Russia Ukraine war Russian

Two Russian Kalibr cruise missiles launched from the Black Sea on Friday morning crossed the airspace of Moldova and a corner of Romania - a NATO member ...

Moldova said a Russian missile had entered its airspace on Friday, while neighboring Romania denied Ukrainian reports its airspace had also been violated.

[Telegram](https://t.me/concordgroup_official/426). Haidai added that the number of daily attacks “have increased,” and accused Russian forces of “concentrating all their maximum efforts in the Kreminna direction.” The two men discussed the situation on the front lines, the need for joint military support and broader security in the region, it said. To the south, Russia has made advances around the western edge of the town of Vuhledar, although they suffered “heavy casualties” and equipment loss there. In the last week, Russian forces have dominated the northern outskirts of the Donbas town of Bakhmut, largely due to Wagner Group forces, it said. - Russia has begun an offensive in Luhansk centered on Kreminna, said the eastern region’s governor Serhiy Haidai. The programs were suspended ahead of Russia’s invasion last year and if resumed could allow American Special Operations troops to employ Ukrainian operatives to observe Russian military movements and counter disinformation. Zelensky has made several requests for fighter jets and other military equipment — something many Western allies have been reluctant to commit to for fear of escalating the conflict. He is expected to mention the ongoing war in Ukraine, which Russia dubs a special military operation, at this year’s speech. A similar situation was reported in Zaporizhzhia, southeast Ukraine, early Friday, local officials said citing Russian rocket attacks. Under Russia’s constitution, Putin is expected to make the speech annually — but he skipped the speech last year, prompting speculation. The target had entered Ukrainian airspace, then Moldovan airspace, before reentering into Ukraine, it said.

Russia's latest aerial attack on Ukraine saw missiles cross Moldovan airspace, Ukrainian and Moldovan officials have said. Kyiv's top general said two ...

Explosions were also heard in Kyiv, although the city's mayor said nobody was hurt. Olexander Kamyshin wrote: "Trains will start delaying, but none will be cancelled. We are determined." In the aftermath, an aide of Mr Zelensky reiterated a call for the West to donate fighter jets, and criticised "political hesitation" over the provision of new arms to his country. In a post on the Telegram messaging app, he added there were "victims" of the assault, without specifying a number. Mr Zelensky said the missiles represented a "challenge" to Nato, of which Romania is a member country.

Both sides are preparing to attack after months of slow-moving fighting. Russia is moving first. Here's how each side is trying to shape the critical next ...

This is how we demoralize the enemy.” If Ukraine can split Russian forces, then it would significantly weaken Russia’s hold on the Kherson region. “They would like to, but our forces don’t give them a chance.” Ukraine has limited prospects to push forward in the east, where Russia has had fortified positions and established supply lines since 2014. Moscow is watching the announcements of Western weapons supplies, said Mr. Russia is viewed as wanting to move quickly, with President Vladimir V. That would likely be followed by tank and infantry ground assaults across the buffer zone between trench lines, he said. The formations suggest they could be preparing to encircle Ukrainian forces arrayed across the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. It is also attacking Vuhledar in the southeast, where Ukrainian positions are just a few miles from the only rail link to Crimea. They are looking for vulnerabilities, hoping to exploit gaps, and setting the stage for what Ukraine warns could be Moscow’s most ambitious campaign since the start of the war. Now, both Ukraine and Russia are poised to go on the offensive. UKRAINE

Ukraine's Air Force said Russia fired Kalibr cruise missiles, dozens of guided missiles, and Iranian-made drones.

Fighting in Ukraine intensified Thursday. Ukraine's military chief also confirmed two Russian cruise missiles flew over Moldova's airspace before entering Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia fired "six Kalibr cruise missiles", "up to 35 S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles at the Kharkiv and Zaporizhia regions", and used "seven Shahed drones".

Demand for gold coins and bars jumps as VAT on purchases is scrapped and foreign currency becomes scarce.

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Zelenskiy visits London, Paris and Brussels; the secretive Ukrainian special forces taking the fight across the border.

[Zelenskiy has sensed the world’s attention is flagging](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/08/zelenskiys-skilful-uk-state-visit-is-key-move-in-keeping-ukraine-on-wests-mind), Patrick Wintour wrote after the visit. “It is very easy for us to cross the Russian border,” says Vladyslav, the youngest of the three, with a smile. [Here is a potted rundown of his half-hour speech](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/08/churchill-a-helmet-and-a-plea-for-planes-zelenskiys-speech-at-a-glance) from Peter Walker. In western capitals, there is a collective shudder at the very thought of them. [Volodymyr Zelenskiy](https://www.theguardian.com/world/volodymyr-zelenskiy), made a surprise visit to the UK on Wednesday – his first visit since the Russian invasion – as he sought to drum up support for additional western resources. The foreign secretary, James Cleverly, announced a new round of sanctions against Kremlin-connected individuals and military entities to mark Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s visit to London. The Russian investigative website Proekt claims Putin is the father of Krivonogikh’s daughter Luiza. But that is to misunderstand their purpose. “The battles for the region are heating up,” said Pavlo Kyrylenko, the governor of Donetsk, in televised remarks. Its main goal is believed to be to capture the Donbas region. Air raid sirens sounded in much of the country, Luke Harding reported. His claim could not be independently verified.

Russia strikes power facilities across Ukraine, causing widespread blackouts; US president to travel to Poland later this month to rally allies.

Russia has launched a major offensive in eastern Ukraine and is trying to break through defences near the town of Kreminna, the governor for the Luhansk region said on Thursday. A group of 35 countries will demand that Russian and Belarusian athletes are banned from the 2024 Paris Olympics,according to Lithuania’s sports minister, Jurgita Šiugždinienė. Serhiy Haidai said Russian troops had gone on the attack and were trying to advance westwards across a winter landscape of snow and forests. The US has “no indication” of a direct military threat by Russia to Moldova or Romania at this time, US state department spokesperson Vedant Patel said. Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said 10 Russian missiles had been shot down over the capital in Russia’s wave of attacks and that sirens blared during the Friday morning rush hour, with weary civilians taking shelter. However, a key factor in the termination of the scheme is likely increasingly direct rivalry between the Russian Ministry of Defence and Wagner. The attacks came a day after Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskiyended a tour of European allies to lobby leaders for long-range weapons and fighter jets. On Friday, Moldova’s pro-EU government resigned, adding to the sense of crisis. Russia bombarded Ukraine in a large-scale attack on Friday, hitting several cities including Kyiv, the capital. In addition, Republicans who recently took control of the House of Representatives have voiced scepticism – or outright opposition – to continuing the funding. Biden visited Poland weeks after the war began in February, delivering a forceful case for supporting Ukraine’s defence in front of Warsaw’s iconic Royal Castle. According to figures published in January, the decline had largely stopped.