Navalny supporters sing before the memorial service in Moscow
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Power supply to large parts of Crimea has been cut as the region was bombarded by drone strikes overnight.
It comes a day after the Ukrainian military used maritime drones to sink a Russian warship off the coast of occupied Crimea – the latest embarrassing blow to Moscow's naval forces.
Odessa-based media outlet Dumskaya said locals reported hearing explosions and the sounds of active air defenses on the peninsula, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.
The attacks left the Moldavanka district and part of the city center without power, the company reported on its Telegram channel.
Meanwhile, Germany's defense minister said the country's allies were “not upset or upset” after details of high-level military talks were leaked to Russian media.
Boris Pistorius described the incident in which German military officers said British forces were “on the ground” in Ukraine to fire missiles at Russia as an “individual error”.
“They are not angry or upset with Germany because they know that we have rules and that something like this can happen,” said the German defense minister.
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Zelensky thanks “warriors” for fighting “Russian terrorists” in the Black Sea
Volodymyr Zelensky praised his troops for fighting “Russian terrorists” in the Black Sea.
The Ukrainian president also said his army was restoring “security” and “control” over its skies.
On
“Ukraine has already demonstrated its capabilities and strength. The number of destroyed Russian aircraft and the successes of our warriors against the Russian fleet serve as proof of this.
“There are no safe havens for Russian terrorists in the Black Sea. And there won't be any. Just as if Ukraine has enough strength, there will be no safe space for them in the sky. This applies to both partner deliveries and domestic manufacturing.”
Matt Mathers6. March 2024 08:30
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Ukraine's small but deadly weapon boosts morale
Uncrewed, remote-controlled boats have been around since the end of the Second World War. At the end of the last century, technological innovations expanded their possible uses.
Matt Mathers6. March 2024 08:03
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The Argentine president will visit Kiev in June and meet Zelensky
Argentine President Javier Milei said he would visit Kiev as part of a diplomatic tour of Europe in June this year.
The South American leader said he would also meet Volodymyr Zelensky during the visit.
Mr. Milei had previously announced his plans to hold a “Summit in Support of Latin America” for Ukraine in late 2024.
Arpan Rai6 March 2024 07:34
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ICYMI: Arrest warrants have been issued by the ICC against Russian commanders for war crimes in Ukraine
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants against two Russian commanders for committing war crimes by attacking Ukrainian infrastructure. This is the second round of arrest warrants against Russian leaders in the invasion of Ukraine.
The top global court said there were reasonable grounds to believe the two commanders were responsible for “missile attacks by forces under their command against Ukraine's electricity infrastructure from at least October 10, 2022 to at least March 9, 2023.”
The court in The Hague said that these attacks caused damage to Ukraine's civilian population and power grid that went well beyond the expected military advantage.
Although Russia maintains that it does not specifically target civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, over the course of the more than two-year invasion of Ukraine, its troops have fired rockets at hospitals, schools, theaters converted into shelters, villages, grocery stores and marketplaces widely fire inside Ukraine.
Prosecutors in Kiev said they were already investigating possible war crimes after the war-hit country endured two bloody winter campaigns under Russian attacks that hit Ukraine's energy and utility infrastructure.
Arpan Rai6 March 2024 07:29
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Escape from Russian captivity: Register for our exclusive event
To mark ten years of conflict in Ukraine, The Independent is hosting a virtual event exploring the dark underbelly of war, taking the first-hand perspective of a former British army soldier who was captured by Russian forces.
Shaun Pinner will join journalist Tim White to detail how he was imprisoned in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic following the siege of Mariupol and later released as part of a prisoner swap.
At this exclusive event, he will tell the true story of his six-month imprisonment in Russian-occupied Ukraine.
Arpan Rai6 March 2024 07:16
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A Ukrainian drone attacks a Russian fuel and lubricants depot, an official said
A drone strike caused an explosion and fire at a local fuel and lubricant depot in Kursk, Russia. Local officials are describing the attack as an attack from Ukraine.
Local governor Roman Starovoit said no one was injured and that a fuel tank was on fire.
Photos and videos of the attack on the tank farm showed thick clouds of gray smoke rising from the facility. The Independent has not verified the authenticity of the images.
Kursk, a Russian city, borders Ukraine in the northeast of the country.
Ukrainian officials did not comment on the Russian claims.
Ukraine's drone attacks on Russian border towns and areas have increased this week, as authorities in Russia's Belgorod and Voronezh regions claimed their forces shot down Ukrainian drones in separate incidents.
Arpan Rai6. March 2024 07:15
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How Putin's crackdown on dissidents became the hallmark of his regime
As part of Russian President Vladimir Putin's ever-increasing crackdown on dissent, authorities in recent years have passed a series of laws restricting basic human rights, including freedom of expression and assembly, as well as the rights of minorities and religious groups.
These laws target “foreign agents” who allegedly seek to exert influence on Russia, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and organizations that disseminate information that is critical of the Kremlin or contradicts official narratives, particularly regarding Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine.
They have helped the Kremlin maintain tight control over the country's political system, and as a result Putin is expected to extend his rule virtually unchallenged in this month's presidential election.
Human rights activists fear further repression is imminent.
Here's a look at some of the restrictive laws passed in Russia:
Arpan Rai6 March 2024 07:04
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Watch – Video appears to show the moment Ukraine sinks a $65 million Russian warship off Crimea
The video appears to show the moment Ukraine sinks a $65 million Russian warship off Crimea
Ukraine claimed on Tuesday (March 5) that it had sunk another Russian warship in the Black Sea using high-tech maritime drones. Kiev military intelligence said a special force overnight destroyed the large patrol ship Sergey Kotov with unmanned Magura V5 vessels designed and built in Ukraine and loaded with explosives. Ukraine said the cost of the sunken patrol ship, which was struck near the Kerch Strait, was $65 million (£51.2 million). A video posted on social media appears to show the moment Sergey Kotov was hit. Russian authorities have not confirmed the claim.
Lydia Patrick6. March 2024 07:00
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German minister reveals how Russia managed to interfere in top-secret military talks
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius also claimed that Moscow probably intercepted the call not through espionage or targeted surveillance, but through comprehensive surveillance.
On Tuesday morning, he said that the unnamed senior military officer called from Singapore, where an air show was taking place with other senior European military officials – and then dialed into the Webex call using either his cell phone or the hotel's Wi-Fi but no secured line – as would be absolutely necessary for such calls.
Arpan Rai6 March 2024 06:54
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Ukraine shoots down 38 Russian drones overnight in bitter battle with Russia
Ukraine shot down at least 38 drones fired by Russia overnight, the Ukrainian Air Force said in a morning update.
At least 42 Shahed attack drones were fired by Russia, it said.
Russian forces fired five S-300 anti-aircraft missiles into occupied parts of Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast and also fired drones from illegally occupied Crimea, the air force said.
Several drones were also fired from Kursk Oblast and the Russian port city of Primorsko-Akhtarsk in the south of Krasnodar Region.
The Ukrainian Air Force said it deployed mobile fire groups and anti-aircraft missile units over various parts of Ukraine. Several explosions were also reported overnight in the Ukrainian cities of Odessa and Khmelnytskyi.
Arpan Rai6 March 2024 06:22