Russia says its troops occupy Ukraine's Luhansk region
If confirmed, that would make Luhansk the first Ukrainian region fully occupied by Russia after more than three years of war and as recent US-led international peace efforts have failed to make progress on halting the fighting.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has effectively rejected a ceasefire and hasn't budged from his demands, which include Moscow's control over the four illegally annexed regions.
There was no immediate comment from Kyiv on the claim made by the Moscow-installed leader of the occupied region, Leonid Pasechnik.
In remarks to Russia's state TV Channel One that aired Monday evening, Pasechnik said he received a report "literally two days ago" saying that "100 per cent" of the region was now under the control of Russian forces.
The development came just hours after the top German diplomat said that Germany aims to help Ukraine manufacture more weapons more quickly as Kyiv looks to strengthen its negotiating position in peace talks with Russia.
"We see our task as helping Ukraine so that it can negotiate more strongly," Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said during a visit to Kyiv.
"When Putin speaks of peace today, it is pure mockery," Wadephul told a news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
"His apparent readiness to negotiate is only a facade so far."
Russia's invasion shows no sign of letting up. Its grinding war of attrition along the roughly 1000km front line and long-range strikes on civilian areas of Ukraine have killed thousands of troops and civilians.
Ukraine is outgunned and shorthanded on the front line and international aid has been vital for Ukraine's resistance against its neighbour's bigger army and economy.
Germany has been Ukraine's second-largest military backer after the US, whose continuing support is in doubt.
"We want to build new joint ventures so that Ukraine itself can produce faster and more for its own defence, because your needs are enormous," Wadephul said.
"Our arms co-operation is a real trump card - it is a logical continuation of our delivery of material," Wadephul said.
"And we can even benefit mutually from it - with your wealth of ideas and your experience, we will become better."
Wadephul also met with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
The top German diplomat's trip to Kyiv came less than 48 hours after Russia launched its biggest combined aerial attack against Ukraine over the weekend, Ukrainian officials said, in an escalating bombing campaign that has further dashed hopes for a breakthrough in peace efforts.
Ukraine's air force said on Monday it detected 107 Russian Shahed and decoy drones in the country's air space overnight.
Strikes in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region left two civilians dead and eight injured, including a six-year-old child, regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov said.
The aerial onslaughts are calculated by Russia to squeeze Ukraine into submission, according to the Institute for the Study of War.
"Russia is continuing to use increasingly large numbers of drones in its overnight strike packages in order to overwhelm Ukrainian air defences and enable subsequent cruise and ballistic missile strikes," the Washington-based think tank said late on Sunday.
"The increases in Russia's strike packages in recent weeks are largely due to Russia's efforts to scale up its defence industrial production, particularly of Shahed and decoy drones and ballistic missiles," the institute added.
The Russians "are attacking civilian targets in order to create panic, to influence the mood of our population," he said.
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The Age
3 hours ago
- The Age
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The Advertiser
6 hours ago
- The Advertiser
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The Yoorrook Justice Commission's final reports feature 100 recommendations across five volumes and an official public record of Victoria's history since colonisation in 1834. The Australian-first Indigenous truth-telling body calls on the Victorian government to provide redress for injustices. It suggested redress could take the form of restitution of traditional land, monetary compensation, tax relief or other financial benefits. Other recommendations include shifting prison healthcare from the justice department to the health department, more cash to First Peoples-led health services and establishing independent funding streams for the state's self-determination fund. Premier Jacinta Allan indicated none of the ideas were off the table, refusing to rule in or out any of the recommendations. "We're going to take our time to consider and respond to the report," she told reporters on Wednesday. "I am not going to respond to the individual recommendations or the report as a whole through individual questions at a press conference. "That would not do justice to the years and years of work and evidence." Yoorrook held 67 days of public hearings, gathering the testimony of Stolen Generations survivors, elders, historians, experts and non-Indigenous advocates. It found there were at least 50 massacres across Victoria by the end of the 1860s, with eight colonists killed compared to 978 First Nations people. The mass killings combined with disease, sexual violence, exclusion, eradication of language, cultural erasure, environmental degradation, child removal, absorption and assimilation brought about the "near-complete physical destruction" of Aboriginal people in Victoria. The "decimation" of the population by 1901 was the result of "a coordinated plan of different actions aimed at the destruction of the essential foundations of the life of national groups". "This was genocide," one of the documents read. Ms Allan said the findings made for "tough reading" because they "tell the truth" about how the state was colonised. The recommendations will inform treaty talks between the state government and the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria, with enabling legislation expected to be introduced later in 2025. Ms Allan said reparations were not up for discussion as part of treaty talks amid backlash over Yoorrook's findings and recommendations. "I'm not focused on people who want to divide people," she said. First Peoples' Assembly member Nerita Waight warned Ms Allan not to let Yoorrook's work go ignored, as politicians have done with previous major Aboriginal-related inquiries. "The truth has been told and now the government has an obligation to act," the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service chief executive said. Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe called on the federal government to press on with national truth and treaty processes. "Genocide has not just occurred in Victoria, but has been perpetrated against all First Peoples of this continent," she said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised to set up a "Makarrata Commission to oversee a national process for treaty and truth-telling" in 2021. His government allocated $5.8 million to commence work on establishing the independent commission, but it has not materialised after the failed voice to parliament referendum in 2023. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 A landmark truth-telling inquiry's call for redress for the post-colonisation pain and suffering of Aboriginal people has not been ruled out. The Yoorrook Justice Commission's final reports feature 100 recommendations across five volumes and an official public record of Victoria's history since colonisation in 1834. The Australian-first Indigenous truth-telling body calls on the Victorian government to provide redress for injustices. 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It found there were at least 50 massacres across Victoria by the end of the 1860s, with eight colonists killed compared to 978 First Nations people. The mass killings combined with disease, sexual violence, exclusion, eradication of language, cultural erasure, environmental degradation, child removal, absorption and assimilation brought about the "near-complete physical destruction" of Aboriginal people in Victoria. The "decimation" of the population by 1901 was the result of "a coordinated plan of different actions aimed at the destruction of the essential foundations of the life of national groups". "This was genocide," one of the documents read. Ms Allan said the findings made for "tough reading" because they "tell the truth" about how the state was colonised. The recommendations will inform treaty talks between the state government and the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria, with enabling legislation expected to be introduced later in 2025. Ms Allan said reparations were not up for discussion as part of treaty talks amid backlash over Yoorrook's findings and recommendations. "I'm not focused on people who want to divide people," she said. First Peoples' Assembly member Nerita Waight warned Ms Allan not to let Yoorrook's work go ignored, as politicians have done with previous major Aboriginal-related inquiries. "The truth has been told and now the government has an obligation to act," the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service chief executive said. Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe called on the federal government to press on with national truth and treaty processes. "Genocide has not just occurred in Victoria, but has been perpetrated against all First Peoples of this continent," she said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised to set up a "Makarrata Commission to oversee a national process for treaty and truth-telling" in 2021. His government allocated $5.8 million to commence work on establishing the independent commission, but it has not materialised after the failed voice to parliament referendum in 2023. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 A landmark truth-telling inquiry's call for redress for the post-colonisation pain and suffering of Aboriginal people has not been ruled out. The Yoorrook Justice Commission's final reports feature 100 recommendations across five volumes and an official public record of Victoria's history since colonisation in 1834. The Australian-first Indigenous truth-telling body calls on the Victorian government to provide redress for injustices. It suggested redress could take the form of restitution of traditional land, monetary compensation, tax relief or other financial benefits. Other recommendations include shifting prison healthcare from the justice department to the health department, more cash to First Peoples-led health services and establishing independent funding streams for the state's self-determination fund. Premier Jacinta Allan indicated none of the ideas were off the table, refusing to rule in or out any of the recommendations. "We're going to take our time to consider and respond to the report," she told reporters on Wednesday. "I am not going to respond to the individual recommendations or the report as a whole through individual questions at a press conference. "That would not do justice to the years and years of work and evidence." Yoorrook held 67 days of public hearings, gathering the testimony of Stolen Generations survivors, elders, historians, experts and non-Indigenous advocates. It found there were at least 50 massacres across Victoria by the end of the 1860s, with eight colonists killed compared to 978 First Nations people. The mass killings combined with disease, sexual violence, exclusion, eradication of language, cultural erasure, environmental degradation, child removal, absorption and assimilation brought about the "near-complete physical destruction" of Aboriginal people in Victoria. The "decimation" of the population by 1901 was the result of "a coordinated plan of different actions aimed at the destruction of the essential foundations of the life of national groups". "This was genocide," one of the documents read. Ms Allan said the findings made for "tough reading" because they "tell the truth" about how the state was colonised. The recommendations will inform treaty talks between the state government and the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria, with enabling legislation expected to be introduced later in 2025. Ms Allan said reparations were not up for discussion as part of treaty talks amid backlash over Yoorrook's findings and recommendations. "I'm not focused on people who want to divide people," she said. First Peoples' Assembly member Nerita Waight warned Ms Allan not to let Yoorrook's work go ignored, as politicians have done with previous major Aboriginal-related inquiries. "The truth has been told and now the government has an obligation to act," the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service chief executive said. Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe called on the federal government to press on with national truth and treaty processes. "Genocide has not just occurred in Victoria, but has been perpetrated against all First Peoples of this continent," she said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised to set up a "Makarrata Commission to oversee a national process for treaty and truth-telling" in 2021. His government allocated $5.8 million to commence work on establishing the independent commission, but it has not materialised after the failed voice to parliament referendum in 2023. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14
The Advertiser
6 hours ago
- The Advertiser
US halts some missile shipments to Ukraine
The Pentagon has halted some shipments of air defence missiles and other precision munitions to Ukraine over concerns that US stockpiles are too low, two people familiar with the decision says. The slowing of some weapons shipments promised to Kyiv by former President Joe Biden's administration came in recent days, they said, adding that air defence interceptors to help knock down Russian drones and projectiles were among the items delayed. Russia has intensified air attacks on Ukraine's cities in recent weeks, on several nights launching hundreds of drones and missiles at a time, leading to widespread damage and an increase in civilian casualties. Since US President Donald Trump took office in January, he has softened Washington's position towards Russia, seeking a diplomatic solution to the war in Ukraine and raising doubts about future US military support for Kyiv's war effort. 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"At the same time, the department is rigorously examining and adapting its approach to achieving this objective while also preserving US forces' readiness for administration defence priorities," said Elbridge Colby, the undersecretary for policy. All weapons aid was briefly paused in February with a second, longer pause in March. The Trump administration resumed sending the last of the aid approved under Biden. No new policy has been announced. Politico reported the pause on Tuesday. The Pentagon has halted some shipments of air defence missiles and other precision munitions to Ukraine over concerns that US stockpiles are too low, two people familiar with the decision says. The slowing of some weapons shipments promised to Kyiv by former President Joe Biden's administration came in recent days, they said, adding that air defence interceptors to help knock down Russian drones and projectiles were among the items delayed. Russia has intensified air attacks on Ukraine's cities in recent weeks, on several nights launching hundreds of drones and missiles at a time, leading to widespread damage and an increase in civilian casualties. Since US President Donald Trump took office in January, he has softened Washington's position towards Russia, seeking a diplomatic solution to the war in Ukraine and raising doubts about future US military support for Kyiv's war effort. Fedir Venislavskyi, a member of the Ukrainian parliament's national security and defence committee, called the decision to halt the shipments "very unpleasant for us". "It's painful, and against the background of the terrorist attacks which Russia commits against Ukraine, it's a very unpleasant situation," Venislavskyi told reporters on Wednesday. However, last week Trump said he was considering selling more Patriot air defence missiles to Ukraine following a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Russia, which already controls about a fifth of Ukraine, has been preparing a summer ground offensive, advancing gradually in the eastern region of Donetsk and northeastern region of Sumy. Ukraine was already experiencing a shortage of 155mm ammunition used for artillery on the front lines, said one Ukrainian defence source, calling the shortages and news of delays in US supplies "all quite sad". "At the same time, the department is rigorously examining and adapting its approach to achieving this objective while also preserving US forces' readiness for administration defence priorities," said Elbridge Colby, the undersecretary for policy. All weapons aid was briefly paused in February with a second, longer pause in March. The Trump administration resumed sending the last of the aid approved under Biden. No new policy has been announced. Politico reported the pause on Tuesday. The Pentagon has halted some shipments of air defence missiles and other precision munitions to Ukraine over concerns that US stockpiles are too low, two people familiar with the decision says. The slowing of some weapons shipments promised to Kyiv by former President Joe Biden's administration came in recent days, they said, adding that air defence interceptors to help knock down Russian drones and projectiles were among the items delayed. Russia has intensified air attacks on Ukraine's cities in recent weeks, on several nights launching hundreds of drones and missiles at a time, leading to widespread damage and an increase in civilian casualties. Since US President Donald Trump took office in January, he has softened Washington's position towards Russia, seeking a diplomatic solution to the war in Ukraine and raising doubts about future US military support for Kyiv's war effort. Fedir Venislavskyi, a member of the Ukrainian parliament's national security and defence committee, called the decision to halt the shipments "very unpleasant for us". "It's painful, and against the background of the terrorist attacks which Russia commits against Ukraine, it's a very unpleasant situation," Venislavskyi told reporters on Wednesday. However, last week Trump said he was considering selling more Patriot air defence missiles to Ukraine following a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Russia, which already controls about a fifth of Ukraine, has been preparing a summer ground offensive, advancing gradually in the eastern region of Donetsk and northeastern region of Sumy. Ukraine was already experiencing a shortage of 155mm ammunition used for artillery on the front lines, said one Ukrainian defence source, calling the shortages and news of delays in US supplies "all quite sad". "At the same time, the department is rigorously examining and adapting its approach to achieving this objective while also preserving US forces' readiness for administration defence priorities," said Elbridge Colby, the undersecretary for policy. All weapons aid was briefly paused in February with a second, longer pause in March. The Trump administration resumed sending the last of the aid approved under Biden. No new policy has been announced. Politico reported the pause on Tuesday. The Pentagon has halted some shipments of air defence missiles and other precision munitions to Ukraine over concerns that US stockpiles are too low, two people familiar with the decision says. The slowing of some weapons shipments promised to Kyiv by former President Joe Biden's administration came in recent days, they said, adding that air defence interceptors to help knock down Russian drones and projectiles were among the items delayed. Russia has intensified air attacks on Ukraine's cities in recent weeks, on several nights launching hundreds of drones and missiles at a time, leading to widespread damage and an increase in civilian casualties. Since US President Donald Trump took office in January, he has softened Washington's position towards Russia, seeking a diplomatic solution to the war in Ukraine and raising doubts about future US military support for Kyiv's war effort. Fedir Venislavskyi, a member of the Ukrainian parliament's national security and defence committee, called the decision to halt the shipments "very unpleasant for us". "It's painful, and against the background of the terrorist attacks which Russia commits against Ukraine, it's a very unpleasant situation," Venislavskyi told reporters on Wednesday. However, last week Trump said he was considering selling more Patriot air defence missiles to Ukraine following a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Russia, which already controls about a fifth of Ukraine, has been preparing a summer ground offensive, advancing gradually in the eastern region of Donetsk and northeastern region of Sumy. Ukraine was already experiencing a shortage of 155mm ammunition used for artillery on the front lines, said one Ukrainian defence source, calling the shortages and news of delays in US supplies "all quite sad". "At the same time, the department is rigorously examining and adapting its approach to achieving this objective while also preserving US forces' readiness for administration defence priorities," said Elbridge Colby, the undersecretary for policy. All weapons aid was briefly paused in February with a second, longer pause in March. The Trump administration resumed sending the last of the aid approved under Biden. No new policy has been announced. Politico reported the pause on Tuesday.
