International

Ukraine braces for new offensive as Russia reinforces military in east

Published

4 years ago

April 12, 2022

Ukraine and its international partners are bracing for Russia to launch a new offensive, with the Pentagon on Monday saying there are signs that the Kremlin has begun reinforcing and resupplying its forces in the eastern Donbas region as a top official in Moscow vowed there would be no letup in hostilities before the next round of peace talks.

U.S. intelligence has observed a massive Russian military convoy making its way south toward Izyum, a strategically important town in northeast Ukraine that Russia seized earlier this month and may use now as a staging point to carry out assaults on larger cities to the south, said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby. The expectation, Kirby added, is that the “same brutal tactics, that same disregard for civilian life and civilian infrastructure, will probably continue” as Russian military commanders concentrate on the Donbas.

The bleak U.S. assessment came amid renewed concerns about the potential for a chemical weapons attack, and as Austria’s chancellor, Karl Nehammer, became the first Western leader to meet face to face with Russian President Vladimir Putin since the incursion began in late February. Nehammer’s trip, according to officials in Vienna, was intended to convey to the Russian leader that, morally, Putin had already lost the war.

“This is not a friendly visit,” the chancellor said in a statement. “I have just come from Ukraine and have seen with my own eyes the immeasurable suffering caused by the Russian war of aggression.”

Amid the global outrage over accusations that Russian troops committed atrocities targeting civilians in areas around the capital, Kyiv, French law enforcement officials prepared to start working on related investigations after arriving in Ukraine on Monday. Prosecutors in France have opened multiple probes into potential war crimes committed against French nationals there.

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President Biden, meanwhile, met virtually with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urged him not to increase Russian energy imports, as the international community seeks to impose greater financial pressure on Moscow to call off its war. Biden said after the meeting that the United States and India are in “close consultation” in managing the “destabilizing” effects of Russia’s actions.

While Russia has pulled back from the suburbs of Kyiv and other parts of northern Ukraine, Putin’s forces continue to attack elsewhere.

Russia has continued to fire artillery, rockets and mortars at the northern city of Kharkhiv, Ukrainian military officials said. Russian forces, they said, attempted on Monday to storm the city of Sievierodonetsk in the Donbas region but were unsuccessful.

In a speech relayed via video to South Korean lawmakers, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday said the Russian buildup in eastern Ukraine includes “tens of thousands of soldiers and a huge amount of equipment.” With its new offensive, he said, Russia aims to “break our national resistance.”

Zelensky highlighted the destruction in Mariupol, a port city in the south that has been bombarded for weeks.

“There are tens of thousands of dead,” the Ukrainian leader said in his address. “But even despite this, the Russians do not stop the offensive. They want to make Mariupol a demonstratively destroyed city.”

The mayor of Mariupol, Vadym Boychenko, said in an interview with the Associated Press that 10,000 civilians there have been killed. He estimated that the death toll could double amid the Russians’ unrelenting assault, which has made it difficult for rescue workers to reach the dead and the wounded.

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The Pentagon also assessed that the number of people killed in Mariupol could be as high as Zelensky described.

“I don’t think anybody’s really going to know until Ukrainian authorities are able to get in there and look and see,” Kirby said. “But if you just look at the imagery, and you see how much the Russians have pounded Mariupol from the air, it’s inconceivable to imagine that there aren’t going to be civilian casualties and that it could be a significant number.”

Zohra Bensemra/Reuters Rescuers search for bodies under the rubble of a building destroyed by Russian shelling in Borodyanka, Ukraine, on April 11.

Zelensky said in a separate video address released late Monday that the government in Kyiv takes “as seriously as possible” an apparent threat to unleash chemical weapons on the Ukrainian units remaining in Mariupol, which earlier in the day claimed on social media that such an attack had already occurred there.

Kirby acknowledged that U.S. officials were aware of those claims but were unable to confirm their veracity, saying that the Pentagon would closely monitor the situation. “These reports, if true, are deeply concerning and reflective of concerns that we have had about Russia’s potential to use a variety of riot control agents, including tear gas mixed with chemical agents, in Ukraine.”

The Russian Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Rescuers on Monday pulled seven more bodies from ruins in Borodyanka, an area northwest of Kyiv that was devastated by airstrikes. The dead there were found in the rubble of two apartment buildings, Ukraine’s emergency services agency said in a Telegram post. Nineteen victims have been removed from the rubble, according to the update, and rescue efforts continue.

A senior European Union official, Josep Borrell, said that he “witnessed the brutal, brutal aggression of the Russian troops against the civilian population” during an official visit to Kyiv with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and that the E.U. would support the work of prosecutors from Ukraine and the International Criminal Court to collect evidence of possible war crimes committed by Russian forces.

Borrell, the E.U.’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, predicted that more bloodshed is in store as Russia masses forces in the east and prepares to intensify operations in the next days.

A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity under terms set by the Pentagon, said that it was unclear when Russia may launch the new assault but that there were signs it was preparing to do so. So far, this official said, Russia has reinforced its military posture around the city of Donetsk, where Ukrainian forces have battled Russian separatists for several years, by adding artillery units to the southwest.

The convoy now pressing south from the Russian border includes a command element, a support battalion, helicopter support and infantrymen for security, the U.S. official said, calling it “clear evidence” that Russia already is pursuing its goal to seize the Donbas after failing to take Kyiv. Russia has focused the majority of its airstrikes in recent days on the Donbas region, the official said.

Moscow’s decision to name Gen. Alexander Dvornikov as its top commander in Ukraine is unlikely to alter Russia’s tactics, U.S. officials said. Dvornikov has been dubbed the “butcher of Syria” for the violence his forces inflicted during Russia’s military campaign there in the last few years.

“We’re probably turning another page in the same book of Russian brutality,” Kirby told reporters Monday.

Russia will not pause its military operations in Ukraine before the next rounds of peace talks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday in an interview with state TV channel Rossiya 24. He added that while Putin had ordered a temporary halt in military action during an early round of talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegates, Moscow has since changed its stance.

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“After we became convinced that the Ukrainians were not planning to reciprocate, a decision was made that during the next rounds of talks, there would be no pause until a final agreement is reached and signed,” Lavrov said.

In the interview, Lavrov also appeared to recast Moscow’s goals, saying its operations in Ukraine are meant to end a course by the United States “towards world domination.” Russian officials previously justified their invasion by calling it an effort to “denazify” Ukraine.

Amid the bloodshed, the U.N. Development Program announced a new initiative to support Ukraine over the next two years as it seeks to deal with the devastation and rebuild its institutions for a possible postwar future.

The program will provide on-the-ground services including infrastructure repair, debris removal and new ways to generate income for those who have lost their jobs, U.N. officials said. They cited earlier research finding that the war could wipe out 18 years of socioeconomic progress in Ukraine if it is not resolved decisively, and soon.

“The war in Ukraine continues to inflict immense human suffering,” UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner said in a statement. Early estimates, he said, “project that close to two decades of socio-economic progress could be lost if the war continues — with 9 out of 10 people at risk of falling into poverty.”

THE WASHINGTON POST

Related Topics:east military offensive Russia Ukraine

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International

Macron Calls for Strait of Hormuz Reopening as Energy Crisis Fears Mount

Published

11 hours ago

April 25, 2026

Trends Admin

French President Emmanuel Macron

Macron Calls for Strait of Hormuz Reopening as Energy Crisis Fears Mount

French President Emmanuel Macron has reaffirmed efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, warning that continued geopolitical tensions could destabilise global energy supply chains.

He made the remarks on Saturday in Athens during a joint press conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, following renewed warnings from energy industry leaders about potential shortages linked to ongoing conflict in the region.

Macron said international efforts are focused on restoring full freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that the priority is to ensure safe passage for global energy shipments. He added that instability and panic in markets can worsen shortages, even when physical supply remains partially available. According to him, the goal is a full reopening “in the coming days and weeks” in line with international law, to guarantee unrestricted maritime movement.

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His comments came shortly after the chief executive of TotalEnergies, Patrick Pouyanné, warned that prolonged disruption could trigger a global energy crisis. Speaking at the World Policy Conference in France, Pouyanné said the world risks severe supply constraints if the situation continues for two to three months, noting that about 20 percent of global oil and gas normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz.

He warned that if such volumes remain blocked, global markets could face serious scarcity, with Asian economies likely to suffer significant impacts due to their heavy reliance on energy imports through the route.

Movement through the Strait has reportedly been affected by rising tensions linked to the US–Israel–Iran conflict, with reports of vessel seizures and heightened military activity in surrounding waters. The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most critical global chokepoints for crude oil, liquefied natural gas, and other essential goods such as fertilizers and pharmaceuticals.

Macron also noted that several countries have expressed willingness to participate in a multinational maritime security mission led by France and Britain to protect shipping routes once conditions allow. However, international coordination remains complex, with differing positions among global powers on how to secure the waterway.

He stressed that the current crisis reflects broader geopolitical instability and called for urgent de-escalation to restore stability. According to him, the situation highlights how global economies are exposed to conflicts affecting critical maritime routes.

Macron Calls for Strait of Hormuz Reopening as Energy Crisis Fears Mount

International

US Resumes Executions as Trump Reintroduces Firing Squad Option

Published

21 hours ago

April 25, 2026

Trends Admin

US President Donald Trump

Trump Orders Aggressive Return of Death Penalty as US Restores Firing Squad, Lethal Injection

The United States Department of Justice has announced a sweeping return to aggressive enforcement of capital punishment, including the reintroduction of firing squads and lethal injection, in a major policy shift under Donald Trump.

In a statement released Friday, the department said it is restoring its mandate to carry out lawful executions of federal death row inmates who have exhausted their appeals. The directive follows an executive order signed by Trump on his first day in office, instructing the Justice Department to prioritise the pursuit and enforcement of death sentences in appropriate cases.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche criticised the previous administration under Joe Biden, accusing it of failing to fully enforce capital punishment. He said the renewed approach is aimed at ensuring justice for victims of violent crimes, including terrorism, child killings, and attacks on law enforcement officers.

The policy marks a direct reversal of the federal execution moratorium introduced by former Attorney General Merrick Garland, which had paused executions pending a review of lethal injection protocols, particularly the use of pentobarbital.

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According to the Justice Department, that review has now concluded that the drug complies with the Eighth Amendment of the US Constitution, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. The department’s newly released report, “Restoring and Strengthening the Federal Death Penalty,” supports the resumption of executions under updated guidelines.

As part of the overhaul, federal prosecutors have been authorised to seek the death penalty in at least 44 cases, with Blanche personally approving capital punishment in nine, including cases involving alleged members of the MS-13 gang accused of killing a federal witness.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons has also been directed to reinstate lethal injection protocols, expand execution methods to include firing squads, and explore the construction of new execution facilities capable of handling multiple methods.

Officials further revealed plans to streamline internal legal processes, including reforms to federal habeas corpus procedures, in a bid to reduce delays between conviction and execution—an issue that has long characterised the US capital punishment system.

The announcement also revisits controversial decisions made during the Biden era, including the commutation of sentences for 37 out of 40 federal death row inmates. The current Justice Department criticised that move, arguing it was carried out without sufficient consultation with victims’ families.

The policy shift is expected to reignite intense national debate over death penalty laws in the United States, with critics raising concerns about wrongful convictions, racial disparities, and the ethical implications of state-sanctioned executions. Human rights organisations have also questioned the reintroduction of firing squads, describing it as a regressive step.

Supporters, however, argue that the move reinforces accountability and ensures that the most serious crimes are met with the strongest legal consequences.

With executions now set to resume under expanded methods, the United States once again finds itself at the center of a deeply divisive debate over justice, punishment, and constitutional rights.

US Resumes Executions as Trump Reintroduces Firing Squad Option

International

US Offers $10M Reward for Iraqi Militia Leader Linked to Attacks

Published

2 days ago

April 24, 2026

Trends Admin

US Offers $10M Reward for Iraqi Militia Leader Linked to Attacks

The United States State Department has announced a $10 million reward for information leading to the capture or identification of a senior Iraqi militia leader accused of involvement in attacks on American and allied targets in the Middle East.

The reward targets Hashim Finyan Rahim al-Saraji, who is identified as the leader of the Iran-backed armed group Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS), which Washington designates as a terrorist organisation.

The announcement was made through the U.S. State Department’s Rewards for Justice programme, which stated that individuals who provide credible information on al-Saraji’s whereabouts may also be eligible for relocation assistance in addition to the financial reward.

U.S. authorities say the group has carried out attacks on U.S. diplomatic facilities in Iraq, including sites in Baghdad, as well as strikes on American military bases and personnel in both Iraq and Syria. Washington also accuses KSS of involvement in violence against Iraqi civilians, describing it as part of a wider network of Iran-aligned militias operating across Iraq and the region.

Al-Saraji is also linked to Iraq’s powerful Coordination Framework, a Shiite political alliance that holds significant influence in the country’s parliamentary system.

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The reward forms part of a broader U.S. strategy of increasing pressure on Iran-backed militias in Iraq, which Washington says continue to destabilise the country and threaten regional security. In recent months, the United States has urged Baghdad to tighten financial controls, restrict militia funding, and improve oversight of security-related spending.

The move follows similar action earlier this month when Washington offered a reward for a commander linked to Kataib Hezbollah, another Iran-aligned armed group operating in Iraq.

Iraq remains a key flashpoint in wider U.S.–Iran tensions, with multiple armed groups operating alongside official state security forces. Although the country has seen relative stability in recent years, the continued presence of powerful militias outside full government control remains a major security and governance challenge.

These armed groups have previously been accused of targeting the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, the diplomatic zone at Baghdad International Airport, and foreign-owned energy installations in Iraq.

There has been no immediate response from KSS or Iraqi authorities regarding the U.S. announcement. However, similar reward offers and sanctions measures have previously been criticised by militia-linked political actors in Iraq, who often describe them as interference in domestic affairs.

Analysts say the latest move reflects Washington’s broader approach of combining financial incentives, intelligence gathering, and sanctions pressure to disrupt militia networks across the Middle East.