Nov 16, 2023 · Ukraine in maps: Tracking the war with Russia. 16th November 2023, 09:50 PST. By The Visual Journalism Team BBC News. Ukraine's counter-offensive has now been under way for more than four...
Ukraine aid bill blocked in US Senate
Reuters Videos3 hours agoSTORY: The U.S. Senate blocked an emergency spending bill on Wednesday which would have provided billions of dollars in new security assistance for Ukraine and Israel. That’s as Republicans insisted on tougher measures and more money to control immigration. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said in a floor speech on Wednesday that Senate should “start meeting America's national security priorities, including right here at home”… referring to the illegal immigration at the U.S. border with Mexico. The bill, which includes $20 billion for border security, provides about $50 billion in new security assistance for Ukraine as well as money for humanitarian and economic aid for the government in Kyiv, plus $14 billion for Israel. The final tally of votes was 49 in favor to 51 against, short of the 60 votes needed to start debate. Every Senate Republican voted no, along with Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent who expressed concerns about funding Israel's "current inhumane military strategy". Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, also voted "no" so that he could introduce the measure again in the future. The stalemate in negotiations about Ukraine and Israel funding has been going on for weeks. On Wednesday, Biden warned that a victory for Russia in Ukraine would put Moscow in a position to attack NATO allies – and draw U.S. troops into war. “If Putin takes Ukraine, he won't stop there. It's important to see the long run here. He's going to keep going. History is going to judge harshly those who turned their back on freedom's cause. We can't let Putin win.” On the streets of Kyiv on Wednesday, residents said they were worried and already felt the pain from delays in Western military aid. “We already feel it. A friend of mine recently died fighting. We need to get the help as soon as possible, every day of delay means loss of human lives. Yes, thanks to our partners, our defence is holding up, but regarding this issue, the congressmen need to speed up their actions because we all understand that we have less manpower than Russia.” Congress has approved more than $110 billion for Ukraine since Russia's February 2022 invasion but it has not approved any funds since Republicans took over the House from Democrats in January. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's chief of staff said on Tuesday postponing U.S. assistance for Kyiv would create a "big risk" of Ukraine losing the war with Russia. Ukraine conducted a major counteroffensive push this year, but was unable to break through Russian defensive lines. Russia is now on the offensive in the east.
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- 02:47Ukraine aid bill blocked in US SenateReuters VideosSTORY: The U.S. Senate blocked an emergency spending bill on Wednesday which would have provided billions of dollars in new security assistance for Ukraine and Israel. That’s as Republicans insisted on tougher measures and more money to control immigration. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said in a floor speech on Wednesday that Senate should “start meeting America's national security priorities, including right here at home”… referring to the illegal immigration at the U.S. border with Mexico. The bill, which includes $20 billion for border security, provides about $50 billion in new security assistance for Ukraine as well as money for humanitarian and economic aid for the government in Kyiv, plus $14 billion for Israel. The final tally of votes was 49 in favor to 51 against, short of the 60 votes needed to start debate. Every Senate Republican voted no, along with Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent who expressed concerns about funding Israel's "current inhumane military strategy". Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, also voted "no" so that he could introduce the measure again in the future. The stalemate in negotiations about Ukraine and Israel funding has been going on for weeks. On Wednesday, Biden warned that a victory for Russia in Ukraine would put Moscow in a position to attack NATO allies – and draw U.S. troops into war. “If Putin takes Ukraine, he won't stop there. It's important to see the long run here. He's going to keep going. History is going to judge harshly those who turned their back on freedom's cause. We can't let Putin win.” On the streets of Kyiv on Wednesday, residents said they were worried and already felt the pain from delays in Western military aid. “We already feel it. A friend of mine recently died fighting. We need to get the help as soon as possible, every day of delay means loss of human lives. Yes, thanks to our partners, our defence is holding up, but regarding this issue, the congressmen need to speed up their actions because we all understand that we have less manpower than Russia.” Congress has approved more than $110 billion for Ukraine since Russia's February 2022 invasion but it has not approved any funds since Republicans took over the House from Democrats in January. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's chief of staff said on Tuesday postponing U.S. assistance for Kyiv would create a "big risk" of Ukraine losing the war with Russia. Ukraine conducted a major counteroffensive push this year, but was unable to break through Russian defensive lines. Russia is now on the offensive in the east.3 hours ago
- 01:58Biden Urges Congress to Pass Ukraine Aid Bill, Offers Border DealWSJPresident Biden said he was willing to work with Republicans in Congress to do “significantly more” on border security in order to pass tens of billions of dollars in new aid for Ukraine, which runs out by the end of the year. Photo: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters14 hours ago
- 01:44Biden sends urgent message to Congress: Funding for Ukraine 'cannot wait'Associated Press VideosPresident Joe Biden is calling on Congress to pass tens of billions of dollars in military and economic assistance for Ukraine, warning of dire consequences if lawmakers don’t act. (Dec. 6)15 hours ago
- 01:05Biden: Congress 'cannot wait' to pass Ukraine fundingReuters VideosSTORY: “We can’t let Putin win,” Biden said. Biden spoke as the United States planned to announce $175 million in additional Ukraine aid from its dwindling supply of money for Kyiv. The White House warned this week that the U.S. is running out of time and money help Ukraine repel Russia's invasion. By mid-November, the U.S. Defense Department had used 97% of $62.3 billion in supplemental funding it had received and the State Department had used all of the $4.7 billion in military assistance funding it had been allocated, U.S. budget director Shalanda Young said this week.15 hours ago
- 01:49U.S. Charges Four Russians With Abducting, Torturing American in UkraineWSJAttorney General Merrick Garland, joined by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and FBI Director Christopher Wray, announced the first war crimes the U.S. has formally charged in connection with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Photo: Mark Schiefelbein/Associated Press17 hours ago
- 02:38US files war crime charges against Russians accused of torturing an American in the Ukraine invasionAssociated Press VideosThe Justice Department says it has filed war crime charges against four members of the Russian military accused of abducting and torturing an American during the invasion of Ukraine. The case is the first of its kind. (Dec. 6)18 hours ago
- 04:15Senators yell, walk out of briefing on Ukraine funding as aid packages reach impasseCBS News VideosWith a little over a week before Congress adjourns for its winter break and the White House warning that aid money for Ukraine is running out, lawmakers are fighting with each other over proposed aid packages. CBS News congressional correspondent Scott MacFarlane has more on senators reportedly yelling in and walking out of a classified hearing on Ukraine and other news from Capitol Hill.20 hours ago
- 03:22Senate to hold key test vote on Ukraine aidABC News VideosThe Senate is set to hold a critical test vote on additional aid for Ukraine, as the White House warns Congress that Ukraine is running out of money.23 hours ago
- 04:04YEARENDER: What does 2024 hold for Ukraine?Reuters VideosSTORY: More than 21 months into the biggest conflict in Europe since World War Two, fierce fighting rages in Ukraine with no end in sight. Ukrainians hoped 2023 would be the year the country drove Russian forces out of swathes of occupied land. But the frontline has barely budged. Reuters Ukraine Chief Correspondent Thomas Balmforth: "The main takeaway of the year is probably there haven't been a great deal of advantages by either side during the war." The war in Ukraine has already killed or wounded hundreds of thousands of people, destroyed cities and villages, forced millions from their homes and placed hundreds of thousands more under the Russian occupation. Kyiv's much-anticipated counteroffensive has so far proved unable to punch through Russian defensive lines in the south and east. "Russia controls about 17.5% of Ukrainian territory. Russian forces are back on the offensive in the east, and they've been mounting pressure on the town of Avdiivka. Many of the Ukrainian soldiers are exhausted and many of them will be fighting at the front for almost two years. Ukraine's own commander in chief has already described the war as a stalemate. President Zelenskiy has rejected that characterization, but it really does look very hard to imagine that either side could quickly forge a breakthrough and change things very quickly on the battlefield.” Ukrainians know they must secure Western military aid to carry on and that it will be harder with the war in Gaza distracting global attention. "It's clear that there is increasing fatigue in the West on the matter of providing military and other support to Ukraine. The White House has asked Congress to approve a roughly $60 billion assistance program for Ukraine that would come through next year. At the moment it hasn't passed." Meanwhile in Europe, a four-year €20 billion EU military aid proposal has also run into resistance from some bloc members. Some Ukrainians believe Russian leader Vladimir Putin will use any let-up in fighting to build further defenses and regenerate the Russian army for a new assault. "Russia is expected to hold an election in March that is widely expected to hand Vladimir Putin another six years in the Kremlin. Some observers think that he may feel his hands are more untied after that election to escalate his war effort. That could include, for instance, mobilizing more Russian men to fight in the army. He may also decide to invest even more effort into the defense industry in Russia.” The strain of the war is likely to weigh on everyday Ukrainians, for many of whom war fatigue has become a fact of life. "I spoke to an internally displaced person from the Kherson region, Oleksii. He fled his hometown of Kherson in April 2022 when it was still under occupation. He's now currently living in Kiev and he has no plan to go back home to Kherson because he fears that it's still getting pounded by artillery and he thinks that it's too dangerous. So I think there's a lot of frustration, a lot of fatigue and also a sense that it's gonna be a long, long time until anything goes back to anything resembling normal." "Currently, if everything stays as it is, it doesn't look like Russian forces have any appetite for peace talks. The Ukrainians themselves, their official position is that they want all of their country back. Every single inch of occupied territory to be returned to Ukraine and their position is that peace talks cannot take place until Russia has left their territory. So it really it really does seem that neither side is ready for peace talks, and therefore it seems unlikely that you know the war are good to end anytime soon." Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces via Telegram / State Border Service of Ukraine / National Police of Ukraine / Reuters / Concord Press Service / 35th Separate Brigade of Marines via Facebook / Donetsk Region Police1 day ago
- 02:58Where Ukraine aid negotiations standCBS News VideosThe White House is pushing Congress to approve its funding package to support Ukraine and Israel. But Republicans are trying to attach conditions in exchange for voting yes -- including changes to U.S. border policies. CBS News chief White House correspondent Nancy Cordes explains where talks stand.1 day ago
- 01:54A boy dances again, after extensive wounds in UkraineReuters VideosSTORY: This 8-year-old Ukrainian boy can dance again, after his unlikely recovery from extensive wounds Roman Oleksiv survived one of the single deadliest attacks since Russia began its full-scale invasion Location: Lviv, Ukraine Roman's mother was one of the 28 people killed His father didn't know if the boy would walk again (Yaroslav Oleksiv, Roman's father) "He suffered from shrapnel wounds to his head. He had broken arm, torn muscles in the right leg, and burns. And the burns, 80% total; 40% external and approximately 40% internal. It was decided we would have to go to Germany for treatment. That wasn't available here. So we went to Dresden, in Germany, where we stayed for almost a year, the first two months in an intensive care unit. "He is a fantastic boy. I think the question isn't what he's gone through, but how will he go on? It's very important. I hope that he will continue, with the same strength as now, to grow, develop himself, better himself and that everything will work out well for him." It took more than 30 rounds of surgery, but now he's back in school and playing music again too Roman's father says he has years of treatment ahead on the road to a full recovery1 day ago
- 02:04White House pushes Congress to pass bill with Ukraine funding; Zelenskyy to address senatorsCBS News VideosAs negotiations stall in the Senate over a national security supplemental bill that would provide aid to Israel, the White House on Monday ramped up calls to include Ukraine funding as Senate Republicans demand border reform, leading to stalled negotiations. CBS News' Ed O'Keefe reports.2 days ago
- 03:03Some Russian women demand men return from Ukraine frontReuters VideosSTORY: Maria Andreeva’s husband has been fighting in Ukraine for more than a year. But she’s waging her own battle in Moscow: to get him home. And she is not alone. An increasing number of Russian women are demanding the return of their husbands, sons and brothers from the front line. They were mobilized following a decree by President Vladimir Putin in September last year. Hundreds of thousands of young men rushed to leave Russia. Millions did not - and some of them were called up to fight. "We want our men to be demobilized. To bring them back home to us. Because we believe that in a year they have done all they could for the front, and even more than was required of them. They are civilians. First of all, they are losing their skills, they are losing their health - both physical and psychological." Since Andreeva's husband was mobilized, he’s only been back for two short breaks to see his wife and young daughter. Andreeva says this is insufficient for a soldier fighting in a conflict. "Just as my daughter understands that you can play with dad, that dad is nearby, that dad rocks her in the evening - you see, our dad is very involved, and has been so right from the beginning - and it's very hard for her without dad... And then boom, here we go again." As part of their demonstrations, they’re aiming right at the top. "We are trying to get through to the Direct Line with the president, then we will think further. Solitary protests. Something like putting stickers on cars, so that they don't forget about us. We will put prints on clothing, do everything possible to attract attention to the problem. We will also try to interact with the media, many girls already want to, are ready, are trying." Tackling the movement is a delicate matter for the Kremlin. Moscow sent tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine in February 2022. In previous wars, it has tolerated higher death tolls than would be politically palatable in Western countries. But the growing movement of Russian women emphasizes the complexity and inequality of keeping so many men at war for so long. Especially while many more of fighting age remain at home. Women in Ukraine have also demanded their men be allowed back from the front. Andreeva says Russia's defense ministry has barely engaged with the women. The ministry did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. Andreeva told Reuters the second her husband is snoring next to her in bed, she will end her protests. Reuters did not seek or receive any military or other potentially sensitive information from Andreeva.2 days ago
- 01:07White House warns Congress Ukraine aid is running outABC News VideosThe White House issued a dire warning about the urgent need to approve aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia.2 days ago
- 03:58US military aid for Ukraine running outABC News VideosThe White House has issued a warning to Congress that funds for weapons and assistance to Ukraine will run out by the end of the year.3 days ago
- 04:46Congress needs to act on Ukraine aid or money will run out this month, budget office saysCBS News VideosLawmakers on Monday received a stern warning from the U.S. Budget Office's director saying if Congress doesn't act, aid for Ukraine will run dry by the end of this year. CBS News congressional correspondent Scott MacFarlane has more.3 days ago
- 04:26Time and money to help Ukraine running out, White House saysCBS News VideosThe White House warns it's running out of time and money to help Ukraine fight off Russia's invasion. George Beebe, former director of Russia analysis at the CIA, joined CBS News to discuss what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is calling a new phase of the war.3 days ago
- 01:06Zelensky Says Global Focus on Gaza Threatens Military Aid to UkraineWSJUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he could not allow the world to forget about war in his country as attention shifts to the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Photo: Efrem Lukatsky/Associated Press6 days ago
- 02:47The AP Interview: Ukraine's Zelenskyy says war with Russia is in a new phase as winter loomsAssociated Press VideosIn an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the war with Russia is entering a new stage, with winter expected to complicate the fighting and the Middle East capturing global attention. (Dec. 1)(AP Video/ Srdjan Nedeljkovic and Felipe Dana).6 days ago
- 04:24Russia says it launched new attack on Ukraine as Blinken meets with NATO allies about warCBS News VideosThe Russian Defense Ministry said it has launched an attack on Ukrainian military infrastructure from a warship in the Black Sea, hitting its intended targets with four cruise missiles. Ukraine didn't immediately comment on the Russians' claim. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with NATO foreign ministers Wednesday morning about the war. CBS News intelligence and national security reporter Olivia Gazis has more.1 week ago
- 00:59Ukraine says wife of spymaster Budanov poisonedReuters VideosSTORY: The wife of Ukraine’s military spy chief has been poisoned with heavy metals and is undergoing treatment, a spokesperson for the country’s intelligence agency GUR said on Tuesday. Marianna Budanova is the wife of Kyrylo Budanov, who has been prominently involved in clandestine operations against Russian forces since its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. GUR spokesperson Andriy Yusov confirmed the poisoning to Reuters without clarifying when it took place. It was first reported by Ukrainian media outlets. The BBC's Ukrainian service cited Yusov as saying that several GUR officials had also experienced milder symptoms of poisoning. Budanov himself has been the target of several attempts on his life, including a botched car bombing. In Russian media, he has become a hate figure as his public profile has risen in Ukraine and the West where he is portrayed as a behind-the-scenes mastermind of operations against Russia.1 week ago
- 04:41Ukraine strains to bolster army as war fatigue weighs heavyReuters VideosSTORY: When Antonina Danylevych's husband Oleksandr enlisted in the Ukrainian army in March 2022, he lined up at the draft office alongside swathes of patriotic countrymen. She says those crowds are now non-existent. As the war drags towards the two-year mark, Ukraine seems to be struggling to bolster its army - meaning little reprieve for some of those already in service. Danylevych and 25,000 others signed a petition to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy this autumn. They say military service cannot remain open-ended, and insist troops be given a clear timeline for when they will be discharged. The campaign has included two small protests in Kyiv's main square in recent weeks, despite martial law prohibiting public demonstrations since the start of the war. "We have gathered here today to make our government acknowledge that our husbands joined service at the very start of the war, just when the full-scale invasion began. We demand that the length of time the mobilized men must serve is clearly defined. We hope we will be heard. And our husbands, too. It is very tough for them, they are exhausted. They do not need rotation, I, we are here to demand they are given proper rest. What we need is demobilization." Danylevych's husband has only had about 25 days of home leave since he enlisted. With no end to his tour in sight, she is finding it hard to cope. She says Oleksander – formerly a university lecturer, now a platoon commander – had to watch his son get married this year on video call from the ruined city of Bakhmut. Her 14-year-old daughter misses her dad. "We were sitting together, all the wives and asking ourselves: how much longer? How much more time will pass before the length of our husband's, son's service is defined? It is not clear. You need to understand, while the boys are fighting children grow up without fathers. We do not want the war to just end, we want Ukraine to win but not with the hands of the same people and only those people. I understand they need to be replaced, they also need to rest. But somehow, other people do not understand it." Oleksander and his unit couldn't be reached for comment. Many families like Danylevych's face the prospect of a longer and costlier conflict than they had hoped for. One that some now acknowledge they're not guaranteed to win. Ukraine's vaunted summer counteroffensive has so far failed to deliver a decisive breakthrough. And both Ukraine and Russia are dug in along largely static front lines. Danylevych's campaign points to difficult choices war planners face, as they try to maintain the flow of recruits to defeat a much larger army amid steady losses, while retaining a big enough workforce to sustain the shattered economy. The army recruitment process largely takes place out of the public eye. Only Ukrainian men aged between 27 and 60 can be mobilized by draft officers. But these officers do stop men in the street, at the metro or at checkpoints and hand out call-up papers to them, instructing to report to recruitment centers. Over the last year, social media videos occasionally surface showing officers dragging away or threatening men they want to mobilize. Reuters spoke to this man in September, who asked not to be identified. He says he has a job that allows him to stay indoors for long periods of time which helps him avoid being handed a draft note. If he does have to leave, he uses taxis instead of public transport. "I remain at home because I can be handed a draft note in any public place. I have heard stories about men getting draft notes in buses, public transport, cafes. That's why I do not go anywhere in public places." Some sociologists say a gloomier mood has set in nationwide. They point to surveys showing declining trust in the government, which had surged in the first months of the war when Ukrainian forces repelled Russian advances. Danylevych says it's hard watching the war unfold from the home front. "Women have indeed become stronger. But at what cost?", she says. "Everyone pays a different price."1 week ago
- 01:49Ukraine shipping more grain through the Black Sea despite threat from RussiaAssociated Press VideosIncreasing numbers of ships are streaming toward Ukraine’s Black Sea ports and heading out loaded with grain, metals and other cargo despite the threat of attack and explosive mines. It's happening under a fledgling shipping corridor launched after Russia pulled out of a U.N.-brokered agreement this summer that allowed food to flow safely from Ukraine during the war. (Nov. 27) (AP video: Anton Shtuka/Alex Babenko)1 week ago
- 02:51Russian election hopeful wants to end Ukraine warReuters VideosSTORY: Yekaterina Duntsova wants to end Vladimir Putin’s reign and in turn the conflict in Ukraine. The former regional TV journalist hopes to be Russia's next president. "I expect that we will negotiate in the future. Any conflict, including an armed one comes to an end, sooner or later. I do wish it was over as soon as possible." The 40-year-old announced her desire to run in next year’s elections this month. But she told Reuters in this sit-down interview she is afraid. And has been warned about speaking too much to foreign correspondents. "It is clear that any sane person taking this step would be afraid. But fear must not win. Because there is a goal. And it is important to me not to cheat those people who write to me expressing their support, who call me their hope." That hope includes a promise to free political prisoners and undertake major reform to halt division between Russia and the West. Russian laws can prosecute those who criticize what the Kremlin calls a “special military operation’’ in Ukraine. So Duntsova refused to use the word "war" to describe the conflict. Choosing her words carefully, she says she is not a pawn being used to legitimize the election and denies any links to the Kremlin. "Despite the very substantial support (for Putin), the people are very tired of what is happening. The families who lost their fathers, brothers, husbands, sons they do suffer very much. '' Duntsova needs 300,000 signatures to stand in the March election. Russian state media ignore her. Putin is expected to run and is certain to win if he does. Opposition politicians cast the vote as a fig leaf of democracy adorning a corrupt dictatorship. Saying such elections often draw in weak candidates to give the pretense of competition. Putin supporters dismiss that, pointing to independent polling showing approval ratings of over 80%. "Every day, it becomes clearer that the laws will become tougher and that there will be fewer and fewer rights and freedoms. Some people may even like it because they do not need to make decisions. There is a category of people who are very comfortable when others make decisions for them. But we are talking about people who want to think. They are depressed by the situation when they can't speak or act freely."1 week ago
- 00:56Winter storm causes blackouts, road closures in UkraineReuters VideosSTORY: The extreme weather comes as tens of thousands of troops man front-line positions in the 21-month-old war with Russia and amid fears Moscow could target the power grid with air strikes this winter. At least 1,370 cargo trucks were stuck and 840 cars had to be towed away amid snow drifts that in some places were two meters (6.56 ft) high, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko wrote on the Telegram messenger. Southern and central Ukraine were the worst hit, he said. More than 1,500 rescue workers were involved in a massive clean-up effort, according to the state emergency service, which posted photos of cars, buses, and cargo trucks which had veered off snowbound roads. Ukraine's largest private energy provider, DTEK, said early on Monday that it had been able to restore power to nearly 250 settlements.1 week ago
Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine in an escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War that started in 2014. The invasion was the largest attack on a European country since World War II.
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