Ukraine launches drone attack on Russian energy site
Published: 06:03 PM,Mar 17,2025 | EDITED : 10:03 PM,Mar 17,2025
A Ukrainian tank drives on a road in a village in the Dnipropetrovsk region. — AFP
KYIV: Ukrainian forces launched a drone attack on southern Russia overnight, sparking a blaze at an oil refinery, local authorities said on Monday, as Moscow launched a barrage of nearly 200 drones against Ukraine. The Ukrainian attack on the oil refinery in Russia's southern Astrakhan region was the latest in a series of aerial strikes by both sides targeting energy facilities. Regional Governor Igor Babushkin said staff of a 'fuel and energy' complex were evacuated before the attack, which sparked a large blaze. 'One person was wounded during the attack. The victim has now been taken to the hospital,' Babushkin wrote on social media.
The latest bombardment comes as Ukraine criticised Russia for refusing to accept a US-proposed 30-day ceasefire without any preconditions. Moscow launched its own barrage of some 174 drones on Ukraine, where air defence units shot down 90 drones, including the Iranian-designed Shahed type drone, the air force said. Around 500 people in the southern region of Odesa lost power because of the attacks and one person was wounded there, Governor Oleg Kiper said, adding several buildings were damaged, including a preschool.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and US counterpart Donald Trump will speak by phone on Tuesday, as one US official expressed hope the two could agree on a Ukraine ceasefire within weeks.
Trump said earlier that 'a lot of work' had been done between the United States and Russia on settling the three-year Ukraine conflict, and that there was a 'very good chance' hostilities would end.
Putin said last week he agreed with the idea of a ceasefire but warned he had 'serious questions' about how it would be implemented that he wanted to discuss with Trump.
Kyiv has agreed to the ceasefire, while its European allies have criticised Putin for not committing to an unconditional and immediate halt in fighting, with the UK accusing the Russian leader of 'dragging his feet'. 'There is such a conversation being prepared for Tuesday,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters ahead of the Trump-Putin call, without commenting on what the two leaders would
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Emmanuel Macron teaming up to lead Europe's backing of Ukraine during Donald Trump's tumultuous second presidency highlights a warming British-Franco relationship, insiders and analysts say. Relations between the cross-Channel neighbours nosedived during acrimonious negotiations over Britain's departure from the European Union following a shock 2016 referendum result.
Starmer came into office in July vowing his Labour party would 'reset' Britain's relationship with European allies, an approach he has doubled down on since Donald Trump's White House return and subsequent upending of US foreign policy. 'From before coming into government, Keir Starmer has prioritised building a strong relationship with President Macron,' said a Downing Street source, speaking on condition of anonymity. 'It's clear that they have a warm personal relationship and complementary skills. There is huge respect on both sides, which was built before the current epochal challenge and is now invaluable.'
The pair have gathered European leaders and other allies to respective summits in Paris and London as they attempt to assemble a 'coalition of the willing' -- countries prepared to protect any ceasefire. Starmer and Macron say they are prepared to deploy troops to Ukraine, backed by US support, to deter Putin from violating any truce. They are trying to convince other nations to do the same or help through different types of support, such as logistics and surveillance.
Starmer convened the latest meeting of interested countries on Saturday in a virtual gathering of around 25 leaders. The meeting came after Macron told military chiefs from across Europe and beyond to move 'from concept to plan' and 'define credible security guarantees' for Kyiv. 'The teams are working hand in glove,' the Downing Street source said. Britain and France are acting as key intermediaries between Ukraine and Trump's administration. Both countries' national security advisers, along with Germany's, met a top aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Polish capital this week. — AFP
The latest bombardment comes as Ukraine criticised Russia for refusing to accept a US-proposed 30-day ceasefire without any preconditions. Moscow launched its own barrage of some 174 drones on Ukraine, where air defence units shot down 90 drones, including the Iranian-designed Shahed type drone, the air force said. Around 500 people in the southern region of Odesa lost power because of the attacks and one person was wounded there, Governor Oleg Kiper said, adding several buildings were damaged, including a preschool.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and US counterpart Donald Trump will speak by phone on Tuesday, as one US official expressed hope the two could agree on a Ukraine ceasefire within weeks.
Trump said earlier that 'a lot of work' had been done between the United States and Russia on settling the three-year Ukraine conflict, and that there was a 'very good chance' hostilities would end.
Putin said last week he agreed with the idea of a ceasefire but warned he had 'serious questions' about how it would be implemented that he wanted to discuss with Trump.
Kyiv has agreed to the ceasefire, while its European allies have criticised Putin for not committing to an unconditional and immediate halt in fighting, with the UK accusing the Russian leader of 'dragging his feet'. 'There is such a conversation being prepared for Tuesday,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters ahead of the Trump-Putin call, without commenting on what the two leaders would
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Emmanuel Macron teaming up to lead Europe's backing of Ukraine during Donald Trump's tumultuous second presidency highlights a warming British-Franco relationship, insiders and analysts say. Relations between the cross-Channel neighbours nosedived during acrimonious negotiations over Britain's departure from the European Union following a shock 2016 referendum result.
Starmer came into office in July vowing his Labour party would 'reset' Britain's relationship with European allies, an approach he has doubled down on since Donald Trump's White House return and subsequent upending of US foreign policy. 'From before coming into government, Keir Starmer has prioritised building a strong relationship with President Macron,' said a Downing Street source, speaking on condition of anonymity. 'It's clear that they have a warm personal relationship and complementary skills. There is huge respect on both sides, which was built before the current epochal challenge and is now invaluable.'
The pair have gathered European leaders and other allies to respective summits in Paris and London as they attempt to assemble a 'coalition of the willing' -- countries prepared to protect any ceasefire. Starmer and Macron say they are prepared to deploy troops to Ukraine, backed by US support, to deter Putin from violating any truce. They are trying to convince other nations to do the same or help through different types of support, such as logistics and surveillance.
Starmer convened the latest meeting of interested countries on Saturday in a virtual gathering of around 25 leaders. The meeting came after Macron told military chiefs from across Europe and beyond to move 'from concept to plan' and 'define credible security guarantees' for Kyiv. 'The teams are working hand in glove,' the Downing Street source said. Britain and France are acting as key intermediaries between Ukraine and Trump's administration. Both countries' national security advisers, along with Germany's, met a top aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Polish capital this week. — AFP