Kyiv

After witnessing the first two weeks of the war in Ukraine , I went back to the region of Kyiv a month later, to find a very different atmosphere. Life was slowly resuming in the Ukrainian capital following the retreat of Russian troops from the region only a fortnight earlier. I knew the sight of people walking the streets again, and the bright beds of tulips blooming in Maidan Square would contrast starkly with what awaited me on the outskirts of the city. I had come back to document alleged war crimes in the area. The scale of destruction was startling. What used to be peaceful suburbs and villages had been turned into heaps of ruins, behind which lay the open wounds of those who had lived through weeks of horror. Located at the gates if the capital, the town of Irpin stands as a symbol of Ukrainian resistance to the Russian offensive. This is where I met Sasha, a 29 year old construction worker. He walked me through the nightmare he had endured in his … [Read more...] about Ukraine war: Survivors describe Russian army atrocities in the outskirts of Kyiv

Russian missile attacks on residential buildings near Odesa have killed at least 19 people, including two children. The strikes hit the small town of Serhiivka, about 30 miles (50km) southwest of the Ukrainian port city, before dawn on Friday. Pictures show smoke rising from the charred remains of flats as emergency workers search through debris for survivors trapped under the rubble after part of the building collapsed. So far 41 people have been rescued. Moscow insists it only hits military infrastructure, but thousands of civilians have been killed since the war began in February. A Ukrainian army general says Russia is often using inaccurate Soviet missiles, and this is causing significant loss of civilian life. Putin 'may now become more dangerous' - live updates on Ukraine war Another 30 people were injured in the assault, according to Odesa officials. A multistorey apartment building and two holiday camps were hit, local reports claimed. Sixteen of … [Read more...] about Ukraine war: Two children among 19 killed as Russian missiles hit apartment block near Odesa

Joyful pictures show gay and lesbian couples tying the knot in Switzerland , where same-sex marriage officially became legal from today. The weddings took place nine months after the country voted in favour of same-sex unions on September 26 last year. More than 64% of Swiss voters backed the ‘Marriage for All’ law during a nationwide referendum. Same-sex couples will also be able to convert their registered partnership into marriage from today. They can also apply for joint adoption of children and to inherit a partner’s pension when they die. One of the first couples to tie the knot on Friday morning, Laure and Aline, revealed how they had spent 21 years waiting for this day to arrive. Laure told Euronews : ‘We sent out the invitations at the last minute. ‘Our family will be there, and some friends too. ‘It’s very exciting and we are happy to be able to represent marriage for all.’ The couple, both native to Geneva, became registered partners in … [Read more...] about Same-sex couples legally get married in Switzerland after wedding law change

It had once exemplified Ukraine ’s pride in those who have served under its flag, helping wounded soldiers returning from the frontlines. Today, all that remains of the veterans’ rehabilitation centre in war-scarred Borodyanka is skeletal pillars. A direct hit from a Russian tank shell left behind what is now a ruined shell, surrounded by blossoming poppies. Ukraine’s government, however, is being supported by two British charities not just to rebuild, but to turn the facility into a world-leading institution for soldiers left with the devastating after-effects of frontline service. The Ukrainian Veterans’ Rehabilitation Centre was destroyed in early March as Moscow’s forces attacked the town, which lies 40km to the north of Kyiv. Two employees were killed and civilians were buried alive as entire residential apartment blocks were razed to the ground during Moscow’s aborted attempt to advance on the capital. Russian forces briefly occupied the town before their … [Read more...] about Ukraine vows to rebuild wounded heroes centre destroyed by Russian shelling

The Russia Federation is said to be pursuing a ‘campaign of slaughter and terrorism’ in Ukraine as fresh horrors emerged from a shattered town feared to be worse hit then Bucha. American journalist Michael Weiss described a scene of ‘absolute devastation’ in Borodyanka, where he found an entire section of an apartment block razed to the ground. Mr Weiss said reports of people being buried alive were highly likely, with the force of a Russian air strike blasting residents’ possessions into a park across the street. The attack on the town, 40km north west of Kyiv, is said by Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy to have been ‘much worse’ than the assault on Bucha. Mr Weiss, news director at New Lines Magazine, was in Borodyanka yesterday afternoon to gather pictures and video and speak to locals. He told Metro.co.uk: ‘The thing that struck me the most was the absolute devastation of the civilian infrastructure. ‘A series of apartment blocks had been bombed … [Read more...] about Level of Russia’s inhumanity revealed in aftermath of bombing in Borodyanka

Can you store 86 years of someone's life in a 10m2 room? Nazaré Jorge can. For the last three years, the Portuguese pensioner has been living in a tiny room provided by the municipality of Lisbon. Unable to pay the rent of the apartment she had shared for four decades with her aunt, she was evicted in 2019. She was escorted out of the flat by police, and later allocated the room she now calls home. There are no wardrobes, so clothes, medicines, photos and all her belongings are kept in plastic bags scattered around the bed. She spent her 84th birthday in front of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing to demand proper housing. On a very hot June morning, I spent almost three hours listening to her story and filming the squalid room in which she now lives. Just some weeks before, I had been put on the story that can be summed up as "Lisbon´s Housing Crisis". Portugal's, but especially the capital's, property market is now what analysts call one of Europe's … [Read more...] about Inside Lisbon’s housing crisis

Alors que l'OTAN a promis un soutien indéfectible à l'Ukraine, sur le terrain, l'armée ukrainienne fait face à d'importantes difficultés. Au moins 17 personnes ont été tuées lors de frappes sur des immeubles de la région d'Odessa, dans le sud de l'Ukraine, selon Kyiv. La situation à Lyssytchansk, ville de l'Est de l'Ukraine sous pression de l'armée russe, est "extrêmement difficile" avec des bombardements "très puissants", rendant impossibles les évacuations de civils, a annoncé jeudi le gouverneur régional. "Il y a beaucoup de bombardements et depuis plusieurs directions. L'armée russe s'est approchée depuis différentes directions vers Lyssytchansk", a indiqué Serguiï Gaïdaï dans une vidéo sur Telegram. Selon lui, les forces de Moscou restent toutefois "à la périphérie" de la ville, où ne se déroulent pas de combats de rues dans l'immédiat. Selon M. Gaïdaï, les bombardements sur Lyssytchansk sont "très puissants", ce qui "ne rend plus possible les évacuations" … [Read more...] about Guerre en Ukraine : civils piégés à Lyssytchansk, au moins 17 morts dans la région d’Odessa

"L'opération spéciale" décidée par Vladimir Poutine a démarré il y a trois mois. Cette invasion de l'Ukraine a révélé des défaillances de l'armée russe et mis en avant la résistance ukrainienne, soutenue par les pays occidentaux. Le 24 février 2022. Des dizaines de milliers de soldats russes postés à la frontière depuis plusieurs semaines, déferlent sur le pays. Les avions de combats et les chars franchissent la frontière, mais, après plusieurs semaines de combat, échouent à prendre Kyiv. Une image restera, celle de cette colonne de blindés russes longue de plusieurs kilomètres, stoppée dans son avancée vers la capitale. Dans son offensive, Moscou a ciblé de nombreuses bases militaires, ainsi que des infrastructures civiles, provoquant la mort de nombreuses personnes, et entraînant un exode massif de la population pour, finalement, peu d'avancées stratégiques. Kherson, dans le sud, sera la seule cité majeure à tomber avant Marioupol, ville portuaire, conquise en mai … [Read more...] about Ukraine : trois mois d’une guerre qui devait être “éclair”

By Sophie Williams in Kyiv & Yaroslav Lukov in London Published 1 hour ago Share close Share page Copy link About sharing Related Topics Russia-Ukraine war At least 20 people, including one child, have died in overnight Russian missile strikes on Ukraine's southern Odesa region, Ukrainian officials say. The state emergency service, DSNS, says 16 people were killed in a nine-storey building hit by one missile in the village of Serhiyivka. Another four people, including the child, were killed in a separate strike on a holiday resort in the village. Russia has fired dozens of missiles on Ukrainian cities in the past few days. On Friday Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov again denied that Russia was hitting civilian targets. The DSNS said the missiles hit Serhiyivka at about 01:00 on Friday (22:00 GMT Thursday). It released footage showing firefighters … [Read more...] about Ukraine war: Russian missile strikes kill 20 in Odesa region – emergency service

Benefits and state pension to see largest increase in 32 years Tories are now party of big spending, says Sunak How the PM brought in top economists to persuade Sunak Camilla Tominey: True-blue Tories are shuddering Fraser Nelson: Tax grabs have put Britain on road to recession Russia-Ukraine latest: PM calls for new weapons for Ukraine A Tory MP has quit his Government job and criticised the “toxic culture” in No 10 as Boris Johnson’s premiership continues to be rocked by the partygate scandal. Paul Holmes, the Conservative MP for Eastleigh, said in a statement published on his website that he had resigned as Parliamentary Private Secretary at the Home Office. A PPS is the lowest rung on the ministerial ladder but the resignation is likely to prompt alarm bells in Downing Street as the Government struggles to move on following the publication of the Sue Gray report on Wednesday. Mr Holmes said the report had "clearly showed a culture in No 10 … [Read more...] about Tory MP Paul Holmes quits Government job over ‘toxic culture’ at No 10