International

Russia hits Kyiv missile factory after flagship sunk

Published

4 years ago

April 16, 2022

The Vizar missile factory targeted by overnight strikes after Ukraine claimed to have used cruise missiles to hit and sink a Russia warship

Russia pounded a Ukrainian rocket factory following the sinking of its Black Sea flagship, as President Volodymyr Zelensky said his allies could shorten the war by delivering the weapons he had requested.

The Vizar factory, near Kyiv’s international airport, was seriously damaged in the overnight strikes, an AFP journalist saw on Friday.

Russia said it had used sea-based long-range missiles to hit the plant, which Ukraine’s state weapons manufacturer says produced Neptune cruise missiles — the projectiles both Kyiv and Washington say were used to sink the Moskva warship.

“There were five hits. My employee was in the office and got thrown off his feet by the blast,” Andrei Sizov, the 47-year-old owner of a nearby wood workshop, told AFP.

“They are making us pay for destroying the Moskva,” he said.

A Pentagon official briefing reporters said the ship had been hit with two Neptunes — contradicting Russia’s claim that the ship lost balance in rough seas as it was towed to port after ammunition exploded.

The Moskva had been leading Russia’s naval effort in the seven-week conflict, and the fate of its crew of more than 500 was uncertain.

The Pentagon official said survivors were observed being recovered by other Russian vessels, but Ukrainian authorities said bad weather had made rescue operations impossible.

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The Russian fleet in the Black Sea has been blockading the besieged port city of Mariupol, where Russian officials say they are in full control although Ukrainian fighters are still holed up in the city’s fortress-like steelworks.

– Weapons plea –

In his nightly address, Zelensky made another plea for allies to send more firepower to boost the defence efforts.

“You can make the war much shorter,” he said. “The more and the sooner we get all the weapons we have requested, the stronger our position will be and the sooner peace will come.”

The head of Ukraine’s army had made a similar point in a phone call to the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, the military said on Saturday.

The United States has already pledged a new $800-million military aid package for Ukraine this week, including helicopters, howitzers and armoured personnel carriers, and on Friday the German government said it plans to release more than a billion euros ($1.1 billion) in aid as well.

US media reported that Russia had sent a formal complaint to Washington about its support of Kyiv this week.

In the diplomatic note, Moscow warned the United States and NATO against sending the “most sensitive” weapons, saying such shipments were “adding fuel” to the situation and could come with “unpredictable consequences”, the Washington Post reported.

Zelensky warned Friday that Russia might use nuclear weapons out of desperation as its invasion falters, echoing recent comments by CIA director William Burns.

“They could do it, I mean they can,” Zelensky told CNN. “For them, life of the people is nothing.”

– ‘Wait for quieter times’ –

The attack on the Vizar factory was the first major Russian strike around the Ukrainian capital in more than two weeks.

Russian forces last month started withdrawing from around Kyiv as they were redeployed to focus on the east of the country, but the city remains vulnerable to missiles.

Kyiv regional governor Oleksandr Pavliuk said there were at least two other Russian strikes on the city Friday, adding civilians thinking about returning should “wait for quieter times.”

The Russian defence ministry has in fact warned it will target Kyiv “in response to any terrorist attacks or sabotage committed by the Kyiv nationalist regime on Russian territory”.

For now, Russia’s military focus seems set on seizing the eastern Donbas region, where Russian-backed separatists control the Donetsk and Lugansk areas.

This would allow Moscow to create a southern corridor to the occupied Crimean peninsula, and Ukrainian authorities have been urging people in the region to quickly move west in advance of a large-scale Russian offensive.

The UN’s World Food Programme has appealed for access to those who cannot get out.

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“It’s one thing when people are suffering from the devastation of war. It’s another thing when they’re being starved to death,” WFP director David Beasley said in a statement.

– Shelling in Kharkiv –

Ahead of the anticipated Russian push, towns and cities in the east been subjected to what residents say is incessant shelling.

On Friday AFP witnessed the aftermath of several strikes in the industrial district of Kharkiv, where authorities said 10 people were killed and 35 injured.

The charred remains of three rockets were visible, and around a dozen football-sized craters were spotted across the area AFP saw in a short visit.

One 38-year-old man was killed when shrapnel burst into his apartment as he smoked by the window.

“Everything started, the glass fell down and I saw him lying in a pool of blood,” his mother said. “I told him before that we should leave. He said we should stay.”

For its part, Russia on Friday claimed Ukraine was preparing a missile strike on its own refugees at a railway station in the Kharkiv region, in the town of Lozova.

The allegations echoed Russia’s widely dismissed claim that Kyiv was responsible for a missile strike on April 18 that killed scores at another railway station.

Moscow has been accused of widespread war crimes by Ukraine and its allies, and international experts have already arrived in the country to begin investigations.

A team of French experts has been working for several days in the town of Bucha, which has become synonymous with alleged Russian atrocities.

Local authorities say hundreds were killed there, and on Friday the region’s police chief said 95 percent died from gunshot wounds.

– Financial support –

As well as military aid, Zelensky appealed for financial support in his address late Friday.

“The sooner the democratic world recognises that the oil embargo against Russia and the complete blockade of its banking sector are necessary steps towards peace, the sooner the war will end,” he said.

Last week European countries announced expanded efforts to wean themselves off Russian gas, and Germany on Friday released nearly three billion euros ($3.2 billion) to acquire floating liquefied natural gas import terminals.

But Berlin does not consider it realistic to be able to do without Russian gas before mid-2024.

The war in Ukraine has also had a profound effect on European countries’ security considerations, with Finland and Sweden considering joining NATO.

Moscow, which invaded Ukraine partly because of deepening ties between Kyiv and NATO, on Friday warned of consequences should they join the US-led defence alliance.

“They will automatically find themselves on the NATO frontline,” Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

Shortly afterwards, Finland’s European Affairs Minister Tytti Tuppurainen said it was “highly likely” that her country would apply for NATO membership.

Unlike Sweden, Finland neighbours Russia, from which it declared independence in 1917 after 150 years of Russian rule.

AFP

Related Topics:flagshi Kyiv missile factory Russia

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International

Earthquake in Afghanistan Kills 8 Members of Same Family

Published

6 hours ago

April 4, 2026

Trends Admin

Earthquake in Afghanistan Kills 8 Members of Same Family

An earthquake in Afghanistan has killed at least eight members of the same family and injured others after striking late on Friday, officials said, deepening the humanitarian toll in a region prone to powerful temblors.

The 5.8‑magnitude earthquake struck at 8:42 p.m. local time (1612 GMT) on Friday, with its epicentre located in Badakhshan Province, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The quake occurred at a depth of 186 kilometres (115 miles) beneath the surface, a depth that allowed the shaking to be felt over a wide area, including in the capital Kabul and other surrounding provinces.

Shaking was reported across multiple regions of Afghanistan, with residents describing rooms swaying and items falling from shelves, according to international news agency reports.

In Kabul Province, the Gosfand Dara area was among the most severely affected. Health Ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman confirmed to AFP that eight members of a single household lost their lives when their home collapsed during the quake. A two‑year‑old child was the lone survivor from the family; the country’s disaster management agency said the boy sustained injuries and was receiving medical care.

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Afghan authorities have not yet detailed whether other deaths or injuries occurred beyond this household in Kabul Province, but tremors were widely felt from the northeast to the national capital and beyond.

Afghanistan sits in a seismically active zone along the Hindu Kush mountain range, where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates interact. This makes the region particularly susceptible to strong earthquakes that can cause widespread damage, especially in areas with fragile infrastructure.

In August, a much stronger magnitude‑6.1 earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan, flattening mountainside villages and killing more than 2,200 people, making it one of the country’s deadliest in recent memory. That disaster displaced tens of thousands, destroyed homes, schools and roads, and underscored Afghanistan’s vulnerability to seismic calamities.

The latest tremor serves as a stark reminder of that risk, particularly as communities still recover from past earthquakes amid ongoing economic hardship and limited emergency response capacity.

Humanitarian agencies and local officials are assessing the broader impact of Friday’s quake, and calls are mounting for more resources to support affected families, improve response capabilities, and enhance early warning systems.

Earthquake in Afghanistan Kills 8 Members of Same Family

International

Iran Crisis Escalates as Second US Warplane Crashes in Persian Gulf

Published

8 hours ago

April 4, 2026

Trends Admin

Iran Crisis Escalates as Second US Warplane Crashes in Persian Gulf

The already fragile security situation in the Middle East has taken a dramatic turn following reports that a second U.S. military aircraft has crashed in the Persian Gulf, intensifying tensions between the United States and Iran.

According to U.S. officials cited by The New York Times, a U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II, widely known as the Warthog, went down near the Strait of Hormuz. The pilot was successfully rescued, but the exact cause of the crash remains unclear, with early indications suggesting a combination of operational risk and possible hostile engagement.

The incident occurred almost simultaneously with reports that an F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet was shot down over Iranian territory. Iranian state media claimed responsibility, stating that its air defence systems intercepted the aircraft. U.S. officials have confirmed the loss of the jet, though investigations into the precise circumstances are ongoing.

Rescue operations for the downed F-15E crew are still underway. One crew member has been recovered alive and is receiving medical care, while search efforts continue for the second. The operation has drawn significant military resources, including air and naval support, amid concerns over the safety of personnel operating in hostile territory.

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Iranian state television further escalated tensions by urging civilians to report the whereabouts of the missing U.S. crew member or members, offering a reward for information. Analysts warn that such actions could complicate rescue missions and heighten the risk of further confrontation.

The A-10 aircraft is believed to have been operating in support of these rescue efforts when it crashed, underscoring the опасность of ongoing operations in the region. Reports indicate that U.S. rescue teams have encountered hostile conditions, including potential ground fire, making recovery efforts increasingly challenging.

U.S. President Donald Trump has intensified rhetoric amid the crisis, confirming earlier strikes on Iranian infrastructure, including a highway bridge near Tehran. He warned that Washington is prepared to escalate military action if necessary, while claiming that U.S. operations have significantly weakened Iran’s military capabilities.

The developments have placed renewed focus on the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil transit route through which a significant portion of the world’s energy supply passes. Any disruption to this corridor could trigger major economic последствия, including spikes in global oil prices.

At the same time, the crisis unfolds against the backdrop of a proposed $1.5 trillion U.S. defence budget for fiscal year 2027, fueling debate over increased military spending and its implications for domestic priorities.

Diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions appear to have stalled. Iranian officials have dismissed the possibility of negotiations under current conditions, denying reports that Tehran is seeking a ceasefire and maintaining a hardline stance against Washington.

The near-simultaneous loss of two U.S. military aircraft marks a significant escalation in the conflict, raising concerns about a potential broader regional confrontation if tensions continue to rise.

Iran Crisis Escalates as Second US Warplane Crashes in Persian Gulf

International

Iran’s IRGC Threatens Google, Microsoft, Apple as ‘Legitimate Military Targets’

Published

23 hours ago

April 3, 2026

Trends Admin

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)

Iran’s IRGC Threatens Google, Microsoft, Apple as ‘Legitimate Military Targets’

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a stark warning to major US technology companies, declaring them legitimate military targets amid intensifying conflict in the Middle East.

The warning, carried by the IRGC-linked Tasnim News Agency, named around 20 American and Western tech firms allegedly involved in intelligence, surveillance, and targeting operations. Companies highlighted include Google, Microsoft, Apple, Meta, Boeing, HP, and Tesla. The IRGC claimed these firms play a central role in identifying and tracking targets through artificial intelligence, cloud infrastructure, and ICT systems, making their facilities subject to attack.

The statement warned that attacks could begin from 8 p.m. local time on Wednesday if Iran continues to experience what Tehran describes as “targeted assassinations” of its leaders and military personnel. Employees and civilians near company offices and data centres were urged to evacuate immediately.

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The threats follow a dramatic escalation in hostilities between Iran and Israel, with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reporting more than 230 airstrikes in 24 hours, targeting Iranian military infrastructure. Tehran has accused Israel and the US of also hitting civilian and academic institutions, including Isfahan University of Technology and the Iran University of Science and Technology.

Analysts warn the IRGC’s threats signal a widening battlefield beyond traditional military targets, potentially including commercial tech infrastructure, cloud systems, and communications networks. Such attacks could disrupt internet connectivity, cloud services, financial systems, and regional communications across the Middle East and beyond.

While no confirmed large-scale attacks on these firms have occurred, the announcement raises concerns over the global implications of targeting technology infrastructure in modern conflicts. Experts say such threats highlight how digital and commercial assets are increasingly considered strategic military targets.

Tech companies named in the warning have largely refrained from commenting publicly but are reportedly reviewing security measures and contingency plans to protect staff and critical infrastructure in the region.

The IRGC’s declaration marks a new phase of geopolitical escalation, demonstrating the growing intersection of technology, military operations, and regional instability in the Middle East.