Ukraine

The Ukrainian government on Saturday denied claims that Russian forces seized a new city, as the invading army continues its major assault on the Luhansk region. Reports recently emerged that Russian forces had taken complete control of Lysychansk, the last city it would need to fully control the Luhansk region in Eastern Ukraine. Along with Donetsk, the region makes up the highly contested Donbas area, which has been at the heart of Russia's invasion from the beginning. On Saturday, the National Guard of Ukraine spoke out against these claims during a telethon, explaining that the city remains under Ukrainian control despite Russian efforts, Interfax reported. "Now there are fierce battles near Lysychansk," Ruslan Muzychuk, speaker of the Ukrainian National Guard, said. "However, fortunately, the city is not surrounded and is under the control of the Ukrainian army." Ukrainian and Russian officials have released statements amid the ongoing conflict over Lysychansk and the … [Read more...] about “Fierce battles”: Ukraine disputes claims Russian forces seized Lysychansk

Fighting raged Saturday for Ukraine’s strategic Lysychansk, as Kyiv denied a claim by Moscow-backed separatists that they had encircled the eastern city. Clashes have been intense in Lysychansk, the last major city in the Lugansk region of the Donbas still in Ukrainian hands, located across the river from neighbouring Severodonetsk seized by Russia last week. The city’s capture will allow Russian forces to push deeper into the battleground Donbas region, which has become the focus of their offensive since failing to capture Kyiv after invading in late February. “Fighting rages around Lysychansk… The city has not been encircled and is under control of the Ukrainian army,” Ruslan Muzytchuk, a spokesman for the Ukrainian National Guard, said on Ukrainian television. Earlier in the day, Andrei Marotchko, a spokesman for the separatist forces, told the TASS news agency: “Lysychansk is completely encircled.” The announcements come as missiles continue to rain down across Ukraine, … [Read more...] about Ukraine War: Pro-Russia Rebels Claim to ‘Encircle’ Key Lysychansk in Donbas, Kyiv Denies

The story so far: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has not only created instability in the region and displaced millions of people but has also led to a global food shortage. Earlier in June, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) released a report that outlines the importance of Ukraine and Russia for agricultural markets and the risks associated with the war that broke out in Ukraine in February 2022 when Russia invaded the country. Also Read Russia-Ukraine crisis live updates | Russia says it has more than 6,000 Ukrainian prisoners of war Both Russia and Ukraine are among the top producers of agricultural commodities in the world. In 2021, both ranked among the top three exporters of wheat, barley, maize, and sunflower seed and oil, globally. Share in global production of selected crops (2016/17-2020/21 average) | Photo Credit: FAO People living in eastern Ukraine were already displaced or impacted by war since 2014 when Russia … [Read more...] about Explained | The impact of the Ukraine-Russia crisis on global agricultural markets

Oleksandr Usyk wore a Ukraine-styled t-shirt with the words "colours of freedom" written on it during media appearances ahead of his press conference with Anthony Joshua today. Usyk came face-to-face with Joshua in Saudi Arabia this afternoon ahead of their rematch on August 20 at the Jeddah Super Dome. The former undisputed cruiserweight king outpointed Joshua to win his heavyweight belts last September in London. The pair were expected to meet in a rematch ever since the fight, but a Russian invasion in Usyk's home country put his boxing future in jeopardy. Whilst fighting on the frontline against Russian attacks, Usyk experienced soldiers shooting at his house and saw his neighbours being dragged from their homes. Usyk eventually agreed to the fight again after his time on the front lines and a rematch with Joshua was subsequently announced, despite rumours the Ukrainian was in talks to fight Tyson Fury in an undisputed clash. Who wins the rematch - Oleksandr Usyk … [Read more...] about Oleksandr Usyk’s “freedom” message for Ukraine amid invasion from Russia

Russia is accused of holding eight Ukrainian mayors captive amid the war between the two Eastern European countries, according to an organization of mayors in Ukraine. The eight mayors have all been allegedly abducted in the four months after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the "special military operation" in Ukraine in late February under the guise of "liberating" the Donbas region, an eastern region with a high concentration of Russian speakers. Many of the mayors are from cities, villages and settlements that remain under occupation in the southern and eastern part of Ukraine, according to the Association of Cities of Ukraine. Details about where the mayors were being held or their condition remained unknown, but their capture has sparked allegations of war crimes from Ukrainian authorities. The most recent alleged abduction was of Petro Zbarovskyi, the head of the Novotroitsky village on Friday. Several other mayors were abducted—Ihor Kolykhaev of Kherson, … [Read more...] about Russia holding 8 Ukrainian mayors captive: Report

Lev Parnas , an associate of Rudy Giuliani who was a figure in President Donald Trump 's first impeachment investigation, was sentenced Wednesday to a year and eight months in prison for fraud and campaign finance crimes. Parnas, who had helped Giuliani connect with Ukrainian figures as part of a campaign to dig up dirt on President Joe Biden's son, had sought leniency on the grounds that he’d helped the Congressional probe. But prosecutors said the Soviet-born businessman’s aid was in response to a subpoena and deserved little credit. Instead, they asked the judge to focus on a jury’s finding that Parnas used the riches of a wealthy Russian to make illegal donations to politicians who might aid the launch of a legal recreational-marijuana business. Prosecutors had asked that Parnas be sentenced to more than six years. Recommended Over £130m handed to housing providers named and shamed by regulator An October conviction also supported a … [Read more...] about Giuliani associate Parnas sentenced to 20 months in prison

On Tuesday, Representative Liz Cheney led the questioning of former Trump administration aide Cassidy Hutchinson about the former actions on January 6, 2021. But on Thursday evening, she was the one hit with a hail of questions as she faced off against four different primary challengers trying to unseat her from Wyoming’s at-large congressional district. Cheney is persona non grata in the Republican Party thanks to her vote to impeach former president Donald Trump and her continued criticisms of the party’s fealty to him. Her apostasy has already seen her ousted as House Republican Conference chairwoman, and has led Trump and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to back her main challenger, Harriet Hageman. Yet despite all this, MCheney has doubled down on her critiques of the party – not least in a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library this week, in which she described what has befallen the US as a tragedy. “And the tragedy is that there are politicians in … [Read more...] about Liz Cheney is walking a fine line as she tries to fend of primary challengers

Australia and France opened a “new chapter” in their relations Friday as the new Australian Prime Minister seeks to heal wounds from a secret submarine contract that infuriated France. President Emmanuel Macron warmly shook hands with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese outside the French presidential palace, showing a thumbs-up before putting his arm around the Australian leader's back as they headed inside for talks. “Trust, respect and honesty matters,” Mr. Albanese told reporters. “This is how I will approach my relations” with France. Paris responded with fury when the previous Australian government announced in September that it was cancelling a 90 billion Australian dollar ($62 billion) contract for French-made diesel-electric submarines. Instead, Australia had struck a deal with the United States and Britain to provide submarines powered with US nuclear technology, which French leaders said was sealed behind their backs. France temporarily withdrew its … [Read more...] about Australia and France make ‘new start’ after submarine row

Iran’s Foreign Minister on July 2 condemned an Israeli airstrike on Syria earlier in the day and said Tehran opposes any military operation by Turkey in Syria’s north. Hossein Amirabdollahian made his comments at the start of his visit to the Syrian capital Damascus, where he was expected to discuss mutual relations and regional affairs with top Syrian officials. Iran has been one of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s strongest backers, sending thousands of fighters from around the region to help his troops in Syria’s 11-year conflict. The war has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced half the country’s pre-war population of 23 million. Mr. Amirabdollahian’s visit came hours after Israel carried out an airstrike on a coastal Syrian village near the border with Lebanon wounding two people, Syrian state media reported. It also comes after Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly said he’s planning a major military operation to create a 30KM (19 mile) deep buffer … [Read more...] about Iran condemns airstrike, opposes Turkish move into Syria

The Summit of G-7 leaders, the group of the world’s “most industrialised economies”, was held in Germany this week, where India along with Indonesia and a few other countries, was a special invitee. Last week, we told you about the BRICS summit of emerging economies, that was once seen as a complementary and now a potentially competitive grouping to the G-7. What they have in common is that the agenda is driven by the economy. A bit about the G-7: 1. The Grouping began as the Group of Six in 1975- with a meeting of leaders of US, UK, West Germany, Italy, France and Japan, as a result of the Oil crisis and global currency exchange issues that decided to meet annually. 2. Canada joined in 1976- making it the G-7. The EU leadership is always invited to G-7 meets 3. In the 1990s after the fall of the Soviet Union and reunification of Germany, Russia was added to make it the G-8. However, after Russian wars with Georgia in 2008, and the annexation of Crimea in 2014, the club … [Read more...] about Worldview with Suhasini Haidar | What were the outcomes of the G7 Summit?