Tag: conflict

Inspired by Ukraine, civilians study urban warfare in Taiwan

by Sean Chang Agence France-Presse  NEW TAIPEI CITY, Taiwan (AFP) — Dressed in military camouflage with an assault rifle at the ready, “Prof” Yeh peers from behind a vehicle in a parking lot outside Taipei, scanning his surroundings and waiting for a signal to advance. Yeh actually works in marketing, and his weapon is a replica — but he is spending the weekend attending an urban warfare workshop to prepare for what he sees as […]

Evacuations as Russia advances in Ukraine’s Donbas

  by Nicolas GARCIA SLOVIANSK, Ukraine (AFP)  – The evacuation of desperate civilians from Sloviansk pressed on Wednesday as Russian troops pushed towards the eastern Ukrainian city in their campaign to control the Donbas region. Sloviansk has been hit by heavy bombardment as Russian forces advance westwards on day 133 of the invasion. “Twenty years of work; everything is lost. No more income, no more wealth,” Yevgen Oleksandrovych, 66, told AFP as he surveyed the […]

Fierce shelling in eastern Ukraine as NATO heralds its ‘historic’ expansion

by Benoit Finck, with Dmytro Gorshkov in Kyiv Agence France-Presse SLOVIANSK, Ukraine (AFP) — Fighting raged on Tuesday in and around Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region as Russian troops tried to maintain a series of battlefield gains, while NATO pressed ahead with Finland and Sweden’s momentous membership bids. Moscow’s forces — buoyed by seizing several cities in the Donbas in recent weeks — continued to press west, pounding their next key target, the city of Sloviansk, […]

Wheat war: Ukraine conflict raises hunger fears

by Sofia Bouderbala  Agence France-Presse PARIS, France (AFP) — Russia’s invasion of agricultural power Ukraine has severely disrupted the global wheat market, prompting warnings that the conflict could lead to hunger in some countries. – Why is wheat irreplaceable? – Wheat is milled into flour to make a huge range of foods, from bread to pasta to desserts. “Everyone eats wheat, but not everyone is capable of producing it,” says Bruno Parmentier, an economist and […]

Thailand scrambles F-16s as Myanmar jet violates airspace

  BANGKOK, Thailand (AFP)  – Thailand scrambled F-16s after a Myanmar jet involved in clashes with anti-coup fighters violated its airspace, officials said Thursday, as a regional envoy urging dialogue visits Yangon. Fighting in eastern Myanmar has escalated since a putsch last year ousted a civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, with thousands fleeing to Thailand to escape the violence according to the United Nations. The conflict has sparked concern among Myanmar’s neighbours, […]

Ukraine retreats from key city in major Russian gain

by Benoit Finck, with Dmytro Gorshkov in Kyiv Agence France-Presse SIVERSK, Ukraine (AFP) — The Ukrainian army retreated from the strategic city of Lysychansk Sunday, as Russia claimed a major victory by seizing control of the entire eastern Lugansk region. The Ukrainian withdrawal followed weeks of fierce fighting and marked a decisive breakthrough for Moscow’s forces more than four months after their invasion and after turning their focus away from the capital Kyiv. Lysychansk had […]

Indonesian president delivers Zelensky’s message to Putin

  MOSCOW, June 30, 2022 (AFP) –  Indonesian President Joko Widodo said in Moscow on Thursday he delivered a message from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Putin hosted Widodo more than four months into Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine, as Russia seeks to pivot toward Asia and Africa following the onset of unprecedented Western sanctions. Indonesia holds the rotating presidency of the G20 this year and is preparing to host a summit […]

Ukraine begins electricity exports to EU: Zelensky

  KYIV, Ukraine (AFP) — Ukraine has started exporting electricity to the European Union, via Romania, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, as Russia reduces gas supplies to the bloc which is supporting Kyiv in resisting Moscow’s invasion. Several European countries, including Italy and Germany, are highly reliant upon Russian gas for their energy needs but have been forced to look for alternatives as Moscow slashes deliveries. Speaking Thursday, Zelensky said Ukraine had “launched a significant export […]

Erdogan warns Turkey may still block Nordic NATO drive

MADRID, Spain (AFP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday told Sweden and Finland that he could still block their drives to join NATO if they fail to implement a new accession deal with Ankara. Erdogan issued his blunt warning at the end of a NATO summit at which the US-led alliance formally invited the Nordic countries to join the 30-nation bloc. The two nations dropped their history of military non-alignment and announced plans […]

Russia quits Snake Island, weakening blockade of Ukraine ports

by Dmytro Gorshkov with Sebastian Smith in Madrid Agence France-Presse KYIV, Ukraine (AFP) — Russian troops have abandoned their positions on a captured Ukrainian island, a major setback to their invasion effort that weakens their blockade of Ukraine’s ports, defense officials said on Thursday. The news from the Black Sea came as NATO leaders wrapped up their summit in Madrid, with US President Joe Biden announcing $800 million in new weapons to help Ukraine fight […]

First grain ship since offensive leaves Russia-occupied Ukraine port

  MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — A ship carrying 7,000 tonnes of grain has sailed from Ukraine’s occupied port of Berdyansk, the region’s Moscow-appointed official said on Thursday, marking the first grain shipment since the start of hostilities. “After numerous months of delay, the first merchant ship has left the Berdyansk commercial port, 7,000 tonnes of grain are heading toward friendly countries,” Evgeny Balitsky, the head of the pro-Russia administration, said on Telegram. Russia’s Black Sea […]

No problem’ for Russia if Finland, Sweden join NATO: Putin

  ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan (AFP) — Russia has “no problem” if Finland and Sweden join NATO, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday. “We don’t have problems with Sweden and Finland like we do with Ukraine,” Putin told a news conference in the Turkmenistan capital of Ashgabat. “We don’t have territorial differences,” the Russian leader continued. “There is nothing that could bother us about Sweden and Finland joining NATO. If Finland and Sweden wish to, they can […]