DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Zelenskyy appeared to confirm Ukraine is no longer in control of Bakhmut: 'For today, Bakhmut is only in our hearts.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russian forces have been waging a monthslong battle in Bakhmut, a city in eastern Ukraine. The fighting has reduced the city to rubble and claimed thousands of lives. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appeared to confirm at the G7 summit that Ukraine is longer in control of Bakhmut. During a meeting with President Joe Biden on Sunday at the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Zelenskyy told reporters that he believes Ukraine has lost control of the city. ... For today, Bakhmut is only in our hearts."

☆ G-7 aims to rein in risks from China, awaits Zelenskyy
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is due to arrive in Hiroshima on Saturday to drum up support for his country's defence effort. The G7 nations are looking to "de-risk, not decouple" from China, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters in Hiroshima. In a draft of the final communique seen by Reuters, G7 leaders agreed that China's status as the world's second-largest economy meant they had to continue to cooperate. "We do not seek to thwart China's economic progress and development," the leaders said in the draft, which is subject to change. China has voiced concern that the summit would turn into a "political show" against Beijing.

☆ Ukraine war live updates: UK slaps new Russia sanctions targeting grain theft, diamonds, metals
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Kyiv's Group of Seven allies are set to announce fresh sanctions targeting Russia for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as officials gather for the group's annual summit in Hiroshima, Japan, from Friday to Sunday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to attend the gathering in person. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the U.K. was banning imports on Russian diamonds and copper, aluminum and nickel. The U.K. government also formally announced new Russia restrictions against the theft and resale of Ukrainian grains, major energy and arms-shipping enterprises, and some companies linked to Russian nuclear energy firm Rosatom. G-7 powers have relied on sanctions to reduce Russia's war coffers in a bid to stall the progress of its military offensive in Ukraine.

☆ G-7 leaders to announce more sanctions on Russia; Zelenskyy expected to fly to Japan
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The Group of Seven summit will be held in Hiroshima, Japan, from May 19-22. Leaders of the Group of Seven are expected to introduce on a set of measures to add pressure on Russia as its invasion of Ukraine continues for a second year. G-7 leaders are in Hiroshima, Japan, for a three-day meeting to discuss international trade and security as the U.S. and China battle for influence in a multipolar world amid concerns of their decoupling, and as the Ukraine war continues. A senior U.S. administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said early Friday morning that the government plans to introduce steps to "economically isolate" Russia to weaken its ability to wage war. Discussions on the scope of the sanctions on Russia will be underway as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is reportedly expected to fly to Japan to attend the G-7 summit on Sunday, according to the Financial Times.

☆ International pressure on Biden to give Ukraine F-16 fighter jets appears to be working
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

International pressure on Biden to provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets appears to working. Not only will the US authorize use of the US-made F-16s in Ukraine, it'll help train pilots and possibly send fighter jets from its own stockpiles. It also suggests that international pressure — Ukraine's pleas for the jets as well as NATO's desire to send them — on Biden has worked. News on the authorization of F-16 fighter jets came in a flurry. Politico reported that move opens the doors for Western allies to send Ukraine the jets, although the timeline and details are still murky.

☆ Fact Check-No proof Ukraine’s defence ministry tweeted Zelenskiy was ‘naked clown’
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A fake screenshot of a Ukrainian Ministry of Defence tweet that criticises Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is being shared online. However, an advanced Twitter search produced no evidence that such a tweet exists on the verified account of Ukraine’s defence ministry (bit.ly/42EgDFv). Media outlets would likely cover the country’s defence ministry posting such strong wording about a prospective president. Reuters also found no evidence of the tweet existing within archived versions of the ministry’s verified Twitter profile (here). Search engines and social media searches produce no proof that Ukraine’s ministry of defence posted the tweet on its verified Twitter account.

☆ How the U.S. and South Africa ended up in a dispute over Russian gunrunning allegations
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

WASHINGTON, D.C - Sep. 16, 2022: U.S. President Joe Biden meets with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (L) in the Oval Office of the White House. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty ImagesRelations between the U.S. and South Africa frayed last week, when U.S. South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), released a rather different interpretation of the conversation in its readout. RICHARDS BAY, South Africa - Feb. 22, 2023: Russian military frigate "Admiral Gorshkov" docked at the port in Richards Bay on February 22, 2023. South Africa drew criticism from the U.S. and Europe for holding 10 days of joint naval exercises with Russia and China.

☆ Former NATO commander warns the alliance must fully back Ukraine now or risk a direct war with Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Sir Richard Shirreff said NATO could get pulled into the war if it didn't provide full support. He said that NATO was ill-prepared for the possibility of a direct war with Russia. This is a war not just against Ukraine; it's a war against the West," he said. Sir Richard Shirreff attends the Edinburgh International Book Festival on August 22, 2016 in Edinburgh, Scotland. And we're here again," said Sir Richard.

☆ As G-7 Summit kicks off in Hiroshima, China and Russia are on everyone’s minds
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

A man rides his bicycle past a "G7 Hiroshima" flower sign at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, ahead of the G7 Leaders' Summit, on May 17, 2023. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP) (Photo by PHILIP FONG/AFP via Getty Images) Philip Fong | Afp | Getty ImagesThe annual Group of 7 summit officially kicks off on Friday in Hiroshima, Japan. A sign of G7 Hiroshima Summit is pictured in Hiroshima, ahead of the G7 Leaders' Summit, on May 16, 2023. G-7 finance leaders and central bankers finalized a three-day meeting in Niigata last week. "The U.S. will have a package of sanctions associated with the G-7 statement that will center on this enforcement issue," he told reporters.

☆ China walks a tightrope, searching for a Ukraine peace deal that gets around defeat for its ally Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at a signing ceremony after their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21, 2023. "Russia is an increasingly important partner for [Chinese President] Xi Jinping. Russian President Vladimir Putin and China's President Xi Jinping leave after a reception following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21, 2023. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks with Chinese President Xi Jinping via phone line, in Kyiv on April 26, 2023. As such, China's move to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine is not seen as an altruistic one but motivated by self-interest.

☆ Ukrainian frontline commander 'Witch' explains why they're so determined to hold on to Bakhmut: 'We are exhausting them morally and psychologically'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Ukraine has faced questions about why it will not retreat from Bakhmut, now mostly held by Russia. With Russian forces now holding the majority of the city, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has faced questions over whether Ukraine can — or even should — try to hold on to the city. Junior Lieutenant mortar platoon commander Olga Bigar of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces. Junior Lieutenant mortar platoon commander Olga Bigar of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces. But with "even a few units" of precise, modern weapons Ukraine has "a tangible advantage" over Russian forces, she said.

☆ Ukraine war live updates: China says there's 'no panacea' to ending Ukraine war; Kyiv hit with 'unprecedented' Russian missile attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

China said it's willing to help bring about a cease-fire in Ukraine, but said "there is no panacea to resolve the crisis," as it called on Russia and Ukraine to come to the negotiating table. China said it's willing to help bring about a cease-fire in Ukraine, but said "there is no panacea to resolve the crisis," as it called on Russia and Ukraine to come to the negotiating table. Li met with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the visit, as well as other ministers, including Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. China tends to call the war in Ukraine a "crisis" and has refused to condemn Russia's unprovoked invasion, remaining close to its ally Moscow throughout the war. It insisted that "China has always played a constructive role in its own way to ease the humanitarian situation in Ukraine and will continue to provide assistance to Ukraine within its capabilities."

☆ This clothing shop is selling 'Faux News' T-shirts mocking Tucker Carlson to raise money to help Ukrainians in the war he vocally opposed
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Igor Novikov, the founder of Cancel Kouture, told Insider the shirts approach opinions with humor. "At the moment, we're donating to resilience centers and the charities that are directly supporting people in need," he told Insider. "And I realized that it must've been Fox News, and it must've been Tucker," Novikov said. And Novikov said while Cancel Kouture gets its namesake from the phenomenon of "canceling" someone, it's also more lighthearted. "I'm not a huge fan of cancel culture because, to me, it seems too aggressive and too indiscriminate," Novikov told Insider.

☆ How will we know when Ukraine's long-awaited counteroffensive has started? Experts say look for the Western armor.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

But military experts say Kyiv's use of Western armor will signal the start of a larger offensive. "The Ukrainian counteroffensive, I think, is going to start with a bang, literally and figuratively," Mark Cancian, a retired US Marine Corps Reserve colonel, told Insider. Ukraine's expected counterpunch will come on the heels of what turned out to be a lackluster offensive carried out by Russian forces during the winter. The armored vehicles in particular are expected to help Ukraine hit hard and exploit gains quickly with shock, firepower, and mobility. You want to keep the Russian armed forces guessing as to, is this actually the commitment of their main forces?"

☆ Zelenskyy's presidential advisor says without more fighter jets and long-range missiles from the West it's easy for Russia to 'torture' Ukraine's troops
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Zelenskyy's presidential advisor said without more air support, Russia can easily "torture" Ukraine. He also criticized Western leaders who say Ukraine doesn't need fighter jets or long-range missiles. Podolyak's tweet also appears to criticize Western leaders who have previously said Ukraine doesn't need fighter jets and long-range missiles. Rather, he told the Post, the lack of fighter jets and long-range missiles "leads to an aggravation of the conflict and an increase in deaths." While Podolyak didn't name any specific Western authorities, the Biden administration has repeatedly rejected Zelenskyy's requests for F-16 fighter jets.

☆ China doesn't really care who wins the war in Ukraine — it just wants to win the peace, analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

There's little doubt that China wants the war between Russia and Ukraine to end, and soon. Political analysts and China watchers note that, ultimately, Beijing doesn't really care who "wins" the war — or what form a peace deal takes. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks with Chinese President Xi Jinping via phone line, in Kyiv on April 26, 2023. Russian President Vladimir Putin and China's President Xi Jinping shake hands during a signing ceremony following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21, 2023. Any peace will be hard-wonNo-one is underestimating the challenges any would-be peace broker has before them.

☆ 4 Russian military aircraft 'ambushed' and shot down near Ukrainian border, Russian media reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Four Russian aircraft have been shot down near the Ukrainian border, per a Russian news outlet. It may be the most Russian aircraft lost in a single day during the war, a pro-Russia blog said. Kommersant did not provide evidence that the four aircraft had been downed, but several Russian pro-war military bloggers made the same claim, Reuters reported. Regional Russian authorities have confirmed the crash of one helicopter, per Russian state news agency Tass. A pro-Russia Telegram channel with close links to Russia's air force, called Fighterbomber, said it was the highest number of Russian aircraft lost in a single day "since March last year."

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskyy thanks Germany for support in visit to Berlin
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (left) says goodbye to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (right), as he departs the Bellevue Palace on May 14, 2023, in Berlin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Germany for its support as he met with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Sunday in his first visit to the country since Russia's invasion. Zelenskyy arrived in Berlin from Rome, where he met separately on Saturday with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Pope Francis. Zelenskyy last visited Germany for the Munich Security Council in February last year just before the war broke out. Germany was constrained in its support for Ukraine at that time both by its energy dependence on Russia and a pacifism rooted in its bloody 20th century history.

☆ Swedish singer Loreen wins Eurovision Song Contest for 2nd time at event feting Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Swedish singer Loreen won the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday night with her power ballad "Tattoo," at a colorful, eclectic music competition clouded for a second year running by the war in Ukraine. Loreen, 39, previously won Eurovision in 2012 and is only the second performer to take the prize twice, after Ireland's Johnny Logan in the 1980s. Under the slogan "united by music," Eurovision final fused the soul of the English port city that birthed The Beatles with the spirit of war-battered Ukraine. Now in its 67th year, Eurovision bills itself as the world's biggest music contest — an Olympiad of party-friendly pop. "Now, the music industry, the world, knows that if you appear at Eurovision, you could be in for a great thing," said Steve Holden, host of the official Eurovision Song Contest podcast.

☆ Zelenskyy proposed bombing a Russian pipeline and using long-range missiles to hit targets outside Ukraine's borders, leaked documents show
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Intelligence documents leaked last month offered a glimpse into Ukraine's wartime strategy. Among the Ukrainian's secret plans: occupy Russian villages and bomb an oil pipeline. Among the extreme strategies Zelenskyy considered: occupying Russian villages, bombing an oil pipeline that transfers Russian oil to Hungary, and firing long-range missiles at targets beyond the Russian border. In another meeting, the Ukrainian leader lamented, "Ukraine does not have long-range missiles capable of reaching Russian troop deployments in Russia nor anything with which to attack them." Representatives for the Pentagon and Ukraine's Ministry of Defense did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.

☆ 2 senior Russian commanders have been killed in fighting near Bakhmut, defense ministry says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia's Defense Ministry said two senior commanders had been killed near Bakhmut, eastern Ukraine. download the app Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy PolicyTwo Russian commanders have been killed in fighting near Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, the Russian Ministry of Defense said on Sunday. The ministry said the commanders died while repelling Ukrainian attempts to break through the frontline. The department claimed that Ukrainian forces had not succeeded in breaking through Russian defenses and that hundreds of Ukrainian troops had been killed. He said that some Russian troops had fallen back from the north of Bakhmut to regroup to better positions following further reports of Ukrainian advances in the south.

☆ China unlikely to play peacemaker role in Ukraine war, Western officials and experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-13 | by ( Dan De Luce | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A Ukrainian soldier controls a drone at a training camp during the Russia-Ukraine war in Donetsk, Ukraine, on May 11, 2023. The Biden administration and U.S. allies doubt China can play a decisive role in bringing an end to the war in Ukraine, given Beijing's tendency to play it safe in the diplomatic arena and its reluctance to alienate Russia, Western diplomats and former U.S. officials say. "I think they're appropriately skeptical of the role that China might actually play," Medeiros said. "And I have to say, until recently, it was very unclear whether China accepted that basic principle. China's position on the Ukraine conflict "is consistent and clear," said Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington.

☆ Zelenskyy meets with Pope Francis at Vatican, says he sought backing for his peace plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Pope Francis meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Studio of Paul VI Hall on May 13, 2023 in Vatican City, Vatican. Francis, using a cane for his knee problem, came to greet the Ukrainian president before ushering him into a papal studio near the Vatican's audience hall. And he said he asked Francis to come aboard Ukraine's peace plan. "I also talked about our Peace Formula as the only effective algorithm for achieving a just peace,″ Zelenskyy said. Zelenskyy, who also met Italian President Sergio Mattarella, is a one-day trip in Rome, including an audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican.

☆ Ukraine war live updates: Russia denies reports of Ukrainian breakthrough in front line
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

The Russian Defense Ministry has denied reports that Ukrainian forces have breached the front lines, claiming the military situation remains under control amid speculation of Kyiv's anticipated counteroffensive. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier on Thursday said that his nation requires more time and foreign military aid before such a measure — while Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of Russian private military company Wagner Group, said that Ukraine had already begun such a counterattack and were approaching the embattled city of Bakhmut from the flanks. Ukrainian Defense Minister Hanna Maliar on Friday said that the country's forces have advanced 2 kilometers in the direction of Bakhmut.

☆ Ukrainian vigilantes are tearing down Russian statues and landmarks in the night to 'decolonize' their cities
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Ukrainian vigilantes are tearing down Russian statues and landmarks in their cities. Activists told The Washington Post they want to "de-Russify" and "decolonize" Ukraine. Zelenskyy signed two laws last month to promote Ukrainian language and culture over that of Russia. The activists — operating under umbrella organizations such as Decolonize Ukraine — are recording the locations of Russian iconography across big cities and small towns, according to The Washington Post. The Post reported that these efforts range from Russian language on street signs and public art to Soviet symbols and statues dedicated to Russian soldiers.

Search resuls for: "Volodymyr Zelenskyy"

25 mentions found