TheNewsGuru

Tag: Ukraine

  • IMF endorses $1.1bn budget to back Ukraine

    IMF endorses $1.1bn budget to back Ukraine

    The IMF’s executive board approved a $1.1 billion payout for Ukraine on Friday, which it says will be used to provide budget support to the war-torn country.

    The loan disbursal is the latest tranche of funding the International Monetary Fund has released to Ukraine as part of an ongoing 4-year, $15.5 billion program approved last March.

    The approval of the Fund’s fifth loan review brings the total amount disbursed to Ukraine since then to $8.7 billion.

    “Russia’s war in Ukraine continues to bring a devastating social and economic toll on Ukraine,” IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said in a statement.

    “Despite the war, macroeconomic and financial stability is being preserved through skilful policymaking by the Ukrainian authorities as well as substantial external support,” she added.

    “The economy has remained resilient, despite significant damage to the energy infrastructure, reflecting the continued adaptability of households and firms.”

    The IMF announced that Ukraine had met all of the relevant targets, including structural reforms relating to tax privileges, public companies, and customs reform.

    Ukraine’s economy had been “more resilient than expected” in the first half of the year, with good domestic data “bolstered by continued sizeable external support,” according to the IMF.

    But it warned that the outlook through the end of next year had worsened, “largely due to sustained Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure and uncertainty about the war.”

    It added that the economic outlook remained subject to “exceptionally high uncertainty.”

    AFP

  • Ukraine accuses N’Korea of sending troops to Russia

    Ukraine accuses N’Korea of sending troops to Russia

    Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky accused North Korea of sending troops to Russia’s army.

    He was speaking days after visiting several European capitals to press his case for more military and financial help in the war against invading Russian forces.

    “We see an increasing alliance between Russia and regimes like in North Korea,” Zelensky said in his evening address.

    “It is no longer just about transferring weapons. It is actually about the transfer of people from North Korea to the occupier’s military forces.

    “Obviously, in such circumstances, our relations with our partners need to be developed. The frontline needs more support,” he said.

    Zelensky completed a whirlwind two-day tour of European capitals last week including Berlin, London and Paris to ask for sustained military aid as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine grinds on through its third year.

    “When we talk about more long-range capability for Ukraine and more decisive supplies for our forces, it is not just a list of military equipment,” Zelensky said.

    “It is about increasing the pressure on the aggressor, which will be stronger for Russia than they can withstand. And it is about preventing a bigger war.”

    AFP.

  • Over 120,000 people evacuated as fighting escalate in Russian, Ukraine border region

    Over 120,000 people evacuated as fighting escalate in Russian, Ukraine border region

    Russian authorities have ordered the evacuation of another district in the Kursk region, partly controlled by Ukrainian troops, according to Governor Alexey Smirnov. Residents of the Glushkovsky district are being relocated for safety, he announced late on Wednesday.

     

    The Glushkovsky district, located about 10 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, had over 17,500 registered inhabitants before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

     

    Earlier in the day, Smirnov reported an air raid alert in the Kursk area due to the threat of missile attacks from Ukraine. He urged residents to follow the recommendations of security forces and local authorities.

     

    The Glushkovsky district is approximately 150 kilometers from the regional capital, Kursk. Smirnov advised people in other regions with air alerts to seek safety in shelters or rooms without windows. Over 120,000

  • Diplomatic tension rises as Ukraine demands Putin’s arrest in Mexico

    Diplomatic tension rises as Ukraine demands Putin’s arrest in Mexico

    The Ukrainian embassy in Mexico requested on Wednesday that the Mexican government arrest Russian leader Vladimir Putin if he attends the inauguration of president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, to which he has been invited.

     

    Kyiv’s delegation, referring to Putin as a “war criminal,” expressed gratitude to Mexico for also inviting Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky to the ceremony on October 1.

     

    “We are confident that the Mexican government would comply with the international arrest warrant by handing over the aforementioned (Putin) to the United Nations judicial body in The Hague,” the Ukrainian embassy stated.

     

    In March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Putin on charges of war crimes related to the forced deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia following Moscow’s invasion in early 2022.

     

    Juan Ramon de la Fuente, who is expected to be Sheinbaum’s foreign minister, said it is “standard protocol” to invite the leaders of all countries with which Mexico has diplomatic relations to the inauguration, including both Russia and Ukraine.

     

    Sheinbaum, set to become Mexico’s first female president, achieved a historic victory in the general election on June 2 and will start her six-year term in October.

     

    Putin and Zelensky were among the world leaders who congratulated her on her victory.

  • Rebel attack: Mali breaks off relations with Ukraine

    Rebel attack: Mali breaks off relations with Ukraine

    Mali’s transitional government has broken off diplomatic relations with Ukraine.

    The move, which was announced on Sunday evening, follows a rebel attack in the country that left dozens of Malian soldiers and Russian mercenaries dead.

    A representative of the Ukrainian military intelligence service had previously said that Kiev had helped the rebel Tuareg in an ambush on a convoy of the Malian army.

    The Wagner mercenaries supported them over a week ago.

    As a consequence, Mali will in future regard support for Ukraine as support for international terrorism, the statement continued.

    An unconfirmed photo showing Tuareg fighters with a Ukrainian flag was also circulating on the internet.

    “They have received the necessary information to enable them to carry out a successful military operation against the Russian war criminals,” said Andriy Yusov on Ukrainian television last week.

    At the same time, he announced further operations of this kind in Africa.

    “The monopoly of the Russian private armies in Africa is coming to an end and opposing forces are emerging that can put these criminals in their place,’’ said the intelligence officer.

    According to the separatist Tuareg, 84 Russian mercenaries and 47 Malian soldiers were killed in several days of fighting at the end of July around the village of Tinzaouatène on the border with Algeria.

    There was also talk of more than 80 casualties on Wagner-affiliated channels, representing the heaviest Russian losses to date in West Africa.

    The Islamist terrorist group GSIM, which is allied with al-Qaeda, also attacked the convoy.

    Whether the Tuareg cooperated with the Islamists remained unconfirmed.

  • War: Russia attack Ukraine capital, Kyiv

    War: Russia attack Ukraine capital, Kyiv

    Serhiy Popko, the head of Kyiv’s military administration, has urged residents of Ukraine’s capital to remain indoors following multiple missile attacks by the Russian military.

    According to The Guardian, UK, Ukraine’s air defense systems are actively working to repel the Russian assault on Kyiv and other parts of the country.

     

    The Ukrainian military announced on Sunday that it has activated its defense systems. “Air defense systems are being activated on the approaches to Kyiv,” Popko stated on Telegram. He also advised residents to “stay in shelters until the air raid alarms are lifted.”

    Russia and Ukraine have been at War since February 2022.

  • Euro 2024: Ukraine come from behind to beat Slovakia 2-1

    Euro 2024: Ukraine come from behind to beat Slovakia 2-1

    Ukraine on Friday night registered their first win of the ongoing Euro 2024 tournament in Germany after coming from behind to defeat Slovakia by 2-1.

    Goals from Mykola Shaparenko and Roman Yaremchuk secured Ukraine’s first win of Euro 2024 against Slovakia

    That winning goal is Roman Yaremchuk’s third at the European Championship, which makes him Ukraine’s all-time leading goalscorer in this competition.

     

    He has also become the only Ukraine player to score in two separate European Championships.

    Meanwhile, after putting up a yeoman’s job, Mykola Sheparenko was awarded UEFA’s Player of the Match award.

    Without the 25-year-old, Ukraine may well have been looking at elimination.

    The result means Ukraine join Slovakia and Romania on three points in Group E.

     

    Surprisingly, Belgium are lagging behind but they are strongly fancied to also chalk up three points in their game against Romania tomorrow.

     

    There is now a very real chance that the four teams will go into the final round of fixtures tied on the same amount of points

     

  • Euro 2024: Romania thrash Ukraine 3-0 in group E opener

    Euro 2024: Romania thrash Ukraine 3-0 in group E opener

    After 24 years of not winning a single game at the European Championship, Romania on Monday afternoon returned to winning ways by defeating Ukraine 3-0 in group E opener.

    The captain of the side, Nicolae Stanciu gave Romania a surprise lead inside 29th minute, finding the top corner with a brilliant strike from 20 yards out.

    Upond resumption of second half, Razvan Marin then doubled the Tricolours’ lead with a long-range effort that squeezed under Ukraine goalkeeper Andriy Lunin inside 53 minutes.

    Romania rounded off the scoring four minutes later when Denis Dragus tapped in Dennis Man’s cross from close range.

    The last time Romania won at the Euros was in year 2000 where a late Ionel Ganea penalty helped them beat England 3-2 in the group stage.

    Ukraine’s players are appearing in their first major tournament since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022.

    Last week, their forward Mykhailo Mudryk said his family were facing Russian missiles “day and night” in his home city of Krasnograd.

  • EU agrees to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine’s defence

    EU agrees to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine’s defence

    The EU on Tuesday announced that ministers from EU member states have agreed to use proceeds from frozen assets of the Central Bank of Russia (CBR) to support Ukraine’s military efforts.

    Under the agreement, 90 per cent of the profits from these assets will be allocated to the European Peace Facility, an EU-run fund providing military aid for Ukraine.

    The remaining 10 per cent will bolster Ukraine’s defence industry capacities and reconstruction needs.

    “Up to 3 billion euros (3.26 billion U.S. dollars) this year alone, 90 per cent goes for Ukraine’s military,” Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky stated on social media platform X.

    According to data from the Council, around 260 billion euros in CBR assets have been immobilised in securities and cash across the jurisdictions of the G7 partners, the EU, and Australia.

    Meanwhile, more than two-thirds of these frozen assets were held within the EU.

  • War in Ukraine influenced Judges’ decision to favour Usyk – Tyson Fury

    War in Ukraine influenced Judges’ decision to favour Usyk – Tyson Fury

    Tyson Fury who was dethroned early Sunday morning by Ukrainian fighter Oleksandr Usyk, has claimed victory saying the judges let him down.

    According to Fury, the war in Ukraine influenced the decision of the Judges to favour Usyk ahead of him.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the  undefeated Ukrainian became the first undisputed world champion of the century after a closely contested fight against Fury in Saudi Arabia on Saturday night.

    Usyk, donning his national colours, dedicated his historic win to the people of Ukraine in the aftermath of the judges’ announcement in Riyadh.

    He had temporarily returned to Ukraine following the Russian invasion in February 2022 before resuming his boxing career.

    Fury, visibly disappointed, suggested that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine may have swayed the judges.

    “I believe I won that fight. He won a few rounds, but I won the majority of them,” Fury stated in the ring after the fight.

    “We both put on a good fight. His country is at war, so people are siding with the country at war. Make no mistake, I won that fight in my opinion.”