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The attack comes as Russia suffers fuel shortages following Ukrainian attacks that have cut 20 percent of Russia's oil refining capacity. Ukraine struck several Russian oil facilities overnight Friday, including one if its largest refineries and an oil depot, worsening the country’s crippling fuel shortages. Ukrainian drones targeted facilities including Russia's largest Rosneft refinery in Ryazan and an oil depot in occupied Luhansk Oblast, according to Ukraine's chief drone warfare commander Robert Brovdi. Images of the attack on social media that appeared to show a massive fireball erupting immediately after the strike.

Amid increasingly belligerent Russian rhetoric against NATO, tiny Estonia has assumed the role of David standing up to Goliath. In recent months, Tallinn has intensified its signaling that in the case of an imminent Russian invasion, it would not hesitate to strike first. The world is now seeing the country’s logic. In a September 2024 interview with the Estonian public broadcaster ERR, Estonian General Vahur Karus stated that if Moscow showed signs of preparing for an attack, Estonia would strike the Russians first: “Our capability to neutralize the enemy on its own territory is crucial.” In the subsequent months, Estonia...

One of Russia’s most highly decorated heroes in the war with Ukraine instructed his troops to intentionally shoot him to sit out of combat and collect a fat paycheck, according to investigators — who also found his alleged heroics were completely bogus. Lt. Col. Konstantin Frolov — nicknamed the “Executioner” for his reputation as a highly skilled sniper — was identified as the mastermind behind the massive military scam where he instructed 35 officers and soldiers in Russia’s elite sniper unit, the prestigious 83rd Air Assault Brigade, to deliberately fire at him and each other, the probe recently concluded, according...

So much about Ukraine seems in flux since President Trump landed in Alaska Friday. It’s been nonstop action with a growing cast of world leaders jumping in. One thing has remained constant: Vladimir Putin’s demands—the surrender of territory he hasn’t conquered, the end of an independent Ukraine and, in its place, a puppet state from which he can threaten Europe. Politically, there appear to be three possible outcomes for Mr. Trump. One is that the American president becomes as tough on Mr. Putin as he has been on Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky. Then he could play a pivotal role in getting...

During a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following the Alaska summit with Putin, U.S. President Donald Trump said that the Russian leader insists on gaining control over the entire Donbas region Bloomberg reported the information. According to sources, during the phone call, Trump noted that the final decision on the territories should be made by Kyiv, but Putin’s position remains unchanged. Russia wants full control over Donetsk and Luhansk regions, even though its forces have currently captured only part of these areas. If Kyiv agrees, Moscow is ready to drop claims to the parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson...

United States Vice President JD Vance said on Sunday that the US is working on setting up a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, he told Fox News that it would not be "productive" to schedule the meeting before Putin meets with US President Donald Trump on August 15. Vance said he spoke to the Ukrainian government earlier today but that Trump will have to "force President Putin and President Zelensky to sit down, to figure out their differences."

Donald Trump has said he will shorten the deadline he gave Vladimir Putin to reach a deal to end the war in Ukraine, giving Russia '10 or 12' days to move. In a clear bid to apply more pressure, the US president said he had wanted to be generous with his original 50-day deadline, but that with no progress being made there was no reason to keep waiting.

The Pentagon has halted shipments of some air defense missiles and other precision munitions to Ukraine due to worries that U.S. weapons stockpiles have fallen too low. The decision was driven by the Pentagon’s policy chief, Elbridge Colby, and was made after a review of Pentagon munitions stockpiles, leading to concerns that the total number of artillery rounds, air defense missiles and precision munitions was sinking, according to three people familiar with the issue.

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday (June 24) that he would “probably” meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump confirmed the possibility when asked about a meeting. “Yeah probably I’ll see him,” he said. When asked what he intended to say to the Ukrainian leader, Trump replied, “I’ll say ‘how you doing?’ He’s in a tough situation, should never have been there.” Zelensky team confirms meeting preparations Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, also confirmed that talks were under way to...

U.S. President Donald Trump said he rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin's offer to help with the Israel-Iran conflict during a recent call, turning the focus back to the unresolved war in Ukraine. -snip- "I'd like to see a deal with Russia," Trump said on Tuesday morning as he headed to the NATO summit in the Netherlands, Fox News reported. "As you know Vladimir called me up. He said, 'Can I help you with Iran?' I said, 'No, I don't need help with Iran. I need help with you.' "And I hope we're going to be getting a deal done with...

Under pressure from President Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu significantly scaled back planned retaliation against Iran's violation of a ceasefire agreement, Israeli and U.S. officials said Tuesday. -snip- "When I say 12 hours [of ceasefire], you don't go out in the first hour and drop everything you have on them," Trump said. "I am not happy with Israel going out this morning because of one rocket that was shot [by Iran], perhaps by mistake." -snip- A White House source said Trump spoke to Netanyahu in "an exceptionally firm and direct way" about his objections to the Israeli strike. "The...

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday took aim at the recent U.S. strikes on Iran, calling them a “completely unprovoked act of aggression.” “You are visiting Russia during a challenging period, marked by a significant escalation of tensions both in the region and surrounding your country,” Putin told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to an English transcript from the Kremlin. “Russia’s position on the current developments is well known. It has been clearly expressed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is reflected in the stance we’ve taken at the United Nations Security Council, with which you are already...

Russia launched an overnight drone strike against the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Mykolaiv, just hours after the US announced that Moscow and Kyiv had agreed to a maritime ceasefire, authorities said. The mayor of Mykolaiv said on Wednesday morning that the city was experiencing emergency power outages. Meanwhile, the region's governor confirmed that the Ukrainian military had destroyed seven Russian drones in the region overnight. -snip- Although Moscow and Kyiv agreed to a Black Sea ceasefire after three days of separate talks with US officials in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh, questions remain about its implementation. Speaking on Tuesday, Zelenskyy...

Russia has attacked at least eight Ukrainian energy facilities since March 18 when Moscow says it halted such attacks, a senior Ukrainian presidential official said on Wednesday. Ihor Zhovkva, speaking on national television, also said that, contrary to Russian statements, no preconditions were discussed with U.S. officials as they agreed a Black Sea truce with Russia during talks in Saudi Arabia this week. The Kremlin said earlier that a number of conditions must be met before the Black Sea maritime security deal negotiated with the United States can be activated.

The United States said on Tuesday it has made separate agreements with Ukraine and Russia to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea and to implement a ban strikes against energy facilities in the two countries. The White House said in a statement that Washington would help restore Russia's access to the world market for agricultural and fertilizer exports and would continue facilitating talks on both sides in a bid toward achieving a sustainable peace.

The Russian and U.S. delegations wrapped up talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on March 24, after 12 hours of discussions with three breaks. The Russian and U.S. delegations concluded talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on March 24. The parties talked for 12 hours with three breaks, News.Az reports citing foreign media. The meeting, which came a day after talks between the U.S. and Ukraine, was expected to focus on Washington's push for a possible ceasefire in the Black Sea and a potential overall halt on military activity. The discussions took place in a closed format as journalists were asked to...

Saudi Arabia is prepared to abandon its $100-a-barrel crude oil price target as it moves to increase output, signaling its acceptance of lower prices, according to the Financial Times. This decision comes despite earlier production cuts by OPEC+ members, which sought to keep prices high. Brent crude prices dipped below $70 earlier this month, the lowest since December 2021. Despite this, officials plan to boost production starting December 1, potentially extending a period of reduced prices. This marks a shift from Saudi Arabia's previous focus on price stabilization. Saudi Arabia's ramp-up in oil production, especially if paired with lowered prices,...

At least seven people are dead, including a 5-year-old girl, after Russia launched nearly 150 drones across Ukraine overnight — just a day before cease-fire talks are set to resume, officials said. The Kremlin fired 147 explosive drones early Sunday across the Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Odesa and Donetsk regions, with the Ukrainian military able to shoot down or deflect 122 of the UAVs. One of the drones that made it through Ukraine’s defenses hit the capital city of Kyiv, killing three people; including the little girl, her father and an 80-year-old woman, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Another 10 people...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday that a halt on energy strikes in the war with Russia could be established quickly, but warned Ukraine would respond in kind if Moscow violated the terms of the limited ceasefire. After speaking to U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday for the first time since their disastrous Oval Office talks, Zelenskiy said Kyiv would draw up a list of facilities that could be subject to a partial ceasefire brokered by Washington. That list could include not only energy, but also rail and port infrastructure, he said, a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin...

Ukraine reports strikes just hours after Russian leader agreed to suspend attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure in a call with US president. Vladimir Putin rejected Donald Trump’s proposal for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine after a “frank” phone call on Tuesday between the two presidents. Instead, the Russian leader agreed to a 30-day pause in attacks on energy plants and infrastructure and to hold further talks on stopping hostilities in the Black Sea.