Ukraine war: Zelenskyy pledges push for victory on anniversary

Published

2 years ago

February 24, 2023

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Ukrainians have proven themselves to be “invincible”, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said, as he attended a memorial service out in the open in central Kyiv – marking a year since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

On a day of commemorations and defiance, the Ukrainian president presented awards in the capital to surviving soldiers and civilians – wives and daughters of fallen “heroes” – describing the past year as one of “pain, sorrow, faith and unity”.

“It is actually quite remarkable that they are having a parade and memorial service like this today, standing in the open in Kyiv,” General Sir Richard Barrons, a former head of Joint Forces Command, told Sky News.

“That shows how much they think they have done to repel the Russian invasion and how confident they are about how as long as the West continues to support Ukraine, Ukraine will prevail in the end.”

Ukraine war – latest: Marking a year of war in Europe

The Ukraine leader, who has remained steadfast alongside his people in the resistance against Vladimir Putin’s invading forces, tweeted: “On February 24, millions of us made a choice. Not a white flag, but the blue and yellow one. Not fleeing, but facing. Resisting & fighting.

“It was a year of pain, sorrow, faith, and unity. And this year, we remained invincible.

“We know that 2023 will be the year of our victory!”

He posted his comments alongside a video reflecting on the first 12 months of the bloody conflict which has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of civilians.

It included footage of families torn apart and in tears, and the destruction of cities, as well as remembering the war dead.

However, it also hailed the “bravery” of Ukrainian civilians and soldiers against the invading forces, and looked ahead to a year of “hope, endurance and invincibility”.

President Zelenskyy’s call for victory came as the general assembly of the United Nations last night voted overwhelmingly for Russia to pull out of Ukraine and for accountability for war crimes.

Just six countries – Belarus, North Korea, Eritrea, Mali, Nicaragua and Syria – voted with Russia against the resolution calling for a comprehensive, lasting and just peace. China, India, Iran and South Africa were among the 32 countries who abstained.

China has reiterated its calls for a political settlement to the Ukraine conflict – issuing a 12-point plan calling for a ceasefire, resumption of peace talks, and an end to unilateral sanctions.

Key points
• UK announces new sanctions banning every item Russia is using on battlefield
• China calls for ceasefire and peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow
• US announces another $2bn (£1.65bn) in security assistance

Despite Beijing’s demands, including for the West to stop arming Ukraine, the White House said the United States will provide Ukraine with an additional $2bn (£1.65bn) in security assistance, while the UK on Friday announced new sanctions, banning the export of every item Russia has used on the battlefield in Ukraine.

The package of internationally co-ordinated sanctions and trade measures include export bans on hundreds of goods, such as aircraft parts, radio equipment, and electronic military components.

Mr Zelenskyy has spent much of the last few weeks touring European capitals, appealing to leaders to send his country fighter jets.

However, there are fears among Western leaders that Ukraine would use the aircraft to strike targets inside Russia. Instead, many have opted to send tanks or armoured vehicles.

British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the UK will not be supplying fighter jets in the “short term”, as it would mean sending “hundreds of people” to the country and “the West is not going to be putting troops into Ukraine in those scales”.

He told Sky News: “The one thing I have learnt in this conflict is you can’t rule anything in and rule anything out.”

On China’s efforts to portray itself as a neutral peace broker, Mr Wallace said: “If your big neighbour doesn’t vote actively in support of you it is sending a strong message to President Putin that this is unwise and a folly and that he should cease.”

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Ukrainian frontline commander warns: ‘The world is scared of Russia and losing is not only our problem’

Published

3 hours ago

November 14, 2024

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Ukrainian frontline commander warns: 'The world is scared of Russia and losing is not only our problem'

In the courtyard of a farmhouse now home to soldiers of the Ukrainian army’s 47th mechanised brigade, I’m introduced to a weary-looking unit by their commander Captain Oleksandr “Sasha” Shyrshyn.

We are about 10km from the border with Russia, and beyond it lies the Kursk region Ukraine invaded in the summer – and where this battalion is now fighting.

The 47th is a crack fighting assault unit.

They’ve been brought to this area from the fierce battles in the country’s eastern Donbas region to bolster Ukrainian forces already here.

War latest: Russia ready to carry out ‘massive attack’

Captain Shyrshyn explains that among the many shortages the military has to deal with, the lack of infantry is becoming a critical problem.

Sasha is just 30 years old, but he is worldly-wise. He used to run an organisation helping children in the country’s east before donning his uniform and going to war.

He is famous in Ukraine and is regarded as one of the country’s top field commanders, who isn’t afraid to express his views on the war and how it’s being waged.

His nom de guerre is ‘Genius’, a nickname given to him by his men.

‘Don’t worry, it’s not a minefield’

Sasha invited me to see one of the American Bradley fighting vehicles his unit uses.

We walk down a muddy lane before he says it’s best to go cross-country.

“We can go that way, don’t worry it’s not a minefield,” he jokes.

He leads us across a muddy field and into a forest where the vehicle is hidden from Russian surveillance drones that try to hunt both American vehicles and commanders.

Sasha shows me a picture of the house they had been staying in only days before – it was now completely destroyed after a missile strike.

Fortunately, neither he, nor any of his men, were there at the time.

“They target commanders,” he says with a smirk.

‘The world is scared of Russia’

It takes me a moment or two to realise we are only a few steps away from the Bradley, dug in and well hidden beneath the trees.

Sasha tells me the Bradley is the finest vehicle he has ever used.

A vehicle so good, he says, it’s keeping the Ukrainian army going in the face of Russia’s overwhelming numbers of soldiers.

He explains: “Almost all our work on the battlefield is cooperation infantry with the Bradley. So we use it for evacuations, for moving people from one place to another, as well as for fire-covering.

“This vehicle is very safe and has very good characteristics.”

Billions of dollars in military aid has been given to Ukraine by the United States, and this vehicle is one of the most valuable assets the US has provided.

Ukraine is running low on men to fight, and the weaponry it has is not enough, especially if it can’t fire long-range missiles into Russia itself – which it is currently not allowed to do.

If President-elect Donald Trump cuts the supply of military aid, the Ukrainians will lose – it’s that simple.

Sasha says: “We have a lack of weapons, we have a lack of artillery, we have a lack of infantry, and as the world doesn’t care about justice, and they don’t want to finish the war by our win, they are afraid of Russia.

“I’m sorry but they’re scared, they’re scared, and it’s not the right way.”

Like pretty much everyone in Ukraine, Sasha is waiting to see what the US election result will mean for his country.

He is sceptical about a deal with Russia.

“Our enemy only understands the language of power. And you cannot finish the war in 24 hours, or during the year without hard decisions, without a fight, so it’s impossible. It’s just talking without results,” he tells me.

‘Losing will be not only our problem’

These men expect the fierce battles inside Kursk to intensify in the coming days.

Indeed, alongside the main supply route into Kursk, workers are already building new defensive positions – unfurling miles of razor wire and digging bunkers for the Ukrainian army if it finds itself in retreat.

Sasha and his men are realistic about support fatigue from the outside world but will keep fighting to the last if they have to.

“I understand this is only our problem, it’s only our issue, and we have to fight this battle, like we have to defend ourselves, it’s our responsibility,” Sasha said.

But he points out everyone should realise just how critical this moment in time is.

“If we look at it widely, we have to understand that us losing will be not only our problem, but it will be for all the world.”

Stuart Ramsay reports from northeastern Ukraine with camera operator Toby Nash, and producers Dominique Van Heerden, Azad Safarov, and Nick Davenport.

World

Spain flooding: New weather warnings issued – as country counts flooding cost

Published

3 hours ago

November 14, 2024

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Spain flooding: New weather warnings issued - as country counts flooding cost

A weather warning has been issued for parts of Spain, as the country counts the cost of recent flooding.

The orange warnings are in place for parts of southwestern Spain – the area around Seville down towards Gibraltar.

Up to 8cm (3ins) of rain could fall within 12 hours, but the weekend looks much more settled in the country.

The latest warnings come just two weeks after flash flooding in Valencia and other parts of the country killed more than 200 people.

Malaga saw 14.2cm (5.6ins) of rainfall on Wednesday – Spain’s highest of the day – most of which fell in six hours.

All train services were halted in Malaga. Some flights have now resumed after the initial disruption.

Emergency services in the province have moved 3,000 people from homes at risk of flooding close to the Guadalhorce River in the west of the city.

Jamie Marchant, 29, from Caerphilly in South Wales travelled to Malaga last Wednesday.

He told Sky News that “debris” had been left behind by the recent rainfall in the region.

“Everyone is pitching in to clean up and some shops are opening as usual,” he added.

Orange warnings for the Valencia region in eastern Spain expired earlier on Thursday.

The adverse weather could lead to total insured losses of more than €4bn (£3.33bn), according to credit rating agency Morningstar DBRS.

Much of the claims are expected to be covered by the Spanish government’s insurance pool, the agency said, but insurance premiums are likely to increase.

World

Diamond necklace linked to Marie Antoinette’s downfall sells for £3.7m

Published

3 hours ago

November 14, 2024

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Diamond necklace linked to Marie Antoinette's downfall sells for £3.7m

A necklace believed to contain jewels from the infamous Marie Antoinette “Affair of the Diamond Necklace” has been sold for £3.7m.

Set with nearly 500 diamonds and weighing about 300 carats, it smashed price expectations at a Sotheby’s auction in Geneva.

The Marchioness of Anglesey wore it at Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953, and it was also worn 16 years earlier at King George VI’s crowning.

However, the link to Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France, may have been the most intriguing selling point for the mystery buyer.

Some of the jewels are believed to have been at the centre of the Affair of the Diamond Necklace – a scandal which is said to have paved the way for Antoinette’s eventual downfall.

The scandal erupted when a hard-up noblewoman, Jeanne de la Motte, pretended to be the queen and acquired a hugely expensive necklace in her name without paying.

Antoinette, who was accused of having a hand in the scam, was acquitted in a trial. But the affair discredited her further in the eyes of the French people – among whom she was already deeply unpopular.

Her reputation never recovered, her public appearances all but ceased, and the number of pamphlets containing malicious gossip about her increased.

It also added to her reputation for extravagance that helped fuel the French Revolution – with the queen beheaded in 1793.

Jewels from the original necklace – which contained nearly 650 diamonds and weighed almost 2,800 carats – were
later sold on the black market, making them hard to trace.

However, a Bond Street jeweller testified at the time that he bought about 350 of them for just over £10,000, according to Sotheby’s.

Experts say the quality and age of the diamonds in the necklace sold on Wednesday point to a match.

“It’s likely or possible that some of these diamonds may have come from the famous diamond necklace that led to the downfall of Marie Antoinette,” said Jessica Wyndham, Sotheby’s head of magnificent jewels.

The Georgian-era piece measures 67cm and hadn’t been seen in public for 50 years before it came up for sale.

Its final sale price of over 4.2 million Swiss francs was double its pre-auction valuation.