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Drones struck an oil depot in Russia’s Belogorod as Ukraine launched a major aerial strike on occupied Crimea overnight, with local Russia-appointed officials saying the attack triggered evacuations.
The attack caused an explosion at the oil facility and set a tank ablaze in the depot, located near the Ukraine border, governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
Meanwhile, the Russia-installed governor of Sevastopol said the “massive” attack involved at least four drones as well as ATACMS missiles, and that the debris from their interception fell on residential areas.
It comes as Turkey has launched a newly built anti-submarine warship that is due to be delivered to Ukraine. The Ukrainian first lady, Olena Zelenska, attended the launch event of the Hetman Ivan Vyhovskyi.
Ukraine this week received its first batch of long-awaited F-16 jets in a landmark moment for the war-torn country as it tries to rebuild its battered air force.
The fighter jets, built by Lockheed Martin, have been on Ukraine’s wish list for a long time because of their destructive power and global availability. The jets are equipped with a 20mm cannon and can carry bombs, rockets and missiles.
Oil depot in Russia struck
Drones struck an oil depot in Russia’s Belogorod Oblast overnight, governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
The attack caused an explosion at the facility in the region’s Gubkinsky district, located near the Ukraine border.
A tank was also set alight by the explosion, the governor said, adding there have been no reports of casualties.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar3 August 2024 06:55
Turkey launches anti-submarine warship for Ukraine
Turkey has launched a newly built anti-submarine warship that is due to be delivered to Ukraine.
The Ukrainian first lady, Olena Zelenska, attended the launch event of the Hetman Ivan Vyhovskyi.
Ukraine’s defence minister, Rustem Umerov, said: “Corvettes Hetman Ivan Vyhovskyi and [previously launched] Hetman Ivan Mazepa, which were built in Turkey due to Russian aggression, are equipped with cutting-edge weapons and will become a significant addition to our fleet.
“Ukraine has already broken the dominance of the Russian fleet at sea, destroying dozens of ships. We are actively expanding the capabilities of the Ukrainian navy in the Black and Azov seas.”
It remains uncertain when either warship will reach Ukraine, as the Montreux Convention generally restricts warring parties’ warships from entering or exiting the Black Sea through the Bosphorus, which is controlled by Turkey.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain3 August 2024 06:00
Russia launched more drone attacks than Russia in July
Ukraine launched more long-range drone attacks than Russia in July for the first time since the war began.
According to figures published by the Ukrainian army, Russia launched 426 Shahed-type drones into Ukraine and Kyiv hit back with over 520 drones.
It comes as Russia has faced destructive attacks on its oil refineries and other targets in recent months appearing less effective in shooting down the Ukrainian weapons.
The Ukrainian drone attacks were considerably more than 200 attacks in each of the previous two months.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain3 August 2024 05:00
Drone fragments hit areas of Sevastopol in Russian-occupied Crimea, governor says
Fragments from at least four drones downed by Russian air defences struck areas of the port of Sevastopol early on Friday in Russian-occupied Crimea, the Russia-appointed governor said.
Mikhail Razvozhaev, writing on Telegram, said no injuries were recorded. He said fragments of intercepted drones had landed on a street, on a lawn, on a roof and in a courtyard.
Ukrainian forces have claimed considerable success in their regular attacks on Crimea as part of what they see as a long-range drive to recapture the peninsula.
Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 following unrest which forced a Russia-friendly president from office in Kyiv. Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin proclaimed Crimea part of Russia “forever”.
Ukraine‘s military has said its strikes have forced Russia‘s navy to reposition or withdraw vessels from parts of Crimea.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain3 August 2024 04:00
Inside the secret talks behind the biggest US-Russia prisoner swap since end of Cold War
The first photo released after Russian authorities on Thursday freed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, former Marine Paul Whelan, and Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva shows the three aboard a US government jet, doing something they likely hadn’t done much of in a while: smiling.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain3 August 2024 03:00
Who is Vladimir Kara-Murza? The Putin critic involved in US-Russia prisoner swap
The British-Russian dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza is one of the faces of the anti-Kremlin resistance. Following the death of Alexei Navalny in February, he became the best-known Putin critic imprisoned in Russia.
The 42-year-old University of Cambridge graduate was arrested in April 2022 hours after CNN broadcast an interview in which he said Russia was being run by a “regime of murderers”.
A year later, he was sentenced to 25 years in a Siberian penal colony in the Omsk region, where he was consigned to a punishment cell only three metres long and one and a half metres wide, nearly 6,000 miles from his wife and children living in the US. His fate was decried by governments across the West.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain3 August 2024 02:00
Putin’s troops advance on key city as Ukraine’s forces seek to push them back
Russian forces are advancing gradually towards the key strategic city of Pokrovsk in the eastern region of Donetsk, as Ukraine struggles with soldier shortages as delays in military aid from the West hold up the equipping of fresh brigades.
Pokrovsk, which serves as a key supply route for other Ukrainian outposts, has become the main focus of fighting in the last few weeks. Military analysts fear that Ukrainian equipment is insufficient to hold off the advance – although they expect the Russian offensive to slow down as it reaches more built-up areas.
Russia’s defence ministry claimed in the last few days it had taken control of Prohres and Yevhenivka – two villages to the east of Pokrovsk – with efforts now focussed on making a breakthrough closer to Pokrovsk.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain3 August 2024 01:00
How Ukraine’s new F-16 fighter jets will help the fight against Putin’s forces and Russia’s drone attacks
Six jets, which will be fitted with modern US weaponry, were delivered to Ukraine from the Netherlands, with more to follow shortly from Denmark.
The two countries, as well as Belgium and Norway, have promised to provide Kyiv with more than 60 of the American-made planes over the next few months.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain3 August 2024 00:00
What are the huge naval drills Russia is carrying out?
The exercises – which involve Russian forces spread across thousands of miles – come a day after annual navy day celebrations were held in Russia, with president Vladimir Putin addressing a parade in the former imperial capital of St Petersburg.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain2 August 2024 23:00
Moldova expels Russian diplomat after detaining two officials suspected of treason and conspiracy
Moldova’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday it has expelled a Russian diplomat after two Moldovan officials were detained on suspicion of treason and conspiracy against the European Union candidate country.
One of the Moldovan officials is suspected of treason for allegedly collecting and providing information to an embassy employee that could be used against Moldova’s interests, the Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases said, and the other is accused of plotting against the country for personal gain.
One of the suspects works in Parliament and the other for the border police. Both were detained earlier this week for 72 hours and were allegedly collaborating with a foreign embassy in Moldova’s capital, Chisinau. The authorities did not state which country’s embassy was involved.
Maryam Zakir-Hussain2 August 2024 22:00
