European Union leaders condemn the “reckless” and “despicable” attack on Odessa during the visit of Zelensky and the Greek Prime Minister
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis (L) inspect the operation of the Black Sea “grain corridor” in the port of Odessa, Ukraine on March 06, 2024.
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European Union leaders strongly criticized Russia's deadly missile attack on the southern Ukrainian port city of Odessa, near where President Volodymyr Zelensky and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held a meeting.
Zelensky and Mitsotakis met in Odessa on Wednesday to honor 12 people killed in a Russian drone strike on the city last week. During the meeting, Mitsotakis said the two men heard the sound of sirens and “an explosion that was very close to us.”
A Ukrainian Navy spokesman said that five people were killed in the raid, according to Sky News.
The EU said: “The reckless air attack on Odessa when President Zelensky and Prime Minister Kmitsotakis were on a visit to honor the victims of the March 2 drone strike on an apartment building, proves once again Putin’s disregard for any norms and his willingness to escalate.” Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Wednesday on the social media site X.
Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she “strongly” condemned the “despicable attack” on Odessa.
“No one is intimidated by this new attempt at terrorism – certainly not the two leaders on the ground nor the brave people of Ukraine. We stand with Ukraine more than ever,” she said via
On Wednesday, Russian forces launched a high-precision missile attack on an aircraft hangar in Odessa, where it said Ukrainian forces were preparing naval drones for operations, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
-Sam Meredith
The Supreme Leader says Ukraine will take offensive countermeasures against Russia this year
Ukrainian soldiers of the 32nd Brigade appear along the front line in their combat position during the two-year-old war between Russia and Ukraine in the direction of Kubyansk, in Kharkiv, Ukraine on March 06, 2024.
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A senior Ukrainian military commander said that Kiev's forces will try to seize the initiative and conduct unspecified counter-offensive actions in 2024.
Ukrainian Ground Forces Commander Oleksandr Pavlyuk said in televised statements on Wednesday that the army will try to stabilize the front line and form a group of forces to carry out counter-offensive actions in the coming months.
His comments came shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia was likely preparing an attack in Ukraine in the spring or early summer.
-Sam Meredith
A senior Russian military officer has warned that the conflict in Ukraine could escalate into a full-scale war in Europe
A senior Russian military officer has warned that the Kremlin's large-scale invasion of Ukraine could escalate into a full-scale war in Europe, Reuters reported, citing the RIA news agency.
Colonel-General Vladimir Zarodnytsky, who leads the Military Academy of the Russian Army's General Staff, reportedly warned in a Defense Ministry publication that the likelihood of Russian forces getting involved in a new conflict was increasing “significantly.”
“The possibility of escalation of the conflict in Ukraine – from expanding participants in the ‘proxy forces’ used in the military confrontation with Russia to a full-scale war in Europe – cannot be ruled out,” Zarodnitsky was quoted as saying.
“The main source of military threats to our state is the anti-Russian policy of the United States and its allies, who are waging a new type of hybrid warfare in order to weaken Russia in every possible way, limit its sovereignty and destroy its territory.” integrity.”
-Sam Meredith
Lithuania says Russia can continue fighting in Ukraine for at least two more years
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausda speaks to the press during a joint press conference with Polish President Andrzej Duda at NATO's Dragon-24 exercise, part of the large-scale Steadfast Defender-24 exercise.
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Lithuania's intelligence services said Thursday in a report that Russia can continue fighting in Ukraine for at least another two years.
“Russia has sufficient financial, human, material and technical resources to continue fighting with similar intensity, at least in the near term,” Lithuania said in its latest annual national threat assessment.
“Its chosen strategy is a war of attrition, based on the expectation of growing war weariness in Western societies and governments and a declining desire to fight among Ukrainians.”
The report said that Russian forces were able to regroup and strengthen their ranks in 2023 after suffering heavy losses the previous year.
In a move likely intended to signal Moscow's disapproval of Finland's NATO membership, Lithuanian intelligence agencies said Russia had deployed ships capable of carrying Kalibr cruise missiles on Lake Ladoga for the first time. Lake Ladoga is a body of water located near Finland's southeastern border with Russia.
“Russia is engaged in two parallel operations. It is compensating for its losses in Ukraine and creating new capabilities for a long-term confrontation with the West,” the report said.
-Sam Meredith
The Kremlin says Russia will not interfere in the US elections
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that Russia will not interfere in the US presidential elections later this year, and has not done so in the past.
“We have never interfered in elections in the United States,” Peskov said. “And this time we do not intend to interfere.”
Peskov reiterated that any attempts by other countries to interfere in the Russian presidential elections will be prevented.
Investigations conducted by US authorities have previously found that Russia interfered, or at least attempted to, during several recent elections in the United States, including the presidential and midterm elections.
-Sophie Kiderlein
Zelensky says there are dead and wounded in the Russian attack on Odessa
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that people were killed and wounded in a Russian attack on the Ukrainian port of Odessa on the Black Sea.
Radio Sospilny also quoted Zelensky as saying that Ukraine needs stronger air defenses. He was meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Odessa.
– Reuters
