International Courant
EU leaders condemn ‘reckless’ and ‘despicable’ assault on Odessa throughout go to by Zelensky and Greek Prime Minister
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis (L) examine the functioning of the Black Sea ‘grain hall’ on the port of Odesa, Ukraine, on March 6, 2024.
Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty Photos
European Union leaders have sharply criticized a lethal Russian missile assault on Ukraine’s southern port metropolis of Odesa, close to the place President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held a gathering.
Zelenskyy and Mitsotakis met in Odessa on Wednesday to pay tribute to the 12 individuals killed in a Russian drone strike on town final week. In the course of the assembly, Mitsotakis mentioned the couple heard the sound of sirens and “an explosion that was very near us.”
A spokesman for the Ukrainian navy mentioned 5 individuals have been killed within the assault Sky Information.
“The reckless airstrike on Odessa, when President @ZelenskyyUa and Prime Minister @kmitsotakis have been visiting to pay tribute to the victims of the March 2 drone strike on a residential constructing, as soon as once more proves Putin’s disregard for any norm and his willingness to escalate,” mentioned European Josep Borrell, the Union’s overseas coverage chief mentioned Wednesday through social media web site X.
President of the European Fee, Ursula von der Leyen, has in the meantime mentioned that she “strongly” condemned the “despicable assault” on Odesa.
“Nobody can be intimidated by this new try at terror – definitely not the 2 leaders on the bottom, nor the courageous individuals of Ukraine,” she mentioned through X. “Greater than ever, we stand with Ukraine.”
The Russian Protection Ministry mentioned Russian forces on Wednesday launched a extremely exact missile assault on a hangar in Odesa, the place it mentioned Ukrainian forces have been getting ready naval drones for operations.
-Sam Meredith
Ukraine will take counter-offensive actions towards Russia this yr, its prime commander says
Ukrainian troopers of the thirty second Brigade are seen alongside the entrance line of their fight place throughout the ongoing two-year struggle between Russia and Ukraine in direction of Kupyansk, in Kharkiv, Ukraine on March 6, 2024.
Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty Photos
A prime Ukrainian commander has mentioned Kiev’s armed forces will attempt to seize the initiative and take unspecified counter-offensive actions in 2024.
Ukrainian floor pressure commander Oleksandr Pavliuk mentioned Televised feedback on Wednesday mentioned the military would attempt to stabilize the entrance line and create a bunch of forces to hold out counter-offensive actions within the coming months.
His feedback got here shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia was in all probability getting ready an offensive in Ukraine within the spring or early summer time.
-Sam Meredith
A senior Russian navy officer warns that the battle in Ukraine might escalate right into a full-scale struggle in Europe
A senior Russian navy officer has warned that the Kremlin’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine might escalate right into a full-scale struggle in Europe, Reuters reported, citing state information company RIA.
Colonel Common Vladimir Zarudnitsky, who heads the Army Academy of the Russian Military Common Employees, reportedly warned in a Protection Ministry publication that the probability of Russian forces changing into concerned in a brand new battle elevated “considerably” .
“The opportunity of an escalation of the battle in Ukraine – from the growth of contributors in ‘proxy forces’ used for the navy confrontation with Russia to a full-scale struggle in Europe – can’t be excluded,” Zarudnitsky mentioned.
“The primary supply of navy threats to our state is the anti-Russian coverage of the USA and its allies, who’re waging a brand new form of hybrid warfare to weaken Russia in each potential manner, restrict its sovereignty and destroy its territorial borders . integrity.”
-Sam Meredith
Russia can proceed combating in Ukraine for at the very least two extra years, Lithuania says
The President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausda, speaks to the press throughout a joint press convention with the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, throughout the NATO train Dragon-24, a part of the large-scale train Steadfast Defender-24.
Sopa photos | Mild rocket | Getty Photos
Lithuanian intelligence companies mentioned in a report on Thursday that Russia might proceed combating in Ukraine for at the very least two extra years.
“Russia has ample monetary, human, materials and technical sources to proceed the battle with comparable depth, at the very least within the brief time period,” Lithuania mentioned in its newest annual nationwide menace evaluation.
“The chosen technique is a struggle of attrition, primarily based on the expectation of accelerating struggle fatigue in Western societies and governments and the declining will to battle amongst Ukrainians.”
In line with the report, Russian forces might have regrouped and strengthened in 2023 after struggling heavy losses the yr earlier than.
In a transfer possible geared toward signaling Moscow’s disapproval of Finland’s NATO membership, Lithuanian intelligence officers mentioned Russia had deployed ships able to carrying Kalibr cruise missiles to Lake Ladoga for the primary time. Lake Ladoga is a physique of water close to Finland’s southeastern border with Russia.
“Russia is concerned in two parallel processes. It each offsets its losses in Ukraine and creates new alternatives for a protracted confrontation with the West,” the report mentioned.
-Sam Meredith
The Kremlin says Russia won’t intrude within the US elections
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned on Wednesday that Russia wouldn’t intrude within the US presidential election later this yr, and has not carried out so up to now.
“We have now by no means interfered within the elections in the USA,” Peskov mentioned, in response to Reuters. “And this time we now have no intention of interfering.”
Peskov reiterated that any makes an attempt by different international locations to intrude within the Russian presidential elections can be prevented.
Investigations by US authorities have beforehand discovered that Russia interfered, or at the very least tried, in a number of current US elections, together with presidential and midterm elections.
-Sophie Kiderlin
Zelensky says there have been deaths and accidents within the Russian assault on Odessa
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned on Wednesday that individuals had been killed and injured in a Russian assault on the Ukrainian Black Sea port metropolis of Odessa.
Zelenskyy was additionally quoted by broadcaster Suspilne as saying Ukraine wanted stronger air defenses. He met with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Odessa.
– Reuters
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