Russia views Ukraine's Kursk incursion as a "major provocation" and has threatened to retaliate while it advances in the eastern Pokrovsk city. Zelenskyy has recently pushed for renewed peace negotiations on Ukrainian terms, and the incursion was part of the plan to pit pressure on Russia.
The 'glide bombs' are fitted with a navigation system telling them where to strike and are hard to intercept, making it a dangerous weapon in the ongoing war. The attack wounded at least 77 people, of whom 20 are in serious condition.
Oleksiy Mes, also known as “Moonfish”, was killed while repelling one of Russia's largest aerial attacks on Monday, and was buried on Thursday. Ukraine has started using US-made F-16 fighter jets after a long wait from Washington entailing hundreds of meetings and negotiations.
This came a day after Russia pummelled Ukraine with over 200 missiles and drones on Monday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy promised to retaliate against the attacks while his troops have made gains in Russia's Kursk region.
Russia has claimed to destroyed numerous NATO weapons systems like Abrams, HIMARS, Stryker, Challenger 2 and more. It had accused Ukraine of using weapons obtained from Western countries and warned of a 'World War III' if this continues.
PM Modi visited Ukraine on August 23 and reiterated his message of dialogue and diplomacy to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This was his first visit to Kyiv since its independence in 1991 and the PM is one of the few leaders to visit both Russia and Ukraine after the war broke out.
Putin's warning came nearly a month after the US announced the stationing of long-range weapons, including Tomahawk cruise missiles in Germany.
US President Joe Biden, during his telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra, commended the latter's "historic visits" to Poland and Ukraine as well as his message of peace, the White House said in a statement.
Russia unleashed a massive drone and missile barrage throughout Ukraine on Monday, and at least five people were reported killed in the attack that appeared to target energy infrastructure.
Russia's Saratov regional airport imposed flight curbs on Monday after homes were damaged as a result of Ukraine's drone attack that wounded a woman.
A member of the Reuters team covering the war in Ukraine was missing and two others were hospitalised after a strike on a hotel in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk.
PM Modi and Volodymyr Zelenskyy were seen hugging and shaking hands together as they paid tribute to fallen children at the Martyrologist Exposition in Kyiv. PM Modi’s hand remained firmly on Zelenskyy's shoulder -- a symbolic gesture of India's solidarity with Ukraine amid its war with Russia.
PM disembarked from the Train Force One in Kyiv after a 10-hour train journey from Poland and greeted Ukrainian officials and the Indian diaspora after his arrival. He is the first Indian PM to visit the country after Ukraine's independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
As he arrived in Kyiv on Friday, PM Modi has become one of the few leaders who has visited both Russia and Ukraine after the war began. India's diplomatic relations with Ukraine were formally established in 1992, and Delhi has relied on Kyiv for supply of military technology and medicine.
As of August 2023, PM Modi has embarked on 80 foreign trips, including Poland and Ukraine, indicating his focus on enhancing India's global stature. His visit to Ukraine makes him to first Indian PM to arrive in the war-torn country in over 30 years of diplomatic ties.
Prime Minister Modi is the first leader in Indian history to visit Ukraine since establishing diplomatic relations in 1992. He also interacted with the Indian diaspora ahead of high-stakes talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be closely watched by the US and Russia.
The visit comes amid ongoing conflict, with Ukrainian forces in Russia's western Kursk region and Russian advances in eastern Ukraine. Modi's visit follows a recent trip to Moscow, where he urged for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
PM Modi is visiting Ukraine at the invitation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and is the first Indian leader in history to visit the war-torn nation. His visit comes at a crucial juncture of the Russia-Ukraine War, as India is likely to assert its policy of dialogue and diplomacy.
PM Modi will embark on a 20-hour journey aboard the Train Force One, a luxury train from Poland, for his first visit to Ukraine. The special train, which has hosted several world leaders, features luxurious amenities and executive-level work and relaxation facilities.
For PM Modi, the Ukraine trip is an opportunity "to engage Zelenskyy and secure Indian interests there, push back against Russian overreach and placate the West".
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