Latest news with #Grad
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
NATO jets scramble after Putin launches huge overnight drone attack on Ukraine
Fighter jets have been scrambled by Poland after Russia's latest blitz on Ukraine where Vladimir Putin sent a wave of kamikaze drones and rockets at Kyiv. Eight people, including a two-year-old girl, have been injured in the attacks with shrapnel wounds after a bomb hit an apartment building. Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that all of the people were residents of a multi-storey apartment building in the city's Darnytskyi district on the left bank of the Dnipro River. Poland said in a statement the aircraft were deployed overnight and air defence and radar reconnaissance systems were placed on high alert. It comes a week after both Poland and Sweden scrambled fighter jets after a similar attack from Russia on Ukraine. Russia has been hitting Ukraine with attacks over the past few nights with the United States accusing Moscow of dragging out the war. Putin's forces struck Ukrainian military positions in Kharkiv and Donetsk regions with giant aerial bombs on Saturday night. And the Russians were shown using Grad multiple launch rocket systems in the Krasnoarmeysk section of the frontline in Donetsk region. Separately, Moscow has issued a nuclear war warning to the West, as Putin showcased in the Baltic Sea how his new sea drones could explode NATO ships. With Trump due to discuss the Ukrainian war with UK premier Sir Keir Starmer, US secretary of state Marco Rubio told Fox News that the US president is growing 'impatient' about Putin's delaying tactics and failure to end the war. 'I think he is growing increasingly frustrated that despite having very good interaction with Vladimir Putin in phone calls, it never leads to anything so the time has come for some action here, and I think the president has made that abundantly clear,' said Rubio. 'He's losing his patience, he is losing his willingness to continue to wait for the Russian side to do something here to bring an end to this war. That wasn't his war, but he wants to see it come to an end.'
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Putin warns of nuclear war after unleashing another night of hell on Ukraine
Vladimir Putin has showcased new sea drones in the Baltic Sea which could explode NATO ships as Moscow again issued a nuclear warning to the West following another night of deadly strikes Vladimir Putin launched new deadly strikes against Ukraine as the US signalled Donald Trump is losing patience with the Kremlin dictator. The United States accused Moscow of dragging out the war even though Russia has seen 100,000 of its own troops killed so far this year. Footage showed the latest death and destruction as Putin's aerospace forces struck Ukrainian military positions in Kharkiv and Donetsk regions with giant aerial bombs. And the Russians were shown using Grad multiple launch rocket systems in the Krasnoarmeysk section of the frontline in Donetsk region. Separately, Moscow issued a nuclear war warning to the West, as Putin showcased in the Baltic Sea how his new sea drones could explode NATO ships. With Trump due to discuss the Ukrainian war with UK premier Sir Keir Starmer, US secretary of state Marco Rubio told Fox News that the US president is growing 'impatient' about Putin's delaying tactics and failure to end the war. 'I think he is growing increasingly frustrated that despite having very good interaction with Vladimir Putin in phone calls, it never leads to anything so the time has come for some action here, and I think the president has made that abundantly clear,' said Rubio. 'He's losing his patience, he is losing his willingness to continue to wait for the Russian side to do something here to bring an end to this war. That wasn't his war, but he wants to see it come to an end.' Rubio highlighted the chilling Russian toll Putin is accepting as he persists with the war in search of small territorial gains. 'You know since January this year over 100,000 Russian soldiers have been killed - just on the Russian side,' he said. 'It's a bloody conflict with a lot of death and destruction. A lot of this engagement has been just about playing for time and sort of delay tactics to make it look like they are interested in peace but not really serious about it. He's not going to fall into that trap of being pulled into endless talks about talks.' Overnight, Russia continued to strike Ukraine, notably in Kharkiv and Sumy regions, with civilian casualties. Ukraine hit back, closing Pulkovo airport in St Petersburg with drone incursions and destroying an electricity station at Zhutovo station supplying a key rail link in Volgograd. This caused disruption and chaos on a rail line supplying Putin's war machine. Early today Ukrainian drones were buzzing Kronstadt naval port on the Gulf of Finland, as Russia marked its annual Navy Day. Putin had cancelled a major navy show of force today here amid fears he could be targeted by Ukrainian strikes. But footage shows his major war games in the Baltic Sea highlighting a new unmanned boat with a high-powered warhead destroying a mock NATO ship. Putin closed a swathe of the Baltic in his latest show of strength to the West, part of July Storm war games involving 150-plus warships, 120 aircraft and 15,000-plus military personnel. At the same time, his hawkish aide and former spymaster Nikolai Patrushev was sent out to slap down American General Christopher Donahue, who had indicated NATO possessed the military might to destroy the Russian Baltic region of Kaliningrad, wedged between Western states Poland and Lithuania, faster than Putin could blink in the event of Moscow's aggression against the Alliance. 'We have long been aware of the West's plans for Kaliningrad,' retorted Patrushev. He accused the West of 'aspirations' to 'violate Russia's sovereignty and territorial integrity by military means'. 'I can only comment on them in one way,' he said. 'The Kaliningrad region is an integral part of Russia, and any military encroachment on it will be met with an immediate and crushing response using all the forces and means at our disposal.' He specified he was threatening a nuclear response 'as provided for in the Military Doctrine and the Fundamentals of State Policy in the Field of Nuclear Deterrence'. Patrushev - a former head of the FSB counterintelligence service - warned: 'Russia has all the necessary military instruments to guarantee the security of the Kaliningrad region.' Meanwhile, Polish premier Donald Tusk - a former president of the European Council - said he had received an assessment of Russia's readiness for military conflict with the NATO states in Europe in 18 months. The analysis was from General Alexus Grynkewich, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander in Europe. 'NATO's Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, General Alexus Grynkewich, confirmed to me the American assessments that Russia will be ready for confrontation in just a year and a half,' said Tusk. 'Russia will be ready for confrontation with Europe — and therefore with us — as early as 2027.' Marine drones have been pioneered by Ukraine, which has been fighting for almost three and a half years for its sovereignty against Putin's invasion. Russia's Black Sea Fleet has been rendered substantially ineffective by the threat from these unmanned boats to its ships. But the new footage shows Moscow catching up with Ukraine and deploying its own sea drones - for example in the Baltic - where there is potential for confrontation with the West. Meanwhile, Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff forecast the US president would broker a peace deal. 'We will resolve the issue between Russia and Ukraine, and we will conclude a peace agreement - because it must be,' he told Fox News. 'The President is right: this war should never have started. I think we will come to a solution, and hopefully, this will be a turning point.'
Mint
5 days ago
- Mint
Thailand accuses Cambodia of using BM-21 rocket systems: What are these?
Thailand's military accused rival Cambodia of using Russian-made BM-21 rocket systems as tensions between the neighbouring countries escalated on Thursday. The Thai army said Cambodian forces had used heavy artillery and Russian-made BM-21 rocket launchers, prompting what Thai officials described as 'appropriate supporting fire' in return. Several images also show Cambodian soldiers standing on a truck carrying a Russian-made BM-21 rocket launcher and travelling along a street in Oddar Meanchey province on July 25, 2025. Thailand and Cambodia fought their bloodiest military clashes in more than a decade on July 24, with at least 12 people killed as the two sides battled with tanks, artillery and ground forces over a disputed border zone. The Russian BM-21 Grad (БМ-21) is said to be a self-propelled 122mm Multiple-Launch-Rocket-System (MLRS). Simply put, it is a Soviet truck-mounted 122 mm multiple rocket launcher. The BM-21 Grad is an early Cold War era multiple rocket launcher of Soviet origin, claimed. It was developed in the early 1960s and saw its first combat in March 1969, a report claimed. BM stands for Boyevaya Mashina, meaning Combat-Vehicle. The nickname Grad means Hail. In NATO countries, the system (either the complete system or the launch vehicle only) was initially known as M1964. According to Army Recognition website, the BM-21 122 mm multiple rocket launcher (MRL) system entered into service with the Soviet Army in 1963 to replace the ageing 140 mm BM-14 system. "The main role of the BM-21 Grad system is to support the division with suppressive fire to counter anti-tank missile, artillery and mortar positions, destroy strong points and eliminate enemy nodes of resistance on the immediate battlefield," the report added. Several other countries have copied the Grad or have developed similar systems. The BM-21 GRAD is equipped with a pod of 40 launch tubes of 122 mm caliber arranged in a rectangular shape that can be turned away from the unprotected cab. The rocket launcher weapon system is mounted at the rear of the truck chassis. The launching mechanism is powered by a small generator system inside the truck. It can fire rockets directly from the cab or from a trigger at the end of a 64-meter cable. The BM-21 rockets can be either fired singly or in a salvo lasting six seconds, Army Recognition V8 petrol engine provides a maximum road speed of 75 km/h. After firing, the vehicle needs to be reloaded, which can take around 10 minutes with an experienced crew and the appropriate reloading equipment. The BM-21 Grad is the most widely used multiple rocket launcher ever developed. It was used in very large quantities by Soviet and some Warsaw Pact forces. Many systems were exported to Soviet allies in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South America. Besides, many nations have developed their own improved variants. Most of these remain compatible with original Grad rockets, but also use newer and longer-range variants.
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
On Cam: Russian Marines Launch All-Out Assault On Ukrainian Forces In Kherson
Russia's Northern Fleet marines from the "Dnepr" group have launched a brutal assault on Ukrainian positions in Kherson, wiping out strongholds, personnel, and depots on the Dnieper's right bank. The Russian Defence Ministry says the strikes, guided by UAVs and executed with Grad rocket salvos, eliminated over 60 troops, artillery systems, and electronic warfare hubs. The assault marks a sharp escalation in counter-landing operations and artillery warfare across the region. Watch Read More
The Irish Sun
18-07-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
US general threatens ‘faster than ever' attack on crucial Russian enclave – as Putin's henchmen warn of ‘unleashing WW3'
A SENIOR US Army general has threatened to launch a "faster than ever" attack on a Russian WW3 flashpoint. General Christopher Donahue, commander of the United States Army Europe and Africa, said Nato could capture Kaliningrad - Moscow's strategic military in the heart of Europe. 7 Russia has been bombing Ukraine in nightime attacks Credit: Reuters 7 General Christopher Donahue, commander of the United States Army Europe and Africa Credit: AFP 7 Fires broke out in at least 13 locations across five districts in Kyiv after a Russian attack 7 Soldiers of Ukraine's 30th Separate Mechanized Brigade fire a Grad multiple rocket launcher towards Russian positions at the frontline in Donetsk region Credit: AP Wedged between Poland and Lithuania, the region of Kaliningrad is heavily militarised. It is cut off from the rest of Putin's empire, but could be used by the tyrant to launch an attack on Europe. Using the strategic enclave, the Russians could also take over the Suwalki Gap - a hard-to-defend strip of land less than 60 miles wide that links the rest of the Nato countries to the Baltic nations. Speaking to read more on Russia He said: "You can now take [Kaliningrad] down from the ground in a timeframe that is unheard of and faster than we've ever been able to do. "We've already planned that and we've already developed it. "The mass and momentum problem that Russia poses to us… we've developed the capability to make sure that we can stop that mass and momentum problem." The Kremlin has ramped up its nuclear rhetoric after the threats - with Putin's henchmen accusing the US of "unleashing World War Three". Most read in The US Sun The tirade from Moscow comes as the Kremlin pushes on with its war against Ukraine - launching nightly bombing raids to wreak havoc. Meanwhile, Trump agreed to sell defence systems to Ukraine and if Moscow does not reach a peace agreement with Ukraine within 50 days. Putin defies Trump's ultimatum and BOMBARDS Ukraine – as Kremlin mouthpiece warns Russia will 'turn Kyiv into Hiroshima' Leonid Slutsky, the hardline chairman of the Russian Parliamentary Committee on International Affairs, warned: 'An attack on the Kaliningrad region will mean an attack on Russia, with all due retaliatory measures - stipulated, among other things, by its nuclear doctrine.' He accused the US general of voicing 'a plan to unleash World War Three with a subsequent global standoff [and] no winners'. Slutsky said: 'The US general should take this into account before making such statements.' Politician Sergei Muratov from the Russian parliamentary committee on defence and security said: 'Kaliningrad is Russian territory, and such threats are essentially a declaration of war." He claimed Russia was acting 'humanely' in Ukraine - but a full-scale war with NATO would be a 'different conversation'. Kaliningrad MP Andrei Kolesnik added Nato 'don't have the guts' to take on Russia. Military expert Ivan Konovalov said: 'This is still a Russian region that has strategic importance, and it is very well protected. 'Any attempt to act provocatively against the Kaliningrad region will provoke retaliatory actions by all armed forces of the Russian Federation.' What is the Suwalki Gap? THE 60-mile strip Suwalki Gap is wedged between Belarus and the Russian exclave of It has massive strategic importance for NATO and the EU - as well as For the West, it is the only land link to the three For Russia, control of the corridor would give a land link to Kaliningrad, the main base of Putin's Baltic Fleet. The Suwalki Gap, spanning the Polish-Lithuanian border, has seen an influx of troops as 7 Donald Trump speaks with the media at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland Credit: Reuters 7 Trump said he was 'very disappointed' with Vladimir Putin Credit: AFP The US slammed Russia's nuclear rhetoric. American state department spokeswoman said: "Regarding any kind of nuclear commentary or preemptive strikes, etc, let's just say that rhetoric does not improve regional security.' She warned that 'as President Trump has said, the word nuclear should not be treated casually, and we have seen these kinds of reckless and unhelpful statements before'. The US remained committed to ending the war in Ukraine 'peacefully, hopefully through diplomacy'. It comes after ex-Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said that Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, raged that Nato and the West are effectively already at war with Russia as he pushed the Kremlin's view that his country is the victim. That's despite it being Medvedev accused the US and Europe of an attempt to 'destroy' Russia which is 'hated by the West', he claimed. Diplomats say his remarks give an indication of the thinking among some within the Moscow political elite. 7 Ex-Russian president Dmitry Medvedev pictured with Vladimir Putin Credit: East2West
