Foreign

Ukraine War: Trump Slams Putin, Zelensky, Biden

By Web News 74

President Donald Trump has blamed Volodymyr Zelensky for starting the war with Russia, a day after a massive Russian attack killed 35 people and injured 117 others in Ukraine.

The US president said the Ukrainian leader shared the blame with Russian President Vladimir Putin for “millions of people dead” in the Ukraine war.

“You don’t start a war against someone 20 times your size and then hope that people give you some missiles,” he told reporters at the White House, also blaming former US President Joe Biden for the conflict.

Trump’s comments come after widespread outrage over Russia’s attack on the Ukrainian city of Sumy on Sunday, which was the deadliest Russian attack on civilians this year.

Asked about the attack earlier, Trump said it was “terrible” and that he had been told Russia had “made a mistake“, but did not elaborate.

“Millions of people dead because of three people,” Trump said on Monday. “Let’s say Putin number one, let’s say Biden, who had no idea what the hell he was doing, number two, and Zelensky.”

It is estimated that hundreds of thousands, but not millions, of people have been killed or injured on all sides since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

Questioning Zelensky’s competence, Trump remarked that the Ukrainian leader was “always looking to purchase missiles“.

“When you start a war, you’ve got to know you can win,” the US president said.

Trump has repeatedly clashed with Zelensky since he returned to office this year, and has previously appeared to blame Ukraine for starting the war.

Tensions between the pair have been high ever since their heated confrontation at the White House in February.

During that meeting, Trump accused Zelensky of “gambling with World War Three” and chided him for not starting peace talks with Russia earlier.

By contrast, the US president has made efforts to improve relations with Moscow.

Trump said he had a “great” phone call with Putin last month, and the Russian president sent him a portrait as a gift a week later.

In February, Washington voted with Moscow against a UN resolution that identified Russia as the “aggressor” in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

After talks between US and Russian officials failed to produce a ceasefire in Ukraine, Trump said he was “very angry” with Putin, though he added he had a “good relationship” with the Russian leader.

BBC/Adetutu Adetule

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Foreign

Russia’s Tanker Suffers Another Hit Near Crimea

By Web News 403

A Russian tanker with 11 crew members has been hit in a Ukrainian attack in the Black Sea, Russian officials say.

They said the vessel’s engine room was damaged in the overnight strike in the Kerch Strait. No-one was hurt.

Ukraine has not publicly commented. But a Ukrainian security service source told the BBC a sea drone had been used.

Saturday’s attack is the second in as many days involving such weapons. Russia, however, has not admitted any damage during Friday’s attack.

Naval drones, or sea drones, are small, unmanned vessels which operate on or below the water’s surface. Research by BBC Verify suggests Ukraine has carried out several attacks with sea drones.

The Kerch Strait connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, separating Crimea – Ukraine’s peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014 – and Russia’s Taman peninsula.

According to Ukraine’s SBU security service, Saturday’s operation was also conducted jointly with the Ukrainian navy and that 450kg of TNT explosive had been used.

The tanker was loaded with fuel, they said so the “fireworks” were visible from afar.

Russia’s maritime transport agency says the Sig tanker was located 17 miles (27km) south of the Crimean Bridge.

Russia’s state-run Tass news agency quoted an official from the country’s regional Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) as saying that two tugs had already arrived at the scene of the attack – just to the south of the Kerch Strait.

“The engine room was damaged. Not much, but it was damaged,” the official said.

Russia’s maritime transport agency RosMorRechFlot later said the vessel had a hole “in the area of [the] engine room near the waterline from the starboard side, presumably as a result of an attack by a sea drone”.

“The ship is afloat,” it added.

Russian state-run media also reported that lights on the Crimean Bridge – further north – was turned off and all traffic halted amid warnings of an imminent attack.

On Friday, a Russian naval ship suffered a serious breach in a Ukrainian naval drone strike near Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, Ukrainian security sources told the BBC.

Footage later emerged purportedly showing the drone hitting the Olenegorsky Gornyak large landing ship. Another unverified video showed a heavily listing vessel being towed to port.

But Russia’s defence ministry said it had repelled a Ukrainian attack on its naval base in Novorossiysk which involved two sea drones, but did not admit any damage.

Novorossiysk, a major hub for Russian exports, lies to the south-east of the Kerch Strait.

Clashes in the sea have increased in recent weeks, after Russia abandoned a major UN deal that enabled grain to be safely exported across the Black Sea.

Ukrainian ports have been pummelled by Russian drones and missiles, and Kyiv has threatened to retaliate.

“It is clear that it is impossible to win the war if you are not actively attacking,” said Ukraine’s presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak, when asked about Western allies who may be becoming nervous about this war spilling well beyond its borders.

He believes the apparent images of damaged Russian vessels will make Moscow “think twice about using the Black Sea for blackmail”.

While Kyiv denies drone strikes deeper inside Russia, it says it sees threats on occupied territories and surrounding waters as fair game.

Russia enjoys complete control of the Black Sea and Sea of Azov and two reportedly damaged ships are unlikely to change that.

But previous Ukrainian counter-offensives have been fuelled by their ability to cut off major Russian supply lines.

If it has indeed been able to immobilise a large Russian warship and oil tanker in two days, it will hope more will follow.

This war’s footprint seems to be getting bigger.

In a separate development, Saudi Arabia is due to host talks later on Saturday on how to end the war in Ukraine.

Invitations have been sent to about 30 countries – but not Russia – to attend the meeting in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

BBC/Simeon Ugbodovon

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Foreign

Ukraine War: Situation in Bakhmut worsens – Zelensky

By Web News 642

The situation in the city of Bakhmut, on the eastern frontline, is becoming “more and more difficult”, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

Russian forces have been trying to take the city for over six months.

“The enemy is constantly destroying everything that can be used to protect our positions”, Mr Zelensky stated.

The Ukrainian leader’s remarks came as US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned China against arming Russia during a visit to Kyiv on Monday.

Some of the fiercest fighting to take place since Russia invaded Ukraine just over a year ago has taken place in Bakhmut, in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, part of which is under the control of Russia and its separatist allies.

Recently efforts by Russian forces to capture the industrial city have intensified, with its troops gaining ground.

The separatist leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, Denis Pushilin, said “practically all roads” into the city were “under Russian fire control”.

And the commander of Ukraine’s ground forces, Col Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi, said the situation around Bakhmut was “extremely tense”.

“Despite significant losses, the enemy threw in the most prepared assault units of Wagner, who are trying to break through the defences of our troops and surround the city,” Gen Syrskyi said.

Speaking about the situation in his nightly address, President Zelensky said managing to gain a foothold in Bakhmut and ensuring its defence were being heavily compromised by Russia’s renewed onslaught.

He was “grateful to each and every person who is heroically holding” the area.

President Zelensky also called once again for modern combat aircraft to be sent so that “the entire territory of our country” can be defended from “Russian terror”.

BBC/Taiwo Akinola

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Foreign

Zelensky Asks for Extra Gas, Weapons From G7

By Web News 489

President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged G7 nations on to provide extra gas and weapons to help Ukraine survive a brutal winter that threatens to bring further suffering to millions in the war-torn country.

With snow on the ground and Ukraine’s energy grid battered by Russian strikes, many are facing freezing temperatures without power or heating.

During a video conference with the G7 club of wealthy nations on Monday, Zelensky said Ukraine needs “about two billion cubic metres” of additional gas to get through the winter.

He also urged the G7 to send more arms to Ukraine, including “modern tanks” as well as “rocket artillery and more long-range missiles”.

Channels TV / Titilayo Kupoliyi

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Foreign

It’s vital, war with Russia ends before winter – Zelensky

By Web News 468

Ukrainian President Zelensky has told the G7 that he wanted Russia’s war in Ukraine to end before the winter sets in.

Zelensky said battle conditions would make it tougher for his troops as they mount their fightback, and urged the G7 leaders to do the maximum to end the war by year’s end, a source told AFP.

Zelensky addressed the G7 leaders via video link at a summit at Elmau Castle in Kruen, Germany, where he asked for reconstruction aid, anti-aircraft defence systems, help on grain exports, and security guarantees.

He also asked the leaders to “intensify sanctions” against Russia.

BBC/Adebukola Aluko