Connect with us
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Huge explosion in attack on Kyiv gas facilities Ukraine-Russia war latest: Huge explosion in attack on Kyiv gas facilities

Politics

Breaking News: Massive Explosion Hits Kyiv Gas Facilities Amid Ukraine-Russia Conflict

Published

on


Zelensky warns Europe of drone attacks after ‘treacherous’ Ukraine strikes

Russia carried out its “biggest attack yet” on Ukrainian gas facilities on Friday, Ukraine’s largest national oil and gas company claimed.

Naftogaz said Russian forces had launched the largest strike on its gas production facilities since the start of the invasion in 2022, causing “critical” damage.

“Facilities in Kharkiv and Poltava regions were hit with 35 missiles, many of them ballistic, along with 60 drones,” they said in a statement.

The Russian Defence Ministry said on Friday that its forces had carried out massive overnight strikes on Ukrainian military-industrial facilities and on gas and energy infrastructure.

The strikes came just two days after Koretskyi announced Naftogaz would import approximately 500 million cubic meters of LNG from the United States via European countries.

Russia’s Vladimir Putin also warned Donald Trump on Thursday that the US risked “a new stage of escalation” if Washington provides Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles.

Meanwhile, authorities in Germany shut down Munich Airport late on Friday, the second closure in less than 24 hours after more suspected drone sightings, the airport said in a statement.

The closures are the latest after mysterious drone overflights in the airspace of European Union member countries

A bird-eye look at Europe’s creeping frontline

World affairs editor Sam Kiley joins RAF support patrols over Poland on what is effectively Nato’s eastern flank against Vladimir Putin’s Russia – and sees a war without end.

Namita Singh4 October 2025 06:57

Space command boss warns Russia is targeting UK satellites on a ‘weekly’ basis

Russian forces are regularly attempting to jam UK military satellites, the head of UK Space Command has revealed.

Major General Paul Tedman told the BBC that these efforts to disrupt UK-based military activities occur “weekly”, with Russia also closely monitoring the country’s space assets.

“We’re seeing our satellites being jammed by the Russians on a reasonably persistent basis,” Maj Gen Tedman stated.

Namita Singh4 October 2025 06:49

Russia to upgrade ballistic missile to bypass Ukraine’s Patriot air defence systems

The upgrades likely involve Russia’s Iskander-M and Kinzhal missiles, which have ranges of up to 500km and 480km respectively.

Namita Singh4 October 2025 06:45

Ukrainian minister warns Europe of ‘serious’ Russian threat

Europe needs to “get serious” about the threat posed by Russia, said Ukraine’s deputy foreign minister.

“I’m sure [Russian president Vladimir] Putin gets emotional if not physical satisfaction humiliating the West by showing what he perceives as his super-strength,” Sergiy Kyslytsia told the Guardian.

Russia’s next course of action will be dependent on the collective resolve displayed by Europe and the Trump administration, as he predicted Trump would “escalate escalating” and take more measures to paralyse the continent.

Russian servicemen attend a practice for sabotage operations behind enemy lines at a training ground on an undisclosed location
Russian servicemen attend a practice for sabotage operations behind enemy lines at a training ground on an undisclosed location (AP)

Warning about the ruthless and “unscrupulous adversary”, he said: “Many politicians are still keeping in their heads in the patterns and algorithms of the last century, where a war means boots on the ground and tanks moving in.”

“In the 21st century you don’t need tanks to put technologically advanced countries on their knees. Cyberwar is a reality,” Kyslytsia said.

“Howitzers are not necessary to paralyse the banking system. By using drones in a smart way you can achieve your goals better than with a nuclear bomb.”

Namita Singh4 October 2025 06:24

UN aviation assembly closes with rebuke of Russia over satellite navigation jamming

The UN aviation agency’s assembly concluded on Friday with delegates agreeing to condemn Russia for disturbances to critical satellite navigation systems that they say violate international rules.

Estonia and neighbour Finland have blamed Russia for jamming GPS navigation devices in the region’s airspace, charges that Moscow has denied.

The region experienced two recent high-profile instances of GPS disturbances, including one involving a Spanish military jet with the country’s defense minister onboard.

Most modern airliners have sensors and sources to determine their positioning in addition to GPS, meaning they can fly if there is interference. But European countries supported by the US and Canada earlier this week flagged safety concerns over global navigation satellite system (GNSS) radio frequency interference in the Baltic, Eastern and Northern European regions from Russian territory.

It was the International Civil Aviation Organisation assembly’s latest rebuke of Russia, which failed to win back its seat at ICAO’s 36-member governing council over actions taken since Moscow’s 2022 invasion and war against Ukraine.

The vote went against Russia, in part, due to deepening US pressure after president Donald Trump’s rhetoric shifted in favor of Ukraine during a speech last week at the United Nations, one European diplomat told Reuters.

Russia has not issued a comment.

Namita Singh4 October 2025 05:39

Russian drone kills French photojournalist in eastern Ukraine, military says

A Russian drone attack killed a French photojournalist on Friday in eastern Ukraine on the frontline of the three and a half year old war with Russia, the Ukrainian military said.

The Fourth Separate Mechanised Brigade, writing on Facebook, said photojournalist Antoni Lallican was killed in a drone strike. A Ukrainian photographer accompanying him, Hryhory Ivanchenko, was injured in the incident.

A rescuer puts out a fire of a residential house damaged by a Russian strike on Kherson, Ukraine
A rescuer puts out a fire of a residential house damaged by a Russian strike on Kherson, Ukraine (AP)

Both were wearing protective equipment and armoured vests clearly indicating that they were journalists, the statement said.

The head of the Ukrainian Union of Journalists, Serhiy Tomilenko, told Ukrainian media that Lallican had been killed near the town of Druzhkivka, one of the hottest sectors of the 1,250km front line in Ukraine’s Donbas region.

The European Federation of Journalists said it was the first time a journalist had been killed by a drone in the conflict. It said 17 journalists had died in the combat zone since Russia invaded its smaller neighbour in February 2022.

The federation said Lallican, who was based in Paris, was on assignment for France’s Hans Lucas photo agency and had his work published in various European media outlets. French media said he had also worked in the Middle East.

“By targeting journalists, the Russian army is deliberately hunting those trying to document war crimes,” Tomilenko said in a statement.”For journalists, every trip to the frontline zone is a deadly risk. Antoni Lallican took this risk again and again, coming to Ukraine, travelling to Donbas, documenting what many prefer not to see.”

French president Emmanuel Macron, in a post on X, expressed condolences to his family and to journalists placing themselves in danger while on assignment.

Namita Singh4 October 2025 05:20

UN nuclear chief calls for ‘political will’ to restore power to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia

The head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog urged Ukraine and Russia on Friday to show the “political will” required to keep the area around the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant safe to allow the external power line to be reconnected to the facility.

The plant, Europe’s largest with six reactors, was seized by Russian forces in the early weeks of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The facility has been cut off from external power since 23 September – the 10th time the line has come down.

The plant produces no electricity, but fuel in its reactors is being cooled by emergency diesel generators. Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said the external line had to be restored.

“Both sides say they stand ready to conduct the necessary repairs on their respective sides of the frontline. But for this to happen, the security situation on the ground must improve so that the technicians can carry out their vital work without endangering their lives,” Grossi said in a statement.

“I’m calling on both sides to do what is necessary to prevent a further deterioration. It is a question of political will, not whether it is technically possible, which it is.”

View shows Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant from the bank of Kakhovka Reservoir
View shows Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant from the bank of Kakhovka Reservoir (Reuters)

Each side accuses the other of compromising nuclear safety.

Russian president Vladimir Putin on Thursday warned Ukraine that it was playing a dangerous game by launching strikes near the plant.

Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha accused Moscow of deliberately cutting the link in order to connect the station to its own grid.

Namita Singh4 October 2025 04:52

EU in stalemate over Russia-linked Raiffeisen compensation, diplomats say

Austria told the EU on Friday it would not support the bloc’s latest sanctions package against Russia unless the EU unfroze some Russian assets to compensate Austria’s Raiffeisen Bank for penalties imposed by Russia, diplomats said.

But other EU governments said they could not accept such a move because it would legitimise Russian courts that have retaliated against EU sanctions by ordering the confiscation of Western assets.

They fear it could encourage other oligarchs to take this approach. The clash between Austria and other EU countries took place at a closed-door meeting of ambassadors of EU countries in Brussels, devoted to finalising the EU’s 19th sanctions package against Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.

A signboard of Raiffeisen Bank is on display in Moscow
A signboard of Raiffeisen Bank is on display in Moscow (Reuters)

In January, a Russian court ordered Raiffeisen Bank International to pay €2bn in damages following a lawsuit brought by a company previously owned by Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska.

The court said the bank could recover that fine by taking over its equivalent in shares in Austrian construction company Strabag, previously part-owned by Deripaska. Raiffeisen has so far been unable to do, because they are immobilised under EU sanctions.

Vienna wants to use the 19th sanctions package to unfreeze the €2bn worth of Strabag shares so that Raiffeisen can take them.

“Austria said they can’t agree with the package if Raiffeisen is not included,” one EU diplomat said. Two others confirmed that was the Austrian position in the meeting.

“Of course Austria is defending the interests of Austrian companies in Brussels and seeking to ensure that the Russian aggressor does not profit twice,” Austria’s foreign ministry said in a statement, apparently referring to the damages and eventually recouping Strabag shares.

Shares in Raiffeisen closed 7.4 per cent higher on Friday, before the end of the ambassadors’ discussions.

Namita Singh4 October 2025 04:44

Which countries have reported suspicious drone activities?

Before Germany shut down Munich airport on Friday due to suspicious sightings, they were also spotted overnight in Belgium above a military base.

A drone incident in Oslo, the capital of Norway, which is a Nato member but not part of the EU, also affected flights there late last month.

It was not immediately clear who has been behind the flyovers.

Russian authorities have rejected claims of involvement, including in recent drone incidents in Denmark.

Munich Airport said in a statement early on Friday that there had been “several drone sightings”, without elaborating.

Night view shows an Airlingus plane grounded at Munich International Airport in Munich, southern Germany, on early 4 October 2025
Night view shows an Airlingus plane grounded at Munich International Airport in Munich, southern Germany, on early 4 October 2025 (AFP via Getty Images)

In a later statement, it clarified that “detection and defence against drones” falls to federal and state police.

Federal police are investigating the reported drone sightings, German news agency dpa reported on Friday.

In Belgium, several drones were spotted overnight on Thursday into Friday above a military base near the German border, defence minister Theo Francken told Le Soir newspaper.

The minister did not confirm how many drones were flying in the vicinity of the Elsenborn military base – which serves mainly as an army training facility with a firing range – just after midnight.

Belgian public broadcaster VRT said that 15 drones were spotted near the base, which is roughly 600km from Munich.

Francken underlined that the nature of the flights was “suspicious and unknown”, Le Soir said.

A Defence Ministry investigation is ongoing.

Namita Singh4 October 2025 04:12

Munich airport shuts again after suspected drone sightings

Authorities shut down Munich Airport late on Friday, the second closure in less than 24 hours after more suspected drone sightings, the airport said in a statement.

The closures are the latest after mysterious drone overflights in the airspace of European Union member countries.

The airport suspended flight operations on Friday night until further notice “as a precautionary measure due to unconfirmed sightings”, the statement said.

Germany’s air traffic control previously restricted flights at the airport shortly after 10pm on Thursday and then halted them altogether, the airport said in a previous statement.

Seventeen flights were unable to take off, affecting almost 3,000 passengers, while 15 arriving flights were diverted to three other airports in Germany and one in Vienna, Austria.

Flights in and out of the airport then resumed at 5am on Friday, said Stefan Bayer, a spokesperson for Germany’s federal police at Munich airport.

Authorities were not immediately able to provide any information about who was responsible for the overflights.

European authorities have expressed concerns that they are being carried out by Russia, though some experts have noted that anybody with drones could be behind them.

Namita Singh4 October 2025 03:51

Politics

Scary Moment: Pete Hegseth’s Plane Make Emergency Landing in the UK!

Published

on

By

Pete Hegseth’s plane forced to make emergency landing in the UK


An airplane carrying Secretary of War Pete Hegseth was forced to make an emergency landing in the UK Wednesday due to a crack in its windshield, officials said.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell wrote on social media that on the way back to the U.S. after NATO’s Defense Minister meeting in Belgium, the plane made an “unscheduled landing in the United Kingdom” because of a crack in the aircraft’s windshield.

The plane landed based on standard procedures, and all of the passengers on board, including Hegseth, were safe, Parnell added.

“All good. Thank God,” Hegseth wrote on X. “Continue mission!”

Hegseth was traveling in a C-32A, a modified Boeing 757 used by the Air Force for VIP transport. Other top leaders, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President JD Vance and occasionally, even President Donald Trump, use the aircraft when visiting airports with runways too short for the modified Boeing-747 Trump typically uses as Air Force One.

It was unclear what caused the crack in the plane’s windshield.

The Secretary of War was in Brussels for a meeting with NATO’s Defense Minister

The Secretary of War was in Brussels for a meeting with NATO’s Defense Minister (AFP/Getty)

Flight tracking data showed that the plane took off from Brussels and made it past Ireland before turning around to land at Royal Air Force Mildenhall in England at 7:07 p.m. local time. It was not known what time the plane initially took off.

Hegseth and previous Secretaries of Defence have traditionally used a different aircraft for foreign travel, the Boeing E-4B.

The Boeing E-4B is a modified Boeing-747 that has been hardened for use as an airborne command post by the president or Pentagon leadership during nuclear conflicts. It is known within the Air Force as “Air Force One when it counts” and the “Doomsday plane.”

It was not immediately clear why Hegseth was traveling on the smaller, C-32 plane.

Hegseth’s plane landed at Royal Air Force Mildenhall in England

Hegseth’s plane landed at Royal Air Force Mildenhall in England (Reuters)

The C-32, which had to perform an emergency landing, has less capabilities than the E-4B, but is decked out with a more luxurious interior thanks to upgrades made during Trump’s first term as president.

During his time in Brussels, Hegseth warned the U.S. would “impose costs on Russia for its continued aggression” if the war in Ukraine does not come to an end.

“If we must take this step, the U.S. War Department stands ready to do our part in ways that only the United States can do,” Hegseth said at a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group of Kyiv’s allies at NATO headquarters.

Hegseth did not elaborate. His comments came as Trump’s administration is considering a request by Ukraine for long-range Tomahawk missiles.

Earlier this year, an Air Force plane carrying Rubio to Munich was forced to return to Washington after experiencing a mechanical problem.

Continue Reading

Politics

Is China Beating the US in the Trade War? Find Out Now!

Published

on

By

Is China winning the trade war with the US?


The trade war between China and the US intensified this week with both nations imposing new port fees on each other’s ships.

The latest escalation in tensions between the world’s two largest economies sent bilateral relations, and the markets, into a tailspin.

After Beijing announced stricter restrictions on rare earth exports – in retaliation for the US dramatically expanding sanctions on Chinese firms – president Donald Trump threatened 100 per cent tariffs and new curbs on “all critical software”.

Trade analysts suspect that Mr Trump’s threatened three-digit tariff will heighten market uncertainty in the near term, especially in sectors with strong supply chain exposure to China like manufacturing and technology.

Rare earths, vital for use in electric vehicles, aircraft engines, military radars and a range of everyday electronics, are a key sticking point in negotiations between the sparring nations.

China produces almost 70 per cent and processes nearly 90 per cent of the world’s rare earth elements.

The Chinese announcement was an apparent surprise to Mr Trump, who called it an “out of the blue” move. But, over the weekend, he sounded more conciliatory than in the past, although he still refused to withdraw the tariff threat.

In a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump said: “The U.S.A. wants to help China, not hurt it!!!”

China seems unfazed by Mr Trump’s threats and its export boom suggests Beijing may be gaining the upper hand in the trade war.

“China’s position is consistent. If there’s a fight, we will fight to the end; if there’s a talk, the door is open,” a Chinese commerce ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.

“The US cannot demand talks while simultaneously imposing new restrictive measures with threats and intimidation. This is not the right way to engage with China.”

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping (Getty)

Is China winning the trade war?

China appears to be gaining the upper hand in the ongoing trade dispute with the US, nearly six months after Mr Trump imposed steep import levies on the Asian economic giant.

Chinese exports rose 8.3 per cent in September from a year earlier to about £246bn even as shipments to the US fell about 27 per cent.

After Mr Trump declared his worldwide tariffs in April, several major countries moved to diversify their foreign trade, signalling a global shift towards a system where the US was no longer the central market.

In line with this shift, Chinese shipments to non-US destinations grew 14.8 per cent, the fastest since March 2023, according to data from the General Administration of Customs. The exports to the EU grew 14 per cent, to Asean countries by 16 per cent and to Africa about 56 per cent.

The minimal impact of the Trump tariffs on its overall trade only strengthened China’s resolve to adopt a firmer position in negotiations with Washington, as reflected in the stricter restrictions on exports.

Strong demand from markets beyond the US indicates that Chinese exporters may be less vulnerable to the additional tariffs threatened by Mr Trump. Chinese imports were up 7.4 per cent last month, pointing to a potential recovery in domestic consumption.

A self-driven recovery in China would mark a clear erosion of US dominance in the global economy. But analysts caution it is too soon to declare a winner in the trade dispute.

“While China’s recent export growth suggests some resilience, it doesn’t necessarily indicate that Beijing has gained an advantage in the trade war,” Lukman Otunuga, a senior market analyst at broker FXTM, told The Independent.

“Much of that uptick could reflect front-loading of shipments ahead of new tariffs or shifts in trade routes. The overall picture remains mixed, with both economies experiencing structural challenges amid the prolonged trade tensions.”

Tensions between Washington and Beijing reached a boiling point in April this year when Donald Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on both enemies and allies, hitting China hard

Tensions between Washington and Beijing reached a boiling point in April this year when Donald Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on both enemies and allies, hitting China hard (Chip Somodevilla/Getty)

Mr Otunuga said the additional US levies were likely to heighten market uncertainty in the near term, and “investors may see higher volatility as markets weigh the impact on corporate earnings and global growth prospects”.

What are the new levies?

Mr Trump last week unveiled an additional levy of 100 per cent on Chinese imports to the US, along with new export controls on critical software, from 1 November. He also threatened to cancel a planned in-person meeting with President Xi Jinping, their first in six years, but US treasury secretary Scott Bessent later told Reuters the two leaders were on track to meet in South Korea in late October.

Bloomberg Economics estimates that a 100 per cent tariff hike by the US will raise effective rates on Chinese goods to 140 per cent, which could halt trade altogether.

“So far this year, China has shown that while it does not wish for a trade war, it is willing to retaliate to escalations as needed,” Lynn Song, chief Greater China economist at ING Bank NV, told Bloomberg.

“The export resilience will likely strengthen confidence in this approach ahead of the talks later this month.”

According to the Peterson Institute for International Economics, average US tariffs on Chinese imports reached 58 per cent by end of September, while Chinese tariffs were at 33 per cent.

Despite current rates already sitting 25 percentage points above the global average, China’s manufacturing strength continues to drive export growth.

In a tit-for-tat move, China hit US-owned vessels docking in the country with new port fees, which came into effect on Tuesday.

Vessels owned or operated by American companies or individuals would be subjected to a 400 yuan (£42) per net tonne fee per voyage if they were to dock in China, Beijing announced last week. The fees would be applied on the same ship for a maximum of five voyages each year, and would rise every year until 2028, when it would jump to 1,120 yuan (£117) per net tonne.

The duties are largely aligned with the port fees introduced by the US. Vessels owned or operated by Chinese entities will be charged $50 (£37) per net tonne for each voyage to the US, which will rise by $30 (£22) per net tonne each year until 2028.

China’s new port fees could affect oil tankers accounting for 15 per cent of global capacity, according to Clarksons Research.

Will Donald Trump meet Xi Jinping to negotiate trade?

Mr Trump and Mr Xi were expected to meet at the Apec summit in South Korea at the end of October. There was also talk of the US president visiting Beijing in January, but those meetings appeared less probable after the recent escalation in tensions.

Mr Bessent said the US president remained on track to meet the Chinese leader as he sought to reassure traders and investors on both sides of the Pacific, highlighting the cooperation between their negotiating teams and the possibility they could yet find a way forward from the current tariff truce.

“We have substantially de-escalated,” Mr Bessent told Fox Business Network on Monday.

Substantial communications between the two sides had taken place over the weekend and there would be US-China staff-level meetings this week in Washington on the sidelines of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund annual gatherings, he added.

“The 100 per cent tariff does not have to happen,” Mr Bessent said. “The relationship, despite this announcement last week, is good. Lines of communication have reopened, so we’ll see where it goes.”

“President Trump said the tariffs would not go into effect until November 1,” he added. “He will be meeting with Party Chair Xi in Korea. I believe that meeting will still be on.”

Washington and Beijing have been negotiating since May.

China’s commerce ministry confirmed on Tuesday that a working-level meeting had taken place the previous day.

It also highlighted formal negotiations held earlier in London, Stockholm and Madrid, culminating in a 90-day tariff extension.

The ministry, however, warned that “the US cannot ask for talks while simultaneously threatening new restrictive measures”.

Continue Reading

Politics

Latest Ukraine-Russia War Update: Trump Official Says Putin Will Pay the Price if Fighting Continues!

Published

on

By

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin will face ‘costs’ if he continues war, Trump official warns


US pressures Japan to halt Russian oil imports

US treasury secretary Scott Bessent said he has urged Japan to halt all imports of Russian energy, signalling a harder line from the Trump administration toward allies maintaining limited trade ties with Moscow.

“Minister Kato and I also discussed important issues pertaining to the US–Japan economic relationship and the Administration’s expectation that Japan stop importing Russian energy,” Bessent posted on X after his meeting with Japan’s finance minister Katsunobu Kato in Washington.

The two met on the sidelines of the IMF annual meetings and the G7 and G20 finance leaders’ gatherings being held this week in Washington.”

Japan will do what it can based on the basic principle of coordinating with G7 countries to achieve peace in Ukraine in a fair manner,” Kato told reporters, when asked whether Japan was urged by Bessent to stop importing Russian energy.

Tokyo has already pledged to phase out Russian oil imports as part of the G7’s coordinated sanctions response to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

However, Japan continues to buy Sakhalin Blend crude – a byproduct of liquefied natural gas (LNG) production from the Sakhalin-2 project in Russia’s Far East.

The energy source remains crucial for Japan, providing about 9 per cent of its total LNG imports, a key component of its energy security.

Shweta Sharma16 October 2025 04:01

IMF chief plans to visit Ukraine, Bloomberg reports

The International Monetary Fund’s managing director, Kristalina Georgieva, plans to travel to Ukraine, supporting its efforts to secure a new loan package in the fourth year of the war, Bloomberg has reported.

An IMF spokesperson said: “Our staff remains actively engaged with the Ukrainian authorities on macroeconomic policies aimed at maintaining stability, financing essential expenditures, and restoring debt sustainability, with a view to continued IMF support.”

The exact time of the visit is yet to be determined.

Harriette Boucher16 October 2025 04:00

India to stop buying Russian oil, Trump claims

Trump said on Wednesday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged to stop buying oil from Russia, India’s top oil supplier, but could not halt its shipments “immediately”.

The announcement comes as Trump tries to step up efforts to cut off Moscow’s energy funding.

“Now I’ve got to get China to do the same thing,” Trump told reporters.

The Indian embassy in Washington has not yet confirmed this.

Harriette Boucher16 October 2025 03:00

Zelensky and Greek PM discuss possibility of U.S.-supplied natural gas

Zelensky and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis discussed the possibility of the U.S. supplying natural gas to Ukraine as it struggles with the consequences of Russia’s multiple attacks on the country’s energy system.

Ukraine’s president said he was working to strengthen its air defence as much as possible before winter begins.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (REUTERS)

Harriette Boucher16 October 2025 02:00

Ukraine has prepared its ‘homework’ ahead of meeting with Trump, says Zelensky

Ukraine has prepared its “part of the homework” ahead of Zelensky’s meeting with Trump in Washington on Friday.

He says the agenda will be substantive, and the meeting could bring the war closer to an end.

Harriette Boucher16 October 2025 01:02

Kremlin denies Trump’s warning that Russian economy set to ‘collapse’

The Kremlin has hit back at accusations by Donald Trump that the Russian economy is on its way to “collapse”.

Asked about Trump’s remarks at an energy conference in Moscow, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, who oversees energy and the economy for the government, said that Russia had a stable supply of gasoline.

“We have a stable domestic market supply, we see no problems in this regard,” Novak said.

“The balance is maintained between production and consumption, and we, on the part of the government and the relevant ministries, are doing everything to ensure that this remains the case.”

You can read more below…

Nicole Wootton-Cane16 October 2025 00:00

Nato defence ministers agree ‘counter-drone measures’, Rutte says

A meeting of Nato country defence ministers have agreed additional counter-drone measures to step up support to Ukraine, chief Mark Rutte said.

In a post on X he wrote: “Excellent discussions with Defence Ministers, reaffirming increased defence investment, enhanced defence production & stepping up support to Ukraine.

“We will also implement additional counter-drone measures — #NATO is ready to do what it takes to keep our 1bn people safe & our territory secure.”

Nicole Wootton-Cane15 October 2025 23:00

Ukraine has relied on trains during the war – Russia is creating new technology to target them

As war rages on in Ukraine, the country has become reliant on its rail networks, which it has so far managed to keep running despite repeated strikes.

But officials and analysts are warning that advances in Russian drone capabilities and the growing tempo of attacks pose a serious threat to the vital infrastructure.

You can read more below…

Nicole Wootton-Cane15 October 2025 22:00

Trump has threatened to give Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine – but can they turn the tide of the war?

Washington may give access to powerful Tomahawk missiles, with Moscow threatening to respond. Experts tell Nicole Wootton-Cane that the weapons could significantly boost Ukraine – but their power shouldn’t be overstated.

Nicole Wootton-Cane15 October 2025 21:30

Watch: Zelensky confirms meeting with Trump in Washington

Zelensky confirms meeting with Trump in Washington

Nicole Wootton-Cane15 October 2025 21:00



Continue Reading

Categories

Top Tags

Trending