Page 3 - Russia Ukraine Conflict

Biden is rushing aid to Ukraine as all sides are bracing for Trump

The grinding war between Ukraine and its Russian invaders has escalated ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration, with President Joe Biden rushing out billions of dollars more in military aid before US support for Kyiv's defences is thrown into question under the new administration. Russia, Ukraine and their global allies are scrambling to put their side in the best possible position for any changes that Trump may bring to American policy in the nearly 3-year-old war. The president-elect insisted in recent days that Russia and Ukraine immediately reach a ceasefire and said Ukraine should likely prepare to receive less US military aid. On the war's front lines, Ukraine's forces are mindful of Trump's fast-approaching presidency and the risk of losing their biggest backer. If that happens, those people who are with me, my unit, we are not going to retreat," a Ukrainian strike-drone company commander, fighting in Russia's Kursk region with the 47th Brigade, told The Associated Press by ...

Priority should be lowering Russia's military potential, says Zelenskyy

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted that Ukraine's focus should be on reducing Russia's military capabilities and preserving lives

Russia open to negotiations on Ukraine, welcomes peace initiatives: Kremlin

We have carefully read the statement by US President-elect Donald Trump, made after his meeting with Macron and Zelensky in Paris, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov added

Zelenskyy asks to deploy foreign troops to Ukraine before Nato membership

Ukraine, which has made a concerted push to obtain an invitation to join Nato, has insisted throughout the war that it needs security guarantees to prevent Russia launching another invasion

Kremlin to discuss future of Russian bases with Syria's new rulers

The Tartous facility is Russia's only Mediterranean repair and replenishment hub, and Moscow has used Syria as a staging post to fly its military contractors in and out of Africa

Trump calls for urgent ceasefire in Ukraine, says US' exiting Nato possible

Donald Trump on Sunday pushed Russian leader Vladimir Putin to act to reach an immediate cease-fire with Ukraine, describing it as part of his active efforts as president-elect to end the war despite being weeks from taking office. Zelensky and Ukraine would like to make a deal," Trump wrote on social media, referring to Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In a television interview that aired Sunday, Trump also said he would be open to reducing military aid to Ukraine and pulling the United States out of NATO. Those are two threats that have alarmed Ukraine, NATO allies and many in the US national security community. Asked on NBC's Meet the Press if he were actively working to end the nearly 3-year-old Ukraine war, Trump said, I am. He refused to say if he had spoken to Putin since winning the election in November. I don't want to say anything about that, because I don't want to do anything that could impede the negotiation, Trump said. Trump's call for an immediate cease-fi

Assad left Syria after giving orders for peaceful power handover: Russia

Russia's Foreign Ministry claimed Sunday that Bashar Assad had left Syria after negotiations with rebel groups, and gave instructions to transfer power peacefully. In a post on the Telegram messaging app on Sunday, the ministry said Moscow had not directly participated in these talks. It also said it has been following the dramatic events in Syria with extreme concern". It also said Russian troops stationed in Syria have been put on high alert and that as of early afternoon Sunday, there was no serious threat to the security of Russia's military bases there. Russia has waged a military campaign in Syria since September 2015, teaming up with Iran to allow Assad's government to fight armed opposition groups and reclaim control over most of the country. While Russia now concentrates the bulk of its military resources in Ukraine, it has maintained a military foothold in Syria and keeps troops at its bases there.

Russia's abandonment of Syria's President Assad led to his downfall: Trump

Trump, who has said he will seek to halt the Ukraine war rapidly, met Ukraine's President Zelenskiy on Saturday in Paris where they were both attending a ceremony to reopen Notre-Dame Cathedral

US announces nearly $1 bn more in longer-term weapons support for Ukraine

The United States will provide nearly USD 1 billion more in longer-term weapons support to Ukraine, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Saturday as the Biden administration rushes to spend all the congressionally approved money it has left to bolster Kyiv before President-elect Donald Trump takes office next month. The latest package will include more drones and munitions for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, that the US has provided. While these weapons are critically needed now, they will be funded through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which pays for longer-term systems to be put on contract. The weapon systems purchased are often intended to support Ukraine's future military capabilities, not make an immediate difference on the battlefield. The USD 1 billion package is on top of an additional USD 725 million in US military assistance, including counter-drone systems and HIMARS munitions, announced on Monday that would be drawn from the ...

Zelenskyy condemns Russian strikes on St. Nicholas Day, cites heavy toll

He also highlighted the events that unfolded on St. Nicholas Day, underscoring the need for strength

Russia's FM Lavrov signals readiness to use any means in Ukraine conflict

Lavrov said Ukraine had lost the opportunity to maintain its territorial integrity by twice rejecting proposals for a deal, once before full-scale war began and then in talks in April 2022 in Turkey

US continues to exploit other economies for their benefit: Vladimir Putin

Addressing the VTB Investment Forum in Moscow on Wednesday, Putin said that the opponents of the US did a lot to undermine the fundamental basis of dollar as their international reserve currency

UK dismantles massive money laundering operations tied to Russian oligarchs

British authorities have dismantled two massive money laundering operations linked to Russia that were used by oligarchs, organised crime groups, cybercriminals and drug dealers, the National Crime Agency said Wednesday. The international sting, known as Operation Destabilize, seized 20 million pounds (USD 25.4 million) in cash and cryptocurrency and arrested 84 suspects. It was revealed on the same day the US announced new sanctions against several people at the top of the money laundering networks. For the first time, we have been able to map out a link between Russian elites, crypto-rich cybercriminals and drug gangs on the streets of the UK," said Rob Jones, NCA director general of operations. We have identified and acted against the Russians pulling the strings at the very top, removing the air of legitimacy that enabled them to weave illicit funds into our economy. Networks known as Smart Group and TGR Group allowed criminals and wealthy Russians to convert cash to ...

Russia sees no grounds for Ukraine talks but mentions peace more frequently

Kyiv, which on Tuesday declared that it would not settle for anything less than NATO membership to guarantee its future security, has also said it will not compromise its territory

Trump's plan for Ukraine in focus: Territorial concessions, Nato off table

Trump repeatedly pledged during his election campaign to end the nearly three-year-old conflict within 24 hours of his Jan. 20 inauguration, if not before then, but has yet to say how

US to send additional $725 million to Ukraine in military assistance

The US is preparing to send Ukraine an additional USD 725 million in military assistance, including counter-drone systems and munitions for its High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, which could indicate more of the longer-range missiles are headed to the battlefield. It was unclear whether the munitions for the HIMARS are the coveted ATACMS the Army Tactical Missile System but Ukraine has been pressing for more of the longer-range missiles to strike additional targets inside Russia. The package, announced Monday by the State Department, also includes more of the anti-personnel land mines that Ukraine is counting on to slow Russian and North Korean ground forces in Russia's Kursk region. President Joe Biden has pledged to spend all of the military assistance funds Congress approved this year for Ukraine before the end of his administration on January 20, which before Monday's announcement included about USD 7.1 billion in weapons that would be drawn from the Pentagon's ...

Vladimir Putin to visit India in 2025 following PM Modi's formal invitation

Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit India in early 2025, following an official invitation from Prime Minister Modi

Putin bets big on war: Russia approves $126 billion defence budget for 2025

Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a record $126 billion defence budget for 2025, as the ongoing war in Ukraine continues to strain Russia's economy

Russia's drone attack on Ternopil kills one, says Ukraine's military

Ternopil and its surrounding region were under air raid alerts for a couple of hours starting soon after midnight on Monday, according to data provided by Ukraine's air force

Open to ceasefire if Nato protects unoccupied areas, says Zelenskyy

Zelenskyy made the comments in an interview with Sky News broadcast Friday when asked about a scenario in which Nato security guarantees covered only territory controlled by Kyiv