Ukraine

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Ukraine says its drone forces have killed a Russian general in eastern Ukraine just weeks after he was decorated as a "war hero" by Vladimir Putin.

Major General Anton Grunis was given the "Hero of Russia" medal after it was claimed he led the capture of Kostiantynivka in Ukraine, despite independent military analysts confirming the city remained contested and that the claim of victory was Russian propaganda.

Ukrainian drone commander Robert Brovdi said Grunis had been killed in a nighttime strike in the Donetsk region.

"General Grunis was eliminated on 12 September," Brovdi wrote in a Telegram post on Wednesday.

In Moscow, his death was confirmed by commander Apti Alaudinov, but Russian officials otherwise did not share further details.

Meanwhile, overnight Russian strikes on Kyiv and the port city of Odesa have left at least 18 injured as the Ukrainian military warned of incoming jet-powered Russian drones in several Ukrainian cities.

A child was among the three injured as Russia hit a 19-storey apartment building in Odesa, authorities there said on Telegram.

India says firmly committed to ensuring energy security for its people after US sanctions target Russian oil buyers

India remains firmly committed to ensuring energy security for its people and will continue to do so through diversified sourcing and based on evolving market dynamics, the country's foreign ministry said in a statement this morning.

The ministry added that it has noted the passage of an act that ‌sanctions Russia and ​Iran ‌in the ⁠US Congress.

The US House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a sweeping sanctions and tariff bill intended to increase economic pressure on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

The legislation targets Russia's energy and defense industries, as well as its "shadow fleet" of tankers that evade existing sanctions, in order to deprive Moscow of funds used to pay for its war with Ukraine.

It faced pushback because it also authorizes Trump to impose stiff tariffs of up to 100 per cent on China, India and other countries to reduce their dependence on Russian oil and gas, as well as to extend sanctions on Iran.

Russia’s parliamentary vote features no real opposition to Putin's policies

Russia’s parliamentary election features the Kremlin's main party, United Russia, and nine others that all support president Vladimir Putin’s policies. The only party that dared to oppose the war in Ukraine has been barred from the ballot.

The absence of genuine opposition all but assures the Kremlin will keep tight control of the Russian political scene amid mounting economic costs and increasing Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries and online retailers.

Those drone strikes have made Russians feel the pain from the war more than when it began in 2022.

The Kremlin wants the election — the first since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022 — to underline public support for the war and give a veneer of legitimacy to its action.

It has sought to avoid any political risks by stamping out even the slightest sign of dissent.

Number of injured in Kyiv rises to 18 after overnight strikes

Russian air strikes injured 18 and damaged buildings in the ⁠Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and in the Black Sea port city of Odesa, among other locations, ⁠in the early ​hours today, officials said.

In Odesa, a child was among the three injured as Russia hit a 19-storey apartment building ‌and three others were ​wounded in Zaporizhzhia in the ‌southeast where ⁠a missile strike also caused a ⁠fire at an industrial facility, authorities ‌there ​said on Telegram.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said 12 people, including two children, were wounded in the city, adding that apart from apartment and inhabited buildings, debris also fell on warehouse facilities and near a petrol station, which are now a frequent target of attacks.

Ukraine drone attack damages oil refinery in Russia's Yaroslavl

A Ukrainian drone attack damaged an oil refinery in the Russian city of Yaroslavl and efforts are ongoing to put out the fire, regional governor Mikhail Yevrayev said this morning.

UK armed forces member killed in Ukraine road traffic accident named by MoD

A 40-year-old intelligence officer has died in a road collision in Ukraine, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.

Major Paul Wilks was killed in a traffic accident away from the front lines on Saturday 12 September.

Having commissioned from Sandhurst in 2012, he spent his entire military career serving in the Intelligence Corps.

His Commanding Officer described him as a "man of great intellect", who frequently spoke of his deep love for his wife and two sons.

US House passes sanctions and tariff bill to raise economic pressure on Russia

The US House of Representatives passed a sweeping sanctions and tariff bill intended to increase economic pressure on Russia for its war on Ukraine.

The bill was cleared almost one and a half years after the late US Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, introduced it with dozens of other senators.

The Republican-majority ‌House ​voted 262 ‌to ⁠159 in ⁠favour of the bill.

13 injured in overnight Russian strikes on Kyiv

Russian air strikes injured 13 and damaged buildings ⁠in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and in the Black Sea port city ⁠of ​Odesa in ⁠the early hours today, officials said.

City authorities said 10 people were wounded in Kyiv, with mayor Vitali Klitschko adding that apart from apartment and inhabited buildings, debris also fell on warehouse facilities and near a petrol station, now a frequent target of attacks.

Explosions were heard in Kyiv, a Reuters ‌witness said.

Russian general killed in drone attack days after being lauded for 'victory'

Ukrainian drone forces killed a Russian general in eastern Ukraine, a little over two weeks after he received a Hero of Russia award for his wartime service, Ukrainian drone commander Robert Brovdi said.

Major General Anton Grunis had won praise from president Vladimir Putin earlier this year after helping capture Kostiantynivka, territory disputed by Kyiv and independent military analysts.

Brovdi, who commands Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, said Grunis had been killed in a nighttime strike in the Donetsk region.

The Independent could not independently verify Brovdi's assertions.

Russian commander Apti Alaudinov, in a post on the Telegram messaging app, said Grunis had died, without giving further details.

Ukraine tests new anti-drone weapon during latest barrage of Russian attacks

Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that Ukraine successfully tested a new domestically developed weapon to intercept Iranian-designed Shahed drones.

Ukrainian forces downed 187 airborne targets overnight, with Ukraine's president reporting a 93 per cent interception rate for Russian drones.

Zelensky stated that the new weapon destroyed a target, but noted that further technical refinements are required before full deployment.

Tensions widened as Denmark accused a Russian warship of firing flares within metres of a Danish military helicopter without prior warning.

Russia rejected the accusations, claiming Danish military helicopters conducted dangerous manoeuvres in the Baltic Sea and issuing a formal note to Copenhagen.

Ukrainian drone commander says his forces killed decorated Russian general

Ukrainian drone forces killed a Russian general in eastern Ukraine on Saturday, a little over two weeks after he received a Hero of Russia award for his wartime service, Ukrainian drone commander Robert Brovdi said.

Major General Anton Grunis had won praise from President Vladimir Putin earlier this year after helping capture Kostiantynivka, territory disputed by Kyiv and independent military analysts.