
Russia leaving Ukrainians stranded, says FM
"Since June, Russia has significantly increased the number of deported Ukrainian nationals, mostly former convicts, to the border with Georgia," Sybiha wrote. "As a result, dozens of people, many of whom lack proper documentation, have been stuck in the transit zone."
Sybiha said 43 citizens, including former political prisoner Andrii Kolomiyets, have been transported from Georgia to Ukraine via Moldova, but more people remain in "difficult conditions" at the border. Sybiha called on Russia to transport them to the Ukrainian border instead. Earlier on Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had discussed the matter with Sybiha. — Reuters

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Observer
35 minutes ago
- Observer
Thai-Cambodia border shelling continues despite Trump's ceasefire call
SISAKET, Thailand/PHNOM PENH : Cambodia and Thailand each said the other had launched artillery attacks across contested border areas early on Sunday, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said the leaders of both countries had agreed to work on a ceasefire. Cambodia said it fully endorsed Trump's call for an immediate ceasefire. Thailand said while it was grateful to the U.S. President, it could not begin talks while Cambodia was targeting its civilians, a claim that Phnom Penh has denied. "Our condition is that we do not want a third country but are thankful for his (Trump's) concern," Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai told reporters before heading off to visit border areas. "We've proposed a bilateral between our foreign ministers to conclude the conditions for a ceasefire and drawing back troops and long-range weapons." Cambodia said Thailand had started hostilities on Sunday morning and that Thai forces were mobilising along the border. Thailand said it had responded to attacks from Cambodia. "I made it clear to Honourable President Donald Trump that Cambodia agreed with the proposal for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire between the two armed forces," Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet posted on Facebook, noting he had also agreed to Malaysia's earlier ceasefire proposal. CITIZENS WANT PEACE Four days after the worst fighting in more than a decade broke out between the Southeast Asian neighbours, the death toll stood above 30, including 13 civilians in Thailand and eight in Cambodia. More than 200,000 people have been evacuated from border areas in the two countries, authorities said. Cambodia's Defence Ministry said Thailand had shelled and launched ground assaults on Sunday morning at a number of points along the border. The ministry's spokesperson said heavy artillery was fired at historic temple complexes. "For me, I think it is great if Thailand agreed to stop fighting so both countries can live with peace," a Phnom Penh university student Sreung Nita told Reuters. The Thai army said Cambodian forces had fired shots into several areas, including near civilian homes, early on Sunday, and were mobilising long-range rocket launchers. The governor of Surin told Reuters artillery shells had been fired into the province. "The soldiers will continue to do their job at full steam - so Thais do not worry - until the government has reached a clear agreement that there is no danger for the people and to ensure we maintain the country's interests in order to bring the peace we want to see," Phumtham said. In the Thai province of Sisaket, Reuters reporters heard shelling throughout Sunday and said it was unclear which side of the border it was on. "If there is a ceasefire, things will be better," Sisaket resident Thavorn Toosawan told Reuters. "It's great that America is insisting on the ceasefire because it would bring peace." TRUMP SPEAKS TO BOTH LEADERS Trump said on Saturday that he had spoken with the prime ministers of Thailand and Cambodia and they had agreed to meet immediately to quickly work out a ceasefire to end fighting that began on Thursday. Bangkok and Phnom Penh each say the other started the hostilities last week. "Both Parties are looking for an immediate Ceasefire and Peace," Trump wrote on social media, adding tariff negotiations with both countries were on hold until the fighting stopped. The countries have faced off since the killing of a Cambodian soldier late in May during a brief skirmish. Troops on both sides of the border were reinforced amid a full-blown diplomatic crisis that brought Thailand's fragile coalition government to the brink of collapse. Thailand and Cambodia have bickered for decades over undemarcated points along their 817-km (508-mile) land border, with ownership of the ancient Hindu temples Ta Moan Thom and the 11th century Preah Vihear central to the disputes. Preah Vihear was awarded to Cambodia by the International Court of Justice in 1962, but tension escalated in 2008 after Cambodia attempted to list it as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and skirmishes over several years brought at least a dozen deaths. Cambodia said in June it had asked the world court to resolve its disputes with Thailand, which says it has never recognised the court's jurisdiction and prefers a bilateral approach.


Observer
21 hours ago
- Observer
Russia seizes two villages in central Ukraine
MOSCOW: Russia on Saturday said it had wrested two villages in Ukraine, including one in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, marking a fresh advance into an area largely spared seizures of land since Moscow launched its offensive in 2022. Overnight strikes by both sides meanwhile claimed six lives — four in central Ukraine and two in western Russia, according to officials in both countries. The Russian army said its forces had 'liberated the settlement of Maliyevka' in Dnipropetrovsk weeks after it seized the first village in the region — not one of the Ukrainian territories annexed by Russia. In a separate message on Saturday, Moscow said it had 'liberated the settlement of Zeleny Gai' in Donetsk region on the border with Dnipropetrovsk, adding that it was an important stronghold used by Ukraine to protect the area. Further north in Kharkiv, a Russian strike destroyed a large boiler room that will be impossible to repair before winter, while in Sumy, another strike hit a regional administration building, local authorities said. Further Russian advances could harm Ukraine's economy and energy supplies as Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk, which has been occupied since 2014, are part of Ukraine's mining heartland, particularly for coal that powers the electricity grid. Ukrainian authorities have already been ordering civilians with children to flee a front line that is creeping closer. — AFP


Times of Oman
2 days ago
- Times of Oman
Zelensky backtracks after protests, moves to restore anti-graft agency independence
Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday announced a new bill aimed at restoring the independence of the country's anti-corruption agencies, following widespread protests at home and mounting criticism from Western allies, RT reported. The announcement came just two days after Zelensky signed a controversial law allowing the Prosecutor General's Office to intervene in the operations of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), RT stated. That move followed a law enforcement raid on NABU's offices and the arrest of a senior employee accused of spying for Russia. Zelensky claimed the new legislation provides "full-fledged guarantees of the independence of anti-corruption agencies," and said it aims to "keep out" alleged Russian interference. According to RT, the draft law also mandates lie detector tests for employees of NABU, SAPO, and other related bodies. "The text of the bill was discussed with partners, law enforcement agencies, and representatives of the NABU and SAPO. There were many proposals from our partners to involve European experts - from the UK, Germany, and the EU," Zelensky said, as quoted by RT. The policy reversal follows a surge of public protests across Ukraine against what many saw as a clampdown on anti-graft bodies. Demonstrations erupted in cities including Kyiv, Odessa, Dnipro, and Lviv, according to RT. Critics have accused Zelensky of exhibiting authoritarian tendencies and attempting to tighten his grip on power. They argued the earlier law rendered the anti-graft bodies "purely decorative." RT reported that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the move and urged Zelensky to "respect the rule of law," warning that the measure could derail Ukraine's European Union membership aspirations. NABU and SAPO were created following the 2014 US-backed coup in Kyiv and were intended to align Ukraine with Western governance norms and international financial standards. However, RT noted that critics have described the agencies as instruments of external influence over Ukraine's internal affairs. Meanwhile, some Western officials, including US Vice President J.D. Vance, have expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of Ukraine's anti-corruption efforts. They argue that despite a decade of reforms, entrenched corruption remains unaddressed.