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Zelensky rejects Putin’s claims that Ukraine involved in Moscow attack
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Polish and allied aircraft were scrambled this morning after Russia launched missile strikes on Ukraine, the Operational Command of the Polish armed forces said.
“Polish and allied aircraft are operating in Polish airspace, which may result in increased noise levels, especially in the southeastern part of the country,” the Command said on the social media platform X.
Russia attacked three thermal power plants of Ukraine’s largest private power firm DTEK on Friday, damaging facilities, the firm said.
“The equipment was severely damaged. After the attack ended, the power engineers promptly started to repair the damage,” the company said on the Telegram messaging app.
Meanwhile, Moscow has claimed it has evidence that the gunmen who killed more than 140 people in an attack on a concert hall last week were linked to “Ukrainian nationalists”.
While Russia did not present any evidence, the Russian Investigative Committee said the attackers had received significant amounts of cash and cryptocurrency from Ukraine.
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Key Points Poland activates fighter jets after Russian strikes Putin says Russia will not attack NATO – but F-16s will be shot down in Ukraine Russia may have used new guided bomb to attack Ukraine's Kharkiv, local officials say Ukraine destroys 26 Russian drones in latest overnight strike Kyiv prosecutor says 5,600 Ukrainians have been tortured by Russia
Show latest update 16 minutes ago Nine more people detained over Moscow terror attack
Nine people have been detained by Tajikistan’s state security service over suspected contact with the perpetrators of last week’s attack by gunmen on a Moscow concert hall that killed 144 people, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti said.
“Nine residents of the Vakhdat district were detained for contact with the persons who committed the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall on March 22,” the agency reported, citing information from an unnamed source in Tajikistan’s special services, who said that Russian security forces were also involved in the operation to detain the suspects.
Those detained are also suspected of having connections with the Islamic State group, according to RIA Novosti.
Russia’s Investigative Committee said on Thursday it had detained another suspect in relation to the raid on Crocus City Hall, on suspicion of being involved in financing the attack. It did not give further details of the suspect’s identity or alleged actions.
Russian officials previously said that 11 suspects had been arrested, including four who allegedly carried out the attack.
Those four, identified as Tajik nationals, appeared in a Moscow court on Sunday on terrorism charges and showed signs of severe beatings. One appeared to be barely conscious during the hearing.
Sam Rkaina 29 March 2024 11:34
48 minutes ago Ukraine urges India to rethink 'Soviet legacy' of Russia ties
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has urged India to stand by Kyiv, saying the South Asian nation’s close ties with Russia are based on a Soviet legacy that is evaporating, the Financial Times reported on Friday.
India has traditionally had close economic and defence ties with Moscow and refrained from criticising Russia over its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, instead increasing purchases of Russian oil to a record.
Kuleba, who began a two-day visit on Thursday looking to advance Kyiv’s vision of the path to peace in Ukraine and strengthen ties with India, said it had much to gain from expanding trade and technology ties with his country.
“We are interested in importing some of the heavy machinery items that India is producing,” he said, as Ukraine looks to restore trade with India, particularly of farm products such as sunflower oil and other Indian goods. He offered Indian companies a role in postwar reconstruction.
“The co-operation between India and Russia is largely based on the Soviet legacy,” he added. “But this is not the legacy that will be kept for centuries; it is a legacy that is evaporating.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba
(Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
Sam Rkaina 29 March 2024 11:01
1 hour ago Residential buildings destroyed in latest Russian strikes
The pictures below show damage from the latest Russian attacks on Ukraine.
In the first, a firefighter works at the site of a Russian missile and drone strike in the Cherkasy region.
And below that, you can see residential buildings damaged in the city of Kamianske, in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
(via REUTERS)
(via REUTERS)
Sam Rkaina 29 March 2024 10:30
1 hour ago Three thermal power plants hit in morning attacks
The largest private power firm, DTEK, said its three thermal power plants had come under attack.
“The equipment was severely damaged,” it said on Telegram. “After the attack ended, the power engineers promptly started to repair the damage.”
Ukrainian power distributor Yasno said this week that DTEK lost about half its capacity following Russian missile and drone attacks.
Ukrainian state-run Naftogaz oil and gas firm also said its facilities had come under attack on Friday morning.
“(Russian attacks) targeted Naftogaz Group’s facilities, but there was no serious damage,” it said in a statement, giving no more details.
Sam Rkaina 29 March 2024 10:00
2 hours ago Energy facilities in Ukraine targeted again
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said energy facilities in six Ukrainian regions had been attacked. He said Ukraine needs more air defence systems to secure critical infrastructure and protect the population.
The Ukrainian military said its air force had destroyed 58 Russia-launched attack drones overnight from a total of 60, along with 26 of 39 missiles.
“The enemy launched a powerful missile and air strike against the fuel and energy sector of Ukraine, using various types of missiles and attack drones,” the commander said.
Ukrainian television said explosions were heard in the regions of Ivano-Frankivsk and Khmelnytskyi as well as the city of Dnipro as Russian cruise missiles were spotted in Ukrainian air space.
Sam Rkaina 29 March 2024 09:27
3 hours ago Ukraine says Russian drone, missile attacks damage power facilities
Russian missile and drone attacks hit thermal and hydro power plants in central and western Ukraine, power grid operator Ukrenergo said on Friday, in the latest barrage targeting the country’s already damaged power infrastructure.
“During the night, the Russians struck again at energy facilities in a massive and combined attack,” Ukrenergo said on the Telegram messaging app. “Thermal and hydroelectric power plants in the central and western regions were damaged.”
Regional officials said Russian forces had attacked infrastructure in the Kamianske district near the city of Dnipro. At least one person was wounded, they added.
Ukrainian energy minister German Galushchenko also said power facilities in the regions of Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava and Cherkasy were attacked.
“Electricity generation facilities were targeted by drones and missiles,” Gelushchenko said on Facebook.
Sam Rkaina 29 March 2024 08:30
3 hours ago Russia attacks three thermal power plants in Ukraine
Russia attacked three thermal power plants of Ukraine's largest private power firm DTEK on Friday, damaging facilities, DTEK said.
"The equipment was severely damaged. After the attack ended, the power engineers promptly started to repair the damage," the company said on the Telegram messaging app.
Stuti Mishra 29 March 2024 08:00
4 hours ago Poland activates fighter jets after Russian strikes
Polish and allied aircraft were activated early this morning after Russia launched missile strikes on Ukraine, the Operational Command of the Polish armed forces said.
“Polish and allied aircraft are operating in Polish airspace, which may result in increased noise levels, especially in the southeastern part of the country,” the Command said on the social media platform X.
The southeastern part of Poland borders Ukraine.
Stuti Mishra 29 March 2024 07:14
4 hours ago US journalist marks a year in a Russian prison as courts keep extending his time behind bars
For Evan Gershkovich, the dozen appearances in Moscow‘s courts over the past year have fallen into a pattern.
Guards take the American journalist from the notorious Lefortovo Prison in a van for the short drive to the courthouse. He’s led in handcuffs to a defendants’ cage in front of a judge for yet another hearing about his pre-trial detention on espionage charges.
The proceedings are always closed. His appeals are always rejected, and his time behind bars is always extended. Then it’s back to Lefortovo.
US journalist marks a year in a Russian prison as courts keep extending his time behind bars Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich marks a year behind bars on Friday following his arrest by Russian authorities who accuse him of espionage but have offered no supporting evidence
Maryam Zakir-Hussain 29 March 2024 07:00
5 hours ago George Galloway accuses UK of being involved in Moscow terror attack
Newly elected MP George Galloway has accused the UK of being involved in last week’s Moscow terror attack in comments seized upon by a Kremlin-linked newspaper.
The Rochdale MP accused the US and the UK of lying about the involvement of Isis in the attack, which killed at least 139 people and injured around 360, on his talk show on YouTube.
In the month after his return to parliament, described as a “dark day” for Britain’s Jewish community, Mr Galloway espoused conspiracy theories about the Princess of Wales being dead and likened Israel to Nazi Germany.
George Galloway MP accuses UK of involvement in Moscow terror attack MPs criticised Galloway’s intervention as irresponsible, reckless and playing into the Kremlin’s hands
Maryam Zakir-Hussain 29 March 2024 06:00
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1/ 1Ukraine-Russia war live: Poland activates fighter jets
Ukraine-Russia war live: Poland activates fighter jets
Residents of the Pechersk district stand near an area damaged by a Russian air attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Monday
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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