Headline
Putin Vows More Strikes On Ukraine Energy Infrastructure
Published
1 year agoon
By
EditorPresident Vladimir Putin vowed Thursday to keep battering Ukraine’s energy grid despite an outcry against the systematic attacks that have plunged millions into the cold and dark as winter sets in.
He instead blamed Ukraine for initiating a trend of attacking civilian infrastructure, pointing to a blast on a key bridge between the Russian mainland and the annexed Crimean peninsula that he recently visited.
“There’s a lot of noise about our strikes on the energy infrastructure of a neighbouring country. This will not interfere with our combat missions,” Putin said at a military awards ceremony in the Kremlin.
Weeks of Russian missile barrages across Ukraine have crippled key infrastructure at a critical time, as temperatures drop ahead of long winter months that already have brought suffering to Ukrainians lacking water, heating and gas.
He presented the strikes as a response to the explosion in October on the Kerch bridge and also accused Kyiv of blowing up power lines from the Kursk nuclear power plant and for not supplying water to Donetsk in eastern Ukraine.
“Yes, we do that,” Putin said of the strikes on the Ukraine grid. “But who started it?”
Ukrainian energy operator Ukrenergo said Thursday that it was still reeling from the latest bout of strikes that came this week and was suffering a “significant deficit”.
READ ALSO: Pope Breaks Down In Tears At Public Prayer For Ukraine
‘Risks’ for Crimea
“The situation is complicated by weather conditions,” it added, saying snow, frost and wind were putting pressure on infrastructure.
Putin’s promise to keep attacking the grid came as the Kremlin conceded that the Crimean peninsula was vulnerable to Ukrainian attacks after officials said they had shot down a drone near a key naval base.
“There are certainly risks because the Ukrainian side continues its policy of organising terrorist attacks,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“But, on the other hand, information we get indicates that effective countermeasures are being taken,” he added.
The Moscow-appointed governor of Crimea Sergei Aksyonov said last month that Russia was strengthening fortifications on the peninsula in the wake of attacks.
And the governors of two Russian regions bordering Ukraine have said they inspected the construction of defence lines days after Ukrainian drones struck key military airfields.
In the latest incident over Crimea on Thursday, Russia said it had shot down a drone over the Black Sea near Sevastopol, the largest city on the Crimean peninsula that hosts a key Russian naval base.
“As per usual our military carried out its work well,” said the governor of the Sevastopol administrative region, Mikhail Razvozhayev.
The peninsula was annexed by Russia in 2014 after a so-called referendum that Ukraine and the West never recognised. Moscow said in September it had annexed four more regions of Ukraine, despite not having full control over them.
READ ALSO: Ukraine War: Putin Demands Recognition Of Annexed Territories Before Talks
‘Nationalist ideology’
There have been several explosions at or near Russian military installations in Crimea since February, including a coordinated drone attack on a key Russian naval port at Sevastopol.
The shooting down of the drone on Thursday came after a series of attacks deep in Russia — including the Engels airfield, a strategic bomber military base — for which Ukraine has not claimed responsibility.
Separately, the Russian security services (FSB) arrested two people accused of spying for Ukraine on Crimea and accused them of “treason”, the agency’s press service said Thursday.
The FSB “halted the illegal activities of two Russian citizens suspected of committing high treason in the form of spying in the interests of the Security Service of Ukraine,” it said in a statement.
One of those detained is “a supporter of Ukrainian nationalist ideology and was recruited by the Ukrainian secret services in 2016,” the statement said.
He is suspected of “transferring data on the location of Russia’s defence ministry facilities to a foreign security agency, which could be used against Russia’s security.”
Pope’s tears
The Kremlin hit out at Time magazine’s decision a day earlier to name Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky as “Person of the Year”, saying it reflected “Russophobic” trends in Western countries.
The Politico news website also named Zelensky as the “Most Influential” person in Europe.
And during a ceremony in Rome Thursday, Pope Francis was briefly reduced to tears as he prayed for the people of Ukraine.
He had to pause for a moment, his body shaking with emotion, before he could finish his prayer. The crowd around him broke into applause.
READ ALSO:
One of Turkey’s most influential marine biologists, Bayram Ozturk, pleaded for the creation of an War: Vladimir Putin Begins Formal Annexation Of Ukraine Regions corridor” to save dolphins and other sea creatures from destruction during the conflict.
His Marine Research Foundation has organised a conference in Istanbul on Friday where Ozturk will exchange ideas with colleagues from the Black Sea’s other lateral states.
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Headline
JUST IN: One Dead, Many Injured As Deadly Turbulence Hit Singapore-bound Plane
Published
6 hours agoon
May 21, 2024By
EditorOne person died and multiple people were injured on a Singapore Airlines flight that experienced “severe turbulence” while heading from London to Singapore before it was diverted to Bangkok on Tuesday, the company said.
“We can confirm that there are injuries and one fatality on board the Boeing 777-300ER. There were a total of 211 passengers and 18 crew on board,” the airline said on Facebook.
The PUNCH reports that the airline also on its X account, #SingaporeAir, confirmed the incident.
READ ALSO: Iran Gets Interim President After Raisi’s Death
It posted, “Singapore Airlines flight #SQ321, operating from London (Heathrow) to Singapore on 20 May 2024, encountered severe turbulence en-route.
“The aircraft diverted to Bangkok and landed at 1545hrs local time on 21 May 2024. We can confirm that there are injuries and one fatality on board the Boeing 777-300ER. Singapore Airlines offers its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased.
“Our priority is to provide all possible assistance to all passengers and crew on board the aircraft. More details at https://bit.ly/4bLqfCF. Regular updates will be provided on our Facebook and X accounts.”
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Lagos Speaker, Obasa, Loses Father
The airline added that it was working with Thai authorities to provide medical assistance to passengers, and was sending a team to Bangkok to provide any additional assistance needed.
Turbulence during a flight refers to the irregular or unpredictable movement of air that causes the aircraft to experience sudden, erratic motions.
It is a common occurrence and can range from mild bumps to severe jolts.
Details later
Headline
Iran President Had ‘Lot Of Blood On His Hands’ – White House
Published
21 hours agoon
May 20, 2024By
EditorIran President Ebrahim Raisi had a “lot of blood on his hands”, the White House said on Monday despite Washington offering condolences after his death in a helicopter crash.
“This was a man who had a lot of blood on his hands,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters, saying Raisi was responsible for “atrocious” rights abuses in Iran and had supported regional proxies including Hamas.
Kirby said, however, that “as in any other case, we certainly regret in general the loss of life and offered official condolences as appropriate.”
READ ALSO: Iran Declares 5 Days Of Mourning Over President Raisi’s Death
Earlier, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, announced on Monday five days of mourning for President Ebrahim Raisi who died in a helicopter crash.
“I announce five days of public mourning and offer my condolences to the dear people of Iran,” said Khamenei in an official statement a day after the death of Raisi and other officials in the crash in East Azerbaijan province.
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei assigned vice president Mohammad Mokhber to assume interim duties after the death of president Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash a day earlier.
“In accordance with Article 131 of the constitution, Mokhber is in charge of leading the executive branch,” said Khamenei in a statement, adding that Mokhber will be required to work with the heads of legislative and judicial branches to prepare for presidential elections “within a maximum period of 50 days”.
Recall that President Raisi was confirmed dead on Monday after his helicopter crashed in a mountainous region of the country.
READ ALSO: UK Regulator Reports Air Peace Over Alleged Safety Violation
Raisi was travelling with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian who also died in the accident.
Rescue teams had been scouring the area since Sunday afternoon after a helicopter carrying Raisi, the foreign minister and other officials had gone missing.
Early Monday, relief workers located the missing helicopter, with state TV saying the president had died.
“The servant of Iranian nation, Ayatollah Ebrahim Raisi has achieved the highest level of martyrdom whilst serving the people,” state television said Monday, with Mehr news agency also saying he was dead.
State television broadcast photos of Raisi, with the voice of a man reciting the Koran playing in the background.
READ ALSO: Iran Declares 5 Days Of Mourning Over President Raisi’s Death
Iran’s vice president for executive affairs Mohsen Mansouri posted on X a Koranic verse used to express condolences.
Meanwhile, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has announced a five days of mourning for President Raisi.
“I announce five days of public mourning and offer my condolences to the dear people of Iran,” said Khamenei in an official statement a day after the death of Raisi and other officials in the crash in East Azerbaijan province.
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