Latest news with #SecurityServiceOfUkraine
Asharq Al-Awsat
2 days ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Russia Focusing Airstrikes on Ukraine Draft Offices to Derail Recruitment, Kyiv Says
Russia killed two people in an airstrike on the central Ukrainian city of Poltava on Thursday and damaged a military draft office there in what Kyiv said was a concerted campaign to disrupt recruitment for its war effort. The strike on Poltava, which also injured 47 people and caused a fire at the city's main draft office, followed a drone attack on Monday near a recruitment center in Kryvyi Rih. Both cities are regional capitals. "We understand that their (Russian) goal is to disrupt the mobilisation process," Vitaliy Sarantsev, a spokesperson for Ukraine's ground forces, told Ukraine's public broadcaster, Reuters reported. "But I want to say is too early (for Russia) to uncork the champagne because the process is impossible to stop." Ukraine has struggled to fend off a bigger and better-equipped Russian army, and its call-up process has been marred by reports of draft-office corruption, poor training and weak battlefield command. Well into the fourth year of its full-scale invasion, Russia has gained ground in eastern Ukraine and repeatedly hit cities far behind the front lines with drones and missiles, while also waging a sabotage campaign there, Kyiv's domestic security agency says. In a statement to Reuters last month, the Security Service of Ukraine said it had arrested more than 700 people since 2024 for alleged crimes that included arson attacks on troop vehicles and bombings at draft offices. A Ukrainian security official, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, said Russia was aiming to derail Kyiv's military call-up effort also by spreading disinformation and hacking recruitment office computers. "The disruption of mobilisation is closely linked to the spread of panic and intimidation of the population," the source said, adding that bombings were part of the general strategy. INTENSIFYING STRIKES Russian forces have also stepped up strikes on military training grounds in recent weeks, prompting Kyiv's top general to order a strengthening of security measures at bases. A missile attack on southeastern Ukraine this week killed a brigade commander. Ukrainian forces have also staged longer-range attacks on Russian bases in occupied territory as well as deep inside Russia. Thursday's strike on Poltava came after the US said it had paused some weapons shipments to Ukraine, which drew warnings in Kyiv that the move would harm Ukraine's defence against intensifying Russian air strikes and battlefield gains. Separately on Thursday, two people were killed in a ballistic missile strike on port infrastructure in the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa, said regional governor Oleh Kiper. Dozens of people have been killed in recent drone and missile salvoes at Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kyiv.
Reuters
2 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Russia focusing airstrikes on Ukraine draft offices to derail recruitment, Kyiv says
KYIV, July 3 (Reuters) - Russia killed two people in an airstrike on the central Ukrainian city of Poltava on Thursday and damaged a military draft office there in what Kyiv said was a concerted campaign to disrupt recruitment for its war effort. The strike on Poltava, which also injured 47 people and caused a fire at the city's main draft office, followed a drone attack on Monday near a recruitment centre in Kryvyi Rih. Both cities are regional capitals. "We understand that their (Russian) goal is to disrupt the mobilisation process," Vitaliy Sarantsev, a spokesperson for Ukraine's ground forces, told Ukraine's public broadcaster. "But I want to say is too early (for Russia) to uncork the champagne because the process is impossible to stop." Ukraine has struggled to fend off a bigger and better-equipped Russian army, and its call-up process has been marred by reports of draft-office corruption, poor training and weak battlefield command. Well into the fourth year of its full-scale invasion, Russia has gained ground in eastern Ukraine and repeatedly hit cities far behind the front lines with drones and missiles, while also waging a sabotage campaign there, Kyiv's domestic security agency says. In a statement to Reuters last month, the Security Service of Ukraine said it had arrested more than 700 people since 2024 for alleged crimes that included arson attacks on troop vehicles and bombings at draft offices. A Ukrainian security official, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, said Russia was aiming to derail Kyiv's military call-up effort also by spreading disinformation and hacking recruitment office computers. "The disruption of mobilisation is closely linked to the spread of panic and intimidation of the population," the source said, adding that bombings were part of the general strategy. Russian forces have also stepped up strikes on military training grounds in recent weeks, prompting Kyiv's top general to order a strengthening of security measures at bases. A missile attack on southeastern Ukraine this week killed a brigade commander. Ukrainian forces have also staged longer-range attacks on Russian bases in occupied territory as well as deep inside Russia. Thursday's strike on Poltava came after the U.S. said it had paused some weapons shipments to Ukraine, which drew warnings in Kyiv that the move would harm Ukraine's defence against intensifying Russian air strikes and battlefield gains. Separately on Thursday, two people were killed in a ballistic missile strike on port infrastructure in the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa, said regional governor Oleh Kiper. Dozens of people have been killed in recent drone and missile salvoes at Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kyiv.
The Star
16-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Ukraine says repatriation of war dead over after 1,245 more bodies received from Russia
FILE PHOTO: People in hazmat suits carry what is said to be remains of Ukrainian soldiers received from Russia in an unknown location in a screen grab from a Handout video released on June 13, 2025. Security Service Of Ukraine/Handout via REUTERS/ File Photo KYIV (Reuters) -Ukraine received another 1,245 bodies of its soldiers killed in the war with Russia on Monday in the final stage of the repatriation of remains agreed at talks in Istanbul, Ukrainian officials said. "Today marks the final stage of the repatriation of fallen soldiers," Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said. "Since last week, when the implementation of the Istanbul agreements began, we have managed to bring back over 6,000 bodies." This marks one of the largest returns of war dead since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago. The handover of the soldiers' remains is part of the agreements reached between Russia and Ukraine during their second round of talks in Istanbul at the start of the month. Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky, the head of Russia's delegation at the peace talks, said that Moscow had handed back the bodies of 6,060 Ukrainian servicemen. He said that Russia has received the remains of 78 of its own soldiers in return. Ukrainian officials said that they had received 6,057 bodies. They was no immediate explanation available on the discrepancy in numbers. The Russian Defence ministry said that Moscow was ready to hand over another 2,239 bodies to Ukraine. Both Ukraine and Russia said that the process of exchanging prisoners of war was still ongoing. "We are not stopping. Ahead lies the next stage: we continue the fight to bring back our prisoners of war," Ukrainian Defence Minister Umerov said in a social media post on Facebook. The agreements on exchanging POWs were the only concrete result during the talks between Kyiv and Moscow in Istanbul. Both sides remain far apart in their vision on how to end the war, and they also failed to agree on a ceasefire. (Reporting by Yuliia Dysa, Olena Harmash and Reuters in Moscow; Editing by Toby Chopra)
The Star
14-06-2025
- Health
- The Star
Russia and Ukraine exchange prisoners of war, but Moscow received no war dead, Russia says
FILE PHOTO: People in hazmat suits carry what is said to be remains of Ukrainian soldiers received from Russia in an unknown location in a screen grab from a Handout video released on June 13, 2025. Security Service Of Ukraine/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo (Reuters) -Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners-of-war (POWs) on Saturday, the Russian defence ministry said, and Russia handed over the bodies of 1,200 dead Ukrainian soldiers to Kyiv. The exchanges are part of agreements reached by the warring sides during talks in Istanbul earlier this month. Ukraine earlier on Saturday confirmed it had received the bodies of its soldiers killed in action. However, Russian state media reported, citing sources, that Moscow had not received any of its war dead back from Kyiv, echoing a statement Russia made on Friday, when it said it had returned the bodies of 1,200 slain Ukrainian soldiers and received none of its own. The Russian defence ministry did not say how many POWs were involved in the swap with Ukraine on Saturday, but it posted video showing its soldiers holding Russian flags and cheering before boarding a bus. The Russian soldiers are in Belarus, where they are receiving medical treatment before transfer back to Russia, the defence ministry said. (Reporting by Lucy Papachristou; Editing by Toby Chopra and Louise Heavens)
Straits Times
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Russia and Ukraine exchange prisoners of war, but Moscow received no war dead, Russia says
People in hazmat suits carry what is said to be remains of Ukrainian soldiers received from Russia in an unknown location in a screen grab from a Handout video released on June 13, 2025. Security Service Of Ukraine/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Russia and Ukraine exchange prisoners of war, but Moscow received no war dead, Russia says Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners-of-war (POWs) on Saturday, the Russian defence ministry said, and Russia handed over the bodies of 1,200 dead Ukrainian soldiers to Kyiv. The exchanges are part of agreements reached by the warring sides during talks in Istanbul earlier this month. Ukraine earlier on Saturday confirmed it had received the bodies of its soldiers killed in action. However, Russian state media reported, citing sources, that Moscow had not received any of its war dead back from Kyiv, echoing a statement Russia made on Friday, when it said it had returned the bodies of 1,200 slain Ukrainian soldiers and received none of its own. The Russian defence ministry did not say how many POWs were involved in the swap with Ukraine on Saturday, but it posted video showing its soldiers holding Russian flags and cheering before boarding a bus. The Russian soldiers are in Belarus, where they are receiving medical treatment before transfer back to Russia, the defence ministry said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
