Despite the world's attention being on the conflict between Israel and Iran, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues to escalate. Since the surgical operation by Kiev attacking several bases in Russian territory, bombings have intensified between both countries. This morning, Ukraine attempted to attack Moscow with several drones, which were shot down by Russian defenses.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continues to call for increased pressure on Russia following the deadly Tuesday attack on Kiev, where a nine-story apartment building was hit. That night, Putin's troops launched over 440 drones and 32 missiles in what Zelensky described as one of the largest bombings of the war, which began on February 24, 2022.
Despite the escalation of attacks, the rivals continue to exchange prisoners and the bodies of fallen soldiers. This Thursday, a new round took place, including the repatriation of Ukrainian prisoners of war suffering severe health problems caused by injuries and prolonged detention.
Kyiv has evacuated 630,000 museum objects at high risk to prevent theft by Russia
Russian aggression "is not about square kilometers of land" to annex, but seeks to "erase the cultural identity" of Ukraine, says Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Culture Galyna Grygorenko to EFE, who reports 630,000 objects evacuated from museums in high-risk areas and laments the lack of "adequate spaces" to safeguard art in the country.
Culture is often a victim of armed conflicts, but in this case, according to Grygorenko, "that is the main reason for this war, and that is exactly what the Ukrainian government is protecting," supporting cultural institutions such as museums, libraries, cultural centers, and theaters with state funds and grants, and security measures "to keep them functioning" in the midst of war.
"It all stems from something very clear: this war is not about square kilometers of land, but about cultural identity. Russia is trying to erase this identity," the deputy minister points out in an interview with EFE in the Netherlands, where she traveled for the opening of an exhibition at the Bredius Museum in The Hague.
Ukrainian fugitive arrested when renewing his NIE at police facilities
A wanted individual by the Ukrainian justice system accused of defrauding over a million euros in that country was arrested in Benidorm (Alicante) when he went to police facilities to renew his foreigner identification number (NIE), as reported by the National Police, according to Efe.
His arrest took place at the documentation offices of the tourist city while he was processing paperwork for his foreigner identification card. When his identity was entered into the database, the agents found an outstanding international arrest warrant issued in February by Ukrainian authorities, leading to his arrest.
Russia shoots down 62 Ukrainian drones over its territory
Russian anti-aircraft defenses shot down 62 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones last night over nine regions of the country, two of them near Moscow, as reported by Russian authorities today, according to Efe.
According to the Ministry of Defense report published on Telegram, the anti-aircraft forces destroyed a total of 61 drones, one of them in the vicinity of the Russian capital.
Shortly after, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported the downing of a second unmanned aircraft heading towards the capital.
Russian drone attack kills one person in Odesa
Russia launched 86 drones last night against Ukrainian territory, with 70 being neutralized by Ukrainian air defenses, as reported by the Ukrainian Air Force on Friday regarding a new Russian attack on Ukrainian territory that, according to the Prosecutor's Office, killed one person in the city of Odesa, as reported by Efe.
The Ukrainian Prosecutor's Office explained in a statement that the Russians launched "at least ten drones" against Odesa, hitting various civilian infrastructures in the city.
According to regional authorities, 13 people were injured in Odesa as a result of the attack, which caused a fire in a four-story residential building and damage to other civilian infrastructures.
Ukraine fears being weakened by the war between Israel and Iran
While supporting the Israeli offensive against Iran, a supplier of Russian arms, Ukrainian leaders fear that this conflict will overshadow their war against Moscow and end up weakening their defense capabilities, as reported by Afp.
The crossfire between Israel and Iran has captured international attention and also increased oil prices, a key source of income for the Russian war effort.
The United States had already distanced itself from Ukraine since Donald Trump's arrival at the White House, making it clear that its security priorities are the Middle East and Asia.
The possibility of even less support and attention worries Kiev, especially in the event of U.S. intervention in the offensive launched by its close ally Israel.
Russian drone attack injures 13 people in Odesa
Russia launched 86 drones last night against Ukrainian territory, with 70 being neutralized by Ukrainian air defenses, as reported by Efe following a statement from the Ukrainian Air Force on Friday.
According to regional authorities, 13 people were injured in the city of Odesa as a result of the attack, which caused a fire in a four-story residential building and damage to other civilian infrastructures.
In the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, the Russian bombardment caused damage in several districts. Four people were injured in the city during the attack.
Marco Rubio discusses Ukraine and NATO with British Foreign Minister
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met on Thursday with the UK Foreign Minister David Lammy to address bilateral issues such as the current conflict between Israel and Iran, the end of the war in Ukraine, and the upcoming NATO summit, as reported by spokesperson Tammy Bruce in a statement.
Rubio and Lammy "agreed that Iran will never be able to develop or acquire a nuclear weapon," a position expressed by the leaders of both countries in a joint statement during the recent G7 summit held earlier this week in Kananaskis, Canada.
During the meeting in Washington, Rubio and Lammy "reviewed other key areas of cooperation between the United States and the United Kingdom, including efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine," Bruce said in a brief text sent to the media.