Ukraine-Russia war live: Kyiv claims five Moscow fighter jets hit by drones, as Prigozhin ‘confirmed dead’
Ukraine hit five of Moscow’s fighter jets with an overnight drone strike on Russian soil, a source in Kyiv’s security service has told Ukrainian outlets. Russia’s defence ministry claimed to have shot down two drones in the Bryansk and Kursk regions, which both border Ukraine, giving no information about possible damages or casualties. But the Kyiv Post and Ukrainska Pravda both cited sources in Ukraine’s SBU security service as claiming that just three of more than a dozen drones were brought down, claiming strikes on four Russian Su-30 fighter jets and one MiG-29 at an airfield in Kursk. It came as Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was confirmed by Russia’s Investigative Committee to have died in a plane crash near Moscow on Wednesday, citing the results of genetic tests it said confirmed the identities of the 10 bodies found in the wreckage. Western politicians and commentators have speculated that Mr Putin ordered Prigozhin to be killed as punishment for Wagner’s brief mutiny in June. Meanwhile, a resurfaced clip of Prigozhin talking about a “plane falling apart in the sky” has resurfaced on social media. Read More What we know — and don't know — about the crash of a Russian mercenary's plane Putin says Wagner chief had ‘complicated fate’ – as officials suggest explosion on plane caused fatal crash While world media speculates on Wagner chief's presumed death, Russian state media shies away Wagner has been decapitated – the mercenaries should fear the future
2023-08-28 02:28
Who is ‘Juice’? The ‘mega talent’ Ukrainian pilot killed in mid-air plane crash
Ukraine is mourning the loss of three fighter pilots killed as two training aircraft collided in the skies some 90 miles west of Kyiv. Singled out for particular praise by president Volodymr Zelensky and Ukraine’s airforce is Captain Andriy Pilshchykov, a pilot who went by the military callsign “Juice”. The late pilot, who was 30 years old when the crash occured over the western Zhytomyr region on Friday, had become known not just for his defence of Ukraine, but also for his passionate advocacy for the United States to provide Kyiv with F-16 fighter jets. The Mig-29 pilot first won fame in Ukraine as he took part in “dogfights” with Moscow’s fighter jets in the skies above Kyiv during the initial months of Russia’s invasion, according to Ukrainian news outlets. As Russian air sorties over Kyiv grew fewer, Pilshchykov continued to defend Ukraine’s skies as he sought to intercept Russian cruise missiles and drones before they struck targets on the ground – and by last May had already racked up 500 hours of combat flights. Last summer, he was one of two Ukrainian pilots chosen to travel to Washington to lobby members of the US Congress to provide Kyiv with F-16 fighter jets, which Joe Biden’s administration eventually agreed to do in May. “Juice” also gave multiple interviews with Western media outlets, speaking to Sky News, the BBC, CNN and Washington Post to name a few, as he fought Ukraine’s case to be provided with the jets. In one interview with the BBC, he said of his missions: “Intercepting the cruise missiles, your mission is to save the lives on the ground, to save the city. If you are not able, it's a terrible feeling that somebody will die. Somebody will die in minutes and you didn't prevent that.” In another broadcast with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, he said: “All of us are ready to fight, just with our jets, with our guns, even just in the fields with rifles. “So our people, including me, we are ready to fight Russians, and we are ready to defend our country, to defend our people in absolutely any ways. But we need tools, effective tools, to do this efficiently.” His call sign, “Juice”, was reportedly given to him by US pilots during a joint training exercise because he did not drink alcohol, and air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat hailed him as a “main driver of an advocacy group promoting many decisions on the F-16s”, who was “in constant contact with Californian pilots”. Speaking to The Guardian, Mr Ihnat also praised “Juice” as a driver of reforms in the air force was “trying to bring Nato standards into Ukraine … and even western traditions, such as the burning of pianos to honour a fallen pilot”. His death has struck a chord in Ukraine, where official footage on Sunday appeared to show troops lined up on a runway to commemorate Pilshchykov and his two fallen comrades Major Viacheslav Minka and Major Serhii Prokazin, as a piano played a sombre lament and was set alight in tribute. Ukraine’s prosecutor general’s office has opened a criminal investigation into whether flight preparation rules were violated prior to the fatal crash on Friday, which involved two L-39 training aircraft. As he vowed that the investigation would clarify the circumstances of the crash, Mr Zelensky hailed “Juice” in his nightly address on Saturday as “one of those who helped our country a lot”, adding: “Ukraine will never forget anyone who defended Ukraine’s free sky. May they always be remembered.” Mr Ihnat, of Ukraine’s air force, described Pilshchykov as a “mega talent”, adding: “You can't even imagine how much he wanted to fly an F-16. But now that American planes are actually on the horizon, he will not fly them.” Writing on Facebook, Mr Ihnat added: “Andriy Pilshchykov was not just a pilot, he was a young officer with great knowledge and great talent. He was an excellent communicator, the driver of reforms in Air Force aircraft, a participant in many projects. “I often supported his crazy ideas, which gave incredible results.” Nolan Peterson, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council think-tank was among Western commentators to pay tribute to the pilot, saying: “The stories he told me about flying his MiG-29 in combat against Russia are the stuff of epics. He is a hero and will be rightly remembered as such.” Read More Putin orders Wagner fighters to sign oath of allegiance following Prigozhin plane crash Putin’s hit list: from poisoned tea to mysterious falls, the grisly fate of the Kremlin’s enemies Ukraine investigates incident that killed 3 pilots while Russia attacks with cruise missiles ‘Gangster’ Putin committed ‘most ostentatious’ act of savagery in our lifetimes, says Boris
2023-08-28 02:19
US Energy Exports on Agenda for G-7 Meeting, McCarthy Says
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he plans to promote US natural gas exports at a meeting with his
2023-08-28 00:52
Ukraine-Russia war live: Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin confirmed dead in plane crash
Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has today been confirmed dead in a plane crash near Moscow on Wednesday. Russia‘s Investigation Committee said the results of genetic tests had confirmed the identities of the 10 people who died in a plane crash last Wednesday and they included the founder of the Wagner mercenary group. Russia’s civil aviation authority earlier this week said Prigozhin, along with some of his top lieutenants, were on the list of those on board the plane that crashed. Prigozhin’s private jet came down north-west of Moscow, killing all those on board. The Kremlin has denied speculation it was to blame for the crash. It comes as a resurfaced clip of the Wagner leader has resurfaced on social media, stoking conspiracy theories about his demise. In the 40-second clip, the Russian mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin compared Russia’s trajectory in the war to a plane that will “fall apart in the air”. In the video taken from an interview originally published on April 29 with Russian military blogger Semyon Pegov, Prigozhin said he would rather be killed than lie to his country. Read More What we know — and don't know — about the crash of a Russian mercenary's plane Putin says Wagner chief had ‘complicated fate’ – as officials suggest explosion on plane caused fatal crash While world media speculates on Wagner chief's presumed death, Russian state media shies away Wagner has been decapitated – the mercenaries should fear the future
2023-08-27 19:45
Wagner boss talks about ‘plane falling apart in the air’ in resurfaced clip fuelling conspiracy theories
A resurfaced clip of the Wagner leader who was killed in a plane crash has resurfaced on social media, stoking conspiracy theories about his demise. In the 40-second clip, the Russian mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin compared Russia’s trajectory in the war to a plane that will “fall apart in the air”. The ominous comparison has now added fuel to fire in the theory the Wagner chief was killed the order of Russian president Vladimir Putin, after Prigozhin has been confirmed as one of the passengers on a private jet that crashed northwest of Moscow with no survivors on Wednesday. The incident occurred just two months after he shocked the global stage by leading a mutiny against Putin, before abruptly calling off the half-baked uprising at the eleventh hour. In the video taken from an interview originally published on April 29 with Russian military blogger Semyon Pegov, Prigozhin said he would rather be killed than lie to his country, and talked about a plane disintegrating in the sky. “Today we have reached the boiling point,” he said in the clip published on Grey Zone, Wagner’s Telegram channel. “Why am I speaking so honestly? Because I don’t have the right, before those people who will live on in this country. They are now being lied to. Better kill me.” He added: “But I will not lie, I must say honestly that Russia is on the brink of disaster. And if these cogs are not adjusted today, then the plane will fall apart in the air.” Hundreds of responses had been posted on Grey Zone within a few hours. “But he knew,” a Telegram user whose name translates to “outpost” wrote in the first response. Some posts speculated Prigozhin was still alive, with one claiming he would “soon jump out of a snuffbox and make the devils c*** themselves.” The Kremlin has said Western suggestions he had been killed on its orders were an “absolute lie.” Read More Prigozhin's final months were overshadowed by questions about what the Kremlin had in store for him Putin orders Wagner fighters to sign oath of allegiance following Prigozhin plane crash If the Wagner mercenary chief is dead, he got the death he deserved Russia says it has confirmed Prigozhin died in the plane crash Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin confirmed dead in plane crash by Russian investigators Ukraine-Russia war live: Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin confirmed dead in plane crash
2023-08-27 19:45
Vigil to be held after four young people killed in crash
A vigil will be held later in memory of four young people who died in a County Tipperary car crash.
2023-08-27 15:23
Saudi Arabia Signals Interest in Champions League Football Entry
Saudi Arabia is interested in discussions about joining Europe’s top football club tournament, the Champions League, as the
2023-08-27 14:48
German Inflation Trauma of 1923 Strikes an Uneasy Chord Today
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2023-08-27 13:54
Ukraine-Russia war live: Ace Ukrainian pilot nicknamed ‘Juice’ among 3 killed as combat jets collide mid-air
Ukraine has lost three military pilots, including a “mega talent” who wished to fly F-16s, after two L-39 combat training aircraft collided west of Kyiv, the air force said. The three men included Andriy Pilshchykov – callsign Juice – “a Ukrainian officer, one of those who greatly helped our state”, said Volodymyr Zelensky. Pilshchykov has been hailed as a “mega talent” and leader of reforms by Air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat. This comes as an old interview of Russian Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin wherein he said he would rather be killed than lie to his country, and talked about a plane disintegrating in the sky has sparked a flood of online theorising about his presumed death. “Today we have reached the boiling point,” he said in the 40-second clip published on Grey Zone, Wagner’s Telegram channel. “Why am I speaking so honestly? Because I don’t have the right, before those people who will live on in this country. They are now being lied to. Better kill me.” The clip has been taken from an interview originally published on 29 April with a Russian military blogger. Read More What we know — and don't know — about the crash of a Russian mercenary's plane Putin says Wagner chief had ‘complicated fate’ – as officials suggest explosion on plane caused fatal crash While world media speculates on Wagner chief's presumed death, Russian state media shies away Wagner has been decapitated – the mercenaries should fear the future
2023-08-27 12:54
Gabon Shuts Off Internet, Imposes Curfew as Bongo Seeks New Term
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2023-08-27 04:58
BOE’s Broadbent Warns UK Rates Need to Remain High for Some Time
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2023-08-27 03:22
Tributes to ‘beautiful girl’ among four killed in crash on way to exams celebration
Tributes have been paid to four young people killed in a crash in Ireland while on the way to exam results celebrations on Friday. Luke McSweeney, 24, his sister Grace McSweeney, 18, Zoey Coffey, 18, and Nicole Murphy, 18, died at the scene in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, after the car they were travelling in struck a wall. They had been on their way to celebrate after the three teenagers received their Leaving Certificate exam results earlier that day. The mother of Grace McSweeney’s boyfriend wrote on Facebook: “Thank you for making my son happy and I’ll do my best to mind him for you.” “You were so good, always trying to help me around the house and you knew how to keep Aaron on his toes,” she added. In the post she congratulated Grace on passing her Leaving Certificate, adding that she knew how much it meant to her. Superintendent Kieran Ruane, of Clonmel Garda Station, extended his sympathies to their families, who he said had appealed for privacy. The scene at Hillview remains closed on Saturday to carry out a forensic examination and Mr Ruane said that heavy downpours would be among the factors that Garda investigators would consider. Local schools in the town opened on Saturday to support students as the community comes to terms with the tragedy. Ireland’s premier Leo Varadkar said the nation is mourning their deaths as the minister for education Norma Foley pledged support for students and staff. Members of the community and local politicians expressed their shock at the tragedy, with local TD Mattie McGrath saying that “a time of celebration has turned to a time of devastation”. He said Clonmel had been “left numbed” by the loss and that it would “take some time to recover”, but that the community would rally around those grieving the losses. Local sporting events and the Clonmel Pride parade, as well as other activities in the area, have been cancelled in the wake of the fatal crash. A parish priest has asked the community to look after one another in the days ahead and the minister of education has pledged support for school staff and students affected. Mr Varadkar has said: “We must come together in times such as this” and that the Leaving Cert results night “should mark the beginning of a world of opportunities for young people”. “It’s a milestone on the road from childhood to adulthood,” Mr Varadkar he added. “For young lives, so full of possibility, to be cut short in this way is truly devastating and heartbreaking,” he continued. “The whole nation mourns them. My sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who have died and the wider community in Clonmel and Tipperary. The thoughts of the whole country are with them, their school and their community.” Education minister Ms Foley said her department will provide support to students and staff in the period ahead. “This is heartbreaking news on what should have been a day of enormous celebration and joy for the class of 2023,” she said. “School communities in Ireland are akin to tight-knit families and I know this morning that staff, students, parents and guardians will be united in their grief and utter devastation at this tragic and sudden loss of life. “The Department of Education, through the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), will provide essential supports to staff and students over the coming period. “The grief felt by those affected by the loss of four young lives is acute and we will do all that we can to support them at this sad and difficult time.” Read More Police offer £50,000 reward to find missing mother feared murdered in ‘targeted attack’ Nation mourning after four young people killed in Co Tipperary crash – Varadkar Body found in search for missing 54-year-old woman in Kent
2023-08-26 23:26