19:37
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Czech President Petr Pavel had a phone call with Zelensky. They talked about continuing Czech aid.
According to Zelensky, they discussed, among other things, the Czech ammunition initiative and other options for strengthening Ukraine and its defense, reports a TASR correspondent in Prague.
The Ukrainian president appreciated all the assistance that the Czech Republic has provided to Kiev since the beginning of the Russian invasion and noted that he and Pavlo discussed its continuation.
He informed the Czech president about Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities, which, according to Zelensky, are being hit by dozens of drones daily.
"We discussed the Czech initiative for the supply of artillery shells. There are also other ideas that can immediately strengthen Ukraine and its defense. We agreed that our teams will coordinate all this operationally," Zelenskyy added.
ANO leader Andrej Babiš also spoke with the Ukrainian president on the phone last week. They tentatively agreed that Babiš would visit Ukraine next year and meet Zelensky in person. (TASR)
19:27
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Defending Ukraine from drones and restoring the damaged energy sector were among the main issues at the meeting of the Supreme Command.
President Zelenskyy mentioned the creation of new helicopter units and the need for additional weapons to combat Russian drones that attack Ukrainian cities and energy facilities every night.
"The most difficult situation is in the villages on the front line and near the border with Russia, where Russian drones and missiles arrive in the shortest possible time, and alarms and shelling continue almost constantly," Zelensky wrote on the social network.
"We have determined how to expand the capabilities of the military aviation in defense against drones. Additional helicopter groups will be created. We are working with partners to provide Ukraine with more suitable types of aircraft. There have been reports of cooperation with companies that produce fighter drones. Maximum production capacity is needed," he said.
(CTK)
19:17
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President Zelenskyy confirmed that he is planning to meet with his American counterpart Trump on Friday in Washington.
He wants to discuss strengthening Ukraine's air defense and the supply of long-range weapons, Zelensky said at a press conference in Kiev.
Zelensky said he shared with Trump a vision of how many American Tomahawk cruise missiles Ukraine needs for its war effort against Russia, and that the two would discuss further details on the matter on Friday, Reuters reported.
The details of the presidents' meeting on Friday are not yet known, noted the Ukrainian Truth website, recalling that Trump and Zelensky last met last month, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. (ČTK)
16:49
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Opposition politicians Kara-Murza and Yashin, who live in exile, have been included in Russia's list of terrorists and extremists.
In addition, information emerged on Monday that the Russian Interior Ministry had declared a search for Kara-Murz. The reason for his statement was not given. Both politicians have long been included in Russia's list of so-called foreign agents for criticizing the war that Russia is waging against Ukraine.
Journalist and historian Kara-Murza was sentenced to 25 years in prison with a maximum security degree in 2023 for treason and allegedly spreading false information about the Russian military.
Kara-Murza and Yashin were released from prison on August 1, 2024, as part of a large-scale prisoner exchange between Russia and several Western countries. Kara-Murza has since also lived abroad with his family.
The news website Meduza reported that the Kara-Murzs' application for a passport was denied at the Russian Embassy in Washington this summer, citing Russian authorities' restrictions on his right to travel outside the Russian Federation.
The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs announced the search for Yashin back in December 2024, when proceedings were initiated against him for failing to fulfill his duties as a"foreign agent."
Yashin was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison in 2022 for allegedly spreading disinformation about the Russian military when he quoted official statements from Moscow on his YouTube channel about the massacres of civilians in the Ukrainian city of Bucha in the first weeks of the war unleashed by Russia in February 2022.
The law requires that any individual or legal entity designated as a foreign agent must publicly acknowledge this fact. For example, media outlets must publish a statement with their articles stating that they have been designated as foreign agents. Critics say the Kremlin is trying to discredit these entities. (TASR)
16:04
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The agreement to end the war in the Gaza Strip also brings hope for achieving a peaceful settlement in Ukraine, Zelensky said.
"In Ukraine, we welcome the efforts that led to today's result in the Middle East. The hostages have been released and the war in Gaza is ending. This is truly an extraordinary event," the Ukrainian president said.
Zelensky praised US President Trump's determination, which he said contributed to the conclusion of the agreement. He also thanked countries and figures who he said"have real influence" and helped broker peace.
"We are working to bring a day of peace to Ukraine as well," Zelensky added, adding that"Russian aggression remains the last global source of destabilization."
"Terror always loses when there is strong enough global unity. Thank you to everyone who contributes to peace," Zelenskyy concluded.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Merz has also appealed to Trump to use his diplomatic influence and exert the same pressure as Russia in the Middle East. (TASR)
15:18
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Germany must not be satisfied with stating that a Russian attack on it will not come until 2029, the intelligence chief said.
"We must not sit idly by and assume that a possible Russian attack will not occur until 2029 at the earliest... We are already under fire today," said Martin Jägerm, the director of the German Federal Intelligence Service, at a public parliamentary hearing, adding that the lines between war and peace are becoming increasingly blurred.
"At best, there is now a cold peace in Europe, which can turn into a hot confrontation at any time. We must prepare for further escalation of the situation," the director of civil intelligence added.
According to Jäger, Russia wants to test the West by undermining NATO cohesion, destabilizing democratic states in Europe and intimidating society. Moscow's goal, he said, is to make Europe dependent on Russia.
DPA recalls that Jäger's statements in the lower house of parliament came in the wake of several violations of NATO airspace - unidentified drones were observed over the airport in Munich, Germany, for example. Western countries attribute these incidents to Russia, although it denies its involvement in them. (TASR)
14:35
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The leaders of the EU member states will meet in Brussels on Thursday for a European Council summit.
The negotiations will focus on continuing support for Ukraine, strengthening the Union's defense capabilities, the competitiveness of the European economy, and the current situation in the Middle East, wrote ER President António Costa in a letter addressed to the presidents and prime ministers of the European Union's twenty-seven.
"Russia continues its relentless attacks against Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure. We will discuss how to step up our support for Ukraine, in particular by reaffirming our commitment to providing financial support to the country in the coming years and considering options based on frozen Russian assets," Costa said. He stressed that support for Ukraine and pressure on Russia remain two essential prerequisites for achieving a just and lasting peace.
The bloc's defense and security will also be on the agenda. Leaders will follow up on previous discussions on strengthening the EU's defense capabilities and preparedness by 2030, as well as stepping up the response to hybrid attacks and incidents in European airspace, Costa added.
The discussion will also focus on EU competitiveness and the digital and green transformation. (TASR)
14:21
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The Ukrainian team is on its way to Washington for defense talks with American officials.
The statement from the Ukrainian president's office comes as Russia intensifies its attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure and Washington is considering supplying long-range missiles to Kiev.
Senior Ukrainian officials, including Prime Minister Svyrydenko, will discuss in the US"strengthening our air defense and offensive capabilities" as well as "increasing (energy) resilience to winter," said Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian president's office.
Zelenskyy spoke again with US President Donald Trump on Sunday. (TASR)
12:55
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There are currently no plans for a phone call between Presidents Putin and Trump, Russia has said.
"There are no clear agreements on a telephone conversation yet. There are many opportunities to quickly organize such a conversation, if necessary," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Former President Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, said that if the United States decided to supply Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, it could be a direct retaliation against Trump.
"The delivery of these missiles could end badly for everyone. And especially for Trump himself," Medvedev wrote on the social network. (SITA)
12:37
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The head of European diplomacy, Kallas, declared that Russia is playing with war by violating the Union's airspace.
NATO has strengthened its defenses along its eastern borders, accusing Moscow of testing the alliance's air defenses by violating member states' airspace with drones and aircraft.
"Every time Russian drones or aircraft violate our airspace, there is a risk of escalation, whether targeted or not. Russia is playing with war," Kallas said during a visit to Ukraine, stressing the need to strengthen the Union's defense capabilities."To prevent war, we must transform Europe's economic power into a military deterrent," she stressed.
Kallas arrived in Kiev this morning for talks on financial and military support for Ukraine, especially its energy infrastructure, as Russia renewed attacks on power plants ahead of winter. Ukraine announced on Monday that it would limit energy consumption in at least seven regions of the country in response to the attacks.
"The enemy wants to influence the mood and morale of our population," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said during a joint press conference with Kallas."This is especially cynical before the onset of winter," he added.
Kallas also indicated that Brussels supports the supply of US long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, according to AFP."We welcome all tools that strengthen Ukraine and weaken Russia," she said.
(TASR)
12:35
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Russia will not fear a direct military confrontation with NATO, claims the head of Germany's intelligence service.
Russia poses a direct threat and the current “icy peace” with the European Union could escalate into “a heated confrontation” at any time, said Martin Jaeger, the head of Germany’s foreign intelligence service, the BND. According to him, Russia is determined to expand its sphere of influence further west into Europe.
"To achieve this goal, Russia will not be afraid of a direct military confrontation with NATO if necessary," Jaeger, who took over the agency's leadership last month, said at a public briefing with members of parliament in Berlin.
Jaeger was joined by leaders of Germany's domestic and military intelligence services. While they also mentioned other threats facing Germany, such as political and religious extremism, their statements were dominated by Russia.
Jaeger, who previously served as Germany's ambassador to Kiev, echoed statements made by other intelligence chiefs on Monday, saying that Russia's ambitions and aggression are not limited to the war in Ukraine."We must not sit back and assume that a possible Russian attack will not happen until 2029 at the earliest," Jaeger said.
According to Jaeger, Moscow seems determined to undermine the NATO alliance and destabilize European democracies."The means that Moscow uses are well known. Attempts to manipulate elections and public opinion, propaganda, provocations, disinformation, espionage, sabotage, violation of airspace with drones and fighter jets, contract killings, persecution of opposition figures living abroad," Jaeger added. (SITA)
11:55
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World
Ukraine will limit energy consumption in at least seven regions of the country in response to Russian attacks.
The AFP agency reported this, saying that planned power outages for the civilian population will reduce pressure on the country's electricity grid.
"Due to the difficult situation in the Ukrainian energy system caused by previous Russian attacks, emergency power outages have been introduced" in seven regions, the Energy Ministry said on social media.
According to AFP, the Ukrainian ministry cited areas in central and eastern Ukraine, including the Donetsk region, where authorities have urged civilians to leave the area due to targeted attacks on the local electricity grid.
The ministry added that the restrictions would only apply to industrial consumers in the Zaporozhye region, which is partially occupied by Russian forces and home to Europe's largest nuclear power plant. Partial restrictions will also be introduced in the Kirovohrad region.
The Kremlin has escalated air strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities and the railway network in recent weeks, repeating a targeted bombing campaign from the previous three winters that has left millions without heating, AFP recalls.
Since the start of the war with Ukraine in February 2022, Moscow has typically claimed after such attacks that its targets were energy facilities that support the Ukrainian military. (TASR)
10:38
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EU foreign policy chief Kallas arrived in Kiev for talks on financial and military support for Ukraine.
"Today I am in Kiev for negotiations on financial and military support, the security of the Ukrainian energy sector, and Russia's responsibility for its war crimes," Kallas said.
She emphasized that, in her opinion, Ukrainians inspire the world with their courage in the fight against the Russian invasion, which began in February 2022."Their resilience requires our full support," she noted.
...
The visit comes as Russia has escalated attacks on Ukraine's energy grid as winter approaches. For example, a strike on Friday caused widespread power outages in Kiev and several areas across the country. (TASR)
08:23
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After Russian drone attacks in the Odessa region, a large fire broke out in textile warehouses, one person was injured.
This is reported by the Ukrainian authorities.
"The enemy again attacked civilian infrastructure in the Odessa region. Despite the fact that air defenses worked and shot down enemy drones, we are recording hits on objects intended for civilian purposes as a result of the attack," said Oleh Kiper, head of the Odessa region's military administration, in a telegram this morning.
A fire broke out at the affected site, covering an area of 5,000 square meters and engulfing several warehouses where fabrics, clothing and packaging materials were stored.
According to preliminary information, one person was injured. (ČTK)
08:14
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World
A Ukrainian drone attack hit a large oil depot in the city of Feodosia, Crimea and caused a fire.
The incident was reported by Moscow-appointed governor Sergei Aksionov.
This was reported by the DPA agency.
No casualties have been reported so far. The Russian Defense Ministry said it had destroyed 103 Ukrainian drones over several areas overnight, with more than 40 of them shot down over Crimea.
The same warehouse was damaged in a Ukrainian attack last year. Kiev has repeatedly attacked fuel facilities behind the front lines in an attempt to disrupt Russian supply chains.
At the same time, Russia continues to launch drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian territory, DPA adds. (TASR)
07:11
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A series of anonymous bomb threats has again disrupted rail traffic across Ukraine, authorities said.
This is reported by the DPA agency.
Police said a passenger train heading to Zaporozhye was forced to stop in the village of Burshtyn, where passengers were evacuated to a safe distance while specialists and sniffer dogs searched the train's carriages for explosives.
After the carriages were searched and a traffic permit was issued, the train continued its journey.
According to the Ukrainian news agency UNIAN, several other trains in different parts of the country were stopped and checked after similar threats, DPA reports. Among them was the Dipro-Budapest line, which connects Ukraine with Hungary.
Similar incidents have been reported in the country in recent days, although no explosive devices were found on any of the affected trains, including on international routes. However, preventive checks have caused delays.
Authorities have not yet provided any information about the possible motives or origin of the threats, the German agency adds. (TASR)
04:42
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Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian forces had advanced in the Zaporizhia region and the Donetsk region in the east in a counteroffensive.
Kiev has been reporting for several weeks that its forces have advanced around the town of Dobropil'ya near the Pokrovsk logistics hub, one of the main objectives of Russian troops slowly advancing west through the Donetsk region.
Zelensky said in an evening video address that the Ukrainian army had advanced more than three kilometers further south in the Zaporizhia region in a day.
"At this time, Ukrainian troops are continuing our counter-offensive activities near Dobropilla, but also in other sectors - in particular in the Zaporizhia region near Orichiv," he said.
The Ukrainian army announced that it had taken control of the village of Mali Shcherbaky, located between Orikhiv and the Dnieper River.
The Russian Defense Ministry did not mention the Ukrainian advance or the village in question in its report, but it said the Russian military had struck Ukrainian troops and equipment in the Zaporizhia region, including the village of Novoandriyivka, which is located near the village of Maly Shcherbaky and the town of Orikhiv.
Authorities in Zaporizhzhia and Dnepropetrovsk regions reported three deaths and several injuries in Russian attacks.
(TASR)
01:00
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President Trump has warned Russia that he could send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Kiev if it does not end the war.
He once again indicated that he could increase pressure on Moscow.
“I could say, ‘Look, if this war doesn’t get resolved, I’m going to send them Tomahawks,’” Trump told reporters on a flight to Israel. “Tomahawks are an incredible weapon, a very offensive weapon. And, frankly, Russia doesn’t need them.”
Trump made the comments after speaking on the phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday, to whom he said he mentioned the possible delivery of Tomahawk missiles.
Moscow has expressed"extreme concern" over the potential supply of the missiles to Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that if the United States supplies Kiev with long-range missiles, it would seriously damage relations between Moscow and Washington.
Trump has taken a significantly tougher stance toward Putin in recent weeks after the Russian leader refused to hold direct talks with Zelensky. (TASR)
