Ukraine updates: Russia hits Odesa, Sumy in overnight attack – DW – 07/19/2025
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia launched some 300 drones and 30 missiles in overnight attacks on Ukraine.
One person was killed in the port city of Odesa and critical infrastructure was damaged in northeastern Sumy.
Russia said its air defenses were able to down more than a dozen drones headed for Moscow overnight as well as more than 80 others in different parts of the country.
Australia said it is delivering 49 US-made Abrams M1A1 tanks to Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia's "illegal and immoral invasion."Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday said that Russian forces had fired some 300 drones and 30 missiles overnight.
The tirade killed one person in the port city of Odesa and damaged critical infrastructure in the northeastern city of Sumy.
Zelenskyy posted a video and pictures of flaming buildings and firefighters to his Telegram account , writing that the attacks in Sumy had knocked out power to thousands of homes in the region.
The mayor of Odesa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, said a high-rise in the city had been engulfed in flames and that emergency services and firefighters were battling fires and searching for injured citizens.
"Odesa was attacked by enemy strike drones — more than 20 UAVs approached the city from different directions," wrote Odesa Mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov on Telegram.
"Civilian infrastructure was damaged as a result of the attack. A residential high-rise building is on fire," added the mayor.
Russia's Defense Ministry on Saturday said it had successfully downed 87 Ukrainian drones over central, western and southern parts of the country, with 48 downed near the Ukrainian border in Bryansk.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin also said that air defenses had down 13 drones headed for the capital had been downed after midnight.
Sobyanin said that specialists were examining fragments where they hit the ground.
Welcome to DW's coverage of the latest developments in Russia's war in Ukraine.
This Saturday, we start with another massive Russian air assault
In Russia, authorities say they downed more than 80 Ukrainian drones, a dozen of which were headed for the capital Moscow.
Russia has seemingly increased its barrage against Ukraine amid faltering attempts by US President Donald Trump to secure a ceasefire deal.
Stay tuned for more news and analysis
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DW
42 minutes ago
- DW
South African lawyers call for rules for AI use in court – DW – 07/23/2025
The use of artificial intelligence proved disadvantageous for a legal team in South Africa when an AI tool fabricated case studies. Lawyers are now demanding clear guidelines and adherence to ethical standards. A search with ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI)chatbot, was intended to facilitate the work of a team of lawyers and find supplementary case examples for their arguments in a dispute before the High Court in Pietermaritzburg, in the coastal province of KwaZulu-Natal. The AI tool did just that, and the legal representatives submitted a notice of appeal in which they cited several authorities and case studies highlighted by the tool. But when the judge conducted an independent search using ChatGPT to verify one of the citations, he found to his utter amazement that many of the cited cases were not included in any recognized legal database. The court ultimately ruled against the plaintiff, stating in the written judgment: "The court has gained the impression that the lawyers placed false trust in the veracity of AI-generated legal research and, out of laziness, failed to check this research." Tayla Pinto, a lawyer specializing in AI, data protection and IT law in Cape Town, sees a growing threat to the profession. "When asked how this happened and where the citations came from, the legal counsel admitted to using generative AI," Pinto told DW. "This shows that the problem of lawyers not knowing how to use generative AI responsibly and ethically is growing." According to Pinto, there are three cases in South Africa in which the legal advisers involved used AI to create their court documents. In June, there was a similar misapplication of AI in the case brought by mining company Northbound Processing against the South African Diamond and Precious Metals Regulatory Authority. This was also the case in 2023 in a defamation trial and the Pietermaritzburg High Court case, which caused a stir in court in 2024 and is now being reviewed by the Legal Practice Council and the provincial bar association. The Pietermaritzburg case was brought by Philani Godfrey Mavundla, who was suspended as mayor of the Umvoti municipality in KwaZulu-Natal. At first instance, he even prevailed against the responsible regional authority. However, the latter lodged an appeal — and his lawyers apparently blindly relied on the truthfulness of the case studies provided by the AI before the High Court. This is not a technological problem, said lawyer Pinto. "We've always used technology in the form of calculators, spell and grammar checkers and so on. Now it's becoming a man-made problem," she said. "Given the way and pace at which AI is developing, if we are to use AI, we must ensure that we do so in a way that is ethical, responsible and consistent with the duties we have undertaken as a legal profession." The court dismissed Mavundla's application to appeal the community leadership case on the grounds of a low prospect of success, and criticized the pleading of the case as flawed and unprofessional. The judge ordered Mavundla's law firm to pay the costs of additional court appearances. With this order, the court expressed its disapproval of the law firm's conduct in submitting unverified and fictitious legal evidence. A copy of the judgment was sent to the Legal Practice Council in KwaZulu-Natal for investigation and possible disciplinary action against the lawyers involved. Very few formal complaints have been lodged, although a number of matters are now starting to be referred to the Legal Practice Council (LPC) to look into, confirmed Kabelo Letebele, spokesperson for the Legal Practice Court in Johannesburg. The LPC continues to monitor developments and trends around artificial intelligence, he said. "At this stage the LPC holds the view that there is not yet a need for a new ethical rule and that our existing rules, regulation and code of conduct are adequately to deal with complaints that regulate the usage of AI — even though the debate on this continues within the LPC," he told DW. According to Letebele, legal practitioners are cautioned against blindly citing case law picked up using AI tools, as instances where there are inaccuracies will be deemed as negligence and as potentially misleading to the court. He stressed that the LPC Law Library is available to the legal practitioners at no cost, and practitioners are able to verify and find latest information regarding case laws and legal research required when preparing legal matters. In addition, awareness webinars are conducted for legal practitioners to highlight specific issues and tell them how they can avoid being in contravention of rules, regulations and code of conduct of the LPC. Judges, prosecutors and court officials need to be aware that briefs and arguments can now contain not only human errors, but also AI errors. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "Judges rely heavily on the submissions of lawyers during court hearings, especially on legal aspects," said Mbekezeli Benjamin, a human rights lawyer and speaker at Judges Matter, which advocates for more transparency and accountability. Benjamin said he was concerned lawyers were relying too heavily on the use of AI, whose susceptibility to error could mislead the court. "This significantly weakens the judicial process because, unfortunately, it creates mistrust among judges regarding the accuracy of the statements made by lawyers in their arguments," he said. Lawyer Tayla Pinto sees no need for specific regulation of the use of AI for judicial research, but does see a need for special attention to the review of references submitted using AI and compliance with ethical standards. However, Benjamin said warnings within the legal profession to review the use of AI tools in production were not sufficient. "The Chamber should issue clear guidelines, including an amendment to the Code of Conduct, to regulate how AI should be used in judicial proceedings. But also make it clear that excessive reliance without reviewing AI content constitutes professional misconduct," he said. Benjamin also called for a revision of the profession's code of conduct so that the inappropriate use of artificial intelligence can be punished as a breach of duty with a hefty fine, or even exclusion or removal from the register of legal professionals. The South African Law Society has warned that even the inadvertent submission of false information can ruin a career. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Int'l Business Times
an hour ago
- Int'l Business Times
Zelensky Defends Law Curbing Anti-graft Agencies' Independence
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday defended legislative changes removing the independence of two key anti-corruption bodies, sparking the first major protests in Ukraine since the start of Russia's invasion. The bill passed on Tuesday is the latest in a series of moves criticised by Ukrainian anti-corruption activists. They warn that growing government pressure threatens Ukraine's reforms and ambition to join the European Union. Zelensky has rejected the criticism, saying the law was needed to root out alleged Russian influence in anti-corruption institutions -- a charge denied by activists. "We all share a common enemy: the Russian occupiers," Zelensky said after meeting with top law enforcement and anti-corruption officials. "And defending the Ukrainian state requires a strong enough law enforcement system -- one that ensures a real sense of justice," he added. The law places the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) under the direct authority of the prosecutor general, who is appointed by the president. After meeting with Zelensky, NABU and SAPO repeated their criticism of the changes and said "unambiguous legislative steps are required to reinstate the guarantees revoked by parliament". Prosecutor general Ruslan Kravchenko told journalists he maintained his independence. "Society, law enforcement agencies and parliament can only judge me by my actions in the future," he told journalists. "I can sign my name in blood if it helps." The adoption of the law by Parliament on Tuesday sparked demonstrations in Kyiv, the first major protest in the Ukrainian capital since Russian troops invaded in 2022. More than 1,000 took part despite martial law banning large gatherings. Some fear that a political crisis over the legislation could work in Russia's favour by undermining unity in the country. "This is a gift to Putin," Oleksandra Matviichuk, head of the Centre for Civil Liberties that was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, said of the law. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said there was "a lot of corruption", answering a question about the protests in Kyiv. Zelensky signed the law on Tuesday as protesters were massed in front of the Ivan Franko theatre, where they projected a message reading "Veto the Law". The news was met with anger from protesters, who vowed to gather again on Wednesday at 8:00 pm local time (1700 GMT). "We all hear what society is saying," Zelensky said on Wednesday, promising to "resolve existing issues". While the government says the law will make the anti-corruption agencies function better, its critics say it consolidates power in Zelensky's hands and allow government meddling in high-profile graft cases. Kyiv's partners reacted with alarm, worrying the move would undermine anti-corruption reforms key to Ukraine's bid to join the European Union. European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen has demanded "explanations" from Zelensky over the change, the EU said Wednesday. "President von der Leyen conveyed her strong concerns about the consequences of the amendments," said a spokesman. "The dismantling of key safeguards protecting NABU's independence is a serious step back," EU Enlargment Commissioner Marta Kos said. NABU began work in 2015, as Kyiv sought to bring the country closer to Europe after a 2014 pro-European revolution. Since its inception, the agency has uncovered widespread graft, including among figures in Zelensky's administration. On Monday, law enforcement conducted large-scale raids at NABU, detaining one employee on suspicion of spying for Russia. Transparency International's Ukraine office called the raids an "attempt by the authorities to undermine the independence of Ukraine's post-Revolution of Dignity anti-corruption institutions." Transparency International ranked Ukraine 105th out of 180 countries in its "corruption perceptions index" in 2024, up from 144 in 2013. Higher numbers indicate higher levels of corruption on its index. The raids followed proceedings against one the country's top activists, Vitaliy Shabunin, who was brought to court for alleged fraud and draft-dodging. Some of Shabunin's allies have denounced the case as politically motivated retribution for an investigation into the President's inner circle, including former minister Oleksiy Chernyshov. It also comes as the government rejected the appointment of the head of the Bureau of Economic Security, citing alleged connections with Russia, a decision heavily criticised by Ukrainian civil society.
DW
3 hours ago
- DW
India's Maoist crackdown leaves villagers grieving – DW – 07/23/2025
India has vowed to crush the long-running Maoist-inspired Naxal insurgency by March 2026. In the jungles of Chhattisgarh, villagers are mourning those killed in the crossfire. On a rainy afternoon in Bodga, a remote village deep in the forests of Chhattisgarh, a state in central India, Sukli Oyam sits quietly on the mud porch of her thatched home. She holds a photograph of her 22-year-old son, Ramesh, who was killed last year in a crossfire between government forces and left-wing Maoist rebels, known as Naxals or Naxalites. The Naxals — named after the village in the foothills of the Himalayas where their armed campaign began nearly six decades ago — were inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong. They follow a form of communism propagated by Mao, and have waged a guerrilla-style insurgency against the government, particularly in central and eastern India. Every time Oyam looks at her son's picture, her eyes fill with tears. The day he was killed is seared into her memory. Oyam recalled how her family had gathered to celebrate the christening of Ramesh's younger daughter. Ramesh, a millet farmer and the family's sole breadwinner, set out to his relatives' home to fetch a chicken for the evening feast. On the way, he stopped by the river to bathe. He never returned. On the riverbank, a bullet hit him, turning a day of joy into one of mourning, she said. "After my son's killing, we fear leaving our homes and my life has changed," 60-year-old Oyam told DW. "Now whenever the police enter our area, villagers like me hide inside their houses. During encounters, our life comes to a halt." "I demanded compensation from the government for my son's death, but there has been no response," Oyam lamented. Oyam's neighbour, Raje Ayam, recalled a similar encounter. She told DW that security forces stormed into her house last March after mistaking it for a Maoist hideout. She said she was shot in the back while feeding her child, the bullet narrowly missing her spinal cord. Raje described how other villagers rushed her to the hospital after they found her lying in a pool of blood. She survived her injuries — but a year later, she said that she still struggles. "After the injuries, my body isn't working. I'm not able to farm or go to the jungle for work," she told DW. "My body has been almost paralyzed by the injury and I'm barely able to walk. Whenever I go to the forest and see soldiers, I fear they might kill me." The Maoist insurgency has simmered deep inside India's forests for decades. It began in 1967 in Naxalbari, a small village in the Indian state of West Bengal on the east coast, as a Maoist-inspired rebellion advocating for land rights and social justice for marginalized tribal communities. Today, the Naxals claim to fight for the rights of India's indigenous communities, collectively known as Adivasis. Their goal is to overthrow the Indian state through armed struggle. Bastar, the region in Chhattisgarh where Bodga is located, has become heavily militarized. Since 2019, around 250 security camps have been set up in the area — part of a surge that has placed one armed personnel for every nine civilians, according to a 2024 report by Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact Foundation, a civil society organization. Security forces have intensified their operations in the forests of Bastar since last year. In early 2024, the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Operation Black Forest (also called Operation Kagar) to wipe out the Maoist movement. Given the tough terrain of these vast jungles, large numbers of security personnel were deployed, along with advanced surveillance technologies and drones. The past two years have been the bloodiest period for Maoist insurgents in over a decade, with more than 400 Naxals killed in the Bastar region alone, according to the state's Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. Earlier this month, DW reporters followed the Special Task Force, known as the District Reserve Guards (DRG), on a patrol in the Bastar region. The operation was led by DRG sub-inspector Sanjay Paul. Their mission: to track down Maoists operating in the area. For Sanjay, carrying out operations in these jungles is complex and risky. He tells us the dense forests are the perfect hiding place for Naxal fighters to carry out ambushes. "The Naxal ideology poses a huge threat to us and to our country, we will not sleep till we finish it," Sanjay told DW. His words echo the stance of New Delhi. In February 2025, Indian Interior Minister Amit Shah lauded the security forces for successful operations and set a deadline for eliminating the Naxal movement. "I reassure the nation that by March 31, 2026, India will surely be Naxal-free," he said. As the heavy-handed approach tightens its grip on Bastar's forest villages, locals are left mourning their dead. Many told DW that the line between Naxal fighters and villagers has blurred. They accuse security forces of carrying out indiscriminate killings. Iytu Oyam, a bereaved father, from Komhu village in Narayanpur district, travelled to Bodga to meet us. He claimed that his son, Moto Oyam, was killed in a "fake encounter" by security forces last May while he was working on his farm. "I want to tell the world that my son was innocent. He was not a Naxal. What was his crime that he was killed?" he told DW. Activists and human rights lawyers have alleged that counter-insurgency operations have turned Bastar into a war zone where Adivasi communities, which make up most of the local population, live in constant fear from both sides. They claim there is a pattern of extrajudicial killings, often called "encounter killings," where police allegedly stage civilian deaths to look like combat fatalities. Reports by groups such as Human Rights Watch have also documented arbitrary detentions, forced displacement, and sexual violence by security forces. "They have turned Bastar region into a graveyard, where almost every family has a story of human loss," according to lawyer Bela Bhatia, who is supporting Adivasi people in their claims against the state. When we confronted DRG officer Sanjay Paul with these allegations, the police officer denied any deliberate targeting of civilians. "Sometimes it happens by mistake. During crossfires, civilians can die. But we do not kill civilians intentionally," he told DW. Decades of Maoist insurgency, Naxal violence, and state crackdowns have left nearly 12,000 people dead — including civilians, militants and security personnel, according to the latest figures from watchdog South Asia Terrorism Portal. For Sukli Oyam, sitting with her son's photograph, justice feels like a distant dream. "My son is gone," she said quietly. "The police didn't protect us. The Naxals who claim to fight for our rights didn't help us. We are just stuck in between."
