Contents tagged with War in Ukraine

  • U.S. says won't cooperate militarily with Russia in Syria.

    As reported byReuters, The United States will not cooperate militarily with Russia in Syria because Moscow's strategy is "tragically flawed", U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Wednesday in his strongest comments yet on the issue.

    However, the United States is willing to hold basic, technical discussions with the Russians to try to secure pilot safety.

    "We are not prepared to cooperate in a strategy which as we explained is flawed, tragically flawed on Russia's part," Carter said …

  • Russia-backed separatist blocking aid in east Ukraine.

    In his statement on Tuesday, Ivan Simonovic, the assistant U.N. secretary-general for human rights noted that efforts by Russia-backed separatist rebels to block "desperately needed" humanitarian aid from reaching people in conflict-ridden eastern Ukraine could amount to crimes against humanity. Mr. Simonovic criticized as a "great mistake" the move by rebels who control the eastern city of Luhansk to kick out U.N. and humanitarian aid agencies.

    "I do think that currently the military warfare …

  • $20 million military aid to Ukraine.

     President Obama has authorized the U.S. State Department to provide up to $20 million to Ukraine to fund military training and other similar activities.This came one day after Ukraine announced that US instructors would start training the country’s special forces.

    “The authority... to direct the drawdown of up to $20 million in defense articles and services of the Department of Defense and military education and training to provide assistance for the Government of Ukraine,” the Presidential …

  • Russian rocket launchers spotted in Ukraine.

    As reported by OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM), Russian TOS-1 thermobaric rocket launchers have been spotted in Ukraine.A multiple launch thermobaric rocket system (TOS-1 Buratino, 220mm) was spotted at Kruhlyk training area around 30 km south-west of Luhansk in eastern Ukraine, controlled by pro-russian forces. TOS-1  is a Russian 220mm 30-barrel (original system, Ob.634 or TOS-1M) or 24-barrel (Ob.634B or TOS-1A) multiple rocket launcher and thermobaric weapon mounted on a T-72 tank …

  • Russian soldiers on trial in Kyiv.

    As reported by BBC, a pair of Russian special-forces soldiers have gone on trial in Kyiv, Ukraine.

    Yevgeny Yerofeyev and Alexander Alexandrov were accused of waging war against Ukrainian troops. They were captured in May in east Ukraine. Both are alleged to be officers in Russia's GRU foreign military intelligence, though Russia insists the men were not serving soldiers when they were detained. Prosecutors called for life sentences. The two russians denied charges of terrorism and the hearing …

  • Horlivka controlled by Russian citizens.

    As reported by Informational Resistance Group, all municipal services of Horlivka are now controlled by Russian citizens.Horlivka is a city in the east of Ukraine held by the pro-russian forces. It's pre war population listed as 250,000. Horlivka's all major services such as mayor office, police department, school board, and others have been taken over by russians.The same is happening to its largest factories, coal mines and other enterprises which are managed now from Rostov, a russian city …

  • Pentagon chief confirms support of Ukraine.

    Ashton Carter, US Defense Secretary, confirmed Pentagon's continued support for Ukraine on Thursday at a joint press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Stepan Poltorak in Washington, D.C.He said Pentagon would soon start training Ukrainian forces.

    Small numbers of US troops have already started training Ukrainian National Guards in the west of Ukraine far from the frontlines. In July a plan was also announced to take on regular military units.

    Carter said America's commitment to …

  • Pro-Russian militants order UN agencies to leave.

    According to Stephen O'Brien, United Nations' Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, pro-russian militants ordered UN agencies to leave rebel-held parts of in the eastern Ukraine.

    Stephen O'Brien said the agencies had been told to leave by Friday, and several international non-governmental organisations (NGO) by Saturday.

    The Luhansk separatists had earlier banned 10 international humanitarian agencies citing "violations".

    Last year parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions …

  • $1 Billion Gas Financing for Ukraine

     A $1 billion financing package is being prepared by the World Bank and other international financial institutions to help Ukraine and its Naftogaz to fill up its natural gas-storage facilities and avoid shortages over the winter.

    Many European states still remember 2009 gas shortages due to cutoffs from Russia. Current gas talks between Ukraine and Russia, mediated by EU have been complicated by the war in the east of Ukraine that was unleashed Russia.

    European officials still hope that …

  • French Warships to be sold to Egypt.

    France said Wednesday it is selling two Mistral class warships that were originally intended for Russia to Egypt.

    The two warships were originally built for Russia but France refused to deliver because of Moscow’s role in the war in Ukraine.

    According to French officials, the Mistrals will cost Egypt  €950 million (US$1.06 billion) for the two Mistral class warships. Originally Russia were to pay €1.2 billion for the warships, but as per the russian contract, France was supposed to help …