
Russian missile attack kills nine in Ukraine
: A Russian missile attack on Ukraine's southeastern
Dnipropetrovsk
region on Tuesday killed at least nine people, damaged civilian infrastructure and wounded dozens of train passengers, officials said. The two-wave strike killed seven in the regional capital of Dnipro, said governor Serhiy Lysak, where the blast wave also shattered train carriage windows and showered passengers with broken glass.
Nearly 70 people including 10 children were injured, he said, adding the numbers could still rise. Two people were also killed in the town of Samar, around 10 km from Dnipro, the state emergencies service said.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister
Andrii Sybiha
called on Kyiv's Western partners to respond to the attack.
NATO
leaders are currently in The Hague for an alliance summit, where President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
hopes to secure more military support.

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First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
As Trump emboldens Putin again, Russia hits Ukraine with largest air attack
Days after US President Donald Trump emboldened Vladimir Putin by blocking weapons' supplies to Ukraine, Russia launched the largest aerial attack with 550 missiles and drones. Trump said that no progress was made about ending the war in a phone call with Putin yesterday. read more Flames and smoke billow from buildings during mass Russian drones and missile strikes on the Ukraine's capital Kyiv on July 4, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo: OLEKSII FILIPPOV/AFP) Days after US President Donald Trump emboldened Russia again by stopping the supply of weapons to Ukraine, Russia launched the largest aerial attack of the war so far with 550 missiles and drones. Kyiv's skyline erupted in fireballs and clouds of smoke as Russian projectiles hammered the city. The Russian barrage came hours after Trump spoke to Russian leader Vladimir Putin on phone. Trump said that they 'didn't make any progress' about ending the conflict over the call. However, Putin certainly got the message that he was free to attack Ukraine at will. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The overnight barrage followed a monthslong pattern: Trump first cuts supplies to Ukraine that have already been approved and trashes Ukraine. Then Putin launches massive attacks on Ukraine and gains leverage on the battlefield as a result of Trump depriving Ukraine of even defensive weapons. The Kremlin's readout demonstrated how emboldened Russia stood after getting a shot in the arm from Trump. It said that 'Russia will not back down' unless 'root causes' were eliminated. 'Root causes' is a euphemism for Putin's maximalist demands, such as the recognition of all Ukrainian provinces in their entirety that Russia has annexed and other territories that it controls; the ouster of Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the President of Ukraine and the ouster of his administration; amendment of the Ukrainian constitution to put limits on its military in a Versailles-like treaty, include Russian in the nation's cultural affairs, and rule out its membership of Nato; put limits on foreign military partnerships of Ukraine; etc. The implementation of such terms would mean the end of Ukraine as a sovereign nation. Russia makes most of Trump's decision — again For months, Russia has attacked Ukraine with hundreds of missiles and drones on a near-daily basis and Ukraine has sought to buy US-made air defence systems. Earlier this week, instead of clearing such sales, the Trump administration blocked the supply of air defence systems and other weapons that had already been cleared. Trump trashed Ukraine on Thursday and said 'We've given so many weapons' to Ukraine. Russia was quick to grasp the message and respond by ramping up the aerial campaign. Ukraine said Russia launched 539 drones and 11 ballistic missiles overnight in the largest aerial attack of the war. Earlier this year, when Trump suspended military and intelligence assistance to Ukraine after ambushing Zelenskyy at the White House, Russia had responded with a renewed counter-offensive in Kursk region and driving out Ukrainian forces from there. Ukraine's incursion of Kursk was a significant achievement and its occupation of the region was seen as a critical leverage in negotiations where Kursk could be exchanged in lieu of Russia-occupied Ukrainian territory. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Thanks to Trump, however, Ukraine lost that leverage as Russia retook nearly all of Kursk from Ukraine after making the most of the suspension of intelligence-sharing and military supplies. In the overnight attack, Zelenskyy said that at least 23 people were injured. Russia has largely targeted civilians and critical infrastructure in its escalating attacks. A United Nations (UN) report this month said that Ukrainian civilian casualties in Russian airstrikes rose by 50 per cent between January and June. Trump expected to speak to Zelenskyy today After a call with Russia, Trump is expected to speak to Zelenskyy on Friday. If his past behaviour is any guide, Trump would likely push Zelenskyy to accept Putin's terms and wrap the conflict irrespective of the consequences for his nation. On his part, Zelenskyy would likely call for the resumption of military supplies and reiterate the call for the purchase of Patriot air defence systems. He would also likely press Trump to toughen up on Putin. Even as Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with Putin, he has not done anything to put pressure on him. Instead, he has rewarded him at every step by accepting his terms and punishing Ukraine — the defender. He has neither imposed new sanctions on Russia nor ramp up military supplies to Ukraine as he had threatened in the past. Instead, he has slammed Zelenskyy as a warmonger over request to buy air defence systems. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
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First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
July 4: America at crossroads as it celebrates Independence Day amid Trump-induced global uncertainty
As the United States celebrates the 4th of July, commemorating the 249th year of independence, here's a look at how its hegemonic presence is fading away in a multipolar world. read more Advertisement U.S. President Donald Trump. Image- AFP On July 4, 2025, the United States of America will commemorate its 249th year of independence . In the span of over two centuries, the country's place in the world order has changed dramatically. From staying relatively isolated in the initial years of its independence, the US became a hegemonic power after the fall of the Soviet Union. However, this global dominance is currently on decline, with the rise of the multi-polar world order. The decline has become even more apparent with the comeback of US President Donald Trump in the White House. With Trump-induced global uncertainties, regional blocs and countries are looking for alternatives. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, Trump's policy has been more inward-looking over the years. This can be reflected by his brainchild, the ' Make America Great Again movement (MAGA). Right after he returned to the White House, he signed a plethora of executive orders, including cutting foreign aid and imposing high tariffs. He closed the American border and significantly reduced US military presence overseas, questioning alliances and exuding scepticism toward international institutions like the UN, WTO and NATO. This compelled the US's allies to look for alternatives, with multiple countries and regional blocs signing Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with each other. Here's why under Trump, the US no longer enjoy the hegemony it once used to have. Trump and wars While campaigning to return to the White House, Trump made a highly ambitious proclamation of ending the Russia-Ukraine war in 24 hours . However, it has been over 100 days since he returned to the White House, and the war between the two nations is still raging. Trump's struggle to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the negotiation table can be seen in the fact that he often jumped in and out of peace talks. During the 12-day confrontation between Israel and Iran , Trump once again attempted to bring peace in the region. He called for a ceasefire after bombing three of Iran's nuclear facilities. However, neither Iran nor Israel stopped fighting, reflecting the diminishing influence of the US. An angry Trump eventually told reporters that Israel and Iran have been 'fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the f**k they are doing '. In a similar brazen manner, Trump went on to claim that he stopped the India-Pakistan conflict. While Pakistan supported the President's narratives to gain brownie points, even to this day, India rejects Trump's claim, reflecting that the US no longer has the power to change the direction of the conflict. Apart from this, Trump often tends to diminish the importance of international groups like NATO , the European Union and the United Nations. In March, he casts doubt on the US's willingness to defend Nato allies. 'It's common sense, right?' Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. 'If they don't pay, I'm not going to defend them. No, I'm not going to defend them.' He often called out the UN for its inability to preserve international peace. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump tariffs are pushing countries away from the US In April this year, Trump commemorated ' Liberation Day ' by announcing reciprocal tariffs on goods the US imports from different countries. He announced a blanket tariff of 10 per cent on all nations and introduced additional tariffs on countries like Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, and India. China, however, faced the major brunt of it with tariffs ranging as high as 125 per cent. While these tariffs are yet to come into force, in the words of Trump, countries rushed to sign bilateral trade deals with the US, with the UK already having one in place and India finalising its trade deal. Amid the tariff saga, several countries and regional groups joined hands and signed FTAs with each other, providing a new alternative to the US hegemony. India has signed FTAs with the UK and Australia , with a deal with the EU on the cards by the end of this year. Similarly, South America's largest trading bloc, Mercosur, signed a trade deal with the four-nation European Free Trade Association (EFTA) on Wednesday. Over the years, China have also been enhancing its influence around the world with its Belt and Road Initiative. When asked if Trump tariffs would eventually push US allies towards China, renowned American economist Jeffrey D. Sachs emphasised that there is more to the story. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Trump is alienating the rest of the world over many issues, including tariffs, but also sanctions, threats to sovereignty (e.g. vis-à-vis Canada, Panama, and Greenland), and reckless disregard for climate change,' he told Firstpost in an interview on April 11 . Chaos at home Chaos ensued across the United States ever since Trump came back to power. Domestic political polarisation and economic challenges complicate US governance and its ability to project global leadership. For instance, when the US was intervening in the Iran-Israel war, the United States' Los Angeles was witnessing protests over the ICE raids on immigrants. The demonstrations were so severe that the Trump administration went on to threaten the arrest of LA Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom . Trump eventually compared the protests in LA with an 'invasion of third-world lawlessness'. In terms of the economy, Wall Street witnessed a decline the moment Trump announced sweeping reciprocal tariffs. This eventually prompted Trump to pause the tariffs to prevent a crash of the American markets. Hence, political and economic volatilities induced by Trump's policies are taking the US's attention away from what is happening in the world and giving space to other powers to fill the vacuum, transforming the world into a multipolar world order.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Why are Malaysia and Indonesia boosting ties with Russia?
AP Image Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto skipped a G7 summit last month to visit Russia, where he and his counterpart, Vladimir Putin , agreed that bilateral ties are "getting stronger again." "My meeting with President Putin today was intense, warm and productive. In all fields of economics, technical cooperation, trade, investment, and agriculture, they all have experienced significant improvements," Prabowo's office said in a statement after the visit. Officially part of the 75th anniversary of Indonesia–Russia diplomatic ties, Prabowo's three-day visit last month meant he missed a chance to meet US President Donald Trump for the first time at the G7 summit in Canada. Standing next to Putin, Prabowo said Indonesia would not follow the philosophies of "the biggest and most powerful power in the world" and described Russia and China as without "double standards" and as defenders of "the downtrodden and the oppressed." Prabowo's trip came a month after Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's latest visit to Russia, his third in two years. Although Indonesia and Malaysia did initially condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, they have typically taken a neutral position on the ongoing war. Beginning early 2024, their public statements have also become noticeably more pro-Moscow. During his trip to Vladivostok in September last year, Anwar praised Putin for his "vision and leadership" and for his "determination…to survive," presumably referring to Western sanctions. He also championed Moscow for its "remarkable soft power" that has earned it "global respect and admiration, influencing the hearts and minds of people around the world." Indonesia and Malaysia balance interests Prabowo and Anwar "are keen to strengthen their countries' non-alignment by pursuing a more balanced foreign policy, including closer ties with both Russia and China," Ian Storey, senior fellow at Singapore's ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute and author of the newly-released book, 'Putin's Russia and Southeast Asia,' told DW. "A more balanced foreign policy includes strengthening economic engagement with Moscow, even though the opportunities for growing trade and investment ties with Russia are quite limited," he added. Despite the limitations, Russia's bilateral trade with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries grew to a record high of $22 billion in 2023, according to Russian data cited by the Lowy Institute, an Australian think tank. That represents more than 14% year-on-year growth. This growth trend is expected to continue. Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta are exploring possible ways to expand trade, including in arms imports. Energy is another important area of cooperation, especially for Indonesia, which still heavily relies on coal as a source of power. Several Southeast Asian states have an interest in exporting electrical goods and machinery to Russia, which has faced crippling Western sanctions since 2022. They are keen on utilizing Russian expertise to develop their civilian nuclear energy sectors. Last month, Vietnam and Moscow agreed to fast-track agreements that could see Russian firms help build Vietnam's first nuclear power plants. In February, ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn opened an exhibition on ASEAN-Russia Cooperation in Civilian Nuclear Energy and Technologies at the regional bloc's headquarters in Jakarta. In St Petersburg last month, Indonesia's sovereign wealth fund, Danatara, and the Russian Direct Investment Fund signed an agreement to create an investment fund worth €2 billion. Alternative international forums While several Southeast Asian countries are looking to join multilateral organizations, such as Thailand's successful bid to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), many have looked to the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) grouping as an alternative arena for global politics. Indonesia is now a formal member of BRICS, while Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam are partner countries. Although Malaysia and Indonesia's governments began their overtures with Russia before Donald Trump's return to the White House in January, Washington turning away from international institutions since then has convinced many Asian leaders that they can no longer count on US support and that the future of the Western-backed international order might soon be over, analysts say. "The recent change in US administration and opportunities like BRICS membership have provided both governments with more space to engage Russia," Prashanth Parameswaran, founder of the weekly ASEAN Wonk newsletter, told DW. What do Malaysia and Indonesia want? However, it remains unclear to what extent Malaysia and Indonesia are merely engaging with Russia out of geopolitical necessity to diversify their bilateral relations and avoid entanglement in the US-China rivalry, or how much they have a deeper affinity with Moscow's vision for the world. When asked by reporters why he turned down a G7 invitation to instead visit Russia, Prabowo replied, "Don't read too much into it. We want to be friends with everybody." However, attending the G7 event in Canada would have given him his first opportunity to meet US President Donald Trump. However, the speech in St. Petersburg "did not come across as convincing that Indonesia would remain neutral in the ongoing big power rivalry, with veiled criticisms of the US on the one hand, and a lavishing of praise for China and Russia on the other," according to a Jakarta Post analysis piece published this week. Zachary Abuza, a professor at the National War College in Washington, said that Russia provides an "interesting model" for Indonesia and Malaysia. It is a country "that can act independently, poke America and the West in the eye, and try to establish a new international order," he told DW. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar's several visits to Russia over the past two years have motivated the party by a desire to gain a more prominent position on the world stage, Bridget Welsh, an honorary research associate at the University of Nottingham's Asia Research Institute Malaysia, told DW. But it is also because Russia is "popular at home due to anti-westernism, with many Malaysians believing that the US provoked the Ukraine War," she added. This year's State of Southeast Asia Survey, a poll of "elite" opinion in the region conducted by the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, found that anti-Western feeling is riding high in Muslim-majority Indonesia and Malaysia, in large measure due to the West's support for Israel in its Middle Eastern wars.