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 […]
Tag: Russia
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 […]
Russia and China eye NATO’s ‘Arctic Achilles heel’
by Pierre-Henry Deshayes Agence France-Presse BARENTSBURG, Norway (AFP) — Russian flags flap in the stiff polar breeze, a bust of Lenin looms out of the snow and a vast slogan declares, “Communism is our goal!” No, this is not some time warp Soviet settlement lost in the Arctic wastes, but a corner of Norway where Moscow can — theoretically at least — mine, build, drill and fish what it likes. Welcome to Spitsbergen, the largest island […]
Russia demands Ukraine surrender as NATO readies for Finland, Sweden membership
by Max Delany with Benoit Finck in Kremenchuk Agence France-Presse MADRID, Spain (AFP) — Western allies vowed on Tuesday to boost NATO’s defenses and to back Ukraine to the end as Moscow demanded Kyiv’s surrender. As NATO leaders gathered in Madrid for a summit, alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg said Finland and Sweden would be formally invited to join NATO after Turkey lifted its block on their bids. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had stubbornly refused […]
Russia demands Ukraine surrender as G7 vows to make Moscow pay
KREMENCHUK, Ukraine, June 28, 2022 (AFP) by Benoit FINCK / with Deborah COLE in Elmau Castle Russia vowed on Tuesday its assault on Ukraine would continue until Kyiv surrenders, as world leaders warned that Moscow would pay for its aggression. The G7 group of the world’s most powerful democracies met in Germany to send a message that they remain united behind Ukraine’s embattled government. And, ahead of a key meeting of the NATO allies, US […]
US implements G7 sanctions targeting Russian military, gold
WASHINGTON, June 28, 2022 (AFP) – Washington announced steps Tuesday to implement the new sanctions on Russia as agreed by G7 leaders, targeting Moscow’s defense industry, raising tariffs and banning gold imports from the country. The latest moves “strike at the heart of Russia’s ability to develop and deploy weapons and technology used for Vladimir Putin’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine,” the US Treasury Department said in a statement. The sanctions target Rostec, Russia’s […]
Russia fails to pay debt but denies default
MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russia said Monday that two of its debt payments were blocked from reaching creditors, pushing the country closer to its first foreign default in a century due to sanctions over the Ukraine offensive. The announcement came on the 124th day of Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine, with Western sanctions so far failing to force the Kremlin to change its course. The Western economic penalties have largely severed the country from the […]
G7 denounces ‘war crime’ as Russian strike kills shoppers
by Blaise Gauquelin with Michelle Fitzpatrick and Valerie Leroux in Elmau Castle, Germany Agence France-Presse KYIV, Ukraine (AFP) — A Russian missile strike on a crowded mall in central Ukraine killed at least 16 people Monday in what Group of Seven leaders branded “a war crime” at a meeting in Germany where they looked to step up sanctions on Moscow. The leaders vowed that Russian President Vladimir Putin and those responsible would be held to […]
Putin guarantees supply of fertilizers to Brazil
BRASÍLIA, Brazil (AFP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday promised his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro that Russia “is committed” to maintaining its delivery of much-needed fertilizers to the South American agricultural giant. Speaking in Brasilia, Bolsonaro said the two leaders had discussed by telephone “food security” and “energy insecurity,” without giving more details. In its own statement on the conversation, the Kremlin said Putin “stressed that Russia is committed to carry out its obligations […]
16 killed, 59 wounded in missile strike on Ukraine mall: emergency services
KYIV, Ukraine (AFP) — The toll from a Russian missile strike on a shopping mall in the central city of Kremenchuk has risen to 16 dead and 59 wounded, the head of Ukraine’s emergency services said early Tuesday. “As of now, we know of 16 dead and 59 wounded, 25 of them hospitalized. The information is being updated,” Sergiy Kruk said on Telegram. He said the main tasks were “rescue works, debris removal, and elimination […]
Turkish firm gifts drones to Ukraine
ISTANBUL, Turkey (AFP) — Turkish drone-manufacturer Baykar, which has President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s son-in-law as one of its directors, offered three of its drones to the Ukrainian army on Monday. In a statement posted on Twitter, the company noted that a crowdfunding campaign had raised enough money to buy several of its TB2 UAVs “for Ukrainians to use in defense of their Homeland”. “Baykar will not accept payment for the TB2s, and will send 3 […]





