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Tag: Ukraine

  • Ukrainian President Zelensky placed on ‘wanted list’ in Russia

    Ukrainian President Zelensky placed on ‘wanted list’ in Russia

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been added to the list of wanted criminals by Russia a move Kyiv dismissed as a sign of Moscow’s “desperation”.

    Zelensky’s name appeared on Saturday on the Russian interior ministry’s “wanted” list, an online database of alleged criminals sought by the Russian authorities.

    It said the Ukrainian leader was wanted “under an article of the criminal code”, without providing further details.

    Russia didnt give further details as to why the Ukranian president was placed on the list of wanted criminals.

    Ukraine’s foreign ministry said the decision demonstrated “the desperation of the Russian state machine and propaganda, which are at a loss for what else to invent to garner attention”.

    Moscow has targeted Zelensky since the start of Russia’s military offensive in Ukraine in February 2022.

    The Ukrainian president said last year he was aware of at least “five or six” assassination attempts against him that had been foiled.

    The day after sending troops into Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave an address to the nation in which he urged the Ukrainian army to overthrow Zelensky.

    Russia has placed several foreign politicians and public figures on its wanted list, which has tens of thousands of entries.

    The commander of Ukraine’s Land Forces, Oleksandr Pavliuk, and former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko also appeared in the online database on Saturday.

    In February, Moscow said it was seeking Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas for what the Kremlin said was the “desecration of historical memory” over the Baltic country’s move to destroy Soviet era monuments.

    Last year the International Criminal Court ordered the arrest of Putin on war crimes charges related to the abduction of Ukrainian children — accusations rejected by Moscow.

  • Agriculture minister resigns amid graft probe in Ukraine

    Agriculture minister resigns amid graft probe in Ukraine

    Ukrainian Agriculture Minister  Mykola Solskyi has submitted his resignation letter after being suspected of the misappropriation of state land worth millions of dollars.

    Parliamentary Speaker, Ruslan Stefanchuk published the handwritten resignation on Facebook on Thursday. Parliament will soon decide on his exit, Stefanchuk wrote.

    While investigators from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau told Solskyi he is under suspicion earlier on Tuesday.

    The minister is alleged to have brought a total of 1,250 plots of land totalling almost 2,500 hectares into the possession of his agricultural holding between 2017 and 2021. Authorities thwarted an attempt to appropriate a further 3,200 hectares.

    The minister denied the allegations.

    “There was no corruption. Nobody took money,” he wrote in a statement broadcast by public television.

    Solskyi had previously admitted that, during his time as a lawyer in 2017, he had represented several private individuals in a dispute over land against state-owned companies in the Sumy region.

    Amid the war with Russia and fears Moscow may be getting the upper hand, there has been speculation in the Ukrainian media for days about the dismissal of several ministers, including Solskyi.

    Ukraine has been tackling a major corruption problem in a bid to show the West it is serious about reforms and one day joining NATO and the European Union.

  • Putin not running out of money to fund war in Ukraine

    Putin not running out of money to fund war in Ukraine

    Russia’s economy will grow by 2.8 per cent this year and expand at a slightly slower 2.5 per cent in 2025, Vienna-based think tank has forecasted.

    The forecast defies predictions that Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine would lead to economic ruin.

    Vasily Astrov, an economist with the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, said Russian President Vladimir Putin “will not run out of money for the war.’’

    “For the Russian economy, the question is rather what comes after the war, as it is currently completely dependent on it,’’ Astrov said.

    There has been a massive increase in public spending, especially for the military.

    Real wages in Russia rose by almost 8 per cent in 2023, driven by a shortage of skilled labour, while private consumption increased by 6.5 per cent.

    This is according to a report by the institute specialising in Eastern Europe.

    Gross domestic product grew by 3.6 per cent in 2023, in spite of massive Western sanctions.

    For Ukraine, the think tank expects growth of 3.2 per cent this year, following 5.3 per cent in 2023.

    But Kiev’s increasingly thin air defences were taking a toll, with Russia’s aerial assaults cutting electricity to homes and industry.

    “Ultimately, everything will stand or fall on the receipt of adequate and timely military and financial aid from the West.

    “In 2024 alone, Ukraine faces a financing gap of 40 billion dollars,’’ Astrov said.

  • Biden says U.S. will begin sending weapons to Ukraine

    Biden says U.S. will begin sending weapons to Ukraine

    U.S. President Joe Biden wants to start delivering weapons and equipment to Ukraine this week.

    The president said this shortly after the U.S. Senate approved billions of dollars in new aid for the country under attack from Russia.

    “I will sign this bill into law and address the American people as soon as it reaches my desk tomorrow so we can begin sending weapons and equipment to Ukraine this week,” Biden said.

    By passing the legislative package, which also includes billions of dollars in aid for Israel and Taiwan, the U.S. Congress has demonstrated the power of American leadership in the world, Biden added.

    “We stand resolutely for democracy and freedom, and against tyranny and oppression.”

    There is an urgent need for support for Ukraine, which is being subjected to relentless bombardment from Russia, Biden said.

    The bill also contains aid for Israel, which has recently faced unprecedented attacks from Iran.

    “This critical legislation will make our nation and world more secure as we support our friends who are defending themselves against terrorists like Hamas and tyrants like Putin,” Biden said.

  • Moscow shootings: Russia accuse Ukraine of giving massive financial assistance to ISIS

    Moscow shootings: Russia accuse Ukraine of giving massive financial assistance to ISIS

    The Russian government has accused Ukraine of financially backing the attack at a Moscow concert hall killing over 140 persons with several out injured.

    An investigative committee made this disclosure on Thursday in Moscow.

    President Putin said that a group of terrorists looking like a radical Islamist, stormed a large music venue just outside of Moscow to wreck havoc.

    They went on a gun rampage, killing people on sight as they went towards the main hall, and set it on fire.

    Russian officials had claimed that the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall may have been organised by Ukrainian special services who used the Islamists as proxies.

    The committee said: “Confirmed information [indicated] that perpetrators of the terrorist act had received significant sums of money and cryptocurrency from Ukraine, which were used in the preparation of the crime.”

    Since the incident, the death toll from the attack had reached 140, Russian Health Minister, Mikhail Murashko said.

    According to him, people seriously hurt in the terrorist attack eventually died from their injuries.

  • Euro 2024: Three final teams qualify for competition

    Euro 2024: Three final teams qualify for competition

    Three teams have qualified to complete the number of national teams needed at Euro 2024 taking place later this year.

    Ukraine, Georgia and Poland are the three remaining teams that will make up the number.

    Chelsea winger, Mykhailo Mudryk and Viktor Tsygankov also scored for Ukraine as they defeated Iceland 2-1

    They will take their place in Group E alongside Belgium, Slovakia and Romania

    Georgia qualified thanks to a 4-2 penalty shoot-out win over Greece after the game ended 0-0 following extra time. It is the first time they will play at a major tournament.

    They will be in Group F alongside Portugal, Turkey and Czech Republic.

    Poland also beat Wales 5-4 on penalties and will face the Netherlands, Austria and France in Group D.

  • No evidence Ukraine involved in Concert Hall attack near Moscow – U.S

    No evidence Ukraine involved in Concert Hall attack near Moscow – U.S

    Washington sees no evidence that Kiev had a hand in a terrorist attack on a concert hall near Moscow, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said.

    Harris claimed in an interview with the ABC News broadcaster that a branch of the Islamic State terrorist group known as ISIS-Khorasan (banned in Russia) was behind the massacre.

    “No, there is no, whatsoever, any evidence (of Ukrainian involvement).

    “And in fact, what we know to be the case is that ISIS-K is actually by all accounts responsible for what happened,” she said.

    She also described the attack as “an act of terrorism.”

    “The number of people who have been killed is a tragedy, and we should all send our condolences to those families,” the U.S. vice president added.

    Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov told Sputnik that there was no need to jump to conclusions, commenting on recent U.S. statements about the ISIS involvement in the terrorist attack, as Russian special services were conducting investigations to find those responsible for the incident.

    A shooting occurred on Friday evening in the Crocus City Hall concert venue in the city of Krasnogorsk, outside Moscow, followed by a massive fire.

    A Sputnik correspondent who witnessed the attack reported that at least three men in camouflage had broken into the music hall, shooting people point-blank and throwing incendiary bombs.

    The Russian authorities said that at least 137 people were killed in the attack, while Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of RT and the Rossiya Segodnya media group, said the death toll had reached 143 people.

    Eleven people were detained in connection with the attack, including four who were directly involved, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said.

    All four suspected gunmen were detained in the Russian region of Bryansk, which borders Belarus and Ukraine, the FSB added.

    The four suspects were charged with terrorism and ordered to be held in pretrial custody until May 22, Moscow’s Basmanny District Court said.

    All of them are from Tajikistan and risk a life sentence in prison.

    The Moscow-area concert hall shooting became the deadliest attack in Russia in nearly 20 years.

  • US reacts as 40 people killed in Moscow mass shooting

    US reacts as 40 people killed in Moscow mass shooting

    Washignton has reacted to the shocking shooting attack on a Moscow concert hall which claimed the lives of over 40 persons.

    The US government on Friday ruled out the possibility of Ukrainian role in the attack.

    Recall that about four men dressed in camouflage invaded the Crocus City Hall in Moscow and opened fire on innocent persons.

    According  information briefed that the shooting which occurred at the administrative center of the Moscow region started when the music band Picnic was performing a concert.

    However, in a  video clip sighted by pressmen,  it was observed that one of the suspects has been arrested by the Russian security forces.

    In its reaction to the shocking shooting in Moscow, the US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said “there’s no indication” that Ukraine was involved in the “terrible” attack, stating quickly after the news broke that he “would disabuse you at this early hour of any connection to Ukraine.”

    “The images are just horrible and just hard to watch and our thoughts obviously going to be with the victims of this terrible, terrible shooting attack,” he told reporters.

    “There are some moms, and dads, and brothers, and sisters, and sons, and daughters that haven’t gotten the news yet. And this is going to be a tough day. So our thoughts are with them,” he added.

  • Olympics: Putin open to Ukraine ceasefire

    Olympics: Putin open to Ukraine ceasefire

    Russian President Vladimir Putin says he is open to a ceasefire during the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.

    French President, Emmanuel Macron confirmed it to Ukrainians that Paris would ask Moscow to agree to a truce for the duration of the Games, set for July 26 to Aug. 11, local media reported.

    In a news conference following Putin’s projected re-election on Sunday evening, Putin said he had so far, not heard of such a proposal by Macron.

    “In any case, we would always proceed from Russia’s interests and the situation on the battlefield,” the Kremlin leader said.

    The International Olympic Committee (IOC) wants to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to take part in July and August as neutral athletes under strict conditions.

    The IOC initially banned Russia and its ally,  Belarus from international sports events after Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

    Putin said such restrictions would distort the meaning of the Olympic movement.

    The war started during the United Nations-backed Olympic Truce period, a few days after the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and ahead of Paralympics in the Chinese capital.

    Moscow had repeatedly said it remained open to negotiations to end the war under certain conditions, including being able to retain the large areas occupied in Ukraine.

  • Russia’s Medvedev fires ‘shots’ at Biden over attack on Trump

    Russia’s Medvedev fires ‘shots’ at Biden over attack on Trump

    Dmitry Medvedev, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, called Joe Biden a “mad” disgrace to the United States on Friday and said the U.S. president had no right to compare himself to Franklin D. Roosevelt.

    Biden opened his State of the Union address on Thursday with a reference to a 1941 speech to Congress in which Roosevelt said the union faced an unprecedented turning point in history.

    Biden also accused Republican rival Donald Trump of kowtowing to Russia and, just over two weeks after calling Vladimir Putin a “crazy SOB”, said he had a message for the Russian President on Ukraine: “We will not walk away.”

    “Even though Roosevelt was an infirm man in a wheelchair, he raised America from the Depression; Biden, on the other hand, is a mad, mentally disabled individual who set his mind on dragging humanity to hell,” Medvedev, a former president who is now deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, wrote on X.

    “Roosevelt together with allies including the U.S.S.R., was fighting for peace; yet, Biden is actively and persistently trying to start WWIII.”

    “Roosevelt was fighting against fascists, but Biden is fighting for them,” Medvedev wrote in English. “He is the United States’ disgrace!”

    Medvedev, who cast himself as a liberal moderniser when he was president from 2008-2012, now presents himself as an anti-Western Kremlin hawk. Diplomats say his views indicate the thinking at the top levels of the Kremlin elite.

    The war in Ukraine has triggered a deep crisis in Russia’s relations with the West, and Biden angered Russian officials with his “crazy SOB” comment. Putin, with an ironic smile, said the remark showed why the Kremlin felt Biden was a preferable future president to Trump.

    Biden made that remark in a sentence about threats to the world including “that guy Putin and others,” the risk of nuclear conflict, and the existential threat to humanity from climate change.

    Putin portrays the U.S. and its allies as a crumbling empire that wants to destroy Russia and steal its natural resources.

    Biden says  U.S. won’t walk away from Ukraine

    President Joe Biden says the U.S. will continue to stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    “My message to President Putin who I have known for a long time is simple: we will not walk away,” Biden said in his State of the Union address to both chambers of Congress.

    “If anybody in this room thinks Putin will stop at Ukraine, I assure you he will not,” the Democrat politician said.

    Biden, once again, called on Congress to authorise further U.S. aid for Ukraine.

    “Ukraine can stop Putin if we stand by Ukraine and supply the weapons,”  the 81-year-old said.

    He said that Ukraine was not asking for U.S. soldiers and he would not send any.

    The Republicans wanted the U.S. to relinquish its leading role in the world, he said.

    Biden also condemned statements by his predecessor Donald Trump on the NATO defence alliance.

    “It is dangerous and it is unacceptable,” he said.

    Trump recently said at an election campaign appearance that he would not provide any U.S. support to NATO allies with low defence spending in the event of a Russian attack.

    “We have to stand up to Putin,” Biden emphasised.

    The U.S. has been considered Kiev’s most important ally over the past two years since the start of the Russian war against Ukraine.

    The U.S. government has supplied Ukraine with huge quantities of weapons and ammunition.

    However, for some time now, there have been no more supplies from the U.S.

    A new aid package of around 60 billion U.S. dollars for Ukraine has passed the Senate.

    However, it is stuck in the second chamber, House of Representatives, where Republicans seem to be blocking it.