In Dnipro, deadly missile attacks prove there is no escaping Russia’s war
PIDHORODNE, Ukraine — Natalia Hafykina, 60, was so close to her next-door neighbors, Vladislav and Natalya Prykhodko, that they celebrated the young couple’s pregnancy together and then, just over one year ago, the birth of their daughter, Liza.
Until now, their small, suburban town, seven miles north of the bustling city of Dnipro, had been peaceful. But on Saturday night, a Russian missile struck their two-story apartment building, cracking slabs of concrete and shattering walls and windows.
The blast left little Liza dead under the rubble and her mother in an intensive care ward. When Vladislav Prykhodko briefly came home from the hospital on Sunday, Hafykina could not bear to speak to him.
Read the full story here.
PIDHORODNE, Ukraine — Natalia Hafykina, 60, was so close to her next-door neighbors, Vladislav and Natalya Prykhodko, that they celebrated the young couple’s pregnancy together and then, just over one year ago, the birth of their daughter, Liza.
Until now, their small, suburban town, seven miles north of the bustling city of Dnipro, had been peaceful. But on Saturday night, a Russian missile struck their two-story apartment building, cracking slabs of concrete and shattering walls and windows.
The blast left little Liza dead under the rubble and her mother in an intensive care ward. When Vladislav Prykhodko briefly came home from the hospital on Sunday, Hafykina could not bear to speak to him.
Read the full story here.
Exclusive: U.S. had intelligence of detailed Ukrainian plan to attack Nord Stream pipeline
Three months before saboteurs bombed the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline, the Biden administration learned from a close ally that the Ukrainian military had planned a covert attack on the undersea network, using a small team of divers who reported directly to the commander in chief of the Ukrainian armed forces.
Details about the plan, which have not been previously reported, were collected by a European intelligence service and shared with the CIA in June 2022. They provide some of the most specific evidence to date linking the government of Ukraine to the eventual attack in the Baltic Sea, which U.S. and Western officials have called a brazen and dangerous act of sabotage on Europe’s energy infrastructure.
Read the full story here.
Three months before saboteurs bombed the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline, the Biden administration learned from a close ally that the Ukrainian military had planned a covert attack on the undersea network, using a small team of divers who reported directly to the commander in chief of the Ukrainian armed forces.
Details about the plan, which have not been previously reported, were collected by a European intelligence service and shared with the CIA in June 2022. They provide some of the most specific evidence to date linking the government of Ukraine to the eventual attack in the Baltic Sea, which U.S. and Western officials have called a brazen and dangerous act of sabotage on Europe’s energy infrastructure.
Read the full story here.
Maps show how damaged Kakhovka dam hurts both Ukraine and Russia
Significant damage to the dam and hydroelectric power plant on Ukraine’s front line early Tuesday poses strategic challenges for both sides ahead of Ukraine’s much-anticipated counteroffensive.
The Kakhovka dam, which supplies water to parts of southern Ukraine, was one of the last remaining crossings over the Dnieper River that separates Ukrainian and Russian forces in the south. Both sides blamed the other for the destruction and ordered residents to evacuate amid massive flooding.
The damage to the Russian-controlled dam would make it difficult for Ukrainian troops to cross into Crimea and other Russian-occupied cities in the south. On the other hand, it could eventually cut water off from Crimea and other parts of Russian-held territory. Flooding in the region could also affect Russian defenses and supply routes.
Read more about the Kakhovka dam here.
Significant damage to the dam and hydroelectric power plant on Ukraine’s front line early Tuesday poses strategic challenges for both sides ahead of Ukraine’s much-anticipated counteroffensive.
The Kakhovka dam, which supplies water to parts of southern Ukraine, was one of the last remaining crossings over the Dnieper River that separates Ukrainian and Russian forces in the south. Both sides blamed the other for the destruction and ordered residents to evacuate amid massive flooding.
The damage to the Russian-controlled dam would make it difficult for Ukrainian troops to cross into Crimea and other Russian-occupied cities in the south. On the other hand, it could eventually cut water off from Crimea and other parts of Russian-held territory. Flooding in the region could also affect Russian defenses and supply routes.
Read more about the Kakhovka dam here.
What to know about the explosion at Ukraine’s Nova Kakhovka dam
A major dam and a hydroelectric power plant close to the front lines in the south of Ukraine were damaged in a blast early Tuesday.
Thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate as officials warn of a risk of catastrophic flooding, while Ukraine and Russia have both blamed each other for the attack.
It remains unclear how the Nova Kakhovka dam was breeched and who is responsible, but both Kyiv and Moscow have much to lose from the resulting damage.
Read more about the explosion here.
A major dam and a hydroelectric power plant close to the front lines in the south of Ukraine were damaged in a blast early Tuesday.
Thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate as officials warn of a risk of catastrophic flooding, while Ukraine and Russia have both blamed each other for the attack.
It remains unclear how the Nova Kakhovka dam was breeched and who is responsible, but both Kyiv and Moscow have much to lose from the resulting damage.
Read more about the explosion here.
Here's the latest from Ukraine:
- More than 1,300 people in the Kherson area have been evacuated, Ukrainian officials said, after damage to the Kakhovka dam triggered devastating floods in the region.
- The U.S. cannot conclusively say what led to the breach of the dam, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters at a briefing on Tuesday.
- Russians have a greater and clearer interest in flooding the lower Dnieper River, the Institute for the Study of War said Tuesday.
- Ukraine’s government will allocate more than $40 million for the construction of two new water mains to supply drinking water in the areas affected by the flooding, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
- The International Atomic Energy Agency will visit the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant next week to assess the state of the plant after widespread damage to the nearby dam.
More live updates here.
- More than 1,300 people in the Kherson area have been evacuated, Ukrainian officials said, after damage to the Kakhovka dam triggered devastating floods in the region.
- The U.S. cannot conclusively say what led to the breach of the dam, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters at a briefing on Tuesday.
- Russians have a greater and clearer interest in flooding the lower Dnieper River, the Institute for the Study of War said Tuesday.
- Ukraine’s government will allocate more than $40 million for the construction of two new water mains to supply drinking water in the areas affected by the flooding, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
- The International Atomic Energy Agency will visit the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant next week to assess the state of the plant after widespread damage to the nearby dam.
More live updates here.
Defend ‘every inch’ of NATO territory? New strategy is a work in progress.
VIITNA, Estonia — The French paratroopers who floated into the fields of Estonia in May were part of a stepped-up rehearsal of what it would take to reinforce a battle group if the country — and NATO — were attacked.
Before Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine last year, the multinational troops stationed in the Baltics and Poland were intended as a “tripwire” — a presence just large enough to signal that any aggression would be met with a collective response, and just capable enough to hope to slow down enemy forces until reinforcements arrived.
Now, as part of what NATO bills as its “biggest overhaul” since the Cold War, the alliance claims that it intends to defend “every inch” of its territory from Day One. That is meant as a message to Moscow, as well as reassurance for countries that feared being left to languish under Russian occupation.
Read the full story here.
VIITNA, Estonia — The French paratroopers who floated into the fields of Estonia in May were part of a stepped-up rehearsal of what it would take to reinforce a battle group if the country — and NATO — were attacked.
Before Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine last year, the multinational troops stationed in the Baltics and Poland were intended as a “tripwire” — a presence just large enough to signal that any aggression would be met with a collective response, and just capable enough to hope to slow down enemy forces until reinforcements arrived.
Now, as part of what NATO bills as its “biggest overhaul” since the Cold War, the alliance claims that it intends to defend “every inch” of its territory from Day One. That is meant as a message to Moscow, as well as reassurance for countries that feared being left to languish under Russian occupation.
Read the full story here.
Ukraine dam’s destruction could ‘forever’ change ecosystems, officials say
The destruction of a major dam and hydroelectric power plant on the front lines of the war in Ukraine may dry up the rich agricultural region of southern Ukraine, sweep pollutants into waterways and upend ecosystems that had developed around the massive reservoir whose waters are now rapidly flooding downstream, although the full impact could take months or even years to understand, officials and experts said.
The escape of the huge store of water from the reservoir will reshape Ukraine’s map, its habitats and its livelihood, endangering communities that depend on the water for drinking and growing crops, forcing farmers out of business, pushing towns to relocate and unsettling delicate ecological balances. Ukrainian officials warned that at least 150 tons of oil stored inside the hydroelectric power plant in the dam were washed into the waterway.
Read the full story here.
The destruction of a major dam and hydroelectric power plant on the front lines of the war in Ukraine may dry up the rich agricultural region of southern Ukraine, sweep pollutants into waterways and upend ecosystems that had developed around the massive reservoir whose waters are now rapidly flooding downstream, although the full impact could take months or even years to understand, officials and experts said.
The escape of the huge store of water from the reservoir will reshape Ukraine’s map, its habitats and its livelihood, endangering communities that depend on the water for drinking and growing crops, forcing farmers out of business, pushing towns to relocate and unsettling delicate ecological balances. Ukrainian officials warned that at least 150 tons of oil stored inside the hydroelectric power plant in the dam were washed into the waterway.
Read the full story here.
As flood engulfs Kherson combat zone, Ukraine claims troop advances in east
KYIV, Ukraine — Waters continued to rise in southern Ukraine, flooding war-torn neighborhoods and trapping thousands of residents on Wednesday, after a catastrophic dam collapse triggered a humanitarian disaster at a pivotal moment of fighting on the front lines of Russia’s 15-month-long war.
Nearly 2,000 homes had flooded by Wednesday morning in Ukrainian-controlled parts of the southern Kherson region, the regional administration said, after the destruction of the Russian-controlled Kakhovka dam and hydroelectric power plant sent water rushing over the banks of the Dnieper River.
With the floodwaters not expected to peak until at least Wednesday night, the scale of the disaster was almost certain to rise. In some inundated towns and villages, residents described calling in vain to the Russian occupying authorities for emergency assistance but said they got no help.
Read the full story here.
KYIV, Ukraine — Waters continued to rise in southern Ukraine, flooding war-torn neighborhoods and trapping thousands of residents on Wednesday, after a catastrophic dam collapse triggered a humanitarian disaster at a pivotal moment of fighting on the front lines of Russia’s 15-month-long war.
Nearly 2,000 homes had flooded by Wednesday morning in Ukrainian-controlled parts of the southern Kherson region, the regional administration said, after the destruction of the Russian-controlled Kakhovka dam and hydroelectric power plant sent water rushing over the banks of the Dnieper River.
With the floodwaters not expected to peak until at least Wednesday night, the scale of the disaster was almost certain to rise. In some inundated towns and villages, residents described calling in vain to the Russian occupying authorities for emergency assistance but said they got no help.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- A vast stretch of southern Ukraine remained underwater on Wednesday after damage to the Soviet-era Kakhovka dam caused a reservoir to overflow and inundate communities downstream on the Dnieper River.
- Moscow and Kyiv have traded blame for the dam’s collapse, which poses strategic challenges to both sides, experts say. The United States said it has not determined what happened.
- More than 1,800 people in the Ukrainian-controlled Kherson region were evacuated from their homes by authorities, with the flood reaching nearly 15,000 homes in the Russia-controlled parts of the Kherson region, local officials said on Wednesday.
- The United States learned of a Ukrainian military plan to carry out a covert attack on the Nord Stream gas pipeline, leaked military documents say.
- Russian ally Belarus lost its bid for a temporary spot on the U.N. Security Council, the Associated Press reported.
More live updates here.
- A vast stretch of southern Ukraine remained underwater on Wednesday after damage to the Soviet-era Kakhovka dam caused a reservoir to overflow and inundate communities downstream on the Dnieper River.
- Moscow and Kyiv have traded blame for the dam’s collapse, which poses strategic challenges to both sides, experts say. The United States said it has not determined what happened.
- More than 1,800 people in the Ukrainian-controlled Kherson region were evacuated from their homes by authorities, with the flood reaching nearly 15,000 homes in the Russia-controlled parts of the Kherson region, local officials said on Wednesday.
- The United States learned of a Ukrainian military plan to carry out a covert attack on the Nord Stream gas pipeline, leaked military documents say.
- Russian ally Belarus lost its bid for a temporary spot on the U.N. Security Council, the Associated Press reported.
More live updates here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is asking international humanitarian agencies to ramp up their response to the flooding that has followed the Kakhovka dam collapse, which inundated swaths of the southern Kherson region.
- Some flood victims in areas occupied by Russian forces say there has been no sign of emergency responders, despite a Kremlin-installed official’s insistence that the situation in the flood zone is “under control.”.
- The head of Kherson’s Russian occupation administration, Vladimir Saldo, said early Thursday that Russian authorities have evacuated about 4,000 people from flood zones and set up temporary accommodation in occupied areas of Zaporizhzhia and Crimea.
- The destruction of the dam is changing the geography and topography on the front lines in southern Ukraine, according to analysts at the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank.
More live updates here.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is asking international humanitarian agencies to ramp up their response to the flooding that has followed the Kakhovka dam collapse, which inundated swaths of the southern Kherson region.
- Some flood victims in areas occupied by Russian forces say there has been no sign of emergency responders, despite a Kremlin-installed official’s insistence that the situation in the flood zone is “under control.”.
- The head of Kherson’s Russian occupation administration, Vladimir Saldo, said early Thursday that Russian authorities have evacuated about 4,000 people from flood zones and set up temporary accommodation in occupied areas of Zaporizhzhia and Crimea.
- The destruction of the dam is changing the geography and topography on the front lines in southern Ukraine, according to analysts at the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank.
More live updates here.
Ukraine launches counteroffensive against Russia
The Ukrainian military has launched a long-anticipated counterattack against occupying Russian forces, opening a crucial phase in the war aimed at restoring Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty and preserving Western support in its fight against Moscow.
Ukrainian troops on Wednesday night intensified their attacks on the front line in the country’s southeast, according to multiple individuals in the country’s armed forces, in a significant push toward Russian-occupied territory. Four members of the military, including multiple officers, spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the battlefield developments.
Follow our live updates here.
The Ukrainian military has launched a long-anticipated counterattack against occupying Russian forces, opening a crucial phase in the war aimed at restoring Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty and preserving Western support in its fight against Moscow.
Ukrainian troops on Wednesday night intensified their attacks on the front line in the country’s southeast, according to multiple individuals in the country’s armed forces, in a significant push toward Russian-occupied territory. Four members of the military, including multiple officers, spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the battlefield developments.
Follow our live updates here.
Ukraine flood victims say occupying Russian officials fail to send help
KYIV, Ukraine — Flood victims in Russian-occupied areas of southern Ukraine described scenes of panic and desperation Wednesday, with residents trapped in their homes and no sign of emergency responders in the area.
“The entire street is sitting on their roofs, begging for help. The animals are drowning and howling,” one woman from Oleshky, an occupied Ukrainian town on the east bank of the Dnieper River, told The Washington Post, communicating via the Telegram messaging app.
In some cases, entire towns and villages were submerged or washed away by the gushing and still-rising floodwaters, which were released by a catastrophic collapse of the Kakhovka dam Tuesday.
“I’m begging you, please, help my parents. They are trapped. I’ll pay, but just save them,” another woman in Oleshky, which has been almost fully submerged, posted in an evacuation chat group set up by volunteers and relatives.
Read the full story here.
KYIV, Ukraine — Flood victims in Russian-occupied areas of southern Ukraine described scenes of panic and desperation Wednesday, with residents trapped in their homes and no sign of emergency responders in the area.
“The entire street is sitting on their roofs, begging for help. The animals are drowning and howling,” one woman from Oleshky, an occupied Ukrainian town on the east bank of the Dnieper River, told The Washington Post, communicating via the Telegram messaging app.
In some cases, entire towns and villages were submerged or washed away by the gushing and still-rising floodwaters, which were released by a catastrophic collapse of the Kakhovka dam Tuesday.
“I’m begging you, please, help my parents. They are trapped. I’ll pay, but just save them,” another woman in Oleshky, which has been almost fully submerged, posted in an evacuation chat group set up by volunteers and relatives.
Read the full story here.
Ukrainian military begins counteroffensive to oust Russian occupiers
KYIV, Ukraine — The Ukrainian military has launched a long-anticipated counteroffensive against occupying Russian forces, opening a crucial phase in the war aimed at restoring Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty and preserving Western support in its fight against domination by Moscow.
Ukrainian troops, including specialized attack units armed with Western weapons and trained in NATO tactics, intensified their strikes on front-line positions in the country’s southeast Wednesday night, according to four people in the country’s armed forces, beginning a significant push into Russian-occupied territory.
The four military personnel, including officers, spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the battlefield developments.
Russian military bloggers also reported heavy fighting in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Read the full story here.
KYIV, Ukraine — The Ukrainian military has launched a long-anticipated counteroffensive against occupying Russian forces, opening a crucial phase in the war aimed at restoring Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty and preserving Western support in its fight against domination by Moscow.
Ukrainian troops, including specialized attack units armed with Western weapons and trained in NATO tactics, intensified their strikes on front-line positions in the country’s southeast Wednesday night, according to four people in the country’s armed forces, beginning a significant push into Russian-occupied territory.
The four military personnel, including officers, spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the battlefield developments.
Russian military bloggers also reported heavy fighting in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Read the full story here.