NATO foreign ministers are meeting as Russia and the alliance continues to spar over reports of military activity along the Ukraine border. Russia, meanwhile, has warned NATO against expanding its military infrastructure in Ukraine.

NATO and Russia spar as foreign ministers meet in Latvia, Putin warns west

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has made a major charge. He claims that Russia is plotting a coup against him. And Ukraine's richest man has been "drawn into the war". Will Ukraine witness a coup in the next 36 hours? Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Will Ukraine witness a coup in the next 36 hours?

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Latvia for talks with the country’s leaders and a NATO meeting as the alliance expresses concern about Russia’s military buildup along the border with Ukraine.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Latvia for NATO meeting on Russia military build-up

The Russian president Vladimir Putin's apparent obsession with Ukraine has brought in a new cold war-like situation. Russia's increasing military buildup along the Ukrainian border and also the latter's repeated warning of a possible retaliation have triggered fears of possible full-fledged conflict.

Vladimir Putin's Ukraine obsession escalates conflict

Ukraine held further military drills at its borders as it warned of painful consequences should Russia invade. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for further sanctions against Russia if the situation deteriorates.

Ukraine troops hold drill amid border tensions, warns Russia against invasion

Ukraine's Foreign Minister has warned Russia on Thursday that an attack on his country would incur "political, economic and human losses" and would be too costly.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister warns Russia of 'political losses' in case of attacks

Tensions between Ukraine and Russia have been escalating for several years. Russia has been amassing troops near the Ukraine border, now there are concerns that Russia might invade Ukraine.

US Intel: Russia calls up for reservists for invasion in Ukraine

Is Russia preparing to invade Ukraine? U.S. intel suggests 100,000 troops have descended on Ukraine's border, they could cross into Ukraine by next year. Does this mean war is certain? Palki Sharma decodes the possibilities.

Gravitas: Is Russia preparing to invade Ukraine? | Russian troops amassing at Ukrainian border

Russia has refuted US media reports alleging 'invasion' of Moscow into Ukraine, terming it as 'absurd'.

Russia dismisses reports of Ukraine invasion plan

Tensions continue to escalate between Russia and Ukraine over the military buildup near the border, NATO Chief has issued a stern warning to Russia over its military aggression towards its neighbor.

Tensions continue to escalate between Russia and Ukraine

Ukraine: Army ready to repel any attack by Russia

Artillery shells fired by Russian-backed separatists shrieked into this small town deep in the flatlands of eastern Ukraine, shearing branches from trees, scooping out craters, blowing up six houses and killing one Ukrainian soldier.

It was an all-too-common response to the smallest of provocations — a dispute over grocery shopping for 100 or so people living in the buffer zone between the separatists and Ukrainian government forces. But in the hair-trigger state of the Ukraine war, minor episodes can grow into full-fledged battles.

Hunkered down in a bunker, the Ukrainian commander, Maj. Oleksandr Sak, requested a counterstrike from a sophisticated new weapon in Ukraine’s arsenal, a Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 armed drone.

Deployed for the first time in combat by Ukraine and provided by a country that is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the drone hit a howitzer operated by the separatists. Things quickly escalated.

Across the border, Russia scrambled jets. The next day, Russian tanks mounted on rail cars rumbled toward the Ukrainian border. Diplomacy in Berlin, Moscow and Washington went into high gear.

The sudden spike in hostilities last month underscored the tenuous nature of the cease-fire that exists along the 279-mile front in the Ukraine war. It set off a new round of ominous warnings from Moscow, and highlighted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s willingness to escalate what is known as hybrid conflict, a blend of military and other means for creating disruption — including exploiting humanitarian crises like the current one on the Polish-Belarusian border.

The drone strike in Hranitne also raised fears in Western capitals that Russia would use the fighting as a pretext for a new intervention in Ukraine, potentially drawing the United States and Europe into a new phase of the conflict.

“Our concern is that Russia may make the serious mistake of attempting to rehash what it undertook back in 2014 when it amassed forces along the border, crossed into sovereign Ukrainian territory, and did so claiming falsely that it was provoked,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told journalists in Washington last week.

The battle came at an increasingly volatile moment in the conflict. This fall, commercial satellite photos and videos posted on social media have shown that Russian armored vehicles had massed near the Ukrainian border; Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has estimated the buildup at 100,000 troops. And Russian rhetoric toward Ukraine has hardened.

Amid this heightened tension, the drone strike in particular became a flash point for the Kremlin. Alarmed that Ukraine possessed this highly effective new military capability, Russia called the strike a destabilizing act that violated the cease-fire agreement reached in 2015.

Putin has twice in the past week pointed to the drone attack as a Ukrainian escalation, justifying a potential Russian response. He raised the issue in a phone call with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany.

Asked on Saturday about accusations from Washington that Russia was massing troops on the Ukraine border, Putin responded by criticizing the United States for supporting the drone strike, as well as for conducting a naval drill in the Black Sea, which he called a “serious challenge” for Russia.

“A sense is created that they just aren’t letting us relax,” he said. “Well, let them know we are not relaxing.”

Putin has long made clear that he views Ukraine as inseparable from Russia. In July he published an article outlining that doctrine, describing Russia and Ukraine as “essentially” one country divided by Western interference in the post-Soviet period, an apparent justification for Russian-Ukrainian unification. Russia has already annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula.

“We will never allow our historical territories and people close to us living there to be used against Russia,” he wrote.

Hacking, electoral meddling, energy politics and a recent migrant crisis on the border of Belarus and Poland have all strained ties between the West and Russia. But nowhere are the tensions more overt than in this conflict zone that cuts through villages and farmland, where opposing soldiers — one side backed by the United States, the other by Russia — face off.

Russia intervened militarily in Ukraine after street protesters deposed a pro-Russian Ukrainian president in 2014. Moscow sent soldiers wearing ski masks and unmarked uniforms to the Crimean Peninsula, whipping up the rebellion in the east in two separatist enclaves, the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics.

The front line in the war is sometimes called a new Berlin Wall, a dividing line in today’s geopolitics. It is an eerie realm of half-abandoned towns, fields and forests.

It is also a tinderbox that requires only a match to spark new hostilities. In late October, the buffer zone near Hranitne provided one.

In most places along the front, a scant few hundred yards separate two trench lines. But in some areas, including Hranitne, the gap widens to a few miles, and people live in between the two armies, in a no man’s land known in Ukraine as the “gray zone.” Residents must cross the Ukrainian trench line to shop and send their children to school, protected by an uneasy truce. Residents are aware of the danger, but are too poor to move.

“It’s scary,” said Oleksandr Petukhov, a retiree as he cleared the last checkpoint one recent day carrying a bag of cheese and eggs. “This is a ridiculous situation.”

In Hranitne, the access point for shopping on the Ukrainian side is a footbridge over the Kalmius River, a slow-moving flow of inky green water. Ukrainian soldiers peek out from above sandbag parapets as shoppers trickle across the bridge.

The troubles began about a month ago when separatists closed a checkpoint on their side — where local residents also traveled for shopping — for unclear reasons, possibly as a coronavirus precaution.

In response, on Oct. 25, Volodymyr Vesyolkin, the administrator of Hranitne, a position akin to mayor, led a contingent of about a dozen soldiers across the footbridge. The same day, the military laid concrete blocks for a new bridge about 700 yards away that would be accessible for vehicles.

His motive, Vesyolkin said, was humanitarian: to assure locals of access for shopping and deliveries of coal for winter heating.

“How can it violate anything?” Vesyolkin said in an interview. “This is our village. These are our people. They walk several kilometers to buy groceries.”

The separatists interpreted it otherwise — as a land grab — and soon their artillery shells filled the air.

Even Ukrainian military officers concede a misperception was possible. “They maybe thought we would send heavy weapons” across the new bridge, Sak said.

Through the night and into the next morning, a separatist unit with 122-millimeter artillery guns fired toward Ukrainian forces in what is known as a shoot-and-scoot maneuver intended to skirt counterattacks by the enemy.

In total, the separatists fired about 120 rounds at the unfinished new bridge, but every shot missed. They hit nearby houses instead, destroying one with such force that it appeared turned inside out, with a pile of cinder blocks covering the street.

Sak said he requested the drone strike because it was the only weapon that could hit the maneuvering enemy artillery and because civilians were in danger, though none were hit.

“Only modern weapons allow us to halt Russia’s aggression,” he said.

Most military analysts say flare-ups in Ukraine are more a pretext for strategic saber-rattling than a cause. But they are sparks in an already dangerous world, and the West remains on high alert this week as Russia takes an increasingly bellicose stance toward Ukraine.

When the fighting in Hranitne subsided, the villagers emerged with at least one small victory: They finally got their groceries.

Two days after the drone strike, separatists opened their checkpoint, allowing the Red Cross to deliver 50-pound boxes of food to each house. The boxes held rice, sugar, sunflower oil, macaroni, flour and cans of meat and fish.

Tatyana Yefesko, an elementary schoolteacher, said she appreciated the delivery. But it was hardly a long-term solution.

“Any small flare-up could turn into a big war,” she said. “Everybody asks, ‘Why did this happen? Who needs this?’ I don’t know. But history shows us every big war started with something small.”

Artillery shells fired by Russian-backed separatists shrieked into this small town deep in the flatlands of eastern Ukraine, shearing branches from trees, scooping out craters, blowing up six houses and killing one Ukrainian soldier.

Artillery shells fired by Russian-backed separatists shrieked into this small town deep in the flatlands of eastern Ukraine, shearing branches from trees, scooping out craters, blowing up six houses and killing one Ukrainian soldier. It was an all-too-common response to the smallest of provocations — a dispute over grocery shopping for 100 or so people living in the buffer zone between the separatists and Ukrainian government forces. But in the hair-trigger state of the Ukraine war, minor episodes can grow into full-fledged battles. Hunkered down in a bunker, the Ukrainian commander, Maj. Oleksandr Sak, requested a counterstrike from a sophisticated new weapon in Ukraine’s arsenal, a Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 armed drone. Deployed for the first time in combat by Ukraine and provided by a country that is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the drone hit a howitzer operated by the separatists. Things quickly escalated. Across the border, Russia scrambled jets. The next day, Russian tanks mounted on rail cars rumbled toward the Ukrainian border. Diplomacy in Berlin, Moscow and Washington went into high gear. The sudden spike in hostilities last month underscored the tenuous nature of the cease-fire that exists along the 279-mile front in the Ukraine war. It set off a new round of ominous warnings from Moscow, and highlighted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s willingness to escalate what is known as hybrid conflict, a blend of military and other means for creating disruption — including exploiting humanitarian crises like the current one on the Polish-Belarusian border. The drone strike in Hranitne also raised fears in Western capitals that Russia would use the fighting as a pretext for a new intervention in Ukraine, potentially drawing the United States and Europe into a new phase of the conflict. “Our concern is that Russia may make the serious mistake of attempting to rehash what it undertook back in 2014 when it amassed forces along the border, crossed into sovereign Ukrainian territory, and did so claiming falsely that it was provoked,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told journalists in Washington last week. The battle came at an increasingly volatile moment in the conflict. This fall, commercial satellite photos and videos posted on social media have shown that Russian armored vehicles had massed near the Ukrainian border; Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has estimated the buildup at 100,000 troops. And Russian rhetoric toward Ukraine has hardened. Amid this heightened tension, the drone strike in particular became a flash point for the Kremlin. Alarmed that Ukraine possessed this highly effective new military capability, Russia called the strike a destabilizing act that violated the cease-fire agreement reached in 2015. Putin has twice in the past week pointed to the drone attack as a Ukrainian escalation, justifying a potential Russian response. He raised the issue in a phone call with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany. Asked on Saturday about accusations from Washington that Russia was massing troops on the Ukraine border, Putin responded by criticizing the United States for supporting the drone strike, as well as for conducting a naval drill in the Black Sea, which he called a “serious challenge” for Russia. “A sense is created that they just aren’t letting us relax,” he said. “Well, let them know we are not relaxing.” Putin has long made clear that he views Ukraine as inseparable from Russia. In July he published an article outlining that doctrine, describing Russia and Ukraine as “essentially” one country divided by Western interference in the post-Soviet period, an apparent justification for Russian-Ukrainian unification. Russia has already annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula. “We will never allow our historical territories and people close to us living there to be used against Russia,” he wrote. Hacking, electoral meddling, energy politics and a recent migrant crisis on the border of Belarus and Poland have all strained ties between the West and Russia. But nowhere are the tensions more overt than in this conflict zone that cuts through villages and farmland, where opposing soldiers — one side backed by the United States, the other by Russia — face off. Russia intervened militarily in Ukraine after street protesters deposed a pro-Russian Ukrainian president in 2014. Moscow sent soldiers wearing ski masks and unmarked uniforms to the Crimean Peninsula, whipping up the rebellion in the east in two separatist enclaves, the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics. The front line in the war is sometimes called a new Berlin Wall, a dividing line in today’s geopolitics. It is an eerie realm of half-abandoned towns, fields and forests. It is also a tinderbox that requires only a match to spark new hostilities. In late October, the buffer zone near Hranitne provided one. In most places along the front, a scant few hundred yards separate two trench lines. But in some areas, including Hranitne, the gap widens to a few miles, and people live in between the two armies, in a no man’s land known in Ukraine as the “gray zone.” Residents must cross the Ukrainian trench line to shop and send their children to school, protected by an uneasy truce. Residents are aware of the danger, but are too poor to move. “It’s scary,” said Oleksandr Petukhov, a retiree as he cleared the last checkpoint one recent day carrying a bag of cheese and eggs. “This is a ridiculous situation.” In Hranitne, the access point for shopping on the Ukrainian side is a footbridge over the Kalmius River, a slow-moving flow of inky green water. Ukrainian soldiers peek out from above sandbag parapets as shoppers trickle across the bridge. The troubles began about a month ago when separatists closed a checkpoint on their side — where local residents also traveled for shopping — for unclear reasons, possibly as a coronavirus precaution. In response, on Oct. 25, Volodymyr Vesyolkin, the administrator of Hranitne, a position akin to mayor, led a contingent of about a dozen soldiers across the footbridge. The same day, the military laid concrete blocks for a new bridge about 700 yards away that would be accessible for vehicles. His motive, Vesyolkin said, was humanitarian: to assure locals of access for shopping and deliveries of coal for winter heating. “How can it violate anything?” Vesyolkin said in an interview. “This is our village. These are our people. They walk several kilometers to buy groceries.” The separatists interpreted it otherwise — as a land grab — and soon their artillery shells filled the air. Even Ukrainian military officers concede a misperception was possible. “They maybe thought we would send heavy weapons” across the new bridge, Sak said. Through the night and into the next morning, a separatist unit with 122-millimeter artillery guns fired toward Ukrainian forces in what is known as a shoot-and-scoot maneuver intended to skirt counterattacks by the enemy. In total, the separatists fired about 120 rounds at the unfinished new bridge, but every shot missed. They hit nearby houses instead, destroying one with such force that it appeared turned inside out, with a pile of cinder blocks covering the street. Sak said he requested the drone strike because it was the only weapon that could hit the maneuvering enemy artillery and because civilians were in danger, though none were hit. “Only modern weapons allow us to halt Russia’s aggression,” he said. Most military analysts say flare-ups in Ukraine are more a pretext for strategic saber-rattling than a cause. But they are sparks in an already dangerous world, and the West remains on high alert this week as Russia takes an increasingly bellicose stance toward Ukraine. When the fighting in Hranitne subsided, the villagers emerged with at least one small victory: They finally got their groceries. Two days after the drone strike, separatists opened their checkpoint, allowing the Red Cross to deliver 50-pound boxes of food to each house. The boxes held rice, sugar, sunflower oil, macaroni, flour and cans of meat and fish. Tatyana Yefesko, an elementary schoolteacher, said she appreciated the delivery. But it was hardly a long-term solution. “Any small flare-up could turn into a big war,” she said. “Everybody asks, ‘Why did this happen? Who needs this?’ I don’t know. But history shows us every big war started with something small.”

How a dispute over groceries led to artillery strikes in Ukraine

According to reports, CIA Director William Burns spoke with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow about Russia’s military buildup on its border with Ukraine in an effort to gauge the Kremlin’s intentions in the region.

CIA Director Willian Burns meets Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow

Satellite images show a Russian military buildup near the Ukraine border. Vladimir Putin marked National Unity Day in Sevastopol & declared 'Crimea will forever be part of Russia'. Watch the report.

Russian military buildup near Ukraine

The Pentagon said that it was monitoring the Ukraine region closely amid reports of a new build-up of Russian troops on the country’s border.

US enhances monitoring Russian military build-up near Ukraine

Ukrainian government forces have used a Turkish-supplied armed drone for the first time against Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, in a development condemned by the Kremlin.

Ukraine uses Turkish drone against Russia-backed separatists

Ukraine on Friday closed schools in Coronavirus hotspots and announced the need for vaccine certificates or negative tests to access public transport in the capital as COVID-19 deaths hit a record high.

Ukraine: COVID-19 cases and deaths reach all-time high for 2nd consecutive day

Ukraine on Wednesday reported record coronavirus vaccination numbers as the country re-imposed restrictions amid a surge in infections and deaths.

According to a government tally, 226,587 people were vaccinated over the past 24 hours -&nbsp;the highest figure since the beginning of the ex-Soviet country's vaccination drive in February.

A flurry of pictures on social media showed long queues of people in vaccination centres in cities across the country in recent days.

The rush came after restrictions came into force on Monday in several regions in the east and south of the country worst hit by surging coronavirus cases.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mix-and-match-vaccines-highly-effective-against-covid-19-lancet-study-421715">Mix-and-match vaccines highly effective against COVID-19: Lancet study</a>

"It is only with mass vaccination and compliance with quarantine that we can avoid a further increase of infections," Health Minister Viktor Lyashko said in a statement.

On Tuesday, Ukraine reported 538 deaths over the past 24 hours, the highest figure since the beginning of the pandemic.

Authorities in the country of around 41 million people initially struggled to source vaccines and convince Ukrainians to innoculate themselves.

But the rise in infections and deaths -- and new requirements for staff in public places like schools and theatres to be vaccinated -- has convinced many to get the jab in recent days.

Four vaccines including AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna are available in Ukraine, but only 19 per cent of the adult Ukrainians have been fully vaccinated, according to the government.

The vaccination campaign has also been hampered by a rise in forged vaccination certificates and fake PCR tests.

Ukraine has recorded more than 2.6 million coronavirus infections and over 61,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

Ukraine on Wednesday reported record coronavirus vaccination numbers as the country re-imposed restrictions amid a surge in infections and deaths. According to a government tally, 226,587 people were vaccinated over the past 24 hours - the highest figure since the beginning of the ex-Soviet country's vaccination drive in February.

Ukraine on Wednesday reported record coronavirus vaccination numbers as the country re-imposed restrictions amid a surge in infections and deaths. According to a government tally, 226,587 people were vaccinated over the past 24 hours - the highest figure since the beginning of the ex-Soviet country's vaccination drive in February. A flurry of pictures on social media showed long queues of people in vaccination centres in cities across the country in recent days. The rush came after restrictions came into force on Monday in several regions in the east and south of the country worst hit by surging coronavirus cases. Also Read | Mix-and-match vaccines highly effective against COVID-19: Lancet study "It is only with mass vaccination and compliance with quarantine that we can avoid a further increase of infections," Health Minister Viktor Lyashko said in a statement. On Tuesday, Ukraine reported 538 deaths over the past 24 hours, the highest figure since the beginning of the pandemic. Authorities in the country of around 41 million people initially struggled to source vaccines and convince Ukrainians to innoculate themselves. But the rise in infections and deaths -- and new requirements for staff in public places like schools and theatres to be vaccinated -- has convinced many to get the jab in recent days. Four vaccines including AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna are available in Ukraine, but only 19 per cent of the adult Ukrainians have been fully vaccinated, according to the government. The vaccination campaign has also been hampered by a rise in forged vaccination certificates and fake PCR tests. Ukraine has recorded more than 2.6 million coronavirus infections and over 61,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

Ukraine sees record Covid vaccinations as deaths soar

In a recent development, SkyUp airline, which is a Ukrainian airline, has decided to replace the old uniform from next month with a very comfortable alternative.

In a recent development, SkyUp airline, which is a Ukrainian airline, has decided to replace the old uniform from next month with a very comfortable alternative. The airline has decided to get away with high heels, skirts and tight blouses and has replaced them with trainers, loose orange jackets and trousers. However, for Ukrainians, it is a sign that some of the old traditions are being swept away. SkyUp surveyed its crews. It turned out that its female employees were fed up with their high heels, tight blouses and pencil skirts. Flight attendant Daria Solomennaya was quoted by the BBC as saying, "Many of my colleagues are permanent clients of podologists; their toes and toe-nails are constantly damaged by high heels." Talking about wearing high heels, she said, "Twelve hours on your feet, flying from Kyiv to Zanzibar and back. If you wear high heels, you are hardly able to walk afterwards." "That includes four hours of security checks and cleaning." This is not the first time an airline has taken such a step. Several other airlines have already ditched elements of their dress codes that were previously considered standard in the industry. Also read | UK: 15-year-old dies from Covid on day she was scheduled for vaccine Virgin Atlantic allowed their flight attendants to give up make-up. Also, Japan Airlines scrapped obligatory high heels. They also gave their employees the option of trousers instead of pencil skirts. SkyUp head of marketing Marianna Grygorash was quoted by the BBC as saying, "A flight attendant's work is not that romantic. It's hard." "We realised that our female flight attendants didn't want to be seen as "sexualised and playful'." Gender expert Olena Strelnyk said, "The typical image of a stewardess is probably more sexualised and associated with the femininity than any other." This has been the case in Ukraine. However, with time, things seem to be changing.

No more high heels and tight blouses: Ukrainian airline replaces old uniform with comfortable alternatives

Ukraine held a large-scale joint military drill with the US and other NATO forces. Troops from 15 countries participated in the exercise. Around 6000 soldiers participated out of which 4000 were from Ukraine.

Ukraine holds large-scale joint military drill with US forces, NATO allies

Gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons on a car carrying a senior aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday, in what officials said was an attempted assassination in response to his crackdown on oligarchs. Watch this report for more details.

Murder attempt against Zelensky's aide

On September 10, Russia's state-controlled gas giant claimed it has completed construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany, a disputed project opposed by Ukraine and the United States.

The construction of Nord Stream 2 was completed on Friday morning, according to Gazprom, which declared so in a statement on the Telegram messaging app, quoting company CEO Alexei Miller.

Nord Stream 2, owned by Gazprom and backed by other European firms, is being built beneath the Baltic Sea, bypassing Poland and Ukraine, which has sparked protests in both countries.&nbsp;

The new pipeline has been regarded by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a strong geopolitical weapon for Russia, which annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 following the fall of the former Kremlin-friendly president and has backed a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine.

Washington has been a vocal opponent of Nord Stream 2, but the Biden administration has chosen not to penalise the German corporation in charge of the project while imposing penalties on Russian companies and ships.&nbsp;

The US and Germany negotiated an agreement in July to allow the completion of Nord Stream 2 without the imposition of US penalties on German firms.

The US and Germany agreed to fight any attempt by Russia to use the Nord Stream 2 pipeline as a political weapon under the parameters of the July 21 agreement.

They also decided to provide financial assistance to Ukraine and Poland in the form of alternative energy and development initiatives.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

On September 10, Russia's state-controlled gas giant claimed it has completed construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany, a disputed project opposed by Ukraine and the United States.

On September 10, Russia's state-controlled gas giant claimed it has completed construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany, a disputed project opposed by Ukraine and the United States. The construction of Nord Stream 2 was completed on Friday morning, according to Gazprom, which declared so in a statement on the Telegram messaging app, quoting company CEO Alexei Miller. Nord Stream 2, owned by Gazprom and backed by other European firms, is being built beneath the Baltic Sea, bypassing Poland and Ukraine, which has sparked protests in both countries. The new pipeline has been regarded by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a strong geopolitical weapon for Russia, which annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 following the fall of the former Kremlin-friendly president and has backed a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine. Washington has been a vocal opponent of Nord Stream 2, but the Biden administration has chosen not to penalise the German corporation in charge of the project while imposing penalties on Russian companies and ships. The US and Germany negotiated an agreement in July to allow the completion of Nord Stream 2 without the imposition of US penalties on German firms. The US and Germany agreed to fight any attempt by Russia to use the Nord Stream 2 pipeline as a political weapon under the parameters of the July 21 agreement. They also decided to provide financial assistance to Ukraine and Poland in the form of alternative energy and development initiatives. (With inputs from agencies)

Construction of 1200-km gas pipeline to Europe completed: Russia 

US President Joe Biden met with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington. The much-anticipated gathering could have high-stakes implications for Zelensky, who has vied for American support since he took over in 2019.

Biden vows stronger US ties to Ukraine in first meeting with Zelensky

The tallest man in the US, Igor Vovkovinskiy, has died at the age of 38 years in Minnesota. &nbsp;&nbsp;

On Friday, the Ukrainian-born Vovkovinskiy died of heart disease while getting treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, his family said. &nbsp;

His mother Svetlana Vovkovinska, who is also an ICU nurse at Mayo, announced&nbsp; his death on Facebook. &nbsp;

In 1989, Vovkovinskiy came to the Mayo Clinic as a child seeking treatment. At that time, a tumor was pressing against his pituitary gland, which caused it to secrete abnormal levels of growth hormone. He grew to become the tallest man in the US. His height was 7ft 8.33in (2.35m). He ended up staying in Rochester.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/chinas-zhurong-rover-travels-1000-metres-on-mars-surface-completes-planned-exploration-407968">China's Zhurong rover travels 1,000 metres on Mars surface, completes planned exploration</a>

Oleh Ladan, his older brother of Brooklyn Park, told the Star Tribune of Minneapolis that Vovkovinskiy was a celebrity when he arrived from Ukraine because of his size and the flickering cold war of the late 1980s. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Apart from appearing on the Dr Oz Show, Vovkovinskiy was called out by Barack Obama during a campaign rally in 2009, when the president noticed him near the stage wearing a T-shirt that read “World’s Biggest Obama Supporter”.&nbsp;

According to Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home, he was born on September 8, 1982 in Bar, Ukraine to Vovkovinska and Oleksandr Ladan. A memorial service was held on Saturday.

The tallest man in the US, Igor Vovkovinskiy, has died at the age of 38 years in Minnesota. On Friday, the Ukrainian-born Vovkovinskiy died of heart disease while getting treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, his family said.

The tallest man in the US, Igor Vovkovinskiy, has died at the age of 38 years in Minnesota. On Friday, the Ukrainian-born Vovkovinskiy died of heart disease while getting treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, his family said. His mother Svetlana Vovkovinska, who is also an ICU nurse at Mayo, announced his death on Facebook. In 1989, Vovkovinskiy came to the Mayo Clinic as a child seeking treatment. At that time, a tumor was pressing against his pituitary gland, which caused it to secrete abnormal levels of growth hormone. He grew to become the tallest man in the US. His height was 7ft 8.33in (2.35m). He ended up staying in Rochester. Also Read: China's Zhurong rover travels 1,000 metres on Mars surface, completes planned exploration Oleh Ladan, his older brother of Brooklyn Park, told the Star Tribune of Minneapolis that Vovkovinskiy was a celebrity when he arrived from Ukraine because of his size and the flickering cold war of the late 1980s. Apart from appearing on the Dr Oz Show, Vovkovinskiy was called out by Barack Obama during a campaign rally in 2009, when the president noticed him near the stage wearing a T-shirt that read “World’s Biggest Obama Supporter”. According to Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home, he was born on September 8, 1982 in Bar, Ukraine to Vovkovinska and Oleksandr Ladan. A memorial service was held on Saturday.

Ukrainian-born Igor Vovkovinskiy, tallest man in US, dies at age of 38  

Sahraa Karimi, one of Afghanistan's prominent filmmakers has managed to flee after Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan. She has sought asylum in Ukraine

Prominent filmmaker, Sahraa Karimi manages to flee after Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan

Axe making - or mosyazhnyk - is an ancient metal profession which has been passed down for generations in Ukraine's Carpathian mountains. An ethnic group known as Hutsuls started the tradition, which they are striving to keep alive.

Traditional craftsmen strive to preserve axe making skill

The United States has reached a deal with Germany to prevent Russia from using its Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. The deal aims to invest more than 200 million euros in energy security in Ukraine as well as sustainable energy across Europe.

US and Germany reach a deal over controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline

Ukraine has forced female troops to wear high heels in a march past for upcoming Independence Day celebrations. When men can wear boots, why do female cadets have to be sexualised in heels?

Gravitas: Ukraine's female cadets forced to wear heels

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky visited the US Navy destroyer Ross, which is participating in the international naval exercises Sea Breeze– 2021. While issuing a warning to Russia, Zelensky said that the joint military drill shows Ukraine's unity in confronting military threats with NATO partners.

Ukraine's President Zelensky slams Russian aggression during his visit to US warship

Kremlin said on Sunday that 'provocations' like UK warship entering into what Russia claims are its territorial waters near Crimea demand tough response.

Russian President Vladmir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia may have sunk the British warship. Russia had fired warning shots and had dropped bombs in the path of the warship to chase it away from the Black Sea.

Russia had chellenged British warship HMS Defender's right to sail through waters near Crimea. UK had maintained that it had every right to do so

Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 but most of the world still recognises it as part of Ukraine.

Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, speaking on state television on Sunday, said the incident was "a well-planned provocation" and that Putin's reaction had made it clear that any repetition would provoke a reponse.

"It is obvious that the reaction will of course be tough," Peskov said.

He echoed Putin's accusation that Washington and London had planned the episode together.

"I think that our intelligence agencies of course know who took that decision. But, of course, I think the essence of such operations is planned by all the same senior comrades - those over the ocean," Peskov said.

Tensions are running high as Ukraine and NATO countries hold military drills in the Black Sea, monitored by Russia's Black Sea Fleet.

Peskov said the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was a destabilising element that led to confrontation, but that Russia remained open to dialogue with the body.

(With inputs from agencies)

Kremlin said on Sunday that 'provocations' like UK warship entering into what Russia claims are its territorial waters near Crimea demand tough response. Russian President Vladmir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia may have sunk the British warship.

Kremlin said on Sunday that 'provocations' like UK warship entering into what Russia claims are its territorial waters near Crimea demand tough response. Russian President Vladmir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia may have sunk the British warship. Russia had fired warning shots and had dropped bombs in the path of the warship to chase it away from the Black Sea. Russia had chellenged British warship HMS Defender's right to sail through waters near Crimea. UK had maintained that it had every right to do so Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 but most of the world still recognises it as part of Ukraine. Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, speaking on state television on Sunday, said the incident was "a well-planned provocation" and that Putin's reaction had made it clear that any repetition would provoke a reponse. "It is obvious that the reaction will of course be tough," Peskov said. He echoed Putin's accusation that Washington and London had planned the episode together. "I think that our intelligence agencies of course know who took that decision. But, of course, I think the essence of such operations is planned by all the same senior comrades - those over the ocean," Peskov said. Tensions are running high as Ukraine and NATO countries hold military drills in the Black Sea, monitored by Russia's Black Sea Fleet. Peskov said the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was a destabilising element that led to confrontation, but that Russia remained open to dialogue with the body. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia: 'Provocations' like British warship incident demand tough response

Ukraine enjoyed a fair slice of luck to reach the Euro 2020 quarter-finals and their 4-0 drubbing by England in the last eight summed up the weaknesses of a side which had benefited from a kind draw and some individual quality. 
 
The Ukrainians had squeezed into the knockout stages as the fourth-best team among third-placed finishers, having edged out Slovakia and Finland on goal difference. 
 
A laboured 2-1 win over big stage debutants North Macedonia, which came between the opening 3-2 defeat by the Netherlands and a 1-0 reverse to Austria, saw the Ukrainians book a last-16 clash with much more solid-looking Sweden. 
 
A masterclass performance from Oleksandr Zinchenko helped them beat the Swedes 2-1 as the Manchester City wing-back scored a fine opener and then set up Artem Dovbyk`s last-gasp extra time winner after Sweden had Marcus Danielson sent off. 
 
Up to that reckless tackle on an opponent which saw Danielson receive a straight red card, Sweden dominated the contest and only the woodwork coupled with some rugged defending saw a subdued Ukraine stay afloat. 
 
But they had no chance against a rampant England who could have won by a bigger margin in Rome as the gulf in class between the two teams was everywhere to be seen in Saturday`s lopsided contest. 
 
Ukraine`s manager Andriy Shevchenko, a former Serie A and Champions League winner with AC Milan as a player, pointed out that having only a handful of players plying their trade at the highest level limited the national team`s ability. 
 
"Until we have a domestic championship at a good level, we will get to this level less often," Shevchenko told a news conference after two goals from Harry Kane and one each from Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson put Ukraine to the sword. 
 
"In order to be able to compete with such players, you need to have players who play in the top five (European) leagues." 
 
Dropping a defensive strategy reliant on counterattacks for a possession-based philosophy paid dividends for Shevchenko on the road to Euro 2020, with Ukraine topping their qualifying group ahead of 2016 European champions Portugal. 
 
But their best moment of the finals was a five-minute blitz against the Dutch, when they fought back from 2-0 down before they were sunk by a soft late goal, epitomising the team`s defensive vulnerability. 
 
Clinical finishing from Roman Yaremchuk and Andriy Yarmolenko saw Ukraine through to the last 16, and Zinchenko stood out against Sweden, but that was as good as it got for Shevchenko`s outfit. 
&nbsp;

Ukraine enjoyed a fair slice of luck to reach the Euro 2020 quarter-finals and their 4-0 drubbing by England in the last eight summed up the weaknesses of a side which had benefited from a kind draw and some individual quality.

Ukraine enjoyed a fair slice of luck to reach the Euro 2020 quarter-finals and their 4-0 drubbing by England in the last eight summed up the weaknesses of a side which had benefited from a kind draw and some individual quality. The Ukrainians had squeezed into the knockout stages as the fourth-best team among third-placed finishers, having edged out Slovakia and Finland on goal difference. A laboured 2-1 win over big stage debutants North Macedonia, which came between the opening 3-2 defeat by the Netherlands and a 1-0 reverse to Austria, saw the Ukrainians book a last-16 clash with much more solid-looking Sweden. A masterclass performance from Oleksandr Zinchenko helped them beat the Swedes 2-1 as the Manchester City wing-back scored a fine opener and then set up Artem Dovbyk`s last-gasp extra time winner after Sweden had Marcus Danielson sent off. Up to that reckless tackle on an opponent which saw Danielson receive a straight red card, Sweden dominated the contest and only the woodwork coupled with some rugged defending saw a subdued Ukraine stay afloat. But they had no chance against a rampant England who could have won by a bigger margin in Rome as the gulf in class between the two teams was everywhere to be seen in Saturday`s lopsided contest. Ukraine`s manager Andriy Shevchenko, a former Serie A and Champions League winner with AC Milan as a player, pointed out that having only a handful of players plying their trade at the highest level limited the national team`s ability. "Until we have a domestic championship at a good level, we will get to this level less often," Shevchenko told a news conference after two goals from Harry Kane and one each from Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson put Ukraine to the sword. "In order to be able to compete with such players, you need to have players who play in the top five (European) leagues." Dropping a defensive strategy reliant on counterattacks for a possession-based philosophy paid dividends for Shevchenko on the road to Euro 2020, with Ukraine topping their qualifying group ahead of 2016 European champions Portugal. But their best moment of the finals was a five-minute blitz against the Dutch, when they fought back from 2-0 down before they were sunk by a soft late goal, epitomising the team`s defensive vulnerability. Clinical finishing from Roman Yaremchuk and Andriy Yarmolenko saw Ukraine through to the last 16, and Zinchenko stood out against Sweden, but that was as good as it got for Shevchenko`s outfit.

Football-Last eight Euros exit flatters modest Ukraine

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