast, as well as operations in Russia's Kursk Oblast. Local media reported two loud bangs, followed by temporary road closures and emergency vehicles seen in the area, but did not mention anything about a military base. Russia's Anti-Terrorist Commission of Primorsky Krai attributed the explosions to the ignition of propane-butane cylinders inside a vehicle. No official casualties have been reported. One of the explosions allegedly happened near a checkpoint, while the other hit the location of personnel and the unit's command. "Manpower, military equipment, and special equipment were hit," the source claimed. The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims. Desantnaya Bay is located in Vladivostok in Russia's Far East, which lies some 185 kilometres (114 miles) from the Russian-North Korean border. Join our community Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight. Support Us Ukraine is ready to attend the second round of peace talks with the Russian delegation in Istanbul on June 2, but seeks to receive a draft of Russia's proposed ceasefire memorandum before the meeting, said Presidential Office Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak on May 29. Ukraine and Russia held peace talks in Istanbul on May 16, where both sides agreed to a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange. The peace negotiations were largely inconclusive, with Moscow reiterating maximalist demands and sending a delegation of lower-level officials. Moscow has proposed June 2 as the date for the next round of talks with Ukraine, despite escalating its attacks on the country. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on May 29 that the Russian delegation, led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, is prepared to present the memorandum to the Ukrainian side and provide necessary clarifications during the next Istanbul meeting. Kyiv insists on receiving the memorandum ahead of the new round of talks in order to understand Russia's proposed steps toward a ceasefire. Ukraine has already submitted its own document to the Russian side. "Ukraine is ready to attend the next meeting, but we want to engage in a constructive discussion. This means it is important to receive Russia's draft. There is enough time – four days are sufficient for preparing and sending the documents," Yermak said during a conversation with advisors to the leaders of the U.K., Germany, France, and Italy. Security advisors from the four countries are expected to attend the second round of peace talks in Istanbul, U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Keith Kellogg said. Read also: Infighting around EU rearmament undermines grand ambitions for European defense The U.S. Senate is expected to "start moving" next week on a bill introducing sweeping new sanctions against Russia, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said at a press briefing in Kyiv on May 30 attended by The Kyiv Independent. The proposed bill would impose 500% tariffs on imports from countries purchasing Russian oil, gas, uranium, and other products. At least 82 U.S. senators are prepared to vote for the bill, Graham said. "I would expect next week that the Senate will start moving the sanctions bill," Graham, a vocal supporter of Ukraine and close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, said. "There are House members that are ready to move in the House, and you'll see congressional action. President Trump said that the next two-week period will be outcome-determined." Asked whether Congress would pass the bill before its summer recess and whether Trump would sign it, Graham responded: "I've never been more optimistic than I am today." The senator dismissed the upcoming June 2 Russian-Ukrainian peace talks in Istanbul, where Moscow is expected to present a draft ceasefire memorandum, as unlikely to yield progress. "I see nothing about the meeting on Monday in Istanbul to give me any hope at all that Russia is interested in peace," he said. "So when this two-week period is over, I think it'd be pretty clear to everybody (that) Russia is playing a game at the expense of the world, not just the United States." The senator also credited growing global recognition of Ukraine's willingness to negotiate in good faith and Russia's refusal to reciprocate. "It's clear to almost anyone — Putin is not remotely interested in anything that would lead to peace," he said. "So there's a card game going on this summer. The first cards are going to be played by the United States Senate and the House." Graham accused Moscow of stalling while ramping up its war effort and warned that the U.S. response would be swift and severe. He also issued a stark warning to Beijing. "China, the game you're playing with Russia is about to change. If you keep buying cheap Russian oil to fuel Putin's war machine, there will be a 500% tariff on all of your products coming into the United States," he said. He added that "70% of Russian oil is bought by China and India." Read also: Ukraine watches closely as Poland faces polarizing presidential run-off Russia is prepared to consider a ceasefire in its war against Ukraine, but only if Kyiv stops receiving Western weapons and halts mobilization, Vasily Nebenzya, Russia's envoy to the United Nations, said on May 30, according to the Russian state news agency TASS. "In principle, we are ready to consider the possibility of establishing a ceasefire, which would subsequently allow for a sustainable resolution of the root causes of the conflict," Nebenzya said at a U.N. Security Council meeting. Russia, a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, convened the meeting to accuse European nations of undermining peace efforts. The Russian ambassador said that any ceasefire would require Western governments to end their support for Ukraine's armed forces. "During the ceasefire, it is essential that Western countries stop supplying weapons to the Kyiv regime (the Ukrainian government) and that Ukraine halt its mobilization," Nebenzya said. The statement comes just days ahead of the next round of peace talks in Istanbul on June 2. Despite the stated offer, Nebenzya also pledged that Moscow would "continue and intensify military operations for as long as necessary." Ukraine swiftly rejected the demand as disingenuous. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called the remarks a "slap in the face to all who advocate for peace," including countries like China and Brazil, which have pressed both sides to end the war. "When the entire world insists that it is time to stop the killing immediately and engage in meaningful diplomacy, Russia uses the highest fora to spew such belligerent rhetoric," Sybiha wrote on X. "We insist that the pressure on Moscow be increased already now. They do not understand normal attitude or diplomatic language; it is time to speak to them in the language of sanctions and increased support for Ukraine." Despite growing global calls for a truce, Russia has so far rejected Ukraine's U.S.-backed proposal for a full and unconditional ceasefire. The Kremlin has instead escalated its aerial assaults across Ukrainian territory and is reportedly preparing a new summer offensive. Read also: The Hungary-Ukraine spy scandal and Russia's possible role, explained Russian President Vladimir Putin is "fundamentally in favor" of meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on May 30, according to Russian state news agency TASS. The statement comes amid renewed diplomatic maneuvering to schedule the next round of peace talks in Istanbul, tentatively proposed for June 2. Peskov stressed that a high-level summit would require concrete outcomes from the negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations. "President Putin has repeatedly said that he is fundamentally in favor of high-level contacts, which are undoubtedly needed," Peskov said. "But they must be prepared, and first, a result must be achieved in negotiations between the delegations." Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on May 30 that Turkey would be open to hosting a possible meeting among the three leaders, with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as well. Fidan's statement followed his visits to both Kyiv and Moscow. Zelensky previously invited Putin to Istanbul for direct talks on May 16, proposing a three-way format with Trump to push forward peace efforts. Putin declined to attend, sending a low-level delegation led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. The Istanbul talks ended without agreement on a ceasefire or broader political settlement, though the sides did agree to the largest prisoner exchange of the full-scale war. The Kremlin has repeatedly attacked Zelensky's legitimacy as president, pointing out that his first presidential term was originally meant to end on May 20, 2024. Ukraine's constitution prohibits elections during martial law, which has been in effect since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022. As a result, Zelensky's term has been extended, which constitutional lawyers argue is permitted under Ukrainian law. Trump, who held a two-hour phone call with Putin on May 19 and is pushing to broker a ceasefire deal, has backed the idea of a high-level summit. Putin and Zelensky have met only once — in December 2019, during the Normandy Format talks in Paris. Ukraine War Latest is put together by the Kyiv Independent news desk team, who keep you informed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you value our work and want to ensure we have the resources to continue, join the Kyiv Independent community. We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
NHK
3 days ago
- General
- NHK
Zelenskyy accuses Russia of 'deception' for not sharing peace memorandum
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of "deception" for not presenting a peace memorandum as promised. On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov issued a statement saying Russia is ready to present the memorandum to the Ukrainian delegation and provide the necessary explanations during the next round of direct talks in Turkey on Monday. Meanwhile Kyiv said it has already handed over its memorandum to the Russian delegation. Kyiv urged the Russian side to share its version as soon as possible, saying Moscow was supposed to do so immediately after the prisoner swap that took place through last Sunday. In a video address on Thursday, Zelenskyy said it was "Another Russian deception" and called on his country's partners to step up pressure on Moscow. Also on Thursday, US special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg told American media outlet ABC News that senior officials from the United States, Germany, France and Britain will attend the discussions on the peace memorandum in Turkey. The head of Ukraine's presidential office, Andriy Yermak, had met with high-ranking officials of those countries ahead of the first direct talks with Russia that took place on May 16.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Ukraine says it's ready to resume talks with Russia but needs clarity on Kremlin's terms
Ukraine is ready to resume direct peace talks with Russia in Istanbul on Monday, a top adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, following days of uncertainty over whether Kyiv would attend a further meeting proposed by Moscow. But Ukrainian officials have insisted that the Kremlin provide a promised memorandum setting out its position on ending the more than three-year war, before the two delegations sit down to negotiate. 'Ukraine is ready to attend the next meeting, but we want to engage in a constructive discussion,' Andrii Yermak said in a statement on the website of Ukraine's Presidential Office late Thursday. "This means it is important to receive Russia's draft. There is enough time – four days are sufficient for preparing and sending the documents,' Yermak said. Ukraine and its European allies have repeatedly accused the Kremlin of dragging its feet in peace efforts, while it tries to press its bigger army's battlefield initiative and capture more Ukrainian land. Kyiv's Western partners, including the U.S., are urging Moscow to agree to an unconditional ceasefire, something Kyiv has embraced while the Kremlin has held out for terms more to its liking. Ukraine's top diplomat, Andrii Sybiha, also told reporters on Friday that Kyiv is waiting for Russia to clarify its proposals ahead of a next round of talks. 'We want to end this war this year. We are interested in establishing a ceasefire, whether it is for 30 days, 50 days, or 100 days. Ukraine is open to discussing this directly with Russia,' Sybiha said at a joint news conference in Kyiv with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan. Sybiha and Fidan also held the door open to a future meeting between Presidents Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin of Russia, possibly also including U.S. President Donald Trump. Fidan said the ongoing peace push in Istanbul could be 'crowned with' such a meeting. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday told reporters that a Russian delegation will head to Istanbul and stand ready to take part in the second round of talks on June 2. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday publicly invited Ukraine to hold direct negotiations with Moscow on that date. In a video statement, Lavrov said Russia would use Monday's meeting to deliver an outline of Moscow's position on 'reliably overcoming' what it calls the root causes of the war. Russian officials have said for weeks that such a document is forthcoming. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov on Wednesday said that Ukraine isn't opposed to further direct talks with Russia, but that they would be 'empty' if Moscow were to fail to clarify its terms. Umerov said he had personally handed a document setting out Ukraine's position to the Russian side. Low-level delegations from Russia and Ukraine held their first direct peace talks in three years in Istanbul on May 16. The talks, which lasted two hours, brought no significant breakthrough, although both sides agreed to the largest prisoner exchange of the war. It was carried out last weekend and freed 1,000 captives on each side. Fidan on Friday voiced a belief that the successful swap has 'proved that negotiations can yield concrete results.' 'There are two paths in front of us. Either we will turn a blind eye to the continuation of the war, or we will reach a lasting peace within the end of the year,' he told reporters in Kyiv. ___ Associated Press writers Hanna Arhirova and Illia Novikov in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, contributed to this report. ___
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Ukraine says it's ready to restart talks with Russia but needs clarity on Kremlin's terms
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine is ready to resume direct peace talks with Russia in Istanbul on Monday, a top adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, following days of uncertainty over whether Kyiv would attend a meeting proposed by Moscow. But Ukrainian officials have insisted that the Kremlin provide a promised memorandum setting out its position on ending the more than three-year war, before the two delegations sit down to negotiate. 'Ukraine is ready to attend the next meeting, but we want to engage in a constructive discussion,' Andrii Yermak said in a statement on the website of Ukraine's Presidential Office late Thursday. 'This means it is important to receive Russia's draft. There is enough time – four days are sufficient for preparing and sending the documents,' Yermak said. Ukraine and its European allies have repeatedly accused the Kremlin of dragging its feet in peace efforts, while it tries to press its bigger army's battlefield initiative and capture more Ukrainian land. Kyiv's Western partners, including the U.S., are urging Moscow to agree to an unconditional ceasefire, something Kyiv has embraced while the Kremlin has held out for terms more to its liking. Ukraine's top diplomat, Andrii Sybiha, also told reporters on Friday that Kyiv is waiting for Russia to clarify its proposals ahead of a next round of talks. 'We want to end this war this year. We are interested in establishing a ceasefire, whether it is for 30 days, 50 days, or 100 days. Ukraine is open to discussing this directly with Russia,' Sybiha said at a joint news conference in Kyiv with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan. Sybiha and Fidan also held the door open to a future meeting between Presidents Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin of Russia, possibly also including U.S. President Donald Trump. Fidan said the ongoing peace push in Istanbul could be 'crowned with' such a meeting. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday told reporters that a Russian delegation will head to Istanbul and stand ready to take part in the second round of talks on June 2. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday publicly invited Ukraine to hold direct negotiations with Moscow on that date. In a video statement, Lavrov said Russia would use Monday's meeting to deliver an outline of Moscow's position on 'reliably overcoming' what it calls the root causes of the war. Russian officials have said for weeks that such a document is forthcoming. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov on Wednesday said that Ukraine isn't opposed to further direct talks with Russia, but that they would be 'empty' if Moscow were to fail to clarify its terms. Umerov said he had personally handed a document setting out Ukraine's position to the Russian side. Low-level delegations from Russia and Ukraine held their first direct peace talks in three years in Istanbul on May 16. The talks, which lasted two hours, brought no significant breakthrough, although both sides agreed to the largest prisoner exchange of the war. It was carried out last weekend and freed 1,000 captives on each side. Fidan on Friday voiced a belief that the successful swap has 'proved that negotiations can yield concrete results.' 'There are two paths in front of us. Either we will turn a blind eye to the continuation of the war, or we will reach a lasting peace within the end of the year,' he told reporters in Kyiv. ___ Associated Press writers Hanna Arhirova and Illia Novikov in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, contributed to this report. ___ Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ukraine war latest: Moscow proposes next round of Russia-Ukraine talks on June 2 in Istanbul
Moscow proposes next round of Russia-Ukraine talks on June 2 in Istanbul Ukrainian drones hit Russian cruise missile factory, SBU source says, in one of largest reported strikes of full-scale war 11 more Ukrainian Children rescued from Russian-occupied territories, Yermak's advisor says 'We'll know in two weeks' if Putin serious about ending war, Trump says Germany pledges 5 billion euros in new aid to Ukraine, no Taurus missiles announced Moscow has proposed June 2 as the date for the next round of talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a press conference. In his remarks, Lavrov said the talks would be a continuation of the process launched during earlier negotiations on May 16 in Istanbul. "In Istanbul, it was agreed that Moscow and Kyiv would prepare documents setting out the positions of each side to reach a sustainable resolution," Lavrov said. "The Russian side, as agreed, promptly drafted a corresponding memorandum, which lays out our position on all aspects of reliably overcoming the root causes of the crisis." Under the guise of so-called "root causes," Russia has repeatedly reiterated its long-standing maximalist demands of Ukraine — the same ones it has voiced since the start of the full-scale invasion and has used as propaganda to justify its aggression against Ukraine. Among them, Moscow insists Kyiv withdraw from four partially occupied Ukrainian regions it claims to have annexed. Russia's memorandum also reportedly includes a written pledge that NATO will not expand further eastward, effectively blocking Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova from joining, as well as the lifting of some Western sanctions, resolution of frozen Russian assets, and "the protection of Russian-speaking Ukrainians." Lavrov added that the Russian delegation, led by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, is prepared to present this memorandum to the Ukrainian side and provide necessary clarifications during the second round of negotiations in Istanbul on June 2. Read also: EU announces new Black Sea security strategy to counter Russian threats, top diplomat says Ukrainian long-range drones hit the Raduga enterprise in the town of Dubna in Moscow Oblast, which produces cruise missiles, a source in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) told the Kyiv Independent on May 28. The drones also successfully struck the Kronstadt drone enterprise in the same town, the Angstrem microelectronics plant in Zelenograd in Moscow Oblast, and the Dmitrievsky Chemical Plant in Ivanovo Oblast, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported. Ukrainian drones bypassed Russian air defenses near Raduga and hit the assembly and outfitting workshops of the plant, which were still on fire as of 3 p.m. local time, the source said. The factory, located 130 kilometers (80 miles) from Moscow, produces Kh-101/555, Kh-69, and Kh-59MK missiles used in attacks against Ukraine. The Raduga enterprise is a part of the Tactical Missile Defense Corporation. Earlier in the day, independent news channel Astra reported that drones attacked the Kronstadt drone facility, publishing videos shot by local residents showing a drone flying over the city. The videos also show smoke rising above the area where the enterprise is located. The Kronstadt facility specializes in the production of Orion, Molniya, Grom, and other drones, according to the Ukrainian military. Read also: Ukrainian Security Service charges captured Russian soldier with executing POWs Eleven more Ukrainian children have been successfully returned from Russian-occupied territories as part of the national "Bring Kids Back UA" initiative, Daria Zarivna, an advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff and head of the project, said on May 28. Among those rescued is a young girl whose mother and brother, both defenders of the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, spent more than three years in Russian captivity. "All this time, the mother did not know whether she would ever see her children again. During the exchange, she met her son on the bus, and today she was finally able to hug her little girl," Zarivna said. Another boy was reunited with his father and brother, both Ukrainian soldiers. The father has been serving on the front lines, while the brother had also been held in Russian captivity for over three years. Zarivna also said a teenage boy who had been orphaned was rescued from Russian forces. The child had been kidnapped from his school, held in a basement, tortured, and nearly conscripted into the Russian army days before his 18th birthday. The operation is the latest in a series of rescue missions under Bring Kids Back UA, a national initiative launched by Zelensky to coordinate the return of children abducted during Russia's full-scale invasion. U.S. President Donald Trump said on May 28 the U.S. would soon know whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is serious about ending the war in Ukraine, warning that if Moscow is stalling, Washington would "respond a little bit differently." Trump said his Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is currently negotiating with Russian side, claiming he "is doing a phenomenal job." "We're going to find out very soon. It'll take about two weeks, or week and a half,' Trump told reporters during a briefing, responding to a question on whether Putin wants to end the war. "They seem to want to do something. But until the document is signed, I can't tell you... I'm very disappointed at what happened. A couple of nights now where people were killed in the middle of what you would call a negotiation." Trump did not clarify which document he was referring to. Trump said he disapproved of Russia's recent missile attacks on Ukrainian cities during ongoing diplomatic efforts. "That's no good. We're not going to allow it," he said. Read also: If Germany sends Taurus missiles to Ukraine, Russia has a major Crimean Bridge problem Germany has unveiled a military aid package for Ukraine worth 5 billion euros ($5.65 billion), the country's Defense Ministry said in a statement on May 28 after Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Volodymyr Zelensky met in Berlin. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov signed the accord in Berlin's Bendlerblock, the headquarters of the German Defense Ministry. The agreement includes direct German investments in Ukraine's defense industry and a broader treaty between Kyiv and German arms manufacturers. Under the new agreement, Germany will help fund the production of long-range weapons systems inside Ukraine — tapping into the country's existing industrial capacities and technical expertise, the statement read. German Defense Ministry said a significant number of these systems are expected to be manufactured by the end of 2025, with the first batch ready for deployment in the coming weeks. Since these systems are already in service with the Ukrainian military, no additional training is needed for their use. Berlin also reaffirmed its commitment to supply Ukraine with critical ammunition and weapons. The arms heading Kyiv's way include air defense systems, artillery, systems of land weapons and handguns. No Taurus missiles were publicly announced as part of the package. The meeting between Merz and Zelensky in Berlin was preceded by speculation that Germany would finally reverse its long-held policy of not sending Taurus missiles to Kyiv over fears of escalating the war against Russia. Ukraine War Latest is put together by the Kyiv Independent news desk team, who keep you informed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you value our work and want to ensure we have the resources to continue, join the Kyiv Independent community. We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
