39 minutes ago
The USA and Ukraine want to produce weapons and defense systems together
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Joe Biden in the Oval Office on September 21, 2023.
Kevin Lamarque | Portal
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening speech on Sunday that the US had agreed to joint arms production with Kiev.
“There is a historic decision by the United States to jointly produce weapons and defense systems, especially air defense. Until recently, this was an absolute fantasy. But it becomes reality. We will make it a reality,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky spent the last week in the United States and Canada after attending the last U.N. General Assembly in New York, before holding separate talks with President Joe Biden and then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“It was a productive week. Very productive. We have made many good defensive and other decisions,” Zelensky said, listing U.S. defense packages including artillery, grenades, HIMARS ammunition, anti-aircraft missiles, additional air defense systems, tactical vehicles and some other types of weapons that will prove themselves on the battlefield.
“From Canada we have a decision for half a billion dollars in long-term defense support. These are in particular Medevac vehicles, which are urgently needed on the front lines… We have agreed on their production and delivery,” he added.
– Holly Ellyatt
43 minutes ago
Russia says it destroyed Ukrainian drones over the Black Sea, Crimea and Russian regions
Russia said its air defense systems destroyed Ukrainian drones over Russian territory and Crimea overnight.
In a post on Telegram, the Russian Defense Ministry said two Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were intercepted over the Kursk area in southwestern Russia and two other drones were destroyed over the neighboring Bryansk region. Both regions have been the target of suspected Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian territory on several occasions. Kiev keeps a low profile about such attacks.
Clouds of smoke rise after a fire broke out at an oil storage facility in Bryansk, Russia, on April 25, 2022.
Natalya Krutova | Portal
The Defense Ministry also said four Ukrainian drones were destroyed over the northwestern part of the Black Sea and over Russian-occupied Crimea.
It was initially not known whether the reported attacks resulted in any damage or injuries.
CNBC could not independently verify the information and there was no comment from Ukraine.
–Holly Ellyatt
48 minutes ago
The Ukrainian port city of Odessa suffers “significant damage” in an attack.
The key Ukrainian port city of Odessa suffered what officials called “significant damage” in a large-scale Russian attack overnight.
According to the defense forces in southern Ukraine, 19 Shahed-136/131 attack drones, 12 Kalibr missiles and 2 Onyx supersonic missiles were used in the attack on Odessa. It said its air defense forces shot down 19 drones and 11 Kalibr missiles.
“Unfortunately, the enemy has attacked the port infrastructure,” officials said on Telegram.
“The sea station in Odessa was significantly damaged, a fire broke out in the building of the station hotel, which had not been functioning for several years. Firefighters immediately removed it,” the post, translated by NBC, said. Onyx rockets destroyed granaries, but no one was injured.
A ship arrives in Odessa, southern Ukraine, as part of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
Yulii Zozulia | Future publishing | Getty Images
“As a result of falling debris during the fighting, the warehouse buildings of one of the companies and a private house in the suburbs of Odessa were damaged and set on fire,” the post continued. The fires have now been extinguished.
– Holly Ellyatt