Russia continues to flex its military muscles, with its Defense Ministry announcing Wednesday that it has launched military exercises involving its giant Yars intercontinental ballistic missile system.
It said on its website that 3,000 military personnel would be involved in the exercise taking place across three regions in Russia.
Russia has often proudly showcased its Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles — which are designed to evade missile defense systems, reputedly up to a range of 7,500 miles — during the annual Victory Day military parade in Moscow.
The move comes just days after Russian president Vladimir Putin announced that Russia would deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus, a move that has been criticized by the West.
Rebuilding Ukraine is the most ambitious project of the 21st century, says prime minister
Rebuilding Ukraine is the most ambitious project of the 21st century, that country’s prime minister was quoted as saying by Ukraine’s government portal.
Since invading Ukraine in February 2022, Russian troops have largely destroyed several Ukrainian cities. Moscow has also intentionally targeted Ukraine’s energy grids and other civilian infrastructure.
Rebuilding will require “huge resources,” Denys Shmyhal said in an online address at a conference. He spoke to more than 200 industry representatives from the EU and Ukraine. The Ukraine government portal did not quantify what rebuilding would cost.
Business will be the “engine of change” to rebuild Ukraine’s economy, said Shmyal. Ukraine’s most promising sectors are energy, defense, agriculture, natural resources and IT, he said.
The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation has announced its readiness to mobilize more than $1 billion in private capital to support Ukraine’s economy, he added.
— Audrey Wan
Zelenskyy says Russia has ‘been at war’ with democracy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia has “been at war” with democracy for years.
“It fights via disinformation, election interference, espionage, corruption exporting, cybercrime, by trying to trigger an energy crisis and price explosions in markets that will hit your people with insane electricity or gas bills,” he said at a democracy summit hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden, according to his office.
Biden and other Western leaders have provided Ukraine with weapons and financial aid, and have slapped rounds of sanctions on Russia, since Moscow invaded its neighbor about 13 months ago. Zelenskyy said “evil must lose the war” because then “it will know that it will always lose everywhere.”
The Ukrainian president said the globe should not “think how to save Putin’s face” in trying to end the war. He also called on his allies to provide “all the weapons that will reliably guarantee” Russia’s defeat.
— Jacob Pramuk
U.S. backs international court for Russia’s war in Ukraine
The Biden administration is offering support for the creation of an international court to prosecute alleged crimes