Latest news with #Zelensky
The Independent
3 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin minister issues recession warning while Russia admits massive losses on frontline
Russian economy is 'on the verge of recession', the country's economy minister said yesterday as Moscow hosted the St Petersburg International Economic Forum for the fourth time since invading Ukraine in February 2022. His remarks come as Russian ambassador to the UK accidentally shared an estimate of Russia 's massive losses on the battlefield. Ambassador Andrey Kelin, talking to the CNN, dismissed the one million casualties figure but said that "about 600,000" Russian soldiers were fighting in Ukraine and said that Russia was enrolling 50,000-60,000 volunteers every month. Yesterday, Russian president Vladimir Putin claimed that he is willing to meet Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky but only for a 'final phase' of talks. only join the talks to finally 'put an end' to the conflict. It is not the first time - nor will it be the last - that Putin has supposedly signalled a desire to end the war. Ukraine and its western backers say he is simply playing for time, appealing to Donald Trump while continuing to relentlessly bomb Ukraine in the meantime. Ukraine and Russia exchange more prisoners of war in latest swap Ukraine and Russia exchanged prisoners of war, officials from both countries said, the latest round of swaps under an agreement struck in Istanbul. President Volodymyr Zelensky posted images of the freed Ukrainian troops, smiling and draped in the national flag, most of whom had been held captive since the early months of Russia's February 2022 invasion, he said. The Ukrainian POWs exchanged yesterday were either sick or injured, according to Kyiv's coordinating council for POWs. The Russian POWs would also be sent for treatment and rehabilitation, Moscow's defence ministry said. Neither Ukraine nor Russia, whose talks on ending the war have yielded few results besides the exchange of prisoners or remains, provided an exact figure of how many POWs had been exchanged. Arpan Rai20 June 2025 06:45 Watch: Russia's defence of Iran shows need to tighten sanctions, says Zelensky Arpan Rai20 June 2025 06:40 North Korea will send 5,000 military construction workers to Russia, Kremlin says North Korea is sending 5,000 military construction workers and 1,000 sappers to Russia 's Kursk oblast, where Moscow is repairing widespread damage from a Ukrainian incursion, according to a top Kremlin official. Presidential security adviser Sergei Shoigu said the workers would help rebuild the strategic border region, which was invaded by the Ukrainian military last August and retaken by Russian forces earlier this year. The dispatch of the workers was discussed in Mr Shoigu's meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, state media outlet KCNA reported on Wednesday. North Korea will send 5,000 military construction workers to Russia, says Kremlin Sergei Shoigu says North Korean workers will help repair damage from Ukrainian incursion in Kursk Arpan Rai20 June 2025 06:17 Russia claims South Africa invited Putin to G20 summit South Africa formally invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the G20 summit, a Russian diplomat has claimed. "Last week, we received an official invitation. This is an appeal from the head of state, the president of South Africa (Cyril Ramaphosa), to his colleagues," Russian Ambassador-at-large Marat Berdyev told state-owned media outlet RIA. The summit will take place in Johannesburg from November 22 to 23. However, South Africa is a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), meaning it is obliged to arrest Mr Putin on arrival. An arrest warrant was issued for the Russian leader in March 2023 over allegations of illegal deportation of Ukrainian children during Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Arpan Rai20 June 2025 06:15 Spain rejects Nato defence spending increase Spain has rejected a Nato proposal to spend 5 per cent of GDP on defence needs set to be unveiled next week, claiming it is "unreasonable." In a letter sent yesterday to Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte, Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez said that Spain "cannot commit to a specific spending target in terms of GDP". His comments reveal divisions in the bloc ahead next week's Nato summit in The Hague. "For Spain, committing to a 5 per cent target would not only be unreasonable, but also counterproductive, as it would move Spain away from optimal spending and it would hinder the EU's ongoing efforts to strengthen its security and defence ecosystem," Mr Sanchez wrote in the letter seen by The Associated Press. Arpan Rai20 June 2025 06:05 Ukraine's nuclear plant cannot restart during war, says UN nuclear watchdog The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine cannot resume operations until challenges related to the availability of cooling water and off-site power are fully resolved, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said. "Based on the discussions at the site this week, it is clear that there is a general consensus among all parties that the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant cannot start operating again as long as this large-scale war continues," the UN nuclear watchdog said in a statement. Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Europe's largest nuclear power plant (NPP) situated in Ukraine's east, has not been generating electricity for almost three years now, and its location on the frontline of the conflict continues to put nuclear safety in constant jeopardy, the IAEA said. 'Its off-site power situation also remains extremely fragile, with only one power line currently functioning compared with ten before the conflict. In addition, the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in mid-2023 means the ZNPP does not have sufficient water to cool six operating reactors,' the statement yesterday added. Arpan Rai20 June 2025 05:52 German general dismisses Putin's Taurus warnings as 'nonsense' A German general dismissed repeated warnings by Russian president Vladimir Putin that delivering Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine might make it party to the war as 'nonsense'. "It is obviously nonsense and not correct that military aid - and this discussion has been going on for three years now - would constitute direct participation in the war," Major-General Christian Freuding, who is in charge of coordinating German military aid to Kyiv, told public broadcaster ZDF. 20 June 2025 05:36 Putin-Trump meeting 'not currently on the table', Kremlin says A meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump is not currently on the table, the Kremlin has said. "Until the necessary 'homework' is done to remove the irritants in our relations with the United States, it makes no sense to organize a meeting," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. The US President has repeatedly raised the issue of meeting with Mr Putin, saying it would help accelerate efforts to end the war in Ukraine. However, the pair have not met since he began his second presidency in January. Arpan Rai20 June 2025 05:30 Zelensky to attend Nato summit in Hague - reports Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to attend the Nato summit in The Hague later this month, according to reports. A source in the Ukrainian presidency told AFP that Mr Zelensky would attend the summit, scheduled for June 24-25. 'The decision will be made on the eve of the summit. This is just the schedule,' the source said. They described the meeting as 'an opportunity to maintain support and promote a ceasefire'. Arpan Rai20 June 2025 05:08 Zelensky announces new commander of Ukraine's land forces Ukrainian presiden Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed Hennadiy Shapovalov as commander of Ukraine's land forces, replacing a commander who resigned over a Russian strike on a training area. Mr Shapovalov, whose appointment was announced in a presidential decree, had previously acted as a liaison at a Nato coordination centre in Germany. Before that, he has served as commander of the forces of the Operational Command South. Mr Zelensky, speaking later in his nightly video address, said the incoming military chief's experience in working with Nato would be put to good use in introducing changes in Ukraine's forces. "All this useful experience of this coordination and all the real combat experience of our soldiers must be applied now within Ukraine's land forces," he said. "Changes are needed and this is an imperative." Mr Shapovalov takes over as head of land forces from Mykhailo Drapatyi, who tendered his resignation this month after a deadly Russian strike on a training camp in southeastern Ukraine. Arpan Rai
The Independent
7 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin claims he will meet Zelensky after Kyiv accuses him of rejecting ceasefire for 100 days
Vladimir Putin has claimed he is willing to meet Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky but only for a 'final phase' of talks. He told international news outlets in St Petersburg that he would only join the talks to finally 'put an end' to the conflict. It is not the first time - nor will it be the last - that Putin has supposedly signalled a desire to end the war. Ukraine and its western backers say he is simply playing for time, appealing to Donald Trump while continuing to relentlessly bomb Ukraine in the meantime. Dozens of civilians have been killed in Ukraine in recent weeks following a surge in Russian aerial attacks. Ukraine's foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, said this morning it had been 100 days of Russia 'manipulating … opportunities to end the war', referencing Kyiv 's acceptance of a US-proposed 30-day ceasefire back in March and Moscow 's refusal to agree to it. '100 days of Russian manipulations and missed opportunities to end the war. 100 days of Russia escalating terror against Ukraine rather than ending it,' Mr Sybiha wrote on X.
Russia Today
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Americans irritated by Zelensky's top aide
A growing number of American officials – from Capitol Hill to the Trump administration – are expressing deep frustration with Vladimir Zelensky's powerful chief of staff, Andrey Yermak, according to a Politico report. Yermak's repeated visits to Washington since the escalation of the conflict with Moscow in 2022 have been seen as increasingly unproductive and even counterproductive, according to ten people familiar with his interactions, the publication reported on Thursday. US officials describe Yermak as 'abrasive,' prone to pressing unclear demands, and 'uninformed' about the realities of US politics. His most recent trip to DC earlier this month included poorly attended briefings, last-minute meeting cancellations – including with Secretary Rubio – and confusion among aides about his purpose in town. 'We don't know why he's here,' one of the sources said, while another Trump administration source branded him a 'bipartisan irritator.' The Biden White House reportedly tolerated Yermak as an acceptable source of friction during wartime. But with President Donald Trump pressuring Kiev toward diplomacy, he now appears to have become an 'existential liability' for Ukraine, according to another source. Yermak dismissed the criticism, telling Politico through a spokesperson: 'If that means being considered 'challenging' by others — so be it,' stressing that he is focused on championing Ukraine's sovereignty regardless of political niceties. However, Yermak was reportedly 'extremely frustrated' with the results of his visit, according to another Politico source. One person described the trip as 'a disaster from the Ukrainian perspective.' Yermak is a former film producer whom Zelensky – an actor turned politician – brought into government in 2019. The 53-year-old has previously been described as 'Zelensky's right-hand man' and 'Ukraine's real power broker,' with some officials even claiming that he de facto runs the country.
Free Malaysia Today
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Ukraine fears being sidelined by Iran-Israel war
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky lays flowers at the site of a Russian missile strike that destroyed a Kyiv apartment block. (AP pic) KYIV : Fighting between Iran and Israel could deflect global attention from the Russian invasion of Ukraine and even bolster Kremlin's war effort, Ukrainian officials say. Israel launched a massive bombing campaign on Iran last week that prompted Tehran – a close ally of Russia – to strike back with missiles and drones. The conflict has pushed up the price of oil – a key revenue stream funding Russia's invasion. 'For Ukraine, the challenge is the price of oil, because if prices remain high for a long time, the Russians will earn more,' a senior Ukrainian political source told AFP. However, Kyiv has welcomed Israeli attacks on a country which has directly aided and provided weapons to Moscow for its own strikes on Ukraine. The campaign has left several high-ranking Iranian military officials dead and put pressure on Tehran's military capacity that is likely to limit the practical support it can provide to Russia. 'The Iranian regime is Russia's ally, so the more they lose, the better,' the Ukrainian source said. 'Overall, Israel is doing the whole world a favour. That is a fact,' the source added. The possibility of weaker support and attention from Washington, however, concerns Kyiv. The administration of US President Donald Trump, Israel's closest ally, has made clear that its security priorities are the Middle East and Asia, with Europe lower on the list. This could mean further Russian advances on the battlefield or deadly aerial attacks will meet with a muted reaction from a White House that already sees the Ukraine conflict mainly as a European problem. Kyiv's efforts to lobby for more support from Washington have been complicated by tense relations between Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian leader. Zelensky recently told journalists that Trump was 'obsessed with Iran' and conceded that its bombing campaign with Israel spelt risks for Kyiv. 'No one is claiming to have a relationship more important than America and Israel, but we would like to see the aid to Ukraine would not be reduced because of this,' he said. He referred to Israel's war in Gaza that was sparked by a deadly Oct 7, 2023 attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas, as a precedent for this. 'It was a factor that slowed down assistance to Ukraine,' he added. In an interview with US media, the Ukrainian leader said at the beginning of this month that Washington could send '20,000' missiles needed by for Ukraine to shoot down Russian drones to the Middle East instead. Senior officials in Zelensky's office told AFP after the outbreak of the war in Gaza that it had spurred Ukraine to focus to developing its own arms industry. Russia has rained down thousands of drones and missiles on Ukraine since it launched its full-scale invasion early in 2022, including Iranian-made and designed projectiles. Israel has claimed to have attacked production sites in Iran, which has also launched silos of missiles at Israel that now cannot be sent to Russia for attacks on Ukraine. 'Let's hope that the corresponding production or transfer (of weapons) to the Russians will decrease. This helps Ukraine,' Zelensky said. The British defence ministry said Iran's supply of weapons to Russia could slow as a result of Tehran's war with Israel. But it said global focus on the Middle East could overall help Moscow. 'Russia almost certainly perceives some benefit in the conflict as it distracts international focus from its war against Ukraine,' it said on social media. Moscow also produces its own drones and missiles, and has received projectiles from North Korea. Ukrainian military analyst and blogger Sergiy Sternenko was among voices to issue caution against celebrating the attacks on Iran. 'Do not rush to get too excited about the strikes on Iran. Of course, Iran is our enemy, and we wish these pigs the worst. But fighting in the Middle East will inevitably lead to higher oil prices,' he wrote.
India.com
8 hours ago
- Politics
- India.com
Russia-Ukraine War: Putin Questions Zelenskys Legitimacy To Seal Peace Deal
Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed doubts about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's authority to sign a treaty, while indicating he was open to meeting him for peace talks, RT reported. "Signature must come from legitimate authorities," the Russian President said on Wednesday. Zelensky has repeatedly called for a meeting with Putin, stating that he alone can resolve pressing bilateral issues, including disputes over territory. However, speaking to international media at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin raised concerns over the Ukrainian leader's legitimacy. RT quoted Putin as saying, "If the Ukrainian state entrusts someone to negotiate on its behalf, suit yourself, let it be Zelensky. The question is, who will sign the document?" Zelensky's presidential term officially ended last year, and no successor has been elected due to the imposition of martial law. Zelensky argues that he can remain in office under the current conditions, though the Ukrainian Constitution states that presidential powers should be transferred to the parliament's speaker in such a case. "Propagandistically, one can say anything about the legitimacy of the current authorities, but we care about legal aspects and not propaganda when dealing with serious issues," RT quoted Putin as saying. He also noted that since many Ukrainian officials are appointed by the president, Zelensky's questionable legal status casts doubt on the authority of those serving under him. RT reported Putin as stating, "But the signature must come from legitimate authorities. Otherwise, whoever comes after him will toss it to the dumpster. That's not a way to conduct serious business." Despite these concerns over legitimacy, Russia has returned the remains of 1,212 Ukrainian soldiers in the latest exchange with Kyiv, RT reported, citing Kremlin official Vladimir Medinsky. The bodies, recovered from multiple front-line regions, mark a continued effort in the humanitarian coordination between the two nations. According to RT, the Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War first announced the transfer. The remains were recovered from Kursk, Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye regions of Russia, along with Ukraine's Kharkiv region. No individual identities were released. Meanwhile, Russia received the remains of 27 of its soldiers during the exchange. RT further reported that Medinsky, Moscow's chief negotiator in talks with Kiev, stated on Telegram that both sides had agreed to initiate "urgent sanitary exchanges" involving severely wounded prisoners of war. He emphasized Russia's commitment, saying, "Russia does not abandon its own people." The exchange followed discussions held earlier this month in Istanbul. As per RT, Moscow had earlier offered to return over 6,000 Ukrainian bodies but accused Kiev of delaying acceptance. Despite logistical setbacks, Russian Lieutenant General Aleksandr Zorin affirmed Moscow's intent to uphold the agreement, calling it a "purely humanitarian action."
