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Ukraine-Russia latest: Zelensky says Kyiv is holding onto Kursk positions as Russia launches drone barrage

Putin casualties reach more than 600,000 in Ukraine since the war began in 2022, says US

Stuti Mishra,Holly Evans
Sunday 13 October 2024 07:28
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Zelensky signs co-operation agreement with Croatia

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Russian forces are trying to oust Ukrainian troops from their positions in Russia’s Kursk region but Kyiv’s forces are holding strong, Volodymyr Zelensky said.

“Russia tried to push back our positions, but we are holding the designated lines,” Mr Zelensky said in his nightly video address.

Overnight, Russia launched 68 drones and four missiles targeting Ukrainian territory, Ukraine‘s air force said on Sunday.

Earlier, Ukrainian forces hit a fuel depot supplying Russia’s army, with a fire detected at the facility which stores oil and oil products, Kyiv said.

Mr Zelensky carried out a whirlwind tour of European capitals this week in a bid to continue mustering support for Ukraine and to discuss his proposed “victory plan”.

In a visit to the Vatican, he asked Pope Francis for help in securing the release of Ukrainians held captive by Russia and voiced hope that the war would end next year in a trip to Berlin.

September proved to be the bloodiest month of attrition since the Russian invasion began in 2022, with the latest Western intelligence suggesting Vladimir Putin suffered as many as 36,000 casualties.

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Comment: Can Zelensky’s plan for peace actually work?

Can Zelensky’s plan for peace actually work?

With the US election less than a month away, and his support dwindling across Europe, the Ukraine president is in a last-ditch race against time to shore up support, writes Mary Dejevsky

Jabed Ahmed11 October 2024 13:05
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Putin won't discuss Ukraine peace with Germany's Scholz, Berlin says

Russian President Vladimir Putin is not willing to speak with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on the topic of brokering peace in Ukraine, Germany’s foreign minister has said.

“Ukraine is ready for a just peace,” Annalena Baerbock said in Berlin, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to hold talks with Scholz on Friday.

Speaking alongside the foreign minister of Slovakia, Baerbock criticised Putin for rejecting overtures for peace talks.

“He refuses to accept peace and every day sends another signal in favour of war and destruction. These days, he is no longer even prepared to speak to the German chancellor on the phone,” she said.

Jabed Ahmed11 October 2024 12:35
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16-year-old girl among those killed in strike on Odesa

A nighttime Russian missile strike on Odesa killed at least four people including a 16-year-old girl, regional authorities said, in the latest in a series of attacks this week on the southern Ukrainian region that are likely intended to disrupt the country's grain exports.

Four Russian missile and drone attacks on the Odesa region this week have killed 14 people and wounded around 20, according to local officials. The strikes have hit merchant ships and damaged port infrastructure in the region, which is a vital hub for Ukraine's agricultural exports through the Black Sea.

An attack on Odesa late Wednesday killed nine people and hit a container ship sailing under the Panamanian flag — the third attack on a merchant vessel in four days, according to regional Gov. Oleh Kiper.

Jabed Ahmed11 October 2024 12:01
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Ukraine's air defence downs 29 out of 66 Russian drones, military says

Ukrainian air force has aid it shot down 29 out of 66 Russian drones launched overnight.

Moscow also launched two missiles, it added, and 31 drones were “locationally lost”, likely due to electronic warfare.

Two more drones returned toward Russian territory, the air force said.

Jabed Ahmed11 October 2024 11:31
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Zelensky city-hops across Europe to promote ‘victory plan’ to allies

After meeting with prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, Mr Zelensky met with French President Emmanuel Macron.

In Paris, Macron and Zelenskyy hugged before talks on the plan at the French presidential Elysee Palace. Afterward, Zelenskyy said "all the details" would come in November and that he's talking with allies about securing more military aid and permission for Ukrainian forces to carry out long-range strikes.

Kyiv wants Western partners to allow strikes deep inside Russia, using long-range weapons they provide. Some, including the UK and France, appear willing, but Biden is reticent about escalating the conflict.

He later met in Rome with Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, who ensured Italy's full and continued support "at both bilateral and multilateral level in order to put Kyiv in the best position possible to build a just and lasting peace."

Meloni said the meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the situation on the ground and Ukraine's "most immediate military, financial and humanitarian needs, as well as the forthcoming diplomatic initiatives and the pathway to bring an end to the conflict."

Jabed Ahmed11 October 2024 11:00
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ICYMI: Zelensky outlines ‘victory plan’ in No 10 talks with Starmer and Nato chief

Volodymyr Zelensky presented his “victory plan” to Sir Keir Starmer as pressure mounted on the UK to give Ukraine permission to use Storm Shadow missiles to strike targets in Russia.

In three-way talks in Downing Street, the Prime Minister, the Ukrainian president and Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte discussed the state of the war.

Mr Rutte said there was no legal reason preventing the use of Western-supplied weapons against targets within Russia, but decisions had to be made by individual states.

Following the talks in No 10, Mr Zelensky said: “The victory plan aims to create the right conditions for a just end to the war.

“I thank the United Kingdom for its continued defence support of our country, including with long-range weapons.”

Jabed Ahmed11 October 2024 10:29
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UK could send British troops to Ukraine to train soldiers

UK could send British troops to Ukraine to train soldiers

Ministry of Defence sources said discussions are ongoing about whether to send troops to the country to support it amid Russia’s ongoing invasion

Jabed Ahmed11 October 2024 10:01
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Russia's Putin begins a visit to Turkmenistan for forum with regional leaders

President Vladimir Putin has began a visit to Turkmenistan, speaking at an international forum with Central Asian leaders and the president of Iran.

The Kremlin said Putin will discuss the situation in the Middle East with Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the conference in the Turkmen capital, Ashgabat.

Moscow and Tehran signed a $1.7 billion deal for Iran to export drones to Russia after Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022, and the U.S. also believes it has transferred short-range ballistic missiles.

In his opening remarks at the forum, Putin repeated again that he wants to build “a new world order” with Russia’s friends and partners, according to video shared by the Kremlin.

Jabed Ahmed11 October 2024 09:31
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Ukrainian forces hold around half of Toretsk, trying to beat back Russian advance, local official says

Ukrainian forces control around half of the strategic city of Toretsk in eastern Ukraine as they attempt to stave off assaults by Russian troops, the city’s local authorities said on Friday.

“Approximately 40-50 percent of the city can be said to be under the control of the Ukrainian armed forces, while the rest of the territory is captured by the enemy,” Vasyl Chynchyk, head of Toretsk city military administration, said on national TV.

Military analysts say that capturing the hilltop Toretsk would allow Russian invasion forces to further complicate logistics for Ukrainian forces in much of the east.

Jabed Ahmed11 October 2024 09:01
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Four killed by Russian missile strike in Ukraine's Odesa region

Four people were killed by a Russian missile strike in Ukraine‘s southern Odesa region, Governor Oleh Kiper said

Mr Kiper said a ballistic missile struck a two-storey building where civilians lived and worked. Ten more people were wounded.

Jabed Ahmed11 October 2024 08:33

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