Russia-Ukraine war news latest: Putin's warplane mistakenly opens fire over Russian city of Belgorod
At least two people were injured after a Russian warplane mistakenly fired a weapon that caused an explosion and damaged buildings in the Ukrainian city of Belgorod late last night, Russia’s Defense Ministry said.
“When a Sukhoi Su-34 Air Force plane was flying over the city of Belgorod, it accidentally released ammunition,” the Defense Ministry said, reports Tass news agency. It is not yet clear what kind of warheads were fired from the supersonic warplane.
A large explosion was reported by local authorities in Belgorod, just across the border with Ukraine.
The regional governor said two women were injured in the blast and some buildings were damaged.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the accidental firing.
Video footage from the site showed piles of concrete in the street, several damaged cars and a building with broken windows. In one shot, an overturned car was visible on the roof of a shop.
Arpan RaiApril 21, 2023 04:01
Ukrainian troops fire howitzers at Russian positions in Donbass
Ukrainian paratroopers fire an L119 howitzer towards Russian positions on a frontline in the Luhansk region on Thursday
(AFP via Getty Images)
Ukrainian paratroopers fire L119 howitzers at a frontline target in the Luhansk region towards Russian positions
(AFP via Getty Images)
A Ukrainian paratrooper prepares to fire an L119 howitzer towards Russian positions on a frontline in the Luhansk region
(AFP via Getty Images)
Ukrainian paratroopers load ammunition into an L119 howitzer and aim fire at a frontline Russian position in the Lugansk region
(AFP via Getty Images)
Arpan RaiApril 21, 2023 06:36
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has told Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg it is time to admit his country to the alliance during Mr Stoltenberg’s first visit to Kiev since the start of Russia’s invasion.
Mr. Stoltenberg said that “the proper place is in the Euro-Atlantic family … is in NATO”, inviting Mr. Zelensky to a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, in July. The Ukrainian president said he believed the summit could be “historic” but that his country needed a roadmap to membership.
“There are no obstacles to the political decision to invite Ukraine into the alliance and now, when the majority of NATO countries and the majority of Ukrainians support NATO accession, is the time for this decision.” Mr. Zelensky said.
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Arpan RaiApril 21, 2023 06:14
The governor of the vast Russian region of Krasnoyarsk has stepped down, officials said Thursday, after his businessman son tried to trick Italian authorities into extraditing him to the United States and fled to Russia.
President Vladimir Putin signed a decree accepting Alexander Us’s resignation but gave no details.
His son, Artem Us, was due on charges in the US for shipping oil from Venezuela in violation of sanctions and for bank fraud. Last month, an Italian court allowed him to be released on house arrest but he soon fled.
In a video released on 9 April, after Artem Us returned to Russia, Alexander Uss thanked those who had helped him return. He also said he was grateful to Putin, describing him as a “man with a big and open heart”.
The US wrote on Telegram on Thursday that it had recently spoken with Putin and received an offer to continue working at the federal level to deal with socio-economic development.
Italy’s justice minister has initiated disciplinary proceedings against three judges who served there, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday.
Earlier this month, Artem Us told Russia’s RIA news agency that the US charges against him were politically motivated.
Krasnoyarsk’s territory covers 2.4 million km² (930,000 sq mi) in Siberia.
Emily Atkinson21 April 2023 06:00
A video from the battlefield in Bakhmut shows deadly fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces, with several close positions.
The Ukrainian ground forces battalion Da Vinci Wolves shared an 11-minute video showing an armed battle where Russian troops are firing into trenches used by Ukrainian troops, who are firing back.
At one point, the Russian army is also seen tossing a grenade into a ditch but it does not explode in a near-death situation.
One Ukrainian soldier is also heard saying that he has killed a Russian soldier, saying “we killed them”, but another replies that the enemy is alive and moving.
Independent The authenticity of the video has not been verified.
Arpan RaiApril 21, 2023 05:36
Badminton on Thursday retained the ban on Russian and Belarusian players in international competitions, days ahead of the start of Olympic qualifying.
Badminton’s qualifying period for next year’s Paris Olympics begins on May 1 and uses calendar-year rankings.
Meanwhile, Modern Pentathlon said it would establish a “route” for athletes from both countries to return, but did not commit to a date.
Emily Atkinson21 April 2023 05:00
In pictures: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg destroys Russian military vehicles
(Reuters)
(Reuters)
(Reuters)
Emily Atkinson21 April 2023 04:00
Japanese government sources said the Group of Seven (G7) countries are considering an almost complete ban on exports to Russia, Kyodo news agency reported.
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said the government was aware of a news report that the US and allies of Ukraine are considering “imposing an outright embargo on most exports to Russia”.
But he refrained from commenting on exchanges between G7 countries and like-minded countries about possible sanctions against Russia.
“What is important for an early end to Russian aggression is that the G7 is united in calling for serious sanctions against Russia and strong support for Ukraine,” the official said at a press briefing.
Bloomberg reported that the G7 nations are discussing the idea of completely banning exports to Russia ahead of a summit meeting in Japan next month.
Arpan RaiApril 21, 2023 03:52
The country’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang said today that China is not provoking the situation in Ukraine.
The Chinese minister said Beijing will continue to advocate peaceful resolution of international disputes through dialogue and diplomacy.
He said Beijing has no intention of engaging in a major power contest, but opposes efforts to build walls and barriers to disrupt international supply chains.
Mr. Qin was speaking at the Lanting Forum in Shanghai.
Arpan RaiApril 21, 2023 03:46
Hungary will add honey and some meat products to a list of temporarily banned foods in an effort to ease market pressure on Hungarian farmers, a government minister said on Thursday.
Along with honey and meat, the Hungarian government has banned the import of 25 Ukrainian products, including grain, oil seeds, flour and cooking oil, until June 30, Minister Gergely Gulyas told a news conference. He added that the government will also require shipments of products that are coming from third countries as they enter Hungary to make sure they are not coming from Ukraine.
Emily Atkinson21 April 2023 03:00
