Latest news with #YuriyBoyechko
01-08-2025
- Politics
Russia launches 6,400 drones, missiles into Ukraine in record-breaking month
LONDON -- More than three years into Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukrainians across the country retreat each night to bomb shelters and metro stations in a nightly ritual necessitated by the long reach of Moscow's drones and missiles. This summer, Ukrainians are spending more time in such shelters than ever before. The first bombardments of Kyiv and other major cities began in the early morning of Feb. 24, 2022, as Russian troops surged across Ukraine's borders on several axes. In the years since, the attacks have never stopped. Through July, Russia launched a record 6,443 drones and missiles into the country, according to data published by the Ukrainian air force. The total is the highest of the war to date, and around 13% more than were recorded in June. The scale and complexity of Russia's drone and missile barrages have steadily increased through the war. The Iranian-designed Shahed strike drone -- adopted enthusiastically by the Russian military and rebranded as the Geran -- has become the workhorse of Moscow's nightly harassment of Ukrainian cities and vital infrastructure. For many Ukrainians, the "flying mopeds," as the Shahed and Geran variants have become known due to their distinctive sound, are emblematic of the Russian threat. The strikes are terrorizing and deadly. June saw the highest monthly level of Ukrainian civilian casualties in more than three years, according to data published by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine -- 232 people killed and 1,343 people injured. Neither Russia nor Ukraine publish data detailing the scale of their own strike campaigns. Ukraine's air force publishes a daily tally of Russian drone and missile strikes, while Russia's Defense Ministry only publishes figures of Ukrainian drones shot down. July marked a high-water mark for Russian drone attacks on Ukraine. Data published by the Ukrainian air force and analyzed by ABC News recorded a total of 6,245 attack and decoy drones launched into the country over the past month at an average rate of around 201 per day. Russia also launched 198 missiles, with an average of more than six each day. Though Ukraine's interception rate is significant, plenty of projectiles arrive with devastating effect. July saw around 89% of drones and around 61% of missiles shot down or otherwise suppressed. By comparison, June saw 5,438 drones and 239 missiles fired into Ukraine, with a daily average of 181 drones and nearly eight missiles. The air force downed or suppressed 87.2% of all drones and 73% of missiles during June. And in May, Russia launched a total of 3,835 drones and 117 missiles, for an average of around 124 drones and nearly four missiles each day. Across the month, 85.7% of drones and 57% of missiles were shot down or suppressed. "Right now, Ukraine sees around 300 to 400 drones attacking civilian targets every day -- these types of numbers were unheard of in 2023 or 2024," Yuriy Boyechko, the founder and CEO of the Hope for Ukraine charity, told ABC News. Moscow shows no sign of letting up. Russian officials and media have made much of the country's growing drone production capabilities. A recent report by the Zvezda television channel, for example, showed operations at a Geran factory in Alabuga in Russia's Republic of Tatarstan, with workers constructing and piling up dozens of attack drones ready for delivery. The design of the attack drones is ever-evolving. The first were light gray-colored craft flying low and relatively slow to their targets, carrying high-explosive and fragmentation payloads and powered by turbines. More recently, Geran variants painted black with special material to hide from radar fly higher and with tortuous routes to evade Ukrainian defense teams. Some are armed with thermobaric warheads, are armored and some are powered by jet engines. Ukrainian defenders have also reported that recent Gerans are using AI targeting systems. Russian forces may soon be able to launch 1,000 to 2,000 drones per day, according to recent warnings issued by the Institute for the Study of War think tank and German Maj. Gen. Christian Freuding. Pasi Paroinen, an OSINT analyst at the Finland-based Black Bird Group, told ABC News he believes it feasible that Russia could soon launch 1,000 drones per night. The drone barrages are effective and relatively affordable. Various estimates for the cost of domestically-produced Gerans range from around $10,000 to $50,000. Though the Western sanctions campaign has complicated Russian military procurement efforts, components from Western companies are still found in their dozens in downed Gerans -- a fact repeatedly highlighted by frustrated officials in Kyiv. The mix of strike and decoy drones poses a "very nasty" problem for Ukraine's thinly-stretched air defense, Paroinen said. "They have been doing pretty well intercepting them overall. But it's also tying up Ukrainian manpower -- they have to have those groups of mobile anti-aircraft groups rolling around the countryside, shooting these things down." "The general consensus among analysts is that this is going to be a major problem," Paroinen said. "And this is a production capability that won't be going away, even if the war ends it will still have implications for the rest of Europe as well, that Russia will be able to produce and stockpile these weapons in pretty intense numbers." President Donald Trump's repeated interventions seem to also have failed to move the needle. The president has repeatedly expressed his frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin's continuation and expansion of drone and missile strikes on Ukraine. Putin, Trump said earlier this month, "talks nice and then bombs everybody." Ukraine has used its own fast-evolving drone arsenal to target drone production facilities deep inside Russia, but to little apparent avail. Kyiv is increasing the intensity of its drone attacks into Russia. Across July, the Defense Ministry in Moscow reported downing 3,008 Ukrainian drones at an average of around 97 per day. In June, the ministry reported downing a total of 2,368 Ukrainian drones, with an average of almost 79 drones per day across the month. Those figures were down from May, during which the ministry said it shot down 3,611 drones with an average of 116 per day. But, Paroinen said, there is little Ukraine can do about Russia's growing drone production capability. "It's far enough away from the front lines that there are not really that many weapons that can reach it. Maybe some very long-range drones, but overall, trying to destroy such a factory is beyond their means," he said. "To take down a big industrial complex really takes a lot more firepower and explosives than they can deliver, even if they launch hundreds of drones and have dozens of them hit the target," he continued. "It's not that easy -- and usually the damage can be repaired pretty quickly."
Newsweek
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
'Dangerous' US Halt to Ukraine Aid Could See Russian Battlefield Gains
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. A Ukrainian aid group told Newsweek the White House's recent move to pause weapons deliveries to Kyiv was "dangerous and irresponsible." On Tuesday, the U.S. confirmed it had paused the delivery of some of Ukraine's most in-demand equipment and supplies. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said the decision was made "to put America's interests first" following a review of U.S. military support to other countries. But it has prompted bipartisan criticism in the U.S. and Yuriy Boyechko, CEO and founder of Hope for Ukraine, predicted it would mean an increase in Ukrainian civilian casualties. The D.C.-based think tank Institute for the Study of War said the U.S. halt of weaponry on air defense interceptors, artillery shells, missiles and rockets would lead to Russian gains as previous American aid suspensions have in the past. Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment. This image from March 6, 2025 shows a Patriot air defense system installed at the military hub for Ukraine at the Rzeszow-Jasionka airport in Jasionka, southeast Poland. This image from March 6, 2025 shows a Patriot air defense system installed at the military hub for Ukraine at the Rzeszow-Jasionka airport in Jasionka, southeast It Matters The U.S. has provided about $67 billion in military aid to Ukraine over the full-scale invasion. Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, there have been concerns from Kyiv and its allies about the U.S.'s continuing commitment to this aid. Critics of the U.S. aid suspension say the move is likely to help Russia's military operations against Ukraine only weeks after Moscow launched a summer offensive across multiple parts of the front line. The U.S. move is feared to degrade Ukraine's ability to defend against long-range missile and drone strike capabilities that kill civilians. What To Know Politico first reported that a review of U.S. munitions stockpiles had raised concerns over a dip in the Department of Defense's stockpiles, and that an initial decision to hold back some military aid pledged during the previous administration was made almost a month ago. Aid halted had come through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) and donations pulled from U.S. military stocks, which have dwindled due to heavy involvement in the Middle East. The ISW, citing Western media reports, said the U.S. pause on weapons will affect PAC-3 interceptors for Patriot air defense systems, Stinger man-portable air defense systems, 155mm high explosive howitzer munitions and Hellfire air-to-ground missiles. Also impacted will be the supply of Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rockets, grenade launchers and AIM air-to-air missiles. Like previous U.S. aid suspensions to Kyiv, Russia is likely to exploit the halt to push for battlefield gains, the ISW said. This has happened near Avdiivka, in the Donetsk region in mid-January 2024 and in the Kursk region following the suspension of U.S. intelligence-sharing in early March 2025. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov welcomed the U.S. move Wednesday saying the fewer weapons Ukraine receives, the sooner the war ends. The ISW said the suspension will consolidate Vladimir Putin's theory he can win a war of attrition with slow advances by outlasting Western support for Ukraine. Boyechko, from Hope for Ukraine, a group helping communities near the front line, told Newsweek Ukrainian civilians will bear the brunt of the U.S. aid freeze. Ukraine needed air defense weapons more than ever as Moscow steps up its daily attacks on civilian targets, he added. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), the co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, posting on X, he will be "demanding accountability" for the move and sent a letter to the White House. Representative Michael McCaul (R-TX) said the freeze comes "at the wrong time" and will look into whether it breaches 2024 legislation on aid to Ukraine, Politico reported. And Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, called the decision, "fallacious and maybe even disingenuous." What People Are Saying White House spokesperson Anna Kelly: "This decision was made to put America's interests first following a review of our nation's military support and assistance to other countries across the globe." Yuriy Boyechko, CEO and founder of Hope for Ukraine: "The decision by the White House to freeze shipments of air defense and precision-guided weapons to Ukraine is dangerous and irresponsible." "These are defensive weapons that the Ukrainian military uses to protect civilians from daily attacks by Russian missiles and drones." Representative Brian Fitzpatrick wrote on X: "Ukraine's courage must continue to be met with action, and the United States must continue to lead with clarity and purpose." What Happens Next Fitzpatrick has called on the White House and the Department of Defense to hold an emergency briefing but as of Wednesday, it was unclear when the pause would start after Ukraine's Defense Ministry said it has not received formal notification of delays or cancellations.
Chicago Tribune
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Pauses on US foreign aid and other grants send funders and nonprofits scrambling
NEW YORK — Freezing foreign aid. Withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement. Prohibiting nonprofits that receive U.S. foreign aid from providing abortions. Then Monday, the new Trump administration announced a freeze on all federal loans and grants, though that pause has been rescinded. Nonprofits of all sizes are now grappling with how these changes will impact their missions — with some even stepping in to replace a very small part of the funding the U.S. government is withholding. Trump White House rescinds memo freezing federal grants after widespread confusion The U.S. government is the largest single global humanitarian funder, giving $13.9 billion in 2024, and largest supporter of U.N. agencies, meaning any changes to foreign assistance have sweeping impacts across geographies and issues. The State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development are the main agencies that oversee foreign assistance, which Trump paused for 90 days to review if every grant and dollar aligns with his foreign policy. Yuriy Boyechko, who founded the New Jersey-based nonprofit, Hope for Ukraine, said he woke up to a barrage of messages on Sunday from the grassroots organizations he works with in Ukraine. They feared what would happen if USAID stops making grants there. He pointed specifically to programs sending trucks of firewood to rural areas that don't have electricity. The people who remain are often elderly and poor, he said, and use the wood both to heat their homes and to cook. 'I really don't know how they're going to get through the winter,' he said. The organizations that make the deliveries are mostly volunteer run, Boyechko said, and don't have the capacity to buy the wood or fuel needed to transfer it without regular funding from USAID's office in Kyiv. He suggested that anyone who is concerned about the funding for humanitarian aid in Ukraine call their representatives or the White House. 'What made America great and what makes America great is generosity. And this is not a good move for America, and this is not a good move for humanity as a whole,' he said, noting that Ukraine has really relied on the U.S. for its support. USAID said 'all programs and grants without a waiver approved by the Secretary of State,' are paused, but did not specifically say whether humanitarian aid to Ukraine would be halted. In fiscal year 2023, the most recent data available, $68 billion had been obligated in U.S. foreign aid to programs ranging from disaster relief to health and pro-democracy initiatives in 204 countries and regions. It is not the first time billionaire philanthropist Mike Bloomberg has stepped in after Trump announced he was withdrawing from the landmark Paris climate agreement. The former New York City mayor pledged on Jan. 23 to fund the U.S. government's share of the budget for the main offices of U.N. Climate Change. He also covered the cost of the U.S. commitment from 2016 to 2019, in the amount of $10.25 million. 'Being able to step in to be nimble and quick, not to replace the role of government, but just to show what's possible and to continue to move progress forward when governments are not, is really important to Bloomberg Philanthropies,' said Antha Williams, who leads its environment program. The U.N. climate body was established as part of the historic 2015 climate agreement that aims to keep warming under 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels. It organizes the annual climate negotiations, where countries set emissions reduction targets and commit to financing climate adaptation and mitigation measures, and tracks progress toward those goals. Williams said Bloomberg Philanthropies wanted to offer certainty to U.N. Climate Change that their budget would be met. In addition to funding the U.N. Climate Change secretariat, Bloomberg Philanthropies will continue to support a coalition now named America is All In. It brings together local governments, companies and universities, who report on progress toward climate goals, which the federal government will stop doing after pulling out of the agreement. Joanna Depledge, a historian of international climate negotiations, called that reporting 'critical, as it provides a picture of trends in emissions and therefore progress made toward,' the Paris agreement targets. Communication from USAID and the State Department with their grantees and contractors has been sparse, according to attorneys and consultants who work with foreign aid recipients. The publication Devex, which reports on international development, convened a webinar of experts on foreign aid on Monday to field questions about how to comply with stop work orders, how to manage cash flows, the likelihood of receiving a waiver. Susan Reichle, a retired senior USAID officer, said organizations need to make the case that their work is important not just to the agency, but to the American people and to Congress. 'Every day that goes by that the U.S. is not leading and meeting its obligations, whether contractual obligations or cooperative agreements or grants, we are actually hurting our national security,' she said. Some organizations are hit by both the pause on foreign aid and the order called the Global Gag Rule that prohibits nonprofits receiving U.S. foreign assistance from providing abortion services or even talking about abortion as a potential option. MSI Reproductive Choices, an international nonprofit that provides reproductive health services, did not sign onto the rule under the last Trump administration, meaning that it hasn't won that much U.S. funding in recent years. Still, a mobile health clinic they run in Zimbabwe is funded through the U.S. embassy there, and Beth Schlachter, senior director of U.S. external relations, said that work would stop unless another funder comes forward. However, she said no amount of philanthropic funding can make up for the loss or pause of U.S. funds, meaning large donors are facing very difficult choices. 'Given the breadth of what's just happened in the last week, it's not as if other donors are only looking at gaps in reproductive health services now. They're looking across the range of their development concerns,' she said. Originally Published: January 29, 2025 at 11:11 AM CST
Boston Globe
28-01-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Many Ukrainian aid groups stop work after Trump's halt on foreign assistance
Yuriy Boyechko, the founder and chief executive officer of Hope for Ukraine, which works with US-funded Ukrainian groups to supply firewood to front-line residents, said the impact of the halt in funding would be immediate. Deliveries will stop suddenly, he said, leaving people on their own in the middle of winter. 'They're going to feel the effect of this next week,' Boyechko said in an interview. 'This is just extremely harmful because you have millions of people in front-line areas near Kherson and Kharkiv who have been living without light for a long time. For them, firewood has been the only source of heat and a way to prepare food.' Advertisement Ivona Kostyna, chair of Veteran Hub, an organization that supports veterans and their families, said that the organization had stopped two major programs: one that works with Ukrainian employers on employment policies for veterans, and another that provides space for veterans. 'It is on pause, but in fact for us, 90 days of pause means losing our team, our space, our clients' trust,' she said. The sudden stop in funding 'undermines the reliability of the partnership,' Kostyna said. After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 set off, by some accounts, the largest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II, European nations shouldered most of the burden of taking in refugees who fled Ukraine. The United States, for its part, helped to limit the flow of refugees by funding humanitarian programs that assisted internally displaced people. Advertisement An Agency for International Development spokesperson in Washington confirmed Tuesday to The New York Times that all programs and grants without a waiver approved by the secretary of state had been paused for 90 days, while the audit is continuing. The State Department said in a statement that the aid freeze was justified by the need to 'refocus on American national interests' and that it would no longer 'blindly dole out money with no return for the American people.' US Embassy officials in Ukraine requested exemptions to preserve aid for the country, according to Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, a Ukrainian lawmaker. The Financial Times first reported the request. In an interview, Yurchyshyn said discussions about granting waivers for Ukrainian assistance were continuing. Continuing the aid, Yurchyshyn said, will counter 'the narrative of totalitarian countries that democracies are unstable partners, and you can never be sure democracies will help you.' The Trump administration's threat to indefinitely cut all aid also has some groups fearing retribution if they speak out against the freeze. Ukraine also has numerous media projects that survive on grants, allowing them to stay independent. Dozens of media organizations in Ukraine are now calling for support. Bogdan Logvynenko, a founder at Ukrainer, which publishes articles about Ukraine in foreign languages, said he did not expect that financing from the United States would resume after the 90-day audit was completed. 'Our only chance is ourselves,' he said in a plea for public donations. Ukrainian independent media currently receive more than 80 percent of their funding from the United States, Logvynenko said. Advertisement This article originally appeared in
New York Times
28-01-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Many Ukrainian Aid Groups Stop Work After Trump's Halt on Foreign Assistance
A week after the Trump administration abruptly ordered a sweeping halt to U.S. foreign development aid, the effect is already being felt in war-torn Ukraine. Several humanitarian organizations say they have been forced to suspend operations, including assistance to war veterans and internally displaced people. The orders, which were issued while the Trump administration conducts a 90-day audit of foreign aid, have sent a chill through humanitarian organizations in Ukraine, which depend heavily on such assistance. The United States, the largest single source of aid to Ukraine, has provided more than $37 billion in humanitarian aid, development assistance and direct budget support since the beginning of the war nearly three years ago through its Agency for International Development, also known as U.S.A.I.D. Yuriy Boyechko, the founder and chief executive of Hope for Ukraine, which works with U.S.-funded Ukrainian groups to supply firewood to frontline residents, said the impact of the halt in funding would be immediate. Deliveries will stop suddenly, he said, leaving people on their own in the middle of winter. 'They're going to feel the effect of this next week,' Mr. Boyechko said in an interview. 'This is just extremely harmful because you have millions of people in frontline areas near Kherson and Kharkiv who have been living without light for a long time. For them, firewood has been the only source of heat and a way to prepare food.' Ivona Kostyna, chairwoman of Veteran Hub, an organization that supports veterans and their families, said that the organization had already stopped two major programs: one that liaises with Ukrainian employers on employment policies for veterans, and another that provides space for veterans. 'It is on pause, but in fact for us, 90 days of pause means losing our team, our space, our clients' trust,' she said. The sudden stop in funding 'undermines the reliability of the partnership,' Ms. Kostyna said. After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 set off by some accounts the largest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II, European nations shouldered most of the burden of taking in refugees who fled Ukraine. The United States, for its part, helped to limit the flow of refugees by funding humanitarian programs that assisted internally displaced people. A U.S.A.I.D spokesperson in Washington confirmed on Tuesday to The New York Times that all programs and grants without a waiver approved by the secretary of state had been paused for 90 days, while the audit is continuing. The U.S. State Department said in a statement that the aid freeze was justified by the need to 'refocus on American national interests' and that it would no longer 'blindly dole out money with no return for the American people.' American officials at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine requested exemptions to preserve aid for the country, according to Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, a Ukrainian lawmaker. The Financial Times first reported the request. In an interview, Mr. Yurchyshyn said discussions about granting waivers for Ukrainian assistance were continuing. He expressed concern that programs providing emergency food aid would have to pause operations, even though they have been exempted globally from the orders. The funding 'reduces pressure on migration,' he said, as people can remain in their towns when schools and municipal services like water and natural gas operate. The aid agency has funded water system repairs and repairs for schools damaged by Russian artillery shelling. Continuing the aid, Mr. Yurchyshyn said, will also counter 'the narrative of totalitarian countries that democracies are unstable partners, and you can never be sure democracies will help you.' For now, however, most aid appears to have been halted. An email from the State Department to one group, dated Jan. 24 and viewed by The New York Times, said that 'all foreign assistance awards are immediately suspended' and that the group 'must stop all work on the program and not incur any new costs' after Jan. 24. The group was instructed to cancel as many outstanding obligations as possible. The Trump administration's threat to indefinitely cut all aid also has some groups fearing retribution if they speak out against the freeze. In an email seen by The Times, ACTED, a major French organization operating in Ukraine and partly funded by the United States, instructed a Ukrainian partner group to 'stop/suspend all work until further notice.' It added that the group should not 'communicate and comment publicly,' warning that 'organizations may be subject to sanctions globally.' A manager from the Ukrainian partner group, speaking anonymously due to concerns about retaliation, said the directive would force her to lay off nearly 100 employees immediately and not pay their salaries, which are due by the end of the month. The head of a separate Ukrainian organization, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, said it had been asked to suspend the development of new projects and rethink portfolios so that no activities related to gender or gay rights issues were listed. Ukraine also has numerous media projects that survive on grants, allowing them to stay independent. Dozens of media organizations in Ukraine are now calling for support. Bogdan Logvynenko, a founder at Ukrainer, which publishes articles about Ukraine in foreign languages, said he did not expect that financing from the United States would resume after the 90-day audit was completed. 'Our only chance is ourselves,' he says in a plea for public donations. Ukrainian independent media currently receive more than by 80 percent of their funding from the United States, Mr. Logvynenko said. Not all groups appear to have been notified that they should halt operations. Oksana Kuiantseva, a board member at the charity foundation East SOS, said that the organization had not received any notice of suspension. Most groups interviewed expressed growing concern. 'The situation shows how close big geopolitics can be,' said Lesyk Yakymchuk, director of Linza, a nongovernmental group. An election in another country can halt, for example, an online learning program for children in Ukraine, he said. 'Such is the obvious dependence and influence on our small lives on this big game.'
