<p>Leader of Wagner mercenary forces Yevgeny Prigozhin on Monday (June 5) said that Russia's tactics would lead to more setbacks within two weeks. He decried Ukrainian victory at a village near Bakhmut. Prigozhin's comments have come just as a top Russian-backed official in occupied Donetsk decribed Russia's military situation around Bakhmut as difficult.</p>

<p>Prigozhin's private Wagner militia captured virtually all of Bakhmut in Ukraine's east last month after the longest battle of the war and handed its positions there to regular Russian troops.</p>

<p>Ukraine has since then continued to attack areas that are in the north and south of the city.</p>

<p>"Now part of the settlement of Berkhivka has already been lost, the troops are quietly running away. Disgrace!" Prigozhin said in an audio message published by his press service.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Ukraine claims gain around Bakhmut</strong>&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Wagner claimed capture of Berkhivka on February 24. The village lies about 3 km northwest of Bakhmut.</p>

<h2><strong>'Significant tactical defeats'</strong></h2>

<p>In an interview posted on Telegram later on Monday, Prigozhin said Russia's defence ministry was duping the public and Kremlin leaders with its tactics.</p>

<p>He said Ukrainian movements in the area "can happen much faster than our advances".</p>

<p>"The Ministry of Defence's tactics are malicious and deceptive," he said in the online interview.</p>

<p>"The Ministry of Defence's main goal is to pretend that everything is ok and that we are advancing. In reality, what is happening now ... will result in significant tactical defeats in two weeks' time."</p>

<p>Prigozhin also criticised the Russian Defence Ministry's latest account of the battle in Donetsk. The battle account describes big losses inflicted on Ukrainian forces. Prigozhin slammed them as "simply wild and absurd science fiction".</p>

<p>Denis Pushilin, the top Moscow-backed official in the Russian-occupied part of Donetsk region, which includes Bakhmut, told Russian state television the situation on the city's flanks was "under control" but "very difficult".</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kyiv-conducting-offensive-actions-russia-says-it-thwarts-major-attack-in-ukraine-601010">Kyiv conducting 'offensive' actions, Russia says it thwarts major attack in Ukraine</a></strong></p>

<p>Prigozhin urged Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and chief of the general staff Valery Gerasimov to come to the frontlines so that they will be able to boost the morale of the fighting troops.</p>

<p>"Come on, you can do it!" he said in his message. "And if you can't, you'll die heroes."</p>

<p>For months, Prigozhin has publically lashed out at Shoigu and Gerasimov. He has raised allegations that the leaders failed to provide adequate ammunition and support to Wagner forces causing them to suffer heavy losses which could easily&nbsp;have been prevented.</p>

<p>In recent days, Prigozhin has further escalated the row, accusing regular forces under the command of the defence ministry of mining roads out of Bakhmut used by Wagner units.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><em>You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form"><strong>here</strong></a>.</em></p>

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Leader of Wagner mercenary forces Yevgeny Prigozhin on Monday (June 5) said that Russia's tactics would lead to more setbacks within two weeks. He decried Ukrainian victory at a village near Bakhmut.

Leader of Wagner mercenary forces Yevgeny Prigozhin on Monday (June 5) said that Russia's tactics would lead to more setbacks within two weeks. He decried Ukrainian victory at a village near Bakhmut. Prigozhin's comments have come just as a top Russian-backed official in occupied Donetsk decribed Russia's military situation around Bakhmut as difficult. Prigozhin's private Wagner militia captured virtually all of Bakhmut in Ukraine's east last month after the longest battle of the war and handed its positions there to regular Russian troops. Ukraine has since then continued to attack areas that are in the north and south of the city. "Now part of the settlement of Berkhivka has already been lost, the troops are quietly running away. Disgrace!" Prigozhin said in an audio message published by his press service. Watch | Ukraine claims gain around Bakhmut × Wagner claimed capture of Berkhivka on February 24. The village lies about 3 km northwest of Bakhmut. 'Significant tactical defeats' In an interview posted on Telegram later on Monday, Prigozhin said Russia's defence ministry was duping the public and Kremlin leaders with its tactics. He said Ukrainian movements in the area "can happen much faster than our advances". "The Ministry of Defence's tactics are malicious and deceptive," he said in the online interview. "The Ministry of Defence's main goal is to pretend that everything is ok and that we are advancing. In reality, what is happening now ... will result in significant tactical defeats in two weeks' time." Prigozhin also criticised the Russian Defence Ministry's latest account of the battle in Donetsk. The battle account describes big losses inflicted on Ukrainian forces. Prigozhin slammed them as "simply wild and absurd science fiction". Denis Pushilin, the top Moscow-backed official in the Russian-occupied part of Donetsk region, which includes Bakhmut, told Russian state television the situation on the city's flanks was "under control" but "very difficult". Also Read | Kyiv conducting 'offensive' actions, Russia says it thwarts major attack in Ukraine Prigozhin urged Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and chief of the general staff Valery Gerasimov to come to the frontlines so that they will be able to boost the morale of the fighting troops. "Come on, you can do it!" he said in his message. "And if you can't, you'll die heroes." For months, Prigozhin has publically lashed out at Shoigu and Gerasimov. He has raised allegations that the leaders failed to provide adequate ammunition and support to Wagner forces causing them to suffer heavy losses which could easily have been prevented. In recent days, Prigozhin has further escalated the row, accusing regular forces under the command of the defence ministry of mining roads out of Bakhmut used by Wagner units. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Russian strategy will cause 'significant' defeats near Bakhmut, warns Wagner boss

<p>Yevgeny Prigozhin - the leader of the Russian mercenary outfit Wagner Group -&nbsp; has claimed that Moscow may face more setbacks if it persists with the current tactics. In other news, the US&nbsp;Federal Trade Commission on Monday reached a multi-million dollar settlement with Microsoft after it was found that the company was illegally harvesting&nbsp;data of children who signed up to use its Xbox video game console.</p>

<p><strong>Click on headlines to read more:</strong></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-strategy-will-cause-significant-defeats-near-bakhmut-warns-wagner-boss-601035"><strong>Russian strategy will cause 'significant' defeats near Bakhmut, warns Wagner boss</strong></a></p>

<p>Leader of Wagner mercenary forces Yevgeny Prigozhin on Monday (June 5) said that Russia's tactics would lead to more setbacks within two weeks. He decried Ukrainian victory at a village near Bakhmut.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/06/06/357192-ukraine-13.jpg?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/microsoft-agrees-to-pay-20m-after-found-illegally-storing-kids-xbox-account-data-601044"><strong>Microsoft agrees to pay $20m after found illegally storing kids’ Xbox account data</strong></a></p>

<p>Microsoft has decided to pay $20 million to reach a settlement after it was found to be illegally collecting and retaining the data of children who signed up to use its Xbox video game console.</p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/06/06/357195-xbox.jpg?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/usa-first-taxpayer-funded-religious-charter-school-approved-in-oklahoma-601057"><strong>USA: First taxpayer-funded religious charter school approved in Oklahoma</strong></a></p>

<p>The US state of Oklahoma on Monday approved the country's first publically funded religious charter school where Catholic teachings will be imparted into lessons.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2022/05/01/258900-us-school.jpg?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/tick-tock-ai-could-kill-humans-within-two-years-warns-sunaks-adviser-601051"><strong>Tick tock! AI could 'kill humans' within two years, warns Sunak's adviser</strong></a></p>

<p>Vastly intelligent artificial intelligence&nbsp;(AI) systems may have the capability to "kill humans" within the next two years, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's adviser on AI has warned.</p>

<p><img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/06/06/357197-weekend-banner.png?imwidth=1920" /></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/aviation-industrys-profitability-reaches-new-altitudes-soars-toward-98-billion-net-profit-601053"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Aviation Industry's profitability reaches new altitudes, soars toward $9.8 billion net profit</strong></a></p>

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Yevgeny Prigozhin - the leader of the Russian mercenary outfit Wagner Group - has claimed that Moscow may face more setbacks if it persists with the current tactics.

Yevgeny Prigozhin - the leader of the Russian mercenary outfit Wagner Group - has claimed that Moscow may face more setbacks if it persists with the current tactics. In other news, the US Federal Trade Commission on Monday reached a multi-million dollar settlement with Microsoft after it was found that the company was illegally harvesting data of children who signed up to use its Xbox video game console. Click on headlines to read more: Russian strategy will cause 'significant' defeats near Bakhmut, warns Wagner boss Leader of Wagner mercenary forces Yevgeny Prigozhin on Monday (June 5) said that Russia's tactics would lead to more setbacks within two weeks. He decried Ukrainian victory at a village near Bakhmut. Microsoft agrees to pay $20m after found illegally storing kids’ Xbox account data Microsoft has decided to pay $20 million to reach a settlement after it was found to be illegally collecting and retaining the data of children who signed up to use its Xbox video game console. USA: First taxpayer-funded religious charter school approved in Oklahoma The US state of Oklahoma on Monday approved the country's first publically funded religious charter school where Catholic teachings will be imparted into lessons. Tick tock! AI could 'kill humans' within two years, warns Sunak's adviser Vastly intelligent artificial intelligence (AI) systems may have the capability to "kill humans" within the next two years, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's adviser on AI has warned. WATCH | Aviation Industry's profitability reaches new altitudes, soars toward $9.8 billion net profit ×

Morning news brief: Wagner boss warns of 'defeats', Microsoft agrees to pay fine, and more

<p>The governor of Belgorod region in Russia, which shares&nbsp;a border with Ukraine, on Sunday reported ongoing clashes&nbsp;on&nbsp;the frontier and accepted that pro-Ukrainian forces had captured Russians prisoner during cross-border fighting.</p>

<p>Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov&nbsp;said that he was willing to&nbsp;talk with pro-Ukrainian forces&nbsp;to retrieve "our guys" from the fighters who claim to have&nbsp;captured Russian soldiers as prisoners in the Belgorod region.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>For the first time, Russian official have admitted that there fighters have been&nbsp;captured&nbsp;by pro-Ukraine forces during the war.</p>

<p>The pro-Kyiv groups like the Russian Volunteer Corps and the Legion for Freedom of Russia, earlier had called on the governor of&nbsp;Belgorod to meet fighters and release captive soldiers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The only thing stopping me from negotiating with them is our guys that are in their hands, maybe they are already dead," Gladkov said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"A sabotage group came in, there is combat in Novaya Tavolzhanka. I hope they will all be destroyed,"&nbsp;Gladkov stated.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Russia's army stated that they&nbsp;have repelled a "sabotage group of Ukrainian terrorists" who were trying to cross the frontier near the settlement. "The enemy was hit by artillery. The enemy scattered and retreated," the army said in a statement.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Evacuate border district, says governor</strong></h2>

<p>The government authorities in Russia on Sunday appealed to the residents of the Shebekino district&nbsp;sharing borders with Ukraine&nbsp;to evacuate the area as shelling intensified.<br />
<br />
The Russian district of Shebekino, which is located in the western Belgorod on the Ukraine border, has been facing daily shelling which has killed many civilians and forced villagers to flee from the region.<br />
<br />
The region's governor Vyacheslav Gladkov appealed to residents to co-operate with the government authorities and evacuate the district.<br />
<br />
"I ask that in the villages of, first of all, the Shebekino district that has been shelled, to listen to the position of authorities and leave — temporarily leave — their homes," Gladkov&nbsp;said on Telegram.<br />
<br />
He added that their goal was "to safeguard what is most important: your life and the lives of your close ones". He added that the district went through another "not calm night" with "a lot of damage".</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wagner-mercenary-group-ready-to-defend-russian-border-region-of-belgorod-yevgeny-prigozhin-600346">Wagner mercenary group ready to defend Russian border region of Belgorod: Yevgeny Prigozhin</a></p>

<p>The statement was made by Gladkov a day after two women died in border villages because of shelling. He stated that "more than 4,000 people" who belong to border areas are currently staying in temporary housing in the Belgorod region.<br />
<br />
He added that on Sunday, the government authorities would shift the children of soldiers, who have been deployed to Ukraine, and minors from border villages to youth camps.</p>

<p>Meanwhile,&nbsp;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the war with Russia&nbsp;has killed at least 500 Ukrainian children.</p>

<p>In a statement, the president said that “Russian weapons and hatred, which continue to take and destroy the lives of Ukrainian children every day," killed the hundreds who had perished since the full-scale invasion by Russia of Ukraine started on February 24, 2022.</p>

<p>“Many of them could have become famous scholars, artists, sports champions, contributing to Ukraine's history,” he added.</p>

<h2><strong>Russia missiles hit airfield in central Ukraine, says Kyiv</strong></h2>

<p>On Sunday, the Ukrainian authorities claimed that the Russian missiles struck an airfield located near the city of Kropyvnytskyi, in the central region of the country.<br />
<br />
Russia launched “six missiles and five attack drones", said Ukrainian air force spokesman Yuriy Ignat on television.<br />
<br />
"Unfortunately not all of them were destroyed. Of the six, four were destroyed by air defence and two hit the operational airfield near Kropyvnytskyi," he added.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Sirens wail as Kyiv repels Russian air attacks | Ukraine-Russia War</strong></p>

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<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">&nbsp;</div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">Meanwhile, the Russian army also confirmed that&nbsp;it hit military airfields of Ukraine with long-range weapons.</div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">
<p>"Today at night, the armed forces of the Russian Federation carried out a group strike with long-range precision-guided air-launched weapons against enemy targets at military airfields," said the Russian army in a statement.&nbsp;</p>
</div>

<p>Kropyvnytskyi is a small city located in central Ukraine's Kirovohrad region, south of the capital Kyiv.<br />
<br />
The attack comes as air assaults were intensified by Russia on Ukraine, with the capital city Kyiv facing attacks for several days in a row this week.<br />
<br />
The war, which has now continued for more than 15 months, has escalated further as Kyiv has been claiming that they are preparing for a major counteroffensive.<br />
<br />
The border villages of Russia also faced intense shelling this week.<br />
<br />
<em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>You can&nbsp;<strong>now write for&nbsp;wionews.com</strong>&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>

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The governor of Belgorod region in Russia, which shares a border with Ukraine, on Sunday reported ongoing clashes on the frontier and accepted that pro-Ukrainian forces had captured Russians prisoner during cross-border fighting.

The governor of Belgorod region in Russia, which shares a border with Ukraine, on Sunday reported ongoing clashes on the frontier and accepted that pro-Ukrainian forces had captured Russians prisoner during cross-border fighting. Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said that he was willing to talk with pro-Ukrainian forces to retrieve "our guys" from the fighters who claim to have captured Russian soldiers as prisoners in the Belgorod region. For the first time, Russian official have admitted that there fighters have been captured by pro-Ukraine forces during the war. The pro-Kyiv groups like the Russian Volunteer Corps and the Legion for Freedom of Russia, earlier had called on the governor of Belgorod to meet fighters and release captive soldiers. "The only thing stopping me from negotiating with them is our guys that are in their hands, maybe they are already dead," Gladkov said. "A sabotage group came in, there is combat in Novaya Tavolzhanka. I hope they will all be destroyed," Gladkov stated. Russia's army stated that they have repelled a "sabotage group of Ukrainian terrorists" who were trying to cross the frontier near the settlement. "The enemy was hit by artillery. The enemy scattered and retreated," the army said in a statement. Evacuate border district, says governor The government authorities in Russia on Sunday appealed to the residents of the Shebekino district sharing borders with Ukraine to evacuate the area as shelling intensified. The Russian district of Shebekino, which is located in the western Belgorod on the Ukraine border, has been facing daily shelling which has killed many civilians and forced villagers to flee from the region. The region's governor Vyacheslav Gladkov appealed to residents to co-operate with the government authorities and evacuate the district. "I ask that in the villages of, first of all, the Shebekino district that has been shelled, to listen to the position of authorities and leave — temporarily leave — their homes," Gladkov said on Telegram. He added that their goal was "to safeguard what is most important: your life and the lives of your close ones". He added that the district went through another "not calm night" with "a lot of damage". ALSO READ | Wagner mercenary group ready to defend Russian border region of Belgorod: Yevgeny Prigozhin The statement was made by Gladkov a day after two women died in border villages because of shelling. He stated that "more than 4,000 people" who belong to border areas are currently staying in temporary housing in the Belgorod region. He added that on Sunday, the government authorities would shift the children of soldiers, who have been deployed to Ukraine, and minors from border villages to youth camps. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the war with Russia has killed at least 500 Ukrainian children. In a statement, the president said that “Russian weapons and hatred, which continue to take and destroy the lives of Ukrainian children every day," killed the hundreds who had perished since the full-scale invasion by Russia of Ukraine started on February 24, 2022. “Many of them could have become famous scholars, artists, sports champions, contributing to Ukraine's history,” he added. Russia missiles hit airfield in central Ukraine, says Kyiv On Sunday, the Ukrainian authorities claimed that the Russian missiles struck an airfield located near the city of Kropyvnytskyi, in the central region of the country. Russia launched “six missiles and five attack drones", said Ukrainian air force spokesman Yuriy Ignat on television. "Unfortunately not all of them were destroyed. Of the six, four were destroyed by air defence and two hit the operational airfield near Kropyvnytskyi," he added. WATCH | Sirens wail as Kyiv repels Russian air attacks | Ukraine-Russia War Meanwhile, the Russian army also confirmed that it hit military airfields of Ukraine with long-range weapons. "Today at night, the armed forces of the Russian Federation carried out a group strike with long-range precision-guided air-launched weapons against enemy targets at military airfields," said the Russian army in a statement. Kropyvnytskyi is a small city located in central Ukraine's Kirovohrad region, south of the capital Kyiv. The attack comes as air assaults were intensified by Russia on Ukraine, with the capital city Kyiv facing attacks for several days in a row this week. The war, which has now continued for more than 15 months, has escalated further as Kyiv has been claiming that they are preparing for a major counteroffensive. The border villages of Russia also faced intense shelling this week. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

New fighting on Russian side of Ukraine border, says governor

<p>A Russian-installed official claimed on Sunday (June 4), that five&nbsp;drones were shot down in Dzhankoi in annexed Crimea and caused damage to some infrastructure. Meanwhile, at least 22&nbsp;people, including five children, were injured and a&nbsp;two-year-old girl was killed&nbsp;after an explosion near the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Saturday the regional governor said in an update on Sunday.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>A drone attack in Crimea?</strong><br />
<br />
Russian-installed official&nbsp;Sergei Aksyonov&nbsp;took to Telegram and said five&nbsp;drones were shot down and four others were jammed but did not hit targets,&nbsp;in Crimea's Dzhankoi which is also reported to be near a Moscow military air base.<br />
<br />
"There is damage to windows in several houses in a residential district," said Kryuchkov about the overnight incident, adding, "All services are working. Official information - in the morning." However, the Russian official said that an&nbsp;unexploded drone was found near&nbsp;a residential house which forced the evacuation of some 50 people.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, whose city Dzhankoi is said to be home to Moscow’s largest military base in the region, as per Ukrainian officials. This also comes a day after the regional official of Russia's Belgorod, Vyacheslav Gladkov, claimed that an unprecedented Ukrainian shelling killed two people in the border region.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Since this morning, the district of Shebekino has been under shelling of the Ukrainian armed forces," said Gladkov, adding that an "elderly woman" was killed in the village of Novaya Tavolzhanka and another woman succumbed to her wounds in the village of Bezlyudovka. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>What happened in Dnipro?</strong><br />
<br />
An explosion near the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro, on Saturday, in a two-storey residential building has injured at least 20 people, said Ukrainian regional governor, Serhiy Lysak. He also claimed that three of the children were in serious condition, while a total of 17 people were being treated at the hospital.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The incident was reported in the Pidhorodnenska community where, as per local media reports four people were later pulled out of the rubble but Lysak said another child was likely still trapped in the debris. The strike which is said to be caused by a Russian missile, has also reportedly hit an emergency services building.</p>

<p>However, hours later, in an update of the incident, he said that a total of 22 people were injured and a&nbsp;two-year-old girl was killed. The regional governor also said that 10 homes,&nbsp;a shop and a gas pipeline were also hit during the strike.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After the incident, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took to Telegram and wrote, "Unfortunately, there are people under the rubble. Once again, Russia proves it is a terrorist state. The Russians will bear responsibility for everything committed against our state and people."</p>

<p>The two-year-old girl's&nbsp;body was pulled from the wreckage after the missile strike on Saturday, said the Ukrainian official.&nbsp;"At night, a girl's body was retrieved from under the rubble of a house in the Pidhorodnenska community," said&nbsp;Lysak, on Telegram, adding that she had just turned two.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Russian air attack repelled: Ukraine</strong></p>

<p>Early Sunday, Ukrainian officials said that Russia launched a wave of air attacks on Kyiv and they were able to repel all missiles and drones on their approach to the capital city using air defence systems. Around this time, the entire country was under air raid alert for nearly three hours.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The head of the military administration took to Telegram, on Sunday and wrote, "According to preliminary information, not a single air target reached the capital."&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added, "Air defence destroyed everything that was heading towards the city already at their distant approaches." According to a report by Reuters, witnesses heard several blasts in the Kyiv region but not in the city. Additionally, the blasts were also said to be likely from the air defence systems hitting targets.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em><br />
<br />
<em><strong>Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.</strong></em></p>

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A Russian-installed official claimed on Sunday (June 4), that five drones were shot down in Dzhankoi in annexed Crimea and caused damage to some infrastructure. Meanwhile, at least 22 people, including five children, were injured and a two-year-old girl was killed after an explosion near the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Saturday the regional governor said in an update on Sunday.

A Russian-installed official claimed on Sunday (June 4), that five drones were shot down in Dzhankoi in annexed Crimea and caused damage to some infrastructure. Meanwhile, at least 22 people, including five children, were injured and a two-year-old girl was killed after an explosion near the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Saturday the regional governor said in an update on Sunday. A drone attack in Crimea? Russian-installed official Sergei Aksyonov took to Telegram and said five drones were shot down and four others were jammed but did not hit targets, in Crimea's Dzhankoi which is also reported to be near a Moscow military air base. "There is damage to windows in several houses in a residential district," said Kryuchkov about the overnight incident, adding, "All services are working. Official information - in the morning." However, the Russian official said that an unexploded drone was found near a residential house which forced the evacuation of some 50 people. Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, whose city Dzhankoi is said to be home to Moscow’s largest military base in the region, as per Ukrainian officials. This also comes a day after the regional official of Russia's Belgorod, Vyacheslav Gladkov, claimed that an unprecedented Ukrainian shelling killed two people in the border region. "Since this morning, the district of Shebekino has been under shelling of the Ukrainian armed forces," said Gladkov, adding that an "elderly woman" was killed in the village of Novaya Tavolzhanka and another woman succumbed to her wounds in the village of Bezlyudovka. What happened in Dnipro? An explosion near the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro, on Saturday, in a two-storey residential building has injured at least 20 people, said Ukrainian regional governor, Serhiy Lysak. He also claimed that three of the children were in serious condition, while a total of 17 people were being treated at the hospital. The incident was reported in the Pidhorodnenska community where, as per local media reports four people were later pulled out of the rubble but Lysak said another child was likely still trapped in the debris. The strike which is said to be caused by a Russian missile, has also reportedly hit an emergency services building. However, hours later, in an update of the incident, he said that a total of 22 people were injured and a two-year-old girl was killed. The regional governor also said that 10 homes, a shop and a gas pipeline were also hit during the strike. After the incident, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took to Telegram and wrote, "Unfortunately, there are people under the rubble. Once again, Russia proves it is a terrorist state. The Russians will bear responsibility for everything committed against our state and people." The two-year-old girl's body was pulled from the wreckage after the missile strike on Saturday, said the Ukrainian official. "At night, a girl's body was retrieved from under the rubble of a house in the Pidhorodnenska community," said Lysak, on Telegram, adding that she had just turned two. Russian air attack repelled: Ukraine Early Sunday, Ukrainian officials said that Russia launched a wave of air attacks on Kyiv and they were able to repel all missiles and drones on their approach to the capital city using air defence systems. Around this time, the entire country was under air raid alert for nearly three hours. The head of the military administration took to Telegram, on Sunday and wrote, "According to preliminary information, not a single air target reached the capital." He added, "Air defence destroyed everything that was heading towards the city already at their distant approaches." According to a report by Reuters, witnesses heard several blasts in the Kyiv region but not in the city. Additionally, the blasts were also said to be likely from the air defence systems hitting targets. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russian official says 5 drones shot down in Crimea; two-year-old killed after blast in Ukraine’s Dnipro

<p>The head of the Wagner mercenary group, on Saturday (June 3), said that his fighters would be ready to defend the Russian border region of Belgorod which has recently witnessed a number of attacks. This comes as the group’s founder and chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has criticised the Russian military brass for not being able to defend Belgorod.</p>

<h2><strong>What did Prigozhin say about Belgorod?</strong></h2>

<p>The Wagner chief said that he would not wait for an “invitation” to deploy his fighters in the Russian border region. “If the defence ministry, in the near future, does not stop what is happening in the Belgorod region…then of course we will come to defend Russian land,” said&nbsp;Prigozhin.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added, “The civilian population is dying in Belgorod.”&nbsp;So far, thousands have been evacuated from southwestern Belgorod days after an incursion from Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prigozhin, who founded the Wagner mercenary group and&nbsp;whose fighters&nbsp;have spearheaded battles in Ukraine, particularly in Bakhmut has&nbsp;gained widespread notoriety since the war in Ukraine began over a year ago.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What is happening in Belgorod?</strong></h2>

<p>On Saturday,&nbsp;Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov claimed that an unprecedented Ukrainian shelling killed two people in the border region. “Since this morning, the district of Shebekino has been under shelling of the Ukrainian armed forces,” said the Russian official.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Among those killed were two women, one “elderly woman” was killed in the village of Novaya Tavolzhanka while the other succumbed to her wounds in the village of Bezlyudovka. Last week, Russia claimed that it repelled an attempted incursion along its border with Ukraine from what it calls pro-Ukrainian militants.</p>

<p>According to Gladkov, the region has been hit by 500 attacks on Friday which included artillery and rocket fire and five people lost their lives during these attacks.</p>

<p>The reported incursion with a suspected drone attack and heavy shelling also prompted a partial evacuation of civilians from the area. The Russian defence ministry said that it repelled three cross-border attacks on Thursday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It was said to be a joint effort by the Russian army units, border guards and units of the Federal Security Service which repelled the attack which involved five tanks and four armoured vehicles and some 70 fighters who&nbsp;tried to enter the entire border near Novaya Tavolzhanka and Shebekino.</p>

<p>The defence ministry claimed over 50 Ukrainian fighters were killed and four armoured vehicles were destroyed.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em><strong>Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.</strong></em></p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em><br />
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The head of the Wagner mercenary group, on Saturday (June 3), said that his fighters would be ready to defend the Russian border region of Belgorod which has recently witnessed a number of attacks.

The head of the Wagner mercenary group, on Saturday (June 3), said that his fighters would be ready to defend the Russian border region of Belgorod which has recently witnessed a number of attacks. This comes as the group’s founder and chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has criticised the Russian military brass for not being able to defend Belgorod. What did Prigozhin say about Belgorod? The Wagner chief said that he would not wait for an “invitation” to deploy his fighters in the Russian border region. “If the defence ministry, in the near future, does not stop what is happening in the Belgorod region…then of course we will come to defend Russian land,” said Prigozhin. He added, “The civilian population is dying in Belgorod.” So far, thousands have been evacuated from southwestern Belgorod days after an incursion from Ukraine. Prigozhin, who founded the Wagner mercenary group and whose fighters have spearheaded battles in Ukraine, particularly in Bakhmut has gained widespread notoriety since the war in Ukraine began over a year ago. What is happening in Belgorod? On Saturday, Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov claimed that an unprecedented Ukrainian shelling killed two people in the border region. “Since this morning, the district of Shebekino has been under shelling of the Ukrainian armed forces,” said the Russian official. Among those killed were two women, one “elderly woman” was killed in the village of Novaya Tavolzhanka while the other succumbed to her wounds in the village of Bezlyudovka. Last week, Russia claimed that it repelled an attempted incursion along its border with Ukraine from what it calls pro-Ukrainian militants. According to Gladkov, the region has been hit by 500 attacks on Friday which included artillery and rocket fire and five people lost their lives during these attacks. The reported incursion with a suspected drone attack and heavy shelling also prompted a partial evacuation of civilians from the area. The Russian defence ministry said that it repelled three cross-border attacks on Thursday. It was said to be a joint effort by the Russian army units, border guards and units of the Federal Security Service which repelled the attack which involved five tanks and four armoured vehicles and some 70 fighters who tried to enter the entire border near Novaya Tavolzhanka and Shebekino. The defence ministry claimed over 50 Ukrainian fighters were killed and four armoured vehicles were destroyed. Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Wagner mercenary group ready to defend Russian border region of Belgorod: Yevgeny Prigozhin

<p>Boss of Russian mercenary group Wagner Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Saturday that factions within the Kremlin were causing harm to the state by attempting to create divisions between him and Chechen fighters.&nbsp;Prigozhin stated that the disagreement between him and the Chechen forces, who are also involved in the conflict alongside the Russian army in Ukraine, had been resolved.</p>

<h2><strong>'Kremlin towers'</strong></h2>

<p>However, on Saturday, Prigozhin attributed the discord to unidentified Kremlin factions, which he referred to as "Kremlin towers."&nbsp;He claimed that their manipulative actions had escalated to the point where even President Putin had to reprimand them during a security council meeting.</p>

<p>In a message released by his press service, Prigozhin remarked that Pandora's Box had already been opened and that they were not the ones responsible for it.&nbsp;He accused a Kremlin faction of engaging in dangerous games, which had now become commonplace in the "Kremlin towers," ultimately leading to the destruction of the Russian state.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/breast-cancer-drug-slashes-risk-of-recurrence-by-25-a-game-changer-in-fight-against-the-disease-600156">Breast cancer drug slashes risk of recurrence by 25 pc, a game-changer in fight against the disease</a></p>

<p>Although Prigozhin did not specifically identify the Kremlin faction, he warned that if their attempts to sow discord persisted, they would face severe consequences there will be “hell to pay”.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Chechen and Wagner boss' spat&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>A close associate of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov publicly criticized the Wagner chief Prigozhin on Thursday. Adam Delimkhanov, a trusted ally of Kadyrov, addressed Prigozhin in a video message, referring to him using the diminutive form of his name, "Zhenya," and the familiar Russian form of "you" ("ty"). Delimkhanov characterized Prigozhin as a blogger who incessantly shouts about problems. It sparked a strong response from a high-ranking Wagner fighter.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/amazon-in-talks-to-introduce-prime-wireless-slashing-cell-phone-bills-to-10-or-even-free-600134">Amazon in talks to introduce 'Prime wireless', slashing cell phone bills to $10 or even free</a></p>

<p>"If you don't understand, then you can contact us and tell us the place and the time, I we will explain to you what you don't understand," Delimkhanov said of Prigozhin adding, "you have become a blogger who screams and shouts off to the whole world about all the problems," Delimkhanov said. "Stop shouting, yelling and screaming."</p>

<p>Dmitry Utkin, a former special forces officer with a significant role in Wagner, swiftly responded to the message, expressing strong disapproval.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Pakistan to begin barter trade with Afghanistan, Iran and Russia</strong></p>

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<p>"Where did such familiarity come from: who gave you the right to use the address 'ty' and 'Zhenya'?" Utkin said in a message. It was reposted by Prigozhin on Telegram.</p>

<p>"Certain citizens should be put against a wall for the SHAME that we have," Utkin had written adding, "We are always ready to talk man to man."&nbsp;</p>

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Boss of Russian mercenary group Wagner Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Saturday that factions within the Kremlin were causing harm to the state by attempting to create divisions between him and Chechen fighters.

Boss of Russian mercenary group Wagner Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Saturday that factions within the Kremlin were causing harm to the state by attempting to create divisions between him and Chechen fighters. Prigozhin stated that the disagreement between him and the Chechen forces, who are also involved in the conflict alongside the Russian army in Ukraine, had been resolved. 'Kremlin towers' However, on Saturday, Prigozhin attributed the discord to unidentified Kremlin factions, which he referred to as "Kremlin towers." He claimed that their manipulative actions had escalated to the point where even President Putin had to reprimand them during a security council meeting. In a message released by his press service, Prigozhin remarked that Pandora's Box had already been opened and that they were not the ones responsible for it. He accused a Kremlin faction of engaging in dangerous games, which had now become commonplace in the "Kremlin towers," ultimately leading to the destruction of the Russian state. Also Read | Breast cancer drug slashes risk of recurrence by 25 pc, a game-changer in fight against the disease Although Prigozhin did not specifically identify the Kremlin faction, he warned that if their attempts to sow discord persisted, they would face severe consequences there will be “hell to pay”. Chechen and Wagner boss' spat A close associate of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov publicly criticized the Wagner chief Prigozhin on Thursday. Adam Delimkhanov, a trusted ally of Kadyrov, addressed Prigozhin in a video message, referring to him using the diminutive form of his name, "Zhenya," and the familiar Russian form of "you" ("ty"). Delimkhanov characterized Prigozhin as a blogger who incessantly shouts about problems. It sparked a strong response from a high-ranking Wagner fighter. Also Read | Amazon in talks to introduce 'Prime wireless', slashing cell phone bills to $10 or even free "If you don't understand, then you can contact us and tell us the place and the time, I we will explain to you what you don't understand," Delimkhanov said of Prigozhin adding, "you have become a blogger who screams and shouts off to the whole world about all the problems," Delimkhanov said. "Stop shouting, yelling and screaming." Dmitry Utkin, a former special forces officer with a significant role in Wagner, swiftly responded to the message, expressing strong disapproval. Watch | Pakistan to begin barter trade with Afghanistan, Iran and Russia × "Where did such familiarity come from: who gave you the right to use the address 'ty' and 'Zhenya'?" Utkin said in a message. It was reposted by Prigozhin on Telegram. "Certain citizens should be put against a wall for the SHAME that we have," Utkin had written adding, "We are always ready to talk man to man." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Wagner boss says Kremlin faction destroying Russian state, sowing discord between him and Chechen fighters

<p>China along with Russia ignored a US call on Friday (June 2) to condemn North Korea in United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for its attempt to launch a satellite. Both countries instead blamed Washington for raising tensions in the Korean Peninsula.</p>

<p>From the side of the US, a diplomat from its UN mission Robert Wood made the appeal at the meeting called by the US and the allies. The meeting was called specifically to discuss the North Korea issue.</p>

<h2><strong>War of words</strong></h2>

<p>"We call on all council members to uphold the credibility of the council, join us in condemning this unlawful behavior and urge the DPRK to not follow through on its stated plan to conduct another launch that will further pose a threat to international peace and security," Wood said.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | North Korea's spy satellite mission fails as rocket plunges into sea</strong></p>

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<p>DPRK are the initials of North Korea's official name.</p>

<p>Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, told&nbsp;the meeting that North Korea had "legitimate security concerns". Geng said that the Security Council should promote deescalation and not point fingers at any one party.</p>

<p>Geng and Russia's permanent UN representative Anna Evstigneeva criticised the US for raising tensions in the Korean peninsula by holding joint military exercises with South Korea.</p>

<p>After Geng spoke, Wood took the floor again to note that "the representative the Chinese delegation did not at any point condemn this DPRK space launch."</p>

<p>To this, Geng responded that there was a need for real dialogue that took North Korea's concerns into account.</p>

<p>"The U.S. has been saying that door of diplomacy is open, but at the same time, they have been consistently doing military activities in the peninsula and surrounding areas," he said.</p>

<p>Lana Nusseibeh, ambassador of current Security Council chair the United Arab Emirates, noted that North Korea had given some advance warning of the launch, but added that "such warnings neither legitimize, nor minimize, the illegality of the DPRK's launch."</p>

<p>United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said earlier this week that any launch by North Korea using ballistic missile tech would breach Security Council resolutions.</p>

<p>Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called criticisms of the launch a "self-contradiction" as the U.S. and other countries have already launched "thousands of satellites."</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korean-leader-kim-jong-un-may-have-insomnia-alcohol-dependency-south-koreas-spy-agency-599269">North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may have 'insomnia, alcohol dependency': South Korea's spy agency</a></strong></p>

<p>The North Korean attempt to launch a spy satellite had caused quite a flurry in the region. Air raid sirens in Seoul, capital of South Korea, blared and citizens were sent a text message by the authorities asking them to be ready for evacuation. Japan activated its missile alert system shortly after the launch and even said that the projectile would land around Okinawa region in the south.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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China along with Russia ignored a US call on Friday (June 2) to condemn North Korea in United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for its attempt to launch a satellite.

China along with Russia ignored a US call on Friday (June 2) to condemn North Korea in United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for its attempt to launch a satellite. Both countries instead blamed Washington for raising tensions in the Korean Peninsula. From the side of the US, a diplomat from its UN mission Robert Wood made the appeal at the meeting called by the US and the allies. The meeting was called specifically to discuss the North Korea issue. War of words "We call on all council members to uphold the credibility of the council, join us in condemning this unlawful behavior and urge the DPRK to not follow through on its stated plan to conduct another launch that will further pose a threat to international peace and security," Wood said. Watch | North Korea's spy satellite mission fails as rocket plunges into sea × DPRK are the initials of North Korea's official name. Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, told the meeting that North Korea had "legitimate security concerns". Geng said that the Security Council should promote deescalation and not point fingers at any one party. Geng and Russia's permanent UN representative Anna Evstigneeva criticised the US for raising tensions in the Korean peninsula by holding joint military exercises with South Korea. After Geng spoke, Wood took the floor again to note that "the representative the Chinese delegation did not at any point condemn this DPRK space launch." To this, Geng responded that there was a need for real dialogue that took North Korea's concerns into account. "The U.S. has been saying that door of diplomacy is open, but at the same time, they have been consistently doing military activities in the peninsula and surrounding areas," he said. Lana Nusseibeh, ambassador of current Security Council chair the United Arab Emirates, noted that North Korea had given some advance warning of the launch, but added that "such warnings neither legitimize, nor minimize, the illegality of the DPRK's launch." United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said earlier this week that any launch by North Korea using ballistic missile tech would breach Security Council resolutions. Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called criticisms of the launch a "self-contradiction" as the U.S. and other countries have already launched "thousands of satellites." Also Read | North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may have 'insomnia, alcohol dependency': South Korea's spy agency The North Korean attempt to launch a spy satellite had caused quite a flurry in the region. Air raid sirens in Seoul, capital of South Korea, blared and citizens were sent a text message by the authorities asking them to be ready for evacuation. Japan activated its missile alert system shortly after the launch and even said that the projectile would land around Okinawa region in the south. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

UNSC: China, Russia join forces to ignore US call to condemn North Korea

<p>Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has dismissed media reports claiming that South Africa was considering to shift the BRICS summit venue to another country amid an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin over alleged war crimes in Ukraine.</p>

<p>Lavrov said he does not read British newspapers - seemingly the origin of the story claiming the relocation of the BRICS summit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"As far as I understand, such news could have been published only in some yellow British newspaper, and I don’t read British newspapers," said Lavrov during a&nbsp;press conference on the outcome of the meeting of BRICS Foreign Ministers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Russian Deputy&nbsp;Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said such reports should not be trusted and that they were part of a deliberate misinformation campaign.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Unnamed sources for the claims</strong></h2>

<p>Notably, a Bloomberg report titled 'Putin arrest warrant prompts South Africa to weigh moving BRICS summit', citing unnamed sources made the claim.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The government is considering asking China to host the meeting of heads of state, or alternatively neighbouring Mozambique, the people said, asking not to be identified because discussions about the matter are private and no decision has been taken yet," read the report.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Putin is wanted by the ICC for war crimes in relation to the Ukrainian invasion. With the BRICS summit taking place in South Africa and the country being a member of ICC, the Western world is pressuring Pretoria to arrest Putin once he lands in the country.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-africa-wont-arrest-vladimir-putin-to-provide-diplomatic-immunity-during-brics-event-598357"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;South Africa won’t arrest Vladimir Putin, to provide diplomatic immunity during BRICS event</strong></a></p>

<h2><strong>'South Africa will not arrest Putin</strong>'</h2>

<p>However, the African nation has granted immunity to all participants, including Putin, and other Russian officials, at BRICS-related events to be held in the country. These United Nations Convention grants immunity from personal arrest or detention.</p>

<p>“This is a standard conferment of immunities that we do for all international conferences and summits held in South Africa irrespective of the level of participation,” the Department of International Relations and Cooperations said in a statement.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>International Court warrant against Putin; South Africa due to host BRICS summit</strong></h2>

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<p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has confirmed that Russia will participate in the BRICS summit at an “appropriate level”.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Russia will take part in this summit at a proper level," he said, while responding to a question about whether Putin will participate in the summit in South Africa, the state-run Tass news agency reported.</p>

<p>"Russia attributes great importance to the development of this integration format," the Kremlin spokesman added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The meeting of BRICS Foreign Ministers is taking place in Cape Town on June 1-2, and the association’s summit is scheduled to take place in Johannesburg, South Africa, between August 22 and 24.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has dismissed media reports claiming that South Africa was considering to shift the BRICS summit venue to another country amid an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin over alleged war crimes in Ukraine.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has dismissed media reports claiming that South Africa was considering to shift the BRICS summit venue to another country amid an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin over alleged war crimes in Ukraine. Lavrov said he does not read British newspapers - seemingly the origin of the story claiming the relocation of the BRICS summit. "As far as I understand, such news could have been published only in some yellow British newspaper, and I don’t read British newspapers," said Lavrov during a press conference on the outcome of the meeting of BRICS Foreign Ministers. Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said such reports should not be trusted and that they were part of a deliberate misinformation campaign. Unnamed sources for the claims Notably, a Bloomberg report titled 'Putin arrest warrant prompts South Africa to weigh moving BRICS summit', citing unnamed sources made the claim. "The government is considering asking China to host the meeting of heads of state, or alternatively neighbouring Mozambique, the people said, asking not to be identified because discussions about the matter are private and no decision has been taken yet," read the report. Putin is wanted by the ICC for war crimes in relation to the Ukrainian invasion. With the BRICS summit taking place in South Africa and the country being a member of ICC, the Western world is pressuring Pretoria to arrest Putin once he lands in the country. Also read | South Africa won’t arrest Vladimir Putin, to provide diplomatic immunity during BRICS event 'South Africa will not arrest Putin' However, the African nation has granted immunity to all participants, including Putin, and other Russian officials, at BRICS-related events to be held in the country. These United Nations Convention grants immunity from personal arrest or detention. “This is a standard conferment of immunities that we do for all international conferences and summits held in South Africa irrespective of the level of participation,” the Department of International Relations and Cooperations said in a statement. International Court warrant against Putin; South Africa due to host BRICS summit Meanwhile, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has confirmed that Russia will participate in the BRICS summit at an “appropriate level”. "Russia will take part in this summit at a proper level," he said, while responding to a question about whether Putin will participate in the summit in South Africa, the state-run Tass news agency reported. "Russia attributes great importance to the development of this integration format," the Kremlin spokesman added. The meeting of BRICS Foreign Ministers is taking place in Cape Town on June 1-2, and the association’s summit is scheduled to take place in Johannesburg, South Africa, between August 22 and 24. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'Don’t read British newspapers...': Lavrov dismisses reports about BRICS summit being moved

<p>Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Thursday (June 1) that it had detected an American spy operation that used a sophisticated surveillance software that allegedly hacked into thousands of iPhones, including those of diplomats. Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab claimed dozens of its employees' devices were compromised in the operation.</p>

<p>The FSB, which is the main successor to Soviet-era KGB, reportedly released a statement saying that several thousand Apple devices had been infected. FSB said that these included devices of domestic Russian subscribers as well as foreign diplomats based in Russia.</p>

<p>"The FSB has uncovered an intelligence action of the American special services using Apple mobile devices," the agency said in a statement, as quoted by Reuters.</p>

<p>The FSB said the plot showed "close cooperation" between iPhone maker Apple and the National Security Agency (NSA), which is responsible for cryptographic and communications intelligence and security.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Russia official says Ukraine shelling of border town injures four</strong></p>

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<p>The agency did not provide any evidence that showed Apple was aware of, or co-operated with the spying campaign.</p>

<p>Apple denied the allegations.</p>

<p>"We have never worked with any government to insert a backdoor into any Apple product and never will," the firm said in a statement.</p>

<p>Reuters said that NSA declined to comment.</p>

<p>Kaspersky CEO Eugene Kaspersky said on Twitter that dozens of his employees' phones were compromised in the operation, which his company described as "an extremely complex, professionally targeted cyberattack" that had targeted workers in "top and middle-management."</p>

<p>Kaspersky researcher Igor Kuznetsov told Reuters that his company had independently discovered anomalous traffic on its corporate Wi-Fi network around the start of the year. He said Kaspersky did not circulate its findings to Russia's Computer Emergency Response Team until earlier on Thursday.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/west-directly-supports-genocide-in-ukraine-russias-lavrov-about-zelenskys-peace-plan-598440">‘West directly supports genocide’ in Ukraine: Russia's Lavrov on Zelensky's peace plan</a></strong></p>

<p>He reportedly said he was unable to comment on Russian allegation that Americans were responsible for the hacking.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It's very hard to attribute anything to anyone," he said.</p>

<p>In a blog post, Kaspersky said the oldest traces of infection it discovered dated back to 2019. "As of the time of writing in June 2023, the attack is ongoing," the company said. It added that while its staff was hit, "we are quite confident that Kaspersky was not the main target of this cyberattack."</p>

<p>FSB alleged that the US hackers compromised diplomats from Israel, Syria, China and NATO members in the espionage campaign.</p>

<h2><strong>Foreign ministry backs FSB assertions</strong></h2>

<p>Russian foreign ministry backed FSB's claims.</p>

<p>"The hidden data collection was carried out through software vulnerabilities in U.S.-made mobile phones," Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement.</p>

<p>"The U.S. intelligence services have been using IT corporations for decades in order to collect large-scale data of Internet users without their knowledge," the ministry said.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Thursday (June 1) that it had detected an American spy operation that used a sophisticated surveillance software that allegedly hacked into thousands of iPhones, including those of diplomats.

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Thursday (June 1) that it had detected an American spy operation that used a sophisticated surveillance software that allegedly hacked into thousands of iPhones, including those of diplomats. Moscow-based Kaspersky Lab claimed dozens of its employees' devices were compromised in the operation. The FSB, which is the main successor to Soviet-era KGB, reportedly released a statement saying that several thousand Apple devices had been infected. FSB said that these included devices of domestic Russian subscribers as well as foreign diplomats based in Russia. "The FSB has uncovered an intelligence action of the American special services using Apple mobile devices," the agency said in a statement, as quoted by Reuters. The FSB said the plot showed "close cooperation" between iPhone maker Apple and the National Security Agency (NSA), which is responsible for cryptographic and communications intelligence and security. Watch | Russia official says Ukraine shelling of border town injures four × The agency did not provide any evidence that showed Apple was aware of, or co-operated with the spying campaign. Apple denied the allegations. "We have never worked with any government to insert a backdoor into any Apple product and never will," the firm said in a statement. Reuters said that NSA declined to comment. Kaspersky CEO Eugene Kaspersky said on Twitter that dozens of his employees' phones were compromised in the operation, which his company described as "an extremely complex, professionally targeted cyberattack" that had targeted workers in "top and middle-management." Kaspersky researcher Igor Kuznetsov told Reuters that his company had independently discovered anomalous traffic on its corporate Wi-Fi network around the start of the year. He said Kaspersky did not circulate its findings to Russia's Computer Emergency Response Team until earlier on Thursday. Also Read | ‘West directly supports genocide’ in Ukraine: Russia's Lavrov on Zelensky's peace plan He reportedly said he was unable to comment on Russian allegation that Americans were responsible for the hacking. "It's very hard to attribute anything to anyone," he said. In a blog post, Kaspersky said the oldest traces of infection it discovered dated back to 2019. "As of the time of writing in June 2023, the attack is ongoing," the company said. It added that while its staff was hit, "we are quite confident that Kaspersky was not the main target of this cyberattack." FSB alleged that the US hackers compromised diplomats from Israel, Syria, China and NATO members in the espionage campaign. Foreign ministry backs FSB assertions Russian foreign ministry backed FSB's claims. "The hidden data collection was carried out through software vulnerabilities in U.S.-made mobile phones," Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement. "The U.S. intelligence services have been using IT corporations for decades in order to collect large-scale data of Internet users without their knowledge," the ministry said. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Russia accuses US of hacking thousands of iPhones for spying

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<p>India has emerged as one of the top buyers of Russian oil after Moscow invaded Ukraine. Historically allies, the two countries are settling a greater share of the trade in national currencies after Russia was cut off from the US dollar-dominated global payments systems. Though it seems like a win-win situation for everybody, there is a problem. Russia does not know how to reap the benefits of this trade.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Moscow is currently accumulating $1 billion in rupee assets each month that remain stranded outside the country, primarily due to the lopsided trade relationship, a Bloomberg report has claimed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Every quarter, the trade imbalance is likely to generate the equivalent of $2 billion to $3 billion that Russia can’t use. Over the course of 2022, the amount would have added to an estimated $147 billion in net foreign assets built up abroad, the report added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The sum stuck is huge and it can be gauged by the fact that Russia spent 5.51 trillion rubles or $68 billion on defence in 2022, according to a Reuters report.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/how-fuels-from-russian-oil-are-getting-backdoor-entry-into-europe-via-india-579845"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;How fuels from Russian oil are getting backdoor entry into Europe via India</strong></a></p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>India-Russia back to the drawing board</strong></h2>

<p>To find an alternative, the two nations have gone back to the drawing board. One of the ways out is to establish various payment mechanisms, including investments in India’s capital markets by Russian entities.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, the solution is still not simple as Russia cannot use the entire tranche as India has restrictions over capital flows by foreign investors.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The other option is to use currencies of a third country such as China's yuan or UAE's dirham. Though an agreement on such a solution is highly unlikely.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Russia’s trade with India is increasingly imbalanced. India’s exports to Russia haven’t caught up with booming imports, but there’s a limited appetite in Russia to save its current-account surplus in rupees," said Alexander Isakov, Russia economist at Bloomberg Economics.</p>

<p>"There are no alternative oil importers of India's calibre on the horizon for Russia, so exporters and banks will gradually accept settlement in rupees," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Will India increase oil imports?</strong></h2>

<p>Even if India wanted to increase its oil imports, Moscow decreasing the discount on oil prices has done no favour to bolster that sentiment. Steep discounts that New Delhi enjoyed through most of FY23 have plunged due to Chinese demand and a cut at the oil producers' end, a Mint report claimed recently.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-losing-steep-discounts-on-russian-crude-oil-due-to-china-report-586881"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;India losing 'steep discounts' on Russian crude oil due to China: Report</strong></a></p>

<p>During FY23, by providing discounts amidst the Ukraine conflict, Russia became a significant provider of oil to Indian refiners for the first time. As a result, in the 11 months leading up to February of the previous fiscal year, India imported crude oil worth $27 billion from its strategic partner, placing the Russian Federation in second place for Indian oil imports.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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India has emerged as one of the top buyers of Russian oil after Moscow invaded Ukraine. Historically allies, the two countries are settling a greater share of the trade in national currencies after Russia was cut off from the US dollar-dominated global payments systems.

India has emerged as one of the top buyers of Russian oil after Moscow invaded Ukraine. Historically allies, the two countries are settling a greater share of the trade in national currencies after Russia was cut off from the US dollar-dominated global payments systems. Though it seems like a win-win situation for everybody, there is a problem. Russia does not know how to reap the benefits of this trade. Moscow is currently accumulating $1 billion in rupee assets each month that remain stranded outside the country, primarily due to the lopsided trade relationship, a Bloomberg report has claimed. Every quarter, the trade imbalance is likely to generate the equivalent of $2 billion to $3 billion that Russia can’t use. Over the course of 2022, the amount would have added to an estimated $147 billion in net foreign assets built up abroad, the report added. The sum stuck is huge and it can be gauged by the fact that Russia spent 5.51 trillion rubles or $68 billion on defence in 2022, according to a Reuters report. WATCH | How fuels from Russian oil are getting backdoor entry into Europe via India × India-Russia back to the drawing board To find an alternative, the two nations have gone back to the drawing board. One of the ways out is to establish various payment mechanisms, including investments in India’s capital markets by Russian entities. However, the solution is still not simple as Russia cannot use the entire tranche as India has restrictions over capital flows by foreign investors. The other option is to use currencies of a third country such as China's yuan or UAE's dirham. Though an agreement on such a solution is highly unlikely. "Russia’s trade with India is increasingly imbalanced. India’s exports to Russia haven’t caught up with booming imports, but there’s a limited appetite in Russia to save its current-account surplus in rupees," said Alexander Isakov, Russia economist at Bloomberg Economics. "There are no alternative oil importers of India's calibre on the horizon for Russia, so exporters and banks will gradually accept settlement in rupees," he added. Will India increase oil imports? Even if India wanted to increase its oil imports, Moscow decreasing the discount on oil prices has done no favour to bolster that sentiment. Steep discounts that New Delhi enjoyed through most of FY23 have plunged due to Chinese demand and a cut at the oil producers' end, a Mint report claimed recently. Also read | India losing 'steep discounts' on Russian crude oil due to China: Report During FY23, by providing discounts amidst the Ukraine conflict, Russia became a significant provider of oil to Indian refiners for the first time. As a result, in the 11 months leading up to February of the previous fiscal year, India imported crude oil worth $27 billion from its strategic partner, placing the Russian Federation in second place for Indian oil imports. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Russia does not know what to do with $147bn in rupees it has amassed

<p>One of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov's close allies on Thursday publicly criticised Russia's most prominent mercenary, casting Yevgeny Prigozhin as a blogger who yells all the time about problems, drawing a stern rebuke from a top Wagner fighter.</p>

<p>Addressing Prigozhin in a video message using the diminutive of "Zhenya" and the familiar Russian form of you ("ty"), Adam Delimkhanov, a close ally of Kadyrov, told Prigozhin:</p>

<p>"If you don't understand, then you can contact us and tell us the place and the time, I we will explain to you what you don't understand," Delimkhanov said of Prigozhin.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wagner-chief-warns-kremlin-blanking-him-on-state-media-will-provoke-backlash-597492">Wagner chief warns Kremlin, says blanking him out on state media will provoke backlash</a></strong></p>

<p>"You have become a blogger who screams and shouts off to the whole world about all the problems," Delimkhanov said. "Stop shouting, yelling and screaming."</p>

<p>The message drew a swift rebuke from one of Wagner's most senior fighters, Dmitry Utkin, a former special forces officer who served in Russian military intelligence.</p>

<p>"Where did such familiarity come from: who gave you the right to use the address 'ty' and 'Zhenya'?" Utkin said in a message which Prigozhin reposted on Telegram. "Certain citizens should be put against a wall for the SHAME that we have."</p>

<p>"We are always ready to talk man to man," Utkin said.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Wagner Group: Russia did not supply with adequate ammunition | Russia-Ukraine War</strong></p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kadyrov, the son of former Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov who was assassinated in a 2004 bombing in Grozny, had last year supported some of Prigozhin's criticism of Russia's top military brass but their relations have distanced in recent months.</p>

<p>Kadyrov is a close ally of President Vladimir Putin.</p>

<p>Prigozhin, a restaurateur-turned-mercenary who quipped last week that his nickname should be "Putin's butcher" rather than "Putin's chef", said on Wednesday he had asked prosecutors to investigate whether senior Russian defence officials committed any "crime" before or during the war in Ukraine.</p>

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One of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov's close allies on Thursday publicly criticised Russia's most prominent mercenary, casting Yevgeny Prigozhin as a blogger who yells all the time about problems, drawing a stern rebuke from a top Wagner fighter.

One of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov's close allies on Thursday publicly criticised Russia's most prominent mercenary, casting Yevgeny Prigozhin as a blogger who yells all the time about problems, drawing a stern rebuke from a top Wagner fighter. Addressing Prigozhin in a video message using the diminutive of "Zhenya" and the familiar Russian form of you ("ty"), Adam Delimkhanov, a close ally of Kadyrov, told Prigozhin: "If you don't understand, then you can contact us and tell us the place and the time, I we will explain to you what you don't understand," Delimkhanov said of Prigozhin. ALSO READ | Wagner chief warns Kremlin, says blanking him out on state media will provoke backlash "You have become a blogger who screams and shouts off to the whole world about all the problems," Delimkhanov said. "Stop shouting, yelling and screaming." The message drew a swift rebuke from one of Wagner's most senior fighters, Dmitry Utkin, a former special forces officer who served in Russian military intelligence. "Where did such familiarity come from: who gave you the right to use the address 'ty' and 'Zhenya'?" Utkin said in a message which Prigozhin reposted on Telegram. "Certain citizens should be put against a wall for the SHAME that we have." "We are always ready to talk man to man," Utkin said. WATCH | Wagner Group: Russia did not supply with adequate ammunition | Russia-Ukraine War × Kadyrov, the son of former Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov who was assassinated in a 2004 bombing in Grozny, had last year supported some of Prigozhin's criticism of Russia's top military brass but their relations have distanced in recent months. Kadyrov is a close ally of President Vladimir Putin. Prigozhin, a restaurateur-turned-mercenary who quipped last week that his nickname should be "Putin's butcher" rather than "Putin's chef", said on Wednesday he had asked prosecutors to investigate whether senior Russian defence officials committed any "crime" before or during the war in Ukraine. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

'Stop yelling': Top Chechen fighter scolds Russia's Wagner mercenary chief

<p>An air attack was launched by Russia on Ukraine early on Thursday in which three people,&nbsp;including&nbsp;two children, were killed. The latest attack brought fresh terror to the capital city, after a week of strikes.<br />
<br />
A series of aerial assaults were launched by the Russian forces on the Ukrainian capital, which included a daytime attack on Monday which forced residents to seek shelter.<br />
<br />
The attack on Thursday started around 3:00 am local time (0000 GMT), in which two children were killed and 10 others were injured, stated officials.<br />
<br />
"Among the three dead in the Desnyansky district, there were two children (aged 5-6 and 12-13)," wrote the Kyiv City Military Administration on Telegram.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/diplomatic-declaration-of-war-russia-asked-to-vacate-its-four-consulates-in-germany-598828">‘Diplomatic declaration of war’: Russia asked to vacate its four consulates in Germany</a></p>

<p>On Wednesday, Russia stated that it has started the evacuation of hundreds of children from villages as shelling has intensified in Belgorod, as Kremlin called the situation "alarming".<br />
<br />
Authorities have started the evacuation of children from the border districts of Graivoron and Shebekino, said regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov on Telegram.<br />
<br />
"The question of children's safety in the two districts...is very important. All of us, adults, are very worried,” Gladkov added.<br />
<br />
On Wednesday, tensions further escalated between Russia and the West as Germany announced that it would drastically cut down the diplomatic presence of Moscow on its soil in reply to a similar step taken by the Kremlin.<br />
<br />
Moscow called the decision taken by Germany "ill-thought-out" and promised a response.</p>

<h2><strong>'Alarming situation'</strong></h2>

<p>Governor Gladkov said that the authorities will take the first 300 evacuated children to Voronezh, a city which is around 250 kilometres into Russia. “And over 1,000 more children will be removed to other provinces over the coming days,” he added.<br />
<br />
State-run agency RIA Novosti's correspondent near Voronezh said that buses, with 150 people on board, had arrived.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Fighting in Luhansk: Russia claims 5 killed in Ukraine shelling</strong></p>

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<p>Gladkov stated that the situation has worsened in the village of Shebekino, where shelling during the day had increased and injured four people. However, no deaths have been reported so far.<br />
<br />
On Tuesday, one citizen died and two others were injured in a strike that took place at a centre for displaced people in the region. In the recent week, various oil depots have also been hit.<br />
<br />
The attacks came as Kyiv stated that it is preparing to launch a major counteroffensive against Moscow's forces. "The situation is quite alarming," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov about shelling in the region.<br />
<br />
"We have not heard a single word of condemnation from the West so far," Peskov added.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>You can&nbsp;<strong>now write for&nbsp;wionews.com</strong>&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong><br />
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An air attack was launched by Russia on Ukraine early on Thursday in which three people, including two children, were killed. The latest attack brought fresh terror to the capital city, after a week of strikes.

An air attack was launched by Russia on Ukraine early on Thursday in which three people, including two children, were killed. The latest attack brought fresh terror to the capital city, after a week of strikes. A series of aerial assaults were launched by the Russian forces on the Ukrainian capital, which included a daytime attack on Monday which forced residents to seek shelter. The attack on Thursday started around 3:00 am local time (0000 GMT), in which two children were killed and 10 others were injured, stated officials. "Among the three dead in the Desnyansky district, there were two children (aged 5-6 and 12-13)," wrote the Kyiv City Military Administration on Telegram. ALSO READ | ‘Diplomatic declaration of war’: Russia asked to vacate its four consulates in Germany On Wednesday, Russia stated that it has started the evacuation of hundreds of children from villages as shelling has intensified in Belgorod, as Kremlin called the situation "alarming". Authorities have started the evacuation of children from the border districts of Graivoron and Shebekino, said regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov on Telegram. "The question of children's safety in the two districts...is very important. All of us, adults, are very worried,” Gladkov added. On Wednesday, tensions further escalated between Russia and the West as Germany announced that it would drastically cut down the diplomatic presence of Moscow on its soil in reply to a similar step taken by the Kremlin. Moscow called the decision taken by Germany "ill-thought-out" and promised a response. 'Alarming situation' Governor Gladkov said that the authorities will take the first 300 evacuated children to Voronezh, a city which is around 250 kilometres into Russia. “And over 1,000 more children will be removed to other provinces over the coming days,” he added. State-run agency RIA Novosti's correspondent near Voronezh said that buses, with 150 people on board, had arrived. WATCH | Fighting in Luhansk: Russia claims 5 killed in Ukraine shelling Gladkov stated that the situation has worsened in the village of Shebekino, where shelling during the day had increased and injured four people. However, no deaths have been reported so far. On Tuesday, one citizen died and two others were injured in a strike that took place at a centre for displaced people in the region. In the recent week, various oil depots have also been hit. The attacks came as Kyiv stated that it is preparing to launch a major counteroffensive against Moscow's forces. "The situation is quite alarming," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov about shelling in the region. "We have not heard a single word of condemnation from the West so far," Peskov added. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Two children among three killed in Russia's fresh air strike on Ukrainian capital Kyiv

<p>The United States on Wednesday (May 31) announced a fresh USD 300 million arms package for Ukraine. The package includes air defence systems and tens of thousands of ammunition rounds. However, the US has warned Ukraine that the weaponry should not be used to carry out attacks within Russia.</p>

<p>“We have been very clear with the Ukrainians privately — we’ve certainly been clear publicly — that we do not support attacks inside Russia. We do not enable and we do not encourage attacks inside Russia,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.</p>

<p>The US Defense Department said that the latest package brings the value to US security assistance to Ukraine to USD 37.6 billion so far.</p>

<p>"The United States will continue to work with its allies and partners to provide Ukraine with capabilities to meet its immediate battlefield needs and longer-term security assistance requirements," the Pentagon said in a statement.</p>

<p>Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, the US has led an unprecedented effort by NATO and other allies to provide Ukraine with military, security&nbsp;as well as&nbsp;humanitarian&nbsp;aid.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Russian President Vladimir Putin slams Ukraine as attack drones hit Moscow high-rises</strong></p>

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<p>The latest package has come just when Ukraine is preparing for a counter-offensive. The manoeuvre is aimed at pushing Russian forces back from occupied territory in the east and south of the country.</p>

<p>The assistance also comes after a spate of attacks made in shadowy circumstances on targets inside Russia itself, including an unprecedented barrage of drone attacks on Moscow.</p>

<h2><strong>Ground rules laid out</strong></h2>

<p>Kirby said that the US has laid out some ground rules.</p>

<p>“We don't tell them where to strike. We don't tell them where not to strike,” he said. “Ultimately, President (Volodymyr) Zelensky and his military commanders decide what they're going to do.”</p>

<p>However, "we certainly don’t want to see attacks inside Russia that are being propagated, that are being conducted, using US-supplied equipment."</p>

<p>He said that in spite of growing worries over this, the White House is confident that Ukraine will not use the US-built F-16 fighter jets to carry out attacks beyond Ukraine borders. European countries are set to provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets.</p>

<p>"We have gotten that assurance at various levels," Kirby said.</p>

<p>Kirby said that while Washington is full-heartedly backing the Ukrainian effort to defeat the Russian invasion, it wants to avoid situations that "suck in the West and NATO and the United States" and to "avoid World War III."</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | &nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-says-it-has-destroyed-ukraines-last-remaining-warship-598736">Russia claims it has destroyed Ukraine's last remaining warship</a></strong></p>

<p>The Pentagon said the $300 million package includes munitions for Patriot air defense systems, AIM-7 air defense missiles, Avenger air defense systems and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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The United States on Wednesday (May 31) announced a fresh USD 300 million arms package for Ukraine. The package includes air defence systems and tens of thousands of ammunition rounds.

The United States on Wednesday (May 31) announced a fresh USD 300 million arms package for Ukraine. The package includes air defence systems and tens of thousands of ammunition rounds. However, the US has warned Ukraine that the weaponry should not be used to carry out attacks within Russia. “We have been very clear with the Ukrainians privately — we’ve certainly been clear publicly — that we do not support attacks inside Russia. We do not enable and we do not encourage attacks inside Russia,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. The US Defense Department said that the latest package brings the value to US security assistance to Ukraine to USD 37.6 billion so far. "The United States will continue to work with its allies and partners to provide Ukraine with capabilities to meet its immediate battlefield needs and longer-term security assistance requirements," the Pentagon said in a statement. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, the US has led an unprecedented effort by NATO and other allies to provide Ukraine with military, security as well as humanitarian aid. Watch | Russian President Vladimir Putin slams Ukraine as attack drones hit Moscow high-rises × The latest package has come just when Ukraine is preparing for a counter-offensive. The manoeuvre is aimed at pushing Russian forces back from occupied territory in the east and south of the country. The assistance also comes after a spate of attacks made in shadowy circumstances on targets inside Russia itself, including an unprecedented barrage of drone attacks on Moscow. Ground rules laid out Kirby said that the US has laid out some ground rules. “We don't tell them where to strike. We don't tell them where not to strike,” he said. “Ultimately, President (Volodymyr) Zelensky and his military commanders decide what they're going to do.” However, "we certainly don’t want to see attacks inside Russia that are being propagated, that are being conducted, using US-supplied equipment." He said that in spite of growing worries over this, the White House is confident that Ukraine will not use the US-built F-16 fighter jets to carry out attacks beyond Ukraine borders. European countries are set to provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets. "We have gotten that assurance at various levels," Kirby said. Kirby said that while Washington is full-heartedly backing the Ukrainian effort to defeat the Russian invasion, it wants to avoid situations that "suck in the West and NATO and the United States" and to "avoid World War III." Also Read | Russia claims it has destroyed Ukraine's last remaining warship The Pentagon said the $300 million package includes munitions for Patriot air defense systems, AIM-7 air defense missiles, Avenger air defense systems and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

US announces new $300 million package for Ukraine, but opposes strikes inside Russia

<p>A leading opposition party in South Africa said on Tuesday (May 30) that it has&nbsp;approached&nbsp;a court to force the national government to&nbsp;arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he attends the upcoming BRICS Summit in the country. Putin has an arrest warrant against him issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). South African government is currently facing a diplomatic dilemma. The BRICS meeting is scheduled for August.</p>

<p>The Democratic Alliance (DA) party said it has&nbsp;lodged a court application for Putin's arrest "should President Putin set foot in South Africa" and further demanded that Putin then be handed over to the ICC.</p>

<p>"This pre-emptory court action aims to ensure that South Africa upholds its obligations," DA shadow minister of justice Glynnis Breytenbach said in a statement.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch | How Russia &amp; United States turned Europe into a nuclear playground</strong></p>

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<p>South Africa is a member of the ICC and has close diplomatic relations with Moscow. But the government is yet to declare its unequivocal official position about how it will deal with the Putin situation. However, it has granted diplomatic immunity to all officials attending the summit.</p>

<p>Breytenbach said the DA was seeking a "declaratory order" to avoid a repeat of 2015 when Pretoria failed to arrest then-Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who was similarly wanted by the ICC.</p>

<h2><strong>No comment from Russia right now</strong></h2>

<p>Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov declined to comment on Tuesday on whether Putin plans to travel to South Africa for the summit.</p>

<p>"Russia will be duly represented," Peskov said, adding that&nbsp;Moscow expected its BRICS partners "not be guided" by "illegitimate decisions" such as the ICC arrest warrant.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Some view the move as a preparatory step to provide legal cover for Putin's visit — something Pretoria has denied.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"These immunities do not override any warrant that may have been issued by any international tribunal against any attendee of the conference," South Africa's foreign affairs department said in a statement.</p>

<p>Their issuing was "standard" procedure for the hosting of international conferences, it said.</p>

<p>Russia attacked Ukraine in February last year. South Africa, however, has chosen to not condemn the Russian invasion. Since its attack on Ukraine, Russia has found itself increasingly isolated on the international stage. South Africa has maintained that it prefers to stay neutral and has supported dialogue to end the war.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vladimir-putin-vows-response-to-alleged-ukraine-drone-attacks-on-moscow-598477">Vladimir Putin vows ‘response’ to alleged Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow</a></strong></p>

<p>South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said earlier this month that his country has been under "extraordinary pressure" to pick sides in the Ukraine conflict. South Africa has been on the receiving end of accusations that it has a tilt towards Kremlin.</p>

<p>Putin is wanted by the ICC over accusations that Russia unlawfully deported Ukrainian children.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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A leading opposition party in South Africa said on Tuesday (May 30) that it has approached a court to force the national government to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he attends the upcoming BRICS Summit in the country.

A leading opposition party in South Africa said on Tuesday (May 30) that it has approached a court to force the national government to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he attends the upcoming BRICS Summit in the country. Putin has an arrest warrant against him issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). South African government is currently facing a diplomatic dilemma. The BRICS meeting is scheduled for August. The Democratic Alliance (DA) party said it has lodged a court application for Putin's arrest "should President Putin set foot in South Africa" and further demanded that Putin then be handed over to the ICC. "This pre-emptory court action aims to ensure that South Africa upholds its obligations," DA shadow minister of justice Glynnis Breytenbach said in a statement. Watch | How Russia & United States turned Europe into a nuclear playground × South Africa is a member of the ICC and has close diplomatic relations with Moscow. But the government is yet to declare its unequivocal official position about how it will deal with the Putin situation. However, it has granted diplomatic immunity to all officials attending the summit. Breytenbach said the DA was seeking a "declaratory order" to avoid a repeat of 2015 when Pretoria failed to arrest then-Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who was similarly wanted by the ICC. No comment from Russia right now Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov declined to comment on Tuesday on whether Putin plans to travel to South Africa for the summit. "Russia will be duly represented," Peskov said, adding that Moscow expected its BRICS partners "not be guided" by "illegitimate decisions" such as the ICC arrest warrant. Some view the move as a preparatory step to provide legal cover for Putin's visit — something Pretoria has denied. "These immunities do not override any warrant that may have been issued by any international tribunal against any attendee of the conference," South Africa's foreign affairs department said in a statement. Their issuing was "standard" procedure for the hosting of international conferences, it said. Russia attacked Ukraine in February last year. South Africa, however, has chosen to not condemn the Russian invasion. Since its attack on Ukraine, Russia has found itself increasingly isolated on the international stage. South Africa has maintained that it prefers to stay neutral and has supported dialogue to end the war. Also Read | Vladimir Putin vows ‘response’ to alleged Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said earlier this month that his country has been under "extraordinary pressure" to pick sides in the Ukraine conflict. South Africa has been on the receiving end of accusations that it has a tilt towards Kremlin. Putin is wanted by the ICC over accusations that Russia unlawfully deported Ukrainian children. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

South Africa opposition moves court demanding Putin’s arrest during BRICS Summit

<p>A fire was sparked at an oil refinery located in southern Russia by a Ukrainian drone. The drone attack came as Ukraine carried out shelling for the third time in a Russian town which is close to the border, stated Russian officials on Wednesday. They said vehicles were set afire and buildings were damaged in the attack. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The statement was made by the governor of Russia's Krasnodar region, a day after Ukraine was accused by Russia of carrying out a drone attack in Moscow. The governor added that the drone had set the Afipsky oil refinery ablaze.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On the Telegram messaging app, Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said that the officials soon extinguished the fire and there were no casualties.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ukrainian-drones-hit-buildings-in-russia-598300">Russia blames Ukraine for massive drone attack on Moscow, Kyiv denies involvement</a></p>

<p>The Afipsky refinery is close to the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk, which is near another refinery that had been attacked various times this month.</p>

<p>No immediate information was released about who launched the drone, but Kyiv was accused by Moscow of carrying out increased attacks inside Russia in recent weeks. Ukrainian cities have meanwhile been recently pounded with drones and missiles by Russia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Tuesday, the skies of Ukraine remained relatively quiet and no major air raids were reported. One person was killed in Russian drone attacks and four others were wounded in Kyiv on Tuesday, as per Ukrainian officials.</p>

<p>The attacks in Russia took place as Ukraine prepares a counter-offensive to push back the Russian forces out of the occupied territories since a full-scale invasion has been launched by Moscow in Kyiv in February 2022.</p>

<p>"A Ukrainian artillery strike wounded at least one person in the Russian town of Shebekino, about 7 km (4.5 miles) north of the border with Ukraine's Kharkiv region," stated regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov on the Telegram messaging app.</p>

<h2><strong>Drone war&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>The wealthy districts of Moscow on Tuesday were struck by Ukrainian drones, claimed Russia in what was once considered as the capital's most dangerous attack since World War Two, &nbsp;while Kyiv also faced an attack for the third time in 24 hours.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Kyiv pledges swift action against Russian strikes</strong></p>

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<p>The aerial strikes by both countries have further escalated amid a stalemate on the ground as Russian forces remain entrenched along Ukraine's extended line in the east and south.</p>

<p>The Russian defence ministry stated that eight drones were sent by Kyiv to Moscow, which targeted civilians.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak denied Kyiv's direct involvement but said "we are pleased to watch events" and predicted more such strikes.</p>

<h2><strong>Five killed in strike on Luhansk</strong></h2>

<p>Russian administrators stated that at least five people were killed and 19 others wounded in a night bombardment in Luhansk region of Ukraine as they&nbsp;blamed&nbsp;the Ukrainian Army for the attack.</p>

<p>"The strike on the village of Karpaty by Ukrainian armed groups... killed five and wounded 19 -- and was carried out by HIMARS systems according to preliminary information," stated Russian security authorities in the Luhansk region posted on Telegram.</p>

<main>
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<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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A fire was sparked at an oil refinery located in southern Russia by a Ukrainian drone. The drone attack came as Ukraine carried out shelling for the third time in a Russian town which is close to the border, stated Russian officials on Wednesday.

A fire was sparked at an oil refinery located in southern Russia by a Ukrainian drone. The drone attack came as Ukraine carried out shelling for the third time in a Russian town which is close to the border, stated Russian officials on Wednesday. They said vehicles were set afire and buildings were damaged in the attack. The statement was made by the governor of Russia's Krasnodar region, a day after Ukraine was accused by Russia of carrying out a drone attack in Moscow. The governor added that the drone had set the Afipsky oil refinery ablaze. On the Telegram messaging app, Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said that the officials soon extinguished the fire and there were no casualties. ALSO READ | Russia blames Ukraine for massive drone attack on Moscow, Kyiv denies involvement The Afipsky refinery is close to the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk, which is near another refinery that had been attacked various times this month. No immediate information was released about who launched the drone, but Kyiv was accused by Moscow of carrying out increased attacks inside Russia in recent weeks. Ukrainian cities have meanwhile been recently pounded with drones and missiles by Russia. On Tuesday, the skies of Ukraine remained relatively quiet and no major air raids were reported. One person was killed in Russian drone attacks and four others were wounded in Kyiv on Tuesday, as per Ukrainian officials. The attacks in Russia took place as Ukraine prepares a counter-offensive to push back the Russian forces out of the occupied territories since a full-scale invasion has been launched by Moscow in Kyiv in February 2022. "A Ukrainian artillery strike wounded at least one person in the Russian town of Shebekino, about 7 km (4.5 miles) north of the border with Ukraine's Kharkiv region," stated regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov on the Telegram messaging app. Drone war The wealthy districts of Moscow on Tuesday were struck by Ukrainian drones, claimed Russia in what was once considered as the capital's most dangerous attack since World War Two, while Kyiv also faced an attack for the third time in 24 hours. WATCH | Kyiv pledges swift action against Russian strikes The aerial strikes by both countries have further escalated amid a stalemate on the ground as Russian forces remain entrenched along Ukraine's extended line in the east and south. The Russian defence ministry stated that eight drones were sent by Kyiv to Moscow, which targeted civilians. Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak denied Kyiv's direct involvement but said "we are pleased to watch events" and predicted more such strikes. Five killed in strike on Luhansk Russian administrators stated that at least five people were killed and 19 others wounded in a night bombardment in Luhansk region of Ukraine as they blamed the Ukrainian Army for the attack. "The strike on the village of Karpaty by Ukrainian armed groups... killed five and wounded 19 -- and was carried out by HIMARS systems according to preliminary information," stated Russian security authorities in the Luhansk region posted on Telegram. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Ukrainian drone attack sets Russian refinery ablaze, five killed in strike on Luhansk

<p>Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who is in the midst of a visit to Africa, on Tuesday (May 30) accused the West of “supporting genocide” in Kyiv over its backing of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s peace plan. Lavrov claims that because of it, “everything Russian” would be destroyed in east Ukraine and Crimea.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, top Ukrainian presidential aid in a recent interview said Kyiv is&nbsp;no longer interested in a ceasefire and&nbsp;Zelensky’s peace plan is the only way to end Russia’s war.</p>

<h2><strong>What did Lavrov say?</strong></h2>

<p>The Russian foreign minister during a press conference with his Burundian counterpart said, “The conclusion is very simple - the West directly supports genocide.” This comes as Moscow has long accused the West of what it calls Ukrainian persecution of Russian language speakers in the eastern Donbas region and elsewhere.</p>

<p>The peace plan proposed&nbsp;by Zelensky late last year calls for the withdrawal of Russian forces from all Ukrainian territory including the Crimean peninsula, which Moscow&nbsp;annexed in 2014. In the context of the recent drone attacks in Moscow, Lavrov also accused the West of directly helping Kyiv conduct such “terrorist” strikes by providing it with military equipment.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“The statement of the West that the weapons it is supplying (to Ukraine) must not be used against the territory of the Russian Federation is just another lie,” said the Russian foreign minister. Notably, Moscow has also claimed that US-provided armoured vehicles were used during the border incursion in Russia’s Belgorod&nbsp;earlier this month.&nbsp;</p>

<p>US Army General Mark Milley, addressing Moscow’s accusations of pro-Ukrainian militia using armoured vehicles to carry out the border incursion, said Washington has long asked Kyiv not to use US-provided military equipment for attacks inside Russian territory.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Russia blames the West for Kyiv's 'reckless'&nbsp;drone attacks on Moscow</strong></h2>

<p>The Russian foreign ministry in a statement, on Tuesday, blamed Western support of&nbsp;Ukraine and said that it was “pushing” Kyiv towards “increasingly reckless” behaviour in reference to the recent drone attacks in Moscow. They also went on to say that these attacks are designed to spread “panic”.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Western support for the Kyiv regime is pushing the Ukrainian leadership towards increasingly reckless acts, including terrorism”. Russia has also said that it intercepted all eight of the Ukrainian drones aimed at Moscow and said there were no deaths but two injuries were reported. Moscow said that it has launched a probe into the incident.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Russian lawmaker Maxim Ivanov called it the most serious assault on Moscow since the Nazis, saying no citizen could now avoid “the new reality”. Meanwhile, Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak denied Kyiv’s involvement in the attack.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Ukraine’s peace plan the only way to end conflict: Zelensky’s aide</strong></h2>

<p>In an interview with Reuters, chief diplomatic adviser Ihor Zhovkva said that Ukraine is no longer interested in a ceasefire and said that Zelensky’s peace plan is the only way to end Russia’s war. Zhovkva also said that the time for mediation efforts has passed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Ukrainian presidential aid also pushed back on multiple peace plans pitched by China, Brazil, the Vatican and South Africa over the past couple of months and told Reuters, “There cannot be a Brazilian peace plan, a Chinese peace plan, a South African peace plan when you are talking about the war in Ukraine”.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He also spoke about how Ukraine’s 10-point peace plan received an extremely positive reaction&nbsp;at the Group of Seven (G7) summit held in Japan, earlier this month, which was also attended by Zelensky. “Not a single formula (point) had any concerns from the (G7) countries,” said Zhovkva, as per Reuters.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The presidential aide also said Ukraine wants G7 leaders to help bring as many Global South leaders as possible to a Ukraine-proposed ‘peace summit’ this summer. Japan, which currently holds the G7 presidency&nbsp;also invited leaders from the so-called Global South to Hiroshima for talks including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Indonesian President Joko Widodo.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em><br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who is in the midst of a visit to Africa, on Tuesday (May 30) accused the West of “supporting genocide” in Kyiv over its backing of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s peace plan.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who is in the midst of a visit to Africa, on Tuesday (May 30) accused the West of “supporting genocide” in Kyiv over its backing of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s peace plan. Lavrov claims that because of it, “everything Russian” would be destroyed in east Ukraine and Crimea. Meanwhile, top Ukrainian presidential aid in a recent interview said Kyiv is no longer interested in a ceasefire and Zelensky’s peace plan is the only way to end Russia’s war. What did Lavrov say? The Russian foreign minister during a press conference with his Burundian counterpart said, “The conclusion is very simple - the West directly supports genocide.” This comes as Moscow has long accused the West of what it calls Ukrainian persecution of Russian language speakers in the eastern Donbas region and elsewhere. The peace plan proposed by Zelensky late last year calls for the withdrawal of Russian forces from all Ukrainian territory including the Crimean peninsula, which Moscow annexed in 2014. In the context of the recent drone attacks in Moscow, Lavrov also accused the West of directly helping Kyiv conduct such “terrorist” strikes by providing it with military equipment. “The statement of the West that the weapons it is supplying (to Ukraine) must not be used against the territory of the Russian Federation is just another lie,” said the Russian foreign minister. Notably, Moscow has also claimed that US-provided armoured vehicles were used during the border incursion in Russia’s Belgorod earlier this month. US Army General Mark Milley, addressing Moscow’s accusations of pro-Ukrainian militia using armoured vehicles to carry out the border incursion, said Washington has long asked Kyiv not to use US-provided military equipment for attacks inside Russian territory. Russia blames the West for Kyiv's 'reckless' drone attacks on Moscow The Russian foreign ministry in a statement, on Tuesday, blamed Western support of Ukraine and said that it was “pushing” Kyiv towards “increasingly reckless” behaviour in reference to the recent drone attacks in Moscow. They also went on to say that these attacks are designed to spread “panic”. “Western support for the Kyiv regime is pushing the Ukrainian leadership towards increasingly reckless acts, including terrorism”. Russia has also said that it intercepted all eight of the Ukrainian drones aimed at Moscow and said there were no deaths but two injuries were reported. Moscow said that it has launched a probe into the incident. Russian lawmaker Maxim Ivanov called it the most serious assault on Moscow since the Nazis, saying no citizen could now avoid “the new reality”. Meanwhile, Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak denied Kyiv’s involvement in the attack. Ukraine’s peace plan the only way to end conflict: Zelensky’s aide In an interview with Reuters, chief diplomatic adviser Ihor Zhovkva said that Ukraine is no longer interested in a ceasefire and said that Zelensky’s peace plan is the only way to end Russia’s war. Zhovkva also said that the time for mediation efforts has passed. The Ukrainian presidential aid also pushed back on multiple peace plans pitched by China, Brazil, the Vatican and South Africa over the past couple of months and told Reuters, “There cannot be a Brazilian peace plan, a Chinese peace plan, a South African peace plan when you are talking about the war in Ukraine”. He also spoke about how Ukraine’s 10-point peace plan received an extremely positive reaction at the Group of Seven (G7) summit held in Japan, earlier this month, which was also attended by Zelensky. “Not a single formula (point) had any concerns from the (G7) countries,” said Zhovkva, as per Reuters. The presidential aide also said Ukraine wants G7 leaders to help bring as many Global South leaders as possible to a Ukraine-proposed ‘peace summit’ this summer. Japan, which currently holds the G7 presidency also invited leaders from the so-called Global South to Hiroshima for talks including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Indonesian President Joko Widodo. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

‘West directly supports genocide’ in Ukraine: Russia's Lavrov on Zelensky's peace plan

<p>North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un had embarked on a big exercise to seal its borders with Russia and China, cutting off routes which were being used by defectors and smugglers, in 2020 when the world was battling the Covid pandemic.<br />
<br />
Since then hundreds of kilometres of upgraded or new border fences, guard posts and walls have been built by Pyongyang, as per commercial satellite imagery.<br />
<br />
These steps helped the government in tightening the flow of goods and information in the country and also ensured that foreign elements are kept out and its people remain inside, according to a report published by Reuters.<br />
<br />
"The traditional North Korea-China route is now effectively over, unless there is a major change in the situation," stated Kim, who is a South Korean pastor. Kim along with others has helped North Koreans defect.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-criticises-sinister-south-as-live-fire-exercises-with-us-start-596632">North Korea criticises ‘sinister’ South as live-fire exercises with US start</a></p>

<p>Last year, only 67 defectors could reach South Korea compared to 1,047 in 2019, as per official data. There was a decline in the figure even before the pandemic because of tighter restrictions in China, the route towards which is preferred by defectors.</p>

<h2><strong>How border walls helped North Korea keep out coronavirus and 'alien things'?</strong></h2>

<p>The government of North Korea and state media have spoken little about the construction of the wall at the border. However, the country's official organisations have noted that the security was beefed up to ensure that coronavirus and other "alien things" stay out of the country.<br />
<br />
In his speech in which Kim Jong Un&nbsp;declared victory over COVID-19, he had asked officials to "ensure perfection" of an "overall multiple blockade wall in the border, frontline and coast areas and in the seas and air".<br />
<br />
The sealing of the border will have a lasting effect on the nascent mercantile class of North Korea and over towns where thriving informal trade earlier offered the opportunity to people to make their own way, stated Benjamin Katzeff Silberstein, a non-resident fellow at the US-based Stimson Center who researches on the economy of North Korea.<br />
<br />
Those towns "benefited from formal and informal trade since the famine in the 1990s, but really don't have many other economic advantages," he stated. "So the crackdowns are hitting two vulnerable groups, women and the population of the geographic periphery,” he added.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Why is North Korea constructing a satellite launch pad with 'new urgency'?</strong></p>

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<h2><strong>Are these border walls choking people's lifelines?</strong></h2>

<p>Google Earth Pro satellite imagery of the northern frontier of North Korea, which was collected at various time intervals from 2019 and early 2023, was examined by Reuters and Middlebury.<br />
<br />
Middlebury research associate Dave Schmerler said that they could see new or expanded security infrastructure along at least 489 km of the border, which included the robust concrete wall, simple wire fencing, additional guard posts and double fencing.<br />
<br />
He added that apparent changes were also seen in other areas, however, limitations in the imagery stopped them from reaching conclusive determinations.<br />
<br />
Schmerler stated that many installations could be seen around populated areas that lacked natural obstacles like mountains. However, they also noticed new features in agricultural, flat areas near the country's northeastern border.<br />
<br />
"Those areas don't necessarily have larger city or village infrastructure but lack the natural boundaries that could act as a barrier from getting into or leaving the country," added Schmerler.<br />
<br />
Human rights activists and defectors in China, who are involved in smuggling people or goods across the border, stated that the new security features have been choking vulnerable people's economic lifelines, closing their paths to escape the country that has an authoritarian regime and limiting access to North Korea to the outside information.<br />
<br />
One defector stated that the officials have placed security cameras at regular intervals and have installed multiple layers of fencing, which includes electric fencing and barbed wire.<br />
<br />
In a statement sent to Reuters, China's foreign ministry stated it was not aware of the situation, but added that "China and North Korea have been maintaining communication and working together to maintain the security and stability of the border".</p>

<h2><strong>Did North Korea use COVID-19 as an excuse to build border fences?</strong></h2>

<p>The government of North Korea gave&nbsp;orders to border guards to immediately shoot anyone who is seen trying to cross, as per official notices issued by Chinese authorities in 2020, which were released to warn people about the risks involved.<br />
<br />
Human rights organisations have confirmed that the shooting orders still remain in effect.<br />
<br />
In December 2022, the US Treasury Department sanctioned North Korea's Border Guard General Bureau over human rights abuses, "including land mines and shoot-on-sight orders that have resulted in the deaths of numerous North Koreans".<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch's senior Korean researcher Lina Yoon said, "The North Korean government has been using COVID-19 as an excuse to build these new fences, guard posts and other infrastructure.”<br />
<br />
Sokeel Park, who is associated with Liberty – an organisation that works with defectors, stated that as the pandemic subsides, it may become harder for the government to justify the restrictions.<br />
<br />
"It's all the more reason for the international community to step up efforts to support North Korean rights," he added.</p>

<main>
<section>
<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>You can&nbsp;<strong>now write for&nbsp;wionews.com</strong>&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>

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North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un had embarked on a big exercise to seal its borders with Russia and China, cutting off routes which were being used by defectors and smugglers, in 2020 when the world was battling the Covid pandemic.

North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un had embarked on a big exercise to seal its borders with Russia and China, cutting off routes which were being used by defectors and smugglers, in 2020 when the world was battling the Covid pandemic. Since then hundreds of kilometres of upgraded or new border fences, guard posts and walls have been built by Pyongyang, as per commercial satellite imagery. These steps helped the government in tightening the flow of goods and information in the country and also ensured that foreign elements are kept out and its people remain inside, according to a report published by Reuters. "The traditional North Korea-China route is now effectively over, unless there is a major change in the situation," stated Kim, who is a South Korean pastor. Kim along with others has helped North Koreans defect. ALSO READ | North Korea criticises ‘sinister’ South as live-fire exercises with US start Last year, only 67 defectors could reach South Korea compared to 1,047 in 2019, as per official data. There was a decline in the figure even before the pandemic because of tighter restrictions in China, the route towards which is preferred by defectors. How border walls helped North Korea keep out coronavirus and 'alien things'? The government of North Korea and state media have spoken little about the construction of the wall at the border. However, the country's official organisations have noted that the security was beefed up to ensure that coronavirus and other "alien things" stay out of the country. In his speech in which Kim Jong Un declared victory over COVID-19, he had asked officials to "ensure perfection" of an "overall multiple blockade wall in the border, frontline and coast areas and in the seas and air". The sealing of the border will have a lasting effect on the nascent mercantile class of North Korea and over towns where thriving informal trade earlier offered the opportunity to people to make their own way, stated Benjamin Katzeff Silberstein, a non-resident fellow at the US-based Stimson Center who researches on the economy of North Korea. Those towns "benefited from formal and informal trade since the famine in the 1990s, but really don't have many other economic advantages," he stated. "So the crackdowns are hitting two vulnerable groups, women and the population of the geographic periphery,” he added. WATCH | Why is North Korea constructing a satellite launch pad with 'new urgency'? Are these border walls choking people's lifelines? Google Earth Pro satellite imagery of the northern frontier of North Korea, which was collected at various time intervals from 2019 and early 2023, was examined by Reuters and Middlebury. Middlebury research associate Dave Schmerler said that they could see new or expanded security infrastructure along at least 489 km of the border, which included the robust concrete wall, simple wire fencing, additional guard posts and double fencing. He added that apparent changes were also seen in other areas, however, limitations in the imagery stopped them from reaching conclusive determinations. Schmerler stated that many installations could be seen around populated areas that lacked natural obstacles like mountains. However, they also noticed new features in agricultural, flat areas near the country's northeastern border. "Those areas don't necessarily have larger city or village infrastructure but lack the natural boundaries that could act as a barrier from getting into or leaving the country," added Schmerler. Human rights activists and defectors in China, who are involved in smuggling people or goods across the border, stated that the new security features have been choking vulnerable people's economic lifelines, closing their paths to escape the country that has an authoritarian regime and limiting access to North Korea to the outside information. One defector stated that the officials have placed security cameras at regular intervals and have installed multiple layers of fencing, which includes electric fencing and barbed wire. In a statement sent to Reuters, China's foreign ministry stated it was not aware of the situation, but added that "China and North Korea have been maintaining communication and working together to maintain the security and stability of the border". Did North Korea use COVID-19 as an excuse to build border fences? The government of North Korea gave orders to border guards to immediately shoot anyone who is seen trying to cross, as per official notices issued by Chinese authorities in 2020, which were released to warn people about the risks involved. Human rights organisations have confirmed that the shooting orders still remain in effect. In December 2022, the US Treasury Department sanctioned North Korea's Border Guard General Bureau over human rights abuses, "including land mines and shoot-on-sight orders that have resulted in the deaths of numerous North Koreans". Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch's senior Korean researcher Lina Yoon said, "The North Korean government has been using COVID-19 as an excuse to build these new fences, guard posts and other infrastructure.” Sokeel Park, who is associated with Liberty – an organisation that works with defectors, stated that as the pandemic subsides, it may become harder for the government to justify the restrictions. "It's all the more reason for the international community to step up efforts to support North Korean rights," he added. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Explained | When world was battling pandemic, why North Korea was busy sealing borders with China and Russia

<p>Russia hit back at US President Joe Biden who raised concerns against Moscow’s move to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, saying that Washington doesn’t have a stand on the issue as it has been doing the same in Europe.</p>

<p>The Russian Embassy in the US termed Washington’s concerns about Moscow’s planned deployment as “hypocritical”, saying that “before blaming others, Washington could use some introspection”.</p>

<p>“The United States has been for decades maintaining a large arsenal of its nuclear weapons in Europe. Together with its NATO allies it participates in nuclear sharing arrangements and trains for scenarios of nuclear weapons use against our country.”</p>

<p>It said that it was the “sovereign right” of Russia and Belarus to ensure their security “by means we deem necessary amidst of a large-scale hybrid war unleashed by Washington against us,” it said in a statement.</p>

<p>“The measures we undertake are fully consistent with our international legal obligations.”</p>

<h2><strong>Gravitas | Russia-Ukraine War: Nuclear weapons reach Belarus. Should you be worried?</strong></h2>

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<p>The retort from Russia came after Biden, through a statement from the US State Department, expressed apprehension over reports that Russia has moved ahead with a plan to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.</p>

<h2><strong>Has US deployed nukes in Europe?</strong></h2>

<p>According to reports, the United States has deployed nuclear weapons in Western Europe since US President Dwight D Eisenhower authorised their deployment in the Cold War as a counter to the perceived threat from the Soviet Union. The first US&nbsp;nuclear weapons in Europe were deployed in Britain in 1954.</p>

<p>Much of the detail about the current US deployment is classified, reports Reuters news agency, though the Federation of American Scientists says that the US has 100 B61 tactical nuclear weapons deployed in Europe – in Italy, Germany, Turkey, Belgium and the Netherlands.</p>

<h2><strong>Move&nbsp;comes in wake of imminent Ukraine’s counteroffensive </strong></h2>

<p>On Thursday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced that the weapons were already on the move. This is the first time since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 that Russia is deploying nukes to its neighbouring country.</p>

<p>Tactical nuclear weapons are intended to destroy enemy troops and weapons on the battlefield. They have a relatively short range and a much lower yield than nuclear warheads fitted to long-range strategic missiles that are capable of obliterating whole cities</p>

<p>It is unclear how many nuclear weapons would be kept in Belarus. The U.S. government believes Russia has around 2,000 tactical nuclear weapons, including bombs that can be carried by aircraft, warheads for short-range missiles and artillery rounds.</p>

<p>The development comes as Ukraine said it is preparing to launch a counteroffensive against Russia. President Volodymyr Zelensky recently visited several European countries, including France and UK, to seek more arms to help bolsters its armoury.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Russia hit back at US President Joe Biden who raised concerns against Moscow’s move to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, saying that Washington doesn’t have a stand on the issue as it has been doing the same in Europe.

Russia hit back at US President Joe Biden who raised concerns against Moscow’s move to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, saying that Washington doesn’t have a stand on the issue as it has been doing the same in Europe. The Russian Embassy in the US termed Washington’s concerns about Moscow’s planned deployment as “hypocritical”, saying that “before blaming others, Washington could use some introspection”. “The United States has been for decades maintaining a large arsenal of its nuclear weapons in Europe. Together with its NATO allies it participates in nuclear sharing arrangements and trains for scenarios of nuclear weapons use against our country.” It said that it was the “sovereign right” of Russia and Belarus to ensure their security “by means we deem necessary amidst of a large-scale hybrid war unleashed by Washington against us,” it said in a statement. “The measures we undertake are fully consistent with our international legal obligations.” Gravitas | Russia-Ukraine War: Nuclear weapons reach Belarus. Should you be worried? The retort from Russia came after Biden, through a statement from the US State Department, expressed apprehension over reports that Russia has moved ahead with a plan to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. Has US deployed nukes in Europe? According to reports, the United States has deployed nuclear weapons in Western Europe since US President Dwight D Eisenhower authorised their deployment in the Cold War as a counter to the perceived threat from the Soviet Union. The first US nuclear weapons in Europe were deployed in Britain in 1954. Much of the detail about the current US deployment is classified, reports Reuters news agency, though the Federation of American Scientists says that the US has 100 B61 tactical nuclear weapons deployed in Europe – in Italy, Germany, Turkey, Belgium and the Netherlands. Move comes in wake of imminent Ukraine’s counteroffensive On Thursday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced that the weapons were already on the move. This is the first time since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 that Russia is deploying nukes to its neighbouring country. Tactical nuclear weapons are intended to destroy enemy troops and weapons on the battlefield. They have a relatively short range and a much lower yield than nuclear warheads fitted to long-range strategic missiles that are capable of obliterating whole cities It is unclear how many nuclear weapons would be kept in Belarus. The U.S. government believes Russia has around 2,000 tactical nuclear weapons, including bombs that can be carried by aircraft, warheads for short-range missiles and artillery rounds. The development comes as Ukraine said it is preparing to launch a counteroffensive against Russia. President Volodymyr Zelensky recently visited several European countries, including France and UK, to seek more arms to help bolsters its armoury. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

'Don't lecture us': Russia hits back at Biden over planned tactical nuke deployment in Belarus

<p>Russia issued a stern warning to the West on Sunday, saying that it is “playing with fire” by providing US-made F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.</p>

<p>The remarks were made by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in an interview with a Russian TV that was posted on social media.</p>

<p>Calling the move "an unacceptable escalation" of the conflict, Sergei said, “It's playing with fire, without a doubt,” as he condemned the attempt to “weaken Russia” by “Washington, London and their satellites in the EU”.</p>

<p>Last week, the Biden administration announced that it is letting its allies in the EU export F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.</p>

<p>On May 20, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that President Joe Biden "informed his G7 counterparts" of the decision at the bloc's summit in Japan.</p>

<p>He also said that Kyiv's pilots will be given training by the US troops on how to operate these jets.</p>

<p>He also indicated that any jets Ukraine received would only be used for defence purposes and that the US would neither enable nor support attacks on Russian territory.</p>

<h2><strong>F-16 fighter jet coalition | Is the West preparing Ukraine for a suicide mission?</strong></h2>

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<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">&nbsp;</div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">"The Ukrainians have consistently indicated that they are prepared to follow through on that," he said.</div>

<p>The decision was hailed by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky as the embattled country had long been lobbying the West to supply jets so that they can launch a counteroffensive against the Russian troops.</p>

<p>Zelensky had said the jets would "greatly enhance our army in the sky".</p>

<p>Countries who want to resell or re-export American military equipment need to first get prior permission from the US. Hence, this decision clears the way for other nations to send their existing stocks of F-16s to Ukraine.</p>

<h2><strong>Will the F-16s be a game-changer for Ukraine?</strong></h2>

<p>The Lockheed Martin-made F-16s are single-engine, multi-role jet aircraft. They can be used in air-to-air or ground-attack missions.</p>

<p>The US Air Force calls the F-16, which first flew in the 1970s, a “relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system.”</p>

<p>Thousands of jets have been built over the decades, and hundreds have been exported around the world.</p>

<p>According to Flight Global’s World Air Forces directory, almost 2,200 F-16s are active worldwide this year, making it the single-most popular combat aircraft across the planet with 15 per cent of the world’s fleet.</p>

<p>CNN, quoting experts, reported that F-16s for Ukraine are expected to be older versions that have been in the fleets of US allies, especially those in Western Europe.</p>

<p>Ukraine had said that it requires about 200 F-16s, but so far it is unknown how many it will receive.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Russia issued a stern warning to the West on Sunday, saying that it is “playing with fire” by providing US-made F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. The remarks were made by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in an interview with a Russian TV that was posted on social media.

Russia issued a stern warning to the West on Sunday, saying that it is “playing with fire” by providing US-made F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. The remarks were made by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in an interview with a Russian TV that was posted on social media. Calling the move "an unacceptable escalation" of the conflict, Sergei said, “It's playing with fire, without a doubt,” as he condemned the attempt to “weaken Russia” by “Washington, London and their satellites in the EU”. Last week, the Biden administration announced that it is letting its allies in the EU export F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. On May 20, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that President Joe Biden "informed his G7 counterparts" of the decision at the bloc's summit in Japan. He also said that Kyiv's pilots will be given training by the US troops on how to operate these jets. He also indicated that any jets Ukraine received would only be used for defence purposes and that the US would neither enable nor support attacks on Russian territory. F-16 fighter jet coalition | Is the West preparing Ukraine for a suicide mission? "The Ukrainians have consistently indicated that they are prepared to follow through on that," he said. The decision was hailed by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky as the embattled country had long been lobbying the West to supply jets so that they can launch a counteroffensive against the Russian troops. Zelensky had said the jets would "greatly enhance our army in the sky". Countries who want to resell or re-export American military equipment need to first get prior permission from the US. Hence, this decision clears the way for other nations to send their existing stocks of F-16s to Ukraine. Will the F-16s be a game-changer for Ukraine? The Lockheed Martin-made F-16s are single-engine, multi-role jet aircraft. They can be used in air-to-air or ground-attack missions. The US Air Force calls the F-16, which first flew in the 1970s, a “relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system.” Thousands of jets have been built over the decades, and hundreds have been exported around the world. According to Flight Global’s World Air Forces directory, almost 2,200 F-16s are active worldwide this year, making it the single-most popular combat aircraft across the planet with 15 per cent of the world’s fleet. CNN, quoting experts, reported that F-16s for Ukraine are expected to be older versions that have been in the fleets of US allies, especially those in Western Europe. Ukraine had said that it requires about 200 F-16s, but so far it is unknown how many it will receive. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

‘West playing with fire’: Russia slams move to supply F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine

<p>A day after US President Joe Biden criticised Russia for deploying tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus,&nbsp;Moscow has responded.&nbsp;Russia's embassy in the United States released a statement dismissing the criticism, adding that Moscow was moving ahead with the deployment.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It is the sovereign right of Russia and Belarus to ensure their security by means we deem necessary amidst of a large-scale hybrid war unleashed by Washington against us," read the statement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The measures we undertake are fully consistent with our international legal obligations."</p>

<p>The consulate called out the USA for its hypocrisy as Washington had deployed hoards of nuclear weapons in Europe&nbsp;to keep enemies in check.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The United States has been for decades maintaining a large arsenal of its nuclear weapons in Europe. Together with its NATO allies, it participates in nuclear sharing arrangements and trains for scenarios of nuclear weapons use against our country," the embassy added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tactical nuclear arms are battlefield weapons that, while devastating, have a smaller yield compared to long-range strategic weapons.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-ukraine-war-why-is-russia-sending-nuclear-arms-to-belarus-596926"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Russia-Ukraine war: Why is Russia sending nuclear arms to Belarus?</strong></a></p>

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<h2><strong>Biden not enthused by the deployment</strong></h2>

<p>Notably, on Friday, Biden said he felt&nbsp;"extremely negative" about the prospect of Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus.&nbsp;</p>

<p>''Extremely negative is my reaction," Biden told reporters before he left Washington for Camp David.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Lukashenko announces the deployment</strong></h2>

<p>On Thursday,&nbsp;Belarus President&nbsp;Alexander Lukashenko announced Russia has started moving tactical nuclear weapons to his country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The transfer of nuclear munitions has begun," Lukashenko told reporters during a visit to Moscow.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“We had to prepare storage areas and stuff. We have done this, so the movement of nuclear weapons has already begun," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-has-begun-moving-nuclear-weapons-to-belarus-says-lukashenko-596528"><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;Russia has started moving nuclear weapons to Belarus, says Lukashenko</strong></a></p>

<p>It was in March earlier this year that&nbsp;Russian President Vladimir Putin first announced plans to move Russia's tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus.&nbsp;Putin's announcement had spurred fears of nuclear conflict, but experts and governments said it was unlikely that the move would change the course of the conflict.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Notably, this is the first time since 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed that Russia is deploying such bombs outside Russia. Interestingly, after the balkanisation of the Soviet Union,&nbsp;Ukraine briefly held the title of the third-largest nuclear power in the world. Still reeling from the effects of disintegration, Moscow had left thousands of nuclear arms on Ukrainian soil.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ukraine could have easily dominated the world order with the stockpile of nuclear arsenal it had. However,&nbsp;the USA, UK and other Western powers persuaded it to give up on nuclear ambitions.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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A day after US President Joe Biden criticised Russia for deploying tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Moscow has responded. Russia's embassy in the United States released a statement dismissing the criticism, adding that Moscow was moving ahead with the deployment.

A day after US President Joe Biden criticised Russia for deploying tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Moscow has responded. Russia's embassy in the United States released a statement dismissing the criticism, adding that Moscow was moving ahead with the deployment. "It is the sovereign right of Russia and Belarus to ensure their security by means we deem necessary amidst of a large-scale hybrid war unleashed by Washington against us," read the statement. "The measures we undertake are fully consistent with our international legal obligations." The consulate called out the USA for its hypocrisy as Washington had deployed hoards of nuclear weapons in Europe to keep enemies in check. "The United States has been for decades maintaining a large arsenal of its nuclear weapons in Europe. Together with its NATO allies, it participates in nuclear sharing arrangements and trains for scenarios of nuclear weapons use against our country," the embassy added. Tactical nuclear arms are battlefield weapons that, while devastating, have a smaller yield compared to long-range strategic weapons. WATCH | Russia-Ukraine war: Why is Russia sending nuclear arms to Belarus? × Biden not enthused by the deployment Notably, on Friday, Biden said he felt "extremely negative" about the prospect of Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus. ''Extremely negative is my reaction," Biden told reporters before he left Washington for Camp David. Lukashenko announces the deployment On Thursday, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko announced Russia has started moving tactical nuclear weapons to his country. "The transfer of nuclear munitions has begun," Lukashenko told reporters during a visit to Moscow. “We had to prepare storage areas and stuff. We have done this, so the movement of nuclear weapons has already begun," he added. ALSO READ | Russia has started moving nuclear weapons to Belarus, says Lukashenko It was in March earlier this year that Russian President Vladimir Putin first announced plans to move Russia's tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus. Putin's announcement had spurred fears of nuclear conflict, but experts and governments said it was unlikely that the move would change the course of the conflict. Notably, this is the first time since 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed that Russia is deploying such bombs outside Russia. Interestingly, after the balkanisation of the Soviet Union, Ukraine briefly held the title of the third-largest nuclear power in the world. Still reeling from the effects of disintegration, Moscow had left thousands of nuclear arms on Ukrainian soil. Ukraine could have easily dominated the world order with the stockpile of nuclear arsenal it had. However, the USA, UK and other Western powers persuaded it to give up on nuclear ambitions. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Moscow schools US for criticising deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus

<p>Kyiv has secured the release of more than 100 of its captured soldiers in a prisoner exchange with Russia on Thursday (May 25), said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff. Meanwhile, Russia’s Wagner mercenary group said they would send back the bodies of two United States and Turkey citizens from Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Speaking about the conflict, US Army General Mark Milley said Russia will not achieve military victory in Ukraine but also warned Kyiv that it is unlikely to force out all of Moscow’s troops anytime soon.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Russia to release over 100 Ukrainian soldiers: Kyiv</strong>&nbsp;</h2>

<p>The Ukrainian president Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak said that Kyiv has secured the release of 106 soldiers, of whom eight were captured fighting in the city of Bakhmut, which has witnessed some of the bloodiest battles of the conflict. “Every one of them is a hero of our state,” said Yermak.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added, “Many of the ones we are returning from captivity were considered missing. The relatives of these people have gone through a difficult time.”</p>

<p>While, Russia’s human rights ombudsman, Tatiana Moskalkova, confirmed that Russia’s mercenary group Wagner which earlier Thursday began withdrawing from Bakhmut, took part in an exchange of fighters, no further details were given.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to Ukrainian officials, so far, at least 2,430 Ukrainians have been freed in prisoner swaps out of which nearly 140 were civilians.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Wagner send back bodies of US, Turkish citizens</strong></h2>

<p>The head of the Wagner group Yevgeny Prigozhin, on Thursday, said that they&nbsp;are sending back the bodies of a US citizen who was killed in fighting in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut and the body of a Turkish citizen who was found dead in a building that was blown up.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“We are returning the body of an American and the body of a citizen of Turkey along with prisoners,” said Prigozhin. The announcement was made by him in a video clip which showed two wooden coffins one of which was draped with the US flag and the other with the flag of Turkey.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prigozhin said that the US citizen died while fighting in some part of Bakhmut which is referred to as the “nest.” According to Wagner, the American citizen was Nicholas Maimer, a former US special forces soldier.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While the Turkish citizen was found dead along with a Turkish woman in a building supposedly blown by Ukrainian forces, said the head of the Wagner group. However, the Turkish woman’s body could not be recovered, said Prigozhin.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>US top officer about Russia-Ukraine</strong></h2>

<p>Speaking to reporters at the Pentagon, on Thursday, Milley said, “This war, militarily, is not going to be won by Russia. It’s just not.” The press conference took place after a virtual meeting of dozens of countries that support Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He also said that while Moscow’s original strategic objectives which supposedly included overthrowing the government in Kyiv, “are not achievable militarily, they’re not going to be done,” said the US army general.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While Kyiv’s objective of recapturing all of its territory is also unlikely, said the US officer, adding that there are hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers across Ukraine, at the time so it will not happen “in the near term”.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“That means fighting is going to continue, it's going to be bloody, it's going to be hard. And at some point, both sides will either negotiate a settlement or they'll come to a military conclusion.”<br />
<br />
This comes amid talks that the war in Ukraine is set to go on for a while considering neither countries are in a position to secure a clear-cut victory and there are no ongoing peace talks or negotiations.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em><br />
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Kyiv has secured the release of more than 100 of its captured soldiers in a prisoner exchange with Russia on Thursday (May 25), said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff.

Kyiv has secured the release of more than 100 of its captured soldiers in a prisoner exchange with Russia on Thursday (May 25), said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff. Meanwhile, Russia’s Wagner mercenary group said they would send back the bodies of two United States and Turkey citizens from Ukraine. Speaking about the conflict, US Army General Mark Milley said Russia will not achieve military victory in Ukraine but also warned Kyiv that it is unlikely to force out all of Moscow’s troops anytime soon. Russia to release over 100 Ukrainian soldiers: Kyiv The Ukrainian president Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak said that Kyiv has secured the release of 106 soldiers, of whom eight were captured fighting in the city of Bakhmut, which has witnessed some of the bloodiest battles of the conflict. “Every one of them is a hero of our state,” said Yermak. He added, “Many of the ones we are returning from captivity were considered missing. The relatives of these people have gone through a difficult time.” While, Russia’s human rights ombudsman, Tatiana Moskalkova, confirmed that Russia’s mercenary group Wagner which earlier Thursday began withdrawing from Bakhmut, took part in an exchange of fighters, no further details were given. According to Ukrainian officials, so far, at least 2,430 Ukrainians have been freed in prisoner swaps out of which nearly 140 were civilians. Wagner send back bodies of US, Turkish citizens The head of the Wagner group Yevgeny Prigozhin, on Thursday, said that they are sending back the bodies of a US citizen who was killed in fighting in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut and the body of a Turkish citizen who was found dead in a building that was blown up. “We are returning the body of an American and the body of a citizen of Turkey along with prisoners,” said Prigozhin. The announcement was made by him in a video clip which showed two wooden coffins one of which was draped with the US flag and the other with the flag of Turkey. Prigozhin said that the US citizen died while fighting in some part of Bakhmut which is referred to as the “nest.” According to Wagner, the American citizen was Nicholas Maimer, a former US special forces soldier. While the Turkish citizen was found dead along with a Turkish woman in a building supposedly blown by Ukrainian forces, said the head of the Wagner group. However, the Turkish woman’s body could not be recovered, said Prigozhin. US top officer about Russia-Ukraine Speaking to reporters at the Pentagon, on Thursday, Milley said, “This war, militarily, is not going to be won by Russia. It’s just not.” The press conference took place after a virtual meeting of dozens of countries that support Ukraine. He also said that while Moscow’s original strategic objectives which supposedly included overthrowing the government in Kyiv, “are not achievable militarily, they’re not going to be done,” said the US army general. While Kyiv’s objective of recapturing all of its territory is also unlikely, said the US officer, adding that there are hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers across Ukraine, at the time so it will not happen “in the near term”. “That means fighting is going to continue, it's going to be bloody, it's going to be hard. And at some point, both sides will either negotiate a settlement or they'll come to a military conclusion.” This comes amid talks that the war in Ukraine is set to go on for a while considering neither countries are in a position to secure a clear-cut victory and there are no ongoing peace talks or negotiations. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Ukraine secures release of more than 100 soldiers in swap with Russia

<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin's top ally Dmitry Medvedev has said that the war with Ukraine can last for decades and long periods of fighting can continue interspersed by truces, reported Russia's RIA news agency on Thursday.<br />
<br />
The report stated that former president and deputy chairman of Putin's Security Council Medvedev had made the statement during his visit to Vietnam.<br />
<br />
Medvedev is known for making hardline comments. Last month, he described Ukrainian authorities as an infection.<br />
<br />
"This conflict will last a very long time, most likely decades. As long as there is such a power in place, there will be, say, three years of truce, two years of conflict, and everything will be repeated,” RIA cited Medvedev as saying.<br />
<br />
Medvedev reiterated the claim of Moscow that Ukraine is a Nazi state. In January, Medvedev stated that if Russia was defeated, it would lead to a nuclear war.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-general-says-ukraine-shouldnt-use-us-weaponry-inside-russia-596571">US general says Ukraine shouldn't use US weaponry inside Russia</a></p>

<h2><strong>Ukraine claims shooting down 10 missiles, 20 drones</strong></h2>

<p>Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials on Friday claimed that they shot down 10 missiles and 20 drones launched by Russia in overnight attacks that took place on the capital Kyiv as well as the city of Dnipro and eastern regions.<br />
<br />
This month, the missile and drone attacks on Ukraine have been intensified by Russia, mainly attacking infrastructure facilities and logistics before an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive.<br />
<br />
The Ukrainian air force stated that they shot down 10 missiles which were fired from the Caspian Sea, along with two reconnaissance drones and 23 Iranian-made Shahed drones.<br />
<br />
It stated that the Russians launched a total of 17 missiles and 31 drones during the attacks which began around 10:00 pm (1900 GMT) on Thursday and continued till 5&nbsp;am on Friday.<br />
<br />
Several missiles and drones hit targets in Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions, stated officials.<br />
<br />
"It was a very difficult night. It was loud — the enemy launched a massive attack on the region with missiles and drones," said Serhiy Lysak, the Dnipropetrovsk regional governor, on the Telegram messaging app. "Dnipro has suffered,” he added.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Russia Ukraine War | US: No signs of Russia prepping to use nukes | World News | WION</strong></p>

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<p><br />
Lysak stated that various cars, houses and private companies, including a gas station and a transport company, had been damaged.<br />
<br />
Officials in Kyiv stated that the roof of a private house and a shopping mall and several cars had been damaged. The governor of the Kharkiv region also stated that several private houses and industrial facilities were damaged.<br />
<br />
Russia which started its full-scale invasion 15 months ago has launched hundreds of missile attacks since last October aiming to destroy critical power facilities and infrastructure.</p>

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Russian President Vladimir Putin's top ally Dmitry Medvedev has said that the war with Ukraine can last for decades and long periods of fighting can continue interspersed by truces, reported Russia's RIA news agency on Thursday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's top ally Dmitry Medvedev has said that the war with Ukraine can last for decades and long periods of fighting can continue interspersed by truces, reported Russia's RIA news agency on Thursday. The report stated that former president and deputy chairman of Putin's Security Council Medvedev had made the statement during his visit to Vietnam. Medvedev is known for making hardline comments. Last month, he described Ukrainian authorities as an infection. "This conflict will last a very long time, most likely decades. As long as there is such a power in place, there will be, say, three years of truce, two years of conflict, and everything will be repeated,” RIA cited Medvedev as saying. Medvedev reiterated the claim of Moscow that Ukraine is a Nazi state. In January, Medvedev stated that if Russia was defeated, it would lead to a nuclear war. ALSO READ | US general says Ukraine shouldn't use US weaponry inside Russia Ukraine claims shooting down 10 missiles, 20 drones Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials on Friday claimed that they shot down 10 missiles and 20 drones launched by Russia in overnight attacks that took place on the capital Kyiv as well as the city of Dnipro and eastern regions. This month, the missile and drone attacks on Ukraine have been intensified by Russia, mainly attacking infrastructure facilities and logistics before an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive. The Ukrainian air force stated that they shot down 10 missiles which were fired from the Caspian Sea, along with two reconnaissance drones and 23 Iranian-made Shahed drones. It stated that the Russians launched a total of 17 missiles and 31 drones during the attacks which began around 10:00 pm (1900 GMT) on Thursday and continued till 5 am on Friday. Several missiles and drones hit targets in Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions, stated officials. "It was a very difficult night. It was loud — the enemy launched a massive attack on the region with missiles and drones," said Serhiy Lysak, the Dnipropetrovsk regional governor, on the Telegram messaging app. "Dnipro has suffered,” he added. WATCH | Russia Ukraine War | US: No signs of Russia prepping to use nukes | World News | WION Lysak stated that various cars, houses and private companies, including a gas station and a transport company, had been damaged. Officials in Kyiv stated that the roof of a private house and a shopping mall and several cars had been damaged. The governor of the Kharkiv region also stated that several private houses and industrial facilities were damaged. Russia which started its full-scale invasion 15 months ago has launched hundreds of missile attacks since last October aiming to destroy critical power facilities and infrastructure. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia-Ukraine war may continue for decades, says Putin ally Dmitry Medvedev

<p>Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO, said on Wednesday (May 24) that Ukraine won't be able to join the alliance as long as the war with Russia goes on.</p>

<p>"To become a member in the midst of a war is not on the agenda," he said at an event organised by the German Marshall Fund of The United States in Brussels. "The issue is what happens when the war ends."</p>

<p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in September last year launched a bid to fast-track the membership of NATO. This came after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared the annexation of four partially occupied regions of Ukraine.</p>

<p>The alliance has not acceded to Zelensky's request. Western governments are still wary of moves that they fear would bring NATO closer to active war with Russia.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Russia claims 70 attackers killed in cross-border Belgorod raid</strong></p>

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<p>However, Ukraine and some of its allies are urging NATO to at least take steps to bring Kyiv closer to membership.</p>

<p>"It is time for the alliance to stop making excuses and start the process that leads to Ukraine's eventual accession," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote in an op-ed for Foreign Affairs in April. "What we need is a clear written statement from the allies laying out a path to accession."</p>

<h2><strong>Future of Ukraine lies with NATO</strong></h2>

<p>Stoltenberg visited Kyiv in April. At the time, he underscored that the future of Ukraine lies in NATO. However, he avoided giving a timeline for Ukraine's possible inclusion in the alliance.</p>

<p>In 2008, NATO had agreed at its Bucharest summit that Ukraine will eventually be part of the alliance.</p>

<p>However, leaders have since stopped short of taking any steps, such as giving Kyiv a membership action plan that would lay out a timetable for bringing the country closer to NATO.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-belgorod-raid-which-fighters-from-ukraine-infiltrated-russia-and-infuriated-putin-596008">Explained | Belgorod raid: The combatants who infiltrated Russia and infuriated Putin</a></strong></p>

<p>At the Brussels event, Stoltenberg acknowledged there were differences among NATO members over how to address Kyiv's membership ambitions.</p>

<p>"There are different views in the alliance and, of course, the only way to make decisions in NATO is by consensus. There are consultations going on now," Stoltenberg said.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO, said on Wednesday (May 24) that Ukraine won't be able to join the alliance as long as the war with Russia goes on. "To become a member in the midst of a war is not on the agenda," he said at an event organised by the German Marshall Fund of The United States in Brussels.

Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO, said on Wednesday (May 24) that Ukraine won't be able to join the alliance as long as the war with Russia goes on. "To become a member in the midst of a war is not on the agenda," he said at an event organised by the German Marshall Fund of The United States in Brussels. "The issue is what happens when the war ends." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in September last year launched a bid to fast-track the membership of NATO. This came after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared the annexation of four partially occupied regions of Ukraine. The alliance has not acceded to Zelensky's request. Western governments are still wary of moves that they fear would bring NATO closer to active war with Russia. Watch | Russia claims 70 attackers killed in cross-border Belgorod raid × However, Ukraine and some of its allies are urging NATO to at least take steps to bring Kyiv closer to membership. "It is time for the alliance to stop making excuses and start the process that leads to Ukraine's eventual accession," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote in an op-ed for Foreign Affairs in April. "What we need is a clear written statement from the allies laying out a path to accession." Future of Ukraine lies with NATO Stoltenberg visited Kyiv in April. At the time, he underscored that the future of Ukraine lies in NATO. However, he avoided giving a timeline for Ukraine's possible inclusion in the alliance. In 2008, NATO had agreed at its Bucharest summit that Ukraine will eventually be part of the alliance. However, leaders have since stopped short of taking any steps, such as giving Kyiv a membership action plan that would lay out a timetable for bringing the country closer to NATO. Also Read | Explained | Belgorod raid: The combatants who infiltrated Russia and infuriated Putin At the Brussels event, Stoltenberg acknowledged there were differences among NATO members over how to address Kyiv's membership ambitions. "There are different views in the alliance and, of course, the only way to make decisions in NATO is by consensus. There are consultations going on now," Stoltenberg said. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Tough to include Ukraine in NATO while war goes on: Stoltenberg

<p>Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko said on Thursday (May 25) that Russia has begun moving nuclear weapons to the country. Earlier in March, Russian President Vladimir Putin had&nbsp;announced plans to move Russia's tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus. As of the time of&nbsp;publishing this story on Thursday, there was no reaction from Russia on the latest movement of its nuclear assets.</p>

<p>"The transfer of nuclear munitions has begun," Lukashenko told reporters during a visit to Moscow.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Lukashenko and his regime are staunch allies of Putin. Belarus borders Ukraine as well as Russia. Lukashenko has allowed Russia to use Belarus' territory as a launchpad for Russia's Ukraine offensive&nbsp;</p>

<p>Putin had drawn condemnation from the West after he declared in the month of March this year that Russia would move tactical nuclear weapons into Belarusian territory.</p>

<p>Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya on Thursday said the move would "not only endanger the lives of Belarusians but also create a new threat against Ukraine and all of Europe."</p>

<p>"It will make Belarusians hostages to Russian imperial ambitions," Tikhanovskaya added. She was quoted by AFP.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tactical nuclear arms are battlefield weapons that, while devastating, have a smaller yield compared to long-range strategic weapons.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Putin's announcement had spurred fears of nuclear conflict, but experts and governments said it was unlikely that the move would change the course of the conflict.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Belarusian troops began training on nuclear-capable Russian missile systems in April.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Ukraine says downed 36 Russian drones</strong></h2>

<p>Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that the Ukrainian military had downed 36 Russian drones. He alleged that Russia was trying to terrorise Ukraine.</p>

<p>"The enemy continued to terrorise Ukraine by launching 36 Shaheds. None reached their target," Zelensky said in a social media post.</p>

<p>"I'm grateful to our air defence forces for the 100 per cent result."</p>

<p>Russia subjected Ukraine to a campaign of aerial bombardments on key infrastructure during the winter months, but those attacks&nbsp;waned recently.</p>

<p>"In total, 36 barrage munitions were launched from the northern and southern directions. The enemy presumably aimed to attack critical infrastructure and military facilities in the western regions of Ukraine," the defence ministry said.</p>

<p>"All 36 Shaheds were shot down!"</p>

<p>Ukraine has become increasingly adept at taking down waves of Russian cruise missiles and drones after appealing to Western allies for greater air defence capabilities.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko said on Thursday (May 25) that Russia has begun moving nuclear weapons to the country. Earlier in March, Russian President Vladimir Putin had announced plans to move Russia's tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus.

Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko said on Thursday (May 25) that Russia has begun moving nuclear weapons to the country. Earlier in March, Russian President Vladimir Putin had announced plans to move Russia's tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus. As of the time of publishing this story on Thursday, there was no reaction from Russia on the latest movement of its nuclear assets. "The transfer of nuclear munitions has begun," Lukashenko told reporters during a visit to Moscow. Lukashenko and his regime are staunch allies of Putin. Belarus borders Ukraine as well as Russia. Lukashenko has allowed Russia to use Belarus' territory as a launchpad for Russia's Ukraine offensive Putin had drawn condemnation from the West after he declared in the month of March this year that Russia would move tactical nuclear weapons into Belarusian territory. Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya on Thursday said the move would "not only endanger the lives of Belarusians but also create a new threat against Ukraine and all of Europe." "It will make Belarusians hostages to Russian imperial ambitions," Tikhanovskaya added. She was quoted by AFP. Tactical nuclear arms are battlefield weapons that, while devastating, have a smaller yield compared to long-range strategic weapons. Putin's announcement had spurred fears of nuclear conflict, but experts and governments said it was unlikely that the move would change the course of the conflict. Belarusian troops began training on nuclear-capable Russian missile systems in April. Ukraine says downed 36 Russian drones Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that the Ukrainian military had downed 36 Russian drones. He alleged that Russia was trying to terrorise Ukraine. "The enemy continued to terrorise Ukraine by launching 36 Shaheds. None reached their target," Zelensky said in a social media post. "I'm grateful to our air defence forces for the 100 per cent result." Russia subjected Ukraine to a campaign of aerial bombardments on key infrastructure during the winter months, but those attacks waned recently. "In total, 36 barrage munitions were launched from the northern and southern directions. The enemy presumably aimed to attack critical infrastructure and military facilities in the western regions of Ukraine," the defence ministry said. "All 36 Shaheds were shot down!" Ukraine has become increasingly adept at taking down waves of Russian cruise missiles and drones after appealing to Western allies for greater air defence capabilities. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Russia has started moving nuclear weapons to Belarus, says Lukashenko

<p>The Japanese defence ministry, on Thursday (May 25), said that it scrambled fighters after it saw&nbsp;what it described as Russian “intelligence-gathering” aircraft&nbsp;off its coast. The brief statement released by Japan’s Joint Staff said that it detected the Russian aircraft IL-20&nbsp;along the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to the statement, the military planes flew a round-trip from the Sea of Okhotsk to the Pacific while the other IL-20 flew toward the waters near Sado Island before turning toward the continent.&nbsp;The aircraft in question travelled from Japan's north down along part of its west coast, while the other took a similar route along the opposite coast and returned the same way.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“In response, fighters of the Air Self-Defense Force’s Northern Air Force and other units were scrambled,” said the Japanese defence ministry. The brief statement did not give any further information about the incident.</p>

<p>This comes days after Japan hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit, in Hiroshima. Similarly, last year, Chinese and Russian military jets carried out joint flights when&nbsp;Tokyo hosted the Quad Summit with the leaders of the United States, India, Australia, and Japan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Japan has also recently joined its allies in the West to announce sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine which began over a year ago. In its latest security document, Tokyo, which, had previously called to strengthen ties and cooperation with Moscow, has&nbsp;now warned of its military posturing in Asia and called its cooperation with China “a strong security concern”.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Russia has also now dubbed Japan as a “hostile” country, a category which it now shares with the countries in the European Union, the US, the United Kingdom, and Australia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier this year, Moscow also carried out military exercises, where the Russian Navy, test-fired supersonic anti-ship missiles at a mock target in the Sea of Japan, which was some 100 kilometres away. Another test was conducted in late March, a week after two Russian strategic bomber planes flew over the Sea of Japan for more than seven hours in what Moscow said was a “planned flight”.</p>

<p>At the time, Japan’s foreign minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, in his daily press conference, said that Tokyo will be more vigilant against Russia’s military operations.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em><br />
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The Japanese defence ministry, on Thursday (May 25), said that it scrambled fighters after it saw what it described as Russian “intelligence-gathering” aircraft off its coast.

The Japanese defence ministry, on Thursday (May 25), said that it scrambled fighters after it saw what it described as Russian “intelligence-gathering” aircraft off its coast. The brief statement released by Japan’s Joint Staff said that it detected the Russian aircraft IL-20 along the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan. According to the statement, the military planes flew a round-trip from the Sea of Okhotsk to the Pacific while the other IL-20 flew toward the waters near Sado Island before turning toward the continent. The aircraft in question travelled from Japan's north down along part of its west coast, while the other took a similar route along the opposite coast and returned the same way. “In response, fighters of the Air Self-Defense Force’s Northern Air Force and other units were scrambled,” said the Japanese defence ministry. The brief statement did not give any further information about the incident. This comes days after Japan hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit, in Hiroshima. Similarly, last year, Chinese and Russian military jets carried out joint flights when Tokyo hosted the Quad Summit with the leaders of the United States, India, Australia, and Japan. Japan has also recently joined its allies in the West to announce sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine which began over a year ago. In its latest security document, Tokyo, which, had previously called to strengthen ties and cooperation with Moscow, has now warned of its military posturing in Asia and called its cooperation with China “a strong security concern”. Meanwhile, Russia has also now dubbed Japan as a “hostile” country, a category which it now shares with the countries in the European Union, the US, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Earlier this year, Moscow also carried out military exercises, where the Russian Navy, test-fired supersonic anti-ship missiles at a mock target in the Sea of Japan, which was some 100 kilometres away. Another test was conducted in late March, a week after two Russian strategic bomber planes flew over the Sea of Japan for more than seven hours in what Moscow said was a “planned flight”. At the time, Japan’s foreign minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, in his daily press conference, said that Tokyo will be more vigilant against Russia’s military operations. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Japan scrambles jets after Russian ‘intelligence-gathering’ aircraft detected off its coast

<p>The head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, which has been spearheading Moscow’s fight in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, on Thursday (May 25) said his fighters have begun transferring their positions to the Russian army.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The change was seemingly confirmed by Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar who said that Wagner fighters have been replaced by regular soldiers in the outskirts of Bakhmut.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Wagner’s withdrawal from Bakhmut</strong></h2>

<p>The announcement was made by the Wagner group’s founder Yevgeny Prigozhin in a video published on Thursday. “We are withdrawing the units from Bakhmut. From today at five in the morning, May 25 until June 1, most of the units will rebase to camps in the rear,” said the Wagner chief.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
He added, “We are handing over positions to the military, ammunition and everything. We pull back, we rest, we prepare and then we will get new tasks.” The video was published on messaging app Telegram where Prigozhin was seen dressed in tactical body armour and a military helmet standing beside a war-damaged residential block.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Wagner chief, who has repeatedly criticised Russian defence officials, as per media reports, also said that his fighters would return to Bakhmut if the military is unable to manage the situation in the Ukrainian city which has witnessed some of the bloodiest battles amid the ongoing conflict.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Ukraine partially confirms the switch</strong></h2>

<p>The Ukrainian deputy defence minister also took to Telegram and has at least partially confirmed the announcement by the Wagner chief. “In Bakhmut’s outskirts, the enemy has replaced Wagner units with regular army forces. Inside the city itself, Wagner fighters remain,” said Maliar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She also said that Russia is also reinforcing its positions on the flanks of Bakhmut and continued shelling to stop Ukrainian forces from advancing to the north and south of the city. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s eastern military command, Serhiy Cherevatyi, said that Kyiv has noted a drop in the number of Russian attacks in the past three days or so.</p>

<p>There have been two military engagements in the last 24 hours, said the military spokesperson, adding that the shelling has continued. “We can definitely note a reduction in attacks and possibly this is linked to their regrouping. It is clear that we have inflicted heavy losses and they need this (to regroup),” said Cherevatyi, as quoted by Reuters.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em><br />
<br />
<em><strong>Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.</strong></em></p>

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The head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, which has been spearheading Moscow’s fight in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, on Thursday (May 25) said his fighters have begun transferring their positions to the Russian army.

The head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, which has been spearheading Moscow’s fight in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, on Thursday (May 25) said his fighters have begun transferring their positions to the Russian army. The change was seemingly confirmed by Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar who said that Wagner fighters have been replaced by regular soldiers in the outskirts of Bakhmut. Wagner’s withdrawal from Bakhmut The announcement was made by the Wagner group’s founder Yevgeny Prigozhin in a video published on Thursday. “We are withdrawing the units from Bakhmut. From today at five in the morning, May 25 until June 1, most of the units will rebase to camps in the rear,” said the Wagner chief. He added, “We are handing over positions to the military, ammunition and everything. We pull back, we rest, we prepare and then we will get new tasks.” The video was published on messaging app Telegram where Prigozhin was seen dressed in tactical body armour and a military helmet standing beside a war-damaged residential block. The Wagner chief, who has repeatedly criticised Russian defence officials, as per media reports, also said that his fighters would return to Bakhmut if the military is unable to manage the situation in the Ukrainian city which has witnessed some of the bloodiest battles amid the ongoing conflict. Ukraine partially confirms the switch The Ukrainian deputy defence minister also took to Telegram and has at least partially confirmed the announcement by the Wagner chief. “In Bakhmut’s outskirts, the enemy has replaced Wagner units with regular army forces. Inside the city itself, Wagner fighters remain,” said Maliar. She also said that Russia is also reinforcing its positions on the flanks of Bakhmut and continued shelling to stop Ukrainian forces from advancing to the north and south of the city. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s eastern military command, Serhiy Cherevatyi, said that Kyiv has noted a drop in the number of Russian attacks in the past three days or so. There have been two military engagements in the last 24 hours, said the military spokesperson, adding that the shelling has continued. “We can definitely note a reduction in attacks and possibly this is linked to their regrouping. It is clear that we have inflicted heavy losses and they need this (to regroup),” said Cherevatyi, as quoted by Reuters. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia’s Wagner withdraws fighters from Bakhmut, military to take over; Ukraine partially confirms

<p>Some 36 Iranian-made attack drones launched by Russia were downed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the country's military claimed on Thursday (May 25). Zelensky alleged that Russia was trying to 'terrorise' Ukraine.</p>

<p>"The enemy continued to terrorise Ukraine by launching 36 Shaheds. None reached their target," Zelensky said in a social media post.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the Moscow-appointed governor in Russian-annexed Crimea said that six drones were shot down or blocked in the region. Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"During the past night, six drones were shot down or blocked ... in different parts of Crimea," Sergei Aksyonov wrote on Telegram, adding "there were no victims or injured".&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Russia-Ukraine war: Netherlands and Norway extend support to Ukraine</strong></p>

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<p>The incident comes after Moscow deployed jets and artillery against an armed group that crossed from Ukraine in the most serious attack on its soil since Moscow's offensive began in February 2022.</p>

<p>Earlier on Wednesday (May 24), governor of Russian region of Belgorod, Vyacheslav Gladkov said that the territory was targetted overnight by numerous drones.</p>

<p>Regional authorities said 13 people were injured. The area had come under sustained mortar and artillery fire. Russia later claimed that its forces had killed &nbsp;"more than 70 Ukrainian terrorists".</p>

<p>Ukraine has already maintained that it had nothing to do with the attack in Belgorod.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-war-wagner-chief-warns-russia-could-face-revolution-unless-596238">Ukraine war: Wagner chief warns Russia could face revolution unless...</a></strong></p>

<p>The alleged perpetrators of the incursion hailed the "success" of the operation, telling Ukrainian media on Wednesday that they had highlighted the weakness of Russia's defences.</p>

<p>"I want to prove to them that we can fight against tyrants and that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's power is not unlimited," said Denis Kapustin of the Russian Volunteer Corps, which claimed the sortie.</p>

<p>Kapustin, nicknamed "White Rex", is well-known in far-right circles in Russia.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>US nod for $285mn military sale to Ukraine</strong></h2>

<p>The United States meanwhile announced the approval of a $285 million sale of NASAMS air defence system and related equipment. This is likely to boost Ukraine's protection against Russian strikes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Ukraine has an urgent need to increase its capabilities to defend against Russian missile strikes and aircraft," the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement. "Acquiring and effectively deploying this capability will enhance Ukraine's ability to defend its people and protect critical national infrastructure."</p>

<p>The sale will support US foreign policy national security goal&nbsp;by "improving the security of a partner country that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe," said the agency.</p>

<p>Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year. After sustained territorial gains in first few months of the war, Russian troops had to retreat in the face of Ukrainian counter-offensive.</p>

<p>The West, led by the US has poured in millions of dollars in humanitarian as well as military aid to Ukraine. This has significantly boosted Ukraine's capacity to defend and gain territory.</p>

<p><strong>(Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.)</strong></p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Some 36 Iranian-made attack drones launched by Russia were downed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the country's military claimed on Thursday (May 25).

Some 36 Iranian-made attack drones launched by Russia were downed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the country's military claimed on Thursday (May 25). Zelensky alleged that Russia was trying to 'terrorise' Ukraine. "The enemy continued to terrorise Ukraine by launching 36 Shaheds. None reached their target," Zelensky said in a social media post. Meanwhile, the Moscow-appointed governor in Russian-annexed Crimea said that six drones were shot down or blocked in the region. Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. "During the past night, six drones were shot down or blocked ... in different parts of Crimea," Sergei Aksyonov wrote on Telegram, adding "there were no victims or injured". Watch | Russia-Ukraine war: Netherlands and Norway extend support to Ukraine × The incident comes after Moscow deployed jets and artillery against an armed group that crossed from Ukraine in the most serious attack on its soil since Moscow's offensive began in February 2022. Earlier on Wednesday (May 24), governor of Russian region of Belgorod, Vyacheslav Gladkov said that the territory was targetted overnight by numerous drones. Regional authorities said 13 people were injured. The area had come under sustained mortar and artillery fire. Russia later claimed that its forces had killed "more than 70 Ukrainian terrorists". Ukraine has already maintained that it had nothing to do with the attack in Belgorod. Also Read | Ukraine war: Wagner chief warns Russia could face revolution unless... The alleged perpetrators of the incursion hailed the "success" of the operation, telling Ukrainian media on Wednesday that they had highlighted the weakness of Russia's defences. "I want to prove to them that we can fight against tyrants and that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's power is not unlimited," said Denis Kapustin of the Russian Volunteer Corps, which claimed the sortie. Kapustin, nicknamed "White Rex", is well-known in far-right circles in Russia. US nod for $285mn military sale to Ukraine The United States meanwhile announced the approval of a $285 million sale of NASAMS air defence system and related equipment. This is likely to boost Ukraine's protection against Russian strikes. "Ukraine has an urgent need to increase its capabilities to defend against Russian missile strikes and aircraft," the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement. "Acquiring and effectively deploying this capability will enhance Ukraine's ability to defend its people and protect critical national infrastructure." The sale will support US foreign policy national security goal by "improving the security of a partner country that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe," said the agency. Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year. After sustained territorial gains in first few months of the war, Russian troops had to retreat in the face of Ukrainian counter-offensive. The West, led by the US has poured in millions of dollars in humanitarian as well as military aid to Ukraine. This has significantly boosted Ukraine's capacity to defend and gain territory. (Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.) (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Ukraine claims it has shot down 36 Russian drones

<p>Russia claimed on Tuesday (May 23) that it had scrambled a Su-27 fighter jet to "prevent violations of the state border" by two US Air Force strategic bombers flying over the Baltic Sea.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Russian defence ministry said, "After removing the foreign military aircraft from the Russian state border, the Russian fighter went back to its air base."&nbsp;</p>

<p>The defence ministry claimed that the two aircraft were B-1 strategic bombers belonging to the US Air Force. According to the statement, the army prevented the violation of the border.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The ministry added, "The flight of the Russian fighter was carried out in strict accordance with international rules for the use of airspace."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Similar incidents have happened in the past as well and in the aftermath of the Russia-Ukraine war, they become detrimental.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Just over a week ago, Russia said that two aircraft were intercepted attempting to "violate" its airspace. One of the aircraft was German and the other one was French.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Before that, in mid-April, Russia sent a fighter jet to escort a German naval aircraft over the Baltic Sea.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Ukraine War: Are intel agencies fighting a parallel battle?&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<h2><strong>When a Russian jet hit a US drone</strong></h2>

<p>A major incident happen when an American drone crashed after colliding with a Russian jet over the Black Sea in March.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The US military said that a Russian Su-27 fighter jet downed an American MQ-9 Reaper drone, and called it a "reckless" incident.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A video was released by the Pentagon, which showed the Russian military jet coming very close to a US military drone and dumping fuel near it. The US said that the Russian aircraft damaged the propeller during the intercept.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Pentagon said that the de-classified video, which is about 40 seconds long, has been edited by the US military for length but shows events in sequential order.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Russia has denied the accusations levelled by the US that its jets acted recklessly. Moscow said that the drone crashed after making "sharp manoeuvres," having "provocatively" flown close to Russian air space near Crimea.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A ministry statement had said that Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told his US counterpart that the American drone flights near Crimea's coast "were provocative in nature" and could lead to "an escalation in the Black Sea zone."&nbsp;</p>

<p>After the incident, General Mark Milley, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, had said: "There is a pattern of behaviour recently where there is a little bit more aggressive actions being conducted by the Russians."&nbsp;<br />
<br />
<em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
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Russia claimed on Tuesday (May 23) that it had scrambled a Su-27 fighter jet to "prevent violations of the state border" by two US Air Force strategic bombers flying over the Baltic Sea.

Russia claimed on Tuesday (May 23) that it had scrambled a Su-27 fighter jet to "prevent violations of the state border" by two US Air Force strategic bombers flying over the Baltic Sea. The Russian defence ministry said, "After removing the foreign military aircraft from the Russian state border, the Russian fighter went back to its air base." The defence ministry claimed that the two aircraft were B-1 strategic bombers belonging to the US Air Force. According to the statement, the army prevented the violation of the border. The ministry added, "The flight of the Russian fighter was carried out in strict accordance with international rules for the use of airspace." Similar incidents have happened in the past as well and in the aftermath of the Russia-Ukraine war, they become detrimental. Just over a week ago, Russia said that two aircraft were intercepted attempting to "violate" its airspace. One of the aircraft was German and the other one was French. Before that, in mid-April, Russia sent a fighter jet to escort a German naval aircraft over the Baltic Sea. WATCH | Ukraine War: Are intel agencies fighting a parallel battle? × When a Russian jet hit a US drone A major incident happen when an American drone crashed after colliding with a Russian jet over the Black Sea in March. The US military said that a Russian Su-27 fighter jet downed an American MQ-9 Reaper drone, and called it a "reckless" incident. A video was released by the Pentagon, which showed the Russian military jet coming very close to a US military drone and dumping fuel near it. The US said that the Russian aircraft damaged the propeller during the intercept. The Pentagon said that the de-classified video, which is about 40 seconds long, has been edited by the US military for length but shows events in sequential order. Meanwhile, Russia has denied the accusations levelled by the US that its jets acted recklessly. Moscow said that the drone crashed after making "sharp manoeuvres," having "provocatively" flown close to Russian air space near Crimea. A ministry statement had said that Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told his US counterpart that the American drone flights near Crimea's coast "were provocative in nature" and could lead to "an escalation in the Black Sea zone." After the incident, General Mark Milley, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, had said: "There is a pattern of behaviour recently where there is a little bit more aggressive actions being conducted by the Russians." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia scrambles Su-27 to intercept two US military jets over Baltic Sea to prevent airspace violation

<p>As per Russia’s state-run TASS news agency, as Moscow steps up its military presence in the Pacific, Russia plans to move its newest nuclear submarine to a permanent base in the Kamchatka Peninsula in August this year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Citing a source close to the military department, TASS stated that “the submarine Generalissimo Suvorov will make an inter-naval transition from the Northern Fleet (in the Arctic) to the Pacific Fleet in August”. &nbsp;TASS further added that “the transition will be carried out along the Northern Sea Route, in a submerged position.”</p>

<h2><strong>The Russian submarine - Generalissimo Suvorov&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>The submarine Generalissimo Suvorov, which entered service at the end of 2022, carries up to 16 nuclear-tipped Russian Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles, each of which can carry more than one nuclear warhead.</p>

<p>The Generalissimo Suvorov was among several new vessels commissioned by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2022 after he promised to further strengthen the country’s navy. At that time, Russian news agencies reported that the commissioning of Generalissimo Suvorov was meant to bolster the nuclear-powered fleet at the Rybachiy submarine base on the Kamchatka Peninsula.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-war-affects-russian-energy-giant-gazproms-profits-net-profit-down-by-414-in-2022-595729">Ukraine war affects Russian energy giant Gazprom's profits; net profit down by 41.4% in 2022</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>Replacement of Russia’s ballistic missile submarines</strong></h2>

<p>As per reports from Russian agencies, the Generalissimo Suvorov submarine is the sixth vessel of the Russian Borei class of smaller and stealthier submarines. These submarines are likely to replace Russia’s previous generation&nbsp;of ballistic missile submarines.</p>

<h2><strong>‘Kalibr missiles’</strong></h2>

<p>Earlier this year, Russia had plans to equip several Navy vessels with Kalibr missiles. With the use of these Kalibr missiles, submarines will not only be able to hit land and sea targets but also submarines.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;US journalist detained in Russia for espionage | Russia intercepts US jets</strong></p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Kalibr missile family is made up of several variants, including long–range cruise missiles and anti-submarine torpedoes. As per reports, almost all newly built and most upgraded units will be equipped with Kalibr missiles.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Putin’s plan to expand the Russian navy</strong></h2>

<p>Putin aims to develop further the defence capabilities of Russia. Earlier too, with the commissioning of the Generalissimo Suvorov submarine, Putin pointed out that “we will increase the pace and volume of construction of various ships, equip them with the most modern weapons”.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In his attempt to ensure the safety and security of Russia, he added that “all in all, everything to reliably ensure Russia’s security, the protection of our national interests in the world ocean”. &nbsp;</p>

<p>(with inputs from agencies)</p>

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As per Russia’s state-run TASS news agency, as Moscow steps up its military presence in the Pacific, Russia plans to move its newest nuclear submarine to a permanent base in the Kamchatka Peninsula in August this year.

As per Russia’s state-run TASS news agency, as Moscow steps up its military presence in the Pacific, Russia plans to move its newest nuclear submarine to a permanent base in the Kamchatka Peninsula in August this year. Citing a source close to the military department, TASS stated that “the submarine Generalissimo Suvorov will make an inter-naval transition from the Northern Fleet (in the Arctic) to the Pacific Fleet in August”. TASS further added that “the transition will be carried out along the Northern Sea Route, in a submerged position.” The Russian submarine - Generalissimo Suvorov The submarine Generalissimo Suvorov, which entered service at the end of 2022, carries up to 16 nuclear-tipped Russian Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles, each of which can carry more than one nuclear warhead. The Generalissimo Suvorov was among several new vessels commissioned by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2022 after he promised to further strengthen the country’s navy. At that time, Russian news agencies reported that the commissioning of Generalissimo Suvorov was meant to bolster the nuclear-powered fleet at the Rybachiy submarine base on the Kamchatka Peninsula. ALSO READ | Ukraine war affects Russian energy giant Gazprom's profits; net profit down by 41.4% in 2022 Replacement of Russia’s ballistic missile submarines As per reports from Russian agencies, the Generalissimo Suvorov submarine is the sixth vessel of the Russian Borei class of smaller and stealthier submarines. These submarines are likely to replace Russia’s previous generation of ballistic missile submarines. ‘Kalibr missiles’ Earlier this year, Russia had plans to equip several Navy vessels with Kalibr missiles. With the use of these Kalibr missiles, submarines will not only be able to hit land and sea targets but also submarines. WATCH | US journalist detained in Russia for espionage | Russia intercepts US jets × The Kalibr missile family is made up of several variants, including long–range cruise missiles and anti-submarine torpedoes. As per reports, almost all newly built and most upgraded units will be equipped with Kalibr missiles. Putin’s plan to expand the Russian navy Putin aims to develop further the defence capabilities of Russia. Earlier too, with the commissioning of the Generalissimo Suvorov submarine, Putin pointed out that “we will increase the pace and volume of construction of various ships, equip them with the most modern weapons”. In his attempt to ensure the safety and security of Russia, he added that “all in all, everything to reliably ensure Russia’s security, the protection of our national interests in the world ocean”. (with inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Russia's Generalissimo Suvorov to move to a permanent Pacific base in August

<p>The United States claimed that it had no involvement in a recent incursion into Russia which Moscow claimed ended with armed insurgents' defeat, who had crossed the border from Ukraine.</p>

<p>On Monday, parts of Belgorod's border region were under attack which was a major cross-border raid&nbsp;since Ukraine was invaded by Russia last year.</p>

<p>Later, Russia released pictures of damaged or abandoned Western military vehicles, which included US-made Humvees.</p>

<p>However, the US claimed it did not "encourage or enable strikes inside of Russia".</p>

<p>The reports "circulating on social media and elsewhere" which claimed that the invaders had used US-supplied weapons were acknowledged by a state department spokesperson.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, Matthew Miller said, "I will say that we’re sceptical at this time of the veracity of these reports. As a more general principle, as we’ve said and I believe I said yesterday, we do not encourage or enable strikes inside of Russia, and we’ve made that clear. But as we’ve also said, it is up to Ukraine to decide how to conduct this war."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/airforce-artillery-used-to-push-back-border-attackers-70-ukrainian-nationalists-russian-defence-ministry-595645">Air Force, artillery used to push back border attackers, 70 ‘Ukrainian nationalists’ killed, says Russia</a></p>

<h2><strong>A counter-terrorism operation, claims Russia</strong></h2>

<p>The authorities evacuated villages in Belgorod, which were near the border after it came under shellfire. Russia said that 70 attackers had lost their lives and further insisted that they were Ukrainian.</p>

<p>However, Kyiv denied involvement and two Russian paramilitary groups, who oppose Russian President Vladimir Putin, claimed their involvement in the incursion.</p>

<p>However, Monday's raid was declared by Russia as a counter-terrorism operation as it gave special powers to authorities to clamp down on people's movements and communications.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The officials lifted the measures on Tuesday afternoon, and even then a paramilitary group claimed it still controlled a "small, but our own piece of the Motherland".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Belgorod's governor stated one civilian was killed in the violence, and several others suffered injuries.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Russia-Ukraine War: Ukraine's Eastern outpost witnesses fresh assault by Russia</strong></p>

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<h2><strong>Drone attack on Belgorod&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov on Tuesday evening said that Belgorod faced a fresh attack from a drone which was used to drop an explosive device that damaged a car.</p>

<p>He added that the army shot down the flying vehicle and no new casualties were reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Speaking about the hostilities in Belgorod, Russia's defence ministry said a "unit of the Ukrainian nationalist formation" had invaded its territory to carry out attacks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, Ukrainian officials insisted that the attackers were Russians and belonged to groups known as the Liberty of Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC).</p>

<main>
<section>
<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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The United States claimed that it had no involvement in a recent incursion into Russia which Moscow claimed ended with armed insurgents' defeat, who had crossed the border from Ukraine.

The United States claimed that it had no involvement in a recent incursion into Russia which Moscow claimed ended with armed insurgents' defeat, who had crossed the border from Ukraine. On Monday, parts of Belgorod's border region were under attack which was a major cross-border raid since Ukraine was invaded by Russia last year. Later, Russia released pictures of damaged or abandoned Western military vehicles, which included US-made Humvees. However, the US claimed it did not "encourage or enable strikes inside of Russia". The reports "circulating on social media and elsewhere" which claimed that the invaders had used US-supplied weapons were acknowledged by a state department spokesperson. Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, Matthew Miller said, "I will say that we’re sceptical at this time of the veracity of these reports. As a more general principle, as we’ve said and I believe I said yesterday, we do not encourage or enable strikes inside of Russia, and we’ve made that clear. But as we’ve also said, it is up to Ukraine to decide how to conduct this war." ALSO READ | Air Force, artillery used to push back border attackers, 70 ‘Ukrainian nationalists’ killed, says Russia A counter-terrorism operation, claims Russia The authorities evacuated villages in Belgorod, which were near the border after it came under shellfire. Russia said that 70 attackers had lost their lives and further insisted that they were Ukrainian. However, Kyiv denied involvement and two Russian paramilitary groups, who oppose Russian President Vladimir Putin, claimed their involvement in the incursion. However, Monday's raid was declared by Russia as a counter-terrorism operation as it gave special powers to authorities to clamp down on people's movements and communications. The officials lifted the measures on Tuesday afternoon, and even then a paramilitary group claimed it still controlled a "small, but our own piece of the Motherland". Belgorod's governor stated one civilian was killed in the violence, and several others suffered injuries. WATCH | Russia-Ukraine War: Ukraine's Eastern outpost witnesses fresh assault by Russia Drone attack on Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov on Tuesday evening said that Belgorod faced a fresh attack from a drone which was used to drop an explosive device that damaged a car. He added that the army shot down the flying vehicle and no new casualties were reported. Speaking about the hostilities in Belgorod, Russia's defence ministry said a "unit of the Ukrainian nationalist formation" had invaded its territory to carry out attacks. However, Ukrainian officials insisted that the attackers were Russians and belonged to groups known as the Liberty of Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC). (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Belgorod incursion: US insists it did not encourage or enable strikes inside of Russia

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<p>The US has said the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine would take 'months' and that it will not be a dramatic game changer which will alter the course of hostilities in favour of Kyiv.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“It will give the Ukrainians transitional capabilities they don’t have now, but it won’t be a dramatic game changer...it won’t fundamentally change the equation,” said Frank Kendall, the Secretary of the US Air Force at a meeting with the Washington-based Defence Writers Group.</p>

<p>Kendall reiterated that it would take 'several months at best' to supply the multi-role fighter jet.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Biden sets the plan in motion</strong></h2>

<p>The statement by the top Pentagon official comes days after US President Joe Biden endorsed training programmes for Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets, laying the groundwork for their eventual transfer to Kyiv.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan will discuss with allies in the coming months regarding which country will eventually transfer the F-16 fighter jets to Kyiv.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Zelensky pressing for the jets&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Ukrainian President Zelensky had been pushing the Western allies to supply the F-16 jets for months now. The Ukrainian leader discussed the proposition yet again during his appearance at the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan.</p>

<p>Biden said Zelensky had given 'flat assurances' to him that the F-16 fighter jets will not be used to attack Russian territory.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I have a flat assurance from Zelensky that they will not use it to go on and move onto Russian geographic territory, but wherever Russian troops are within Ukraine and the area, they would be able to do that," Biden told reporters on Sunday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kyiv is in desperate need of more arms and advanced jets, especially after Moscow's Wagner private military unit claimed it had finally managed to take full control of the ruined eastern city of Bakhmut after months of vicious fighting.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-ukraine-war-ukraine-focuses-on-upping-its-air-defence-systems-594853"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Russia-Ukraine War: Ukraine focuses on upping its air defence systems</strong></a></p>

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<h2>Moscow issues warning</h2>

<p>Meanwhile, Russia, closely monitoring the developments has repeatedly warned the West that providing Kyiv with F-16 fighter jets would carry ‘colossal risks’.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“We see that Western countries are still adhering to the escalation scenario. It involves colossal risks for themselves," said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“In any case, this will be taken into account in all our plans, and we have all the necessary means to achieve the goals we have set.”</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-says-west-supplying-f-16-jets-to-ukraine-would-carry-colossal-risks-594646" target="_blank"><strong>ALSO READ | Russia says West's supply of F-16 jets to Ukraine would carry ‘colossal risks’</strong></a></p>

<p>Russia's Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov also questioned NATO on what would happen if American soldiers took off from its&nbsp;airfields to protect Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"What will happen if the American fighters take off from NATO airfields, controlled by foreign 'volunteers'?" he questioned.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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The US has said the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine would take 'months' and that it will not be a dramatic game changer which will alter the course of hostilities in favour of Kyiv.

The US has said the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine would take 'months' and that it will not be a dramatic game changer which will alter the course of hostilities in favour of Kyiv. “It will give the Ukrainians transitional capabilities they don’t have now, but it won’t be a dramatic game changer...it won’t fundamentally change the equation,” said Frank Kendall, the Secretary of the US Air Force at a meeting with the Washington-based Defence Writers Group. Kendall reiterated that it would take 'several months at best' to supply the multi-role fighter jet. Biden sets the plan in motion The statement by the top Pentagon official comes days after US President Joe Biden endorsed training programmes for Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets, laying the groundwork for their eventual transfer to Kyiv. Meanwhile, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan will discuss with allies in the coming months regarding which country will eventually transfer the F-16 fighter jets to Kyiv. Zelensky pressing for the jets Ukrainian President Zelensky had been pushing the Western allies to supply the F-16 jets for months now. The Ukrainian leader discussed the proposition yet again during his appearance at the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan. Biden said Zelensky had given 'flat assurances' to him that the F-16 fighter jets will not be used to attack Russian territory. "I have a flat assurance from Zelensky that they will not use it to go on and move onto Russian geographic territory, but wherever Russian troops are within Ukraine and the area, they would be able to do that," Biden told reporters on Sunday. Kyiv is in desperate need of more arms and advanced jets, especially after Moscow's Wagner private military unit claimed it had finally managed to take full control of the ruined eastern city of Bakhmut after months of vicious fighting. WATCH | Russia-Ukraine War: Ukraine focuses on upping its air defence systems × Moscow issues warning Meanwhile, Russia, closely monitoring the developments has repeatedly warned the West that providing Kyiv with F-16 fighter jets would carry ‘colossal risks’. “We see that Western countries are still adhering to the escalation scenario. It involves colossal risks for themselves," said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko. “In any case, this will be taken into account in all our plans, and we have all the necessary means to achieve the goals we have set.” ALSO READ | Russia says West's supply of F-16 jets to Ukraine would carry ‘colossal risks’ Russia's Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov also questioned NATO on what would happen if American soldiers took off from its airfields to protect Ukraine. "What will happen if the American fighters take off from NATO airfields, controlled by foreign 'volunteers'?" he questioned. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'It won't be a game changer...': Top US Air force official on transfer of F-16s to Kyiv

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