Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed to make Russia pay for a deadly attack on a passenger train that killed 22 people and said Ukraine would make the “occupiers bear the responsibility”. “Chaplin is our pain today,” Zelensky said in his video speech late Wednesday. “We will certainly make the conquerors accountable for everything they have done. And we will definitely drive the invaders out of our land,” he said. At least 22 civilians were killed in Chaplyne, Ukraine, on Wednesday when a Russian missile hit a passenger train, coinciding with Mr Zelensky’s warning of “disgusting Russian provocations” ahead of the country’s 31st Independence Day. He added that the besieged country under Russia’s military invasion for six months will live forever and its independence from the Soviet Union “is not ending and will never end.” And, outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a surprise visit to Kyiv exactly six months after Russian leader Vladimir Putin launched a military invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine “can and will win this war”, Mr Johnson said. Show latest update 1661409177
Russia has lost control of area ‘the size of Denmark’, ISW says
Since it controlled swaths of northern Ukraine at the start of the war, Russia has been pushed back from an area the size of Denmark, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said. The US think tank said Moscow, whose troops are now concentrated in eastern and southeastern Ukraine, has gained only a small amount of ground in its recent offensives. In the past 39 days, Russian forces have captured an area the size of Andorra, equivalent to 1 percent of what they lost earlier in the conflict, the ISW added. Rory Sullivan25 August 2022 07:32 1661407488
Russia’s war in Ukraine caused $10.7 billion in environmental damage
The six-month war against Ukraine, now in its seventh month, has caused at least $10.7 billion worth of environmental damage. Ukrainian officials have recorded more than 2,000 cases of damage to nature since February 24, the country’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources said. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February this year and President Vladimir Putin called it a “special military operation”. Arpan Rai August 25, 2022 7:04 pm 1661406410
Russian fighters in Zaporizhzhia may exploit Ukrainian military activity for propaganda purposes – British Foreign Office
The British Ministry of Defense has said that Russian fighters at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant are likely to be prepared to exploit any Ukrainian military activity for propaganda purposes. Russian ground forces had attacked and captured the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) within a month of invading Ukraine, threatening the security of the region by wresting control of the dangerous infrastructure. “On August 21, 2022, images showed that Russia maintained an enhanced military presence at the site, with armored personnel carriers deployed within 60 meters of reactor number five,” Britain’s Foreign Office said in its latest intelligence briefing on Thursday. He added that Russian troops were likely trying to hide the vehicles by parking them under overhead pipes and crane bridges. “While Russia maintains military ownership of the ZNPP, the main risks to reactor operations are likely to remain disruption to the reactor cooling systems, damage to its backup power supply, or errors by workers operating under pressure,” the Defense Ministry warned. . Arpan Rai August 25, 2022 6:46 pm 1661405890
Russian missiles hit the Kyiv region, “many explosions” were heard.
Ukrainian authorities said “several explosions” were heard in the northern Vyshgorod district of the Kyiv region early Thursday morning around 3am. In a briefing, Oleksiy Kuleba, head of Kyiv’s regional military command, said Russia had launched a rocket attack in the area north of the city. “Two arrivals were recorded,” Mr Kuleba said, adding that so far no casualties or damage to residential buildings and infrastructure had been recorded. Arpan Rai August 25, 2022 6:38 pm 1661404999
US criticizes Russian trials of Ukrainian prisoners: ‘Illegal and a travesty of justice’
The US has criticized any Russian effort that could lead to the establishment of courts for Ukrainian prisoners of war in the Russian-held port city of Mariupol, calling the process “illegal”. Moscow is reportedly planning to deport Ukrainian prisoners of war (PoWs) under conditions that could amount to war crimes. But US State Department spokesman Ned Price said “the planned show trials are illegal and a travesty of justice, and we strongly condemn them”. “The Kremlin is trying to deflect blame onto the President [Vladimir] Putin’s war of aggression and distraction from the overwhelming evidence of atrocities committed by Russian forces in Ukraine…,” he said in a statement. Mr Price added: “All members of the armed forces of Ukraine, including domestic and foreign volunteers who are integrated into the armed forces, are entitled to prisoner of war status if captured and must be accorded treatment and protection commensurate with that status, according to the Geneva Conventions”. Washington also called on Moscow to “comply with its obligations under international law.” Arpan Rai August 25, 2022 6:23 pm 1661404270
ICYMI: At least 22 dead in Russia’s Independence Day train station attack
At least 22 people were killed in Chaplyne, Ukraine, after a Russian attack on a train station in eastern Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky said. The rocket attack hit the town of about 3,500 people in the Dnipropetrovsk region. It came as Ukrainians around the world marked the country’s Independence Day on Wednesday. Zelensky had warned that Russia might attempt “something particularly harsh” to coincide with the celebrations. Read the full report here:
At least 22 dead after Russian train attack on train station in Ukraine
Ukrainians had braced for increased bombings on the national holiday to mark independence from the Soviet Union Arpan Rai August 25, 2022 6:11 pm 1661402846
Search and rescue in Chaplyne, Ukraine continues, Zelensky promises retaliation
Ukrainian authorities continued search and rescue operations at the site of a deadly rocket attack in Chaplyne, eastern Ukraine, that killed at least 22 civilians on Wednesday. “Search and rescue operations at the railway station will continue,” Volodymyr Zelensky said in his video speech. He also vowed to make Russian forces pay for the attack on civilians and said: “We will definitely make the occupiers accountable for everything they have done. And we will surely expel the invaders from our land. Not a speck of this evil will remain in our free Ukraine.” Arpan Rai August 25, 2022 5:47 pm 1661399945
Hello, Arpan Rai here, welcome to our rolling coverage of Ukraine now. Stay tuned as we bring you the latest updates! Arpan Rai August 25, 2022 4:59 pm
