Former Commander of Russia's Wagner Group who recently fled to Norway has spoken about how he witnessed some of his fellows being shot while trying to flee from Ukraine's front line after security concern.

Ex-Wagner Commander living in secret location in Ukraine speaks out

<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>The dynamics of the 11-month-old Russia-Ukraine war appear to be shifting gradually from its initial state and is taking an indirect&nbsp;form of&nbsp;a global conflict.&nbsp;A European Union official however went ahead to claim that Moscow has taken the war to a different level from the initial 'special operation' and is now at "war against NATO and the West".&nbsp;</p>

<p>The remarks were made after the United States and Germany agreed to send powerful tanks to help Ukraine in its fight against Russia after much debate. Besides, the West has also provided Kyiv with a fresh package of advanced and sophisticated weapons.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Stefano Sannino, who is the secretary general of the European Union's European External Action Service, said that Russia has taken the war to "a different stage" by&nbsp;its&nbsp;continuous, indiscriminate&nbsp;attacks on civilian target in&nbsp;Ukraine. Sannino insinuated that Russia&nbsp;has apparently triggered Germany and the United States to send advanced tanks to Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-claims-chinese-firm-helped-russias-wagner-group-in-ukraine-places-sanctions-556469">US claims Chinese firm helped Russia's Wagner group in Ukraine, places sanctions</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>As quoted by Radio Free Europe, Sannino told reporters in Tokyo that Putin had "moved from the concept of a special operation to a concept now of a war against NATO and the West." Sannino alleged that Moscow is engaging in "indiscriminate attacks" on civilians&nbsp;and cities and is no longer targeting just military positions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The EU official backed the proposed supply of tanks to Ukraine saying that they will be used for a counter-offensive&nbsp;and are not intended for an attack.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I think that this latest development in terms of arms&nbsp;supply is just an evolution of the situation and of the way Russia started moving the war into a different stage," he said.&nbsp;<meta name="uuid" content="uuidzw6VMbfHw8PE" /><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Russia: Cemetery for Wagner mercenaries; 200 graves in Southwestern Russia&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<h2><strong>West to send tanks to Ukraine&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>For a very long time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged the West to send tanks and long-range missiles to strike deep inside Russian territories.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The West initially hesitated to engage in direct conflict with Russia and Moscow had also warned that the supply of powerful weapons by West will be considered a provocation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But, the West has finally relented to&nbsp;the demand as consensus grew among countries. Earlier this week, Germany agreed to supply 14 powerful Leopard tanks to Ukraine amid intense pressure from other European counties. Notably, the German-made Leopard 2 battle tanks are considered one of the best-performing tank models worldwide.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Canada said that it will also supply heavy tanks to Ukraine, with a shipment of four fully operational Leopards. Norway also said it would send Leopard 2 tanks to the war-torn nation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>US President Joe Biden also announced that his administration will send 31 top-of-the-line M1 Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine, although delivery may not be very soon. The countries have also said that they would train Ukrainian forces for using the advanced tanks.</p>

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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.

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. The dynamics of the 11-month-old Russia-Ukraine war appear to be shifting gradually from its initial state and is taking an indirect form of a global conflict. A European Union official however went ahead to claim that Moscow has taken the war to a different level from the initial 'special operation' and is now at "war against NATO and the West". The remarks were made after the United States and Germany agreed to send powerful tanks to help Ukraine in its fight against Russia after much debate. Besides, the West has also provided Kyiv with a fresh package of advanced and sophisticated weapons. Stefano Sannino, who is the secretary general of the European Union's European External Action Service, said that Russia has taken the war to "a different stage" by its continuous, indiscriminate attacks on civilian target in Ukraine. Sannino insinuated that Russia has apparently triggered Germany and the United States to send advanced tanks to Ukraine. ALSO READ | US claims Chinese firm helped Russia's Wagner group in Ukraine, places sanctions As quoted by Radio Free Europe, Sannino told reporters in Tokyo that Putin had "moved from the concept of a special operation to a concept now of a war against NATO and the West." Sannino alleged that Moscow is engaging in "indiscriminate attacks" on civilians and cities and is no longer targeting just military positions. The EU official backed the proposed supply of tanks to Ukraine saying that they will be used for a counter-offensive and are not intended for an attack. "I think that this latest development in terms of arms supply is just an evolution of the situation and of the way Russia started moving the war into a different stage," he said. WATCH | Russia: Cemetery for Wagner mercenaries; 200 graves in Southwestern Russia × West to send tanks to Ukraine For a very long time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged the West to send tanks and long-range missiles to strike deep inside Russian territories. The West initially hesitated to engage in direct conflict with Russia and Moscow had also warned that the supply of powerful weapons by West will be considered a provocation. But, the West has finally relented to the demand as consensus grew among countries. Earlier this week, Germany agreed to supply 14 powerful Leopard tanks to Ukraine amid intense pressure from other European counties. Notably, the German-made Leopard 2 battle tanks are considered one of the best-performing tank models worldwide. Canada said that it will also supply heavy tanks to Ukraine, with a shipment of four fully operational Leopards. Norway also said it would send Leopard 2 tanks to the war-torn nation. US President Joe Biden also announced that his administration will send 31 top-of-the-line M1 Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine, although delivery may not be very soon. The countries have also said that they would train Ukrainian forces for using the advanced tanks. 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 war: EU official says ‘Russia has changed ‘special operation’ into war with NATO and West’

<p>The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Wednesday (January 25) that a pathway for the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes should be further explored for next year's Paris Olympics, ignoring calls from the Ukrainian government to ban them completely. In a statement, the IOC said that no athlete should be prevented from competing just because of their passport.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Respect the rights of all athletes to be treated without any discrimination, in accordance with the Olympic Charter. Governments must not decide which athletes can participate in which competition and which athletes cannot," the statement said. "A pathway for athletes’ participation in competition under strict conditions should therefore be further explored," it added.</p>

<p>As per the IOC, the first strict condition was that athletes from Russia and Belarus would participate in competitions as “neutral athletes” and in no way represent their state or any other organisation in their country.</p>

<p>The second condition was only athletes who fully respect the Olympic Charter would participate. "This means in particular: first, only those who have not acted against the peace mission of the IOC by actively supporting the war in Ukraine could compete. Second, only athletes who fully comply with the World Anti-Doping Code and all relevant anti-doping rules and regulations would be eligible. There must be individual checks carried out for all entered athletes," the statement added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The IOC warned that athletes failing to respect the conditions should be immediately removed from the competition by the sports event organiser, suspended from further competitions and report such incidents to "the committee for its consideration for further measures and sanctions."</p>

<p>The committee also said that there was unanimous support to continue and even strengthen the full and unwavering commitment to solidarity with the Ukrainian athletes and the Ukrainian Olympic community to have a strong team from the NOC of Ukraine at the Paris Olympics.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The IOC's statement comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for a total exclusion of Russian and Belurasian athletes. After speaking with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, Zelensky posted on Telegram on Tuesday, "I particularly emphasised that athletes from Russia should have no place at the Olympic Games in Paris."</p>

<p>Meanwhile, after the IOC's remarks, the Russian Olympic Committee president Stanislav Pozdnyakov said later on Wednesday that the voice of common sense had been heard. “The priority for us remains the same — to secure the rights and interests of our athletes,” Pozdnyakov said, the news agency AP reported.&nbsp;</p>

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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Wednesday (January 25) that a pathway for the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes should be further explored for next year's Paris Olympics, ignoring calls from the Ukrainian government to ban them completely.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Wednesday (January 25) that a pathway for the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes should be further explored for next year's Paris Olympics, ignoring calls from the Ukrainian government to ban them completely. In a statement, the IOC said that no athlete should be prevented from competing just because of their passport. "Respect the rights of all athletes to be treated without any discrimination, in accordance with the Olympic Charter. Governments must not decide which athletes can participate in which competition and which athletes cannot," the statement said. "A pathway for athletes’ participation in competition under strict conditions should therefore be further explored," it added. As per the IOC, the first strict condition was that athletes from Russia and Belarus would participate in competitions as “neutral athletes” and in no way represent their state or any other organisation in their country. The second condition was only athletes who fully respect the Olympic Charter would participate. "This means in particular: first, only those who have not acted against the peace mission of the IOC by actively supporting the war in Ukraine could compete. Second, only athletes who fully comply with the World Anti-Doping Code and all relevant anti-doping rules and regulations would be eligible. There must be individual checks carried out for all entered athletes," the statement added. The IOC warned that athletes failing to respect the conditions should be immediately removed from the competition by the sports event organiser, suspended from further competitions and report such incidents to "the committee for its consideration for further measures and sanctions." The committee also said that there was unanimous support to continue and even strengthen the full and unwavering commitment to solidarity with the Ukrainian athletes and the Ukrainian Olympic community to have a strong team from the NOC of Ukraine at the Paris Olympics. The IOC's statement comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for a total exclusion of Russian and Belurasian athletes. After speaking with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, Zelensky posted on Telegram on Tuesday, "I particularly emphasised that athletes from Russia should have no place at the Olympic Games in Paris." Meanwhile, after the IOC's remarks, the Russian Olympic Committee president Stanislav Pozdnyakov said later on Wednesday that the voice of common sense had been heard. “The priority for us remains the same — to secure the rights and interests of our athletes,” Pozdnyakov said, the news agency AP reported. 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.

IOC to explore pathway for Russian, Belarusian athletes to compete in Paris Olympics

<p>The top Russian official in Germany has warned about possible escalation amid Moscow’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine after Berlin approved supplying Leopard 2 tanks following mounting pressure from Kyiv and its Western allies. In a statement, on Wednesday (January 25) the Russian ambassador to Germany, Sergei Nechaev, called this decision “extremely dangerous” and warned that this will not inevitably lead to the deaths of not only Russian soldiers but also the civilian population, reported the Moscow Times.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“This extremely dangerous decision takes the conflict to a new level of confrontation, and contradicts statements by German politicians about the unwillingness of the German Federation to get involved in it”, said Nechaev, reported AFP, citing the statement.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
This comes after Berlin had initially been reluctant to send tanks to Ukraine but after facing pressure from its Western allies and following a debate in the German parliament&nbsp;early Wednesday. Reports suggest that Berlin has agreed to provide a company of 14 Leopard 2 A6 tanks from the Bundeswehr (Germany’s military) stocks.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-all-set-to-send-leopard-2-tanks-to-ukraine-report-suggests-555700">Germany approves delivery of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine</a></strong></p>

<p>Additionally, they also granted the approval for other European countries to send their own stock of German-made Leopard tanks to Kyiv, which required Berlin’s permission. Addressing the parliament, on Wednesday, German&nbsp;Chancellor Olaf Scholz, said, "We must always make it clear in everything we do that we are doing what is necessary and possible to support Ukraine, but that at the same time, we are preventing the war from escalating into a war between Russia and NATO."</p>

<p>Furthermore, Nechayev also claimed that it will lead to the “death of not only Russian soldiers, but also the civilian population,” reported, the Moscow Times.&nbsp;The Russian official also said that Russia&nbsp;is convinced that Germany, like its closest allies “is not interested in a diplomatic solution to the Ukrainian crisis.”</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/poland-has-officially-requested-germany-to-send-leopard-2-tanks-to-ukraine-555491">Poland officially requests Germany to send its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, will ask compensation from EU</a></strong></p>

<p>He added that by supplying additional and heavier weapons to Kyiv, Berlin has destroyed “the remnants of mutual trust and causes irreparable damage to the already deplorable state of Russian-German relations.” On the other hand, countries like the United Kingdom, Poland, and France have hailed Germany’s decision of&nbsp;supplying tanks to Ukraine that it has long sought.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Germany had earlier indicated that it won't send its Leopard tanks unless the US also agrees to send its own M1 Abrams tanks.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>

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The top Russian official in Germany has warned about possible escalation amid Moscow’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine after Berlin approved supplying Leopard 2 tanks following mounting pressure from Kyiv and its Western allies.

The top Russian official in Germany has warned about possible escalation amid Moscow’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine after Berlin approved supplying Leopard 2 tanks following mounting pressure from Kyiv and its Western allies. In a statement, on Wednesday (January 25) the Russian ambassador to Germany, Sergei Nechaev, called this decision “extremely dangerous” and warned that this will not inevitably lead to the deaths of not only Russian soldiers but also the civilian population, reported the Moscow Times. “This extremely dangerous decision takes the conflict to a new level of confrontation, and contradicts statements by German politicians about the unwillingness of the German Federation to get involved in it”, said Nechaev, reported AFP, citing the statement. This comes after Berlin had initially been reluctant to send tanks to Ukraine but after facing pressure from its Western allies and following a debate in the German parliament early Wednesday. Reports suggest that Berlin has agreed to provide a company of 14 Leopard 2 A6 tanks from the Bundeswehr (Germany’s military) stocks. ALSO READ | Germany approves delivery of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine Additionally, they also granted the approval for other European countries to send their own stock of German-made Leopard tanks to Kyiv, which required Berlin’s permission. Addressing the parliament, on Wednesday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, said, "We must always make it clear in everything we do that we are doing what is necessary and possible to support Ukraine, but that at the same time, we are preventing the war from escalating into a war between Russia and NATO." Furthermore, Nechayev also claimed that it will lead to the “death of not only Russian soldiers, but also the civilian population,” reported, the Moscow Times. The Russian official also said that Russia is convinced that Germany, like its closest allies “is not interested in a diplomatic solution to the Ukrainian crisis.” ALSO READ | Poland officially requests Germany to send its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, will ask compensation from EU He added that by supplying additional and heavier weapons to Kyiv, Berlin has destroyed “the remnants of mutual trust and causes irreparable damage to the already deplorable state of Russian-German relations.” On the other hand, countries like the United Kingdom, Poland, and France have hailed Germany’s decision of supplying tanks to Ukraine that it has long sought. Germany had earlier indicated that it won't send its Leopard tanks unless the US also agrees to send its own M1 Abrams tanks. (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.

‘Extremely dangerous’: Russia warns of potential escalation as Germany agrees to send tanks to Ukraine

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{b02d077e-ac7d-4ec0-83be-2899b1729708}{254}" paraid="1303267878" >Following a months-long bloody battle, Ukrainian forces have pulled back from the eastern salt-mining Soledar town, in what can be seen as a triumph for the Russians after a series of setbacks since the invasion last year.&nbsp;Serhii Cherevatyi, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s forces in the east, told the AP news agency that the Ukrainian army has strategically retreated from the town in the Donbas region to “preserve the lives of its personnel”.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{b0f33fb4-b3fb-448c-ab1b-9193813677dd}{226}" paraid="2106570878" >He added that the Ukrainian soldiers have gone back to their previously prepared defence positions, without giving further details.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{cb4c74c6-6127-4e20-9baf-558d2879863a}{63}" paraid="709148838" >Soledar, which had a pre-war population of around 10,000 people, is six miles (about 9 km) northeast of Bakhmut, a city in the eastern part of Ukraine known as Donbas.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{d5a72da8-16fd-42ce-9544-34c64c559d25}{39}" paraid="1271481030" >On January 13, Russia claimed that its forces seized control of Soledar, but Ukraine immediately denied it.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{eb308f92-ea0a-4326-abf1-9ff8954674a7}{94}" paraid="506313758" >Though the importance of the town is debated, Moscow believes that taking control of Soledar is key to seizing Bakhmut and the prized Donbas region.</p>

<h2><strong>War in Ukraine: Russia launches fresh attack on Ukrainian cities, claims victory in Soledar</strong></h2>

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<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{4e0a113d-b383-49a2-8b63-ff01cadb1ae2}{40}" paraid="1542870687" >Since the invasion, Russia has been eyeing control of the Donbas region, where the separatists backed by Moscow have been fighting the Ukranian government since 2014.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{d85e6732-0344-44ca-8415-6d2f17a83257}{124}" paraid="611777279" >Russia has already taken control of most of Luhansk, while about half of Donetsk remains under Ukraine’s control.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{4e0a113d-b383-49a2-8b63-ff01cadb1ae2}{5}" paraid="2063841447" >“Russia is not reducing combat activity in Donbas, leaving a scorched desert where the Russian military manages to advance,” Donetsk Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said on state television.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{f0b4b017-8779-4489-a4a3-87de3d687d73}{49}" paraid="1556888070" >It is believed that Russians will gain an upper hand after taking control of Soledar as it can successfully cut off supply lines of Ukrainian forces in Bakhmut region.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{989ce95e-e478-4ca3-aa9a-2ebc67e72af5}{152}" paraid="655190194" >The Institute for the Study of War, a&nbsp;US think tank, said it was "not an operationally significant development".&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{5d2ac341-7e99-47da-a7cf-74ec24fdae6c}{92}" paraid="1271466710" ><em>(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;&nbsp;</em></p>

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Following a months-long bloody battle, Ukrainian forces have pulled back from the eastern salt-mining Soledar town, in what can be seen as a triumph for the Russians after a series of setbacks since the invasion last year.

Following a months-long bloody battle, Ukrainian forces have pulled back from the eastern salt-mining Soledar town, in what can be seen as a triumph for the Russians after a series of setbacks since the invasion last year. Serhii Cherevatyi, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s forces in the east, told the AP news agency that the Ukrainian army has strategically retreated from the town in the Donbas region to “preserve the lives of its personnel”. He added that the Ukrainian soldiers have gone back to their previously prepared defence positions, without giving further details. Soledar, which had a pre-war population of around 10,000 people, is six miles (about 9 km) northeast of Bakhmut, a city in the eastern part of Ukraine known as Donbas. On January 13, Russia claimed that its forces seized control of Soledar, but Ukraine immediately denied it. Though the importance of the town is debated, Moscow believes that taking control of Soledar is key to seizing Bakhmut and the prized Donbas region. War in Ukraine: Russia launches fresh attack on Ukrainian cities, claims victory in Soledar Since the invasion, Russia has been eyeing control of the Donbas region, where the separatists backed by Moscow have been fighting the Ukranian government since 2014. Russia has already taken control of most of Luhansk, while about half of Donetsk remains under Ukraine’s control. “Russia is not reducing combat activity in Donbas, leaving a scorched desert where the Russian military manages to advance,” Donetsk Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said on state television. It is believed that Russians will gain an upper hand after taking control of Soledar as it can successfully cut off supply lines of Ukrainian forces in Bakhmut region. The Institute for the Study of War, a US think tank, said it was "not an operationally significant development". (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Ukraine pulls back from eastern Soledar town after months-long battle against Russians

Atomic scientists set the "Doomsday Clock" closer to midnight than ever before on Tuesday, saying threats of nuclear war, disease, and climate volatility have been exacerbated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, putting humanity at greater risk of annihilation.

Trending on WION: 'Doomsday Clock' moves to 90 seconds to midnight as the nuclear threat rises

<p>Two Britons who went to Ukraine last March as volunteers have now been declared dead by their family members. The duo went missing earlier this month while travelling to the war-torn eastern regions of Ukraine. The UK volunteers have been identified as 48-year-old Andrew Bagshaw and 28-year-old Christopher Parry. Ukraine Police said they lost contact with them on January 9 while they were heading to the town of Soledar, in the eastern Donetsk region. Bagshaw’s family said his car was hit by a Russian artillery shell while he attempted to save an elderly woman in an area of intense military action.</p>

<h2><strong>Who was Andrew Bagshaw?</strong></h2>

<p>As per New Zealand media reports, Andrew Bagshaw, a resident of New Zealand, was involved in delivering humanitarian aid to the war-torn areas of eastern Ukraine. His family informed the media that Bagshaw was a scientific researcher in genetics but he chose to volunteer as an aid worker.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Russia-Ukraine war: Russia targets Ukrainian energy centres</strong></p>

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<p>Now, Bagshaw’s mortal remains will be dispatched to New Zealand, where his family is living. His family said in a statement, “Andrew selflessly took many personal risks and saved many lives; we love him and are very proud indeed of what he did.”</p>

<h2><strong>Christopher Parry: The second volunteer to lose his life</strong></h2>

<p>Parry’s family released a separate statement through the British foreign office. The family stated he was a software engineer and loved rock climbing, cycling, running and skydiving. He was fond of travelling around the world. The statement by his family read, “His selfless determination in helping the old, young and disadvantaged there has made us and his larger family extremely proud.”</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-announces-deaths-of-four-foreign-military-volunteers-485085">Ukraine announces deaths of four foreign military volunteers</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>Russia’s Wagner Group found the dead bodies first?</strong></h2>

<p>Concerns about the duo’s well-being were raised after the chief of Russia’s Wagner Group said on January 11 that the dead body of one of the two missing volunteers was recovered from Soledar.&nbsp;</p>

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Two Britons who went to Ukraine last March as volunteers have now been declared dead by their family members. The duo went missing earlier this month while travelling to the war-torn eastern regions of Ukraine.

Two Britons who went to Ukraine last March as volunteers have now been declared dead by their family members. The duo went missing earlier this month while travelling to the war-torn eastern regions of Ukraine. The UK volunteers have been identified as 48-year-old Andrew Bagshaw and 28-year-old Christopher Parry. Ukraine Police said they lost contact with them on January 9 while they were heading to the town of Soledar, in the eastern Donetsk region. Bagshaw’s family said his car was hit by a Russian artillery shell while he attempted to save an elderly woman in an area of intense military action. Who was Andrew Bagshaw? As per New Zealand media reports, Andrew Bagshaw, a resident of New Zealand, was involved in delivering humanitarian aid to the war-torn areas of eastern Ukraine. His family informed the media that Bagshaw was a scientific researcher in genetics but he chose to volunteer as an aid worker. Watch: Russia-Ukraine war: Russia targets Ukrainian energy centres × Now, Bagshaw’s mortal remains will be dispatched to New Zealand, where his family is living. His family said in a statement, “Andrew selflessly took many personal risks and saved many lives; we love him and are very proud indeed of what he did.” Christopher Parry: The second volunteer to lose his life Parry’s family released a separate statement through the British foreign office. The family stated he was a software engineer and loved rock climbing, cycling, running and skydiving. He was fond of travelling around the world. The statement by his family read, “His selfless determination in helping the old, young and disadvantaged there has made us and his larger family extremely proud.” Also Read | Ukraine announces deaths of four foreign military volunteers Russia’s Wagner Group found the dead bodies first? Concerns about the duo’s well-being were raised after the chief of Russia’s Wagner Group said on January 11 that the dead body of one of the two missing volunteers was recovered from Soledar. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Two Britons working as volunteers, delivering humanitarian aid in Ukraine declared dead

<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>Kremlin on Monday (January 23) said that people in Ukraine will suffer if the West sent tanks to Kyiv. Kremlin also said that the Ukrainian people will pay the price "for all this pseudo-support".</p>

<p>The apparent warning comes days after the United States and other allies finalised fresh military assistance to the war-torn nation to help in its fight against Russian aggression.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, the West saw a difference of opinion over providing Ukraine with the german-made Leopard 2 tanks. During a recent US-hosted defence ministers' talks at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, the Western allies failed to agree to supply German tanks to Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>They come up with massive military aid for Kyiv's fight against Russian forces, including another powerful defence package by the US worth $2.5 billion.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-orders-estonias-ambassador-to-leave-accuses-the-country-of-total-russophobia-555125">Russia orders Estonia's ambassador to leave, accuses country of 'total Russophobia'</a></strong></p>

<p>As Ukraine is facing the wrath of the 11-month-old war, it demanded advanced weapons, heavy tanks and long-range missiles to hit Russian territories deep inside. Leopard 2 tanks remained a key demand from Kyiv.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Several allies criticised Germany for not sending the tanks but the newly-appointed German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said that it was "wrong" to blame Berlin. He mentioned that all pros and cons must be weighed very carefully. He also added that "there are good reasons for a delivery and there are good reasons against it".&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;EU minister to discuss $545 million Ukraine aid&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>While responding to the same on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the indecisiveness over tanks represents that there was increasing "nervousness" within the NATO military alliance.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He further said, "But of course all countries which take part, directly or indirectly, in pumping weapons into Ukraine and in raising its technological level bear responsibility (for continuing the conflict)."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The main thing is that it is the Ukrainian people who will pay the price for all this pseudo-support," Peskov added.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>West's tank's conundrum</strong></h2>

<p>Meanwhile, Poland and Finland have hinted that they would be willing to send German tanks to Ukraine. However, they need German approval for the move.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Monday, Poland said it would ask Germany for permission to send some of the Polish army's Leopard tanks to Ukraine. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said, "We will seek this approval." Morawiecki told reporters a day after Germany's foreign minister said Berlin was ready to approve such a transfer.&nbsp;</p>

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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. Kremlin on Monday (January 23) said that people in Ukraine will suffer if the West sent tanks to Kyiv. Kremlin also said that the Ukrainian people will pay the price "for all this pseudo-support". The apparent warning comes days after the United States and other allies finalised fresh military assistance to the war-torn nation to help in its fight against Russian aggression. However, the West saw a difference of opinion over providing Ukraine with the german-made Leopard 2 tanks. During a recent US-hosted defence ministers' talks at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, the Western allies failed to agree to supply German tanks to Ukraine. They come up with massive military aid for Kyiv's fight against Russian forces, including another powerful defence package by the US worth $2.5 billion. ALSO READ | Russia orders Estonia's ambassador to leave, accuses country of 'total Russophobia' As Ukraine is facing the wrath of the 11-month-old war, it demanded advanced weapons, heavy tanks and long-range missiles to hit Russian territories deep inside. Leopard 2 tanks remained a key demand from Kyiv. Several allies criticised Germany for not sending the tanks but the newly-appointed German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said that it was "wrong" to blame Berlin. He mentioned that all pros and cons must be weighed very carefully. He also added that "there are good reasons for a delivery and there are good reasons against it". WATCH | EU minister to discuss $545 million Ukraine aid × ALSO READ | Zelensky vows action against corruption in Ukraine: What we know so far While responding to the same on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the indecisiveness over tanks represents that there was increasing "nervousness" within the NATO military alliance. He further said, "But of course all countries which take part, directly or indirectly, in pumping weapons into Ukraine and in raising its technological level bear responsibility (for continuing the conflict)." "The main thing is that it is the Ukrainian people who will pay the price for all this pseudo-support," Peskov added. West's tank's conundrum Meanwhile, Poland and Finland have hinted that they would be willing to send German tanks to Ukraine. However, they need German approval for the move. On Monday, Poland said it would ask Germany for permission to send some of the Polish army's Leopard tanks to Ukraine. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said, "We will seek this approval." Morawiecki told reporters a day after Germany's foreign minister said Berlin was ready to approve such a transfer. 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.

Kremlin calls out West's 'pseudo-support' to Kyiv, says Ukrainians will suffer if Europe sends tanks

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<p>The Western allies failed to finalise the supply of German-made Leopard tanks to help Ukraine in its fight against Russia. During defence ministers' talks at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Friday, the United States including other allies agreed to send massive military assistance for Kyiv's fight against Russian forces, but the package didn't include the hotly-debated German tanks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who sought heavy tanks and long-range missiles, said that there was "no alternative" but for the West to give&nbsp;heavy tanks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In his evening address, Zelensky said, "The partners are principled in their attitude -- they will support Ukraine as much as is necessary for our victory."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Yes, we will still have to fight for the supply of modern tanks, but every day we make it more obvious that there is no alternative, that a decision about tanks must be made," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Pressure mounts on Berlin?&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Pressure has been growing on Germany to send the tanks to Ukraine. As it appears that the onus of decision has been pinpointed on Berlin, but&nbsp;the newly appointed Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Friday that it was “wrong” to say Germany was blocking a decision.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pistorius mentioned that all pros and cons must be weighed very carefully. He further added that a lot of allies are saying that they share the views he again presented. 'There are good reasons for a delivery and there are good reasons against it,"&nbsp;Pistorius said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Poland and Finland have hinted that they would be willing to send German tanks to Ukraine. However, they need German approval for the move.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Will US send heavy tanks to Ukraine?</strong>&nbsp;</p>

<p>As the West mulls over the decision of sending German-made Leopard tanks to help Ukraine, sources said that Berlin would move if Washington agreed to send its Abrams tanks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But the US say that the Abrams would create logistical issues for Ukrainian troops as the fuel and maintenance required would be so different from any other equipment they use.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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The Western allies failed to finalise the supply of German-made Leopard tanks to help Ukraine in its fight against Russia. During defence ministers' talks at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Friday, the United States including other allies agreed to send massive military assistance for Kyiv's fight against Russian forces, but the package didn't include the hotly-debated German tanks.

The Western allies failed to finalise the supply of German-made Leopard tanks to help Ukraine in its fight against Russia. During defence ministers' talks at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Friday, the United States including other allies agreed to send massive military assistance for Kyiv's fight against Russian forces, but the package didn't include the hotly-debated German tanks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who sought heavy tanks and long-range missiles, said that there was "no alternative" but for the West to give heavy tanks. In his evening address, Zelensky said, "The partners are principled in their attitude -- they will support Ukraine as much as is necessary for our victory." "Yes, we will still have to fight for the supply of modern tanks, but every day we make it more obvious that there is no alternative, that a decision about tanks must be made," he added. Pressure mounts on Berlin? Pressure has been growing on Germany to send the tanks to Ukraine. As it appears that the onus of decision has been pinpointed on Berlin, but the newly appointed Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Friday that it was “wrong” to say Germany was blocking a decision. Pistorius mentioned that all pros and cons must be weighed very carefully. He further added that a lot of allies are saying that they share the views he again presented. 'There are good reasons for a delivery and there are good reasons against it," Pistorius said. Meanwhile, Poland and Finland have hinted that they would be willing to send German tanks to Ukraine. However, they need German approval for the move. Will US send heavy tanks to Ukraine? As the West mulls over the decision of sending German-made Leopard tanks to help Ukraine, sources said that Berlin would move if Washington agreed to send its Abrams tanks. But the US say that the Abrams would create logistical issues for Ukrainian troops as the fuel and maintenance required would be so different from any other equipment they use. (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.

The fuss over German-made Leopard tanks as pressure mounts on Berlin to approve delivery

<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.&nbsp;</strong></em></p>

<p>Russian state media reported Sunday (January 22) that the troops are moving towards two towns in the Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia region.&nbsp;On Saturday, reports emerged that the Russian troops launched an offensive in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region, where they had captured the nuclear power plant earlier in the conflict.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, the fighting in Zaporizhzhia was stalled but the fighting intensified this week after several months. Major concerns were raised over a potential nuclear disaster because shelling and artillery fire took place nearby when Russia had captured the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-and-germany-must-become-pioneers-to-relaunch-europe-says-macron-554930">France and Germany must become ‘pioneers’ to relaunch Europe, says Macron</a></strong></p>

<p>The news agency AFP reported that Vladimir Rogov, who is the Russian-installed official in the region said offensive actions were concentrated around two towns: Orikhiv and Hulyaipole.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per reports, Orikhiv is around 50 kilometres south of the Ukrainian-controlled regional capital Zaporizhzhia and Hulyaipole is further east.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As quoted by Ria Novosti news agency, Rogov said, "The front is mobile, especially in two directions: Orikhiv and Hulyaipole." Rogov mentioned that there was active fighting in those areas, and added, "The initiative is in our hands."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;WION Fineprint | War in Ukraine: Ukraine asks for special tanks ahead of Russia's new assault&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ex-uk-pm-boris-johnson-makes-unannounced-visit-to-ukraine-meets-president-zelensky-554924">Ex-UK PM Boris Johnson makes unannounced visit to Ukraine, meets President Zelensky</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>The Ukrainian army also said "more than 15 settlements were affected by artillery fire" in Zaporizhzhia. Britain's Ministry of Defence in its update notes that both sides have massed "significant forces" in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, officials from the Zaporizhzhia and Sumy regions said on Saturday that Russia increased shelling of Ukraine's eastern regions outside the main front line in the Donbas industrial area.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>

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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. Russian state media reported Sunday (January 22) that the troops are moving towards two towns in the Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia region. On Saturday, reports emerged that the Russian troops launched an offensive in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region, where they had captured the nuclear power plant earlier in the conflict. However, the fighting in Zaporizhzhia was stalled but the fighting intensified this week after several months. Major concerns were raised over a potential nuclear disaster because shelling and artillery fire took place nearby when Russia had captured the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. ALSO READ | France and Germany must become ‘pioneers’ to relaunch Europe, says Macron The news agency AFP reported that Vladimir Rogov, who is the Russian-installed official in the region said offensive actions were concentrated around two towns: Orikhiv and Hulyaipole. As per reports, Orikhiv is around 50 kilometres south of the Ukrainian-controlled regional capital Zaporizhzhia and Hulyaipole is further east. As quoted by Ria Novosti news agency, Rogov said, "The front is mobile, especially in two directions: Orikhiv and Hulyaipole." Rogov mentioned that there was active fighting in those areas, and added, "The initiative is in our hands." WATCH | WION Fineprint | War in Ukraine: Ukraine asks for special tanks ahead of Russia's new assault × ALSO READ | Ex-UK PM Boris Johnson makes unannounced visit to Ukraine, meets President Zelensky The Ukrainian army also said "more than 15 settlements were affected by artillery fire" in Zaporizhzhia. Britain's Ministry of Defence in its update notes that both sides have massed "significant forces" in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Meanwhile, officials from the Zaporizhzhia and Sumy regions said on Saturday that Russia increased shelling of Ukraine's eastern regions outside the main front line in the Donbas industrial area. (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 war: Russia pushing towards two towns in Zaporizhzhia region

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<p><strong><em>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.&nbsp;</em></strong></p>

<p>The Russian army on Saturday (January 21) said that its troops launched an offensive in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region. Earlier in the conflict, Russia had captured the nuclear power plant in the region, where fighting was stalled for weeks, but it reportedly intensified recently.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Russian forces in its daily report said that they led "offensive operations" in the region and claimed to have "taken more advantageous lines and positions".&nbsp;</p>

<p>As reported by British news websites, the United Kingdom defence chiefs have said that Russian and Ukrainian forces are massing in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When Russia captured the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, concerns were raised over a potential nuclear disaster because shelling and artillery fire took place nearby.&nbsp;</p>

<p>UK's Ministry of Defence in its latest update noted that both sides have massed "significant forces" in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It added that the forces have conducted artillery exchanges and skirmishes, but have avoided any large-scale offensive effort.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Overall, the conflict is in a state of deadlock. However, there is a realistic possibility of local Russian advances around Bakhmut," the defence update added.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 21 January 2023<br />
<br />
Find out more about the UK government's response: <a href="https://t.co/4UqLNksneU">https://t.co/4UqLNksneU</a><br />
<br />
🇺🇦 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StandWithUkraine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StandWithUkraine</a> 🇺🇦 <a href="https://t.co/fUXFhi6VBW">pic.twitter.com/fUXFhi6VBW</a></p>
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/DefenceHQ/status/1616684398342029312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Meanwhile, the Russian defence ministry said on Saturday that it held a training exercise on repelling air attacks in the Moscow region.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As quoted by the news agency AFP, the ministry said in a statement, "In the Moscow region, a training session was held with the personnel of the anti-aircraft missile brigade of the Western Military District on repelling air attacks on important military-industrial and administrative facilities."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Vladimir Putin calls Pakistan 'a key partner' after latter decides to buy oil, gas from Moscow&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>Russia also said that an S-300 anti-aircraft missile system was involved in the training as combat was simulated.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The statement said: "As they marched, soldiers repelled an attack by a mock enemy sabotage group on a military convoy. Under the cover of a smoke screen, the air defence convoy was able to get out of the attack and continue fulfilling its tasks."&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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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. The Russian army on Saturday (January 21) said that its troops launched an offensive in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region. Earlier in the conflict, Russia had captured the nuclear power plant in the region, where fighting was stalled for weeks, but it reportedly intensified recently. The Russian forces in its daily report said that they led "offensive operations" in the region and claimed to have "taken more advantageous lines and positions". As reported by British news websites, the United Kingdom defence chiefs have said that Russian and Ukrainian forces are massing in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast. When Russia captured the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, concerns were raised over a potential nuclear disaster because shelling and artillery fire took place nearby. UK's Ministry of Defence in its latest update noted that both sides have massed "significant forces" in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. It added that the forces have conducted artillery exchanges and skirmishes, but have avoided any large-scale offensive effort. "Overall, the conflict is in a state of deadlock. However, there is a realistic possibility of local Russian advances around Bakhmut," the defence update added. Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 21 January 2023 Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/4UqLNksneU 🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/fUXFhi6VBW — Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) January 21, 2023 × Meanwhile, the Russian defence ministry said on Saturday that it held a training exercise on repelling air attacks in the Moscow region. As quoted by the news agency AFP, the ministry said in a statement, "In the Moscow region, a training session was held with the personnel of the anti-aircraft missile brigade of the Western Military District on repelling air attacks on important military-industrial and administrative facilities." WATCH | Vladimir Putin calls Pakistan 'a key partner' after latter decides to buy oil, gas from Moscow × Russia also said that an S-300 anti-aircraft missile system was involved in the training as combat was simulated. The statement said: "As they marched, soldiers repelled an attack by a mock enemy sabotage group on a military convoy. Under the cover of a smoke screen, the air defence convoy was able to get out of the attack and continue fulfilling its tasks." (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 war: Russian army launches ‘offensive operations’ in Zaporizhzhia, claims ‘advances’

<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>Vyacheslav Volodin, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has warned of global catastrophe. Volodin said that the West's deliveries of new offensive weapons to Ukraine will cause mass destruction.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Volodin, the speaker of the Duma — Russia's lower house of parliament, said that such military assistance to &nbsp;Kyiv will threaten Russia's territories.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On the Telegram messaging app, Volodin said that if the United States and NATO nations supply weapons that will be "used to strike civilian cities and attempt to seize our territories", it will lead to "retaliatory measures" using more powerful weapons.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-challenger-tanks-to-caesar-howitzers-western-allies-step-up-weapons-supplies-to-ukraine-554609/#us-bradley-fighting-vehicle-stryker-armoured-personnel-carriers-and-more-554603">From Challenger tanks to Caesar howitzers: Western allies step up weapons supplies to Ukraine</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>His remarks come after the Ukrainian allies agreed to send massive military assistance for Kyiv's fight against Russian forces during their defence ministers' talks at Ramstein Air Base in Germany last Friday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Volodin said, "Arguments that the nuclear powers have not previously used weapons of mass destruction in local conflicts are untenable."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Because these states did not face a situation where there was a threat to the security of their citizens and the territorial integrity of the country," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Deliveries of offensive weapons to the Kyiv regime will lead to a global catastrophe," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;UK donates helicopter to Ukraine, Germany says 'in close dialogue' with partners on issue of tanks&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>The West announced a powerful military package that included Stryker armoured personnel carriers, Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles and Avenger air defence systems.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the fresh package and called it an "important" help to fight against the aggressor, but called out West's "indecisiveness" over the supply of German tanks.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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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. Vyacheslav Volodin, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has warned of global catastrophe. Volodin said that the West's deliveries of new offensive weapons to Ukraine will cause mass destruction. Volodin, the speaker of the Duma — Russia's lower house of parliament, said that such military assistance to Kyiv will threaten Russia's territories. On the Telegram messaging app, Volodin said that if the United States and NATO nations supply weapons that will be "used to strike civilian cities and attempt to seize our territories", it will lead to "retaliatory measures" using more powerful weapons. IN PICS | From Challenger tanks to Caesar howitzers: Western allies step up weapons supplies to Ukraine His remarks come after the Ukrainian allies agreed to send massive military assistance for Kyiv's fight against Russian forces during their defence ministers' talks at Ramstein Air Base in Germany last Friday. Volodin said, "Arguments that the nuclear powers have not previously used weapons of mass destruction in local conflicts are untenable." "Because these states did not face a situation where there was a threat to the security of their citizens and the territorial integrity of the country," he added. "Deliveries of offensive weapons to the Kyiv regime will lead to a global catastrophe," he said. WATCH | UK donates helicopter to Ukraine, Germany says 'in close dialogue' with partners on issue of tanks × The West announced a powerful military package that included Stryker armoured personnel carriers, Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles and Avenger air defence systems. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the fresh package and called it an "important" help to fight against the aggressor, but called out West's "indecisiveness" over the supply of German tanks. (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.

Putin’s ally warns of ‘global catastrophe’ due to the West’s deliveries of new weapons to Ukraine

<p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attended the funeral of helicopter crash victims on Saturday. The memorial service commemorated seven senior officials killed in a helicopter crash.&nbsp;The war-torn nation had sustained a fresh blow on Wednesday when the former interior minister Denys Monastyrskyi, his deputy and five other high-ranking officials were killed in a helicopter crash.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The accident had happened when their French-made Super Puma helicopter had crashed into a nursery on the eastern outskirts of Kyiv.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The incident is being investigated as another seven people were killed, including one child, in the crash. Officials are still investigating the cause of the crash.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In his Telegram post, Zelensky wrote: "The indescribable sadness is covering the soul."&nbsp;</p>

<p>In&nbsp;his video address on Saturday, Zelensky talked only about the death of Monastyrskyi. He said, "My condolences to all relatives and friends. It hurts to think about it, it hurts to talk about it."&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added, "We are losing people every day, whom we will always remember and regret we can't bring back." The Ukrainian president further talked about "how many bright people are taken by wartime".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kyrylo Budanov, who is the military intelligence chief, said that the death of Monastyrskyi is "a huge loss". "If not for (Monastyrskyi), everything could have been completely different," he told Ukrainian media.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Budanov referred to the resistance Ukraine mounted after Russia's invasion last year on February 24 and he called Monastyrskyi a "true hero of this country".&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attended the funeral of helicopter crash victims on Saturday. The memorial service commemorated seven senior officials killed in a helicopter crash.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attended the funeral of helicopter crash victims on Saturday. The memorial service commemorated seven senior officials killed in a helicopter crash. The war-torn nation had sustained a fresh blow on Wednesday when the former interior minister Denys Monastyrskyi, his deputy and five other high-ranking officials were killed in a helicopter crash. The accident had happened when their French-made Super Puma helicopter had crashed into a nursery on the eastern outskirts of Kyiv. The incident is being investigated as another seven people were killed, including one child, in the crash. Officials are still investigating the cause of the crash. In his Telegram post, Zelensky wrote: "The indescribable sadness is covering the soul." In his video address on Saturday, Zelensky talked only about the death of Monastyrskyi. He said, "My condolences to all relatives and friends. It hurts to think about it, it hurts to talk about it." He added, "We are losing people every day, whom we will always remember and regret we can't bring back." The Ukrainian president further talked about "how many bright people are taken by wartime". Kyrylo Budanov, who is the military intelligence chief, said that the death of Monastyrskyi is "a huge loss". "If not for (Monastyrskyi), everything could have been completely different," he told Ukrainian media. Budanov referred to the resistance Ukraine mounted after Russia's invasion last year on February 24 and he called Monastyrskyi a "true hero of this country". (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.

Volodymyr Zelensky honours top Ukrainian minister, top officials killed in helicopter crash

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<p>As Russia's offensive in Ukraine continues, Kyiv's western allies dampened its hopes for a rapid shipment of battle tanks to boost its firepower. A meeting of some 50 Ukrainian allies led by the United States on Friday (January 20) came through billions of dollars worth of military hardware, including ample armoured vehicles and munitions needed to push back the Russian military. One of the main issues which dominated the meeting at Ramstein Air Base in Germany was whether the German government would agree to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, or permit other countries that have them to do so, news agency Reuters reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After the meeting, the US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said that while time was of the essence for Ukraine to take the fight to Russia's forces in spring, "Ukraine was well-equipped even without the Leopards."<br />
<br />
"Ukraine is not dependent on a single platform," Austin added. The secretary of defence also defended Germany against criticism that it was doing enough to help Ukraine, emphasising that Berlin was a reliable ally.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-designates-mercenary-group-wagner-as-international-criminal-organisation-554630">US designates mercenary group Wagner as 'international criminal organisation'</a></strong></p>

<p>Regarding the supply of Leopard 2 tanks, German defence minister Boris Pistorious said on Friday that his government still could not say what the decision will be and when it would be taken. Poland and Finland indicated they would be willing to send these tanks to Ukraine, but needed approval from Germany to do so, a report by the news agency AFP on Saturday said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Ukraine's defence minister Oleskii Reznikov said, "We had a frank discussion on Leopards 2. To be continued."</p>

<p>On Friday evening, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said there was no alternative but for the West to give his country heavy tanks. "Yes, we will still have to fight for the supply of modern tanks, but every day we make it more obvious that there is no alternative, that a decision about tanks must be made," Zelensky said. However, he thanked the countries that already promised to deliver weapons.</p>

<p><strong>Ukraine carries out military exercise in Chornobyl Exclusion Zone</strong></p>

<p>On Friday, the Ukrainian military carried out drills in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone near the Belarus border involving tanks and western-provided tactical vehicles. Commander of Ukraine's joint forces Serhiy Nayev told Reuters that there was no immediate danger of invasion from Belarus, adding this time was being used to increase fighting capacity and strengthen defence. “As of now, there is no immediate danger of land action from the territory of Belarus, of the joint army that is stationed there, the danger level is low. But we are using this time to increase our fighting capacity, to strengthen our defence,” Nayev said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Red cross says it needs more access to POWs on both sides of conflict</strong></p>

<p>The<strong>&nbsp;</strong>International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), whose President Mirjana Spoljaric visited Moscow, said on Friday that it urgently needs more access to prisoners of war (POW) on both sides (Russia and Ukraine) in the conflict. In a statement, the ICRC said that Spoljaric's priority was that prisoners of war were treated humanely and receive regular visits from the organisation. "It is time to see meaningful progress. Lives are at stake, and people on both sides of the international armed conflict are desperate for news of their loved ones," the statement added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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As Russia's offensive in Ukraine continues, Kyiv's western allies dampened its hopes for a rapid shipment of battle tanks to boost its firepower. A meeting of some 50 Ukrainian allies led by the United States on Friday (January 20) came through billions of dollars worth of military hardware, including ample armoured vehicles and munitions needed to push back the Russian military.

As Russia's offensive in Ukraine continues, Kyiv's western allies dampened its hopes for a rapid shipment of battle tanks to boost its firepower. A meeting of some 50 Ukrainian allies led by the United States on Friday (January 20) came through billions of dollars worth of military hardware, including ample armoured vehicles and munitions needed to push back the Russian military. One of the main issues which dominated the meeting at Ramstein Air Base in Germany was whether the German government would agree to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, or permit other countries that have them to do so, news agency Reuters reported. After the meeting, the US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said that while time was of the essence for Ukraine to take the fight to Russia's forces in spring, "Ukraine was well-equipped even without the Leopards." "Ukraine is not dependent on a single platform," Austin added. The secretary of defence also defended Germany against criticism that it was doing enough to help Ukraine, emphasising that Berlin was a reliable ally. ALSO READ | US designates mercenary group Wagner as 'international criminal organisation' Regarding the supply of Leopard 2 tanks, German defence minister Boris Pistorious said on Friday that his government still could not say what the decision will be and when it would be taken. Poland and Finland indicated they would be willing to send these tanks to Ukraine, but needed approval from Germany to do so, a report by the news agency AFP on Saturday said. Meanwhile, Ukraine's defence minister Oleskii Reznikov said, "We had a frank discussion on Leopards 2. To be continued." On Friday evening, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said there was no alternative but for the West to give his country heavy tanks. "Yes, we will still have to fight for the supply of modern tanks, but every day we make it more obvious that there is no alternative, that a decision about tanks must be made," Zelensky said. However, he thanked the countries that already promised to deliver weapons. Ukraine carries out military exercise in Chornobyl Exclusion Zone On Friday, the Ukrainian military carried out drills in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone near the Belarus border involving tanks and western-provided tactical vehicles. Commander of Ukraine's joint forces Serhiy Nayev told Reuters that there was no immediate danger of invasion from Belarus, adding this time was being used to increase fighting capacity and strengthen defence. “As of now, there is no immediate danger of land action from the territory of Belarus, of the joint army that is stationed there, the danger level is low. But we are using this time to increase our fighting capacity, to strengthen our defence,” Nayev said. Red cross says it needs more access to POWs on both sides of conflict The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), whose President Mirjana Spoljaric visited Moscow, said on Friday that it urgently needs more access to prisoners of war (POW) on both sides (Russia and Ukraine) in the conflict. In a statement, the ICRC said that Spoljaric's priority was that prisoners of war were treated humanely and receive regular visits from the organisation. "It is time to see meaningful progress. Lives are at stake, and people on both sides of the international armed conflict are desperate for news of their loved ones," the statement added. (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 war: Allies offer more weapons to Kyiv, but Germany's reluctance stalls decision on tanks

From Challenger tanks to Caesar howitzers: Western allies step up weapons supplies to Ukraine

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<p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the United States on Friday (January 20) for a new security assistance package to the war-torn nation. While Western allies are mulling over further military aid, especially tanks, to Kyiv to help in its fight against Russia.&nbsp;Zelensky expressed gratitude to US President Joe Biden for providing Ukraine with another powerful defence support package worth $2.5 billion.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Zelensky hailed the latest package that included Stryker armoured personnel carriers, Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles and Avenger air defence systems. He said that it will be an "important help in our fight against the aggressor".</p>

<p>The Ukrainian prime minister also mentioned that the West has the power to provide the war-ravaged nation with tanks, F-16 jets and long-range missiles.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Discussion over Leopard 2 tanks&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Zelensky asked the Western allies to "speed up" arms deliveries while speaking during defence ministers' talks at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. The main focus of the gathering at Ramstein Air Base remained whether Germany will allow the supply of its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Zelensky said allies needed "not to bargain about different numbers of tanks but to open that principal supply that will stop evil".&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Kremlin issues warning&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Meanwhile, the Kremlin warned that the Western tanks will make little difference on the ground. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that “one should not exaggerate the importance of such supplies in terms of the ability to change something”.</p>

<p>“This will add problems for Ukraine, but this will change nothing in terms of the Russian side advancing on the path to achieving its goals,” it added.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>US says ‘dig even deeper’ to support Ukraine&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>At the donor meeting, US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said that the Western allies need to “dig even deeper” to support Ukraine with military aid at a crucial time in its battle against Russia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Austin said: "We need to dig even deeper. This is a decisive moment for Ukraine. The Ukrainian people are watching us, the Kremlin is watching us, and history is watching us."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the United States on Friday (January 20) for a new security assistance package to the war-torn nation. While Western allies are mulling over further military aid, especially tanks, to Kyiv to help in its fight against Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the United States on Friday (January 20) for a new security assistance package to the war-torn nation. While Western allies are mulling over further military aid, especially tanks, to Kyiv to help in its fight against Russia. Zelensky expressed gratitude to US President Joe Biden for providing Ukraine with another powerful defence support package worth $2.5 billion. Zelensky hailed the latest package that included Stryker armoured personnel carriers, Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles and Avenger air defence systems. He said that it will be an "important help in our fight against the aggressor". The Ukrainian prime minister also mentioned that the West has the power to provide the war-ravaged nation with tanks, F-16 jets and long-range missiles. Discussion over Leopard 2 tanks Zelensky asked the Western allies to "speed up" arms deliveries while speaking during defence ministers' talks at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. The main focus of the gathering at Ramstein Air Base remained whether Germany will allow the supply of its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. Zelensky said allies needed "not to bargain about different numbers of tanks but to open that principal supply that will stop evil". Kremlin issues warning Meanwhile, the Kremlin warned that the Western tanks will make little difference on the ground. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that “one should not exaggerate the importance of such supplies in terms of the ability to change something”. “This will add problems for Ukraine, but this will change nothing in terms of the Russian side advancing on the path to achieving its goals,” it added. US says ‘dig even deeper’ to support Ukraine At the donor meeting, US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin said that the Western allies need to “dig even deeper” to support Ukraine with military aid at a crucial time in its battle against Russia. Austin said: "We need to dig even deeper. This is a decisive moment for Ukraine. The Ukrainian people are watching us, the Kremlin is watching us, and history is watching us." (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.

US asks allies to ‘dig deeper’ to support Ukraine; Kremlin says tanks will change ‘nothing’ on battlefield

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<p><strong><em>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.&nbsp;</em></strong></p>

<p>Russia's defence ministry on Friday claimed that its forces had taken control of Klishchiivka, a settlement south of Bakhmut, which is in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region.&nbsp;The news agency Reuters reported that the village of Klishchiivka had a pre-war population of around 400 people. The village was said to have been captured with the help of aerial support.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Russia's claim was on the day when Western allies had gathered in Germany to plan future military assistance to Ukraine as President Volodymyr Zelensky urged for tanks and long-range missiles for its fight against Russia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The claim over Klishchiivka comes a day after the head of Russia's Wagner mercenary force, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said that his units had claimed more ground near Bakhmut and captured the village of Klishchiivka.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prigozhin said on Thursday, "We can safely say that the settlement of Klishchiivka, which is one of the important suburbs of Bakhmut, has been completely taken under the control of Wagner PMC units."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;US calls for allies to 'dig deeper' on Ukraine as pressure builds for tanks&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>Meanwhile, a senior Moscow-installed official&nbsp;said on Friday that fighting has "sharply increased" in the southern Ukraine region of Zaporizhzhia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As quoted by the news agency AFP, the official&nbsp;Vladimir Rogov&nbsp;said on the Telegram social media platform: "In the direction of Zaporizhzhia, the intensity of military activity has sharply increased."&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>

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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. Russia's defence ministry on Friday claimed that its forces had taken control of Klishchiivka, a settlement south of Bakhmut, which is in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region. The news agency Reuters reported that the village of Klishchiivka had a pre-war population of around 400 people. The village was said to have been captured with the help of aerial support. Russia's claim was on the day when Western allies had gathered in Germany to plan future military assistance to Ukraine as President Volodymyr Zelensky urged for tanks and long-range missiles for its fight against Russia. The claim over Klishchiivka comes a day after the head of Russia's Wagner mercenary force, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said that his units had claimed more ground near Bakhmut and captured the village of Klishchiivka. Prigozhin said on Thursday, "We can safely say that the settlement of Klishchiivka, which is one of the important suburbs of Bakhmut, has been completely taken under the control of Wagner PMC units." WATCH | US calls for allies to 'dig deeper' on Ukraine as pressure builds for tanks × Meanwhile, a senior Moscow-installed official said on Friday that fighting has "sharply increased" in the southern Ukraine region of Zaporizhzhia. As quoted by the news agency AFP, the official Vladimir Rogov said on the Telegram social media platform: "In the direction of Zaporizhzhia, the intensity of military activity has sharply increased." (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-Ukraine war: Moscow claims capture of Klishchiivka near Bakhmut

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<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.&nbsp;</strong></em></p>

<p>Russia on Thursday (January 19) issued a warning that the ongoing Ukraine war will escalate if the West provides Kyiv with longer-range weapons.&nbsp;Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict started, the United States has sent advanced and high-precision weapons and other military assistance to Ukraine to help the war-torn nation against Russian aggression.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The aid included multiple-launch High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS). But Kyiv urged the West to send long-range weapons to strike far behind Russian lines. But the supply of long-range weapons remained highly debated.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Stark warning to the West</strong></h2>

<p>Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, told reporters on Thursday: "Potentially, this is extremely dangerous, it will mean bringing the conflict to a whole new level, which, of course, will not bode well from the point of view of global and pan-European security."&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a separate statement, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev warned that the West's continued support for Ukraine could lead to nuclear war.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a post on Telegram, he wrote: "A nuclear power's loss in a conventional war can provoke the outbreak of a nuclear war. Nuclear powers have not lost major conflicts on which their fate depends."&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>US mulls over sending powerful weapons to Ukraine</strong></h2>

<p><strong>Meeting at Ramstein Air Base&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>A report in Politico mentioned that the US officials told the news website that Washington is likely to announce that it will send long-range missiles with a range of over 100 miles to Ukraine this week.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The decision might come on Friday as the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and other defence leaders are due to meet at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. In the key donor meeting, they are expected to talk about strategy and also support the West's attempt to defeat Russia in Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The US might send the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), which is a rocket-launched manoeuvrable glide bomb, with double the range of HIMARS missiles.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As reported by news agencies, a US official said the Biden administration was set to approve a new aid package to Ukraine, worth more than $2 billion, which would likely include Stryker armoured vehicles for Kyiv, but not M1 Abrams tanks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>News agencies have reported that a US official said the Biden administration was set to approve a new aid package to Ukraine. The latest package's worth would be more than $2 billion. It is expected that it will include Stryker armoured vehicles for Kyiv. So far, there's no mention of M1 Abrams tanks.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em><strong>Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of photos and videos shared on social media.&nbsp;</strong></em></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">🆕📹"Weapons are the way to peace,"<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NATO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NATO</a> Secretary General <a href="https://twitter.com/jensstoltenberg?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jensstoltenberg</a> stresses the importance of stepping up military support for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ukraine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ukraine</a>’s 🇺🇦 self-defence at the World Economic Forum <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wef23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wef23</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/wef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wef</a><br />
ℹ️: <a href="https://t.co/jseAVMa4fR">https://t.co/jseAVMa4fR</a> <a href="https://t.co/bb9GmUjYjL">pic.twitter.com/bb9GmUjYjL</a></p>
— Oana Lungescu (@NATOpress) <a href="https://twitter.com/NATOpress/status/1615778380669927448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">USA’s 🇺🇸 next military aid package for Ukraine 🇺🇦 will likely include GLSDB Long Range Missiles with a range of 150km, and Stryker Armored Fighting Vehicles (Politico) <a href="https://t.co/JFiPjDIoQi">pic.twitter.com/JFiPjDIoQi</a></p>
— Ukraine Battle Map (@ukraine_map) <a href="https://twitter.com/ukraine_map/status/1615782439850229798?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>Archer artillery system&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Meanwhile, Sweden on Thursday announced that it will send its Archer artillery system to Ukraine along with armoured vehicles and anti-tank missiles. The Archer artillery system is a modern mobile howitzer.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Speaking at a press conference, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said his government had agreed on a three-part military support package for Kyiv. The aid will include "the first decision on starting deliveries of the artillery system Archer to Ukraine".&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | Russia-Ukraine War: US Defence Secy arrives in Berlin; Kyiv says tank supplies should come quicker&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p><strong>Zelensky's request for weapons&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>In a video address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Western supplies of tanks and air defence units should come more quickly.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Talks over German tanks</strong></p>

<p>After a constant request by Ukraine, pressure has been mounting on Germany from European allies to authorise exports of its Leopard tank. These tanks are used by several armed forces around the world. However, several media reports suggested that Berlin has put a condition that it will send the tanks to Ukraine only if the US does the same. The Ukrainian president even criticised Germany for reluctance over sending tanks.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>EU chief's Ukraine visit&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>EU chief Charles Michel announced on Thursday that he is visiting Ukraine. In Kyiv, the EU chief will meet Zelensky and they will talk about what "concrete measures" Europe can take to support Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a video posted on Twitter, Michel said, "I am on my way to Kyiv." Michel stated that he would also meet Zelensky as well as the prime minister and members of parliament.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>

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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. Russia on Thursday (January 19) issued a warning that the ongoing Ukraine war will escalate if the West provides Kyiv with longer-range weapons. Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict started, the United States has sent advanced and high-precision weapons and other military assistance to Ukraine to help the war-torn nation against Russian aggression. The aid included multiple-launch High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS). But Kyiv urged the West to send long-range weapons to strike far behind Russian lines. But the supply of long-range weapons remained highly debated. Stark warning to the West Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, told reporters on Thursday: "Potentially, this is extremely dangerous, it will mean bringing the conflict to a whole new level, which, of course, will not bode well from the point of view of global and pan-European security." In a separate statement, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev warned that the West's continued support for Ukraine could lead to nuclear war. In a post on Telegram, he wrote: "A nuclear power's loss in a conventional war can provoke the outbreak of a nuclear war. Nuclear powers have not lost major conflicts on which their fate depends." US mulls over sending powerful weapons to Ukraine Meeting at Ramstein Air Base A report in Politico mentioned that the US officials told the news website that Washington is likely to announce that it will send long-range missiles with a range of over 100 miles to Ukraine this week. The decision might come on Friday as the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and other defence leaders are due to meet at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. In the key donor meeting, they are expected to talk about strategy and also support the West's attempt to defeat Russia in Ukraine. The US might send the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), which is a rocket-launched manoeuvrable glide bomb, with double the range of HIMARS missiles. As reported by news agencies, a US official said the Biden administration was set to approve a new aid package to Ukraine, worth more than $2 billion, which would likely include Stryker armoured vehicles for Kyiv, but not M1 Abrams tanks. News agencies have reported that a US official said the Biden administration was set to approve a new aid package to Ukraine. The latest package's worth would be more than $2 billion. It is expected that it will include Stryker armoured vehicles for Kyiv. So far, there's no mention of M1 Abrams tanks. Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of photos and videos shared on social media. 🆕📹"Weapons are the way to peace,"#NATO Secretary General @jensstoltenberg stresses the importance of stepping up military support for #Ukraine’s 🇺🇦 self-defence at the World Economic Forum #wef23 @wef ℹ️: https://t.co/jseAVMa4fR pic.twitter.com/bb9GmUjYjL — Oana Lungescu (@NATOpress) January 18, 2023 × USA’s 🇺🇸 next military aid package for Ukraine 🇺🇦 will likely include GLSDB Long Range Missiles with a range of 150km, and Stryker Armored Fighting Vehicles (Politico) pic.twitter.com/JFiPjDIoQi — Ukraine Battle Map (@ukraine_map) January 18, 2023 × Archer artillery system Meanwhile, Sweden on Thursday announced that it will send its Archer artillery system to Ukraine along with armoured vehicles and anti-tank missiles. The Archer artillery system is a modern mobile howitzer. Speaking at a press conference, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said his government had agreed on a three-part military support package for Kyiv. The aid will include "the first decision on starting deliveries of the artillery system Archer to Ukraine". WATCH | Russia-Ukraine War: US Defence Secy arrives in Berlin; Kyiv says tank supplies should come quicker × Zelensky's request for weapons In a video address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Western supplies of tanks and air defence units should come more quickly. Talks over German tanks After a constant request by Ukraine, pressure has been mounting on Germany from European allies to authorise exports of its Leopard tank. These tanks are used by several armed forces around the world. However, several media reports suggested that Berlin has put a condition that it will send the tanks to Ukraine only if the US does the same. The Ukrainian president even criticised Germany for reluctance over sending tanks. EU chief's Ukraine visit EU chief Charles Michel announced on Thursday that he is visiting Ukraine. In Kyiv, the EU chief will meet Zelensky and they will talk about what "concrete measures" Europe can take to support Ukraine. In a video posted on Twitter, Michel said, "I am on my way to Kyiv." Michel stated that he would also meet Zelensky as well as the prime minister and members of parliament. (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 warns of escalation, nuclear war outbreak as West mulls sending powerful weapons to Ukraine

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<p><strong><em>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.</em></strong></p>

<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin once again slammed the Western nations on Monday (January 16) for supplying weapons to Ukraine amid the ongoing war. In a phone call with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Putin also criticised Kyiv's "destructive" policies.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Revealing details of the telephone conversation, Kremlin said, "Vladimir Putin drew attention to the destructive line of the Kyiv regime, which has bet on the intensification of hostilities with the support of Western sponsors." Kremlin claimed that the West has ramped up the supplies of weapons and military equipment.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Ukraine war, which started last year when Russia invaded its neighbouring nation on February 24, led to massive food and fuel crises.&nbsp;</p>

<p>World leaders have urged both parties to follow the path of diplomacy and end the war that caused the deaths of tens of thousands of people. Reports have mentioned that about a quarter of the population has fled their homes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The West has vowed to back war-torn Ukraine to resist the Russian forces. Meanwhile, Moscow continued the fighting and even seized part of the Donbas region of south-eastern Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH | WION Fineprint: Russia and Belarus hold joint military drill&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>After Ukraine said that its forces would need Western tanks and armoured vehicles to break through Russian lines, Britain recently pledged to provide Ukraine with a first squadron of Challengers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On the other hand, Erdogan's office said that the Turkish president renewed his offer to help mediate an end to the conflict in Ukraine. The statement mentioned that the two leaders also discussed the exports of Russian grain and ammonia through the Black Sea.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"During the call, President Erdogan reiterated that Turkey is ready to undertake the task of facilitating and mediating for the establishment of a lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine," it said in a statement.&nbsp;</p>

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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. Russian President Vladimir Putin once again slammed the Western nations on Monday (January 16) for supplying weapons to Ukraine amid the ongoing war. In a phone call with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Putin also criticised Kyiv's "destructive" policies. Revealing details of the telephone conversation, Kremlin said, "Vladimir Putin drew attention to the destructive line of the Kyiv regime, which has bet on the intensification of hostilities with the support of Western sponsors." Kremlin claimed that the West has ramped up the supplies of weapons and military equipment. The Ukraine war, which started last year when Russia invaded its neighbouring nation on February 24, led to massive food and fuel crises. World leaders have urged both parties to follow the path of diplomacy and end the war that caused the deaths of tens of thousands of people. Reports have mentioned that about a quarter of the population has fled their homes. The West has vowed to back war-torn Ukraine to resist the Russian forces. Meanwhile, Moscow continued the fighting and even seized part of the Donbas region of south-eastern Ukraine. WATCH | WION Fineprint: Russia and Belarus hold joint military drill × After Ukraine said that its forces would need Western tanks and armoured vehicles to break through Russian lines, Britain recently pledged to provide Ukraine with a first squadron of Challengers. On the other hand, Erdogan's office said that the Turkish president renewed his offer to help mediate an end to the conflict in Ukraine. The statement mentioned that the two leaders also discussed the exports of Russian grain and ammonia through the Black Sea. "During the call, President Erdogan reiterated that Turkey is ready to undertake the task of facilitating and mediating for the establishment of a lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine," it said in a statement. 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: Putin slams increase in Western arms deliveries to Kyiv

<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><br />
<br />
Several strikes were launched by Russian forces targetting the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipro. At least 25&nbsp;people were killed and 43 are missing in a strike on a residential building in Dnipro, a city in centre-east Ukraine, on Saturday, the Ukrainian regional governor said.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
“Twenty innocent victims...,” Dnipropetrovsk governor Valentyn Reznichenko said on messaging app Telegram, after posting that 73 were wounded and that “the rescue operation continues. The fate of more than 43 people remains unknown.”</p>

<p>Meanwhile, critical infrastructure in Ukraine's capital Kyiv and eastern city Kharkiv was hit by Russian missile attack on Saturday morning.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Ukraine denies Russia's claim, says severe fighting in Soledar</strong></p>

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<p><br />
Governor of another region warned of a massive missile strike in coming hours. Reuters reported that air raid sirens were sounded in Kyiv after blasts were heard.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Explosions in Dniprovskiy district. All agencies heading to the site. Stay in your shelters!" Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote on the Telegram messaging app.<br />
<br />
Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year. After sustained gains in first few months of the conflict, Russian forces had to retreat and cede territory to Ukrainian forces. Russia then has started to mount missile attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Missile attack on critical infrastructure facilities. Details are being checked," said Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the president's office.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/on-eve-of-first-anniversary-of-ukraine-war-zelensky-wants-to-visit-un-and-address-general-assembly-552577">Zelensky wants to address UN General Assembly when Russian invasion completes one year</a></strong></p>

<p>Oleg Synehubov, Kharkiv's regional governor, said two S-300 missiles struck the city near the Russian border early on Saturday. The attacks hit critical energy infrastructure and industrial facilities in the Kharkiv and Chuhuev district of the region, he said.</p>

<p>"Our emergency services units and energy workers are working to liquidate the consequences and stabilise the situation with energy supplies," he said.</p>

<p>In Kyiv, the mayor said the debris of a missile came down on a non-residential area in the Holosiivskiy district in the west of Kyiv, causing a fire but hurting no one.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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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. Several strikes were launched by Russian forces targetting the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipro. At least 25 people were killed and 43 are missing in a strike on a residential building in Dnipro, a city in centre-east Ukraine, on Saturday, the Ukrainian regional governor said. “Twenty innocent victims...,” Dnipropetrovsk governor Valentyn Reznichenko said on messaging app Telegram, after posting that 73 were wounded and that “the rescue operation continues. The fate of more than 43 people remains unknown.” Meanwhile, critical infrastructure in Ukraine's capital Kyiv and eastern city Kharkiv was hit by Russian missile attack on Saturday morning. Watch | Ukraine denies Russia's claim, says severe fighting in Soledar × Governor of another region warned of a massive missile strike in coming hours. Reuters reported that air raid sirens were sounded in Kyiv after blasts were heard. "Explosions in Dniprovskiy district. All agencies heading to the site. Stay in your shelters!" Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote on the Telegram messaging app. Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year. After sustained gains in first few months of the conflict, Russian forces had to retreat and cede territory to Ukrainian forces. Russia then has started to mount missile attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure. "Missile attack on critical infrastructure facilities. Details are being checked," said Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the president's office. Also Read | Zelensky wants to address UN General Assembly when Russian invasion completes one year Oleg Synehubov, Kharkiv's regional governor, said two S-300 missiles struck the city near the Russian border early on Saturday. The attacks hit critical energy infrastructure and industrial facilities in the Kharkiv and Chuhuev district of the region, he said. "Our emergency services units and energy workers are working to liquidate the consequences and stabilise the situation with energy supplies," he said. In Kyiv, the mayor said the debris of a missile came down on a non-residential area in the Holosiivskiy district in the west of Kyiv, causing a fire but hurting no one. (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 missiles strike several Ukrainian cities, 25 killed, 43 missing

<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>Russian President Vladimir Putin said that a positive trend is visible in the special military operation in Ukraine and that the Russian soldiers will deliver more results after an attack on Soledar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While speaking on Rossiya 1 state television, Putin said, "The dynamic is positive. Everything is developing within the framework of the plan of the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff."</p>

<p>"And I hope that our fighters will please us even more with the results of their combat," said Putin.</p>

<p>On Friday, Russia claimed that Soledar, a town in east Ukraine, has been captured by its forces, in what can be considered a rare success for the Russian military after facing battlefield reverses for months.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ|</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-missiles-hit-ukrainian-capital-more-attacks-expected-elsewhere-552596">Russian missiles strike several Ukrainian cities, 20 killed, 64 injured</a></p>

<p>Talking about Russia's economy, Putin said, "The situation in the economy is stable. Much better than not only what our opponents predicted but also what we forecast."&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added that the key indicator was unemployment. "Unemployment is at a historic low. Inflation is lower than expected and has, importantly, a downward trend,” he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the defence ministry of Russia on Sunday confirmed that several missile strikes were launched by its forces against the infrastructure sites and military of Ukraine on Saturday.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH| Ukraine witness emergency blackouts after Russian strikes</strong></p>

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<p>Around 23&nbsp;people lost their lives on Saturday in Russia's strike on an apartment complex in Dnipro, an eastern city of Ukraine, the authorities said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Russia, in its statement, said: "All assigned objects were hit. The targets of the strike have been achieved." Moscow further informed that the troops have moved towards Bakhmut city in the Donetsk region of Ukraine.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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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. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that a positive trend is visible in the special military operation in Ukraine and that the Russian soldiers will deliver more results after an attack on Soledar. While speaking on Rossiya 1 state television, Putin said, "The dynamic is positive. Everything is developing within the framework of the plan of the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff." "And I hope that our fighters will please us even more with the results of their combat," said Putin. On Friday, Russia claimed that Soledar, a town in east Ukraine, has been captured by its forces, in what can be considered a rare success for the Russian military after facing battlefield reverses for months. ALSO READ| Russian missiles strike several Ukrainian cities, 20 killed, 64 injured Talking about Russia's economy, Putin said, "The situation in the economy is stable. Much better than not only what our opponents predicted but also what we forecast." He added that the key indicator was unemployment. "Unemployment is at a historic low. Inflation is lower than expected and has, importantly, a downward trend,” he said. Meanwhile, the defence ministry of Russia on Sunday confirmed that several missile strikes were launched by its forces against the infrastructure sites and military of Ukraine on Saturday. WATCH| Ukraine witness emergency blackouts after Russian strikes Around 23 people lost their lives on Saturday in Russia's strike on an apartment complex in Dnipro, an eastern city of Ukraine, the authorities said. Russia, in its statement, said: "All assigned objects were hit. The targets of the strike have been achieved." Moscow further informed that the troops have moved towards Bakhmut city in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. (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

Putin says special military operation in Ukraine showing positive trend

<p>Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Saturday (January 14) that the G7 summit which will be held in Hiroshima in May should show a strong will on Russia's offensive in Ukraine while pointing out that the aggression in Kyiv is not only a European problem but also a challenge to the very rules and principles of the international community. Speaking to reporters following Friday's Japan-United States summit, Prime Minister Kishida said, "As a result, (of ongoing dialogue with other partners) we were able to reaffirm our commitment that the G7 will unite and work together to safeguard the international order based on the rule of law. In our coordination in the run-up to the Hiroshima summit, the greatest issue was, needless to say, the Russian aggression against Ukraine, which will soon mark one year since the start," news agency Reuters reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-hails-kishida-for-scrapping-japans-pacifist-defence-strategy-552485">Joe Biden hails PM Kishida for scrapping Japan’s pacifist defence strategy</a></strong></p>

<p>"I pointed out that the aggression against Ukraine is not only a European problem but also a challenge to the very rules and principles of the international community and agreed with the heads of state and government that the G7 Hiroshima summit should demonstrate a strong will to uphold the international order based on the rule of law," Kishida said, adding, the leaders confirmed they would continue tough sanctions against Moscow and strong support for Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He also stressed the importance of standing up to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, saying if a unilateral change to the status quo went unchallenged, the same would happen elsewhere, including in Asia — an apparent reference to China's vow to reunite with self-governed Taiwan, by force if necessary, Reuters reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Japanese Prime Minister, who is in Washington on the last stop of a tour of G7 industrial powers and has been seeking to bolster long-standing alliances, met United States President Joe Biden for a bilateral meeting and the two leaders issued a joint statement which said that any use of a nuclear weapon by Russia in Ukraine would be an act of hostility against humanity and justifiable in any way.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-alleges-russia-cancelled-prisoner-exchange-at-the-last-minute-552731">Ukraine alleges Russia cancelled scheduled prisoner exchange at the last minute</a></strong></p>

<p>Hitting back, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev accused Fumio Kishida of shameful subservience to the US and suggested that Japanese Prime Minister should ritually disembowel himself. A prominent ally of President Vladimir Putin, Medvedev said the nuclear statement showed "paranoia" towards Moscow and "betrayed the memory of hundreds of thousands of Japanese who were burned in the nuclear fire of Hiroshima and Nagasaki" — in a reference to the US dropping atomic bombs on these two Japanese cities in 1945. Medvedev said that rather than demanding repentance for this, Kishida showed that he was "just a service attendant for the Americans". Kishida made no mention of these comments by the former Russian President.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Saturday (January 14) that the G7 summit which will be held in Hiroshima in May should show a strong will on Russia's offensive in Ukraine while pointing out that the aggression in Kyiv is not only a European problem but also a challenge to the very rules and principles of the international community.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Saturday (January 14) that the G7 summit which will be held in Hiroshima in May should show a strong will on Russia's offensive in Ukraine while pointing out that the aggression in Kyiv is not only a European problem but also a challenge to the very rules and principles of the international community. Speaking to reporters following Friday's Japan-United States summit, Prime Minister Kishida said, "As a result, (of ongoing dialogue with other partners) we were able to reaffirm our commitment that the G7 will unite and work together to safeguard the international order based on the rule of law. In our coordination in the run-up to the Hiroshima summit, the greatest issue was, needless to say, the Russian aggression against Ukraine, which will soon mark one year since the start," news agency Reuters reported. ALSO READ | Joe Biden hails PM Kishida for scrapping Japan’s pacifist defence strategy "I pointed out that the aggression against Ukraine is not only a European problem but also a challenge to the very rules and principles of the international community and agreed with the heads of state and government that the G7 Hiroshima summit should demonstrate a strong will to uphold the international order based on the rule of law," Kishida said, adding, the leaders confirmed they would continue tough sanctions against Moscow and strong support for Ukraine. He also stressed the importance of standing up to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, saying if a unilateral change to the status quo went unchallenged, the same would happen elsewhere, including in Asia — an apparent reference to China's vow to reunite with self-governed Taiwan, by force if necessary, Reuters reported. The Japanese Prime Minister, who is in Washington on the last stop of a tour of G7 industrial powers and has been seeking to bolster long-standing alliances, met United States President Joe Biden for a bilateral meeting and the two leaders issued a joint statement which said that any use of a nuclear weapon by Russia in Ukraine would be an act of hostility against humanity and justifiable in any way. ALSO READ | Ukraine alleges Russia cancelled scheduled prisoner exchange at the last minute Hitting back, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev accused Fumio Kishida of shameful subservience to the US and suggested that Japanese Prime Minister should ritually disembowel himself. A prominent ally of President Vladimir Putin, Medvedev said the nuclear statement showed "paranoia" towards Moscow and "betrayed the memory of hundreds of thousands of Japanese who were burned in the nuclear fire of Hiroshima and Nagasaki" — in a reference to the US dropping atomic bombs on these two Japanese cities in 1945. Medvedev said that rather than demanding repentance for this, Kishida showed that he was "just a service attendant for the Americans". Kishida made no mention of these comments by the former Russian President. (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.

G7 should show strong will against Russia’s offensive in Ukraine: Japan PM Kishida

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<p><strong><em>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.&nbsp;</em></strong></p>

<p>Russia on Friday claimed that its forces have taken control of Soledar, a town in eastern Ukraine, which remained a hotspot in the past few days due to Moscow's offensive. But Kyiv has denied the claims stating that heavy fighting is ongoing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Russian defence ministry said that "on the evening of January 12, the liberation of the city of Soledar was completed."&nbsp;</p>

<p>The town is known for being the largest salt mine in Europe and has a greater significance as it is just 15 kilometres from Bakhmut. Also, its 200 kilometres of underground tunnels have given a tactical advantage to the troops.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The defence ministry called the "liberation" important for the continuation of successful offensive operations in Donetsk, referring to a region in eastern Ukraine that Moscow is seeking to capture fully.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>The Russian Defence Ministry's spokesman, Lt Gen Igor Konashenkov, said: "The liberation of the town of Soledar was completed in the evening of January 12."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Konashenkov added that the development was important for the continuation of offensive operations in the Donetsk region.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He said that taking control of Soledar would allow Russian forces to cut supply lines for the Ukrainian forces in the Donestsk city of Bakhmut. They will also be able to block and encircle the Ukrainian units there.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the initial claim, Russia didn't mention the involvement of the Wagner mercenary group founded by Yevgeny Prigozhin.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Later, the Russian army praised the "courageous" forces of the mercenary group Wagner in an unusual recognition of the private fighting force.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This combat mission was successfully implemented by the courageous and selfless actions of the volunteers of the Wagner assault squads," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.&nbsp;</p>

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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. Russia on Friday claimed that its forces have taken control of Soledar, a town in eastern Ukraine, which remained a hotspot in the past few days due to Moscow's offensive. But Kyiv has denied the claims stating that heavy fighting is ongoing. The Russian defence ministry said that "on the evening of January 12, the liberation of the city of Soledar was completed." The town is known for being the largest salt mine in Europe and has a greater significance as it is just 15 kilometres from Bakhmut. Also, its 200 kilometres of underground tunnels have given a tactical advantage to the troops. The defence ministry called the "liberation" important for the continuation of successful offensive operations in Donetsk, referring to a region in eastern Ukraine that Moscow is seeking to capture fully. Watch this report: × The Russian Defence Ministry's spokesman, Lt Gen Igor Konashenkov, said: "The liberation of the town of Soledar was completed in the evening of January 12." Konashenkov added that the development was important for the continuation of offensive operations in the Donetsk region. He said that taking control of Soledar would allow Russian forces to cut supply lines for the Ukrainian forces in the Donestsk city of Bakhmut. They will also be able to block and encircle the Ukrainian units there. In the initial claim, Russia didn't mention the involvement of the Wagner mercenary group founded by Yevgeny Prigozhin. Later, the Russian army praised the "courageous" forces of the mercenary group Wagner in an unusual recognition of the private fighting force. "This combat mission was successfully implemented by the courageous and selfless actions of the volunteers of the Wagner assault squads," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement. 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 praises Wagner forces, Ukraine denies Moscow's claim of Soledar 'liberation'

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<p><strong><em>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.&nbsp;</em></strong></p>

<p>Russia has&nbsp;warned that Belarus may also enter the ongoing war in Ukraine if Kyiv decides to "invade" either country. Russian foreign ministry official said on Friday that Belarus and Russia's joint drills aimed at preventing escalation.&nbsp;In an interview with state media, foreign ministry official Aleksey Polishchuk warned that Belarus may join the Ukraine conflict if it or Russia were invaded.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Polishchuk told the TASS news agency: "From a legal point of view, the use of military force by the Kyiv regime or the invasion of the territory of Belarus or Russia by the armed forces of Ukraine are sufficient grounds for a collective response."&nbsp;</p>

<p>The official further mentioned that it was up to the leaders of the two countries to&nbsp;make that decision.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday said that the military troops of his country must "be ready" at its border with Belarus.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch this report:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>Zelensky said, "We understand that apart from powerful statements, we do not see anything powerful there, but nevertheless we must be ready both at the border and in the regions."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Russia on Friday said that it had taken control of Soledar, a town in eastern Ukraine that has been a hotspot of fighting in Moscow's offensive,&nbsp;but Kyiv denied it strongly.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"On the evening of January 12, the liberation of the city of Soledar was completed, which is important for the continuation of successful offensive operations" in Donetsk, the Russian defence ministry said.&nbsp;</p>

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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. Russia has warned that Belarus may also enter the ongoing war in Ukraine if Kyiv decides to "invade" either country. Russian foreign ministry official said on Friday that Belarus and Russia's joint drills aimed at preventing escalation. In an interview with state media, foreign ministry official Aleksey Polishchuk warned that Belarus may join the Ukraine conflict if it or Russia were invaded. Polishchuk told the TASS news agency: "From a legal point of view, the use of military force by the Kyiv regime or the invasion of the territory of Belarus or Russia by the armed forces of Ukraine are sufficient grounds for a collective response." The official further mentioned that it was up to the leaders of the two countries to make that decision. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday said that the military troops of his country must "be ready" at its border with Belarus. Watch this report: × Zelensky said, "We understand that apart from powerful statements, we do not see anything powerful there, but nevertheless we must be ready both at the border and in the regions." Meanwhile, Russia on Friday said that it had taken control of Soledar, a town in eastern Ukraine that has been a hotspot of fighting in Moscow's offensive, but Kyiv denied it strongly. "On the evening of January 12, the liberation of the city of Soledar was completed, which is important for the continuation of successful offensive operations" in Donetsk, the Russian defence ministry said. 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.

Belarus may enter ongoing Russia-Ukraine war if ‘invaded’, claims Moscow

<p>Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday (January 12) said that Ukrainian troops were still holding out against pro-Russia forces in Soledar, the salt mining town in eastern Ukraine. More than 500 civilians including children are trapped there.&nbsp;In a video address, Zelensky thanked two units in Soledar that he said "are holding their positions and inflicting significant losses on the enemy." He did not give more details.</p>

<p>He said that he, along with senior commanders of the Ukrainian military analysed need for reinforcements in Soledar and nearby towns.</p>

<p>Russia's ultra-nationalist contract militia Wagner Group, run by an ally of President Vladimir Putin, had earlier claimed to have taken Soledar after intense fighting that it said left the town strewn with Ukrainian dead.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Why is Russia replacing its top military commander in Ukraine again?</strong></p>

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<p>Moscow however, had then officially restrained from proclaiming a victory, which would be its first significant gain in six months, and said the fighting is on.</p>

<p>"At the moment, there are still some small pockets of resistance in Soledar," Andrei Bayevsky, a Russian-installed local politician, said in an online broadcast.</p>

<p>On Friday (January 13), however,&nbsp;Lt. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, who is the Russian Defence Ministry's spokesman, said: "The liberation of the town of Soledar was completed in the evening of January 12."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Konashenkov added that the development was important for the continuation of offensive operations in the Donetsk region.&nbsp;Konashenkov further said that taking control of Soledar would allow Russian forces to cut supply lines for the Ukrainian forces in the Donestsk city of Bakhmut and then block and encircle the Ukrainian units there.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reuters said it was unable to independently verify the situation.</p>

<p>Donetsk governor Pavlo Kyrylenko told Ukrainian state TV that 559 civilians remained in Soledar, including 15 children, and could not be evacuated from the community that had a pre-war population of about 10,000.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday (January 12) said that Ukrainian troops were still holding out against pro-Russia forces in Soledar, the salt mining town in eastern Ukraine.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday (January 12) said that Ukrainian troops were still holding out against pro-Russia forces in Soledar, the salt mining town in eastern Ukraine. More than 500 civilians including children are trapped there. In a video address, Zelensky thanked two units in Soledar that he said "are holding their positions and inflicting significant losses on the enemy." He did not give more details. He said that he, along with senior commanders of the Ukrainian military analysed need for reinforcements in Soledar and nearby towns. Russia's ultra-nationalist contract militia Wagner Group, run by an ally of President Vladimir Putin, had earlier claimed to have taken Soledar after intense fighting that it said left the town strewn with Ukrainian dead. Watch | Why is Russia replacing its top military commander in Ukraine again? × Moscow however, had then officially restrained from proclaiming a victory, which would be its first significant gain in six months, and said the fighting is on. "At the moment, there are still some small pockets of resistance in Soledar," Andrei Bayevsky, a Russian-installed local politician, said in an online broadcast. On Friday (January 13), however, Lt. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, who is the Russian Defence Ministry's spokesman, said: "The liberation of the town of Soledar was completed in the evening of January 12." Konashenkov added that the development was important for the continuation of offensive operations in the Donetsk region. Konashenkov further said that taking control of Soledar would allow Russian forces to cut supply lines for the Ukrainian forces in the Donestsk city of Bakhmut and then block and encircle the Ukrainian units there. Reuters said it was unable to independently verify the situation. Donetsk governor Pavlo Kyrylenko told Ukrainian state TV that 559 civilians remained in Soledar, including 15 children, and could not be evacuated from the community that had a pre-war population of about 10,000. (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 forces still holding out in Soledar, claims Zelensky

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<p><strong><em>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.&nbsp;</em></strong></p>

<p>Russia on Sunday (January 8) said that its army&nbsp;conducted a "retaliatory strike" in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatrosk to avenge the deaths of 89 Russian troops killed in Makiivka.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Russian defence ministry said in a statement that "more than 600 Ukrainian servicemen were killed" as a result of a strike on Kyiv troops stationed in two buildings in Kramatorsk.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This comes after Moscow ended a Christmas ceasefire in Ukraine between January 6 and 7. Russia further vowed to push on with combat until it reaches a victory over its neighbour.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Russia's claims of killing hundreds of Ukrainian servicemen have not been verified by Ukraine. In fact, the mayor of Kramatorsk said earlier on Sunday on Facebook that nobody had been killed in an attack on various buildings in the city.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Russian defence ministry further said that it had used reliable intelligence to target the Ukrainian troops. The statement also mentioned that more than 700 Ukrainian troops had been housed in one hostel and more than 600 in another.&nbsp;</p>

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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. Russia on Sunday (January 8) said that its army conducted a "retaliatory strike" in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatrosk to avenge the deaths of 89 Russian troops killed in Makiivka. The Russian defence ministry said in a statement that "more than 600 Ukrainian servicemen were killed" as a result of a strike on Kyiv troops stationed in two buildings in Kramatorsk. This comes after Moscow ended a Christmas ceasefire in Ukraine between January 6 and 7. Russia further vowed to push on with combat until it reaches a victory over its neighbour. Watch this report: × Russia's claims of killing hundreds of Ukrainian servicemen have not been verified by Ukraine. In fact, the mayor of Kramatorsk said earlier on Sunday on Facebook that nobody had been killed in an attack on various buildings in the city. The Russian defence ministry further said that it had used reliable intelligence to target the Ukrainian troops. The statement also mentioned that more than 700 Ukrainian troops had been housed in one hostel and more than 600 in another. 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 war: Russia claims it killed over '600 Ukrainian servicemen' in 'retaliatory strike' in Kramatorsk

<p><strong><em>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.</em></strong></p>

<p>Crimean city Sevastopol's Russian-installed governor Mikhail Razvozhaev on Saturday claimed that a drone was shot down by the air defences, referring to the latest attack launched by Ukrainian forces on a port where the Black Sea Fleet of Russia is based.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The claims were made as Russian President Vladimir Putin marked Orthodox Christmas at a church in Moscow after declaring a unilateral ceasefire.</p>

<p>Governor Razvozhaev made the claims on the Telegram messaging service as he alleged that the drone&nbsp;was&nbsp;shot down in the wee hours of January 7, the day of Orthodox Christmas.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ|</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-war-putin-orders-ceasefire-in-ukraine-on-january-6-7-549807">Russia-Ukraine war: Putin offers Orthodox Christmas truce, Ukraine rejects it as 'hypocrisy'</a></p>

<p>"Even the sacred holiday of Christmas was not a reason for these inhuman people to halt their attempts to attack our Hero City," said Razvozhaev.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In 2014, Crimea was annexed by Russia and Ukraine says it will take back the Black Sea peninsula and other parts of eastern Ukraine which the Russian forces have invaded since February 24, 2022.</p>

<p><strong>Putin attends midnight service to mark Orthodox Christmas&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Russian President Putin was seen standing alone,&nbsp;attending a midnight service held at a church in the Kremlin to mark Orthodox Christmas, which is shadowed by Russia's invasion of war-ravaged Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The service held at the Cathedral of the Annunciation, which was designed originally as a church for only the Russian tsars, was attended by Putin.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH| WION Wideangle | Russia-Ukraine War: Ten months, ten key events</strong></p>

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<p>Putin stood as the ceremony was conducted by Orthodox priests, wearing golden robes, who held long candles, as per the photographs released by the Kremlin.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the message released on Saturday by the Kremlin, the Russian president extended his wishes to Orthodox Christians, stating that the holiday gave inspiration for "good deeds and aspirations".&nbsp;</p>

<p>He also appreciated the Orthodox Church because of which the Russian government received the full support of head Patriarch Kirill in the offensive against Ukraine.</p>

<p>Church organisations are "supporting our soldiers taking part in a special military operation," said Putin.</p>

<p>"Such great, multifaceted, truly ascetic work deserves the most sincere respect," the president added.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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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. Crimean city Sevastopol's Russian-installed governor Mikhail Razvozhaev on Saturday claimed that a drone was shot down by the air defences, referring to the latest attack launched by Ukrainian forces on a port where the Black Sea Fleet of Russia is based. The claims were made as Russian President Vladimir Putin marked Orthodox Christmas at a church in Moscow after declaring a unilateral ceasefire. Governor Razvozhaev made the claims on the Telegram messaging service as he alleged that the drone was shot down in the wee hours of January 7, the day of Orthodox Christmas. ALSO READ| Russia-Ukraine war: Putin offers Orthodox Christmas truce, Ukraine rejects it as 'hypocrisy' "Even the sacred holiday of Christmas was not a reason for these inhuman people to halt their attempts to attack our Hero City," said Razvozhaev. In 2014, Crimea was annexed by Russia and Ukraine says it will take back the Black Sea peninsula and other parts of eastern Ukraine which the Russian forces have invaded since February 24, 2022. Putin attends midnight service to mark Orthodox Christmas Russian President Putin was seen standing alone, attending a midnight service held at a church in the Kremlin to mark Orthodox Christmas, which is shadowed by Russia's invasion of war-ravaged Ukraine. The service held at the Cathedral of the Annunciation, which was designed originally as a church for only the Russian tsars, was attended by Putin. WATCH| WION Wideangle | Russia-Ukraine War: Ten months, ten key events Putin stood as the ceremony was conducted by Orthodox priests, wearing golden robes, who held long candles, as per the photographs released by the Kremlin. In the message released on Saturday by the Kremlin, the Russian president extended his wishes to Orthodox Christians, stating that the holiday gave inspiration for "good deeds and aspirations". He also appreciated the Orthodox Church because of which the Russian government received the full support of head Patriarch Kirill in the offensive against Ukraine. Church organisations are "supporting our soldiers taking part in a special military operation," said Putin. "Such great, multifaceted, truly ascetic work deserves the most sincere respect," the president added. (With inputs from agencies)

Crimean governor claims Ukraine drone shot over Sevastopol as Putin marks Orthodox Christmas

<p>A Russian hacking team known as Cold River targeted three nuclear research laboratories in the United States this past summer, according to internet records reviewed by Reuters and five cyber security experts.</p>

<p>Between August and September, as President Vladimir Putin indicated Russia would be willing to use nuclear weapons to defend its territory, Cold River targeted the Brookhaven (BNL), Argonne (ANL) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories (LLNL), according to internet records that showed the hackers creating fake login pages for each institution and emailing nuclear scientists in a bid to make them reveal their passwords.</p>

<p>Reuters was unable to determine why the labs were targeted or if any attempted intrusion was successful. A BNL spokesperson declined to comment. LLNL did not respond to a request for comment. An ANL spokesperson referred questions to the U.S. Department of Energy, which declined to comment.</p>

<p>Cold River has escalated its hacking campaign against Kyiv's allies since the invasion of Ukraine, according to cybersecurity researchers and western government officials. The digital blitz against the U.S. labs occurred as U.N. experts entered Russian-controlled Ukrainian territory to inspect Europe's biggest atomic power plant and assess the risk of what both sides said could be a devastating radiation disaster amid heavy shelling nearby.</p>

<p>Cold River, which first appeared on the radar of intelligence professionals after targeting Britain's foreign office in 2016, has been involved in dozens of other high-profile hacking incidents in recent years, according to interviews with nine cybersecurity firms. Reuters traced email accounts used in its hacking operations between 2015 and 2020 to an IT worker in the Russian city of Syktyvkar.</p>

<p>"This is one of the most important hacking groups you’ve never heard of," said Adam Meyer, senior vice president of intelligence at U.S. cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. "They are involved in directly supporting Kremlin information operations."</p>

<p>Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), the domestic security agency that also conducts espionage campaigns for Moscow, and Russia's embassy in Washington did not respond to emailed requests for comment.</p>

<p>Western officials say the Russian government is a global leader in hacking and uses cyber-espionage to spy on foreign governments and industries to seek a competitive advantage. However, Moscow has consistently denied that it carries out hacking operations.</p>

<p>Reuters showed its findings to five industry experts who confirmed the involvement of Cold River in the attempted nuclear labs hacks, based on shared digital fingerprints that researchers have historically tied to the group.</p>

<p>The U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) declined to comment on Cold River's activities. Britain's Global Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), its NSA equivalent, did not comment. The foreign office declined to comment.</p>

<p><strong>'INTELLIGENCE COLLECTION'</strong></p>

<p>In May, Cold River broke into and leaked emails belonging to the former head of Britain's MI6 spy service. That was just one of several 'hack and leak' operations last year by Russia-linked hackers in which confidential communications were made public in Britain, Poland and Latvia, according to cybersecurity experts and Eastern European security officials.</p>

<p>In another recent espionage operation targeting critics of Moscow, Cold River registered domain names designed to imitate at least three European NGOs investigating war crimes, according to French cybersecurity firm SEKOIA.IO.</p>

<p>The NGO-related hacking attempts occurred just before and after the October 18 launch of a report by a U.N. independent commission of enquiry that found Russian forces were responsible for the "vast majority" of human rights violations in the early weeks of the Ukraine war, which Russia has called a special military operation.</p>

<p>In a blog post, SEKOIA.IO said that, based on its targeting of the NGOs, Cold River was seeking to contribute to "Russian intelligence collection about identiﬁed war crime-related evidence and/or international justice procedures." Reuters was unable independently to confirm why Cold River targeted the NGOs.</p>

<p>The Commission for International Justice and Accountability (CIJA), a nonprofit founded by a veteran war crimes investigator, said it had been repeatedly targeted by Russian-backed hackers in the past eight years without success. The other two NGOs, the International Center of Nonviolent Conflict and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, did not respond to requests for comment.</p>

<p>Russia's embassy in Washington did not return a request seeking comment about the attempted hack against CIJA.</p>

<p>Cold River has employed tactics such as tricking people into entering their usernames and passwords on fake websites to gain access to their computer systems, security researchers told Reuters. To do this, Cold River has used a variety of email accounts to register domain names such as "goo-link[.]online" and "online365-office[.]com" which at a glance look similar to legitimate services operated by firms like Google and Microsoft, the security researchers said.</p>

<p><strong>DEEP TIES TO RUSSIA </strong></p>

<p>Cold River made several missteps in recent years that allowed cybersecurity analysts to pinpoint the exact location and identity of one of its members, providing the clearest indication yet of the group's Russian origin, according to experts from Internet giant Google, British defense contractor BAE, and U.S. intelligence firm Nisos.</p>

<p>Multiple personal email addresses used to set up Cold River missions belong to Andrey Korinets, a 35-year-old IT worker and bodybuilder in Syktyvkar, about 1,600 km (1,000 miles) northeast of Moscow. Usage of these accounts left a trail of digital evidence from different hacks back to Korinets' online life, including social media accounts and personal websites.</p>

<p>Billy Leonard, a Security Engineer on Google's Threat Analysis Group who investigates nation state hacking, said Korinets was involved. "Google has tied this individual to the Russian hacking group Cold River and their early operations," he said.</p>

<p>Vincas Ciziunas, a security researcher at Nisos who also connected Korinets' email addresses to Cold River activity, said the IT worker appeared to be a "central figure" in the Syktyvkar hacking community, historically. Ciziunas discovered a series of Russian language internet forums, including an eZine, where Korinets had discussed hacking, and shared those posts with Reuters.</p>

<p>Korinets confirmed that he owned the relevant email accounts in an interview with Reuters but he denied any knowledge of Cold River. He said his only experience with hacking came years ago when he was fined by a Russian court over a computer crime committed during a business dispute with a former customer.</p>

<p>Reuters was able separately to confirm Korinets' links to Cold River by using data compiled through cybersecurity research platforms Constella Intelligence and DomainTools, which help identify the owners of websites: the data showed that Korinets' email addresses registered numerous websites used in Cold River hacking campaigns between 2015 and 2020.</p>

<p>It is unclear whether Korinets has been involved in hacking operations since 2020. He offered no explanation of why these email addresses were used and did not respond to further phone calls and emailed questions.</p>

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A Russian hacking team known as Cold River targeted three nuclear research laboratories in the United States this past summer, according to internet records reviewed by Reuters and five cyber security experts.

A Russian hacking team known as Cold River targeted three nuclear research laboratories in the United States this past summer, according to internet records reviewed by Reuters and five cyber security experts. Between August and September, as President Vladimir Putin indicated Russia would be willing to use nuclear weapons to defend its territory, Cold River targeted the Brookhaven (BNL), Argonne (ANL) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories (LLNL), according to internet records that showed the hackers creating fake login pages for each institution and emailing nuclear scientists in a bid to make them reveal their passwords. Reuters was unable to determine why the labs were targeted or if any attempted intrusion was successful. A BNL spokesperson declined to comment. LLNL did not respond to a request for comment. An ANL spokesperson referred questions to the U.S. Department of Energy, which declined to comment. Cold River has escalated its hacking campaign against Kyiv's allies since the invasion of Ukraine, according to cybersecurity researchers and western government officials. The digital blitz against the U.S. labs occurred as U.N. experts entered Russian-controlled Ukrainian territory to inspect Europe's biggest atomic power plant and assess the risk of what both sides said could be a devastating radiation disaster amid heavy shelling nearby. Cold River, which first appeared on the radar of intelligence professionals after targeting Britain's foreign office in 2016, has been involved in dozens of other high-profile hacking incidents in recent years, according to interviews with nine cybersecurity firms. Reuters traced email accounts used in its hacking operations between 2015 and 2020 to an IT worker in the Russian city of Syktyvkar. "This is one of the most important hacking groups you’ve never heard of," said Adam Meyer, senior vice president of intelligence at U.S. cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. "They are involved in directly supporting Kremlin information operations." Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), the domestic security agency that also conducts espionage campaigns for Moscow, and Russia's embassy in Washington did not respond to emailed requests for comment. Western officials say the Russian government is a global leader in hacking and uses cyber-espionage to spy on foreign governments and industries to seek a competitive advantage. However, Moscow has consistently denied that it carries out hacking operations. Reuters showed its findings to five industry experts who confirmed the involvement of Cold River in the attempted nuclear labs hacks, based on shared digital fingerprints that researchers have historically tied to the group. The U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) declined to comment on Cold River's activities. Britain's Global Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), its NSA equivalent, did not comment. The foreign office declined to comment. 'INTELLIGENCE COLLECTION' In May, Cold River broke into and leaked emails belonging to the former head of Britain's MI6 spy service. That was just one of several 'hack and leak' operations last year by Russia-linked hackers in which confidential communications were made public in Britain, Poland and Latvia, according to cybersecurity experts and Eastern European security officials. In another recent espionage operation targeting critics of Moscow, Cold River registered domain names designed to imitate at least three European NGOs investigating war crimes, according to French cybersecurity firm SEKOIA.IO. The NGO-related hacking attempts occurred just before and after the October 18 launch of a report by a U.N. independent commission of enquiry that found Russian forces were responsible for the "vast majority" of human rights violations in the early weeks of the Ukraine war, which Russia has called a special military operation. In a blog post, SEKOIA.IO said that, based on its targeting of the NGOs, Cold River was seeking to contribute to "Russian intelligence collection about identiﬁed war crime-related evidence and/or international justice procedures." Reuters was unable independently to confirm why Cold River targeted the NGOs. The Commission for International Justice and Accountability (CIJA), a nonprofit founded by a veteran war crimes investigator, said it had been repeatedly targeted by Russian-backed hackers in the past eight years without success. The other two NGOs, the International Center of Nonviolent Conflict and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, did not respond to requests for comment. Russia's embassy in Washington did not return a request seeking comment about the attempted hack against CIJA. Cold River has employed tactics such as tricking people into entering their usernames and passwords on fake websites to gain access to their computer systems, security researchers told Reuters. To do this, Cold River has used a variety of email accounts to register domain names such as "goo-link[.]online" and "online365-office[.]com" which at a glance look similar to legitimate services operated by firms like Google and Microsoft, the security researchers said. DEEP TIES TO RUSSIA Cold River made several missteps in recent years that allowed cybersecurity analysts to pinpoint the exact location and identity of one of its members, providing the clearest indication yet of the group's Russian origin, according to experts from Internet giant Google, British defense contractor BAE, and U.S. intelligence firm Nisos. Multiple personal email addresses used to set up Cold River missions belong to Andrey Korinets, a 35-year-old IT worker and bodybuilder in Syktyvkar, about 1,600 km (1,000 miles) northeast of Moscow. Usage of these accounts left a trail of digital evidence from different hacks back to Korinets' online life, including social media accounts and personal websites. Billy Leonard, a Security Engineer on Google's Threat Analysis Group who investigates nation state hacking, said Korinets was involved. "Google has tied this individual to the Russian hacking group Cold River and their early operations," he said. Vincas Ciziunas, a security researcher at Nisos who also connected Korinets' email addresses to Cold River activity, said the IT worker appeared to be a "central figure" in the Syktyvkar hacking community, historically. Ciziunas discovered a series of Russian language internet forums, including an eZine, where Korinets had discussed hacking, and shared those posts with Reuters. Korinets confirmed that he owned the relevant email accounts in an interview with Reuters but he denied any knowledge of Cold River. He said his only experience with hacking came years ago when he was fined by a Russian court over a computer crime committed during a business dispute with a former customer. Reuters was able separately to confirm Korinets' links to Cold River by using data compiled through cybersecurity research platforms Constella Intelligence and DomainTools, which help identify the owners of websites: the data showed that Korinets' email addresses registered numerous websites used in Cold River hacking campaigns between 2015 and 2020. It is unclear whether Korinets has been involved in hacking operations since 2020. He offered no explanation of why these email addresses were used and did not respond to further phone calls and emailed questions. 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 hackers targeted US nuclear scientists

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<p><strong><em>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.&nbsp;</em></strong></p>

<p>The deputy head of Ukraine's presidential administration said that the city of Kramatorsk, which is in eastern Ukraine, reported fresh Russian strikes on Friday (January 6). The reported strikes came after the supposed start of a unilateral Russian ceasefire.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kyrylo Tymoshenko said on social media that the "occupiers hit the city with rockets twice". Tymoshenko further added that a residential building had been hit but there were no victims.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The news agency AFP also reported that their journalists heard both outgoing and incoming shelling in the frontline city of Bakhmut, which is in eastern Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per the agency report, the artillery fire was lighter than it has been in recent days. The streets of the impacted region were mostly empty because of the previous bombings. Some military vehicles were said to be present.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the Russian news agency TASS reported that Ukraine shelled Donetsk exactly when the ceasefire came into effect. The Donetsk People's Republic's (DPR) mission to the Joint Control and Coordination Center on issues related to Ukraine's war crimes (JCCC) reported on Friday that the fire came from 155 mm NATO artillery guns.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On its Telegram channel, the mission said, "Six shells of 155 mm caliber were fired."&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday a temporary ceasefire during Orthodox Christmas. It was supposed to have taken effect in Ukraine at 0900 GMT on Friday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, Ukraine dismissed the ceasefire and told Russia to keep the "hypocrisy to yourself". Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said that Russia "must leave the occupied territories - only then will it have a 'temporary truce'".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier, Ukraine several times dismissed rumours regarding the ceasefire, terming it as a strategy by Russia to gain time to regroup its forces and bolster its defences.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After Putin's recent order, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the unilateral ceasefire "cannot and should not be taken seriously".&nbsp;</p>

<p>United States President Joe Biden was also equally dismissive. He said, "He was ready to bomb hospitals and nurseries and churches" on December 25 and on New Year's Day".&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I think he's trying to find some oxygen," Biden added.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

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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. The deputy head of Ukraine's presidential administration said that the city of Kramatorsk, which is in eastern Ukraine, reported fresh Russian strikes on Friday (January 6). The reported strikes came after the supposed start of a unilateral Russian ceasefire. Kyrylo Tymoshenko said on social media that the "occupiers hit the city with rockets twice". Tymoshenko further added that a residential building had been hit but there were no victims. The news agency AFP also reported that their journalists heard both outgoing and incoming shelling in the frontline city of Bakhmut, which is in eastern Ukraine. As per the agency report, the artillery fire was lighter than it has been in recent days. The streets of the impacted region were mostly empty because of the previous bombings. Some military vehicles were said to be present. Meanwhile, the Russian news agency TASS reported that Ukraine shelled Donetsk exactly when the ceasefire came into effect. The Donetsk People's Republic's (DPR) mission to the Joint Control and Coordination Center on issues related to Ukraine's war crimes (JCCC) reported on Friday that the fire came from 155 mm NATO artillery guns. On its Telegram channel, the mission said, "Six shells of 155 mm caliber were fired." Watch this report: × Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday a temporary ceasefire during Orthodox Christmas. It was supposed to have taken effect in Ukraine at 0900 GMT on Friday. However, Ukraine dismissed the ceasefire and told Russia to keep the "hypocrisy to yourself". Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said that Russia "must leave the occupied territories - only then will it have a 'temporary truce'". Earlier, Ukraine several times dismissed rumours regarding the ceasefire, terming it as a strategy by Russia to gain time to regroup its forces and bolster its defences. After Putin's recent order, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the unilateral ceasefire "cannot and should not be taken seriously". United States President Joe Biden was also equally dismissive. He said, "He was ready to bomb hospitals and nurseries and churches" on December 25 and on New Year's Day". "I think he's trying to find some oxygen," Biden added. 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 reports fresh strikes as Putin's unilateral ceasefire starts

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<p><strong><em>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.</em></strong></p>

<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a ceasefire in Ukraine on January 6 to 7, the news agency AFP reported citing Kremlin, but Ukraine has called the declaration a "hypocrisy". The report mentioned that the decision comes on the eve of Orthodox Christmas following a request from Russia's spiritual leader Patriarch Kirill.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Notably, Russia's Orthodox Church observes Christmas on January 7. But owing to the ongoing&nbsp;war, many Ukrainians this year celebrated Christmas on December 25—similar to the West—and Ukraine's main Orthodox Church rejected the authority of the Moscow patriarch.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Kremlin said in a statement: "Taking into account the appeal of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, I (Putin) instruct the defence minister of the Russian Federation to introduce from 12:00 (0900 GMT) on January 6, 2023 until 24:00 (2100 GMT) on January 7, 2023 a ceasefire along the entire line of contact between the sides in Ukraine."&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the order, Putin said that "proceeding from the fact that a large number of citizens professing Orthodoxy live in the areas of hostilities, we call on the Ukrainian side to declare a ceasefire and allow them to attend services on Christmas Eve, as well as on Christmas Day."&nbsp;</p>

<p>While responding to the temporary ceasefire, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said that Russia "must leave the occupied territories -- only then will it have a 'temporary truce'. On his official Twitter account, Podolyak said to keep "hypocrisy to yourself."&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">First. Ukraine doesn't attack foreign territory &amp; doesn't kill civilians. As RF does. Ukraine destroys only members of the occupation army on its territory...<br />
Second. RF must leave the occupied territories - only then will it have a "temporary truce". Keep hypocrisy to yourself.</p>
— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) <a href="https://twitter.com/Podolyak_M/status/1611028379771482118?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Earlier in the day, Putin and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke to Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan in separate phone calls. As the world expects the war to end, both leaders made it clear that there would be no peace talks between them any time soon.&nbsp;</p>

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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. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a ceasefire in Ukraine on January 6 to 7, the news agency AFP reported citing Kremlin, but Ukraine has called the declaration a "hypocrisy". The report mentioned that the decision comes on the eve of Orthodox Christmas following a request from Russia's spiritual leader Patriarch Kirill. Notably, Russia's Orthodox Church observes Christmas on January 7. But owing to the ongoing war, many Ukrainians this year celebrated Christmas on December 25—similar to the West—and Ukraine's main Orthodox Church rejected the authority of the Moscow patriarch. The Kremlin said in a statement: "Taking into account the appeal of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, I (Putin) instruct the defence minister of the Russian Federation to introduce from 12:00 (0900 GMT) on January 6, 2023 until 24:00 (2100 GMT) on January 7, 2023 a ceasefire along the entire line of contact between the sides in Ukraine." In the order, Putin said that "proceeding from the fact that a large number of citizens professing Orthodoxy live in the areas of hostilities, we call on the Ukrainian side to declare a ceasefire and allow them to attend services on Christmas Eve, as well as on Christmas Day." While responding to the temporary ceasefire, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said that Russia "must leave the occupied territories -- only then will it have a 'temporary truce'. On his official Twitter account, Podolyak said to keep "hypocrisy to yourself." First. Ukraine doesn't attack foreign territory & doesn't kill civilians. As RF does. Ukraine destroys only members of the occupation army on its territory... Second. RF must leave the occupied territories - only then will it have a "temporary truce". Keep hypocrisy to yourself. — Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) January 5, 2023 × WATCH | Why is Russia sending more Arctic oil to India & China? × Earlier in the day, Putin and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke to Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan in separate phone calls. As the world expects the war to end, both leaders made it clear that there would be no peace talks between them any time soon. 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: Putin offers Orthodox Christmas truce, Ukraine rejects it as 'hypocrisy'

<p>President Vladimir Putin, in his conversation with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said he was willing to hold talks with Ukraine if the latter is ready to accept territories which have been occupied by Russia, said the Kremlin on Thursday.&nbsp;"Putin again confirmed Russia's openness to serious dialogue on the condition of Kyiv authorities fulfilling the well-known and repeatedly voiced requirements of taking into account the new territorial realities," the Kremlin's statement read.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Large parts of southern and eastern Ukraine have been occupied by Russia. The Kremlin claims to have captured the Zaporizhzhia, Lugansk, Donetsk and Kherson regions, although they don't entirely control them.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The Russian side emphasised the destructive role of Western states, pumping the Kyiv regime with weapons and military equipment, providing it with operational information and targets," the statement read.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ|</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-in-talks-with-russia-about-using-syrian-airspace-in-potential-operation-546388">Turkey in talks with Russia about using Syrian airspace in potential operation</a></p>

<p>The two leaders also talked about the landmark grain deal's implementation, which was brokered by the UN with Turkey's help, for restoring the delivery of Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Kremlin stated that the two leaders talked about "the unblocking of food and fertiliser supplies from Russia" and the need for "the removal of all barriers to Russian exports." &nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Erdogan appealed to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to announce a "unilateral" ceasefire in the war-ravaged Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"President Erdogan said that calls for peace and negotiations should be supported by a unilateral ceasefire and a vision for a fair solution," Erdogan's office quoted the Turkish president as saying during a telephonic conversation with Putin.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Later on Thursday, the Turkish president was scheduled to hold a separate meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Erdogan has been trying to mediate between Moscow and Kyiv, as he shares good relations with both countries, to end the war.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Repeated attempts have been made by Erdogan to invite both Zelensky and Putin to Ankara for a peace summit.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Turkey: Headscarf debate reaches Parliament; Turkish feminists condemn Erdogan's move</strong></p>

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<p>The appeal for a 'unilateral' ceasefire was made by Erdogan after Russia's spiritual leader Patriarch Kirill had earlier on Thursday called for an Orthodox Christmas truce.</p>

<p>"I, Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, appeal to all the parties involved in the internecine conflict to cease fire and establish a Christmas truce from 12.00 on January 6 until 24.00 on January 7 so that Orthodox people can attend services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day," he stated.</p>

<p>President Erdogan has maintained good ties with Putin by not joining the West in imposing sanctions on Russia and increasing bilateral trade amid the ongoing war.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Now, the two leaders have tentative plans of establishing a natural gas hub in Ankara which can provide an alternate way to Russia for supplying Europe with fuel.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The office of President Erdogan stated that Ankara "has strengthened and will continue to strengthen the infrastructure" of the proposed hub. Both the leaders hope to "implement (the project) as soon as possible", stated Erdogan's office.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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President Vladimir Putin, in his conversation with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said he was willing to hold talks with Ukraine if the latter is ready to accept territories which have been occupied by Russia, said the Kremlin on Thursday.

President Vladimir Putin, in his conversation with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said he was willing to hold talks with Ukraine if the latter is ready to accept territories which have been occupied by Russia, said the Kremlin on Thursday. "Putin again confirmed Russia's openness to serious dialogue on the condition of Kyiv authorities fulfilling the well-known and repeatedly voiced requirements of taking into account the new territorial realities," the Kremlin's statement read. Large parts of southern and eastern Ukraine have been occupied by Russia. The Kremlin claims to have captured the Zaporizhzhia, Lugansk, Donetsk and Kherson regions, although they don't entirely control them. "The Russian side emphasised the destructive role of Western states, pumping the Kyiv regime with weapons and military equipment, providing it with operational information and targets," the statement read. ALSO READ| Turkey in talks with Russia about using Syrian airspace in potential operation The two leaders also talked about the landmark grain deal's implementation, which was brokered by the UN with Turkey's help, for restoring the delivery of Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea. The Kremlin stated that the two leaders talked about "the unblocking of food and fertiliser supplies from Russia" and the need for "the removal of all barriers to Russian exports." Meanwhile, Erdogan appealed to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to announce a "unilateral" ceasefire in the war-ravaged Ukraine. "President Erdogan said that calls for peace and negotiations should be supported by a unilateral ceasefire and a vision for a fair solution," Erdogan's office quoted the Turkish president as saying during a telephonic conversation with Putin. Later on Thursday, the Turkish president was scheduled to hold a separate meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Erdogan has been trying to mediate between Moscow and Kyiv, as he shares good relations with both countries, to end the war. Repeated attempts have been made by Erdogan to invite both Zelensky and Putin to Ankara for a peace summit. WATCH | Turkey: Headscarf debate reaches Parliament; Turkish feminists condemn Erdogan's move The appeal for a 'unilateral' ceasefire was made by Erdogan after Russia's spiritual leader Patriarch Kirill had earlier on Thursday called for an Orthodox Christmas truce. "I, Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, appeal to all the parties involved in the internecine conflict to cease fire and establish a Christmas truce from 12.00 on January 6 until 24.00 on January 7 so that Orthodox people can attend services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day," he stated. President Erdogan has maintained good ties with Putin by not joining the West in imposing sanctions on Russia and increasing bilateral trade amid the ongoing war. Now, the two leaders have tentative plans of establishing a natural gas hub in Ankara which can provide an alternate way to Russia for supplying Europe with fuel. The office of President Erdogan stated that Ankara "has strengthened and will continue to strengthen the infrastructure" of the proposed hub. Both the leaders hope to "implement (the project) as soon as possible", stated Erdogan's office. (With inputs from agencies)

Putin says open for dialogue if Ukraine accepts 'new territorial realities'