tag

Russia's Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday that its forces had seized a new town in eastern Ukraine and eliminated 1,020 Ukrainian soldiers.In a statement, the ministry said units from the Russian military's "Center" group had taken control of the town of Pervomaiske in the Donetsk region.It added that Russian forces had targeted Ukrainian military units and equipment in several areas of the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions, resulting in the deaths or injuries of 1,020 soldiers and the destruction of dozens of combat vehicles, cars, artillery pieces, ammunition depots, and electronic warfare stations.The ministry added that Russian tactical and operational aviation, drone attack aircraft, and missile and artillery forces had inflicted damage on a Ukrainian military airfield, as well as drone production plants and storage depots.Since the beginning of the war, which has now entered its third year, Russia and Ukraine have exchanged daily reports claiming advances or the repelling of attacks from the other side. These reports cannot be independently verified due to the ongoing war and fighting since Feb. 24, 2022.

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met face-to-face in Alaska on Friday in a high-stakes meeting that could determine whether a ceasefire can be reached in the deadliest war in Europe since World War Two.Ahead of the summit, Trump greeted the Russian leader on a red carpet on the tarmac at a US Air Force base. The two shook hands warmly and touched each other on the arm before riding in Trump's limo to the summit site nearby.The two leaders sat silently with their respective delegations seated to the side in their first meeting since 2019. They were seated in front of a blue backdrop that had the words, "Pursuing Peace" printed on it.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who was not invited to the talks, and his European allies fear Trump might sell out Ukraine by essentially freezing the conflict with Russia and recognising — if only informally — Russian control over one-fifth of Ukraine.Earlier, Trump sought to assuage such concerns as he boarded Air Force One, saying he would let Ukraine decide on any possible territorial swaps. "I'm not here to negotiate for Ukraine, I'm here to get them at a table," he said.Asked what would make the meeting a success, he told reporters: "I want to see a ceasefire rapidly... I'm not going to be happy if it's not today... I want the killing to stop." Trump was joined in his meeting with Putin by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump's special envoy to Russia, Steve Witkoff. Page 5