#Ukraine is to start recruiting prisoners to fight against #Russia under a new law designed to bolster its frontline forces, including with men convicted of murder or fraud.
Using a tactic #Moscow has relied on to fill ranks since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, #Kyiv would begin to offer certain convicts a path to freedom if they are willing to join a combat unit.
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Operator Starsky is an officer of the National Guard of #Ukraine, who joined during the war in #Donbass in 2014.
He partecipated in the successful defense of the #Hostomel Airport of #Kyiv in February 2022.
The #US and most #EU nations will boycott a #Kremlin ceremony to swear in Vladimir #Putin for a new six-year term as president on Tuesday, but #France and some other EU states were expected to send an envoy despite a plea by #Kyiv.
The varying diplomatic response by the Western powers underscored differences over how to handle the Russian leader more than two years after he launched a full-scale invasion of #Ukraine.
After #Russia invaded #Ukraine in February 2022, Western nations were quick to offer #Kyiv their support. The #US leads in military aid, while #Germany is the top European donor and a critical supporter of Ukrainian refugees.
These figures reflect publicly declared support and exclude aid for things like maintaining Ukraine’s critical infrastructure.
A girl walks among blooming tulips in a park, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine May 1, 2024. REUTERS/Alina Smutko TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Huge Soviet-era monument taken down in Kyiv as Ukraine continues 'derussification' #TheArtNewspaper
“A Soviet-era monument believed to glorify Ukraine’s ties to Russia is being dismantled on orders of the Kyiv city government in the latest stage of derussification following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Kyiv’s Department of Territorial Control announced the start of the monument’s removal in a Facebook post on 30 April, stressing its massive size: “The sculptural composition is large, consists of about 20 elements weighing between 6,000kg and 7,000kg each. Due to the complexity of the design, dismantling may take a few days.””
Over the past several months, #Ukraine drones have penetrated ever deeper into Russian territory, striking an oil refinery as far away from the border as the northwestern city of St. Petersburg, and more recently, a drone assembly plant in the republic of #Tatarstan. Increasingly, these air attacks are sapping into #Russia’s diesel and gasoline production, which #Kyiv hopes will hit the #Kremlin’s wallet and reduce the availability of fuel for Russia’s war machine.
There are moments in our lives that unexpectedly become pivotal.
Like when Alessandra learned there is no word for privacy in #russian making her think about how each #language carries the different culture of its people...
A couple takes a selfie next to blossoming lilac trees at a botanical garden, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine April 28. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko
Ordinary #Slovak citizens who raised $4.5 million to supply ammunition to #Ukraine's military should have spent their money elsewhere, Slovak Prime Minister Robert #Fico said on April 29.
“Let them send weapons, I have nothing to say to them; but if we were to start a collection for cancer, it likely wouldn't have raised as much,” said Fico. He insinuated that the fundraising campaign was an attempt to discredit the government's stance on not supplying weapons to #Kyiv.
#Italy will supply Ukraine with long-range Storm Shadow missiles
The Italian side made the decision to supply #Kyiv with shells after Russian President Vladimir #Putin passed on JSC #Gazprom Household Systems is the Russian assets of the Italian company #Ariston. According to the decree, 100% of the shares in the authorized capital of Ariston Thermo Rus LLC are transferred to the structure of the state gas monopoly
"'#NATO countries have not delivered [on] their promises, the #US spent months not agreeing on a package for #Ukraine, European allies have not delivered [on] their promises, and this had a serious consequence on the battlefield,' Stoltenberg said at a press conference during a surprise visit to #Kyiv. 'The lack of ammo has enabled Russians to push forward, lack of air defense has enabled more Russian missiles to hit the targets...'"
Ukraine attacks oil refinery in #Krasnodar region, Russia
Russia launches missile strikes next to #Poland's border.
Dog Richard survived Russian missile strike.
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Operator Starsky is an officer of the National Guard of #Ukraine, who joined during the war in #Donbass in 2014.
He partecipated in the successful defense of the #Hostomel Airport of #Kyiv in February 2022.
"We are given a certain amount of time during the day to prepare for night work. During the day we can sleep an extra 4 hours, and sometimes an extra hour of sleep gives us a lot. The body has already adapted," Kostiantyn said.
The first thing the Mobile Air Defense Fire Group receives is an order to go out.
Usually, this happens before the air raid alert starts in the #Kyiv region.
A family sleeps while taking shelter inside a metro station during a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attacks on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, April 27, 2024. REUTERS/Alina Smutko
"We are witnessing a historic process -- Russians are leaving for the first time in two centuries," independent Azerbaijani analyst Elhan Shahinoglu told AFP.
The commander-in-chief of #Ukraine's armed forces said Sunday #Kyiv's position on the frontline had deteriorated and that #Russia had made a number of recent battlefield gains.