Questions swirl over future of Ukraine’s popular ‘Iron General’
Kyiv, Ukraine Reuters For Ukrainian armed forces commander General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, even his status as national hero for leading the war effort against Moscow’s invading forces is not enough to quash questions over whether he will keep his job. A series of Western and Ukrainian media reports this week said that President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had […]
Russia says Ukraine had 15-minute warning on PoW flight, Kyiv denies this
Moscow, Russia/Kyiv, Ukraine Reuters A senior Russian lawmaker said Ukrainian military intelligence had been given a 15-minute warning before a Russian military transport plane carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war entered an area where it was shot down on Wednesday, killing all on board. Moscow accuses Kyiv of downing the Ilyushin Il-76 plane in Russia’s Belgorod […]
Twenty-four Venezuelans released as part of US prisoner swap, opposition says
Caracas, VenezuelaReuters Twenty-four Venezuelans have been freed as part of this week’s prisoner exchange deal with the United States, Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Maria Corina Machado said on Thursday. The United States announced on Wednesday that President Joe Biden had granted clemency to Colombian businessman Alex Saab, an ally of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, in […]
Venezuela frees dozens, including Americans, in prisoner swap
Caracas, VenezuelaReuters Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government is freeing at least 20 opposition-linked prisoners and 10 Americans in exchange for the US release of a Maduro ally, two senior US officials said on Wednesday. The Maduro ally is Colombian businessman Alex Saab, who was granted clemency by US President Joe Biden and sent back to […]
Ukraine proposes mobilising up to 500,000 more people into army – Zelenskiy
Kyiv, Ukraine/London, UKReuters Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday the military had proposed mobilising 450,000 to 500,000 more Ukrainians into the armed forces in what would mark a dramatic step up of Kyiv’s war with Russia. The Ukrainian leader told his end-of-year news conference it was a “highly sensitive” issue that the military and […]
US prisoners freed from Iran make emotional return home after swap deal
Doha, Qatar/New York, USReuters Five Americans freed from Iran made an emotional return to the United States on Tuesday ending their imprisonment “nightmare”, a day after they were swapped for five Iranians held in the US and the unfreezing of $US6 billion in Iranian funds. Coming off the plane, the returning Americans were embraced by […]
US-bound plane leaves Doha with five Americans freed by Iran
Doha, Qatar/New York, USReuters A US-bound plane carrying five Americans freed by Iran left Doha on Monday as part of a prisoner swap for five Iranians held in the United States and the transfer of $US6 billion in Iranian funds, marking a rare deal between the long-time antagonists. “Today, five innocent Americans who were imprisoned […]
US-Iran detainee swap deal to go ahead on Monday, says Tehran
Dubai, United Arab EmiratesReuters Tehran said a deal with its arch foe the United States for unfreezing Iranian funds worth $6 billion then swapping five detainees each would go ahead on Monday after months of talks mediated by Qatar. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said the funds frozen in South Korea would be in […]
Zelenskiy says Russia is evading sanctions on weapons; Ukraine’s military urges “silence” ahead of expected counter-offensive
Kyiv, UkraineReuters Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Sunday said that Russia was using a network of suppliers to evade international sanctions designed to prevent it from making missiles and other weapons. In a video address, Zelenskiy said unnamed countries and companies were helping Russia acquire technology with the emphasis on producing missiles. Russia has launched […]
Ukraine’s Zelenskiy says situation at the front getting tougher; almost 200 prisoners swapped
Reuters Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday that the situation on the front lines in the east of the country was getting tougher and Russia was throwing more and more troops into battle. Russian forces are slowly gaining ground in the Donbas region, encircling the city of Bakhmut north of Donetsk and battling to […]