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☆ Israel-Hamas war: Rescued hostage details psychological abuse during eight months of Hamas captivity
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-11 | by ( Christian Edwards | Bianna Golodryga | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —When the Gaza sunshine was at its hottest, Andrey Kozlov said the Hamas fighters would cover him with blankets, leaving him to stew in his sweat. When they pulled the blindfold from his eyes, they said they would kill him and film his murder. The 27-year-old said he suffered intense psychological – and some physical – abuse at the hands of Hamas. He cannot bring himself to describe all that happened to him and the two other hostages he was kept with during his eight months of captivity in Gaza. “Yes they were.”For that reason, Kozlov implored Israeli officials to “try to understand how we [the hostages] felt all this time.

Persons: Andrey Kozlov, Kozlov, “, Israel, Noa Argamani, Abed Khaled, Reuters Kozlov, ”, –, Almog Meir Jan, Shlomi Ziv, – “, ” –, Kozlov – “, ” Kozlov, Marko Djurica, pushups ”, ‘, Itai Pessach, Benjamin Netanyahu Organizations: CNN, Nova, Hamas, West Bank, ”, Reuters, Qatari, Doha Locations: Gaza, Russian, Israel, Russia, Nuseirat, ”

☆ Israel-Hamas War: U.N. Security Council Resolution Latest Updates
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-11 | by ( Farnaz Fassihi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +7 min

In passing the resolution, the Council delivered a diplomatic victory to Washington, which had vetoed three previous cease-fire resolutions before the Council. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 0:43 - 0:00 transcript United Nations Security Council Backs Gaza Cease-Fire Resolution Fourteen of the 15 members on the U.N. Security Council, with Russia abstaining, voted in favor of adopting a proposal calling for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza. The draft resolution has been adopted as resolution 2735.” “Colleagues, the cease-fire deal would pave the way toward an enduring cessation of hostilities and a better future for all. Russia and China and Algeria, the only Arab member of the Security Council, had said in back-channel negotiations that the text appeared too lopsided in favor of Israel. Ever since the war started eight months ago, the Security Council has been in a deadlock over finding a way to end the conflict and fulfill its mandate to uphold international peace and stability.

Persons: ”, Linda Thomas, Greenfield, Thomas, Israel, “, ” “, Biden, There’s, Michael M, Reut Shapir Ben, Naftaly, Ms, Shapir Ben, Vasily Nebenzya, Nebenzya, Nate Evans, Evans, “ Israel, Marko Djurica, Benjamin Netanyahu, Fu Cong Organizations: . Security, United Nations, United Nations Security, Hamas, Credit, U.S, ., Reuters, ” Diplomats, States, Security, Security Council, United Locations: U.S, Gaza, Russia, Washington, United States, Qatar, Egypt, Israel, Russian, Tel Aviv, China, Algeria

☆ U.N. Security Council Passes U.S.-Backed Cease-Fire Resolution
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-10 | by ( Michael Crowley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield and other members of the United Nations Security Council voted on the resolution. The U.N. Security Council on Monday adopted a U.S.-backed cease-fire plan for the Gaza Strip after Russia opted not to block it, adding extra heft to a growing international push for an end to the fighting. In passing the resolution, the Council delivered a diplomatic victory to Washington, which had vetoed three previous cease-fire resolutions before the Council. Russia and China and Algeria, the only Arab member of the Security Council, had said in back-channel negotiations that the text appeared too lopsided in favor of Israel. Ever since the war started eight months ago, the Security Council has been in a deadlock over finding a way to end the conflict and fulfill its mandate to uphold international peace and stability.

Persons: Linda Thomas, Greenfield, ”, Thomas, Israel, “, Reut Shapir Ben, Naftaly, Ms, Shapir Ben, Vasily Nebenzya, Nebenzya, Biden, Nate Evans, Evans, “ Israel, Marko Djurica, Benjamin Netanyahu, Fu Cong Organizations: United Nations Security, . Security, United Nations, U.S, ., Reuters, ” Diplomats, States, Security, Security Council, United Locations: U.S, Gaza, Russia, Washington, United States, Qatar, Egypt, Russian, Israel, Tel Aviv, China, Algeria

☆ The war in Ukraine in 12 key moments
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Sophie Tanno | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

We’ve been taking a look at some of the most significant moments of the war so far. Putin’s announcement signaled the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine, which has so far cost the lives of over 10,300 civilians, according to the United Nations. May 20, 2023: Russia takes control of BakhmutUkrainian army medics treat wounded soldiers at a stabilisation point near Bakhmut frontline. June 2023: Ukraine counteroffensiveUkrainian soldiers shoot rounds into Russian positions with an S60 anti-aircraft canon placed on a truck, outside Bakhmut. February 8, 2024: Ukraine military chief firedCommander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi during an event dedicated to Ukraine's Independence Day on August 24, 2023 in Kyiv.

Persons: Vladmir Putin, Putin, We’ve, ’, Volodymyr Zelensky, Pavel Klimov, ”, Marko Djurica, Russia's, Kolya Serga, Ed Ram, Sefa, Diego Herrera Carcedo, Moscow, Bakhmut, Wojciech Grzedzinski, Wagner, Prigozhin, Reuters Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russia’s Wagner, Alexander Lukashenko, Mike Johnson, Samuel Corum, Ukraine Valerii, Yan Dobronosov, Zelensky, Ukraine’s, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, CNN’s Jennifer Hauser, Victoria Butenko, Daria Tarasova, Andrew Carey Organizations: CNN, NATO, Reuters, Ukraine, United Nations, Presidential Press, Snake, Social Media, Anadolu Agency, Concord, Putin, Getty, Republican, Armed Forces, Moscow Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Russia’s, Kyiv, United States, Russian, West, Dnipro, Hroza, Kharkiv, Bucha, Moskva, Crimea, Kherson, Ukrainian, Kremlin, Belgorod, Bakhmut, NATO, Robotyne, Mariupol, Washington , DC, Avdiivka

☆ Iceland remains on eruption alert as seismic activity wanes
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Johannes Birkebaek | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] General view of an area near to the evacuated town of Grindavik, in Iceland, November 17, 2023. REUTERS/Marko Djurica/ File photo Acquire Licensing RightsCOPENHAGEN, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Icelandic authorities said on Friday they were still on alert for a volcanic eruption in the southwest Reykjanes peninsula, although the odds were falling after a drop in seismic activity. Iceland has been living with a high risk of an eruption since seismic activity and underground lava flows increased in the region near the capital Reykjavik in late October. "Seismic activity continues to decrease," it said, adding that "the likelihood of eruption decreases over time". Five ministers from the Icelandic parliament visited Grindavik on Friday, where evacuated residents have been allowed back since Thursday to pick up more personal belongings.

Persons: Marko Djurica, RUV, Vidir Reynisson, Johannes Birkebaek, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Grindavik, Iceland, Reykjavik, Hagafell

☆ In pictures: Iceland braces for volcanic eruption
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

[4/21]A police officer and a member of search and rescue team stand by the smoke rising from the crack in a road in the fishing town of Grindavik, which was evacuated due to volcanic activity, in Iceland November 15. REUTERS/Marko DjuricaGRINDAVIK, Iceland

Persons: Marko Djurica GRINDAVIK Organizations: REUTERS Locations: Grindavik, Iceland

☆ Serbia's police detain over 4,500 migrants, seize weapons
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Detained migrants sit on their knees with cuffed hands, at their makeshift camp close to the Serbia-Hungary border, near the city of Subotica, Serbia September 12, 2023. It said that eight smugglers and 119 people have been arrested on charges including human trafficking and illegal possession of weapons and drugs. Many migrants cross borders with the help of elaborate networks of smugglers who are sometimes armed, and shootouts between criminal groups are frequent. Last month three migrants died in a shootout near Serbia's border with Hungary, a route increasingly used by people smugglers for entering the European Union. Belgrade has pledged to align its visa policies with those of the EU to help stem the flow of illegal migrants westward.

Persons: Marko Djurica, Djurovic, Aleksandar Vasovic, Barbara Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Rights BELGRADE, Serbian, Serbian Ministry of Interior, Internal, European Union, Center for Protection, Asylum, RTV TV, Thomson Locations: Serbia, Hungary, Subotica, Sombor, Kikinda, Hungarian, Pirot, Bulgaria, East, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Africa, Turkey, North Macedonia, Serbia's, Austria, Belgrade

[1/8] Asian Games - Hangzhou 2022 - Closing Ceremony - Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium, Hangzhou, China - October 8, 2023 A view of the handover ceremony at the closing ceremony REUTERS/Marko Djurica Acquire Licensing RightsHANGZHOU, China, Oct 8 (Reuters) - China's eastern city of Hangzhou rounded off the 19th Asian Games on Sunday with a colourful and "joy"-themed closing ceremony after hosting the continental sporting extravaganza which organisers hailed as "one of the finest" ever. Taking place amid tight security the less-than two hour ceremony also included a handover to the hosts of the next Asian Games in 2026, the Japanese city Nagoya. The hosts' 201st gold left them two better than their previous best of 199 at the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games. Organisers said 12,407 athletes from 45 nations competed in 40 sports at the Hangzhou Games, which were delayed for a year due to COVID-19. "We have hosted the most successful Asian Games in history" said Chen Weiqiang, Executive Secretary General of the Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee and vice-mayor of Hangzhou.

Persons: Marko Djurica, Li Qiang, jigged, Takashi Kawamura, Randhir Singh, Gu Shiau, Kazakhstan's Moldir, Chen Weiqiang, WADA, Martin Quin Pollard, Ian Ransom, Christian Schmollinger, Toby Chopra, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre, Rights, Games, Nagoya, Mainichi, Olympic Council of Asia, energised, Bangkok Games, Hangzhou Games, Hangzhou Asian Games, Doping Agency, Olympic, Paralympic Games, Olympic Council of, OCA Locations: Hangzhou, China, Rights HANGZHOU, Nagoya, Nanjing, Aichi, Guangzhou, Jakarta, Japan, Macau, North, Korea, Olympic Council of Asia

☆ Serbian police step up migration patrols on border with Hungary
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Serbian gendarmerie officers stand by migrants who are to be searched, close to the Serbia-Hungary border, near the city of Subotica, Serbia September 12, 2023. REUTERS/Marko Djurica Acquire Licensing RightsSUBOTICA, Serbia, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Serbia has sent special forces to the border with Hungary as hundreds of migrants a day try to reach the European Union. On Tuesday, police said they detained 371 migrants along the border. Migrants in the area typically try to use ladders to clear the border or cut the fence. "What our field workers see is that they all cross the border eventually and move on (to the EU).

Persons: Marko Djurica, Dragan Vasiljevic, Vasiljevic, Djurovic, Branko Filipovic, Ivana Sekularac, Alison Williams Organizations: Serbian, REUTERS, Rights, European Union, Reuters, Migrants, Centre for Asylum Seekers, Thomson Locations: Serbia, Hungary, Subotica, Rights SUBOTICA, Asia, Africa, Turkey, Belgrade

☆ Analysis-China's economic gloom hangs over Japan's long-awaited recovery
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Tetsushi Kajimoto | Leika Kihara | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

TOKYO (Reuters) - Policymakers in Tokyo believe China’s deepening economic woes could hit Japan’s fragile recovery, especially if Beijing fails to shore up demand with meaningful stimulus, potentially delaying an exit from ultra-loose monetary policy. China is Japan’s largest trading partner, accounting for 20% of its exports, having replaced the United States in 2020. “Exports to China had already been weak and headwinds to inbound tourism are clearly bad for Japan’s economy,” said Toru Suehiro, chief economist at Daiwa Securities. Firms also promised wage hikes unseen in three decades this year, heightening the case for a retreat from decades of ultra-loose monetary policy. The darkening outlook for Japan’s recovery may push back the timing of a BOJ policy shift.

Persons: Marko Djurica, Kazuo Ueda’s, ”, Hiroyuki Ogawa, Ogawa, Takeshi Niinami, Toru Suehiro, Ueda, Toyoaki Nakamura, “, Seisaku Kameda Organizations: REUTERS, Bank of Japan’s, Reuters, Japan, Komatsu Ltd, Komatsu, Suntory Holdings, Daiwa Securities, Japan’s Sompo Holdings Locations: TOKYO, Tokyo, Beijing, Japan, United States, China

In a sign of growing pessimism over China, the government also said its monthly economic report for August that "concern over China's outlook" was among risks to Japan's recovery. "Exports to China had already been weak and headwinds to inbound tourism are clearly bad for Japan's economy," said Toru Suehiro, chief economist at Daiwa Securities. "All in all, it's hard to justify tightening monetary policy any time soon." Firms also promised wage hikes unseen in three decades this year, heightening the case for a retreat from decades of ultra-loose monetary policy. The darkening outlook for Japan's recovery may push back the timing of a BOJ policy shift.

Persons: Marko Djurica, Kazuo Ueda's, Hiroyuki Ogawa, Ogawa, Takeshi Niinami, Toru Suehiro, Ueda, Toyoaki Nakamura, Seisaku Kameda, Tetsushi Kajimoto, Sam Holmes Organizations: REUTERS, Bank of Japan's, Reuters, Japan, Komatsu Ltd, Komatsu, Suntory Holdings, Daiwa Securities, Japan's Sompo Holdings, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, China, TOKYO, Beijing, United States

☆ Ledecky dominates, Richards leads British one-two at world championships
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

It was the perfect response for Ledecky, who was dethroned and left disappointed by the record-breaking Ariarne Titmus in Sunday's 400m freestyle event. Earlier, Richards finished strongly to bag the gold ahead of compatriot Tom Dean in his freestyle event with a solid time of one minute, 44.30 seconds. "I knew going into the race it was one of the most stacked 200 freestyle fields for a long time. Olympic champion Dean finished 0.02 seconds behind to take silver and Hwang Sun-woo of South Korea took the bronze, while 2022 world champion David Popovici of Romania missed out on a podium spot. She charged to victory in the event in 57.53 seconds to edge out 2022 world champion Regan Smith of the United States by 0.25 seconds and Katharine Berkoff by 0.72 seconds.

Persons: Katie Ledecky, Marko Djurica, Matthew Richards, Ledecky, Simona Quadarella, Li Bingjie, I'm, Richards, Tom Dean, Dean, Hwang Sun, David Popovici, Kaylee McKeown, Australia's, Regan Smith, Katharine Berkoff, McKeown, Smith, Italy's Thomas Ceccon, Ryan Murphy, Murphy, Hunter Armstrong, Lilly King, Lithuania's Meilutyte, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Toby Davis Organizations: Marine Messe Fukuoka, Britain, London Games, Thomson Locations: Fukuoka, Japan, Marko Djurica FUKUOKA, United States, British, South Korea, Romania, Barcelona, Bengaluru

[1/5] People attend a demonstration "Serbia against violence" organized by Serbia's opposition parties in reaction to the two mass shootings in the same week, in Belgrade, Serbia, June 17, 2023. chanted the crowd in Belgrade, referring to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, as his likeness was paraded alongside that of Prime Minister Ana Brnabic and other prominent figures in black-and-white jail garb. The protesters also demanded the resignation of Serbia's interior minister Bratislav Gasic and secret service chief Aleksandar Vulin whom they blame for failing to stop gangs. Brnabic said last week she was willing to resign and invited opposition parties, who have backed the protests, for dialogue. However, mass shootings were rare until last month.

Persons: Marko Djurica, jumpsuits, Aleksandar Vucic, Ana Brnabic, Bratislav Gasic, Aleksandar Vulin, Vladimir Savic, Vucic, Brnabic, Ivana Sekularac, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: REUTERS, Pink, Thomson Locations: Serbia, Belgrade, BELGRADE, Novi Sad, Nis, Kragujevac, Balkans, Yugoslavia

☆ Tens of thousands gather in Serbia's anti-government protest
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] People attend the protest "Serbia against violence" by Serbia's opposition parties in reaction to the two mass shootings in the same week, in Belgrade, Serbia, June 3, 2023. REUTERS/Marko DjuricaBELGRADE, June 3 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Serbs joined an anti-government protest in Belgrade on Saturday, blaming a culture of violence for the deaths of 18 people in two mass shootings and calling on the interior minister to resign. The protest marked the one-month anniversary of the country's first school shooting on May 3, when a teenager killed ten in an elementary school. In response to the shootings, the government announced school summer holidays would start on June 6, two weeks earlier than planned. Recent Serbian reality TV shows have featured convicted criminals, including murderers, and shown men beating up women.

Persons: Marko Djurica, Aleksandra Vucic, Vucic, Nenad Hadzi Maricic, Bratislav Gasic, Aleksandar Vulin, Aleksandar Saran, Ivana Sekularac, Christina Fincher Organizations: REUTERS, Marko Djurica BELGRADE, Protesters, Secret, Pink TV, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Serbia, Belgrade, Serbian

[1/5] People attend a protest "Serbia against violence" in reaction to the two mass shootings in the same week, that have shaken the country, in Belgrade, Serbia, May 27, 2023. REUTERS/Marko DjuricaBELGRADE, May 27 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands braved rain and wind in Belgrade on Saturday in an anti-government protest over two mass shootings that killed 18 people, blaming the deaths on a culture of violence that critics say authorities have allowed to permeate society. On May 3 a teenage boy killed nine pupils and a security guard in Belgrade in the first school mass shooting in Serbia, and a day later a 21-year-old man killed eight outside the city. It was the fourth such protest in as many weeks, with demonstrators turning up in similar numbers to the previous three rallies despite bad weather. On Friday, tens of thousands of people bussed-in from across Serbia, neighbouring Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia and North Macedonia rallied in the centre of Belgrade in a show of support for Vucic.

☆ A muddy mess in Ukraine is making trouble for new howitzers so sensitive to dirt they come with their own vacuum cleaners
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Soldiers have to be very clean and careful when entering the vehicles, The New York Times reported. Germany has sent 14 Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine, according to an inventory of its military support to Kyiv. Each howitzer even comes with a vacuum cleaner, and the barrels sometimes have to be cleaned with a long brush. That said, the Ukrainian forces operating the German-made howitzers have reportedly seen some successes against Russian tank and infantry units despite the current conditions on the ground. Ukrainian forces have been gearing up to launch a much-anticipated counteroffensive against Russia after receiving a massive influx of heavy armor and advanced military hardware from the US and its Western partners.

☆ Montenegro holds run-off presidential election
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] A child plays with a ball on a street, a day before the second round of presidential elections in Podgorica, Montenegro, April 1, 2023. REUTERS/Marko DjuricaPODGORICA, April 2 (Reuters) - Montenegrins were set to vote in a run-off presidential election on Sunday, pitting long-time incumbent Milo Djukanovic against a Western-educated economist pledging to lift the nation out of a crisis marked by no-confidence votes in two governments. Djukanovic, 61, has dominated Montenegro as president or prime minister for 33 years, since the start of the collapse of the now-defunct federal Yugoslavia. Djukanovic wound up with 35.37% of the vote in the first round of the election on March 19, with Milatovic on 28.92%, necessitating a run-off as neither garnered a 50% majority, and analysts have predicted a tight race in the run-off. Although the presidential post in Montenegro is largely ceremonial, a victory in the election would bolster the chances of the winner's party in June.

☆ Montenegro run-off presidential election under way
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/13] A man prepares to vote at a polling station during the run-off presidential election in Podgorica, Montenegro, April 2, 2023. REUTERS/Marko DjuricaPODGORICA, April 2 (Reuters) - Montenegrins went to the polls on Sunday in a run-off presidential election pitting incumbent Milo Djukanovic against a Western-educated economist pledging to lift the nation out of a crisis marked by no-confidence votes in two governments. He led Montenegro to independence from a state union with much larger Serbia in 2006 and to NATO membership in 2017. Although the presidential post in Montenegro is largely ceremonial, victory in the election would bolster the chances of the winner's party in June. After Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year, Montenegro joined EU sanctions against Moscow and expelled a number of Russian diplomats.

☆ Serbian nationalists march in protest against Kosovo talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Many Serbs view Kosovo, home to the Serbian Orthodox faith's main churches and monasteries, as the heartland of the Serb nation. Serbian nationalists who also want closer ties with Russia, Serbia's longtime ally, criticise President Aleksandar Vucic for his role in talks over a Western-backed deal with Kosovo. "The people of Serbia which soiled this land with blood will not give away Serbian Kosovo, because Kosovo is sacred," said Zorica Mojsic from Belgrade as he walked with other marchers. The Serbian Orthodox Church organised its own prayers for Kosovo, set to last until Easter, but did not endorse the march and its clergy did not participate. On Friday, the Serbian Orthodox church's Patriarch Porfirije said in a sermon "no one should teach the church ... what is Kosovo... Liberating Kosovo with words is easy."

[1/6] Ukrainian servicemen of the 17th Independent Tanks Brigade are seen atop of a T-64 tank, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, near the frontline town of Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine February 23, 2023. "Using Ukraine, the collective West is seeking to dismember Russia, to deprive it of its independence. U.S. President Joe Biden will meet virtually on Friday with G7 leaders and Zelenskiy to mark the anniversary and announce new sanctions against those aiding Russia's war effort, the White House said. Ukraine and its Western partners have brushed off the nuclear talk as a diversion from a stalled military campaign. Some U.S. and Western officials estimate Russia's military casualties at nearly 200,000 dead or wounded, while in November the top U.S. general said more than 100,000 troops on each side had been killed or wounded.

☆ Ukrainian army medics fight to save lives near frontline
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Marko Djurica | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Filed: February 21, 2023, 8 a.m. GMTIn a dingy medical outpost near eastern Ukraine’s front lines, army medic Viktor battles to save lives on a daily basis. Nearly a year into Russia’s invasion, fighting now amounts to attritional duels of artillery and infantry assaults, with neither side making significant gains. The costs of that deadly grind are clear to Viktor’s team of seven medics and six nurses as it toils away, hemmed in by racks of medical supplies and portable heaters, at this “stabilisation point” in the Donetsk region, where battles are fierce.

☆ A year after Russia’s invasion: How Ukraine endured
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +21 min

REUTERS/Valentyn OgirenkoIn the early hours of Feb. 24, 2022, tens of thousands of Russian soldiers entered Ukraine. By seizing the city of three million people, and capturing or killing Zelenskiy, Russia’s hope appeared to be that Ukraine would quickly surrender. By March 23, Russia’s advance had captured regions of Ukraine along the Belarus border but Ukraine’s forces had begun reclaiming territory near Kyiv. Satellite imagery of Russia’s military convoy near Invankiv, Ukraine, Feb. 28, 2022. The two sit on a bed, with a radio and teddy bears nearby., image Ukrainian civilians have endured The will of the people of Ukraine continues to be that they remain free.

Of at least 36 missiles that Russia fired about 16 were shot down, the air force said, a lower rate than normal. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris are among many top officials attending the Munich Security Conference. As Russian troops massed on Ukraine's borders, Western leaders in Munich urged President Vladimir Putin not to invade and warned of dire consequences if he did. Russian leaders will be notable by their absence at the conference, which runs until Sunday, but senior Ukrainian officials are expected to address it. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address his priority was to hold off Russian attacks and get ready for an eventual Ukrainian counter-offensive.

Following a pattern of heavy bombardments after Ukrainian battlefield or diplomatic gains, Russia launched 36 missiles in the early hours, Ukraine's Air Force said. The Russian missiles triggered air-raid sirens and landed across Ukraine, including at the Kremenchuk refinery, where the extent of damage was unclear. Ukraine said the barrage included three KH-31 missiles and one Oniks anti-ship cruise missile, which its air defences cannot shoot down. [1/6] Ukrainian servicemen of the 80th Air Assault Brigade fire M119 Howitzer artillery weapon towards Russian troops, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near Bahmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, February 16, 2023. Its capture would give Russia a stepping stone to advance on two bigger Donetsk cities further west, Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.

☆ On the road from Donetsk, evacuation ends in heartbreak
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Marko Djurica | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

But there was more tragedy ahead: Raissa Akusova, 75-year-old grandmother and matriarch of the family, died on the road. A Reuters team including photographer Marko Djurica had accompanied volunteers from a charity to Chasiv Yar that day. The charity workers carried with them addresses of residents who sought help evacuating as Russian troops neared. When they arrived outside the family’s home, Djurica said it was clear that Akusova was feeling very unwell. She leaned on her son-in-law’s arm and had to take rests as she made her way slowly to the charity’s waiting minibus.

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