War and Recovery

Eric and Eliot discuss the rapidly unfolding events in Syria and examine the causes and consequences of the collapse of Bashar al Assad's regime in Syria. They discuss the big winners (Turkey, Israel, the Syrian people and to a lesser extent the U.S) and the big losers (notably Russia and especially Iran). They discuss the timing of the Hayat Tahrir al Sham offensive, how to interpret the claims of HTS leader abu Mohammed al Jolani that the group has moderated, the prospects for Russia maintaining its Khmeimim Air Base and ...

After overseeing 13 years of the devastation that has come to define Syria’s civil war, the country’s former president, Bashar al-Assad, has fled Damascus for Moscow[1].“Following his talks with a number of participants in the armed conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic, Bashar al-Assad decided to step down as the Syrian President and leave the country, instructing the government to transfer power peacefully,” the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday.The communication continued, clarifying that, while Russia was playing no part in the negotiations, it remained “in contact with ...

Nato secretary general Mark Rutte (AP photo) BRUSSLES: Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte warned on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to “wipe Ukraine off the map” and could come after other parts of Europe next, as he urged Europeans to press their governments to ramp up defense spending.“It is time to shift to a wartime mindset,” Rutte told security experts and analysts at the Carnegie Europe think-tank in Brussels. He said people should gird themselves for the prospect that Russia might try to use “swarms of drones” in ...

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to “wipe Ukraine off the map” and could come after other parts of Europe next, as he urged Europeans to press their governments to ramp up defense spending.“It is time to shift to a wartime mindset,” Rutte told security experts and analysts at the Carnegie Europe think-tank in Brussels. He said people should gird themselves for the prospect that Russia might try to use “swarms of drones” in Europe as it has to ...

President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke over the phone on Friday, Moscow and Berlin announced, coming at a moment of great uncertainty about the West’s continued support of Ukraine.Scholz said Sunday he was interested in talking with the Kremlin leader about possible solutions to end the war in Ukraine, which is nearing the third-year mark. The pair last spoke in December 2022, when the German chancellor urged Putin to withdraw his troops from Ukraine.[1]“The Chancellor urged Russia to be prepared to negotiate with Ukraine with the aim of achieving ...

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Aon risk management firm launched a 110-million-euro ($116 million) guarantee program to help insurers cover some war-related risks in Ukraine, the EBRD announced on Dec. 12.Ukraine[1]'s insurance companies have struggled to offer war insurance[2] services as international reinsurers have largely withdrawn from the market after the outbreak of Russia's full-scale war[3] in 2022.The EBRD's new Ukraine Recovery and Reconstruction Guarantee Facility will help reinsurance companies cover risks connected to land-based transport[4], focusing on small and medium businesses[5].It currently does not ...

President Donald Trump said Friday that he doesn't want war with Iran, but if it comes there will be "obliteration like you've never seen before.""But I'm not looking to do that," the president added in an exclusive interview with NBC's Chuck Todd for "Meet the Press."Trump said there were no pre-conditions for U.S. talks with Tehran."You can't have nuclear weapons," Trump said. "And if you want to talk about it, good. Otherwise, you can live in a shattered economy for a long time to come."Trump also discussed his decision-making process ...

Russia is manoeuvring to mitigate the impacts of economic sanctions by easing its payment restrictions on fossil fuel exports, a move ordered by President Vladimir Putin[1]. This action seeks to alleviate financial pressures exerted by sanctions targeting Gazprombank—the previously mandated channel for Ruble payments following the Ukraine invasion[2]—which helped Russia skirt limitations tied to dollar and euro transactions. The updated policy will permit foreign importers to settle their dues through other financial institutions or in any manner agreed with Russian suppliers - with Putin reportedly growing more likely to use ...

WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia could launch its lethal new intermediate-range ballistic missile[1] against Ukraine again soon, the Pentagon said Wednesday, as both sides wrestle for a battlefield advantage that will give them leverage in any negotiations to end the nearly 3-year war. Sabrina Singh, Pentagon spokeswoman, told reporters in a briefing that an attack could be carried out “in the coming days.” She added that the U.S. does not consider this missile — called the Oreshnik — a game changer on the battlefield, but that the Russians are “trying to ...

WARSAW, Poland -- France’s President Emmanuel Macron and Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Ukraine must have a pivotal role in any potential negotiations over Russia’s war[1] in the country, following a meeting Thursday in Warsaw.Macron also insisted Europeans must be involved in security talks in “very close” coordination with the United States to ensure Europe’s interests are taken into account.The meeting comes after Macron held key talks with President-elect Donald Trump[2] and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday in Paris. It also comes as Poland will assume the European ...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend his inauguration next month — extending a diplomatic olive branch even as Trump threatens to levy massive tariffs on Chinese goods.Trump's incoming press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed on Thursday that Trump invited Xi, but said it was “to be determined” if the leader of the United States' most significant economic and military competitor would attend."This is an example of President Trump creating an open dialogue with leaders of countries that are not just ...

Washington has supplied its long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine which can penetrate deep inside Russia John Hamilton Text size President-elect Donald Trump said in an interview published Thursday that he disagrees "very vehemently" with Ukraine firing US-supplied missiles deep into Russia. But Trump insisted he would not abandon Ukraine as US support for Kyiv would be key leverage in efforts to bring the war to a close. Washington has supplied its long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine which can penetrate inside Russia, provoking angry retaliation from Moscow which has responded with ...

In a tactical change, Russia[1] is poised to loosen restrictions on paying for its fossil fuel exports as economic sanctions impact Vladimir Putin[2]'s regime. Putin has instructed a relaxation of the rules requiring payments through Gazprombank, which has been targeted by US sanctions aimed at weakening the Russian economy[3]. Prior to this, in response to the invasion of Ukraine and subsequent severe economic sanctions, Putin had insisted on ruble payments for energy[4] through Gazprombank, allowing Russia to circumvent limitations on handling dollars and euros. Under the new directive, foreign importers ...

Both officials were granted anonymity to speak candidly about the sensitive subject. However, a senior Polish official said they were surprised by Macron's reported proposal."This is not a formula that would allow us to take such a decision," the official said, adding that peacekeeping missions should be decided under the United Nations or the  Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, not a bilateral discussion with the French president. Sending Polish troops to Ukraine "would only make sense under a NATO format," they added.The peacekeeping force proposal is separate from Macron’s previous ...

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has criticized Kyiv for using U.S.-supplied missiles to strike Russian territory last month. He stated this in an interview with the Time magazine[1], Ukrinform reports.Responding to questions related to the Russian-Ukrainian war, Trump criticized Kyiv for striking Russian territory with U.S. missiles last month."I disagree very vehemently with sending missiles hundreds of miles into Russia. Why are we doing that? We're just escalating this war and making it worse," he added.Read also: Zelensky explained Ukraine's need for security guarantees at meeting with Trump - Reuters[2]When asked ...

Related: Vladimir Putin hints at strikes on WestYour support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ...

Russia has described Ukraine's potential admission to the European Union[1] and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as "madness" and "suicidal."Kyiv has consistently expressed its ambition to join the organizations and formally submitted applications for membership[2] following the launch of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. While both NATO[3] and EU officials have expressed a willingness[4] to consider Ukraine's membership, Moscow has strongly opposed the idea[5], viewing a Ukraine NATO accession as a provocative and escalatory move.Moscow's recent comments came in response to proposals from the Organization for Security and Co-operation ...

China will continue to work to create “favourable conditions for a political solution” to the Ukraine crisis[1], President Xi Jinping said while vowing to strengthen “strategic synergy” with Russia, according to state broadcaster CCTV.Meeting former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev in Beijing on Thursday, Xi repeated Beijing’s position on the Ukraine war, saying China “repeatedly stressed” the need to adhere to three principles – “no expansion of the battlefields, no escalation of hostilities and no fanning flames” – to strive for a swift de-escalation.The three principles were previously mentioned in Xi’s ...

RUSSIAN MISSILES have knocked out roughly half of Ukraine’s pre-war electricity-generation capacity. But because Russia has refrained from blowing up nuclear reactors, nearly 60% of Ukraine’s electricity production is currently nuclear—even though the country’s (and Europe’s) biggest plant, in Zaporizhia, was occupied by Russia in 2022 and is now shut down. Without nuclear reactors, says German Galushchenko, the energy minister, Ukraine’s grid “would not survive”. In what would be a first for a country under assault, Ukraine now aims to install more of them.

Vladimir Putin has not been invited to attend Donald Trump's inauguration next month, Moscow has said.The Kremlin said it had not received an invitation for the Russian president[1] to attend the US president-elect's[2] swearing-in ceremony on 20 January.Meanwhile Mr Trump has reportedly invited Chinese President Xi Jinping[3] to attend the inauguration in Washington DC, according to CBS News[4].The outlet cited multiple sources saying the invitation had been made shortly after Mr Trump won the presidential election on 5 November.It said it was not clear if the invitation had been accepted. ...

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said he "very vehemently" disagrees with Ukraine using U.S.-made missiles to strike targets "hundreds of miles" inside Russia, the Time magazine reported on Dec. 12.Members of Trump[1]'s inner circle previously criticized[2] the outgoing Biden administration's decision to ease restrictions[3] on long-range strikes, though this is the first time the president-elect has spoken against it publicly himself."I disagree very vehemently with sending missiles hundreds of miles into Russia[4]. Why are we doing that?" Trump told Time[5] as the magazine named him Person of the Year."We’re just escalating ...

The Syrian people achieved what once seemed impossible. They rid themselves of the brutal dictator who massacred hundreds of thousands in one of the most repressive states. Bashar al-Assad, infamous for his chemical attacks, war crimes, and alliances with Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah in his violent crackdown, fled to Russia as his regime crumbled. This marked a monumental achievement for Syrians, whose resilience matched their relentless opposition to a brutal regime propped up for over a decade by foreign powers. Chief among them is Russia. Syrian rebels seized Damascus unopposed after a ...

Footage on social media purported to show the aftermath of a Ukrainian strike on an air base in Russia that Moscow said involved Kyiv's use of U.S.-made ballistic missiles.Russia said that Kyiv had used six U.S.-made ATACMS ballistic missiles in striking the airfield in the city of Taganrog[1], in Russia's southern Rostov region on the Azov Sea, a site located around 100 miles from the frontline of the war in Ukraine. The Russian defense ministry said two ATACMS missiles were shot down or deflected by electronic warfare systems, but that ...

Text size French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday called for a "path" out of the Ukraine war that takes into account the interests of Kyiv and the European Union as US president-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office. Macron spoke during a visit to Warsaw, days after he met in Paris with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump, who has said that solving the Ukraine crisis would be his top priority. "The Trump administration has indicated its willingness to try to shift the course of this conflict and so we ...

President-elect Donald Trump, TIME’s 2024 Person of the Year[1], sat down for a wide-ranging interview at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla., on Nov. 25.Over the course of the interview, Trump[2] discussed his election victory[3], the economy[4], and the situations in Ukraine and the Middle East. He also spoke about his plans for a second term, including deporting millions of migrants[5] and pardoning Jan. 6 defendants, as well as the future of the MAGA movement.Below is a transcript, lightly edited for clarity, of the interview, which was conducted by ...

Russian President Vladimir Putin may speak with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump before his inauguration in January, but the Kremlin leader will not initiate contact, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov said[1] Thursday.Trump, who secured a historic second term in the White House on Wednesday, has pledged to end the war in Ukraine before taking the oath of office. His criticism of outgoing President Joe Biden’s support for Ukraine has raised concerns in Kyiv that Washington might suspend arms deliveries, potentially weakening Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s gradual territorial gains.“It’s not ruled out,” Peskov ...

Four people have been injured in a Ukrainian drone strike on the Chechen capital of Grozny overnight, according to the Russian republic's leader, who said more than 80,000 fighters were "ready to move to the front line" against Kyiv after the latest reported hit on the southwestern Russian region.A drone was "shot down" over police barracks shortly before 1 a.m. local time in Grozny, Chechnya's leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, said in a post to messaging app Telegram on Thursday.Four guards "received minor injuries" when the drone detonated mid-air, damaging the roof ...

A leading Putin[1] missile scientist has reportedly been gunned down in a Moscow[2] park by a Ukrainian military assassin.Mikhail Shatsky, the Deputy Chief Designer at the Mars Design Bureau, which develops and manufactures onboard guidance systems for the Russian military and space industry, was allegedly eliminated by an unknown assassin in Kuzminsky forest park, at Kotelniki, eight miles southeast of the Kremlin.Reports say the scientist, an associate professor, was working actively on upgrading the Russian Kh-59 cruise missile to the Kh-69 level, which Russian troops use to strike Ukraine[3].There was immediate ...

Mikhail Shatsky, a top missile scientist working for the Russian government, has been killed eight miles southeast of the Kremlin amid reports that Ukrainian intelligence is responsibleLeading Russian missile scientist Mikhail Shatsky has been killed (Image: social media / east2west news)One of Vladimir Putin[1]'s leading missile scientists has been “eliminated” in a Moscow[2] park by Ukrainian intelligence, according to reports. Mikhail Shatsky was gunned down by an unknown assassin in Kuzminsky forest park, at Kotelniki, eight miles southeast of the Kremlin. Reports say the scientist, an associate professor, was working ...

Russian defence officials say its military has retaken three villages in the Kursk region, in what Ukraine is calling a major push to squeeze its troops out of Russia before U.S. president-elect Donald Trump takes office in the new year. On Wednesday, Russia said it had recaptured two villages — Daryino and Plyokhovo — that are on the edge of an approximately 800-square-kilometre[1] area of Russia that has been under Ukrainian control since a surprise incursion in August. On Thursday, it reported retaking a third village, Novoivanovka. "They have been ordered to liberate the Kursk region by the first ...

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he is ready to talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin again after his previous phone call with him in mid-November, the German newspaper Die Zeit reported on Dec. 12."I will do it again. But we must not have any illusions about it," Scholz was quoted as saying[1], despite expressing frustration earlier over Putin "repeating all his formulas" during their phone call on Nov. 15.During that conversation[2], Scholz condemned Russia's war against Ukraine, calling on Putin to end the invasion and withdraw Russian troops from Ukrainian ...

One of the first crucial testing grounds of President Donald Trump’s foreign policy will probably be the US relationship with Europe, and in particular, the new administration’s position on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war[1].During his campaign, Trump claimed he could end the war[2] in Ukraine within 24 hours. It is curious, then, that in his first call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after winning the November election, he was assisted by Elon Musk[3], better known now as the “First Buddy”. Due to his strong business interests in Tesla manufacturing, it would have been understandable if Musk had been ...

KYIV, Ukraine — Fighting around the key eastern Ukraine city of Pokrovsk is “extremely intense” after a monthslong Russian push[1], Ukraine’s top military commander said, with analysts estimating Russian forces are now within just a few kilometers (miles) of the city.Ukrainian troops repelled nearly 40 Russian attempts to storm defenses around Pokrovsk over the previous 24 hours, the General Staff said in a battlefield report Thursday.“Russian occupiers are throwing all available forces forward, attempting to break through the defenses of our troops,” Ukrainian army chief Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi said in ...

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep ...

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his family have arrived in Moscow[1], a Russian diplomat said, as rebels took control of the capital, Damascus, bringing to an end the brutal, half-century rule of the Assad family.Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's ambassador in Vienna, said in a social media post [2]late on December 8 that "Assad and his family are in Moscow" after going through what he characterized as a "difficult situation."According to Russian media reports, Assad and his family have been granted asylum by Moscow. The Biden administration could not confirm the information ...

Ukraine’s president has sharply raised his demand for air defence systems, highlighting how much Russia has intensified the air war in recent months.Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday said Ukraine needed a dozen additional Patriot systems to insulate its economy from the war.“Ten or twelve additional Patriot systems for Ukraine will ensure [that]… no [glide bombs], no missiles, any ballistic missile etc. will be able to hit the civilian infrastructure of Ukraine, the energy sector, our hospitals, schools, universities,” Zelenskyy posted on the Telegram messaging app.“People will return to normal life, and ...

After overseeing 13 years of the devastation that has come to define Syria’s civil war, the country’s former president, Bashar al-Assad, has fled Damascus for Moscow[1].“Following his talks with a number of participants in the armed conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic, Bashar al-Assad decided to step down as the Syrian President and leave the country, instructing the government to transfer power peacefully,” the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday.The communication continued, clarifying that, while Russia was playing no part in the negotiations, it remained “in contact with ...

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Fighting around the key eastern Ukraine city of Pokrovsk is “extremely intense” after a monthslong Russian push[1], Ukraine’s top military commander said, with analysts estimating Russian forces are now within just a few kilometers (miles) of the city.Ukrainian troops repelled nearly 40 Russian attempts to storm defenses around Pokrovsk over the previous 24 hours, the General Staff said in a battlefield report Thursday.“Russian occupiers are throwing all available forces forward, attempting to break through the defenses of our troops,” Ukrainian army chief Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi said ...

Ukrainian[1] security operatives have claimed responsibility for “eliminating” a top Russian[2] missile scientist responsible for modifying cruise missiles to make them more deadly.Footage shared via Twitter today appears to show the aftermath of a deadly attack which claimed the life of Mikhail Shatsky in Moscow[3]. The brief clip appears to show forensics officers arriving on the scene.A post by Ukrainian journalist Alexander Nevzorov on the Telegram app referred to Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine[4]’s secret service chief.He commented: "Budanov has long arms."It seems that none of those guilty of the genocide of ...

KYIV (AP) — Russia is accumulating large forces around Chasiv Yar in eastern Ukraine as it seeks to make a breakthrough in the Donetsk region, a Ukrainian official said Friday.Illia Yevlash, spokesperson for the operational group overseeing the eastern front line, told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that Russian forces were concentrating efforts to make a powerful push on the key strategic city to the west of Bakhmut, which fell to Moscow last May, hoping to to advance toward Kostiantynivka, Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. Ukrainian forces battling Russian efforts to advance in ...

Ukrainian military calls situation ‘unstable’ with fighting at ‘every entrance’ of front-line city, as Russia continues to make gains along the eastern front.Russian forces have reached the outskirts of the long-contested strategic town of Toretsk in eastern Ukraine.The Ukrainian military confirmed that fighting was taking place in the town late on Monday. Torestsk is the latest key location that Russian troops have reached in recent weeks as they advance Moscow’s bid to take control of the Donetsk region.“The situation is unstable, fighting is taking place literally at every entrance (to ...

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Fighting around the key eastern Ukraine city of Pokrovsk is “extremely intense” after a monthslong Russian push[1], Ukraine’s top military commander said, with analysts estimating Russian forces are now within just a few kilometers (miles) of the city.Ukrainian troops repelled nearly 40 Russian attempts to storm defenses around Pokrovsk over the previous 24 hours, the General Staff said in a battlefield report Thursday.“Russian occupiers are throwing all available forces forward, attempting to break through the defenses of our troops,” Ukrainian army chief Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi said ...

China is buying less coal from Russia than last year, data shows in the latest signal of trade cooling between the countries.China's purchases of Russian coal fell by 21 percent year over year between January and the end of November—from $13.3 billion to $10.5 billion, the think tank Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) said."The Russian coal sector has taken a big hit in 2024," Vaibhav Raghunandan, an EU-Russia analyst and research writer at CREA, told Newsweek in a statement on Thursday. "Russia is incredibly dependent on ...

A high-level manager from a Russian company that develops missiles used in Moscow's war with Ukraine has been killed, according to reports.Mikhail Shatsky, deputy general designer of the Mars Design Bureau and head of its software department, was shot dead in the Moscow region, according to the Astra Telegram channel and other Russian and Ukrainian sources.The firm Shatsky worked for develops and manufactures onboard guidance systems for the Russian military[1] and space industry. Since December 2017, it has been under a department of the state corporation Rosatom.Information appeared online that ...

Viktor Orbán's proposal for a quick ceasefire in Ukraine led to a rebuke by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who called it "nonsense and disharmony". ADVERTISEMENTViktor Orbán and Volodymyr Zelenskyy brought their long-simmering showdown to Budapest on Thursday with separate press conferences that laid bare their diametrically opposed visions on how to end the war in Ukraine.The Hungarian premier, who acted as host of a European Political Community (EPC) summit, made a forceful endorsement of the need to secure a rapid "ceasefire" in Ukraine as a prelude to peace negotiations with Russia."The precondition ...

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said Sunday that his Akhmat military unit has been deployed to the site of “difficult” fighting in the embattled eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.[1]Fighting has picked up[2] near Bakhmut, the site of the longest battle of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in recent days despite the Wagner mercenary group claiming to have captured the city in late May.“The special operation’s command redeployed the Akhmat special forces under the command of Apty Alaudinov to the difficult Bakhmut area,” Kadyrov said. news Evacuated Residents of War-Scarred Bakhmut Envision a Far-Off ...

Yet after 1,000 days, Russia has failed to wipe sovereign Ukraine off the map or to break the spirit of its indomitable people.  (AP Photo/Hannibal Hanschke) As delivered by Chargé d’Affaires Katherine Bruckerto the Permanent Council, ViennaNovember 21, 2024On November 19th, we marked 1,000 days of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine which has caused death and destruction on a staggering scale.  As we mark this grim milestone, we renew our call for Putin to withdraw Russia’s forces from all of Ukraine’s territory and cease its attacks on Ukraine’s cities and civilian ...