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☆ Why Ukraine's Patriot missile systems can't cope with Russia's old, iron bombs
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The heavy airplane bombs are "particularly vexing" for air defense systems built to strike lighter targets. Hi-tech air defense missiles are designed to strike more lightweight targets and are ill-equipped to counter the bombs' old, heavy iron construction. This makes them a weapon that the latest air defense systems, like the much-vaunted US Patriot missiles, were not designed to combat, military experts say. The distance from which you can strike the enemy is low, forcing aircraft to fly into the danger zone of the enemy's air defense systems. They can reach a target of 30 miles away, out of range of most of the air defense systems on the frontline.

Persons: Oleksiy, Melnyk, Yuriy Ignat, Ukraine's, Vladimir Putin's, Denys Smazhnyi Organizations: Service, Patriot, Sappers, State Emergency Service, FAB, REUTERS, Ukrainian Air Force, New York Times, Kyiv Independent Locations: Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Kyiv, Kharkiv, REUTERS Russia, Soviet, Russia, Russian

☆ Ukrainian soldiers hope for Western arms to speed up counteroffensive
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Anna Voitenko | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Servicemen of Ukraine's 3rd Separate Assault Brigade prepare to conduct a reconnaissance mission, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near Bakhmut, Ukraine September 7, 2023. REUTERS/Stringer Acquire Licensing RightsSummary Ukraine says it has retaken two villages near BakhmutSoldiers says more Western arms would speed up advancesUkrainian army still uses Soviet-era Grad systemsNEAR BAKHMUT, Ukraine, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Despite recent battlefield gains, Ukrainian soldiers fighting on the eastern front say they need more Western weapons to speed up their grinding counteroffensive against Russian forces. The West has provided Ukraine with arms worth billions of dollars since Russia's invasion nearly 19 months ago, and some Ukrainian troops have deployed Vampires and HIMARS. But Ukrainian soldiers suggest confidence is growing, especially after the recapture of the villages of Andriivka and Klishchiivka about eight km (five miles) south of Bakhmut. Until more sophisticated Western weapons arrive, the soldiers are likely to continue relying on the self-propelled Grad (meaning "hail") which came into service in the 1960s.

Persons: Stringer, Denys, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ivan, Andriivka, Ron Popeski, Timothy Organizations: Assault Brigade, REUTERS, Russian, General Assembly, Troops, Reuters, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Ukraine's, Ukraine, Bakhmut, Soviet, BAKHMUT, Czech, Moscow, Andriivka, Russia, Klishchiivka, Russian

"Unless Zelenskiy gets rid of Tatarov, he won't be seen as serious in purging the country of corruption," she told Reuters. "He knew about law enforcement and warned us to be careful about saying almost anything on the phone," Maiboroda told Reuters. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) said experts would need to study the material to verify it. "The main thing is that a person is honest," Zelenskiy told reporters several days after Tatarov's appointment. Zelenskiy told Ukrainian television network ICTV in October 2021 that the offshore arrangement was to protect his TV production business from political pressure by the Yanukovych government.

Persons: Oleh Maiboroda, Maiboroda, Oleh Tatarov, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Tatarov, Maiboroda's, Ukraine's, Zelenskiy, Kyiv pollsters, Oleksii Reznikov, Reznikov, Daria Kaleniuk, Nicola Mirto, Mirto, Viktor Yanukovych, Yanukovich's, Maxym Mykytas, Mykytas, Maiborada, NABU, Yanukovych, –, General Iryna Venediktova, Artem Sytnyk, Sytnyk, didn't, Oleksiy Symonenko, Symonenko, Andriy Yermak, Yermak, Denys, Dmytro Shtanko, Liudmyla, Sergey Shefir, Shefir, Vyacheslav Shapovalov, Yaroslav Zheleznyak, Zheleznyak, Zelensky, Ihor, Kolomoisky, Semen Kryvonos, Kaleniuk, ”, Stephen Grey, Dan Peleschuk, Janet McBride Organizations: Reuters, Ukrbud, Prosecutors, Ukraine's, European Union, International Monetary Fund, Kyiv, Kyiv Independent, Tatarov, Ministry, Interior Ministry, Virgin Islands, ICTV, National Agency for, Ministry of Defence, Kiel Institute, NATO, Thomson Locations: VIENNA, KYIV, Vienna, Ukraine, Tatarov, Russia, Europe, European, Kyiv, Italian, Ukrainian, Soviet Ukraine, Zelenskiy's, Switzerland, Spain, Soviet, United States, Irpin

According to Maiboroda, Mykytas used Tatarov for difficult tasks, including bribe payments on behalf of Ukrbud Development. "He knew about law enforcement and warned us to be careful about saying almost anything on the phone," Maiboroda told Reuters. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) said experts would need to study the material to verify it. "The main thing is that a person is honest," Zelenskiy told reporters several days after Tatarov's appointment. Zelenskiy told Ukrainian television network ICTV in October 2021 that the offshore arrangement was to protect his TV production business from political pressure by the Yanukovych government.

☆ Ukraine plans big rise in defence spending in 2024 draft budget
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Serhii Nuzhnenko via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsKYIV, Sept 15 (Reuters) - The government approved a draft 2024 budget on Friday that puts the deficit at 1.548 trillion hryvnias ($41.92 billion) and increases defence spending to 1.7 trillion hryvnias, over 21% of GDP. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the increase in defence spending was needed to fund Ukraine's war effort following Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. "This amount (defence spending) is 113 billion hryvnias more than this year. Debt repayment is planned to be 606.5 billion hryvnias, including 421.6 billion hryvnias to be spent on internal debt repayments and 184.9 billion hryvnias for external debt repayments. About 468.8 billion hryvnias is budgeted for social spending, with 30.8 billion hryvnias allocated for business support.

Persons: Nuzhnenko, Denys Shmyhal, Yuliia Dysa, Olena Harmash, Anna Pruchnicka, Timothy Organizations: Radio Free, Radio Liberty, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Donetsk region, Radio Free Europe

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskiy Welcomes EU Lifting Grain Export Ban, Warns Neighbours
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy welcomed the EU's decision not to further extend the ban on Kyiv's grain exports, but said his government would react "in civilised fashion" if EU member states broke EU rules. "This is an example of true unity and trust between Ukraine and the EU," Zelenskiy wrote on the Telegram messaging app. But immediately after the EU ruling was announced, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary said they would implement their own restrictions on Ukrainian grain imports. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal also welcomed the EU move as "legal and fair" and bound to help uphold world food security. "We appeal to individual EU member-states to refrain from unlawful, unilateral restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural goods, he wrote on Telegram.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Denys Shmyhal, Shmyhal, Yuliia Dysa, Ron Popeski, Jonathan Oatis, Sandra Maler Organizations: Reuters, EU, World Trade Organisation Locations: Ukraine, Europe, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Russia

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskiy welcomes EU lifting grain export ban, warns neighbours
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy walks following a bilateral meeting with EU leaders during the European leaders summit, in Brussels, Belgium February 9, 2023. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 15 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy welcomed the EU's decision not to further extend the ban on Kyiv's grain exports, but said his government would react "in civilised fashion" if EU member states broke EU rules. "This is an example of true unity and trust between Ukraine and the EU," Zelenskiy wrote on the Telegram messaging app. But immediately after the EU ruling was announced, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary said they would implement their own restrictions on Ukrainian grain imports. "We appeal to individual EU member-states to refrain from unlawful, unilateral restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural goods, he wrote on Telegram.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Yves Herman, Zelenskiy, Denys Shmyhal, Shmyhal, Yuliia Dysa, Ron Popeski, Jonathan Oatis, Sandra Maler Organizations: EU, REUTERS, World Trade Organisation, Thomson Locations: Brussels, Belgium, Ukraine, Europe, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Russia

CNN —Russia as a country has no place at the 2024 Paris Olympics and no Russian flag should be used at next year’s Games, French President Emmanuel Macron said. Speaking to French sports newspaper l’Equipe, Macron added that discussions should be held about the participation of some Russian athletes who “may also be victims of this regime.”“Obviously, there can’t be a Russian flag at the Paris Olympic Games. Because Russia as a country has no place [at the Games] when it has committed war crimes and deported children,” Macron said Wednesday. So far, no decision has been taken on Russian and Belarusian athletes’ participation at the 2024 Olympics. “We are ready to boycott the Olympic Games in Paris if the Russian Federation and Belarus are allowed to participate in the competition,” Shmyhal said.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Macron, ” Macron, Denys Shmyhal, ” Shmyhal, “ Organizations: CNN, Paris Olympic, International Olympic Committee, IOC, Ukrainian, Games, Olympic Games, Russian Federation Locations: Russia, Russian, Ukraine, Belarus, Paris

CNN —A drone attack caused an explosion near Russia’s military headquarters in the city of Rostov-on-Don on Thursday, as Kyiv continues a campaign of strategic aerial strikes in Russian territory. Russian air defense systems separately intercepted a drone attack near Moscow, the capital’s mayor Sergey Sobyanin said in a post on Telegram on Thursday. “Tonight, in the Ramensky urban district, air defense forces thwarted a drone attack on Moscow. “There will be a just retribution for everything.”In addition to the attacks on Russian territory, Kyiv has continued to also hit Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine. Russian-appointed officials in occupied Zaporizhzhia say there was another Ukrainian drone attack on Enerhodar, the city adjacent to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, early on Thursday.

Persons: Vasily Golubev, Golubev, Wagner, Sergey Sobyanin, ” Sobyanin, OLGA MALTSEVA, Denys Shmyhal, “, Jens Stoltenberg, ”, Volodymyr Zelensky Organizations: CNN, Getty, NATO Locations: Rostov, Kyiv, Russia, Ukrainian, Moscow, AFP, Ukraine, Russian, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia

CNN —At least 17 people have been killed, including a child, after a Russian missile struck a market in a town in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, officials said, one of the worst attacks in months. “Russian troops are terrorists who will not be forgiven and will not be left in peace,” Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal wrote on Telegram. “There will be a just retribution for everything.”Russian missile attacks regularly hit civilian areas but tolls this high are unusual. But footage of the attack shared by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky showed civilians walking along the market street before the missile struck on Wednesday afternoon. In a brief exchange with Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba, Blinken noted the “good progress” Ukraine has made in its counteroffensive.

Persons: Denys Shmyhal, Kostiantynivka, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, ” Zelensky, Utter, Antony Blinken, Dmytro Kuleba, Blinken, “, Rustem Umerov, Umerov Organizations: CNN, Dnipro, Ukrainian, Firefighters, Reuters, Ukrainian Defense Forces Locations: Russian, Ukrainian, Donetsk, Uman, Bakhmut, Ukraine, Kyiv, Russia, Kostiantynivka, Denmark

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba greets US Secretary of State Antony Blinken before a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kyiv on September 6, 2023. WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday, his fourth trip to the war-weary country since Russia's full-scale invasion last year. During the two-day visit, Blinken met with key Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. Blinken's trip comes amid a burst of battlefield gains recently by Ukrainian forces, who are carrying out a counteroffensive in the South and East of the country. In the 72 hours before Blinken arrived, Ukrainian soldiers made "notable progress" in southern Zaporizhzhia, the White House said.

Persons: Dmytro Kuleba, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Denys Shmyhal Organizations: Ukraine's, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, WASHINGTON, State Department, Reuters Locations: Kyiv, WASHINGTON — U.S, Ukrainian, South, Zaporizhzhia

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Persons: Dubois, Oleksandr Usyk, Daniel Dubois, Tyson Fury, We'd, they've, Insider's, ExpressVPN, Anthony Yigit, Denys Berinchyk, Aro Schwartz, Daniel Lapin, Hamzah Sheeraz, Dmytro Mytrofanov, Anauel, Fiodor Czerkaszyn, Joel Julio, Vasile Cebotari, Roberto Arriaza, Rafal Wolczecki, Piotr Gudel, Oleksandr Solomennikov, Lazizbek, Nursultan Amanzholov, Vojtech, Aadam Hamed, Janos Penzes, Ziyad Almaayouf, Damian Tymosz, Bryce Mills Organizations: WBO, Poland's, ESPN, Disney, Disney Plus, TSN, TNT Sports, Kayo Sports, Subscription, TNT, ESPN Plus, IBF Locations: Wroclaw, Dubois, United States, Hulu, Canada, USA

☆ Ukraine may use new Black Sea route for grain shipments - producers
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsKYIV, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Ukraine is considering using its newly-tested wartime Black Sea export corridor for grain shipments after other cargo ships follow the first successful evacuation of a vessel on the route last week, a senior agricultural official said on Monday. Russia has blockaded Ukrainian ports since it invaded its neighbour in Feb. 2022 and threatened to treat all vessels as potential military targets after pulling out of a U.N.-backed safe passage deal last month. A Hong Kong-flagged container ship stuck in Odesa port since the invasion travelled the route last week without being fired upon. The Financial Times said Kyiv was finalising a scheme with global insurers to cover grain ships travelling to and from its Black Sea ports, citing Ukraine's Deputy Economy Minister Oleksandr Gryban. To attract ship owners to Ukrainian ports which have come under fire from Russian forces, Marchuk said Ukraine had already allocated 20 billion hryvnias ($547 million) for ship insurance.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Denys Marchuk, Oleksandr Gryban, Marchuk, Pavel Polityuk, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Agrarian Council, Financial Times, Kyiv, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Ukrainian, Romania, Bulgaria, Hong Kong, Odesa, Mykolaiv

☆ Romania bids to clear Danube logjam after Ukraine attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Romanian authorities managing the waterway still expect a "peak" in traffic in August, despite the attack, an official said. Before Russia pulled out of the safe passage corridor, the Danube ports accounted for around a quarter of Ukraine's grain exports. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said Russia's attacks on Ukraine's civilian infrastructure on the Danube amounted to war crimes. "We will clear around 30 ships in two days, at least 12 today, if not 14, and the rest tomorrow." Industry sources have told Reuters war risk cover for Ukraine's ports that were part of the previous grain deal had already been suspended.

Persons: Klaus Iohannis, Florin Uzumtoma, Uzumtoma, Izmail, Denys Shmyhal, Shmyhal, Mykola Solsky, Luiza Ilie, Jonathan Saul, Pavel Polityuk, Peter Graff, Conor Humphries Organizations: United, Reuters, underwriters, Industry, Insurance, NATO, Thomson Locations: Romania, Ukraine, BUCHAREST, KYIV, Izmail, Ukrainian, Russia, United Nations, Turkey, Romanian, Constanta, Musura, Bucharest, London, Kyiv

While it still maintains some combat power in reserve, it has now deployed the “main bulk” of the forces committed to the counteroffensive forces, one of the US officials said. “The second wave of the [Ukrainian] counteroffensive has begun” on the Zaporizhzhia front, said Vladimir Rogov, a member of the Russian-installed military-civilian administration in the region. The New York Times was first to report on the commitment of additional Ukrainian forces to the counteroffensive. Zelensky said last week that one reason for the slow progress of the counteroffensive was its later-than-planned start. However, some Ukrainian military officials have recently noted that Russia’s advantage in electronic warfare has blunted the effectiveness of drone operations.

Persons: “, Vladimir Rogov, Rogov, ” Rogov, Bradley, ”, Vladimir Putin, Ukraine’s, Volodymyr Zelensky, Lloyd Austin, ” Austin, they’ve, Oleksii Reznikov, Reznikov, Putin, Zelensky, ” Zelensky, Denys Shmyhal Organizations: CNN, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Leopard, Brigade, Artillery, Bradley, US, The New York Times, Ukraine’s, Aspen Security, United, Army Tactical Missile Systems Locations: Ukraine, Russian, “, Robotyne, Orikhiv, Papua New Guinea, Crimea, Donbas, St . Petersburg, Russia, Kyiv, United States, France, United Kingdom, Ukrainian, Odesa, Moscow

If the Black Sea is closed, the Danube is one of the main routes which we will need to use," he told Reuters by phone. Police said Danube grain warehouses had been hit on Monday in a drone attack along with tanks for storing other cargo. Since Monday's air strikes, the Danube channel has seen shipping disruptions, although it was unclear why there was a slowdown of vessel traffic. INSURANCE RATES RISEInsurance sources have said war risk cover for Ukraine's ports that was part of the defunct Black Sea grain deal had been suspended with some insurance providers reviewing provisions for Danube ports. The attack on the Danube infrastructure followed a week of Russian strikes that hit grain-related infrastructure at Odesa's main ports.

Persons: Russia's, Denys Marchuk, Carlos Mera, Mera, Marchuk, Danilov, Olena Harmash, Sybille de La, Tom Balmforth, William Maclean Organizations: Ukrainian Agrarian, Reuters, Police, EU, Romania, Agri Commodities Markets Research, Rabobank, Insurance, Kyiv, Russia, CMA CGM, National Security, Defence Council, Thomson Locations: KYIV, Moscow, Odesa, Reni, NATO, Russia, Izmail, Ukraine, China, Chornomorsk, Ukrainian, Italy, Kyiv, Western, Paris

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskiy calls for spending restraint, minister offers to resign
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KYIV, July 21 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged his government on Thursday to keep a tight rein on spending in wartime, in a call that resulted in his culture minister, a proponent of several high-profile and costly projects, offering his resignation. And he asked Shmyhal to "consider replacing" Culture and Information Policy Minister Olexander Tkachenko. "Private and state funding for culture in wartime is no less important than for drones. Tkachenko had also promoted films and television programmes linked to the war against Russia. Reporting by Ron Popeski in Winnipeg and Nick Starkov in Kyiv; Editing by Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Denys Shmyhal, Shmyhal, Olexander Tkachenko, Tkachenko, Josef Stalin's collectivisation, Ron Popeski, Nick Starkov, Jamie Freed Organizations: Russia, Thomson Locations: Cobblestones, Soviet, Winnipeg, Kyiv

☆ Ukraine's farmers fear the worst after grain deal collapses
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Max Hunder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Of the 60,000 tons of produce grown on Huizinga's land last year, 50,000 tons was sent abroad through the grain deal. In total, Ukraine has been able to export 33 million tons of agricultural products through the deal. Some of Ukraine's western neighbours have restricted imports of Ukrainian grain under pressure from their farmers, who said they were suffering from the added competition. Ukraine expects to harvest 44 million tons of grain this year, down from a record 86 million-ton harvest in 2021. Both Marchuk and Huizinga believe grain shipments should continue through the Black Sea even without Russia's participation in the deal.

Persons: Artem Nechai, Kees Huizinga, Huizinga, Denys Marchuk, Max Hunder, Timothy Heritage, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: REUTERS, Agricultural, Reuters, United, Ukrainian Agrarian Council, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Cherkasy region, Russia, Netherlands, Cherkasy, Eastern, United Nations, Turkey, Russian, Groningen, Romania, Izmail

CNN —Ukrainian commanders who were captured by Russia after leading the defense of Mariupol from the Azovstal steel plant have vowed to return to the battle field following a prisoner swap. The commanders announced their intentions at a press conference held shortly after arriving in Lviv, Ukraine, with President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday. Zelensky thanked his team and President Erdogan in particular for helping to bring the Azovstal leaders home. Zelensky pictured with Azovstal commanders as they return to Ukraine from Istanbul. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout/ReutersThe Ukrainian president also announced his appointment of Oleksandr Pivnenko as new commander of the National Guard.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Denys Prokopenko, ” Prokopenko, Zelensky, Roman Baluk, Svyatoslav Palamar, Lesya Ukrainka, ”, ” Palamar, Erdogan, Oleksandr Pivnenko, …, Bakhmut ” Organizations: CNN, Reuters, Presidential Press Service, National Guard, Ukraine’s National Guard Locations: Russia, Mariupol, Lviv, Ukraine, Turkey, Ukrainian, Azovstal, Azov, Roman, Reuters Azov, Istanbul

☆ Ukrainian forces advance in south, hold 'initiative,' says Zelenskiy
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Russian accounts said heavy fighting gripped areas outside the eastern city of Bakhmut, captured by Russian mercenary Wagner forces in May after months of battles. Russian troops, she said, were defending Bakhmut, while Ukrainian forces had registered "a certain advance" on the city's southern flank. There were no changes in position to the north of Bakhmut, and Ukrainian forces remained engaged in heavy fighting west of Bakhmut and near Lyman, further north in Donetsk region. Zelenskiy acknowledged that advances were slower than what he and his generals wanted, but said Ukrainian forces held the initiative. Ukrainian military analyst Denys Popovych said Ukrainian forces had taken "important positions near Klishchiivka.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Wagner, Ramzan Kadyrov, Hanna Maliar, Zelenskiy, Kadyrov, Denys Popovych, Ron Popeski, Nick Starkov, Leslie Adler Organizations: ABC, NATO, Ukrainian, Reuters, Russia's Defence Ministry, Ukraine's NV, Thomson Locations: Russian, Bakhmut, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Lyman, Donetsk region, Lithuania, Klishchiivka

☆ Ukraine Celebrates Return of Azov Commanders Held as Prisoners of War
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( Matthew Mpoke Bigg | More About Matthew Mpoke Bigg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Five Ukrainian commanders of the Azov Regiment, extolled in Ukraine for defending the port city of Mariupol last year during an 80-day Russian siege before they surrendered as prisoners of war, have been given a heroes’ welcome after returning home. “We will definitely have our say in battle,” Mr. Prokopenko, the regiment’s commander told reporters in Lviv. Asked whether he would fight on the front lines, he replied, “That is why we returned to Ukraine.”Moscow reacted angrily to the news that the Azov fighters had returned to Ukraine. The Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitri S. Peskov, accused Turkey of breaking an agreement to keep the men on its territory until the end of the war in Ukraine. The government in Kyiv did not offer a public explanation of how or why the fighters came to be returned to Ukraine.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Denys Prokopenko, ” Mr, Prokopenko, ” Moscow, Dmitri S, Peskov Organizations: Azov Regiment, Twitter, Azov Locations: Ukraine, Mariupol, Lviv, Turkey, Russia, Kyiv

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskiy brings home Azovstal commanders released to Turkey
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks with commanders of defenders of the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works in Mariupol Denys Prokopenko, Sviatoslav Palamar, Denys Shleha, Serhii Volynskyi and Oleh Homenko inside a plane as they return to Ukraine from Istanbul, Turkey July 8, 2023. Ukrainian... Read moreKYIV, July 8 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, returning home from a visit to Turkey, brought with him five commanders of Ukraine's former garrison in Mariupol, forced to live in Turkey under the terms of a prisoner exchange last year. The commanders, lionised as heroes in Ukraine, led last year's defence of the port, the biggest city Russia captured in its invasion. "We are returning home from Turkey and bringing our heroes home," said Zelenskiy who met Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan for talks in Istanbul on Friday. Zelenskiy gave no explanation for why the commanders were being allowed to return home now.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Mariupol Denys Prokopenko, Sviatoslav Palamar, Denys Shleha, Serhii, Read, Zelenskiy, Tayyip Erdogan, Denys Prokopenko, Svyatoslav Palamar, Serhiy Volynsky, Oleh Khomenko, Maksym Zhorin, Olena, Peter Graff Organizations: Steel, Turkey's, Communications, Thomson Locations: Mariupol, Ukraine, Istanbul, Turkey, KYIV, Russia, Kyiv, Ankara, Moscow, Czech

Jake Sullivan, Biden's national security adviser, said Ukraine will not be voted into NATO membership at the summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, but he encouraged Ukraine's President Volodomyr Zelenskiy to attend to discuss the matter. Also topping Biden's agenda in Vilnius will be Sweden, whose accession into NATO has been blocked by Turkey. Sullivan said Sweden will eventually gain NATO membership despite Turkey's opposition. He said Biden will discuss Sweden with Erdogan at some point during the summit but did not know the format for the talks. Biden leaves on Sunday for London, the first stop on a three-nation trip centered around the NATO summit in the Lithuanian capital.

Persons: Joe Biden, Jake Sullivan, Volodomyr Zelenskiy, Biden, Sullivan, Denys Shmyhal, Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Rishi Sunak, King Charles, Nandita Bose, Steve Holland, Chris Reese, Alistair Bell Organizations: NATO, Kyiv, United States, Kurdistan Workers Party, London, British, Windsor Castle, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Vilnius, Lithuania, Europe, Russia, Sweden, Turkey, Stockholm, Lithuanian, Helsinki, London

☆ Ukraine to receive $1.5 bln from World Bank to support reconstruction
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KYIV, June 30 (Reuters) - Ukraine will receive $1.5 billion from the World Bank to support reconstruction and recovery, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Friday. "In particular, the loan will help support subsidies for internally displaced people and pension payments," Shmyhal said. Ukraine relies on financial aid from its foreign partners to be able to cover its budget deficit. On Thursday, the International Monetary Fund's board completed its Ukrainian loan review, allowing Kyiv to immediately withdraw $890 million for budget support. Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka, Writing by Olena Harmash, Editing by Timothy HeritageOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Denys Shmyhal, Shmyhal, Anna Pruchnicka, Olena Harmash, Timothy Organizations: World Bank, Monetary, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Kyiv

☆ Ukraine must be ready to export mostly via Danube ports - sea ports authority
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Pavel Polityuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Summary Russia has threatened not to extend Black Sea grain dealUkraine underlines importance of Danube River exportsUkraine also exports via Romanian port of ConstantaKYIV, June 27 (Reuters) - Ukraine must be ready to export grain almost exclusively via its Danube River ports because Russia is effectively blocking Black Sea shipments, the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority said on Tuesday. The United Nations and Turkey brokered a deal between Moscow and Kyiv last July on the safe passage of Black Sea grain to help tackle a global food crisis worsened by Russia's invasion of its neighbour and a blockade of Ukrainian Black Sea ports. With a working grain corridor, about half of its agricultural exports are shipped via Black Sea ports, a quarter pass through its Danube ports and a quarter go via its western border. ROMANIAN TRANSITThe sea ports authority said this month three Ukrainian Danube river ports had exported a record 3 million tonnes of food in May. Ukrainian officials have said transit via Romanian territory to Constanta port on the Black Sea will also be critically important if Russia quits the Black Sea grain deal.

Persons: Dmytro Barinov, Denys Shmyhal, Pavel Polityuk, Timothy Organizations: Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority, United, Ukrainian, Facebook, Kyiv, Romanian, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Russia, Black, Ukraine, Constanta KYIV, United Nations, Turkey, Moscow, Ukrainian, ROMANIAN, Constanta

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