Latest news with #UkrainianArmy
LBCI
11 hours ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Ukraine army denies Russia captured Chasiv Yar: Spokesperson
The Ukrainian army on Thursday denied Russia's claim to have captured the eastern stronghold of Chasiv Yar, a spokesperson for a unit fighting in the area told AFP. "I always advise not to consider the Russian Ministry of Defense as a source of information. They simply lie systematically, and the very approach of having us comment on their latest lies every time is wrong," Viktor Tregubov, a spokesperson for the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group of Forces, said.
Daily Telegraph
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Telegraph
Ukraine disputes Russia claim that tiny village crucial to war effort has been lost
Don't miss out on the headlines from Innovation. Followed categories will be added to My News. Russia's announcement on Thursday that it had captured Chasiv Yar marks yet another blow for Kyiv after months of accumulating setbacks across the sprawling front line in eastern and southern Ukraine. It underscores systemic problems plaguing the Ukrainian army, like manpower shortages and logistics problems, that have given Russian forces the edge after three and a half years of brutal fighting. The Ukrainian army denied that the strategic hilltop settlement had fallen to Russian forces. If confirmed, the capture would come after many months of intensive battles in the area that have seen Russia make painstaking but incremental gains. Russian forces had advanced along the flanks of Chasiv Yar before pushing into the city, heavily bombing Ukrainian positions until it was untenable to hold them. Images released by the Ukrainian military earlier this year, showing rows of smouldering and skeletal Soviet-era housing blocs and lines of shredded trees, attest to the ferocity of Russia's shelling of Chasiv Yar. The town had a population of some 12,000 people before the Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The battle for Chasiv Yar began in earnest after May 2023, when Russian forces and units from the Wagner mercenary group captured the nearby town of Bakhmut. The battle for Chasiv Yar began in earnest after May 2023, when Russian forces and units from the Wagner mercenary group captured the nearby town of Bakhmut. The battle for Chasiv Yar began in earnest after May 2023, when Russian forces and units from the Wagner mercenary group captured the nearby town of Bakhmut. The Ukrainian army denied that the strategic hilltop settlement had fallen to Vladimir Putin's forces. (Photo by Valery SHARIFULIN / POOL / AFP) That same month, AFP video journalist Arman Soldin was killed aged 32 by incoming rocket fire on the outskirts of the city. Russian forces first crossed an important waterway in the town in 2024, and a turning point came when Ukrainian forces ceded a large industrial facility and a key defensive position in Chasiv Yar in January this year. If confirmed, its fall will now pave the way for Russian forces to advance on remaining civilian strongholds in the eastern Donetsk region, like Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. The Kremlin has made the complete capture of the Donetsk region its military priority and already in late 2022 claimed that the industrial territory was part of Russia. Originally published as Chasiv Yar: Ukraine disputes Russia claim that tiny village crucial to war effort has been lost
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Can interceptor drones stop Russia's terror bombing?
RUSSIA'S GROUND offensive in Ukraine's east is making slow progress this summer, at huge cost. But its mounting drone campaign against the country's cities is arguably a more serious threat. Day after day, strikes against Ukraine's civil and military infrastructure, not to mention people's homes, are battering the country's economy and eating away at its morale. Finding ways to block more of them is an urgent priority. On July 9th over 700 drones, 60% of them carrying warheads and the rest cheap decoys, attacked Kyiv and other targets. That week alone, said Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine's president, Russia launched more than 1,800 drones and 83 missiles in a campaign of 'intensifying terror against our cities and communities'. Chart Swarms of Geran-2s, Russia's version of the Iranian Shahed kamikaze drone, are starting to overwhelm Ukraine's defences. Until March this year, only about 3-5% of the Gerans were getting through. Last month that rose to some 15% of a significantly higher number. In addition to killing people and destroying infrastructure, the attacks exert relentless psychological pressure. They often last through much of the night. The aim is 'to deepen the feeling that there is no safety and no confidence in the state or in the defence forces', Serhii Bratchuk, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Army's Southern Division, told the Kyiv Independent. Russia has improved both the quantity and quality of its drones. Since last summer it has raised monthly production of Gerans five-fold, according to Ukraine's military intelligence service. Increasing supplies of Chinese dual-use components have helped. In May about 2,700 Gerans and 2,500 Gerberas (a smaller drone usually used as a decoy) were produced at two factories, both nearly 1,500km east of the front line. The factories have been hit by Ukrainian drone strikes, but output has not been severely dented and is expected to rise further. Since June Russia has been using an upgraded Geran-2 equipped with video guidance systems, artificial intelligence and improved electronics to thwart jamming, according to Olena Kryzhanivska, a defence analyst. It can fly at altitudes of up to 4,000m, allowing it to increase its speed from 185kph to 400kph as it descends on the target. Earlier versions carried a 40kg warhead, but the payload on new variants can be as heavy as 90kg. A Geran-3 with a turbojet engine that can fly at up to 600kph has also entered service, but it has an estimated cost of $1.4m, compared with about $200,000 for the upgraded Geran-2. That poses a dilemma for Ukrainian defenders. Using million-dollar missiles such as the IRIS-T to shoot down drones that cost $200,000 or less can quickly exhaust high-end air defences, which are needed to stop ballistic and cruise missiles. Until recently a combination of electronic warfare (EW) and mobile firing groups with heavy machine guns and anti-aircraft artillery, such as the German Gepard, managed to destroy the vast majority of drones. But they are struggling against improved Gerans flying at high altitude on unpredictable flight paths. The most promising solution is cheap interceptor drones. At least four Ukrainian firms, including Wild Hornets and Besomar, are producing different models. So are Tytan, a Germany company, and Frankenberg, an Estonian one. General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine's commander-in-chief, says that interceptor drones have a success rate of 70% against Gerans. Last week Mr Zelensky ordered his defence ministry to rapidly sign large-scale contracts for the proven interceptors. On July 25th he urged drone companies to boost production to at least 1,000 interceptors per day. Doing so, the president said, entailed an 'urgent funding requirement' of $6bn. Unless Russia manages to raise its production of kamikaze drones significantly above the current 200 or so a day, that could tilt the advantage back to the defenders. Charitable organisations such as the Sternenko Community Foundation and Come Back Alive have helped finance the drones' development. Taras Tymochko, a drone expert at Come Back Alive, says each interceptor must cost no more than $5,000. They require a speed of around 300kph and must fly and loiter at altitudes of up to 5,000m. (That means fixed-wing drones, not quadcopters.) They must hit the Geran and explode on impact; getting close is not enough. The challenge now, says Mr Tymochko, is to award contracts, increase production and train operators—this last potentially a major bottleneck. Matching Russian production of Shaheds and Gerans is ambitious, but 'we are really close.' There are still technological hurdles, says Max Enders of Tytan Technologies. Drones need to be integrated with existing radar networks. They need advanced artificial intelligence to make them autonomous and resistant to jamming. He foresees an adaptation race, with each side constantly upgrading software in 15-to-20-day innovation cycles. At some point the Russians may be able to send swarms of drones that communicate with each other to get around defences. Interceptor drones are no silver bullet, says Ms Kryzhanivska. Short-range defence will still require gun systems such as Ukraine's Sky Sentinel, an autonomous turret equipped with a heavy machine gun, and Rheinmetall's Skynex, designed to combat swarm attacks. Neither is yet available in significant numbers. Ukraine is also developing Tryzub, a laser system that can supposedly down aerial targets at altitudes of 3,000m or above. For now interceptor drones are the best hope. But in the meantime, the Gerans keep coming.
Washington Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Russian missiles hit a Ukrainian army training ground, killing at least 3 soldiers
KYIV, Ukraine — A Russian missile hit a Ukrainian army training ground, killing three soldiers and wounding 18 others, authorities said, in the latest attack to embarrass military officials as they struggle to make up a severe manpower shortage in the nearly 3½-year war . The Russian Defense Ministry said that the strike killed or wounded about 200 Ukrainian troops. The ministry said that Ukraine's 169th training center near Honcharivske in the Chernihiv region was hit with two Iskander missiles, one armed with multiple submunitions and another with high explosives. Meanwhile, Russia continued its stepped-up aerial campaign against Ukrainian civilian targets, launching 78 attack drones overnight, including up to eight newly developed jet-powered drones, Ukraine's air force said Wednesday. At least five people were wounded. The U.N. mission in Ukraine says there has been a worsening trend in civilian casualties from Russian attacks this year, with 6,754 civilians killed or injured in the first half of 2025 — representing a 54% increase from the same period in 2024. Since Russia launched an all-out invasion of neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, at least 13,580 Ukrainian civilians, including 716 children, have been killed, according to the U.N. In an effort to stop that, U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he's giving Russian President Vladimir Putin until Aug. 8 for peace efforts to make progress or Washington will impose punitive sanctions and tariffs. Western leaders have accused Putin of dragging his feet in U.S.-led peace efforts in an attempt to capture more Ukrainian land. Ukrainian forces are mostly hanging on against a grinding summer push by Russia's bigger army, though the Russian Defense Ministry has claimed some recent small advances at places along the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line. Ukrainian ground forces acknowledged that a Russian strike hit a military training ground in the Chernihiv region of northern Ukraine, but its casualty report differed widely from one issued by Moscow. A Russian Defense Ministry video showed multiple small explosions apparently caused by a missile with a shrapnel warhead followed by one big blast, apparently from the other one armed with a high-explosive warhead. A similar Russian strike occurred last September, when two ballistic missiles blasted a Ukrainian military academy and nearby hospital, killing more than 50 people and wounding more than 200 others. Ukrainian authorities said that a commission led by the head of the Military Law Enforcement Service has been formed to determine whether negligence or misconduct by officials contributed to the casualties in Chernihiv. The attack was the fourth deadly strike in as five months on Ukrainian military facilities. The three previous strikes killed at least 46 soldiers and wounded more than 160, according to official reports. Ukraine can ill afford to lose more troops. Though it has more than 1 million Ukrainians in uniform, including the National Guard and other units, it badly needs more. Deeply rooted problems have bedeviled Ukraine and brought questions about how Kyiv is managing the war, from a flawed mobilization drive to the overstretching and hollowing out of front-line units through soldiers going AWOL . Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a bill Tuesday that allows Ukrainian men over the age of 60 to voluntarily sign contracts with the armed forces. The new law allows those who want to contribute their experience and skills, particularly in noncombat or specialized roles. In February, Ukraine's Defense Ministry began offering new financial and other benefits that it hopes will attract men between the ages of 18 and 24 to military service. Men in that age group are exempt from the country's draft, which covers men between 25 and 60 years old. Ukraine lowered its conscription age from 27 to 25, but that has failed to replenish ranks or replace battlefield losses. ___ Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Russian missiles hit a Ukrainian army training ground, killing at least 3 soldiers
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian missile hit a Ukrainian army training ground, killing three soldiers and wounding 18 others, authorities said, in the latest attack to embarrass military officials as they struggle to make up a severe manpower shortage in the nearly 3½-year war. The Russian Defense Ministry said that the strike killed or wounded about 200 Ukrainian troops. The ministry said that Ukraine's 169th training center near Honcharivske in the Chernihiv region was hit with two Iskander missiles, one armed with multiple submunitions and another with high explosives. Meanwhile, Russia continued its stepped-up aerial campaign against Ukrainian civilian targets, launching 78 attack drones overnight, including up to eight newly developed jet-powered drones, Ukraine's air force said Wednesday. At least five people were wounded. Civilian casualties The U.N. mission in Ukraine says there has been a worsening trend in civilian casualties from Russian attacks this year, with 6,754 civilians killed or injured in the first half of 2025 — representing a 54% increase from the same period in 2024. Since Russia launched an all-out invasion of neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, at least 13,580 Ukrainian civilians, including 716 children, have been killed, according to the U.N. In an effort to stop that, U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he's giving Russian President Vladimir Putin until Aug. 8 for peace efforts to make progress or Washington will impose punitive sanctions and tariffs. Western leaders have accused Putin of dragging his feet in U.S.-led peace efforts in an attempt to capture more Ukrainian land. Recent attacks under investigation Ukrainian forces are mostly hanging on against a grinding summer push by Russia's bigger army, though the Russian Defense Ministry has claimed some recent small advances at places along the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line. Ukrainian ground forces acknowledged that a Russian strike hit a military training ground in the Chernihiv region of northern Ukraine, but its casualty report differed widely from one issued by Moscow. A Russian Defense Ministry video showed multiple small explosions apparently caused by a missile with a shrapnel warhead followed by one big blast, apparently from the other one armed with a high-explosive warhead. A similar Russian strike occurred last September, when two ballistic missiles blasted a Ukrainian military academy and nearby hospital, killing more than 50 people and wounding more than 200 others. Ukrainian authorities said that a commission led by the head of the Military Law Enforcement Service has been formed to determine whether negligence or misconduct by officials contributed to the casualties in Chernihiv. The attack was the fourth deadly strike in as five months on Ukrainian military facilities. The three previous strikes killed at least 46 soldiers and wounded more than 160, according to official reports. Ukraine badly needs more troops Ukraine can ill afford to lose more troops. Though it has more than 1 million Ukrainians in uniform, including the National Guard and other units, it badly needs more. Deeply rooted problems have bedeviled Ukraine and brought questions about how Kyiv is managing the war, from a flawed mobilization drive to the overstretching and hollowing out of front-line units through soldiers going AWOL. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a bill Tuesday that allows Ukrainian men over the age of 60 to voluntarily sign contracts with the armed forces. The new law allows those who want to contribute their experience and skills, particularly in noncombat or specialized roles. In February, Ukraine's Defense Ministry began offering new financial and other benefits that it hopes will attract men between the ages of 18 and 24 to military service. Men in that age group are exempt from the country's draft, which covers men between 25 and 60 years old. Ukraine lowered its conscription age from 27 to 25, but that has failed to replenish ranks or replace battlefield losses. ___ Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at
