Free Republic

AARHUS, Denmark (AP) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Denmark on Thursday as the Nordic country launched its European Union presidency, the Danish prime minister’s office said. Zelenskyy flew into the western city of Aarhus. A Ukrainian flag flew from the aircraft cockpit as it parked. He was due to hold talks with Prime Minister Mette Fredericksen and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, both staunch backers of Ukraine. His trip comes after the Trump administration decided to halt some arms shipments promised to help Kyiv fight off Russia´s invasion. “Ukraine belongs in the EU. It is in...

Chernobyl CNN — A Russian drone struck the destroyed nuclear power plant at Chernobyl in an attack overnight into Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said. The strike hit the concrete shelter that covers the plant’s destroyed former fourth power unit, sparking a fire that was later extinguished, he said. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN’s nuclear watchdog, said that its team at the site heard a large explosion shortly before 2 a.m. local time Friday (7 p.m. ET Thursday).

More evidence is piling up that Russia's military-industrial complex is nearing the brink after nearly three years of fighting in Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin mobilized the economy for Russia's invasion, resulting in massive amounts of state funds for defense contractors along with low unemployment as working-age people build weapons in factories or serve on the front lines. But that also stoked inflation, which has hit 9% and even forced Putin to acknowledge that it's "alarming." Russia's central has hiked its benchmark rate to 21% to rein in prices, but businesses are feeling the strain of all that monetary tightening. In...