Is China taking lessons from Russia's invasion of Ukraine? As the war continues, Beijing has ordered 5 more warships. What are Beijing's plans? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: China is quietly boosting its firepower

As the war in Ukraine crosses 6 months, Palki Sharma looks back at how WION covered the Russian invasion. From ground reports to detailed analysis, here's a round-up of our best Ukraine reportage.

Gravitas: How WION covered 6 months of the war in Ukraine

The war in Ukraine is nowhere near an end. What are the big takeaways from the past six months? And what lies ahead for Ukraine and the world? Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas: How the war in Ukraine could pan out

Officials reported that dozens of people were injured and at least 22 people died on Wednesday when Russian rocket attacks struck a Ukrainian town and ignited a passenger train. The incident occurred as the country celebrated 31 years since gaining independence from Moscow-dominated Soviet rule.

Watch: The aftermath of Russian attack on Ukraine's Chaplyne

A senior White House official indicated on Wednesday that Russia could start referenda intended to formally establish its rule over the Ukrainian territory it captured this week.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said the United States has heard "that Russian leadership has instructed officials to begin preparing to hold sham referenda" in Kherson, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and "particularly" Kharkiv, the second-largest city in Ukraine.&nbsp;

"These referenda could begin in a matter of days or weeks. In fact, we could see a Russian announcement of the first one or ones before the end of this week," he added.&nbsp;

"Since they obviously are having trouble achieving geographic gains inside Ukraine, they are trying to gain that through false political means," he said.

Kirby asserted that there is little support among Ukrainians in such regions for Russian annexation.

"We expect Russia to try to manipulate the results of these referenda, to falsely claim that the Ukrainian people want to join Russia," he said.

"It will be critical to call out and counter this disinformation in real-time," he said.

In 2014, weeks after capturing control of the Crimean peninsula of Ukraine, Moscow sponsored a referendum that allegedly revealed the region's residents preferred to join Russia.&nbsp;

According to the US intelligence, Russian authorities in the occupied territories are concerned that the local population won't show up to vote, Kirby said.&nbsp;He&nbsp;further stated without going into further detail that the Russians are preparing "workarounds" to show success in order to cope with it.

"The Russian officials themselves know that what they're doing will lack legitimacy, and it will not reflect the will of the people," he said.

"The United States and the international community have been very clear that any attempts at controlling Ukraine's sovereign territory will not be considered legitimate," he said.

(with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

A senior White House official indicated on Wednesday that Russia could start referenda intended to formally establish its rule over the Ukrainian territory it captured this week.

A senior White House official indicated on Wednesday that Russia could start referenda intended to formally establish its rule over the Ukrainian territory it captured this week. White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said the United States has heard "that Russian leadership has instructed officials to begin preparing to hold sham referenda" in Kherson, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and "particularly" Kharkiv, the second-largest city in Ukraine. "These referenda could begin in a matter of days or weeks. In fact, we could see a Russian announcement of the first one or ones before the end of this week," he added. "Since they obviously are having trouble achieving geographic gains inside Ukraine, they are trying to gain that through false political means," he said. Kirby asserted that there is little support among Ukrainians in such regions for Russian annexation. "We expect Russia to try to manipulate the results of these referenda, to falsely claim that the Ukrainian people want to join Russia," he said. "It will be critical to call out and counter this disinformation in real-time," he said. In 2014, weeks after capturing control of the Crimean peninsula of Ukraine, Moscow sponsored a referendum that allegedly revealed the region's residents preferred to join Russia. According to the US intelligence, Russian authorities in the occupied territories are concerned that the local population won't show up to vote, Kirby said. He further stated without going into further detail that the Russians are preparing "workarounds" to show success in order to cope with it. "The Russian officials themselves know that what they're doing will lack legitimacy, and it will not reflect the will of the people," he said. "The United States and the international community have been very clear that any attempts at controlling Ukraine's sovereign territory will not be considered legitimate," he said. (with inputs from agencies)

Russia may announce 'sham' referenda to formalise control of captured territories in Ukraine: US

At least&nbsp;22 people were killed and&nbsp;50 wounded after Russian missile strikes hit a Ukraine railway station on Wednesday, the 31st Independence Day of the war-ravaged country.&nbsp;

The strikes came as Ukraine&nbsp;marked its independence and incidentally also the six months of its war with Russia.

“I have just received information about a Russian missile strike on a railway station in the (central) Dnipropetrovsk region," Zelensky informed in a speech to the UN Security Council on Wednesday.

The Ukrainian leader added that the strike was "right on the wagons at Chaplino station. Four passenger cars are on fire", reported&nbsp;AFP.

Zelensky said he expects the number of casualties to increase. "Rescuers are working on the spot, but the death toll may rise, unfortunately. This is our daily life," Zelensky said.

The images of destruction were shared by Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba on Twitter.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Terrorist Russia keeps killing Ukrainian civilians. At least 15 killed in a Russian missile strike on a train station in Chaplyne, Dnipropetrovsk region. As <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ZelenskyyUa</a> stressed at UNSC: terrorist Russia must be stopped now before it kills more people in Ukraine and beyond. <a href="https://t.co/GSbMbrYEc2">pic.twitter.com/GSbMbrYEc2</a>
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) <a href="https://twitter.com/DmytroKuleba/status/1562516375356076033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The photos purportedly show a number of smouldering rail carriages which seem to have suffered fire damage, as well as burned-out road vehicles and fallen masonry.

The minister said civilians had been killed in the attack, and blamed Russia for the missile strike.

Meanwhile, several missile strikes took place across Ukrainian territory on Wednesday, according to Yuriy Sak, adviser to the Ukrainian defence minister Oleksii Reznikov.

“The aggressor … proved the expectations that we had and is conducting today missile strikes across the Ukrainian territory,” Sak told CNN.

Sak said that Ukraine had “been receiving warnings about the possibility of massive missile strikes” on Ukraine’s Independence Day for nearly a week.

(With inputs from agencies)

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At least 22 people were killed and 50 wounded after Russian missile strikes hit a Ukraine railway station on Wednesday, the 31st Independence Day of the war-ravaged country.

At least 22 people were killed and 50 wounded after Russian missile strikes hit a Ukraine railway station on Wednesday, the 31st Independence Day of the war-ravaged country. The strikes came as Ukraine marked its independence and incidentally also the six months of its war with Russia. “I have just received information about a Russian missile strike on a railway station in the (central) Dnipropetrovsk region," Zelensky informed in a speech to the UN Security Council on Wednesday. The Ukrainian leader added that the strike was "right on the wagons at Chaplino station. Four passenger cars are on fire", reported AFP. Zelensky said he expects the number of casualties to increase. "Rescuers are working on the spot, but the death toll may rise, unfortunately. This is our daily life," Zelensky said. The images of destruction were shared by Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba on Twitter. Terrorist Russia keeps killing Ukrainian civilians. At least 15 killed in a Russian missile strike on a train station in Chaplyne, Dnipropetrovsk region. As @ZelenskyyUa stressed at UNSC: terrorist Russia must be stopped now before it kills more people in Ukraine and beyond. pic.twitter.com/GSbMbrYEc2 — Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) August 24, 2022 × The photos purportedly show a number of smouldering rail carriages which seem to have suffered fire damage, as well as burned-out road vehicles and fallen masonry. The minister said civilians had been killed in the attack, and blamed Russia for the missile strike. Meanwhile, several missile strikes took place across Ukrainian territory on Wednesday, according to Yuriy Sak, adviser to the Ukrainian defence minister Oleksii Reznikov. “The aggressor … proved the expectations that we had and is conducting today missile strikes across the Ukrainian territory,” Sak told CNN. Sak said that Ukraine had “been receiving warnings about the possibility of massive missile strikes” on Ukraine’s Independence Day for nearly a week. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

At least 22 killed, 50 hurt in Russian missile strikes at Ukraine railway station

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant which is at the center of the Ukraine conflict continues to worry over a possible nuclear disaster. Reports now suggest that a detailed plan has been drawn up by Russia to disconnect Europe's largest nuclear plant from Ukraine's grid, citing concerns ahead of Ukraine's atomic energy.

Ukraine Nuclear Chief warns over Russian activity at nuclear site

Since the war began the 37-year-old biologist, who works as a gardener to make ends meet has added another notch to his CV, as a key-keeper.

6 months of Ukraine war: Meet Kyiv's biologist turned key keeper

Unsure of what the future might bring, two young soldier couples tie the knot in front of a closed registry office in Ukraine amidst the ongoing war.

6 months of Ukraine war: Stories of love during war-time

When Putin invaded Ukraine on February 24, many expected a quick victory. Six months later, the largest military conflict in Europe since World War II has turned into a grinding war of attrition. Molly Gambhir tells you what lies next for both Russia and Ukraine.

WION Fineprint | Explained: Where the Ukraine war stands after 6 months

Volodymyr Zelensky has told Ukrainians in an emotional speech to mark 31 years of independence that the country was reborn when Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.

Ukraine marks Independence day six months after start of war

Russia readies emergency blue print, plan risks failure of nuclear plant's cooling system

After half a year of war in Ukraine, a slim majority of Americans agrees that the United States should continue to support Kyiv until Russia withdraws all its forces, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released on Wednesday.

The polling suggests continued support for President Joe Biden's policy of backing Ukraine, despite economic worries and domestic political developments grabbing Americans' attention in recent months.

The Biden administration has provided weapons and ammunition for Ukraine's bid to repel Russian forces and is expected to announce a new security assistance package of about $3 billion, a U.S. official said, as Ukraine's marks its Independence Day on Wednesday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed to recapture territory seized after the February&nbsp;24 invasion and in earlier incursions beginning in 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea.

Out of 1,005 people in the United States who took part in an online poll last week, 53% expressed support for backing Ukraine "until all Russian forces are withdrawn from territory claimed by Ukraine." Only 18% said they opposed.

That support came from both sides of the political divide, although Democratic voters were more likely to back the position, with 66% of Democrats in support compared to 51% of Republicans.

A slim majority, 51%, also supported providing arms such as guns and anti-tank weapons to Ukraine's military, compared with 22% who opposed.

In previous polls, higher numbers of Americans have backed providing arms to Ukraine but directly comparable polling was not available.

In line with past polling, there was little support among Americans from across the political spectrum for sending U.S. troops to Ukraine. Only 26% said they supported such an intervention, but 43% agreed with sending U.S. troops to NATO allies neighboring Ukraine who are not at war with Russia.

The poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points. 
&nbsp;

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You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

After half a year of war in Ukraine, a slim majority of Americans agrees that the United States should continue to support Kyiv until Russia withdraws all its forces, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released on Wednesday.

After half a year of war in Ukraine, a slim majority of Americans agrees that the United States should continue to support Kyiv until Russia withdraws all its forces, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released on Wednesday. The polling suggests continued support for President Joe Biden's policy of backing Ukraine, despite economic worries and domestic political developments grabbing Americans' attention in recent months. The Biden administration has provided weapons and ammunition for Ukraine's bid to repel Russian forces and is expected to announce a new security assistance package of about $3 billion, a U.S. official said, as Ukraine's marks its Independence Day on Wednesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed to recapture territory seized after the February 24 invasion and in earlier incursions beginning in 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea. Out of 1,005 people in the United States who took part in an online poll last week, 53% expressed support for backing Ukraine "until all Russian forces are withdrawn from territory claimed by Ukraine." Only 18% said they opposed. That support came from both sides of the political divide, although Democratic voters were more likely to back the position, with 66% of Democrats in support compared to 51% of Republicans. A slim majority, 51%, also supported providing arms such as guns and anti-tank weapons to Ukraine's military, compared with 22% who opposed. In previous polls, higher numbers of Americans have backed providing arms to Ukraine but directly comparable polling was not available. In line with past polling, there was little support among Americans from across the political spectrum for sending U.S. troops to Ukraine. Only 26% said they supported such an intervention, but 43% agreed with sending U.S. troops to NATO allies neighboring Ukraine who are not at war with Russia. The poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points. 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.

Just over half of Americans say US should back Ukraine until Russia withdraws: Poll

Life has been hell for most Ukrainians in the last six months. For those who have not been displaced by the war, bomb explosions have become a daily part of their life.

Russia-Ukraine war: 'In six months, peace has been broken'

Trauma that war brings cannot be explained and only those who have witnessed the tragedy first-hand can comprehend its implications. Here's one such report of a refugee who's currently residing in Poland.

Around 6.7 million Ukrainians displaced; refugees struggle to make ends meet

Boris Johnson has made a surprise visit to Kyiv to mark Ukraine's independence day. This is Johnson's third visit to Ukraine since Russia invaded six months ago.

Boris Johnson visits Kyiv as Ukraine marks Independence Day

After a rape video posted by Italy's Prime Minister hopeful&nbsp;Giorgia Meloni received widespread criticism, Twitter on Tuesday deleted the video. The post shared by Meloni was removed and replaced with a comment,&nbsp;"This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules."

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As reported by WION, the far-right leader on Monday posted&nbsp;a video which showed a Ukrainian refugee being sexually assaulted on the streets of Italy.&nbsp;

The video&nbsp;was reportedly shot by someone in a flat with a view of the street. The attacker was later taken into custody.

Read more<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/election-strategy-or-clickbait-voyeurism-italian-pm-hopeful-posts-rape-video-on-twitter-509391">:&nbsp;Election strategy or 'clickbait voyeurism'? Italian PM hopeful posts rape video on Twitter</a>

Along with the tweet, Meloni reportedly wrote, "One cannot remain silent in the face of this atrocious episode of sexual violence against a Ukrainian woman carried out in daytime in Piacenza by an asylum seeker."&nbsp;

“A hug to this woman. I will do everything I can to restore security to our cities," she added.

Enrico Letta, the head of the Democratic Party called Meloni's use of the video "indecent" and said that "respect of the victim comes first."

Meloni, however, claimed on Facebook that her competitors had used the rape to attack her while ignoring the victim to avoid dealing with what she called the immigration issue.

"I am honestly ashamed of political leaders who, while using rape to attack me, do not spend a word of solidarity for the victim, obviously for fear of having to face the issue of the security emergency aggravated by immigration illegal by the masses."

Read more: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-giorgia-meloni-italys-far-right-leader-tipped-to-become-first-female-prime-minister-500815">Who is Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s far-right leader tipped to become first female Prime Minister?</a>

Meanwhile, the Italian police, along with state watchdog tasked with the protection of personal data is investigating the dissemination of the gruesome video.

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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&nbsp;

After a rape video posted by Italy's Prime Minister hopeful Giorgia Meloni received widespread criticism, Twitter on Tuesday deleted the video. The post shared by Meloni was removed and replaced with a comment, "This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules.

After a rape video posted by Italy's Prime Minister hopeful Giorgia Meloni received widespread criticism, Twitter on Tuesday deleted the video. The post shared by Meloni was removed and replaced with a comment, "This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules." As reported by WION, the far-right leader on Monday posted a video which showed a Ukrainian refugee being sexually assaulted on the streets of Italy. The video was reportedly shot by someone in a flat with a view of the street. The attacker was later taken into custody. Read more: Election strategy or 'clickbait voyeurism'? Italian PM hopeful posts rape video on Twitter Along with the tweet, Meloni reportedly wrote, "One cannot remain silent in the face of this atrocious episode of sexual violence against a Ukrainian woman carried out in daytime in Piacenza by an asylum seeker." “A hug to this woman. I will do everything I can to restore security to our cities," she added. Enrico Letta, the head of the Democratic Party called Meloni's use of the video "indecent" and said that "respect of the victim comes first." Meloni, however, claimed on Facebook that her competitors had used the rape to attack her while ignoring the victim to avoid dealing with what she called the immigration issue. "I am honestly ashamed of political leaders who, while using rape to attack me, do not spend a word of solidarity for the victim, obviously for fear of having to face the issue of the security emergency aggravated by immigration illegal by the masses." Read more: Who is Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s far-right leader tipped to become first female Prime Minister? Meanwhile, the Italian police, along with state watchdog tasked with the protection of personal data is investigating the dissemination of the gruesome video. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Rape video posted by Italian PM hopeful Giorgia Meloni deleted by Twitter

Ukraine marks Independence day: Zelensky says Ukraine was ‘reborn’ when Russia invaded on Feb 24

Destroyed Russian military vehicles and war machines have been on display in Kyiv as part of an exhibition linked to Independence Day celebrations.

Ukraine marks Independence day: Kyiv displays destroyed Russian tanks and war machines

The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine is affecting the global economies. The war in Ukraine has caused the prices of all sorts of products to rise. Not just gas, oil and fuel, but also foodstuffs. The conflict is also pushing European countries towards recession.

Fallout of Russia-Ukraine war: How the conflict is impacting global economies

The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine resulted in a massive food shortage around the world due to the latter’s inability in exporting grains due to blockade of ports. Ukraine is one of the leading exporters of food grains in the world and the Russian blockage on the Black Sea led to a global crisis. The situation now&nbsp;is getting better and a United States official said that Ukraine&nbsp;is well on course to ship almost the same quantity of grains as it used to before the invasion after reaching an agreement with Russia.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-accused-of-neglecting-security-problems-everything-you-need-to-know-509670">Twitter accused of neglecting security problems: Everything you need to know</a>

"Thanks to intensive international cooperation, Ukraine is on track to export as much as four million metric tonnes of agricultural products in August," a senior US State Department official told AFP.&nbsp;

The Russian invasion has dealt a massive blow to the supply chain all around the world and with no exports from Ukraine, the United Nations believed that the world could experience one of the worst food shortages in history. However, the current levels have brought respite to global concerns.

Also&nbsp;read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/live-ukraine-celebrates-independence-day-zelensky-vows-to-retake-annexed-crimea-509630" hreflang="en">LIVE: Ukraine celebrates Independence Day, Zelensky vows to retake Crimea</a>

According to the US authorities, around 720,000 tonnes of grain were carried out of Ukraine in the past few weeks with the help of 33 ships. The European Union has also introduced "Solidarity Lanes" — a system of vehicles on road and water — to solidify the distribution process of the exports from Ukraine.

The US has also announced that it will be contributing $68 million to the World Food Programme which will be used to buy 150,000 metric tonNEs of Ukrainian wheat in a bid to battle the global food crisis.

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

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The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine resulted in a massive food shortage around the world due to the latter’s inability in exporting grains due to blockade of ports.

The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine resulted in a massive food shortage around the world due to the latter’s inability in exporting grains due to blockade of ports. Ukraine is one of the leading exporters of food grains in the world and the Russian blockage on the Black Sea led to a global crisis. The situation now is getting better and a United States official said that Ukraine is well on course to ship almost the same quantity of grains as it used to before the invasion after reaching an agreement with Russia. Also read | Twitter accused of neglecting security problems: Everything you need to know "Thanks to intensive international cooperation, Ukraine is on track to export as much as four million metric tonnes of agricultural products in August," a senior US State Department official told AFP. The Russian invasion has dealt a massive blow to the supply chain all around the world and with no exports from Ukraine, the United Nations believed that the world could experience one of the worst food shortages in history. However, the current levels have brought respite to global concerns. Also read | LIVE: Ukraine celebrates Independence Day, Zelensky vows to retake Crimea According to the US authorities, around 720,000 tonnes of grain were carried out of Ukraine in the past few weeks with the help of 33 ships. The European Union has also introduced "Solidarity Lanes" — a system of vehicles on road and water — to solidify the distribution process of the exports from Ukraine. The US has also announced that it will be contributing $68 million to the World Food Programme which will be used to buy 150,000 metric tonNEs of Ukrainian wheat in a bid to battle the global food crisis. (With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine grain exports are back to pre-war levels, says US official

Amidst a raging war with Russia, Ukraine has vowed to take back Crimea, a territory annexed by Moscow in 2014. Ukrainian President Zelensky on Tuesday said taking Crimea back would help re-establish world law and order.

Crimea summit aims at restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday (August 23) said&nbsp;that Germany planned to send more arms worth USD 498.55 million to Ukraine, reports Reuters quoting sources. The report has come on the eve of Ukraine's Independence Day. Ukraine will celebrate its 31st Independence Day on August 24.

Scholz made the announcement as he participated in an online conference on Ukraine which took place in Toronto. Germany plans to supply three additional Iris-T air defence systems, a dozen armoured recovery vehicles, 20 rocket launchers, precision ammunition and anti-drone systems.

These weapons will be delivered in 2023, some of them possibly sooner. A source quoted by Reuters said that Germany's parliamentary budget committee must still approve the supplies which Scholz described as a contribution to the modernization of Ukraine's armed forces.

Ukraine is on high alert as it celebrates its Independence Day. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has already said that Russia might do something 'ugly' on Ukraine's Independence Day. Yuriy Sak, adviser to Ukraine's defence minister, confirmed the high-alert status of Ukraine.&nbsp;

The celebrations will be muted this year and large gatherings have been banned in the capital Kyiv.

There is also a mounting concern after Russia accused Ukrainian intelligence of being behind the assassination of the daughter of a prominent ultranationalist intellectual in Moscow on Saturday.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday (August 23) said that Germany planned to send more arms worth USD 498.55 million to Ukraine, reports Reuters quoting sources.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday (August 23) said that Germany planned to send more arms worth USD 498.55 million to Ukraine, reports Reuters quoting sources. The report has come on the eve of Ukraine's Independence Day. Ukraine will celebrate its 31st Independence Day on August 24. Scholz made the announcement as he participated in an online conference on Ukraine which took place in Toronto. Germany plans to supply three additional Iris-T air defence systems, a dozen armoured recovery vehicles, 20 rocket launchers, precision ammunition and anti-drone systems. These weapons will be delivered in 2023, some of them possibly sooner. A source quoted by Reuters said that Germany's parliamentary budget committee must still approve the supplies which Scholz described as a contribution to the modernization of Ukraine's armed forces. Ukraine is on high alert as it celebrates its Independence Day. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has already said that Russia might do something 'ugly' on Ukraine's Independence Day. Yuriy Sak, adviser to Ukraine's defence minister, confirmed the high-alert status of Ukraine. The celebrations will be muted this year and large gatherings have been banned in the capital Kyiv. There is also a mounting concern after Russia accused Ukrainian intelligence of being behind the assassination of the daughter of a prominent ultranationalist intellectual in Moscow on Saturday.

Germany to send more weapons worth USD 500 million to Ukraine

Today is an important day for Ukraine as the country marks 31 years of independence from the soviet union. However, celebrations will be muted, curfew has been imposed and security heightened as Ukraine marks six months since Russia began its invasion.

Ukraine on alert for 'brutal strikes', celebrations muted on country's 31st Independence day

The world continues to worry over the strikes around Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. IAEA has renewed request for the plant visit. Meanwhile IAEA said that Zaporizhzhia plant visit to happen soon if talks succeed.

Russia-Ukraine war: Fears over strikes around Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant

Three Ukrainian troops who claimed they were injured and captured by Russia before being later freed, accused their captors of torturing and using psychological pressure after one of the fiercest engagements in the war.

Following Russia's invasion on February 24, the soldiers, who were a part of a group that fought for weeks from a sizable steelworks in the southern port of Mariupol, claimed during a news conference in Kyiv that their captors sought to force them to confess to atrocities against civilians.

Russia has already been charged with war crimes by Ukraine, but Moscow has refuted the claims.&nbsp;

Vladyslav Zhaivoronok, who lost a leg, said, "I was interrogated even before I started receiving antibiotics after my limb was amputated."&nbsp;

"The guys who were there were tortured. Some had needles inserted into their wounds, some were tortured with water, some received inadequate treatment " he explained, according to a Reuters report.

The three individuals were traded for Russian POWs. Although the exact date of the exchange was not immediately known, Ukraine declared in June that Russia had released 144 prisoners.&nbsp;

Zhaivoronok served in the national guard's Azov Regiment. Azov included some individuals with far-right and ultranationalist roots.

Hundreds of Azov forces gave up in May after weeks of combat from the steelworks' tunnels and bunkers. The Russian Supreme Court declared the regiment to be a terrorist organisation on August 2, despite the fact that the Azov inmates have not yet received formal charges.&nbsp;

In order to demilitarise its smaller neighbour and safeguard Russian-speaking minorities, Russia invaded Ukraine in what it refers to as a "special military operation." Moscow is accused of pursuing an imperial-style war of conquest by Ukraine and its Western sponsors.

(with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Three Ukrainian troops who claimed they were injured and captured by Russia before being later freed, accused their captors of torturing and using psychological pressure after one of the fiercest engagements in the war.

Three Ukrainian troops who claimed they were injured and captured by Russia before being later freed, accused their captors of torturing and using psychological pressure after one of the fiercest engagements in the war. Following Russia's invasion on February 24, the soldiers, who were a part of a group that fought for weeks from a sizable steelworks in the southern port of Mariupol, claimed during a news conference in Kyiv that their captors sought to force them to confess to atrocities against civilians. Russia has already been charged with war crimes by Ukraine, but Moscow has refuted the claims. Vladyslav Zhaivoronok, who lost a leg, said, "I was interrogated even before I started receiving antibiotics after my limb was amputated." "The guys who were there were tortured. Some had needles inserted into their wounds, some were tortured with water, some received inadequate treatment " he explained, according to a Reuters report. The three individuals were traded for Russian POWs. Although the exact date of the exchange was not immediately known, Ukraine declared in June that Russia had released 144 prisoners. Zhaivoronok served in the national guard's Azov Regiment. Azov included some individuals with far-right and ultranationalist roots. Hundreds of Azov forces gave up in May after weeks of combat from the steelworks' tunnels and bunkers. The Russian Supreme Court declared the regiment to be a terrorist organisation on August 2, despite the fact that the Azov inmates have not yet received formal charges. In order to demilitarise its smaller neighbour and safeguard Russian-speaking minorities, Russia invaded Ukraine in what it refers to as a "special military operation." Moscow is accused of pursuing an imperial-style war of conquest by Ukraine and its Western sponsors. (with inputs from agencies)

Released Ukrainian soldiers accuse Russians of atrocities in prison

The US has information suggesting that Russia is preparing to shortly conduct new assaults against the government and civilian infrastructure of Ukraine,&nbsp; an American official has said on Monday.

“We have information that Russia is stepping up efforts to launch strikes against Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and government facilities in the coming days. Given Russia’s track record in Ukraine, we are concerned about the continued threat that Russian strikes pose to civilians and civilian infrastructure," the official said, as reported by Reuters.

The assertion, according to the official, was supported by American intelligence.

This week marks six months since Vladimir Putin issued an order for tens of thousands of Russian soldiers to invade Ukraine for a "special military operation"—a magnitude of invasion not seen in Europe since World War II. As a result of Russia's continuous bombardment, tens of thousands have died, millions have fled, and cities have been completely destroyed.&nbsp;

At least four persons were hurt by Russian rockets fired at Nikopol, Krivyi Rih, and Synelnykovsky, which are all close to the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, Zaporizhzhia, overnight, according to regional governor Valentyn Reznichenko's Telegram post.&nbsp;

According to the General Staff of Ukraine, Russian forces damaged the Soledar, Zaytseve, and Bilogorivka regions in the eastern Bakhmut region using artillery and multiple rocket launcher systems.

In the southeast of Ukraine's Odesa region, Russia claimed that its Kalibr missiles had targeted a granary, while Kyiv claimed that a missile stockpile including missiles for a US-made HIMARS rocket had been hit.&nbsp;

The commander of Ukraine's armed forces reported that about 9,000 military soldiers from his country had died in the conflict with Russia.&nbsp;

According to local authorities, Ukraine's capital Kyiv forbade public celebrations this week honouring the country's independence from the Russian-dominated Soviet Union, and its second-largest city Kharkiv imposed a curfew because of an increased risk of Russian aggression.

(with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

The US has information suggesting that Russia is preparing to shortly conduct new assaults against the government and civilian infrastructure of Ukraine, an American official has said on Monday.

The US has information suggesting that Russia is preparing to shortly conduct new assaults against the government and civilian infrastructure of Ukraine, an American official has said on Monday. “We have information that Russia is stepping up efforts to launch strikes against Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and government facilities in the coming days. Given Russia’s track record in Ukraine, we are concerned about the continued threat that Russian strikes pose to civilians and civilian infrastructure," the official said, as reported by Reuters. The assertion, according to the official, was supported by American intelligence. This week marks six months since Vladimir Putin issued an order for tens of thousands of Russian soldiers to invade Ukraine for a "special military operation"—a magnitude of invasion not seen in Europe since World War II. As a result of Russia's continuous bombardment, tens of thousands have died, millions have fled, and cities have been completely destroyed. At least four persons were hurt by Russian rockets fired at Nikopol, Krivyi Rih, and Synelnykovsky, which are all close to the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, Zaporizhzhia, overnight, according to regional governor Valentyn Reznichenko's Telegram post. According to the General Staff of Ukraine, Russian forces damaged the Soledar, Zaytseve, and Bilogorivka regions in the eastern Bakhmut region using artillery and multiple rocket launcher systems. In the southeast of Ukraine's Odesa region, Russia claimed that its Kalibr missiles had targeted a granary, while Kyiv claimed that a missile stockpile including missiles for a US-made HIMARS rocket had been hit. The commander of Ukraine's armed forces reported that about 9,000 military soldiers from his country had died in the conflict with Russia. According to local authorities, Ukraine's capital Kyiv forbade public celebrations this week honouring the country's independence from the Russian-dominated Soviet Union, and its second-largest city Kharkiv imposed a curfew because of an increased risk of Russian aggression. (with inputs from agencies)

Russia planning strikes on Ukraine civilian infrastructure soon: US intelligence

Shakhtar Donetsk and Metalist 1925 played out a 0-0 draw in Kyiv’s empty Olympic Stadium as competitive football returned to war-torn Ukraine. Molly Gambhir tells you how the sport has become a symbol of hope for the country.

WION Fineprint: Ukraine football season kicks off amid threat of Russian attacks

Russia’s counterintelligence agency claimed that the car bomb that killed the daughter of Vladimir Putin’s ally Alexander Dugina was planted by an alleged female Ukrainian spy who then fled to Estonia. Molly Gambhir tells you more.

WION Fineprint: Russia says female Ukrainian spy killed daughter of Putin’s ally

As Ukraine's independence day from Russia approaches (August 24), all eyes are on the Ukraine war again. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has already said that Russia might try to do something to reduce the symbolic and morale-boosting value of Ukrainian independence day. On the eve of the important day for Ukraine, WION's Mohammed Saleh spoke with Yuriy Sak, advisor to Ukraine's defence minister.

WION: Mr Sak this a crucial moment in terms of what is happening in the war. Tomorrow marks exactly six months since Russia invaded Ukraine. Also tomorrow is your 31st independence anniversary from the former Soviet Union. And in keeping with this, Ukraine has said that it has received intelligence that Russia may try to do something reallu ugly. What is the threat you perceive from Russia tomorrow?

Yuriy Sak: Hello and thank you for inviting me. Indeed tomorrow is a great national celebration for our country. It's our independence day and this is a celebration that we take very seriously. This will also be the day when we will have six months of aggressive war against Ukraine. And I want to stress that this is a war Russian aggressor was hoping to conduct in three days. They were planning to conquer the whole of Ukraine in maximum of seven days. And our Minister of Defence Oleksiy Reznikov, he personally saw, in the Russian tanks which were left by the occupiers in Kyiv, parade uniforms. They were planning to conduct this war very quickly, to destroy Ukrainian leadership, and to occupy our territory completely. Instead of that what we have now is parade of destroyed Russian tanks on Kyiv central street.&nbsp;

We as a nation have been very very heroically defending our country and European freedom from the Russian aggressor. Ahead of tomorrow's celebrations, we are of course now on high-alert because Russia in addition to being a war criminal and terrorist state has a very strange way of treating certain dates. Ukraine's independence is something that Russia wants to destroy. It wants to destroy Ukrainian people. This is why we are referring to this as genocide. And this is why we are calling on the international community to recognise Russia officially as state sponsor of terrorism.

So tomorrow is a big day. But I want to also stress that we have been living in an atmosphere of missile terror from Russia for last six months. Every day, Russia conducts missile strikes on Ukrainian cities. Every day, peaceful Ukrainian citizens are dying in these missile strikes. So in a sense, tomorrow will be, unfortunately, an ordinary day in the new normal we've been living in since February 24. But we hope that our fears will not come true. And we hope that tomorrow's celebrations will not be spoilt by another atrocity on the part of Russia.

Watch | August 24 marks Ukraine's 31st Independence Day; fear of fresh Russian strikes looms

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WION: This is the issue that a lot of people are talking about around the world, especially in the aftermath of what has happened to Darya Dugina, the daughter of Alexander Dugin, the philosopher and the far-right thinker, someone who is considered to be the brain of Vladimir Putin. Russia has unequivocally accused Ukraine of carrying out her assassination. What does Ukraine have to say for it?

Yuriy Sak: Our official position is very simple. We are not Russians. We are not terrorists. We do not fight with civillian population. We even don't fight with civillians who are hateful towards Ukraine. Because as you probably know, Mr Dugin used to say that Ukrainians must be killed and killed. And his late daughter who was killed in that accident, we are prone to believe that this was a false flag terrorist operation. Our intelligence agencies say that this most probably was an insider job. It was a provocation by the Russians. We do not carry killings of those people because we are a civilized democracy. We fight our enemy on the battlefield. And we value their human life very highly.

WION: I need to ask you about what has happened in Crimea over the course of last 10-12 days. Because your President Volodymyr Zelensky has been saying that Ukraine will stage a counter-attack, that Ukraine will re-conquer Crimea which has been occupied by Russia. What we've seen over the course of last 10-15 days, that there has been a series of mysterious and unexplained explosions which have targetted Russian military installations. Ukraine hasn't directly claimed responsibility for a lot of these attacks that have taken place in Crimea. But is Ukraine behind these explosions?

Yuriy Sak: Let's be clear. Crimea is a sovereign territory of Ukraine. It is an internationally recognised territory of Ukraine which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014. This is an internationally recognised fact. Point number 2, we have two things to say to Russian occupiers, and this has been our position all the while. Since Crimea is part of Ukraine, we will liberate it sooner or later. It just depends on how quickly we receive interational assistance and high-precision weaponry.

Third point, all we have to say to Russian occupiers who are in Crimea as well as other temporarily occupied parts of Ukraine, they have to get out from our country.

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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&nbsp;

As Ukraine's independence day from Russia approaches (August 24), all eyes are on the Ukraine war again. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has already said that Russia might try to do something to reduce the symbolic and morale-boosting value of Ukrainian independence day.

As Ukraine's independence day from Russia approaches (August 24), all eyes are on the Ukraine war again. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has already said that Russia might try to do something to reduce the symbolic and morale-boosting value of Ukrainian independence day. On the eve of the important day for Ukraine, WION's Mohammed Saleh spoke with Yuriy Sak, advisor to Ukraine's defence minister. WION: Mr Sak this a crucial moment in terms of what is happening in the war. Tomorrow marks exactly six months since Russia invaded Ukraine. Also tomorrow is your 31st independence anniversary from the former Soviet Union. And in keeping with this, Ukraine has said that it has received intelligence that Russia may try to do something reallu ugly. What is the threat you perceive from Russia tomorrow? Yuriy Sak: Hello and thank you for inviting me. Indeed tomorrow is a great national celebration for our country. It's our independence day and this is a celebration that we take very seriously. This will also be the day when we will have six months of aggressive war against Ukraine. And I want to stress that this is a war Russian aggressor was hoping to conduct in three days. They were planning to conquer the whole of Ukraine in maximum of seven days. And our Minister of Defence Oleksiy Reznikov, he personally saw, in the Russian tanks which were left by the occupiers in Kyiv, parade uniforms. They were planning to conduct this war very quickly, to destroy Ukrainian leadership, and to occupy our territory completely. Instead of that what we have now is parade of destroyed Russian tanks on Kyiv central street. We as a nation have been very very heroically defending our country and European freedom from the Russian aggressor. Ahead of tomorrow's celebrations, we are of course now on high-alert because Russia in addition to being a war criminal and terrorist state has a very strange way of treating certain dates. Ukraine's independence is something that Russia wants to destroy. It wants to destroy Ukrainian people. This is why we are referring to this as genocide. And this is why we are calling on the international community to recognise Russia officially as state sponsor of terrorism. So tomorrow is a big day. But I want to also stress that we have been living in an atmosphere of missile terror from Russia for last six months. Every day, Russia conducts missile strikes on Ukrainian cities. Every day, peaceful Ukrainian citizens are dying in these missile strikes. So in a sense, tomorrow will be, unfortunately, an ordinary day in the new normal we've been living in since February 24. But we hope that our fears will not come true. And we hope that tomorrow's celebrations will not be spoilt by another atrocity on the part of Russia. Watch | August 24 marks Ukraine's 31st Independence Day; fear of fresh Russian strikes looms × WION: This is the issue that a lot of people are talking about around the world, especially in the aftermath of what has happened to Darya Dugina, the daughter of Alexander Dugin, the philosopher and the far-right thinker, someone who is considered to be the brain of Vladimir Putin. Russia has unequivocally accused Ukraine of carrying out her assassination. What does Ukraine have to say for it? Yuriy Sak: Our official position is very simple. We are not Russians. We are not terrorists. We do not fight with civillian population. We even don't fight with civillians who are hateful towards Ukraine. Because as you probably know, Mr Dugin used to say that Ukrainians must be killed and killed. And his late daughter who was killed in that accident, we are prone to believe that this was a false flag terrorist operation. Our intelligence agencies say that this most probably was an insider job. It was a provocation by the Russians. We do not carry killings of those people because we are a civilized democracy. We fight our enemy on the battlefield. And we value their human life very highly. WION: I need to ask you about what has happened in Crimea over the course of last 10-12 days. Because your President Volodymyr Zelensky has been saying that Ukraine will stage a counter-attack, that Ukraine will re-conquer Crimea which has been occupied by Russia. What we've seen over the course of last 10-15 days, that there has been a series of mysterious and unexplained explosions which have targetted Russian military installations. Ukraine hasn't directly claimed responsibility for a lot of these attacks that have taken place in Crimea. But is Ukraine behind these explosions? Yuriy Sak: Let's be clear. Crimea is a sovereign territory of Ukraine. It is an internationally recognised territory of Ukraine which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014. This is an internationally recognised fact. Point number 2, we have two things to say to Russian occupiers, and this has been our position all the while. Since Crimea is part of Ukraine, we will liberate it sooner or later. It just depends on how quickly we receive interational assistance and high-precision weaponry. Third point, all we have to say to Russian occupiers who are in Crimea as well as other temporarily occupied parts of Ukraine, they have to get out from our country. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Ukraine is on high alert as I-day approaches, top Ukrainian official tells WION

Russia has accused Ukrainian forces of carrying out a car bombing that killed Darya Dugina, the daughter of an influential Russian ultra-nationalist who has backed Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Russia accuses Ukraine of Darya Dugina's murder

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