Seven killed in Ukraine, Putin to cut military spending

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Russian missile attacks have killed at least seven people and wounded more than 20 in southern Ukraine, officials say.
Five people were killed in the industrial city of Samar in Ukraine's southeast, regional governor Serhiy Lysak said on the Telegram app.
Officials gave no immediate details on damage in the city, where an attack on an unidentified infrastructure facility on Tuesday killed two people.
In the port city of Odessa, Russian combat drones killed at least two people and wounded six overnight, military administrator Oleh Kiper said.
One drone struck the upper floors of a 21-storey residential building, causing a fire. After extinguishing the blaze, rescuers discovered the bodies of a married couple in the rubble, Kiper reported.
There were several explosions in the city and fires broke out in several districts, Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov said.
Hundreds of kilometres to the south, in the Kherson region, authorities urged residents to prepare for extended periods without power after a Russian attack hit a key energy facility.
Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram that "Russians decided to plunge the region into darkness".
In recent weeks Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian cities, particularly its capital Kyiv, more than three years into the war that followed its full-scale invasion.
Separately, President Vladimir Putin announced Russia was looking to cut its military expenditure from next year, contrasting that with NATO's plan to ramp up defence spending over the next decade.
NATO allies on Wednesday agreed to raise their collective spending goal to five per cent of gross domestic product in the next 10 years, citing what they called the long-term threat posed by Russia and the need to strengthen civil and military resilience.
Putin told a press conference in Minsk the NATO spending would go on "purchases from the USA and on supporting their military-industrial complex", and this was NATO's business, not Russia's.
"But now here is the most important thing. We are planning to reduce defence spending. For us, next year and the year after, over the next three-year period, we are planning for this," he said.
Putin said there was no final agreement yet between the defence, finance and economy ministries, "but overall, everyone is thinking in this direction. And Europe is thinking about how to increase its spending, on the contrary. So who is preparing for some kind of aggressive actions? Us or them?"
Putin's comments are likely to be greeted with extreme scepticism in the West, given that Russia has massively increased defence spending since the start of the Ukraine war.
The conflict shows no sign of ending and has actually intensified in recent weeks, as negotiations have made no visible progress towards a ceasefire or a permanent settlement.
Putin said Russia appreciated efforts by US President Donald Trump to bring an end to the war.
"He recently stated that it turned out to be more difficult than it seemed from the outside. Well, that's true," Putin said.
Trump said this week that he believed Putin wanted to find a way to settle the conflict, but Ukraine and many of its European allies believe the Kremlin leader has no real interest in a peace deal and is intent on capturing more territory.
Putin said Russian and Ukrainian negotiators were in constant contact, and Moscow was ready to return the bodies of 3000 more Ukrainian soldiers.
Russia is seeing a sharp slowdown in economic growth as the budget comes under pressure from falling energy revenues and the central bank is trying to bring down inflation.
with AP and DPA
Russian missile attacks have killed at least seven people and wounded more than 20 in southern Ukraine, officials say.
Five people were killed in the industrial city of Samar in Ukraine's southeast, regional governor Serhiy Lysak said on the Telegram app.
Officials gave no immediate details on damage in the city, where an attack on an unidentified infrastructure facility on Tuesday killed two people.
In the port city of Odessa, Russian combat drones killed at least two people and wounded six overnight, military administrator Oleh Kiper said.
One drone struck the upper floors of a 21-storey residential building, causing a fire. After extinguishing the blaze, rescuers discovered the bodies of a married couple in the rubble, Kiper reported.
There were several explosions in the city and fires broke out in several districts, Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov said.
Hundreds of kilometres to the south, in the Kherson region, authorities urged residents to prepare for extended periods without power after a Russian attack hit a key energy facility.
Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram that "Russians decided to plunge the region into darkness".
In recent weeks Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian cities, particularly its capital Kyiv, more than three years into the war that followed its full-scale invasion.
Separately, President Vladimir Putin announced Russia was looking to cut its military expenditure from next year, contrasting that with NATO's plan to ramp up defence spending over the next decade.
NATO allies on Wednesday agreed to raise their collective spending goal to five per cent of gross domestic product in the next 10 years, citing what they called the long-term threat posed by Russia and the need to strengthen civil and military resilience.
Putin told a press conference in Minsk the NATO spending would go on "purchases from the USA and on supporting their military-industrial complex", and this was NATO's business, not Russia's.
"But now here is the most important thing. We are planning to reduce defence spending. For us, next year and the year after, over the next three-year period, we are planning for this," he said.
Putin said there was no final agreement yet between the defence, finance and economy ministries, "but overall, everyone is thinking in this direction. And Europe is thinking about how to increase its spending, on the contrary. So who is preparing for some kind of aggressive actions? Us or them?"
Putin's comments are likely to be greeted with extreme scepticism in the West, given that Russia has massively increased defence spending since the start of the Ukraine war.
The conflict shows no sign of ending and has actually intensified in recent weeks, as negotiations have made no visible progress towards a ceasefire or a permanent settlement.
Putin said Russia appreciated efforts by US President Donald Trump to bring an end to the war.
"He recently stated that it turned out to be more difficult than it seemed from the outside. Well, that's true," Putin said.
Trump said this week that he believed Putin wanted to find a way to settle the conflict, but Ukraine and many of its European allies believe the Kremlin leader has no real interest in a peace deal and is intent on capturing more territory.
Putin said Russian and Ukrainian negotiators were in constant contact, and Moscow was ready to return the bodies of 3000 more Ukrainian soldiers.
Russia is seeing a sharp slowdown in economic growth as the budget comes under pressure from falling energy revenues and the central bank is trying to bring down inflation.
with AP and DPA
Russian missile attacks have killed at least seven people and wounded more than 20 in southern Ukraine, officials say.
Five people were killed in the industrial city of Samar in Ukraine's southeast, regional governor Serhiy Lysak said on the Telegram app.
Officials gave no immediate details on damage in the city, where an attack on an unidentified infrastructure facility on Tuesday killed two people.
In the port city of Odessa, Russian combat drones killed at least two people and wounded six overnight, military administrator Oleh Kiper said.
One drone struck the upper floors of a 21-storey residential building, causing a fire. After extinguishing the blaze, rescuers discovered the bodies of a married couple in the rubble, Kiper reported.
There were several explosions in the city and fires broke out in several districts, Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov said.
Hundreds of kilometres to the south, in the Kherson region, authorities urged residents to prepare for extended periods without power after a Russian attack hit a key energy facility.
Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram that "Russians decided to plunge the region into darkness".
In recent weeks Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian cities, particularly its capital Kyiv, more than three years into the war that followed its full-scale invasion.
Separately, President Vladimir Putin announced Russia was looking to cut its military expenditure from next year, contrasting that with NATO's plan to ramp up defence spending over the next decade.
NATO allies on Wednesday agreed to raise their collective spending goal to five per cent of gross domestic product in the next 10 years, citing what they called the long-term threat posed by Russia and the need to strengthen civil and military resilience.
Putin told a press conference in Minsk the NATO spending would go on "purchases from the USA and on supporting their military-industrial complex", and this was NATO's business, not Russia's.
"But now here is the most important thing. We are planning to reduce defence spending. For us, next year and the year after, over the next three-year period, we are planning for this," he said.
Putin said there was no final agreement yet between the defence, finance and economy ministries, "but overall, everyone is thinking in this direction. And Europe is thinking about how to increase its spending, on the contrary. So who is preparing for some kind of aggressive actions? Us or them?"
Putin's comments are likely to be greeted with extreme scepticism in the West, given that Russia has massively increased defence spending since the start of the Ukraine war.
The conflict shows no sign of ending and has actually intensified in recent weeks, as negotiations have made no visible progress towards a ceasefire or a permanent settlement.
Putin said Russia appreciated efforts by US President Donald Trump to bring an end to the war.
"He recently stated that it turned out to be more difficult than it seemed from the outside. Well, that's true," Putin said.
Trump said this week that he believed Putin wanted to find a way to settle the conflict, but Ukraine and many of its European allies believe the Kremlin leader has no real interest in a peace deal and is intent on capturing more territory.
Putin said Russian and Ukrainian negotiators were in constant contact, and Moscow was ready to return the bodies of 3000 more Ukrainian soldiers.
Russia is seeing a sharp slowdown in economic growth as the budget comes under pressure from falling energy revenues and the central bank is trying to bring down inflation.
with AP and DPA
Russian missile attacks have killed at least seven people and wounded more than 20 in southern Ukraine, officials say.
Five people were killed in the industrial city of Samar in Ukraine's southeast, regional governor Serhiy Lysak said on the Telegram app.
Officials gave no immediate details on damage in the city, where an attack on an unidentified infrastructure facility on Tuesday killed two people.
In the port city of Odessa, Russian combat drones killed at least two people and wounded six overnight, military administrator Oleh Kiper said.
One drone struck the upper floors of a 21-storey residential building, causing a fire. After extinguishing the blaze, rescuers discovered the bodies of a married couple in the rubble, Kiper reported.
There were several explosions in the city and fires broke out in several districts, Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov said.
Hundreds of kilometres to the south, in the Kherson region, authorities urged residents to prepare for extended periods without power after a Russian attack hit a key energy facility.
Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram that "Russians decided to plunge the region into darkness".
In recent weeks Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian cities, particularly its capital Kyiv, more than three years into the war that followed its full-scale invasion.
Separately, President Vladimir Putin announced Russia was looking to cut its military expenditure from next year, contrasting that with NATO's plan to ramp up defence spending over the next decade.
NATO allies on Wednesday agreed to raise their collective spending goal to five per cent of gross domestic product in the next 10 years, citing what they called the long-term threat posed by Russia and the need to strengthen civil and military resilience.
Putin told a press conference in Minsk the NATO spending would go on "purchases from the USA and on supporting their military-industrial complex", and this was NATO's business, not Russia's.
"But now here is the most important thing. We are planning to reduce defence spending. For us, next year and the year after, over the next three-year period, we are planning for this," he said.
Putin said there was no final agreement yet between the defence, finance and economy ministries, "but overall, everyone is thinking in this direction. And Europe is thinking about how to increase its spending, on the contrary. So who is preparing for some kind of aggressive actions? Us or them?"
Putin's comments are likely to be greeted with extreme scepticism in the West, given that Russia has massively increased defence spending since the start of the Ukraine war.
The conflict shows no sign of ending and has actually intensified in recent weeks, as negotiations have made no visible progress towards a ceasefire or a permanent settlement.
Putin said Russia appreciated efforts by US President Donald Trump to bring an end to the war.
"He recently stated that it turned out to be more difficult than it seemed from the outside. Well, that's true," Putin said.
Trump said this week that he believed Putin wanted to find a way to settle the conflict, but Ukraine and many of its European allies believe the Kremlin leader has no real interest in a peace deal and is intent on capturing more territory.
Putin said Russian and Ukrainian negotiators were in constant contact, and Moscow was ready to return the bodies of 3000 more Ukrainian soldiers.
Russia is seeing a sharp slowdown in economic growth as the budget comes under pressure from falling energy revenues and the central bank is trying to bring down inflation.
with AP and DPA